Royal Caribbean has announced that the port of Falmouth, Jamaica is "still not ready to deliver the high standards we are striving for." Because of that, they have once again pushed back the schedule for their ships to begin their stops at the new port. Royal Caribbean was scheduled to start using the port on January 7 with a visit from Navigator of the Seas. This has been rescheduled to February 17 with the honor going to Voyager of the Seas. Ships scheduled to call on Falmouth prior to that will instead visit Ocho Rios or Montego Bay.
The Dutch construction company working on the port has stated that the facilities and shops will not be ready until March and the terminal will not be 100% until April. Royal Caribbean has been working with Jamaica since 2008 to build this new port with enough space to accommodate the massive Oasis Class ships. They are developing the entire area to make it a tourist zone complete with an old town 17th century look to celebrate the area's history.
Showing posts with label voyager of the seas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label voyager of the seas. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Voyager of the Seas arrives in Texas
On Jan. 14 Voyager of the Seas arrived in Galveston for its inaugural winter season on the Gulf Coast. Voyager becomes the largest ship to be based on the Gulf Coast and will sail 7 night cruises to the Caribbean, South America and Mexico through April.
The ship arrived to fanfare as local media, travel agents, and politicians gathered at the port. As part of the ceremony the ship sported a set of longhorns which were 140 feet long and over 600 pounds.
The port itself will undergo a $3.3 million upgrade to handle the increased traffic resulting from the massive ship.
From Royal Caribbean's website:
Voyager Of The Seas Arrives In Galveston For It's First Winter Season in Texas
Royal Caribbean Introduces Gulf Coast's Largest and Most Innovative Cruise Ship
MIAMI, January 14, 2008 - Everything is bigger in Texas and the next biggest thing in the Lone Star State is Royal Caribbean International's Voyager of the Seas. The largest cruise ship ever to be based in the Gulf Coast and to sail from the Port of Galveston, Voyager will sail seven-night itineraries visiting the Caribbean, South America and Mexico calling on Cozumel, Costa Maya and Yucatan, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and George Town, Grand Cayman through April 2008.
"Voyager's arrival also marks the first time a Voyager-class ship has been deployed in Texas," said Alice Norsworthy, senior vice president, Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. "We are excited to offer more Texans the opportunity to experience our signature style of cruising right from their backyard."
At a ceremony held onboard Voyager of the Seas yesterday, special guests, including local dignitaries, travel agents and media gathered to celebrate the arrival of the ship which was adorned with gigantic longhorns, 140 feet long and weighing 600 pounds. Following the ceremony, Royal Caribbean kicked off a week-long charity auction on eBay (www.ebay.com/longhorns) with proceeds benefiting the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation (www.starlight.org), which helps seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. The highest bidder will win the longhorns and a seven-night cruise for two.
"In 2006, we welcomed 617,000 cruise travelers, making Galveston the Gulf Coast's most popular cruise port. With the arrival of Voyager of the Seas, the port will undergo a $3.3 million upgrade to accommodate a 50 percent increase in Royal Caribbean guests," said Steven M. Cernak, port director, Port of Galveston. "Hosting the most innovative ship in the Gulf will have a significant economic impact, adding to the success of 2006 when we saw $1.1 billion in direct spending, resulting in 19,341 jobs created and $907 million generated in new income in the state of Texas as a result of the cruise industry."*
When she debuted in 1999, Voyager of the Seas introduced cruise-industry innovations such as an ice-skating rink, rock-climbing wall and the 308-feet-long Royal Promenade, a shopping, dining and entertainment boulevard. Offering a vacation experience that can be tailored to suit all energy levels, Voyager also features a basketball court, miniature golf course, interactive golf simulator, three swimming pools, six whirlpools, the full-service Voyager Day Spa and a state-of-the-art fitness center.
In the evenings, guests can enjoy a myriad of activities from top-rated Broadway-style productions in the theatre to gaming in the Casino Royale and a variety of dining and entertainment experiences in 16 bars and lounges and seven restaurants, including a 1950s-style Johnny Rockets Diner and Royal Caribbean's signature specialty restaurant, Portofino Italian Ristorante.
For the younger set, Voyager of the Seas also offers the line's award-winning Adventure Ocean children's program. Teens have dedicated onboard areas such as the Optix teen disco giving them their own space to meet, build friendships and relax with their peers. They, along with other cruisers will experience the line's hallmark Gold Anchor Service, which helps make each guest vacation a unique and unforgettable experience with friendly and engaging service from the staff and crew.
Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 21 ships currently in service and three under construction. The line also offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, South America and New Zealand through its cruisetour division.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Royal Caribbean Cruises "Voyager of the Seas" - 2004 Caribbean
After taking a few years off from cruising, we decided to take another trip on Voyager of the Seas in 2004. The main reason we decided to go on Voyager again was because Royal Caribbean had decided to start offering some cruises from the New York area. At the time we originally booked the trip, the ship was to leave from the Manhattan passenger ship terminal. That was much more convenient for us than having to travel down to Florida to catch the ship. Some time after we had booked the trip, Royal Caribbean announced that they were changing the departure port from New York City to Bayonne, New Jersey. They had just reached an agreement with the City of Bayonne to use an old military terminal as their exclusive departure port. This was great news for us since the new terminal, now known as Cape Liberty Cruise Port, is only about 10 minutes from where we live.
This trip was also going to be our longest cruise as we had booked the 9 night Caribbean cruise. As usual, time flew by and it was soon time to head to the pier. It was a breeze, taking all of about 10 minutes to arrive at the terminal. Once there, we pulled up to the drop off area and unloaded our bags and then I went to park the car in the on-site parking. Check in and boarding went pretty smoothly considering it was a new departure port and everything was new and still being sorted out. My only complaint was the condition of area the ship leaves from. It was a 50+ year old military terminal so it was in need of some work. At the time, the word was that Royal Caribbean and the city of Bayonne were going to jointly develop the site into a modern port along with hotels, condos and shopping. I pass by there daily on my commute to work and so far in the 3 years since, I haven't seen any changes at the site.
Anyway, back to the review. Once we were onboard we were pleasantly surprised at the good condition of the ship. She had just gone in to drydock for a minor refresh prior to starting voyages out of New Jersey. We also realized once in our cabin, that it was the same cabin we were in on our first trip on Voyager in 2000. The cabins though didn't seem to get as much attention as the public areas while the ship was in drydock. There was some obvious wear and tear on the cabin furniture, carpets and other areas. Not a big deal, but noticeable.
This was a 9 night Western Caribbean cruise with stops in Labadee (RCL's private beach), Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, Mexico. Labadee as usual was very nice. This time we didn't hang around much on the beach. We went back to the ship around lunch time and felt like we had it all to ourselves. We went to Johnny Rockets for lunch where there was no wait. In Ocho Rios, we went to Margaritaville because I had heard a lot of good things about it. We had a great time even if I did manage to drink a wee bit too much. Grand Cayman was very nice. This was our first visit there and we really liked the island. We really wanted to see more of it than we could given the limited time we were there. Unfortunately, we were unable to get to our final stop of Cozumel due to a hurricane in the area. Instead, we turned around and headed back to Jamaica, stopping in Montego Bay. We didn't get off the ship there opting to just hang around and relax.
Once again, the trip lived up to all our expectations. The food, service and entertainment were all great. The real bright spot of the cruise was our Cruise Director, Richard Spacey. He was by far the best CD we have ever had on any of our cruises. He really made this trip great.
All in all, it was another wonderful cruise vacation. We all had a great time and enjoyed every minute of it. We had fallen off the wagon and our cruise addiction was back in full swing.
This trip was also going to be our longest cruise as we had booked the 9 night Caribbean cruise. As usual, time flew by and it was soon time to head to the pier. It was a breeze, taking all of about 10 minutes to arrive at the terminal. Once there, we pulled up to the drop off area and unloaded our bags and then I went to park the car in the on-site parking. Check in and boarding went pretty smoothly considering it was a new departure port and everything was new and still being sorted out. My only complaint was the condition of area the ship leaves from. It was a 50+ year old military terminal so it was in need of some work. At the time, the word was that Royal Caribbean and the city of Bayonne were going to jointly develop the site into a modern port along with hotels, condos and shopping. I pass by there daily on my commute to work and so far in the 3 years since, I haven't seen any changes at the site.
Anyway, back to the review. Once we were onboard we were pleasantly surprised at the good condition of the ship. She had just gone in to drydock for a minor refresh prior to starting voyages out of New Jersey. We also realized once in our cabin, that it was the same cabin we were in on our first trip on Voyager in 2000. The cabins though didn't seem to get as much attention as the public areas while the ship was in drydock. There was some obvious wear and tear on the cabin furniture, carpets and other areas. Not a big deal, but noticeable.
This was a 9 night Western Caribbean cruise with stops in Labadee (RCL's private beach), Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, Mexico. Labadee as usual was very nice. This time we didn't hang around much on the beach. We went back to the ship around lunch time and felt like we had it all to ourselves. We went to Johnny Rockets for lunch where there was no wait. In Ocho Rios, we went to Margaritaville because I had heard a lot of good things about it. We had a great time even if I did manage to drink a wee bit too much. Grand Cayman was very nice. This was our first visit there and we really liked the island. We really wanted to see more of it than we could given the limited time we were there. Unfortunately, we were unable to get to our final stop of Cozumel due to a hurricane in the area. Instead, we turned around and headed back to Jamaica, stopping in Montego Bay. We didn't get off the ship there opting to just hang around and relax.
Once again, the trip lived up to all our expectations. The food, service and entertainment were all great. The real bright spot of the cruise was our Cruise Director, Richard Spacey. He was by far the best CD we have ever had on any of our cruises. He really made this trip great.
All in all, it was another wonderful cruise vacation. We all had a great time and enjoyed every minute of it. We had fallen off the wagon and our cruise addiction was back in full swing.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Past Cruise Review:
Royal Caribbean Cruises "Voyager of the Seas" - 2000 Caribbean
During the planning of our cruise on the "Grand Princess" we started to hear more and more details about the ship that was to eventually take the place of the "Grand Princess" as the largest cruise ship ever built. This ship, Royal Caribbean's "Voyager of the Seas", was entering the final stages of construction and testing at the time we were on our cruise onboard the "Grand Princess". The final stats for "Voyager" are staggering. Over 1000 feet in length and over 130,000 tons, she can carry over 3500 passengers at a time. She entered service in October 1999 and there was an immediate buzz in the industry. The ship represents a complete departure from conventional cruise ship design. Industry firsts such as an onboard ice skating rink, rock climbing wall, rollerblading track and 50's style diner were incorporated. The most striking design feature is the Royal Promenade which runs down the center of the ship and is basically a suburban shop and bar lined boulevard in the middle of the ship. According to industry sources, the CEO of Princess Cruises was given a tour of "Voyager" and he admitted that Royal Caribbean had outdone Princess and was successful in achieving what Princess was not able to do with the "Grand Princess". Having now been on both ships, he was right.
After booking our cruise, time seemed to fly and it was soon time to get our flight to Miami for our cruise. The ship is so huge it was easily visible from the airplane as we were approaching the airport for landing. It can also be seen for over a mile while we were being shuttled to the ship. It was quite a site. Again we made use of the cruise line's airfare and transfer package so we didn't have to worry about our bags once they were checked at the airport in New Jersey. All the boarding and check in procedures were relatively painless and the lines moved quickly. Our cabin, a deluxe outside stateroom with a balcony, was very well appointed and roomy. The balcony, our first, was a very nice addition. Once done settling in we embarked on our tour of the ship which basically took the rest of the week to complete. We were still finding lounges and bars on the final day of the trip. The ship was amazing. There is not enough room here to describe it in detail. Both Lisa and I agreed, hands down, that this was by far the best cruise we had ever been on. The food and entertainment were exceptional, especially the onboard Italian Restaurant. The children's program is one of the best in the industry. This was our son's first cruise and he had a great time in the Adventure Ocean program. The real attraction though is the ship. It is as good as any land based resort with the only difference being that it also takes you to exotic places.
The itinerary was OK. It was our first trip to the Eastern Caribbean. The ship stopped at Labadee, a small portion of Haiti owned by Royal Caribbean. It contains private beaches and recreational areas. Only Royal Caribbean ships have access to Labadee. It was lots of fun and lunch was served at two cafes on the beach by the ship's personnel. The second stop was Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We did not leave the ship in Jamaica because we did not have an excursion planned and we just felt like exploring the ship some more. Our final stop was Cozumel, Mexico. We had a great shore excursion there which was the highlight of the trip. We took the Jeep Safari tour where you get assigned a Jeep to drive in a caravan that takes you across Cozumel Island. The best part was that most of the trip was off-road on dirt trails. It was great. The tour stopped at some Mayan ruins and finally a private beach where a complimentary Mexican lunch buffet was served before the return drive.
For those of you who are wary of the size of the ship, let me just say that it was the smoothest ship we have ever been on. Most of the time you could not tell that the ship was moving. Yes the ship does hold over 3500 passengers and many critics have said that these large ships are too crowded. Prior to this cruise I would have agreed, but this ship was not in any way overcrowded. An announcement by the captain shortly after we left Miami revealed that the ship was completely booked and that our cruise was going to be in the Guinness Book of Records for the largest number of passengers ever carried by a passenger vessel in peacetime. The total passenger number was in excess of 3600 and it did not feel overcrowded. Royal Caribbean has now become our favorite cruise line and you can check out their web site at royalcaribbean.com or rccl.com for more information.
During the planning of our cruise on the "Grand Princess" we started to hear more and more details about the ship that was to eventually take the place of the "Grand Princess" as the largest cruise ship ever built. This ship, Royal Caribbean's "Voyager of the Seas", was entering the final stages of construction and testing at the time we were on our cruise onboard the "Grand Princess". The final stats for "Voyager" are staggering. Over 1000 feet in length and over 130,000 tons, she can carry over 3500 passengers at a time. She entered service in October 1999 and there was an immediate buzz in the industry. The ship represents a complete departure from conventional cruise ship design. Industry firsts such as an onboard ice skating rink, rock climbing wall, rollerblading track and 50's style diner were incorporated. The most striking design feature is the Royal Promenade which runs down the center of the ship and is basically a suburban shop and bar lined boulevard in the middle of the ship. According to industry sources, the CEO of Princess Cruises was given a tour of "Voyager" and he admitted that Royal Caribbean had outdone Princess and was successful in achieving what Princess was not able to do with the "Grand Princess". Having now been on both ships, he was right.
After booking our cruise, time seemed to fly and it was soon time to get our flight to Miami for our cruise. The ship is so huge it was easily visible from the airplane as we were approaching the airport for landing. It can also be seen for over a mile while we were being shuttled to the ship. It was quite a site. Again we made use of the cruise line's airfare and transfer package so we didn't have to worry about our bags once they were checked at the airport in New Jersey. All the boarding and check in procedures were relatively painless and the lines moved quickly. Our cabin, a deluxe outside stateroom with a balcony, was very well appointed and roomy. The balcony, our first, was a very nice addition. Once done settling in we embarked on our tour of the ship which basically took the rest of the week to complete. We were still finding lounges and bars on the final day of the trip. The ship was amazing. There is not enough room here to describe it in detail. Both Lisa and I agreed, hands down, that this was by far the best cruise we had ever been on. The food and entertainment were exceptional, especially the onboard Italian Restaurant. The children's program is one of the best in the industry. This was our son's first cruise and he had a great time in the Adventure Ocean program. The real attraction though is the ship. It is as good as any land based resort with the only difference being that it also takes you to exotic places.
The itinerary was OK. It was our first trip to the Eastern Caribbean. The ship stopped at Labadee, a small portion of Haiti owned by Royal Caribbean. It contains private beaches and recreational areas. Only Royal Caribbean ships have access to Labadee. It was lots of fun and lunch was served at two cafes on the beach by the ship's personnel. The second stop was Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We did not leave the ship in Jamaica because we did not have an excursion planned and we just felt like exploring the ship some more. Our final stop was Cozumel, Mexico. We had a great shore excursion there which was the highlight of the trip. We took the Jeep Safari tour where you get assigned a Jeep to drive in a caravan that takes you across Cozumel Island. The best part was that most of the trip was off-road on dirt trails. It was great. The tour stopped at some Mayan ruins and finally a private beach where a complimentary Mexican lunch buffet was served before the return drive.
For those of you who are wary of the size of the ship, let me just say that it was the smoothest ship we have ever been on. Most of the time you could not tell that the ship was moving. Yes the ship does hold over 3500 passengers and many critics have said that these large ships are too crowded. Prior to this cruise I would have agreed, but this ship was not in any way overcrowded. An announcement by the captain shortly after we left Miami revealed that the ship was completely booked and that our cruise was going to be in the Guinness Book of Records for the largest number of passengers ever carried by a passenger vessel in peacetime. The total passenger number was in excess of 3600 and it did not feel overcrowded. Royal Caribbean has now become our favorite cruise line and you can check out their web site at royalcaribbean.com or rccl.com for more information.
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