Vision of the Seas?

[Kimberly9701]

Has anyone been on this ship?

I'm tired of waiting for DCL summer prices and considering booking the 12 night British Isles for June '17 on this ship.

The photos aren't thrilling me though... Would love to hear a personal experience before I book.

Will be myself and 7 year old at that time of travel.

I'd also like to compare a China cruise..but do not see any dates for summer 2017.

Thanks!

 

[bumbershoot]

We liked it. We got one of the newish panoramic oceanview rooms, and enjoyed it.

Our...MY...one issue was caused by the design of the ship + bad weather + Royal still allowing smoking in the casino. I'm being really specific here so you can decide if this would be an issue, and if it would, to help you see our exact problem so you can make a different decision.

The pano rooms are off the Centrum. That' a cylindrical shaped open area that goes from deck 4 to 8 or 9. Our deck was 7. The casino opens into, I believe, deck 5.

We had lousy weather for nearly 2 full days (on a 5 night cruise). This caused the smokers to go indoors to the casino, rather than braving the winds and rain to smoke. This caused the casino to be more full of smoke than usual. By day 1 of this I couldn't go to deck 5, which is where Guest Services was, because of the smoke coming out. Then it started to slowly filter up the Centrum. Then it started to go *down* to deck 4, which is where they had music and dancing. DS is a dancer and had been enjoying the dance classes, but I couldn't go because it was getting smoky. (I am asthmatic b/c of genetics and my parents smoking on me, I cannot stand the smell of it, and it will make me ill) The smoke was making its way towards the firedoor leading to our cabins when the weather cleared, people went outside, and the casino cleared out a bit.

As much as we enjoyed the rooms themselves, we would choose rooms elsewhere in the ship in the future, so as to not be impacted by the potential smoke.

(sidenote: as far as I know only Celebrity has a casino AND the casino is totally nonsmoking. Disney of course is smokefree indoors, but they don't have a casino. all other lines I know of with a casino are the same as Royal)

The ship is small but fun.


I have heard many times that the cruises out of Asia are very local-focused, and therefore even the food is rather different than typical. And, from what I know of the culture from DH, the smoking info above might be more important on those cruises.

 

[ldo]

sailed in the Baltics in 2010, but I had kids your age. DS and DD were in the 6-9 kids club and loved it. They have a central area near the top with ping-pong table in a cvered open area and teen clb on one side and kids club on the other. Very secure check-in/out. They did more structure than DCL. Lots of games and simple crafts--bingo (kids won RCCL key chains, stuff animals, back packs), and things like decorate a postboard guitar and then they had a fake band. Kids club is open all day on port days and 9-12, 2-5, 7-10ish on sea days, meaning you pick your kids up to eat. There are 1-2 nights they can eat with kids at a party. The ship is not as fancy as others, but it was fine. The entertainment in Europe is better than in the USA, IMHO. They had a fake Beatles band (great), folk dancers, local orchestra, plus the normal shows. A fancy ship is only as great as the things you would use. We just went on a ship with flow rider and rock wall-no one in our family used it, so worthless to us.

 

[Kimberly9701]

We liked it. We got one of the newish panoramic oceanview rooms, and enjoyed it.

Our...MY...one issue was caused by the design of the ship + bad weather + Royal still allowing smoking in the casino. I'm being really specific here so you can decide if this would be an issue, and if it would, to help you see our exact problem so you can make a different decision.

The pano rooms are off the Centrum. That' a cylindrical shaped open area that goes from deck 4 to 8 or 9. Our deck was 7. The casino opens into, I believe, deck 5.

We had lousy weather for nearly 2 full days (on a 5 night cruise). This caused the smokers to go indoors to the casino, rather than braving the winds and rain to smoke. This caused the casino to be more full of smoke than usual. By day 1 of this I couldn't go to deck 5, which is where Guest Services was, because of the smoke coming out. Then it started to slowly filter up the Centrum. Then it started to go *down* to deck 4, which is where they had music and dancing. DS is a dancer and had been enjoying the dance classes, but I couldn't go because it was getting smoky. (I am asthmatic b/c of genetics and my parents smoking on me, I cannot stand the smell of it, and it will make me ill) The smoke was making its way towards the firedoor leading to our cabins when the weather cleared, people went outside, and the casino cleared out a bit.

As much as we enjoyed the rooms themselves, we would choose rooms elsewhere in the ship in the future, so as to not be impacted by the potential smoke.

(sidenote: as far as I know only Celebrity has a casino AND the casino is totally nonsmoking. Disney of course is smokefree indoors, but they don't have a casino. all other lines I know of with a casino are the same as Royal)

The ship is small but fun.


I have heard many times that the cruises out of Asia are very local-focused, and therefore even the food is rather different than typical. And, from what I know of the culture from DH, the smoking info above might be more important on those cruises.

Thanks you for the review! I definitely would not like my son to be indoors in a cloud of smoke.
Here was my original vacation choice list for '17-
Aulani.
Costa Rica - combo of arenal and beach
Northern Med cruise. British isles or Norway/Iceland or
Asia (focusing on China)
Or
Self guided tour of Ireland/England/Scotland.

I've narrowed it down and decided to do a cruise for a few reasons- given my son's age and me being the only adult, I think a cruise is an easier way to hit some of these places without constantly packing up and switching accommodations, although wherever we go we will do a few days on land first. I've asked him where he wants to go- his first choices- Antartica or Iceland - I have no desire to do an Antartica cruise at this point so am not considering it. His second choices- volcano and castles.
I know I'm considering different places beyond what he requested- but I know he would enjoy them and all are rich in history lessons.
Aulani looks great, but I'd much rather take him to Europe or Asia since I feel like at age 7 it will be the perfect time. And Costa Rica id rather wait til he is a little older to enjoy everything I love about that country.
I'm ok with food being locally focused on a cruise..he's pretty good about trying new things.

sailed in the Baltics in 2010, but I had kids your age. DS and DD were in the 6-9 kids club and loved it. They have a central area near the top with ping-pong table in a cvered open area and teen clb on one side and kids club on the other. Very secure check-in/out. They did more structure than DCL. Lots of games and simple crafts--bingo (kids won RCCL key chains, stuff animals, back packs), and things like decorate a postboard guitar and then they had a fake band. Kids club is open all day on port days and 9-12, 2-5, 7-10ish on sea days, meaning you pick your kids up to eat. There are 1-2 nights they can eat with kids at a party. The ship is not as fancy as others, but it was fine. The entertainment in Europe is better than in the USA, IMHO. They had a fake Beatles band (great), folk dancers, local orchestra, plus the normal shows. A fancy ship is only as great as the things you would use. We just went on a ship with flow rider and rock wall-no one in our family used it, so worthless to us.

Thanks! My son would love the flow rider and rock wall.. But that being said, we have amusement park and water park passes and said park has a flow rider that he loves..so it wouldn't be something new for him. Same with rock climbing..we have a few indoor rock climbing places here that we visit during rainy days.
My concern about the ammentities is that we wouldn't utilize the kid's club often. So I'm looking for a ship that has activities we can enjoy together. Do you think there is enough on that ship to entertain him outside of the kid's club?
I have never been on a cruise in Europe, although I have visited several times. I know we would spend all available port time exploring.. So no, I don't need a Quantum class ship- but I am hoping this will be a possibility for Asia.. Still I would like the ship to provide enough family entertainment when not in port.

 

[Kimberly9701]

If this helps at all- I'm trying to keep this vacation within a budget of $15k. From what I've been reading about DCL med cruises, the cruise itself would take up the majority of that and would bring me closer to 20.
If Royal can give a great experience for him then it would be a no brainier for me. If the ship lacks in family ammentities then I would have to, unwillingly, up the planned budget, and it would impact our other annual smaller trips that we take.

 

[ldo]

Just got off an 8 day RCCL, carib. for spring break. Rccl, in general, does not have a lot of family entertainment. Most ships do not have movie theaters and there are few, if any, movies played in the big show theater (don't know if that is different for non-Carib. cruises). There was a family scavenger hunt and there is putt-putt and ping-pong. There is a moive screen by the pool on most ships, but it usually shows sports/poker during the day and only a few movies at night all week long. We brought our own board games and played 4X on 3 sea days. For 7 yrs old, I would choose a somewhat active vacation--either Hawaii with lots for a 7 yr old to do or maybe the Iceland cruise (depending on excursions). There are also lot of neat things to see on a Baltic cruise for a 7 yr old--the royal armoury under the palace in stockholm is great for kids (highlight of our cruise), vasa ship, walking around tallin, trying archery with costumed helpers. What DS did not like was "walking aorund looking at old bldgs and churches." He did like climbing the towers in the churches.
If cost is not an issue, I would book a Disney cruise, with more family offerings, as there are only 2 of you. an OV is much less than a balcony. Our family of 4 is on DCL for Norway 7 day for $6500, so 2 persons would be $4K. The Iceland cruise was MUCH more. Fly to Iceland for 4 days on your way to Europe. On the first day of booking, the 7 day Baltic was the same price--rising to double that later in the year. I would suggest a 7 day with a DIY land portion in Iceland or another European city, if you go that route. Look on viator.com to get ideas of day trips you can DIY or book in places that interest you. Airfare from the US is about $1500PP in the summer, so you can easily do the above for $15K, just maybe not the 12 day DCL.

 

[Kimberly9701]

Just got off an 8 day RCCL, carib. for spring break. Rccl, in general, does not have a lot of family entertainment. Most ships do not have movie theaters and there are few, if any, movies played in the big show theater (don't know if that is different for non-Carib. cruises). There was a family scavenger hunt and there is putt-putt and ping-pong. There is a moive screen by the pool on most ships, but it usually shows sports/poker during the day and only a few movies at night all week long. We brought our own board games and played 4X on 3 sea days. For 7 yrs old, I would choose a somewhat active vacation--either Hawaii with lots for a 7 yr old to do or maybe the Iceland cruise (depending on excursions). There are also lot of neat things to see on a Baltic cruise for a 7 yr old--the royal armoury under the palace in stockholm is great for kids (highlight of our cruise), vasa ship, walking around tallin, trying archery with costumed helpers. What DS did not like was "walking aorund looking at old bldgs and churches." He did like climbing the towers in the churches.
If cost is not an issue, I would book a Disney cruise, with more family offerings, as there are only 2 of you. an OV is much less than a balcony. Our family of 4 is on DCL for Norway 7 day for $6500, so 2 persons would be $4K. The Iceland cruise was MUCH more. Fly to Iceland for 4 days on your way to Europe. On the first day of booking, the 7 day Baltic was the same price--rising to double that later in the year. I would suggest a 7 day with a DIY land portion in Iceland or another European city, if you go that route. Look on viator.com to get ideas of day trips you can DIY or book in places that interest you. Airfare from the US is about $1500PP in the summer, so you can easily do the above for $15K, just maybe not the 12 day DCL.

Thanks for your input!
I've been impatiently waiting for dates/itineraries/prices for summer '17 so have been stalking these message boards.. I've read so many people say that DCL is going up 20-30% in price, which in turn would price me out.
I set an annual travel budget at 20k and try to stay as close as possible to that. We love our little 3-5 night various trips and I'd hate to cut those out next year in order to do one vacation.
When I booked our upcoming DCL western carribean the cruise cost just over 4K.. I looked at the Norwegian/Iceland cruise and it was almost 4x that price. I'm not spending over 14k for me and a 6 year old for cruise fare only. Instead we are doing a DCL/DW combo for @ that same cost including airfare excursions etc. Next year I think he will get more out of a Europe visit than this year, but still unwilling to pay $14k for the cruise. I'll keep waiting and hope that DCL Europe prices are a little lower when they get released. And I think your suggestion of a pre Iceland trip is great if I can get a 7 night cruise is around the prices that you quoted!
I traveled so much in my 20s and early 30s and am a huge history buff, and would like to instill that same passion in my son, but no- I don't want to bore him with "looking at old church's and buildings" the entire trip, so trying to find a happy median.

 

[ldo]

DCL usually offers at least a few 7 day Europeans and they tend to be a lot less than the 11-12 days. We have been on RCCL, Princess, NCL in Europe and I can tell you that none came close to DCL for famiy activities, esp. if you are not usuing the kids club. For 2016, the June/July 7 day Norway,Baltic/England to Barcelona cruises were all about $6K for OV for 4 persons. Any of those could offer a great trip for a 7 yr old, esp. with some land thrown in. Also, unexpectedly, Copenhagen (a starting point for many cruises) has a lot to offer that ages with castles, Tivoli, etc. I bet you can find 1 European under $5K for 2 persons on opening day. good luck. We are looking for Alaska and in the same boat-so to speak.

 

[Kimberly9701]

DCL usually offers at least a few 7 day Europeans and they tend to be a lot less than the 11-12 days. We have been on RCCL, Princess, NCL in Europe and I can tell you that none came close to DCL for famiy activities, esp. if you are not usuing the kids club. For 2016, the June/July 7 day Norway,Baltic/England to Barcelona cruises were all about $6K for OV for 4 persons. Any of those could offer a great trip for a 7 yr old, esp. with some land thrown in. Also, unexpectedly, Copenhagen (a starting point for many cruises) has a lot to offer that ages with castles, Tivoli, etc. I bet you can find 1 European under $5K for 2 persons on opening day. good luck. We are looking for Alaska and in the same boat-so to speak.

Thanks so much!!! You gave me enough hope to just be a little more patient and wait for DCL to release their prices. I'll hold off and make the decision at that point.

 

[ldo]

feel free to mssg me if you when you decide. I have lots of DIY info with kids and some fun "secret agent" scavenger hunts for many of the ports. We will be on DCL in Norway this summer, so I can report on how interesting it is for younger kids, as well.

 

[Kimberly9701]

feel free to mssg me if you when you decide. I have lots of DIY info with kids and some fun "secret agent" scavenger hunts for many of the ports. We will be on DCL in Norway this summer, so I can report on how interesting it is for younger kids, as well.

Thanks! And yes!! I would love to hear a report!