First cruise which ship: Vision vs Adventure vs Enchantment

[SilkySal]

Usually I would say that bigger is better; however, in your case and for the ease of travel, I would now say that longer is better and choose Vision from Baltimore. Happy first cruise! Cheers!

[cruizin suzie]

Having cruised on all 3 ships within the past year, I will submit to you my two cents. IMHO my number one choice would be Vision. I found the staff to be amazing, the ship has an old school feel, and for Midwesterners, Baltimore is the easiest port logistically. Pack a sweater for the first and last days. Whatever your choice. . .enjoy!

[Tree_skier]

I'd choose Adventure.  Much more interesting ports for just getting off the ship and wondering around.  Labadee, Cococay and Puerto Plata trump the convenience of easier port. However, 8 nights instead of 6 is a really big temptation too.  I don't think either decision will be a bad one.  I've been been on Adventure or her sisters quite a few times and love that ship.  I'd lean towards Adventure but the travel convenience of a Baltimore departure is hard for me to weigh.  

[GimmeOcean]

There's no slam dunk answer here, but I think I would take the longer cruise on Vision. Earns you 2 extra Crown & Anchor points if you are thinking this is something you'll want to do a lot of... 

 

[Thoenix]

6 minutes ago, GimmeOcean said:

There's no slam dunk answer here, but I think I would take the longer cruise on Vision. Earns you 2 extra Crown & Anchor points if you are thinking this is something you'll want to do a lot of... 

 

I'm taking in everyone's input very carefully. I want this to be the best experience for the three of us because we're hoping to be longterm cruising buddies. It's an affordable vacation with certain predictable rhythms that accommodates people as we age. But I'm not going to lie, getting 1/3 of the way to platinum (1/8 to diamond!) in one trip is definitely something that has value to me. The loyalty program really is amazing in terms of making things much more affordable, longterm. I'm very very impressed by the quality of their loyalty program. You just don't see loyalty programs like this anymore. 

[shipgeeks]

Thoenix, I can see you are doing your homework very well!

Oh, and welcome to cruise critic!  I hope you will be a regular contributor.

[Thoenix]

Just now, shipgeeks said:

Thoenix, I can see you are doing your homework very well!

Oh, and welcome to cruise critic!  I hope you will be a regular contributor.

I'm one of the two boat autistics in our group. If there's something to be found on YouTube, RCI's website, or message boards, I've probably read it. I'm a night nurse doing L&D and I work triage a *lot* so some nights I don't have any patients and end up reading ship stuff all night while I wait for patients. 🤣

[SPacificbound]

If I were choosing it would have to be Vision, a wonderful 'little' ship.

[George C]

I love voyager class like adventure of the seas, more entertainment including the great ice show but hard to give up the extra two days .

[birdofsong]

One more vote for Vision.  Of all the cruises I have taken, that was the one I enjoyed the most.  The ship is smaller, but it was great, and it wasn't crowded. 

 

I hope you and your friend have a wonderful time. 

[azureblue50]

And another vote for Vision.  We are booked Feb.24 on Vision out of Baltimore on a 12-day sailing to southern Caribbean, my favorite.  We have been on both Enchantment and Vision, similar ships.  Enchantment is slightly larger and IMO slightly more elegant.  However, Vision has the dry and wet sauna to use for free.  Also, one of my favorite things.  Showers are available to use in the spa area which may be useful with 3 adults trying to get ready at the same time.  The solarium is enclosed which is nice in colder weather.  Less walking to get around on the smaller ships and a more personal experience as you will see the same people.  Adventure is also a nice ship and worth considering.  I am sure whatever you choose you will have a great time.

[Tree_skier]

15 hours ago, birdofsong said:

The ship is smaller, but it was great, and it wasn't crowded. 

@Thoenix,  I'm just wondering since I'm not familiar with the needs of Autistic folks... Is crowds an issue?  If so I might change my recommendation from Adventure to Vision.  I suspect Vision would not be a as crowded.

[Thoenix]

1 minute ago, Tree_skier said:

@Thoenix,  I'm just wondering since I'm not familiar with the needs of Autistic folks... Is crowds an issue?  If so I might change my recommendation from Adventure to Vision.  I suspect Vision would not be a as crowded.

It depends on the autistic people.  Some autistics really enjoy chaos once in awhile.  Some are able to just tolerate it.  Some can't handle it.  I think where all three of us are is 'crowds are okay sometimes, queueing is okay sometimes, but both of these things are easier in a familiar environment where we understand the routines and rules'.  After all the responses here, I think our plan is likely to be to go on Vision (just waiting to hear back from a specific TA who was unavailable this week due to being on Independence) so that we can experience a) being on a ship on the ocean, b) embarkation/disembarkation, c) the general atmosphere of a Royal cruise, and d) the daily routines of the ship.  Then we will try larger ships on future trips once we have a better handle on how the daily routines and so on go on a smaller ship, thus allowing us to grow in confidence before we go all out.  Someday we really want to go on Icon, but we will likely wait until there are multiple Icon class ships to spread out the Hype.

[Tree_skier]

12 minutes ago, Thoenix said:

It depends on the autistic people.  Some autistics really enjoy chaos once in awhile.  Some are able to just tolerate it.  Some can't handle it.  I think where all three of us are is 'crowds are okay sometimes, queueing is okay sometimes, but both of these things are easier in a familiar environment where we understand the routines and rules'.  After all the responses here, I think our plan is likely to be to go on Vision (just waiting to hear back from a specific TA who was unavailable this week due to being on Independence) so that we can experience a) being on a ship on the ocean, b) embarkation/disembarkation, c) the general atmosphere of a Royal cruise, and d) the daily routines of the ship.  Then we will try larger ships on future trips once we have a better handle on how the daily routines and so on go on a smaller ship, thus allowing us to grow in confidence before we go all out.  Someday we really want to go on Icon, but we will likely wait until there are multiple Icon class ships to spread out the Hype.

It sounds like you have a great plan... Once you get bitten by the cruising bug, as many can attest on this board, you will sail for many years to come.  🙂 

[lovesthebeach2]

I would do the Adventure. It’s a newer ship than Enchantment.  And I wouldn’t cruise from Baltimore in the winter just in case of bad weather. Florida in February is perfect weather.

 

EDIT to add: the Adventure is also a shorter cruise which may be better in case anyone doesn’t like cruising after all.

Edited September 13, 2023 by lovesthebeach2

[Giantfan13]

Add my vote for the Vision out of Baltimore. We have sailed the Vision and the Enchantment, but the best is sailing out of Baltimore. Since you are flying in, this really doesn't apply, but driving to the port, you park your car a few hundred feet from the terminal entrance and you are on. When you disembark, roll your suitcase to your car and right onto INT 95. It's a snap. PLUS there is only one ship at a time sailing from Baltimore, so getting on and off and no huge crowds is great. PLUS the 2 extra days will make up for not having more overpriced shops to look at.

 

Cheers

Len

[Baowen]

I would definitely pick the Adventure of the Seas! It's a newer ship with a promenade and a whole lot more to do on it. I think at this point I wouldn't sail on the Vision or Enchantment even if it was free.

[mets123]

Do any in your group plan to use the casino and are non-smokers. The casino is very squeezed together and there's no real segregation between smoking and non smoking areas

 The entire casino smells of cigarettes no matter where you are.

[Thoenix]

5 minutes ago, mets123 said:

Do any in your group plan to use the casino and are non-smokers. The casino is very squeezed together and there's no real segregation between smoking and non smoking areas

 The entire casino smells of cigarettes no matter where you are.

I thought this was true of virtually all RCI ships? I thought only the largest ones had a separate nonsmoking casino? 

[George C]

51 minutes ago, Thoenix said:

I thought this was true of virtually all RCI ships? I thought only the largest ones had a separate nonsmoking casino? 

I believe separate nonsmoking is only on oasis class , they removed the jazz club and replaced it with nonsmoking casino.

[Thoenix]

1 hour ago, George C said:

I believe separate nonsmoking is only on oasis class , they removed the jazz club and replaced it with nonsmoking casino.

That's what I thought. So we're prepared for it. 

[mets123]

1 hour ago, Thoenix said:

I thought this was true of virtually all RCI ships? I thought only the largest ones had a separate nonsmoking casino? 

Both the Oasis and Quantum class have distinct areas, with a clear line on demarcation. On the Voyager and Freedom class, it seems like it's a smoking row, non smoking , smoking  , non, etc. The rules say you can smoke ONLY if you're on a machine, but it's never enforced. Many people just go there to smoke. 

[mo&fran]

8 hours ago, Baowen said:

I would definitely pick the Adventure of the Seas! It's a newer ship with a promenade and a whole lot more to do on it. I think at this point I wouldn't sail on the Vision or Enchantment even if it was free.

Funny you should say that. My first RC cruise was on Navigator, and I loved the size, having experienced a number of smaller ships. At the time, it was the largest.

And I said , nothing smaller.  We went on a quick Radiance cruise, and I really didn't care for it, and I said never again.  And we have been on most of the newer ships.

 Then we started looking    at some longer sailings, on Radiance class ships,  and we went and had a great time.

 Best was a TPA to AMS on Brilliance . Eastbound TA was a  great trip.

Vision class was still not on our radar.

 Then DW went to the casino,  and came back with a voucher for a free cruise on Grandeur.  What the hell, lets give it a try. Graet time. We will be back, have it booked next year. We are paying for this one.

 

[leen50]

On 9/11/2023 at 4:55 PM, Thoenix said:

Do you think that the Baltimore port would be less chaotic and/or that Vision would have fewer people on it?  Just trying to figure out what all factors I ought to be considering.  Decisions are so hard!!

Baltimore is a Very Easy terminal to navigate as is the parking. I prefer Vision to Enchantment. FYI, if only 1 of you likes wine, 1 bottle per person is permitted. The Max may be 2 per cabin. Screw top is best. Ask for a wine glass at any bar and pour your wine before dinner etc. No one cares where it came from.

Enjoy!

[joeyancho]

For me the longer the cruise the better.  The Vision is in the style of a classic cruise liner.  The ship is more outwardly focused.  You feel like you are on a ship at sea.  There is lots of glass and lots of opportunity to experience the ocean.  The Adventure is more inwardly focused.   The Promenade is a long "street" with no view of the ocean.  You can lose the feeling of being on a ship in the middle of the ocean.  For your first cruise I would recommend the Vision.  It doesn't have all the attractions of larger ships but it does have everything that makes a cruise a unique vacation.  You will really feel like you are on a ship at sea.  I started cruising on smaller ships (53 cruises now)  and sometimes miss the feeling of the small ships.  I have cruised all the larger ships and they are great but bigger is not always better.  

       Having said all this I'll add that I took my 13 year old autistic grandson on the Navigator, for his first cruise,  (sister ship to the Adventure)  and he loved it.  You really can't make a mistake no matter what you decide,  you will have a blast.  Please report back to us after your cruise and tell us what you decided and how you liked it.  We would love to know.  Bon Voyage!