Vision of the Seas Arabian Gulf review 20th March 2017

[Deeliteful]

Now back home with my usual post cruise/flight chest infection laying me low! Holidays are just not good for me :o

My trip started on 19th March with an Emirates flight out of Manchester. Great flight, great service, would definitely fly with them again. (Ask for a seat upstairs - still economy- but heard we got better service).

Landed in Dubai and out to the port by taxi. Check in very smooth and was on the ship by 11 am.

Now if any of you have been reading some of the Vision reviews you may wonder about this floating rust bucket with terrible staff, the smallest pool in the world and inedible food :eek:

Well, I can only say what I found and I found the complete opposite to all of the above.

Met with some of the people from our roll call post muster, always nice to meet the people you have talking to (well nearly always!) then changed for dinner and a drink or two in the Diamond Lounge. This was really well staffed every single day, great concierge(s) and bar staff. Many commented on it being be of the best DL in the fleet. I loved it.

First time meeting dinner table mates and we all got on really well through the week, even arranging a trip in Abu Dhabi. Food has gone down a little in terms of choices but I always ate well and only ate off menu once.

I don't do any of the shows so can't comment here. I do try my luck in the casino if there is any poker and we did get a game 3 out of 7 nights.

As this is a small ship all balcony cabins had gone by the time I booked so I ended up in an inside cabin. I forgot how wonderfully well you can sleep in an inside! It was also midship and I never felt any movement at all even on the one rocky night.

Our first port was Khasab in Oman. We had booked a tour with Dolphin Tours for a private dhow for 13 of us. This was a fabulous day. Collected on time at the port, a short ride to the dhow where we lounged on cushions and carpets as we made our way into the fjords.

This is not Norway so the scenery is not spectacular but we did get to see lots of dolphins and fish and quite a few people went snorkelling. Drinks and fruit were provided and I would highly recommend Dolphin tours.

Aiming to show some pics but I'm not very good at this bit!

More to follow.

[Debitoo]

Looking forward to more! Interesting itinerary. Thanks in advance!

[mcca2]

Sailing her in May round the British Isles. Glad to hear she is still a wonderful little ship. Who were the concierges ?

Great review, following along.

[Deeliteful]

Thanks for the follows. Sorry I don't know the names of the concierges.

After our fabulous day on the dhow we met up for drinks in the DL and then dinner in the MDR. I'm afraid I'm not one for remembering menus but I do remember there was no lobster :( but each meal was pretty good, some nice beef dishes, good fish, enjoyable starters. Didn't do desserts other than a couple of ice cream nights :hearteyes:

Managed to win the poker tournament (sit and go) and the cash game but only able to play on 3 nights as not enough players.

Our next day was Muscat. We had arranged a tour with two new American friends and this was with Sunshine Tours, our guide was Abdullah. We were not particularly interested in visiting forts so chose the mosque, wadi, sinkhole and white sandy beach. We met at 09.30 and we're back to the ship around 5 pm. Highly, highly recommend the tour - our guide was amazing. Spoke great English, had a great sense of humour and guided us really well the whole day. Cannot speak highly enough of him.

The mosque was beautiful, very peaceful and serene. You do have to cover up as is the custom.

The drive out to the wadi was really cool and the scenery was spectacular. We saw plenty of wildlife - goats, donkeys and gazelles as well as birds.

There were just the three of us plus Abdullah in a comfortable 4 wheel drive (and you needed that once you were off the main road!)

What a day, indescribable really but really good. Cost was 170 Omani rials total. (Cost for the dhow yesterday was 2300 AED total).

So an early night was had after all of that fresh air but not before drinks and dinner naturally!

 

I decided to have a lie in today and walk across to the souk late morning. I had in mind that I might buy a rug so visited a carpet shop first and agreed a great price (IMO) for a wool Kashmir rug which is now looking gorgeous in my living room with a couple of other rugs bought in the past. No room for any more :(

I wandered the souk for a while without buying anything, I had been told that they had some lovely fabrics there but afraid I didn't see any to my taste.

I stopped for a drink and snack at the "Cornish Tea Rooms" overlooking the Corniche, which I think is what the cafe meant to be called! I took a taxi back to the ship after haggling - is it all taxi drivers or just me? He wanted to charge me 50 Euros for this 10 mins max. drive! We agreed on 20 AED.

Think I enjoyed a little sun and a mudslide on the ship and then my usual evening of drinks, dinner and conversation.

(Struggling with getting pics to upload, says they are too big- any help would be appreciated, I will try again now).

[Ladysilver]

Thanks for your review! :D

[Deeliteful]

Now I may have these two days reversed but no matter!

Our sea day was a bit of a wash out as those of us (most of us) expected to be soaking up the Arabian sun as we cruised under blue skies and sipping cocktails poolside as we topped up our tan.

It was not to be! The weather was cloudy and cool , really not expecting that. But hey ho life is still for living so after a long lie in I had an early lunch in Giovanni's - risotto starter (far too much but very tasty, I ate about a third, so wasteful with these portions IMO) then a stuffed chicken breast with Parma ham, delicious. Service was excellent. Forced into a pudding which I didn't really want and really wasn't worth it (tiramisu, not as good as mine!)

I read a lot, used my iPad for some work stuff and even played bingo (yes it was that bad a day! ;-) then usual drinks, dinner and casino.

Our table at dinner decided we would share a taxi to the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi so next day we met bright and early (they managed to recognise me in my abaya and hijab.) and we negotiated with our driver who waited for us at the mosque. Despite be known as the Grand Mosque we all preferred the one in Muscat but still very worthwhile seeing. Again very tranquil and peaceful despite the number of visitors there.

Weather was wet. My three companions decided to carry on to the palace and to the mall and I went back to the ship.

Had a relaxing day but would like to visit Abu Dhabi in the sunshine.

The other lovely couple on our dinner table had a 75th birthday to celebrate and we were all treated to Champagne and chocolate cake as well as a hearty rendition of "happy birthday". Lovely evening.

Still have trouble putting pics - can anyone help please?

[Tee & Chilli]

Upload the pics to a photo sharing site such as photo bucket. Then attach the link here.

Excellent review

[Deeliteful]

Thanks Tee.

 

Hope this works.

 

More to follow.

 

http://s1254.photobucket.com/user/Pat_Deeley/slideshow/Vision%20of%20the%20seas%20Arabian%20Gulf

[Deeliteful]

http://s1254.photobucket.com/user/Pat_Deeley/library/?view=recent

 

Having got the first lot right I couldn't get more photos added to the VOS album so here is a link to photobucket anyway with other pics of Dubai and Abu Dhabi (and probably Skye, Vancouver and other assorted pics too!)

[Deeliteful]

So our final (as well as first) destination Dubai. I may already have said that this was the one port I didn't really have high hopes for and I was right - it wasn't for me, but many people love the place so what can I say. I think it is a mix of Vegas and Disney (and I love both of those places!) but without the same vibe. There is obviously no history here, it is a new city built with money from Abu Dhabi and it is very glitzy and in your face, If you like shopping you will love it.

This is the only place I booked a tour with the ship and I made a mistake here as it only showed me the "new Dubai" so Burj Khalifa (including ticket to 'At the Top' which isn't at the top but was high enough at 124 floors) but IMO nothing to see once you're up there.

Then time at the Dubai Mall, a trip to Palm Island to see Atlantis and Burj al Arab etc., meh!

I enjoyed some sun back on the ship and met up with my American friends Christine & Emily for a farewell cocktail as well as with others in the DL for some nibbles and champagne.

Tonight's dinner was the first time that nothing on the menu appealed to me as a main course so I went off menu and had the filet mignon from chops, medium rare - which was delicious but served with a ridiculous amount of chips(fries!)

Said goodbye to my lovely table mates (though I would see the girls the next day on our flight to Manchester).

 

The last day I got a taxi to take me to the creek and the spice souk then onto the airport. Unfortunately he did not speak very good English but charged me a fair price for about 2.5 hours.

Unfortunately I got royally ripped off at the spice souk (down to my mushy brain trying to work out the exchange rate and a very good salesman!) needless to say I probably have the most expensive arabian tea in the world (and I only went in for saffron and chocolate covered dates - I bought them as well). Buyer beware.

All in all a great cruise, the Vision staff were fabulous - especially in the DL but wait and cabin staff couldn't be faulted.

My only gripe would be the internet, I bought the Surf & Stream on a special offer pre-cruise and I got to do my emails etc., well enough but if anyone bought it to stream then they would not have been happy. I think one photo took me a couple of days to download so didn't bother again.

Such a shame RCL are not doing this itinerary again but others are and I may well go back to see more in the future.

Now to get ready for my Norwegian Fjords cruise in May with P&O a cruiseline I have not sailed with for about 10 years.

 

Cheers

 

Pat

[DrivesLikeMario]

Really enjoyed your review. This area is on my list of places to see (although DH thinks I'm crazy - most Americans just don't get the idea of traveling to the Middle East). Now off to see your pictures. Thanks for the report!