We will use Armed Forces Travel again for our next cruise.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
The embarkation process was very well organized and efficient.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The quality of the food was noticeably lower than we experienced on our last RCCL cruises. A few brief examples will suffice. All of the desserts were sugar-free, as opposed to some desserts being sugar-free. Also, jambalaya is a seafood dish, but on the cruise it was served with pork (in Louisiana, serving jambalaya with pork is a felony). Similarly, the menu advertised beignets but only ordinary donuts were served (the Indian cooks we talked to incorrectly thought a beignet was a donut). The menu advertised a British night, which did not happen. Both the beef and chicken stir-fry were insipid throughout the cruise. We could go on, but you get the idea. Bottom line: The food was not very good, and in the dining room it was served only small quantities.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The overwhelming majority of the passengers on this cruise were elderly, infirm, or elderly and infirm. For this reason, the activities (pools, rock-climbing wall, fitness center) were little used.
Entertainment
1 out of 5
The shows were not good and throughout the cruise the musicians only played Caribbean or reggae music (reminder: this is a cruise to Canada).
Children's Programs
1 out of 5
There were only a handful of children on board, and almost all were pre-schoolers.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Of the many RCCL personnel that we dealt with during the cruise, three individuals stood out and deserve a 10+ rating. They were our room steward (Elizabeth), head waiter (Mr. Anthony), and greeter (Darshan). We cannot say enough nice comments about their outstanding service, particularly Mr. Anthony.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The common areas of the ship were very clean and well-maintained, and its layout was the same as other cruise ships of its age.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our cabin was comfortable and clean, and about the right size for us.
Ship tip
Any passenger intending to sail on the Vision of the Seas should lower their food quality expectations. Second, for reasons we were unable to fathom this cruise to Canada was very inappropriately soaked with Caribbean and reggae music (usually very loud).
We took an excursion in Boston NOT OFFERED by RCCL that we got through Armed Force's Travel. It was the Secret Food Tour of Boston, which went to several different restaurants and sampled an item from their menus. This excursion was OUTSTANDING, and we highly recommend it. We were very pleased.
As a "senior citizen", I very much enjoy cruising out of Baltimore on Vision. I don't expect a 5 star restaurant in the MDR. You can always order more then one entree (except for the lobster tail). I understand that the smaller ships are not for everyone, but I for one love them.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
