Having a taste of Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Sea, we would like to share our experiences with you. If you are new to cruise or just looking for tips on Voyager of the Seas. this guide from a cruise noob may be just what you need to see if cruising is for you.
Warning: Long Post Ahead.
Alternatively, you can check out our video too!
Note: The Voyager of the Sea had undergone a multi-million facelift in 2019 and is set to sail on 21st Oct 2019. Some parts of this review might change after the facelift.
Why Cruise?
Due to PSLE exams, we could not afford the time to enjoy a long vacation. Instead, we decided to source for a fuss-free short holiday. The first thing that came to our mind was a cruise. Since we had experience Royal Carribean before, we decided to book a 4 Day 3 Nights trip.
Initially, we were supposed to head to KL and Malacca for this trip. Due to unforeseen tide activities, our itinerary changed to a one-stop at Penang. Regardless, we decided to proceed with this trip. How much?
Voyager of the Sea
Cruising was not as cheap as anticipate. Since our oldest boy turns 12, he is considered an adult. Our fare for 3 adults and 1 kid came to a fee of about $2800. The price included tips, so we do not have to give extra tips on board.
Was this a good deal?
Considering that accommodations, food and most entertainment were taken care of onboard. this would probably work out to cost as much as a trip to Penang via a flight. Given that there were no limits to our food and entertainment, we decided it made sense to proceed.
There was also a stopover for a shore excursion in Penang. Having taken plans to preplan our own shore excursion, we did a tour at a cheap $50 for the whole family vs $50 per pax if we were to follow the ship's group tour.
Packing Tips What to pack
Packing for a cruise is relatively simple. Here is what we packed
Shirts and shorts for 4 days
Sandals / Flipflops
Swimwear for watersports, don't forget sunblock too.
Sneakers for jogging and other sports
1 smart outfit for dining ( not necessary if there are no formal dinners, but if you would like to dress up to eat in a fancy Main Dining Room for dinner, you would have to as bare feet and tank tops are not allowed)
Toiletries - toothpaste and toothbrush
Bottles of Water- You can bring 12 standard cans (500ml) of non-alcoholic beverages and 2 bottles of wine per stateroom, These had to be hand-carried and not check-in. Bring water for consumption in the room. Water is provided at the restaurants.
Recording equipment - Cameras, Go Pro, etc
Snacks for room consumption
What not to pack
Do not bring these items
When we were disembarking, we saw a few items that were taken out of the passenger's bags when they first arrived. Some people bought kettles, extension cords, thermal cooker and even vegetables to cook on board. Do not try to bring all these as they will be confiscated before you board. You probably can get most of it back when you return to Singapore.
For the list of prohibited items, refer here. Pre Departure tips
Before you set sail, these are some tips to make your boarding more pleasant. 1) Before the trip, book your shore excursion and other extras ( wifi, etc) online.
It will be cheaper than when you book on the cruise
Internet Package
2) Check-in online
Do a pre-check-in and you could skip the queue to head straight to the front
Check-in
3) Print your setsail pass and luggage tag before the trip
Just drop your luggage and go when you arrive. Otherwise, you have to check n your luggage outside the building
All ready
4) Carry a cabin luggage bag to put your extra clothing
You might need them if you are doing activities. You probably would not see your luggage till later in the afternoon, so carry your essentials with you.
5) Check-in as early as you can.
You can enjoy the ship and even have a meal on board before it sets sail. If you intend to have a meal, be at Windjammers (Deck 11) for a buffet or Cafe Promenade ( Deck 5 for light snacks. Be as early as possible before the crowd arrives to grab your seat. There will be a mandatory drill at 4 pm before the ship sails.
To ship
6) Exchange passport for Seapass
Check-in procedure is simple, you will exchange your passport for a Seapass,
Documents required for boarding
It's a room and credit card, so don't lose it! NRIC is not required for the exchange. You just need your passport.
Seapass
Boarding will be done by colours, presumably dependant on your type of cabin.
Boarding group: Purple
For kids, they are required to wear a tag throughout the trip to identify their ages for activities
Tags
7) When you are on board, take a copy of the Cruise Compass
One will be provided in the room. You could also get additional copies from the customer service (Deck 5)
Get your Compass to plan for the day
The Cruise Compass will give you a snapshot of the day's activities, dining hours and daily deals. Use that to plan your day for the cruise. You would most likely NOT cover all the activities, so choose the ones you would like to do first.
Cruise Compass
8) You can explore the ship and do selected activities if they are open.
There will be a compulsory mustering drill that you cannot skip! Do that and you will be ready for your cruise thereafter!
What to expect
There are four main things to look out for when you are onboard. They are dining, activities, entertainment and shore excursion
Dining
Dining is free and included in your cruise. However, not all restaurants are free. There are 8 main dining experiences onboard. Out of these, only 3 are complimentary. They are as follows :
Speciality restaurants come at additional cost. They are as follows : Izumi (Japanese) Chops Grille (Western), Giovanni's Table (Fine Dining), Johnny Rockets ( Fast Food) and Ben and Jerry ( Dessert)
Izumi
Giovanni's Table
Chops Grille
Johnny Rockets
We reckoned the food at complimentary restaurants are good enough for us. For the Main Dining Area, you would be provided with timing before you board. The timing will be printed on your seapass card. You can choose to eat there at other times but you would need to book in advance for dinner.
As for Windjammer, it is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Cafe Promenade is opened 24 hours should you feel the need for supper. You can also have complimentary room service if you are craving for a snack ( menu is limited)
R Bar (Level 5)
There are also a few bar and pub areas for you to chill on the main floor ( Level 5),
The Pig Whistle (Level 5)
If you are looking for a quieter time, head to Viking Crown Lounge (Level 14) to chill and enjoy the view.
Viking Crown (Deck 14)
The Schooner Bar(Deck 4) is also a quiet spot to unwind.
Schooner Bar(Deck 4)
Drinks are chargeable and you could get a drink package before boarding or onboard. Activities
Swimming Pool
Sports Activities
The main sports activities on board are
Pools
Rick Climbing
Ice Skating Rink Lessons
Flowrider
Basketball court
Table Tennis ( 4 tables)
Mini Golf - 9 holes
Running Track
Perfect Storm ( New from Oct 2019)
Battle for Planet Z - LAser Tag Game
Basket Ball and Rock Climbing
These activities are free and included on your cruise.
Table Tennis
There will be an upgrade in 2019 and Voyager of the Seas will be getting a US$97 million facelift with 72 new staterooms, two new interlocking waterslides dudded the Pefect Storm- as well as Battle for Planet Z, a Laser Tag game.
Source: Royal Carribean
There are also upgrades to spaces for kids and teens which newly design spaces for them. This means that there will be more things to do on board the ship when it is out in the sea. The Voyager will make a return to Singapore shores this month on 21st Oct.
Source: Royal Carribean
With the upgrade, we might even make another trip!
Spa & Fitness Center
Other Activities
Arcade Center @ Voyager of the Seas
Other activities on board are as follow
Arcade centre
Spa & Fitness Center
Kids and Family Challenges
Dance Lessons
Game Shows
Bingos
Mass Exercise
Movie Screening - At the Pool Deck and La Sacla
Do check your Cruise Compass for the daily activities. Adults can head to the Spa and Fitness Center to unwind.
Not all activities are free. Some like cupcake decorating classes and spa treatments are chargeable
Cupcake Decorating Class
There is even a shopping district for your retail therapy.
Fashion District
For teens, they would also have a place to call their own.
Teens only Disco
For adults, there is always the Casino when you are out in international waters
Casino Royale
Entertainment
Before the upgrade, the main show is the 'Ice Odyssey' Ice Spectacular. This is a must-watch if it does return to the facelift ship. The main show is at Studio B ( Deck 3)
Studio B
There are also daily performances by the crew themselves at the LA Scala Theatre (Deck 3). The performances changes daily and can be quite fun to watch. Shore Excursion
Penang Shore Excursion
Last but not least are the shore excursions. Depending on your itinerary, you will be given time to go onshore for a short tour. You could choose to join the tour group or go your own itinerary. There is no need to take your passport along as you disembark and board using your Seapass. We made a stop at Penang and decided to do our own customise tour there.
Types of rooms
There are 4 different types of rooms at Voyager of the Seas. The basic room would start from Interior rooms with no window. It does come with a wallpaper of the Ocean to mimic a window.
The next grade would be the Ocean View Room. It has a similar configuration as the Interior Room but it comes with a closed window that has the Ocean View.
Interior Room
Next up will be the Balcony Class. The Balcony Class come with a balcony where you can chill and enjoy the Ocean Breeze. They will have twin beds that can convert to a Royal King. Besides, there is a Pullman bed in staterooms that can sleep 4.
Balcony Room
If you happened to have a corner Balcony room at the back of the ship, it is slightly bigger than normal balcony rooms and comes with a bigger balcony too.
Lastly, for more space, you might want to take up the Suite Staterooms. It comes in a configuration of Junior Suite, Grand Suite- 1Bedroom, Grand Suite 2 Bedrooms, Ocean View Panoramic Suite, Owner's Suite and Royal Suite. Pricewise would be as much as First Class on a reputable flight. These suites also come with various benefits on board.
It's not cheap by any standards, but if you can afford it, why not?
Plug
Rooms come with different plugs than the ones used in Singapore. Do bring adapters onboard.
Animal Towel
Rooms are also clean daily and you do have a minibar fridge for you to keep the waters cool. For some reason, it would not be as cold as the normal fridge, but it is better than nothing.
Mini Fridge
The toilets reminded us of the ones in Japan. Small but functional for the Balcony and Interior Room Class.
Toilet: Voyager of the Sea
Our Itinerary
Still not sure how to plan your day?
Here is a snapshot of our 4Days 3 Nights Itinerary
Day 1
Friday
We set sail on a Friday for a 4D 3 N cruise on Voyager of the Sea
11am - Arrive at Cruise Center for Check-in
12pm - It's time to board the Voyager of the Sea
1230 pm - Our first stop was at Windjammers (Deck 11) for lunch.
Windjammers Buffet
We were one of the earliest but seating was limited
Lunch @ Windjammers
1pm - After a quick lunch, its time to explore the ship!
No crowds yet...
On the way, we grabbed Free ice cream ( Deck 13)
1.30 pm - Our rooms are ready, so we decided to check it out
We managed to get the AFT (back of the ship) corner balcony stateroom. Rooms at the back will get the uninterrupted ocean views over the wake. The corner rooms are bigger in size and have a bigger balcony. We managed to get it for the same price as the usual balcony cabin. It even has a pole for dancing!
Room Balcony
230 pm - Our first activity was rock climbing(Deck 13). There were not many people as most are still getting ready to board or having lunch.
Shoes and gears are provided for Rock Climbing
Let Climb
3pm - We played a round of mini-golf (Deck 13) nearby
Mini Golf
Clubs and balls are provided for free
Mini Golf
320pm- It was time for another activity as we decided to play some Table Tennis (Deck 12)
Table Tennis
4pm - The compulsory Mustering drill (Deck 5) took about 15 minutes
Compulsory Mustering
430 pm - It's time to set sail!
Goodbye Singapore
430pm - After the drill, we decided to head to the Libary for a little downtime
Libary
530pm - We had the 530pm slot for dinner at the Main Dining Room (Also known as the Sapphire Dining Room. As mentioned, your slot will be timing will be printed on the seapass.
There are entrances on several floors, but the main entrance would be on Deck 3. You need not dress formally, just smart casual would do.
Dinner Menu
Dinner was not spectacular but decent. The ambience was nice. You might need to share a table if your group is small
Dinnertime
630pm Sunset on Deck 13
We caught the sunset over the ocean. What a view!
Sunset
7pm - Arcade(Deck12) There is a one-hour free play at the arcade for non-ticketed games. Best time to visit as it is free for everyone!
Free Arcade games
930pm - Our first show was the "Ice Odyssey" Ice Spectacular (Deck 3). We arrived 30 minutes before time to be close to the front of the queue. Do queue early as seats are on a first come first serve basis. The best view would be from the front row, centre stage.
Ice Odyssey @ Voyager of the Sea
The show is performed by professional ice skaters as it is equivalent to a world-class performance you would see on stage. Bring your camera, as photography is allowed.
A photo tells a thousand words!
Ice Odyssey @ Voyager of the Sea
Ice Odyssey @ Voyager of the Sea
Ice Odyssey @ Voyager of the Sea
Ice Odyssey @ Voyager of the Sea
1045pm Head to La Sacla ( Deck 3) for "Rock Rhapsody - The Hits of Queens".
The Hits of Queen
Only caught the last few songs but us was great!
We grab some bites from the Cafe Promenade(Deck 5) before heading back to our room,
Bites from Cafe Promenade
11pm - Time to head back to our room for a nap...
Day 2
Day 2
Today we will reach the shores of Penang for a shore excursion. Yipee!
8am Breakfast at Windjammers ( Deck 11)
Breakfast @ Windjammers
Breakfast was at the Windjammers.
Breakfast
At 8 am, it was considered late already as the place was packed. The Carrot Cake is a must-try.
Carrot Cake
There are plenty of options for breakfast. It was enough to fill us up.
945 am Queue for Ice Skating (DEck 2)
Ice Rink
You need to queue for ice skating. We suggest you do popular activities like ice skating, flow rider and the new slides as early as possible in the cruise. That way, you would beat the crowd and maybe have time for seconds.
Let's Ice Skate
1030am - It was a short wait but it's our turn for ice skating. Ice skating was a 2 round around the rink. There are minimum protection with only helmets provided
1pm - Lunch at Windjammers (Deck 11)
Awards
It's as crowded as breakfast. Plenty of variety. The taste was ok, not Michelin Star but we are not complaining.
Wind Jammers meal
230 pm We reached Penang!
Penang
3 pm - Disembark for Penang. We head to the Gangway(Deck 2 ) to exit the ship
Gangway
3-7pm - Penang DIY shore trip
Diy Penang
We did a DIY Penang shore trip for less than $50 for 4. Our itinerary includes Peranakan Pinang Museum, Wonderfood Museum, Chew Jetties, Hawker Food and Street Arts.
We do not need to take a taxi and simply just walked around Georgetown as the attractions were pretty close to one another.
Street Art @ Penang
There is culture, history, food, interesting museum and Instagram worthy sites for our 4-hour long itinerary.
We head back to the ship for dinner. Although we did had some hawker food, we were still hungry especially after a long afternoon walk. It was practically empty when we had our meals and we had a good seat with a with of Penang and the sunset
Dinner @ WindJammers
8pm - Ship leaves Penang
Georgetown
815pm - Entertainment at La Scala (Deck 3)
La Scala
Royal Carribean's Production Show starring the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers in Music in Pictures. We managed to catch a show as our last activity for the day at La Scala Theatre ( Deck 3)
Music in Pictures
10pm We grab some bites at Cafe Promenade before heading back to hit the sack
Bites at Cafe Promenade
On the way, we walked through the Casino. It's not open as we were not in International Water
CAsino
Day 3
Day 3
630am Woke up early in the morning to take a walk around the ship. Bring your running shoes if you intend to have a jog around the ship
Pool
Adult only deck
Lifebuoy
730am Breakfast at Main Dining Room
Since our itinerary had been changed, we had an extra day to explore the ship. Normally for a 4D 3N cruise, you would be heading to another destination. For the Penang cruise, Royal Caribbean tends to pair it up with Phuket.
Our breakfast was at the Main Dining room for a change. Instead of dishes, you get to order selected dishes.
Since we are on board for the whole day, we decided to take it easy today.
9am Boogie Boarding. Flowrider ( Deck 13)
FlowRider
You have to do this when you are at Royal Carribean as this is one of their signature activity. Be early if you intend to go for a ride!
10am Pool time (Deck 11)
Pooltime
Honestly, the pool was too small for us. Swim vest and towels are provided and you need your sail pass to get them.
Swim Vest
We only stayed there for a while before heading out to grab a free ice cream on Deck 12
1115am Zumba Dance Fitness Class (Deck 5)
Zumba Dance
A little dance to get our adrenaline pumping. It was a mass dance on the open deck 5. Just bring your dancing shoes!
Auction
Spotted an auction for paintings. Looks interesting but we decided to give it a miss.
12pm Lunch at Main Dining Hall (Deck 3)
Lunch Menu @ Main Dining Hall
For a change, we decided to have lunch at Main Dining Hall
Main Course
For Lunch, the atmosphere is different from the Windjammers. It was a more relaxing experience. You order your main dish from the menu instead of a buffet.
Main Course
Food looks and tastes better than the Windjammers. You could get seconds if you are not full.
Desserts
There is a 'buffet' spread for starters.
Starter Buffet
There was a Kid's Menu too!
Kids Menu
1pm Exploring the ship (Deck 14)
Viking Lounge
We head to the Viking Crown Lounge( Deck 14 )as well as the chapel (Deck 15 ) to explore the ship. The Lounge was relatively quiet and a good place to chill while the chapel had been transformed into a toddler's play area. This was not stated in the map so it is a secret spot on Voyager.
Chapel converted to Play area
2pm We were back at the Arcade for some serious gameplay.
Back for more games
We ended up with a couple of prizes from the tickets we won. Your best bet on winning will be from the game Deal or No Deal!
Prizes
4pm Headed to the Promenada shops (Deck 5) for some last-minute shopping.
We got ourselves a little souvenir from the extra credits we received because of the change in Itinerary
Souvenir
515 pm Family Bingo at Adventure Ocean (Deck 12)
Next destination was the Adventure Ocean for a game of Family Bingo. We might not walk off with a prize but it did introduce the family to Bingo!
630pm Dinner at Windjammers (Deck 11)
Sunset View
At last, on our last night, we manage to get a window seat to watch the sunset as we have our meals. Surprisingly, it was less crowded tonight compared to the pass.
Dinner @ Windjammmers
745pm We caught our last Headline Showtime featuring ' Comedy of Funny Bones' at La Scale Theatre ( Level 3), it was pretty good!
Comedy of Funny Bones
9pm Ended the evening with a movie at the poolside Certainly brings a whole new meaning to Movie under the stars!
Add caption
11pm - Back to our cabin for the night
We had to leave the luggage out for the staff to pick up overnight.
Day 4 7am - Woke up bright and early because we are reaching Singapore in an hour
Managed to grab last-minute breakfast at Main Dining Hall( Deck3). We would prefer Windjammers for breakfast due to the variety.
745am Saying goodbye
We took a slow walk to our disembarking destination after the meal to savour our last moments with the Voyager
8am Reach Singapore
Disembarkment went pretty smoothly. We were disembarked according to our floors and had to wait for our turn to leave the ship
Our luggage was waiting for us at the cruise centre. Look out for your disembarkment allocated number to you to collect them.
Collect your luggage at the Cruise Center
9am Heading home
Don't use this!
If you are taking a cab, DO NOT take those at the door, they will charge you a lump sum of $55 upwards. Instead, once you exit, walked towards the end of the carpark and you will reach the normal taxi stand. Standard rates apply.
There is a proper Taxi Stand
It was a fun trip for the family. We spend most of our time together onboard.
Checking out
Quick Tips for families
1 Keep your sail pass with you all the time. That is your effectively your wallet and passport. You need to bring along your sail pass for meals
2 Go for a meal first before the crowd comes, Wake up as early as possible.
3 Use the Cruise Compass to plan your day
Cruise compass
4 Go early for activities and shows to beat the queue
5 There are kids friendly activities on a separate Kids Daily Planner
6 Forget about swimming, the pool is too small.
9 Don't forget the free ice cream.
10 There are free movies at the Pool (Deck 11) and La Scala Theatre ( Deck 3) to keep the kids occupied.
11 Bring extra water - you need them
12 Level 5 Promenade is the best place to eat for kids. They have pizza and cakes to keep them happy.
13 Plan your own shore excursion. It is more flexible with kids
14 Leave your gadgets at home. With some much to do, there is no time for anything else! #This is not a sponsored post. Royal Carribean, if you would like us to review your new facelift Voyager of the Sea, we would gladly do so. Drop us a mail here!
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