Simon Crockford

Age: 40
Occupation: Call Center Manager
Number of Cruises: 5
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International
Ship: Voyager of the Seas
Sailing Date: December 23rd, 2001
Itinerary: Western Caribbean

I thought I would give a quick overall rating before launching into the review. I hope you enjoy reading my first attempt.

Overall Impressions:

Ship: 8/10
Like the art work and the way the ship moves at sea.

Crew: 7/10
Not as helpful and friendly as some but still good.

Entertainment: 6/10
Can someone please tell me what Dreamscape is all about? Visually stunning but I lost the plot. Missing Grand Cayman meant some last minute rearrangements to the planned entertainer. Gary Mule Deer (I understand) was due to board here. We have seen him on a previous cruise and thought he was very funny

Cabin: 7/10
Enjoyed the extra space but did not think it was worth the extra $ over an inside. Our favourite has been a balcony cabin right at the stern.

Dining Room: 2/10
Poor service. Food OK. Only used it once

Kids Program: 9/10
Excellent. The staff were extremely busy. Approx 900 kids on the cruise but were always smiling, and welcomed each child by name. Perhaps the main reason we choose RCI.

Cabin Steward: 8/10
Always managed to do what he had to, without being noticed by us.

Overall Value: 8/10
Not our favourite route. We like the Eastern more, but considering the rate we paid, this was excellent.

22nd December - Travel Day

Myself (40), my wife Julie (38), Nia Olwen (our 4 year old daughter), and Carol (my Mother-in-law - no jokes please) left London, England on an Air Canada flight, and arrived in Miami via Toronto. We took this roundabout route because we booked the cruise late, and had limited options on affordable air fares. The flights were OK. Air Canada is nothing special, but our plane had been refitted with new, very comfortable seats. I would advise against this route if you do not like transfers. We had to clear customs and Immigration in both Canada and the US.

On arrival in Miami (approximately 14 hours after initial departure, as opposed to approximately 8 1/2 hours on a non-stop flight), we grabbed a cab and checked into the Hyatt near the convention centre (fare $18.00). We have stayed in this hotel several times. We like the space and comfort of the rooms.

The next morning, we ate a leisurely breakfast, and arrived at the port about midday. Security had become much more visible than on our previous cruise in October (Explorer of the Seas). Coming from the UK where heightened security has been a way of life for many years, the increased lines (where documents were checked before entering the terminal) was something we have unfortunately become used to. We had arranged to pick up our documents at the port. This went very smoothly, and only having a fax of the booking from RCI did not present any problems. When we joined the check-in lines they were quite long, and were not moving very quickly. After a short while extra check-in staff arrived, and the lines started to move. It took about an hour to complete check-in, have our security photo taken, and board the ship.

We had interconnecting cabins on deck 6 overlooking the Royal Promenade. I must admit we had been unsure about these cabins beforehand, and after using them we still have a few reservations. They are laid out slightly differently than other cabins we have occupied on this class of ship, and the bay window allowed for extra seating. The main difference I noticed was the position of the safe. It was located in the closet, and not close to the mirror as in our prior cabins.

Our main worry regarding the cabin was that there would be noise disturbance from the Royal Promenade. For the most part our concerns were groundless. We could hear the music from bands and parades, but we were usually watching the parades from the cabin, or just passing through the cabin when these events took place. We did wonder if our daughter had been younger, and had been asleep, if our opinion would be different.

The biggest drawback to the cabin was lack of privacy. We were overlooked by the cabins opposite, so we always felt a need to have net curtains or the main curtains drawn whenever we were in residence.

23rd December - Sailaway

Sailaway was delayed about 30 minutes due to some flights being late. We attended the Family Welcome Aboard show, which introduced the Adventure Ocean Youth Staff, and some of the activities they carry out during the cruise. The Parade that night was as lively and brightly coloured as ever.

24th December (Christmas Eve) - At Sea

This was a great day to relax and to let the holiday spirit wash over us. Voyager was decorated throughout with garlands and highly decorated trees, but I felt the decorations lacked a certain something. I am not sure if it's because of the scale of Voyager, but I thought it needed a large central tree or a grander theme.

The weather was a little windy, and it was cool on deck, but as always there was plenty to do. People watching from the Pig and Whistle was our favourite activity. This was the first formal night, and the Royal Promenade became the centre of activity. The Captain's reception provided a great opportunity to meet fellow cruisers and chat. We were on second sitting. This worked well with our young daughter. We took her to eat earlier in the evening, and then she attended the Kids program and partied with her new friends.

We were seated at a table for 10. We were joined by a family with 2 children, and a Swiss Family who spoke very little English. Although we informed RCI twice to the contrary (at the time of booking and on the ship) it was assumed that because with had a young child with us we would A) bring her to the dining room, and B) want to sit at a table with other children. In our view late sitting is too late for kids, and a major pleasure for us is being able to enjoy a meal with adult company without being interrupted, or worrying if the children are being too "loud" for fellow diners. Dining room service was extremely slow, and it took approximately 40 minutes to receive our first course. Because of the slow service we skipped dessert and coffee, and joined the carol singing on the Royal Promenade. This gave the whole ship a really festive feeling. The show that night was the first main production show (a tribute to Broadway). It was high energy and very enjoyable.

Christmas Day - Labadee

The day dawned bright and sunny at Labadee. We were glad this was our stop for Christmas Day. My daughter was delighted that Santa decided to make this his rest stop on his journey back to the North Pole, and her face was a picture as she watched him arrive on board via one of the tenders. He paraded through the ship to Studio B where he spent time with the kids and gave each of them a gift. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the warm water and the beach. In the evening we decided to skip the main dining room (which was a mistake because this was the only place where you could get a traditional Christmas dinner). Burgers and malt from Johnny Rockets was certainly different! The evening entertainment was 'The Tokens' (The Lion Sleeps tonight). This show was very entertaining, and certainly the best of the week in our opinion.

26th December - Ocho Rios, Jamaica

It had been raining heavily overnight, but the day brightened up and was warm. We had been to Jamaica before, and had done the Brimmer hall and Dunn's river falls trip. Carol did take this trip because it gives tourists a glimpse of Jamaica on the drive to and from the plantation. We decided to take the 4x4 Jeep tour, which took us through Fern Gully to Murphy Hill (2000ft above sea level). From here you get a great panoramic view of Ocho Rios and the ship.

We were told on arrival that the whole hill was covered in cloud, and initially we could see only about 5 feet in front of us. After a while the cloud cleared, and we got some good views of the town and surrounding country side. From there we passed through several small villages, and stopped to try local fruits at a disused Great House. This stop offered good views of the rolling countryside. We then passed through a lowlands coffee plantation and onto The Cranbrook Flower Forest. This is a beautiful ex-plantation, which has a wonderful array of plants and flowers. We were taken on a guided walk, and the guide was so knowledgeable that this stop became the highlight of the tour. In the evening we went to the ice jamming show. It was excellent, especially the part when 2 skaters did an Austin Powers Sketch.

27th December - Grand Cayman

Well that was the plan! Because of the prevailing wind and sea conditions, Georgetown was closed. Even though we could have used an alternative anchorage, the Captain made the decision to sail straight past (there were already 3 ships using the bay) He felt that the small dock area would not be able to handle the numbers of passengers, so we sailed "slow boat" to our next port of call, Cozumel.

Missing Grand Cayman was not a problem for us. We had decided to consider the day a 'sea day'. Grand Cayman is not a port we like. We did hear complaints from several people who were hoping to buy watches etc. from Georgetown. The only drawback to our day was having to share the ship's facilities with a lot more people than we had anticipated.

28th December - Cozumel

We were scheduled to arrive at 10.00 am and leave at 7.00pm, but because of the extra day at sea, the captain informed us that we were extending our stay. We arrived around 7.00 am and stayed until 11.00pm. This was a great bonus! We were able to sample the Cozumel night life. Julie and I went Snuba Diving. We could not believe the difference it made being under the water. We will definitely get scuba certified for our next trip. The afternoon and evening allowed for time and fun in the town. Cozumel is becoming one of my favourite stops on this route. In both our opinions, extending our time in Cozumel and missing Grand Cayman, improved the itinerary.

29th December - Sea Day

This day always dawns with a sense of sorrow as I feel the vacation coming to an end. We were given information regarding disembarkation procedures etc. The weather this day was almost perfect. It was warm and clear, with totally flat seas. The day was spent reflecting on the things we had done and the people we had met.

30th December - Disembarkation

Disembarkation went extremely smoothly. We were in the 3rd group to be called and we were at the airport by 9.00am

This cruise was very enjoyable. RCI's product works extremely well for us. Our daughter can have a great time with kids her own age, and we can have a great adult vacation without feeling guilty, and without worrying whether she is bored. I love that the Kid's Club operates when the ship is in port, and the pager supplied to parents so they can be contacted (if needed) offers peace of mind.

Cruise Director Jeff Martin was great. He always appeared to be working in the background. He does not impose himself on cruisers as some other cruise directors do. He is the only CD we've seen turn up to the kids talent show. He always gives recognition to the part the Youth Staff play in making the vacation enjoyable both for parents and children.

The Kids Club activities were varied and interesting. Pirates Night (the kids parade though the ship "trying to take it over") is a favourite. The whole program is a mixture of fun and light education (the Adventure Science Program). My daughter's favourite activity is the beach party, where she can go "surfing" and limbo dance, all in the safety and comfort of the kids room.

I do have one point of issue. Voyager Class ships have a water slide on them, and there is inconsistency as to the policy for use. On Voyager (in August) our daughter was allowed to use the slide, but on Explorer (in October) she was not. This caused her so much distress that she would not go near the Adventure Beach area of the ship throughout the rest of the cruise. It is particularly hard to tell a 3-year-old child that she can't participate when 1) She had already done so in the past, and 2) kids smaller and shorter than her WERE allowed to use it.

On this cruise, now aged 4, she could once again use the slide. We saw no notice(s) regarding age, weight, or height restrictions. even though we had been informed that the policy had been introduced company wide. I have no problem with safety regulations, but they need to be applied consistently. I feel that RCI should follow most theme parks, and enforce minimum height requirements.

I applaud RCI for it Youth Evacuation Program (YEP). Kids all wear a coloured wrist band with their muster station displayed on it. In the event of a real emergency children in the kids program are taken straight to their appropriate muster station by a member of the youth staff, who stays with them until their parents arrive.

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