Which for my honeymoon? Zenith or Voyager of the Seas?

[Slyn]

Ok we are planning a cruise to Bermuda for our Honeymoon. I am stuck though - I can't decide between the Zenith or the Voyager of the Seas. We are 29 and 32. He is into sports and is a meat and potatoes kind of guy - but he is really into cooking and food, and is willing to try new (and finer) cuisine). I like to dance, love to dress up, and sort of a foodie. Of course, since this is a honeymoon, romance will be important.

 

But will we be bored on the Zenith? Will we be overwhelmed or overun by kids on Voyager?

 

Any help would be great.

 

RRR

[superjerryw]

You need to decide how important the ship board activities are to you and whether you prefer a more adult or a more relaxed atmosphere. If you are really active you may find that you don't have enough to do on the the Zenith which is a much smaller ship with far less facilities. Celebrity is also a more adult oriented cruise line with more emphasis on formal dress and such. The crowd will also be a little older on Celebrity as well. If you are enticed by the RCCL commercials that highlight rock clmbing and ice skating and stuff like that the Voyager would be a better fit.

[celbercrz333]

I can't speak for Voyager, but Celebrity Zenith had the best pastries! I've been to France, and these rivaled anything I've eaten there. The food was always good, well presented and the staff was fantastic. The 2 pools are a little small, but then you can swim in Bermuda. The decks were easy to navigate and the rooms were clean. I would go on Zenith again in a heartbeat. OUr only other cruise was on Carnival Fascination. One person that I've e-mailed with said they had bedbugs. The pastries looked like they opened a box of Sara Lee and laid it all out on a table. I can't tell you anything about Voyager. Celebrity Zenith was parked in Hamilton, Bermuda right at the main part of town. In St. George's it was almost as centrally located. We were there for our 25th anniversary in October 2003. I don't think Zenith will disappoint you. They asked us when we booked if we were celebrating anything special and we said it was for our anniversary. We were invited (free of charge) to the anniversary/honeymoon party and we received cake and champagne.

[karen_cpa]

We had looked at the Voyager of the Seas before we booked the Zenith for Bermuda. Couple of things that we considered when deciding:

 

1. Due to the size of the Voyager of the Seas, they are forced to dock at Fisherman's Wharf. Zenith will be able to dock at both Hamilton and St. George.

 

2. The VOS cruise was 5-days versus the Zenith's 7-day cruise. For our sailing in August, the Zenith cruise was actually cheaper.

 

3. We were on the VOS last May when school was still in session. The ship was still heavily populated by children. The only lasting effect that the VOS had on us was its "mall" feel.

 

Just some stuff to ponder!

 

Karen

[Slyn]

I actually am enticed by the RCCL commercials - but I am just not sure if it would make for a good honeymoon experience. I am not sure if DH and I fit into the "adult" category ;) but I am sure we can fake it for a week.

 

Thanks for your insight...I think the decision is becoming clearer.

 

RRR

[Slyn]

Oh "mall" feel is not good. Maybe we should save the voyager for when we go on a cruise with our family. It seems like all those activities would really appeal to a group trip.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

RRR

[Slyn]

I was on the Imagination a few years back...I know what you mean about the pastries. I actually had alot of fun on Carnival. I was on a trip with some college friends...we were all single. The food mostly was like Fridays...which was cool for that trip. Although some days I crave that mushroom and goat cheese pizza. I think we should have something a bit fancier for a romantic trip.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

RRR

[raudacruise]

Voyager of the Seas has a large wrap around promenade which I believe Zenith does not (haven't been on her). Romantic occasions demand this (why doesn't X get it?). There is nothing like going out after dinner, hand in hand, and going around the ship.

[DeltaOne]

1. Due to the size of the Voyager of the Seas, they are forced to dock at Fisherman's Wharf. Zenith will be able to dock at both Hamilton and St. George.

 

Docking at Hamilton and St. George is by far better than docking at Fisherman's Wharf. Book the Zenith.

[Diana68]

I would vote for the Zenith, and we just got off of her on 4-10. I am 36, so I'm a little older than you, but I'm not ancient. We were on the Vision of the Seas last August, and yes Royal Caribbean is a little livelier. My kids(11 and 13) would pick RCCL, but it's the little things on Celebrity that make it nicer and more romantic. White glove service.....Champagne at embarkation, sherbet at the pool, cool towels after a day in port....they just spoil you. Plus the fact that there are fewer kids, better food, and a bit dressier atmosphere just adds up to more romance. At least in my opinion.

[lordchaos]

While the Zenith is not the biggest or most up to date ship, she has a cozy atmosphere and is well maintained. The service and food quality is much better on Celebrity, so they would be my pick here. You will love bremuda- and when docked in Hamilton, you MUST take a cab to Horseshoe Bay beach- maybe the prettiest beach on the island.

[wrp96]

I've been on Voyager twice and it depends on when you go whether there are lots of kids. On one cruise in the middle of May, over 200 of the cabins were honeymooners. In early January, there were alot more kids and families. Also, the promenade deck on the Voyager is really quiet, the kids tend to avoid it.

[madkil]

Have been on both the Zenith and Voyager. Going on Zenith again next month. I agree with the previous poster that docking right on Front Street is so much better than the Royal Dock Yard. Comparing the 2 ships is like comparing apples and oranges. The Voyager defininitely has more activities while the Zenith is more for relaxing and would surely be more romantic. The food is better in my opinion on the Zenith. I really enjoyed both cruises but I think for a honeymoon I would choose the Zenith.

Also the 5 day Voyager only allows for about 1 1/2 days in Bermuda which is not enough for this beautiful island.

[hancock]

A cruise to Bermuda is very different from cruises to various ports where the ship is more of a destination itself in the evening. You will want to take advantage of the various activities on the island. Being based in Hamilton and St. George will put you right in the middle of the action. It's a long ferry ride from the Dockyard into town. Zenith is a wonderful ship. You won't get lost on her and the crew is wonderful. The hot tubs on the fantail are great. A beautiful mosaic behind them and a romantic view of the wake as well.

 

BTW, you can walk all aroung the Sports Deck up top.

 

Best wishes on your forthcoming nuptuals!

[dmarch@islc.net]

I've done the Zenith twice. I love that ship! If your husband is into food (especially meat and potatoes) that is the ship for you. Keep in mind that the Zenith is old school. I would strongly recommend a Cat ZS or higher for a honeymoon. It's a family board so I won't go into details....just trust me.

[Lizcourt]

I, too, would choose the Zenith, primarily because you avoid having to ferry over to Hamilton or St. George. Also, I was on Voyager with my family last summer, and for all its great sports-oriented activities, including the rock climbing wall, it seemed to us that there was a distinct lack of non-sports activities that we had come to expect on other cruises.

 

However, there is one pro-Voyager aspect that no one has mentioned yet: balconies. The Zenith has no balcony cabins, and there really is something special about sitting on your private balcony in the afternoon or evening when the ship is at sea. I would think that would be an especially romantic touch on a honeymoon.

[Slyn]

Now I have to figure out what Cat. ZS is? LOL I must consult my brochure. :)

[Slyn]

We were disappointed by the no balconies too. But I think all in all this may be a better experience for us. Thanks for all your help.

 

Now I need to figure out which is better on Zenith - a suite or concierge class.

[bailey2004]

Definitely Zenith - and definitely Suite if you can afford it. Theres no comparison to having your own butler deliver tea each day at 4. You'll love it.

[SteveNJ]

We are actually going on Zenith for the first time tomorrow (first time on Celebrity for that matter)!! And we are booked into a Zenith Suite (cat ZS). I guess we should expect to be spoiled by this introduction to X. LOL!! It's our 10th Anniversary today - so this is part of our celebration. Definitely a splurge price wise. But we will have our 2 young girls with us, so I won't even touch that side comment about needing a suite for a honeymoon. :rolleyes: This was a good thread to read for me.

[kely53]

I am glad you decided on the Zenith. We were on the Zenith to Bermuda last June and loved the entire week. The food and the service were wonderful. I agree with everyone elses posts.....docking in Hamilton and St. George is much more convenient and definitely need the 7 days. We just got off the Mariner in Jan. We found the food and service MUCH better on the Zenith. We were a party of 15, aged from 16-55 so the Mariner was great for what we needed. We really werent on the ship that much. There werent alot of kids running around and we saw many tables of 2 at dinner.......most likely honeymooners. We are sticking with Celebrity and would go on the Zenith again in a heartbeat. Have a great time!!!