Seniors First RCL cruise, Vision 8 night, March 7 2024 Sailing

[Andy_P]

11 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Yes, you can get coffee in the WJ.  There's also coffee on the pool deck outside of the WJ.

Thanks!  And I imagine in the Crown Lounge?

 

Do they have "to go" paper cups with lids and sleeves or can/should I bring a Contigo or the like?

 

[Another_Critic]

1 minute ago, Andy_P said:

Thanks!  And I imagine in the Crown Lounge?

 

Do they have "to go" paper cups with lids and sleeves or can/should I bring a Contigo or the like?

 

They do have paper cups and lids in the Crown Lounge.  I don't remember if they have them outside the WJ.

 

P.S.  They also have coffee in the Park Cafe.

[BND]

On 3/19/2024 at 6:00 PM, barric said:

I wrote down menus from the app.  I am fairly sure the day 7 lobster did not include one free tail and another for 16.99. Only the one for a charge.  Hopefully some other passenger from this cruise will be able to clarify.  

Second formal night menu has one included lobster tail.  Additional tails cost.  We were just on in April for a b2b so we know.  

 

[Nessa55]

OMG people were so mean on this thread, however, I did learn some useful things as I am scheduled for August 2025. I am like the original poster and am not at an age where I want to be on a ship with slides and rides. I was on Carnival 2 weeks ago and remembered why I don't do those cruises any more. I'm 70 and definitely am not in that party/drinking category. I was especially glad to hear about the night light because I actually just purchased one. I have never been to Bermuda so when my senior center offered this cruise I jumped right on it and the fact that it is the only time I would have cruised out of my home port of Baltimore.

[Airbear232]

On 3/18/2024 at 2:53 PM, barric said:

We cruised on Vision from Baltimore on March 7, 8 nights.  It was our first on Royal and got Diamond due to our Celebrity Elite status.  We also cruise NCL and MSC.   This is what we seniors experienced.

 

Vision was sold out, approx 2000 guests.  Very nice overall condition with few areas showing age (carpets in hallways, eg).  Lounge and theater furnishings all comfy (Unlike NCL who prefers form over function). 

 

We had a Grand Suite which was stupendous.   Big.  Lots of storage.  Fancy.  Great bedding.  Great attendant and 2X per day service.  Small TV, but it accepted inputs from my DV Player and my Fire TV.  Had more tv channels than expected. 

 

Suite class featured concierge service (Jaime was fab) and access to the Concierge Lounge.  This was outstanding.  Nice cocktail hour with appies. Enough seating for all the suite guests and good views.

Suite class also came with breakfast daily at Chops.  Good but still we had some breakfasts in Windjammer (but no smoked salmon).  A VIP area in the theater was good.

 

Still, we were VERY disappointed with dining as a suite guest.  No dedicated restaurant.  Dinners only in the MDR, and no special menu, seating area or timing.  Quite a bit down from our experiences with Celebrity, NCL, MSC. 

 

MDR.  We are foodies and found the main dining to be average some nights, disappointing on others.  Not as good as other lines.  Lobster was an upcharge.  The strip steak was cooked properly but seemed like a lower grade of beef.  Not tender.  Theme nights were unattractive to us.  Breads not a strong point on RCL. 

 

Windjammer:  Fairly good for breakfast, but there was only one inconvenient egg station.  Bacon always crispy!  No milk dispensers.   Had to pour a glass out of the coffee area pitchers.  Sheesh.

Lunches were like average diner food.  Nothing special.  WJ not open early enough for us early birds.  Hard to find coffee in the am unless you don’t mind getting it outside on the pool deck.  Could not even sit in WJ until 7am.  

 

Park Café at the solarium.   Had nice food but lousy hours.  No lunch until 1 pm, when a big line formed immediately.

 

Specialty dining.  We bought the 3 night plan to add to the 1 night which came with Diamond.  Izumi was 10 stars.  Great sushi and sashimi.  Chops was very good with excellent rib steak and filet.  Giovanni was also VG…osso bucco fabulous. 

 

Pleasant surprise:  we left Charleston shortly after docking, due to poor weather.  RCL refunded our port fees.  WooHoo.

 

Solarium and poolside.  Seating and tables commonly available. Tiny hot tubs…only 4 can squeeze in, and they were always crowded.

Good accurate review, thanks!