Vision is having problems

[Petert]

Hi Laura,

 

Captain George, as he calls himself, is about the ship quite often, and seems to love to talk. He was very interesting to listen to when he spoke at the Captains and the returning cruisers receptions. He also hosted some Iraq campaign veterans at the Captains table on a formal night, taking the grand staircase from deck 5 to deck 4 so that everyone in the dining room could observe. Every one stood up and applauded as the party descended the staircase and they stopped for a few moments while many folks took pictures.

 

The ship is very clean, bright and well maintained and the crew members cheerful and capable, attributes that are indicative of a Captains excellent oversight of a competant crew. Cabo San Lucas is a tender port, and it can be a long wait at times for the tenders when you go ashore. Capt George, at the Captains reception, mentioned that he would have us ashore in good time by using four of the ships life boats from each side to facilitate tendering. He was true to his promise, and one of the crew members mentioned that he had set a new record of 21 minutes after recieving clearance to ending the waiting line.

 

Hope you have as great an experience as we did on our cruise.

 

Petert

[alexkrn46]

Thanks for the post, we will be on the VIsion in less then a month can't wait, Alex

[Lightsluvr]

What great reports!

We are scheduled on Vision in June, so we hope Captain George is still in command.

 

LL

[hobo1937]

We have been on several Vision cruises, as well as other RCL ships, and Capt George is the best! We ran into a storm situation last fall on an Alaska/Coastal cruise and he kept everyone informed of what decisions were being made about changes in itinerary. He also did a great presentation in the theatre explaining how the decisions were made based on weather data.

 

Sounds like he and his staff did a fantastic job helping the passengers affected by the delay. We weren't as lucky last year on a Brillance Med cruise affected by a fisherman's strike in Barcelona.

 

He is the only captain that we have ever seen walking around the ship with his staff making sure things are shipshape!

[tradingspaces]

Thanks again Petert!

 

I have read on another thread that Captain George might be transferred to another ship? Is this true, and if so does anyone know when this is scheduled to take place and what ship he is being transferred to. Maybe my next cruise will be booked on that ship. I think having a superior Captain at the helm gives me a little bit of a rush:) !

 

Laura

[shunga]

Anyone back from the 2/12 sailing able to post incremental info?:confused:

[sally r]

Yes, just returned home this afternoon from the Vision. What we know for fact is that the Vision is staying the night (Sunday) in San Pedro while they fix the problem and a port will be missed. Some confusion still on which port. We docked very early this morning so they could get a good start on the repair. The crew is all gearing up for a ship full of unhappy guests.

 

Embarkation was terrilble for our cruise. 3 hour wait even for priority. They had to hand write everything as the computers were down. Debarkation was the same thing..huge lines. They docked at 3:00am and had us at immigration at 6:45 but not off the ship until 8:45 and we are priority. This really wasn't RC's fault, the luggage wasn't off loaded. Plus the police and their dogs were hauling a couple out of bed this morning and off to jail. That could have slowed things.

 

Ship is in good shape, crew was excellent. Food was fine. I would expect things to be back to normal after this 2/19 sailing.

[merrysunshine320]

I'm sailing on this ship March 12, so it's good to hear the repairs will most likely be completed since then. Thank you for the update!

[mikiehorn]

When was Vision considered to be "last in the fleet" and by whom is it now considered to be "first"?

 

This was quoted by the (Navigation) Captain, the Cruise Director at the Platinum/Diamond receiption when Captain George was unavailable. If my recollection was right - Vision was ranked "15th in the fleet" when Captain George took command (2003?) and by 2005 was ranked 1st in the fleet.

 

I'll assume this was an internal RCI ranking based on passenger comment sheets or (?). Again - this was touted on the ship by the crew. EVERY - I repeat EVERY crew member from plant duster to gift shop personnel (who work for a separate company) to cabin steward - without exception rank him a superior commander. The RCI Ambassador (a unique story himself (an American Indian who currently calls Lithuiania home) gave us a prospective on how Captian George improved the ship and how Diamond plus Members of Crown and Anchor will ask for Captian George's ship whenever they want to sail. He's extended his stay on the ship past his 3 years and the "company wants to move him"...

 

In some detail - found out by my wife - he instituted "changes" in key personnel, had an open door policy (apparently used by many crew) and instituted time off and cash bonuses for superior service.

 

Because the ship was fresh out of drydock - the bulk of the crew were rested and fresh - genuine with their smiles and content to go another round of finishing their contracts. Hope this gives you a better idea of who Captain George is and how his staff operates...

 

Mike and Karen

Crown and Anchor Platinum :)

[critterchick]

Embarkation was terrilble for our cruise. 3 hour wait even for priority. They had to hand write everything as the computers were down. Debarkation was the same thing..huge lines. They docked at 3:00am and had us at immigration at 6:45 but not off the ship until 8:45 and we are priority. This really wasn't RC's fault, the luggage wasn't off loaded. Plus the police and their dogs were hauling a couple out of bed this morning and off to jail. That could have slowed things.

 

The computer issue may have to do with being at the older part of the terminal or maybe it's a result of "improvements" made during drydock. We had the same problem at embarkation on 1/12, which was her first post-drydock cruise. Fortunately, we arrived just before 3:00 so the priority line wasn't too bad.

 

Does Vision routinely do the onboard immigration at disembarkation? She's the only ship we've had it on, and I have to say that I hate it. When we disembark on Monarch, we just grab our bags and leave when they call us, clear customs on shore and are done with it. No waiting before breakfast to chat with the nice immigration people.

[Jimbo]

Does Vision routinely do the onboard immigration at disembarkation? She's the only ship we've had it on, and I have to say that I hate it. When we disembark on Monarch, we just grab our bags and leave when they call us, clear customs on shore and are done with it. No waiting before breakfast to chat with the nice immigration people.

 

The problem with the getting off the ship was due to the Tv Sets in the Cabin. What slowed everything down was the people that were carrying their own luggage off.

WE always carry ours off when they let us , just makes things so much easier and faster.

Well anyway on the Tv Sets they go over how to disembark the ship the next morning. THE PROBLEM was the TV said that everyone carrying their luggage off themselves were to BRING ALL their Luggage to immigration to the Masquerade Theater to present themselves to the immigration people.

Well when I saw that I said no way would that work, all those people carrying and dragging, rolling their luggage that far throughout the ship so I went down to the Pursers desk and ask if it was okay to leave our luggage in our cabin and just take the immigration papers, sea pass card and our passports, the Pursers desk said " Yes that is fine that is all you need to do.

And that is what we did , we were suppose to be down at 6:30am but we went around 6:15am, firguring we would beat the rush...It was crazy, there were so many people down there already with luggage, they were the ones slowing it up for everyone, that was what was holding everyone up, Well anyway we finally made it to the officers around 7am, should have been easy just walking through and showing all your papers, but when there arer about 100 people pulling and dragging there luggage through the Theatre....

 

The thing is the officers were up on the stage, people left their luggage down on the floor in front of the stage........The officers never looked at any of the luggage let alone open it, so there was no need to bring your luggage.

 

So at 7am we went back to our cabin, my Fiancee took a shower, did her hair. I believe while she was in the shower they finally called for the people carrying their own luggage off to get off the ship, I think it was around 7:30am.....After she showered we walked off the ship with our Luggage on deck 2 around 8am.

 

So doing immigration on the ship is not really a problem if done right it's just that Royal Caribbean had the wrong information on the TV's in teh cabins.

 

If everyone had just went down with oNLY their paper work it would have worked FINE!

 

Maybe if someone reads this from RCCL theyu can correct the problem.

 

Jimbo:)

[wolfcathorse]

Thanks again Petert!

 

I have read on another thread that Captain George might be transferred to another ship? Is this true, and if so does anyone know when this is scheduled to take place and what ship he is being transferred to. Maybe my next cruise will be booked on that ship. I think having a superior Captain at the helm gives me a little bit of a rush:) !Laura

 

My first ever cruise was with Capt George and now that I've been on Grandeur, Capt George is still the best. I don't know how CD Jill Tasker could keep telling us that Grandeur was #1 for 19 seasons in a row. If you watch the Travel Channel, their Alaska Cruise show shows Capt George when he was staff captain on Radiance with Capt Thore. That was in 2004. So Vision must be his first command. RCI announced a few months ago that they are going to insist on rotations every 2 years, that captains will no longer be able to request to stay (Capt Loekling was on Sovereign for 6 years) longer. So I'm expecting Capt George to be rotated sometime this year. I'm holding my breath, as my kids first cruise will be this Christmas on Vision and I'm hoping Capt George will still be there.

 

Lightsluvr - its not looking to good for ya to have Capt George in June, you have a chance though. It depends if the 2 captains are working the full 14 weeks before a break.