Voyager of the Seas Review
Rating by category
Additional details
Our trip was the 14 day NZ cruise departing 8 Jan 2016. This was our second cruise on Voyager of the Seas (third with Royal Caribbean). Travelling were 2 adults with 12 and 14 year old boys and we all shared a quad outside cabin on deck 2, configured with a double bed for us and the boys above us in bunks. I booked in May last year via RCI’s website, with a USD$200 onboard credit (plus it was the cheapest deal available online). Very happy with ease of planning, booking and altering holidays via their webpage. Great communication regarding the cruise and provision of seapasses and embarkation information. The check-in queues were long (boarded at peak time), however moved quickly. We by-passed them altogether due to Crown and Anchor membership and took advantage of priority member queues. Stateroom was ready immediately, with luggage delivered that evening.
Service - Our Stateroom Attendant, Francis, was fantastic and so were our two dining room servers, Gede and Rufo – can’t fault the service at all. We used My-time dining on Deck 5, had the al a carte lunch in the dining room (Deck 3) and al a carte breakfast on Deck 4. We’re not fans of Windjammer (a reflection of the other guests, no fault of RCI) and only ate there on port days when the dining room was closed for lunch. Gede and Rufo learnt our preferences very quickly, and always brought extra dishes for us to try. On the days when shows were earlier, they sped up the service and got us out of the dining room with time to spare. Nothing was too much trouble and they never stopped smiling (I miss them already!) During one breakfast our waiter from a previous cruise recognised us and came over to say hello! We had a slight problem in our stateroom which we needed to report to guest services – they were polite and apologetic and did all they could to rectify the issue. The maintenance manager, carpenter and electrician all visited our cabin and were all polite and professional, doing all they could to minimise inconvenience. Guest services rang to follow up with us and we were really impressed with their genuine concern and customer service.
Food quality – all our dinners (my-time) were great, with good variety. We ate breakfast on Deck 4 (menu) and no issues here either (aside from rock hard toast!) On sea-days we ate in the Dining room rather than Windjammers, and loved the food here.
Cabin Review
Oceanview Stateroom
This was our third stay in this category of cabin on a Voyager class ship. We're very happy with the size, location and amenity of this stateroom. It really is only somewhere to sleep and we were quite comfortable as a family of four.
It's well away from high traffic areas and is a very quiet room.
Port Reviews
Sydney (Australia)
The ship docks in a perfect location between the harbour bridge and opera house.
Bear in mind, you can't board then get off to wander around due to immigration rules.
Auckland
It was fantastic to dock pretty well in the CBD. We did the Sky Tower, which provided amazing views. The Dawn Princess was also in port, so there were lots of tourists crowding attractions. Guests who did the hop-on-hop-off bus said they were so crowded they couldn’t get on and had to wait 45 minutes for the next bus.
Tauranga
If you want to hire a car in Tauranga, don’t wait until arriving. They have a hire car pen, but cars went quickly. Locals with maps are happy to provide suggestions and advice and everyone we encountered was happy and friendly. Guests who arranged private Hobbiton tours were happier than those who did the ship’s tour. We walked to the Mt Maunganui lookout/hotpools, then to the blow hole and wandered along the beach.
Napier
There’s a free shuttle from the ship into Napier, which also stops at the Aquarium. Having been to some fantastic aquariums throughout Asia, we found Napier’s a bit of a letdown. The town is beautiful, with lovely art deco buildings and vintage cars. A band and vintage car display were set up on the dock to welcome guests back to the boat
Wellington
The windy city! It was blowing a gale. We were in port at the same time as Celebrity Solstice, so like Auckland, attractions were crowded. It’s an easy (and sheltered) walk from the ship into town, and shuttle buses also run. The wait for the cable car was about an hour in line, compounded by organised tours having priority, so go early and beat the crowds
Picton
This was one of my favourite stops. It’s worth getting up early to see Marlborough Sound when you sail in (or get a good vantage point for the departure). The scenery is beautiful. Free shuttles run into Picton, where locals greet you and are happy to provide guidance. The i-SITE is the place to go to book onto last minute tours, and there were spots available on most tours. The walking tracks and lookouts are fantastic – ask a local to suggest a walk that suits your level of fitness and time constraints.
Dunedin
you can get off the boat and walk into Port Chalmers. If you want to go in to Dunedin it’s about a 20-30 minute drive. Royal Caribbean offers a shuttle service, but it’s USD$15 per person (return) – while expensive, it’s the easiest option if you’re not on a tour. The town is beautiful, we were lucky enough to pop into St Paul’s Cathedral just in time for an organ recital, which was amazing.
Bay of Islands
The tender service was well organised. The shuttle bus driver from the jetty to Paihia was funny and informative, and the regular shuttles ran throughout the day. We just wandered around the town. The locals put on a marketplace, which had a good variety of items for sale.