--> My View of the Vision <--

[Aquahound]

My view. Yes, mine. Let me tell you about my weekend on the Vision of the Seas.

 

I went on this ship thinking it had some issues because it seems people have been putting it down lately. Well, I won't say they are wrong. I'll just say I think RCI heard their complaints and made some corrections. Some corrections. One or two things still didn't go right, but I'll get to that in a minute.

 

Embarking this ship at Port Everglades was a pleasant surprise. We arrived inside the terminal building at 10:45, checked in, and walked right on to the ship. No lines. No waits. No crowds. Nothing. It was awesome.

 

We went straight to the Diamond Lounge....very nice by the way....on deck 6 near the Some Enchanted Evening Lounge to get a wake-me-up cappuccino. Then we made our way to the Windjammer for lunch, which was already open.

 

The ship looks fantastic. She is spotless and still looks fresh out of dry dock. Kudos to the crew for keeping her looking so nice.

 

The rooms were ready at 1, like always. We had 7578, a D1 balcony. It was a nice, spacious room with a huge couch and comfy bed. I only have 2 minor gripes. One, they still have shower curtains on VOS and the shower feels small, even for a cruise ship. Two, I did not like the balcony. VOS balconies are not private and large gaps in the dividers enable you to see everything on your neighbors' balconies. Actually, make it 3 complaints. Unless you stay up very late every night, don't book this room. The Centrum noise is loud. The band plays until midnight, even on the last night

 

Time for a neighbor complaint. Right off the bat, while still in port, she lit up. Guest Services did an excellent job with this. Yes, I complained, just like I promised I would on past threads. They gave her a warning and it stopped....or so I thought. Then, on day 4, I received an unexpected phone call from GS saying they found an ashtray on her balcony table filled with butts. She was fined $250. They offered me a 50% off specialty dinner for my inconvenience, which floored me! Since I did not make the second complaint and thought she had stopped, I declined the offer and thanked them. Good job GS!!!

 

Speaking of cigarettes, what's with the e-cigs? I'll admit, I know little about them, but I did think it was against their policy to smoke them in areas regular smoking is banned. If so, there was zero enforcement. People had them everywhere, including in Chops. No one said anything. I wasn't really bothered, so said nothing...just making an observation. It kinda surprised me nothing was said in Chops.

 

Back to the good. If you go on this ship, don't miss the Centrum shows. They were excellent. Even the Thriller Dance was pretty cool. The CD staff really goes out of their way to have fun. The energy is really high, and all the live bands were excellent. The young lady who sings nightly in the Centrum has an excellent voice and was spot on when singing covers of Alicia Keys, etc.

 

The comedian was hilarious. I don't remember his name, but I recognized him from Oasis. He was spot on with his Carnival jokes and I gotta say, it was justified. We tied up next to Paradise in Cozumel and that ship looked awful. The comedian had a good time with that one.

 

Two bands played on the pool deck...a calypso band and a salsa band. This made for less gaps in the live entertainment.

 

They added a Quest style game to the sea day on the pool deck. It was called The Hunt. It was very entertaining to watch.

 

Giovanni's Table as excellent and despite eating there on night 3, they still honored our D+ BOGO. That was a nice surprise that we didn't even ask for. Chops was meh. Chops has a new menu that is very limited. We had one service issue in Chops. The waiter would not honor our free specialty coffee and said it was no longer a D+ perk. I didn't argue it because I didn't feel like it at the time. Plus, we did want to leave because a really obnoxious large party had just come in...the same party who had the e-cigs.

 

There were A LOT of Pinnacles and Diamond Plusses on board, including a few of the very top cruisers. The CL used the Viking Crown as the overflow, which worked out perfect. It was a really nice event. We chose to sit by ourselves each night and enjoy a couple drinks together. Despite that, we met and were reacquainted with a lot of C&A members, most of who were really nice. It seemed everyone was having a really good time. I know some of you post and lurk here so to you, I say thanks for some really nice conversation. And D, thanks for your back when we had to set that rude moron straight at the R bar. ;)

 

All in all, it was a fantastic cruise. I really liked the Vision and I highly recommend it. One of the things I love about RCI is, they have a tendency to keep their old ships looking better than new ships on other lines. That was definitely the case here.

Edited September 1, 2014 by Aquahound

[Clarea]

Thanks Paul, very encouraged to hear your feedback. We're on the Vision TA from Barcelona next year and your report makes us eager to cruise on Vision.

Edited September 1, 2014 by clarea

[2004corvette]

thanks for your mostly positive review ~ nice reading

will be on her Oct 4th

[SamFritz]

Hey Paul! We just booked Vision out of Tampa for Feb 2016. One of these days we'll sail together again.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Aquahound]

Thanks Paul, very encouraged to hear your feedback. We're on the Vision TA from Barcelona next year and your report makes us eager to cruise on Vision.

 

Thanks Bob. :) Yes, consider it encouraging. I would book this ship again in a heartbeat.

 

Hey Paul! We just booked Vision out of Tampa for Feb 2016. One of these days we'll sail together again.

 

Hi Sam. :) One of these days....one of these days. Hey, maybe Feb 2016. But me being me, I'll know no sooner than Jan 2016. ;)

[phish tales]

My view. Yes, mine. Let me tell you about my weekend on the Vision of the Seas.

 

I went on this ship thinking it had some issues because it seems people have been putting it down lately. Well, I won't say they are wrong. I'll just say I think RCI heard their complaints and made some corrections. Some corrections. One or two things still didn't go right, but I'll get to that in a minute.

 

Embarking this ship at Port Everglades was a pleasant surprise. We arrived inside the terminal building at 10:45, checked in, and walked right on to the ship. No lines. No waits. No crowds. Nothing. It was awesome.

 

We went straight to the Diamond Lounge....very nice by the way....on deck 6 near the Some Enchanted Evening Lounge to get a wake-me-up cappuccino. Then we made our way to the Windjammer for lunch, which was already open.

 

The ship looks fantastic. She is spotless and still looks fresh out of dry dock. Kudos to the crew for keeping her looking so nice.

 

The rooms were ready at 1, like always. We had 7578, a D1 balcony. It was a nice, spacious room with a huge couch and comfy bed. I only have 2 minor gripes. One, they still have shower curtains on VOS and the shower feels small, even for a cruise ship. Two, I did not like the balcony. VOS balconies are not private and large gaps in the dividers enable you to see everything on your neighbors' balconies. Actually, make it 3 complaints. Unless you stay up very late every night, don't book this room. The Centrum noise is loud. The band plays until midnight, even on the last night

 

Time for a neighbor complaint. Right off the bat, while still in port, she lit up. Guest Services did an excellent job with this. Yes, I complained, just like I promised I would on past threads. They gave her a warning and it stopped....or so I thought. Then, on day 4, I received an unexpected phone call from GS saying they found an ashtray on her balcony table filled with butts. She was fined $250. They offered me a 50% off specialty dinner for my inconvenience, which floored me! Since I did not make the second complaint and thought she had stopped, I declined the offer and thanked them. Good job GS!!!

 

Speaking of cigarettes, what's with the e-cigs? I'll admit, I know little about them, but I did think it was against their policy to smoke them in areas regular smoking is banned. If so, there was zero enforcement. People had them everywhere, including in Chops. No one said anything. I wasn't really bothered, so said nothing...just making an observation. It kinda surprised me nothing was said in Chops.

 

Back to the good. If you go on this ship, don't miss the Centrum shows. They were excellent. Even the Thriller Dance was pretty cool. The CD staff really goes out of their way to have fun. The energy is really high, and all the live bands were excellent. The young lady who sings nightly in the Centrum has an excellent voice and was spot on when singing covers of Alicia Keys, etc.

 

The comedian was hilarious. I don't remember his name, but I recognized him from Oasis. He was spot on with his Carnival jokes and I gotta say, it was justified. We tied up next to Paradise in Cozumel and that ship looked awful. The comedian had a good time with that one.

 

Two bands played on the pool deck...a calypso band and a salsa band. This made for less gaps in the live entertainment.

 

They added a Quest style game to the sea day on the pool deck. It was called The Hunt. It was very entertaining to watch.

 

Giovanni's Table as excellent and despite eating there on night 3, they still honored our D+ BOGO. That was a nice surprise that we didn't even ask for. Chops was meh. Chops has a new menu that is very limited. We had one service issue in Chops. The waiter would not honor our free specialty coffee and said it was no longer a D+ perk. I didn't argue it because I didn't feel like it at the time. Plus, we did want to leave because a really obnoxious large party had just come in...the same party who had the e-cigs.

 

There were A LOT of Pinnacles and Diamond Plusses on board, including a few of the very top cruisers. The CL used the Viking Crown as the overflow, which worked out perfect. It was a really nice event. We chose to sit by ourselves each night and enjoy a couple drinks together. Despite that, we met and were reacquainted with a lot of C&A members, most of who were really nice. It seemed everyone was having a really good time. I know some of you post and lurk here so to you, I say thanks for some really nice conversation. And D, thanks for your back when we had to set that rude moron straight at the R bar. ;)

 

All in all, it was a fantastic cruise. I really liked the Vision and I highly recommend it. One of the things I love about RCI is, they have a tendency to keep their old ships looking better than new ships on other lines. That was definitely the case here.

 

 

aquahound, did the Vision load the 3 drinks per day on your seapass card for diamond and above ???

[Aquahound]

aquahound, did the Vision load the 3 drinks per day on your seapass card for diamond and above ???

 

Yes, they did. And there was a small drinks menu at every bar for D and above. I did not actually use it because the events were so nice, but those who did use it told me it worked great. In fact, find a good bartender and you won't be limited to that menu. ;)

[Familygoboston]

Great to read your review! Worrisome about the non enforcement of e cigs, worth watching to see of it becomes a deal breaker for us.

[rubrrick]

Paul, spot on job of your feel of the ship and specialty dining at Chops.

 

We were last aboard for a TA, Norwegian Fjords and the Baltics. She was in great shape after her drydock, and I'm sure that it's still the same today.

 

We just got off of the NV, yesterday, and there were a number of complaints regarding the new menu at Chops, and the elimination of a couple of great steaks, as well as raising the price to $35.00 PP. I think that Royal Caribbean will possibly rethink that menu in the future, fleet wide.

 

If the occasion presents itself, we would be back on the Vision in a heartbeat.

 

Thanks for your very positive review!:)

 

Rick

[gwb3636]

Paul - really appreciate your review on the VOS as we are going on the Sept 11 cruise and I've read really good but also not so good reviews and you made great observations. Now I'm really looking forward to the entertainment and exploring a smaller ship. Thanks!

[gandkinFL]

Thank you so much for your observations concerning Vision. We will be on her in 4 weeks for the first time.

[Beachammo]

Good Report!

 

Sailing on Vision twice next year. Hope the standards are maintained.

 

SA

[DonnaK]

Very nice and balanced review. Thank you Paul, and I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise!

[BillOh]

Good to hear, the Vision class is the only one sailing today I haven't been on. This was encouraging to keep it on my list.

[Aquahound]

Good to hear, the Vision class is the only one sailing today I haven't been on. This was encouraging to keep it on my list.

 

Oh, definitely try it. Parts of the ship remind me of Radiance Class and with them adding the Centrum acts, it's worth it. :)

[Aquahound]

We just got off of the NV, yesterday, and there were a number of complaints regarding the new menu at Chops, and the elimination of a couple of great steaks, as well as raising the price to $35.00 PP. I think that Royal Caribbean will possibly rethink that menu in the future, fleet wide.

 

Hi Rick. :) Yeah, I don't see this menu lasting long. Even our waiter told us they are getting a lot of complaints. I'm happy as long as the filet and mud pie are still there, but my wife was disappointed they removed the lamb.

[uksimonusa]

Thanks Paul, really appreciate the comments and observations as we are sailing her in 10 days.

[cruisingsince94]

Thanks for the Vision review. We sail on her for the 1st time in just under 3 weeks. My biggest concern is the noise as we are in a JS on deck 8 midship. Taking earplugs and hope its not so bad.

[BND]

Nice review. Balanced an not emotional ;) We're on Vision in Nov 2015 out of Tampa. Glad you complained about the smoker next door and you reported her for the right reasons and not to get a freebie:D

[ohcruiserguy]

The OP asked about the ecigs I own one I use it often and from what I can tell it doent bother other people or at least no one has told me. It doesn't have the smell a real cig so I guess that's the draw. I use mine cause its cheaper than real ones, but we still don't know if there is long term problems caused by them so I think they should be restrited to smoking areas intill they are understood. I am ok with poisoning myself but not others sorry I didn't mean to turn this into a smoking post. I glad you had a great time on the Vision we will be on her in 2 weeks I know well have a great time.

[iheartbda]

Fair and balanced review.

 

That silly, silly woman probably thought they were joking. Probaby said she didn't know but I'd bet my last dollar they told her with the warning. Wonder how she liked paying $250?:D

 

Nice bonus for you as a result of her stupidity and very sporting of you to decline it. You mean your cruise wasn't completely ruined?;):)

[flames]

My view. Yes, mine. Let me tell you about my weekend on the Vision of the Seas.

 

I went on this ship thinking it had some issues because it seems people have been putting it down lately. Well, I won't say they are wrong. I'll just say I think RCI heard their complaints and made some corrections. Some corrections. One or two things still didn't go right, but I'll get to that in a minute.

 

Embarking this ship at Port Everglades was a pleasant surprise. We arrived inside the terminal building at 10:45, checked in, and walked right on to the ship. No lines. No waits. No crowds. Nothing. It was awesome.

 

We went straight to the Diamond Lounge....very nice by the way....on deck 6 near the Some Enchanted Evening Lounge to get a wake-me-up cappuccino. Then we made our way to the Windjammer for lunch, which was already open.

 

The ship looks fantastic. She is spotless and still looks fresh out of dry dock. Kudos to the crew for keeping her looking so nice.

 

The rooms were ready at 1, like always. We had 7578, a D1 balcony. It was a nice, spacious room with a huge couch and comfy bed. I only have 2 minor gripes. One, they still have shower curtains on VOS and the shower feels small, even for a cruise ship. Two, I did not like the balcony. VOS balconies are not private and large gaps in the dividers enable you to see everything on your neighbors' balconies. Actually, make it 3 complaints. Unless you stay up very late every night, don't book this room. The Centrum noise is loud. The band plays until midnight, even on the last night

 

Time for a neighbor complaint. Right off the bat, while still in port, she lit up. Guest Services did an excellent job with this. Yes, I complained, just like I promised I would on past threads. They gave her a warning and it stopped....or so I thought. Then, on day 4, I received an unexpected phone call from GS saying they found an ashtray on her balcony table filled with butts. She was fined $250. They offered me a 50% off specialty dinner for my inconvenience, which floored me! Since I did not make the second complaint and thought she had stopped, I declined the offer and thanked them. Good job GS!!!

 

Speaking of cigarettes, what's with the e-cigs? I'll admit, I know little about them, but I did think it was against their policy to smoke them in areas regular smoking is banned. If so, there was zero enforcement. People had them everywhere, including in Chops. No one said anything. I wasn't really bothered, so said nothing...just making an observation. It kinda surprised me nothing was said in Chops.

 

Back to the good. If you go on this ship, don't miss the Centrum shows. They were excellent. Even the Thriller Dance was pretty cool. The CD staff really goes out of their way to have fun. The energy is really high, and all the live bands were excellent. The young lady who sings nightly in the Centrum has an excellent voice and was spot on when singing covers of Alicia Keys, etc.

 

The comedian was hilarious. I don't remember his name, but I recognized him from Oasis. He was spot on with his Carnival jokes and I gotta say, it was justified. We tied up next to Paradise in Cozumel and that ship looked awful. The comedian had a good time with that one.

 

Two bands played on the pool deck...a calypso band and a salsa band. This made for less gaps in the live entertainment.

 

They added a Quest style game to the sea day on the pool deck. It was called The Hunt. It was very entertaining to watch.

 

Giovanni's Table as excellent and despite eating there on night 3, they still honored our D+ BOGO. That was a nice surprise that we didn't even ask for. Chops was meh. Chops has a new menu that is very limited. We had one service issue in Chops. The waiter would not honor our free specialty coffee and said it was no longer a D+ perk. I didn't argue it because I didn't feel like it at the time. Plus, we did want to leave because a really obnoxious large party had just come in...the same party who had the e-cigs.

 

There were A LOT of Pinnacles and Diamond Plusses on board, including a few of the very top cruisers. The CL used the Viking Crown as the overflow, which worked out perfect. It was a really nice event. We chose to sit by ourselves each night and enjoy a couple drinks together. Despite that, we met and were reacquainted with a lot of C&A members, most of who were really nice. It seemed everyone was having a really good time. I know some of you post and lurk here so to you, I say thanks for some really nice conversation. And D, thanks for your back when we had to set that rude moron straight at the R bar. ;)

 

All in all, it was a fantastic cruise. I really liked the Vision and I highly recommend it. One of the things I love about RCI is, they have a tendency to keep their old ships looking better than new ships on other lines. That was definitely the case here.

 

Paul, thank you for this review, I am going to be on the Vision for 26 days next year as we are doing a Med Cruise and then a TA back to Tampa, I like the Radiance Class Ships so I am sure I will like this class of Ship also:cool:

 

Carol:)

[Aquahound]

That silly, silly woman probably thought they were joking. Probaby said she didn't know but I'd bet my last dollar they told her with the warning. Wonder how she liked paying $250?:D

 

;):)

 

No kidding. I'm just glad RCI stuck to their guns on this one. :)

 

The OP asked about the ecigs I own one I use it often and from what I can tell it doent bother other people or at least no one has told me. It doesn't have the smell a real cig so I guess that's the draw. I use mine cause its cheaper than real ones, but we still don't know if there is long term problems caused by them so I think they should be restrited to smoking areas intill they are understood. I am ok with poisoning myself but not others sorry I didn't mean to turn this into a smoking post. I glad you had a great time on the Vision we will be on her in 2 weeks I know well have a great time.

 

Thank you for that. Again, I have very little knowledge of them and from what I can see, there are several different types. When I saw people smoking them in the Centrum, they did it discreetly, hiding it with their hand, and there was no smoke. Others I saw created a lot of smoke (or vapor, whatever) when they exhaled. Those, I did notice, had an odd smell to them.

[Aquahound]

Thanks for the Vision review. We sail on her for the 1st time in just under 3 weeks. My biggest concern is the noise as we are in a JS on deck 8 midship. Taking earplugs and hope its not so bad.

 

There is one way to help block the noise. You can go out and close the fire door leading into the hallway....you know, the doors they keep closed prior to the rooms being ready. It's a swinging door, so easy to close and open.

[Cruzaholic41]

Nice balance. I just read this mostly positive, and just got done reading a mostly negative review of this ship - both of you on the same cruise. :D

 

Anyways - Thanks for standing up to balcony smoking. You did us all a favor. I would have done the same thing.