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Check in was the worst of any cruise we had ever done. Despite being a Diamond member with a Jr. Suite, I was sent to the "regular" line and they couldn't do anything fast. They couldn't verify my credit card either and blamed everything on a "new software". They should have got that taken care of.
I would like to see Jr. Suite and up passengers to get into their rooms earlier than 1:30, if only just to drop off luggage.
Getting luggage was a nightmare. They pulled our two big bags because they accused us of having an iron. (We didn't, it was a straight iron for hair) and a small Swiss army pocket knife that I have taken on every cruise. I told the RCL security that it was a 2.5 inch blade and that if I wanted to do harm to someone I would simply go to the Windjammer Cafe and get a steak knife with a 6 inch blade. I thought this was a stupid waste of our time.
We had just done a cruise the month before on the RCL ship Freedom of the Seas and had a wonderful time with none of these problems. Our Jr. Suite on Freedom seemed almost twice as big as on the Vision. Freedom had two A/C units in the room and a HUGE walk in closet and big bath that Vision didn't have.
Our Jr. Suite in the Vision had furniture that was dirty with arms that were slick with grime. Some of the cabinet doors hung poorly and sagged and the room looked far from "upscale" as the Freedom did.
Vision did not have the new menu that other RCL ships have and we found it "uninspiring" for the most part and that is sad because the Vision has no specialty venues like other ships do.
So far things sound very negative so I'll move to some of the better ones. The common areas and decks seemed well cared for and clean. The lounges and theaters were very well done and clean and neat.
The ship had a great main orchestra but the ship's singers were mediocre at best. The entertainers were varied and entertaining but the cruise director was among the most boring and least engaging of all our cruises.
Internet connections were as slow as you could get on any ship. It was downright pitiful and the ship does little to help anyone with any questions.
The television service was the absolute worst of any ship period. They couldn't track satellites on the four stations they tried to. They were so cheap the selections simply was terrible. They had Fox News, (which never worked well), CNN International (that showed world news, not US) and ESPN's two channels, but they were the world editions, so instead of getting college football like EVERYONE on the ship wanted, we got cricket, soccer and European crap that nobody wanted or watched.
Gee RCL, get off you darn wallet and get programming geared for your passengers! This crappy TV service was a joke and an insult to me and hundreds of others we talked to.
Vision had no Diamond Lounge for evening and used the Viking Crown but did nothing it seemed to chase out people who weren't Diamond members.
The Loyalty Desk personnel were very good and answered all our questions quickly and thoroughly.
Food was hit or miss. They did some things well and others miserably bad. The duck was like rubber and the steaks they cooked at the pool deck for a special party and meal were so tough I doubt a chain saw could have cut them and the chicken was burned on the outside and raw in the middle. Some got sick.
The dining room was hit or miss too. But the Solarium grill made good burgers, hot dogs, pizza and sandwiches and lunch in the main dining room had a wonderful salad bar but the same old menus day after day it seemed.
Embarkation for port calls went well and the one port we tendered seemed to fast and smoothly.
The captain of the vessel was very outgoing and friendly and very accessible to the passengers. The hotel manager was likewise a great one and our Maitre D was very attentive to our concerns over bad meals and we shared many laughs with him. The main dining room drink steward was especially friendly and we enjoyed his personality a lot.
Our room steward was the worst we ever had, he was lazy, sometimes not getting to our room until 1:30 and despite me offering and giving a bribe, we had to beg for ice in our room. He didn't vacuum the hallway for a week. By contrast, on the Freedom, Grandeur and Allure, other cruises we did this year, our steward had our room done when we returned from breakfast and we had all the ice we could use. They made our trips.
Our room 8558 was under the Solarium and they woke us several times sliding thing across the metal floor over our heads. It was noisy during late evening and early mornings when they cleaned after people left and before they got there.
I would not do the Vision again or recommend it to anyone unless it was just doing a unique itinerary as this 2 week cruise was. There are so many other ships that are just too much better.
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