Voyager of the Seas cruise ship assessment: A information to Royal Caribbean’s first megaship

When Voyager debuted in 1999, the 14-deck, 3,602-passenger vessel was the world’s greatest ship. At the moment, it would not even crack the highest 50, as a gradual stream of bigger vessels carrying double the variety of passengers has hit the seas over time.

Voyager is perhaps smaller than Royal Caribbean’s latest vessels (I am you, Utopia and Icon), nevertheless it’s stocked with amusements. In reality, it debuted lots of the line’s signature points of interest, together with a towering rock-climbing wall and an ice-skating rink.

Voyager was additionally the road’s first vessel to function a Royal Promenade, an indoor thoroughfare lined with cafes, bars and retailers. (Whereas Voyager encompasses a promenade space, it doesn’t have themed neighborhoods, as discovered on Oasis Class ships.)

Quick ahead a couple of years. Newer courses of ships started to eclipse Voyager, and renovations had been inevitable. A $97 million refurbishment in 2019 introduced forth a slew of upgrades, together with a brand new pair of three-story waterslides (dubbed Excellent Storm), an unique outside patio area for teenagers and 72 further inside and balcony cabins. The ship’s children membership, Journey Ocean, additionally acquired a glow-up, which included a brand new nursery area for infants and tots.

That stated, Voyager is as soon as once more beginning to present its age, and that is particularly noticeable when it is docked beside shiny new vessels like Icon and Utopia.

Nevertheless, Voyager of the Seas is a manageable ship, and it is the best sampler for households who search a scaled-back however action-packed cruise trip. Past the onboard points of interest, passengers have loads of methods to remain busy throughout their cruise, together with day by day actions, dwell music and nightly productions.

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Households aren’t the one vacationers who will really feel at residence on Voyager. Singles, {couples} and older passengers may also take pleasure in their time on board. Plenty of fun-loving cruisers ages 60-plus had been on my crusing, together with three girls I overheard discussing plans to hit the waterslides later that day.

Our crusing was absolutely booked, however aside from occasional bottlenecks alongside the Royal Promenade and some queues throughout peak meal and present instances, crowds had been well-controlled. Visitors alongside the Royal Promenade flowed easily most days. Nevertheless, when retailers lined tables brimming with merchandise down the middle, passengers flocked like moths to a flame, making the world really feel cramped.

Moreover, the Cafe Promenade seating space felt tight, with little room between tables. Among the tables had been butted up in opposition to the full-size prop automobile and British-style telephone sales space. It appeared that tables and chairs had been shoved collectively to supply area for a particular occasion and had been by no means put again the place they belonged. Nonetheless, I by no means felt claustrophobic throughout our crusing.

Voyager of the Seas cabins and suites

Past conventional inside cabin choices, the ship options inside Promenade View cabins, which look out over the Royal Promenade (best for people-watching). Moreover, greater than 100 connecting cabins can be found on Voyager — nice for bigger households or teams touring collectively.

Do you want room to unfold out, or are you in search of an unique cruise trip expertise? You have got a number of selections for extra-spacious lodging on this ship. These embody a 277-square-foot Junior Suite, a 381- to 547-square-foot Grand Suite (one or two bedrooms), a 406-square-foot Ocean View Panoramic Suite (no balcony), a 506-square-foot Proprietor’s Suite and a commodious 1,260-square-foot Royal Suite.

Most suites sleep as much as 4 friends. Nevertheless, the Ocean View Panoramic Suite sleeps as much as six friends, and the two-bedroom Grand Suite can accommodate as much as eight folks.

Suite friends take pleasure in perks corresponding to precedence check-in, boarding and departure, reserved seating at onboard exhibits and VIP essential pool deck seating. Passengers in Grand Suites and above also can entry the unique Suite Lounge on Deck 14 with day by day complimentary continental breakfast and drinks, plus a personal outside space. Voyager doesn’t have Coastal Kitchen, the unique included-in-fare restaurant for suite friends.

My husband and I booked a balcony “assure” cabin, which suggests we chosen the kind of room we needed (a balcony) however let Royal Caribbean determine the place on the ship it could be. We had been fully glad with our aft cabin (close to the again of the ship) on Deck 6. I had ready myself for a totally obstructed view, however I used to be pleasantly shocked. Whereas our balcony ignored one of many lifeboats under, we had a transparent view of the open sea and past.

Our balcony was a bit extra enclosed than a standard balcony, however I truly loved it. The thicker dividing partitions offered a little bit of privateness you do not usually have with typical balconies. Usually, noise and loud conversations from my cabin neighbors trigger me to curb my time spent on my cruise balcony.

Our cabin was outfitted with one king-size mattress that you possibly can separate into two twin beds. (Some balcony cabins function a fold-down Pullman mattress that may sleep as much as three folks.) The mattress was extraordinarily agency. At first blush, I feared it could be too onerous for me to be snug, however I slept effectively each night time and awakened refreshed.

Our dwelling space had a three-seat sofa positioned reverse the self-importance and cupboard space. A number of drawers and extra cabinets within the closet offered ample storage for all our garments, sneakers and digicam gear (chargers, tripod, zoom lens, and so on.).

The lavatory included an enclosed bathe, mirrored medication cabinet-style storage, bar cleaning soap and a trial-size model of Royal Caribbean-branded toiletries (lotion, bathe gel, shampoo and an amenity package). A dispenser crammed with all-in-one hair and physique wash was mounted within the bathe.

Our cabin did present indicators of its age — bits of peeling paint, a couple of dings on the wall and a wonky cupboard door. These imperfections had been simple to miss, because of our amiable and environment friendly cabin steward, Jennifer, who meticulously maintained our room.

Moreover, Voyager of the Seas presents 26 accessible rooms in varied cabin configurations, that are extra spacious and have wider doorways and entryway ramps. The cabins additionally function facilities corresponding to roll-in showers with benches, decrease bogs and sinks, plus decrease closet bars.

Voyager of the Seas eating places

Complimentary eating choices on Voyager of the Seas embody the principle eating room, which serves breakfast, dinner and lunch on sea days; the Windjammer Market buffet (breakfast, lunch and dinner); pastries, mini sandwiches and pizza served on the Cafe Promenade; and free ice cream at Sprinkles on Deck 11. General, the meals was positive — the principle eating room dishes and buffet choices had been hit and miss, however the pizza was persistently scrumptious.

The principle eating room menu included a wide range of dishes for each palate, even providing a minimum of one vegan dish every night time. We ate two meals right here — one dinner and one breakfast. (I had deliberate to have dinner in the principle eating room our final night time, however I ended up not feeling effectively and needed to skip dinner altogether.)

My dinner (Caesar salad, escargots and herb-crusted salmon) was a little bit of a blended bag. The escargots appetizer was on level, however my salmon was overly salty and a bit dry. Service was stellar, although, because of Vince and Ronnie. Throughout our meal, a pianist serenaded us with dwell classical music (supplied most nights), which elevated our eating expertise.

Breakfast in the principle eating room was a stunning different to the buffet at Windjammer Market. It was quieter and fewer crowded, and my espresso cup stayed crammed with out my having to maneuver an inch. Each our essential eating room breakfast dishes — made-to-order omelets and eggs Benedict — had been tasty.

Windjammer Market supplied customary buffet fare throughout a number of stations — salads, sandwiches, hen, seafood and the like. A choice of worldwide delicacies was additionally out there (curries, pasta, fried rice and different objects). I attempted a number of totally different objects over two lunches, with various levels of success.

Grilled greens and fish had been strong, however my made-to-order veggie burger lacked taste. My husband raved in regards to the hen strips. He additionally sampled the lasagna and some totally different pastas at dinner and reported favorably. Windjammer on Voyager closes store at 9 p.m., so for those who get the munchies after that, your solely choice is a mini sandwich or slice of pizza at Cafe Promenade (open 6 a.m. to three a.m.)

Voyager is residence to a few specialty eating places serving dinner nightly, with lunch seating on sea days. We sampled all three and had persistently improbable meals.

Izumi was our first dinner on board, setting our expectations fairly excessive for the rest of the cruise. It was tucked away on a nook of Deck 14 reverse the Suite Lounge, offering an intimate environment. We shared the eating room with solely a handful of different friends, including to the serene vibe.

This sushi and Asian-fusion restaurant was hands-down probably the greatest sushi meals I’ve had on land or sea. The rolls had been contemporary and flavorful, and our server, Mary, ensured we lacked nothing for a improbable eating expertise. Cruisers should purchase menu objects a la carte or go for the prix fixe menu ($40 per individual). The prix fixe choice comes with one small plate (salads, soups and appetizers), two massive plates (sushi, sashimi rolls, ramen and poke bowls) and one dessert.

We additionally had a tasty dinner at Giovanni’s Desk ($48 per individual), the ship’s specialty Italian restaurant. We loved almost good seafood linguini and pasta Bolognese. No matter you order, do not move up the tiramisu.

You may e-book a personal Chef’s Desk expertise, which encompasses a six-course meal and wine pairing. It takes place on a mezzanine-type touchdown between ranges 4 and 5 of the principle eating room.

Buy specialty and boozy coffees at Cafe Promenade, which serves Starbucks model espresso. In contrast to on the stand-alone Starbucks outposts on different ships, drinks right here fall inside beverage package deal choices. Room service can be out there, and carries a service price of $7.95 per order, however continental breakfast (espresso, pastries, cereal and fruit) is free.

For-fee treats can be found at Scoops by Sugar Seashore (on Deck 5 at Cafe Promenade space). I obtained confused as a result of the Cupcake Cabinet was listed on each the cellular app and the ship’s deck plans on Royal Caribbean’s web site, however was nowhere to be discovered on the ship. I inquired at visitor companies and was advised it had been eliminated, however cupcake-decorating courses are typically supplied in Giovanni’s.

Voyager of the Seas bars and lounges

Voyager of the Seas is chock-full of locations to get your drink on. The Pig & Whistle, the road’s British-style pub, was a comfortable spot alongside the Royal Promenade for a pint or a cocktail. Most folk on our crusing appeared to favor imbibing and people-watching on the tables simply outdoors the pub. Usually, these tables had been full, whereas solely a few tables had been taken inside.

I loved the decor within the Pig & Whistle, however the environment would have felt extra genuine in the event that they often swapped the loop of pop-rock tunes with some conventional Irish music. A singer-guitarist carried out every so often, which added to a pub-type atmosphere, even when her repertoire consisted of acoustic variations of pop songs.

The Schooner Bar was the hub for trivia video games and different onboard competitions, plus dwell piano music a couple of instances all through the day. It was additionally residence to a darn good “Sea & T” (gin, Lagoon Bay liqueur, easy syrup, lemon juice and tonic water).

The Sky Bar and Pool Bar had been top-deck choices for a poolside rum punch or watermelon margarita, whereas the R Bar on the Promenade on Deck 5 gave the impression to be a favourite hangout for a lot of passengers throughout our cruise. A handful of different bars are positioned all through the ship in or close to high-traffic venues such because the theater and the on line casino.

In a enjoyable nod to fashionable developments, each bar menu on the ship included a mocktails part. Schooner Bar’s Berry Press (strawberry and lavender syrup, lemon juice and membership soda) was splendidly refreshing, the right stability of candy and tart.

As with every Royal Caribbean cruise, you should buy your drinks a la carte or buy one of many line’s drink packages, which might prevent cash for those who plan to drink loads of sodas, bottled water, specialty coffees or alcohol.

Voyager of the Seas actions

Voyager of the Seas is the best ship for passengers who like to remain energetic, however do not wish to be inundated with choices. Ours was a warm-weather crusing, so naturally, the highest decks noticed loads of motion. On the principle deck, two swimming pools had been separated by a deck space, which appeared to assist handle crowd congestion on busy sea days. 4 sizzling tubs (two massive shaded and two smaller ones) supplied extra methods to benefit from the water.

Close by, the 18-plus open-air Solarium pool space was residence to a decent-size pool, two sizzling tubs and a bar. Loungers and cabana chairs had been plentiful, however most had been claimed by 8 a.m.

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Indoors, Voyager of the Seas’ modest spa homes a hair salon, nail studio and 10 therapy rooms for massages (together with a {couples} therapeutic massage room). It lacks a thermal suite space (no sauna or steam room), however locker rooms and showers are within the adjoining health heart.

Within the health heart, passengers can use a wide range of cardio gear (treadmills, Peloton bikes and elliptical machines), plus free weights and train balls. Desire your train with a contact of sea air? Hit the jogging monitor on Deck 12 (six laps equals 1 mile). Parts of the monitor are flanked by rows of lounge chairs that replenish with solar worshippers oblivious to your operating tempo. I witnessed a couple of close to crashes.

Within the Royal Theater, do not miss productions corresponding to “Broadway Rhythm & Rhyme,” which showcases songs from Broadway favorites like “West Aspect Story,” “Chicago” and “Dreamgirls.” The show-closing duet of “And I am Telling You I am Not Going” was so good that it gave me full-body chills.

Different headliner acts on our cruise included a comic and juggler; these visitor performers fluctuate from crusing to crusing. I missed the comedy present however totally loved the juggler, Mr. Edge. Enjoyable truth: He started his profession as one of many unique jugglers for the inaugural crusing of Voyager of the Seas over 25 years in the past. This crusing was his first time returning to a Royal Caribbean ship. Speak about a full-circle second.

I used to be additionally wowed by “Ice Odyssey,” the ice-skating present in Studio B. The costumes, choreography and spectacular tips saved my eyes glued to the ice. Along with watching spectacular ice-skating productions, passengers can take a spin across the ice throughout all-skate periods supplied a handful of instances day-after-day (no price, however reservations are required).

Extra highlights for me included laser tag, which happened in Studio B. We bobbed and weaved by means of inflatable obstacles in a battle for world domination. It is free to play, however you have to reserve your spot.

I used to be shocked at what a sizzling commodity the cardboard room/library was. Each time I popped in, a minimum of three or 4 teams had been taking part in board video games, playing cards or working puzzles. On sea days, each desk was crammed.

Households had many alternatives to have enjoyable along with actions corresponding to selfie scavenger hunts, bingo and household karaoke time (which offered a number of variations of “Let it Go” on your listening enjoyment). Reside music was additionally out there within the Royal Promenade, and in bars and lounges at varied instances of the day.

Voyager’s for-fee arcade is positioned close to the Journey Ocean children membership space on Deck 12. In the event you’re into a distinct sort of gaming, the ship has a on line casino, providing poker, blackjack, slot machines and different methods to check your luck.

Different actions that is perhaps on the day by day planner embody arts and crafts periods, dance courses, sports activities competitions, pool video games, dwell music and scavenger hunts. Well being and wonder, jewellery and artwork seminars are additionally standard, and you’ll take part with out making a purchase order in the long run. We had a blast testing our trivia expertise (we failed), studying make lovable towel animals and watching our shipmates channel their interior Beyonce throughout karaoke within the Star Lounge.

Voyager of the Seas itineraries and pricing

In Might, it’ll reposition to Europe and sail Mediterranean and Greek Isles itineraries from a number of ports in Greece, Italy and Spain by means of the autumn. The ship will then make its method to Brisbane, Australia, through Africa and Asia. It can sail Australia and South Pacific cruises throughout the winter and into the spring, then reposition to Seattle by means of Hawaii.

In summer time 2026, Voyager will swap the Mediterranean for the Final Frontier, crusing seven-night round-trip Alaska itineraries from Might by means of September from Seattle.

On the time of writing, fares began at $617 per individual for a five-night Japanese Caribbean cruise. A seven-night Western Mediterranean crusing began at $1,062 per individual; seven-night Alaska sailings began at $789 per individual. (All charges are for inside cabins and are primarily based on double occupancy.)

Voyager of the Seas for households

Teenagers (ages 13-17) can relax of their designated space, the Residing Room, which encompasses a cool outside patio area known as the Again Deck.