It made sense to
Royal Caribbean top execs to bring Voyager of the Seas to
debut their new port, if only because she’s the ship
that revolutionized the industry by introducing a rock-climbing
wall, ice-skating rink, in-line skating tracks and horizontal
atriums, after-all. Now, she’s the first of the Voyager class
ships to make a seasonal home at Cape Liberty Cruise Port,
the only one that doesn’t sail from Miami or San Juan.
Aside from these highly publicized innovations, the Voyager offers
nuances you’d only discover after walking each of the decks, like I did.
You might choose different favorites, but here are a few of mine.
I envisioned an intimate ceremony in the Skylight Chapel, a 60-seat non-denominational
wedding chapel on Deck 15. Its watercolor mosaic patterns would make a beautiful
backdrop for a wedding at sea. One deck down is the 19th Hole, my vote for
the most cleverly furnished golf-motif bar. It overlooks the sport’s
deck, of course, for nine holes of miniature golf, inline skating or rock climbing.
I admit I didn’t try the climb 200 feet above sea level, so I can’t
tell you what that’s like, but I imagine it’s like looking out
the window from the 19th Hole.
Had I included children on the cruise, we’d have enjoyed water-fun at
Adventure Beach and burgers and shakes at Johnny Rockets ® where servers
twist and shout while serving up 1950s style fare, just like they do all over
the United States. There’s a teens-only disco nearby, and for pampering,
I’d escape to the ShipShape Spa after a good workout in the state of
the art fitness center a deck below.
Between activities, there are a host of pools, bars and dining options, including
the Portofino (an upscale, reservation-only Italian restaurant) that serves
tiramisu in a chocolate cup lined with fresh raspberries with a side drink
of layers of Kaluha, Bailey’s and whipped cream. A well-stocked library
on Decks 7 and 8 provides the computer stations for checking and writing emails
24 hours. I found myself on Deck 5 most of the time – that’s where
the dining room is and also Main Street, a shopping, entertainment and dining
boulevard. Time and time again, I’d find myself indulging on Ben and
Jerry’s or a latte and freshly baked chocolate chip cookie at Seattle’s
Best Coffee.
Not one for gambling, I strolled through the Casino to reach the Aquarium Bar,
the Schooner Bar or the Theater for entertainment. I found the best entertainment
on Deck 2 in Studio B, a two-story 900-seat arena with stadium seating, for
evening ice shows. Again, had I brought the family, the ice rink would have
been good entertainment and exercise during days at sea.
Even with all these decks and activities, getting around this huge cruise
ship is a breeze. There are elevators aft, forward and mid-ship, but I used
the
stairs to ward off the effects of the tiramisu and too many scoops of Ben and
Jerry’s. And while their land home might be new, crew aboard the Voyage
of the Seas wore the same smiling faces as always, except now they’re
even happier to point out what’s new.
Voyager of the Seas’ sister at Cape Liberty Cruise Port’s
the Empress of the Seas received such a complete face-lift before
arriving in New Jersey that she even changed names, so many repeat passengers
probably won’t recognize her as the Nordic Empress she once
was. Now, the 1,602-passenger ship sports the Portofino, a new Italian specialty
restaurant like the one on the Voyager as well the line’s
nautical-themed Schooner Bar, a newly created Card Room and a multi-leveled
expanded fitness center and spa, for starters. New furnishings are in evidence
in public rooms as well as upgrades in the Windjammer Café (that serves
casual fare) and throughout the main dining room. A new night spot of note
transformed the former High Society Lounge into Boleros, a Latin-themed bar
mixing mojitos with live entertainment. Among a long list of additional refinements,
all staterooms have new bathrooms, always an important feature, and some
staterooms have completely new décor and furnishings.
Whether you choose Bermuda on the smaller Empress of the Seas, or
the Voyager of Seas for a cruise to Canada or the Caribbean, you’ll
be pleasantly impressed with both of these ships’ upgraded refinements
and the ease of departing from their new seasonal port on the Jersey side of
the New York Harbor.
Royal Caribbean
International is a global cruise brand currently with 19
ships in service and one more under construction. The company
also offers unique cruisetour vacations to Alaska, Canada
and Europe. For more information check www.royalcaribbean.com
or call 800-327-6700.
Return to Assignment:
Sail Bayonne
Marcia Schonberg is
the author of travel books, "Ohio
Travel Smart and Quick Escapes: Cleveland", and a children's
book, "B
is for Buckeye: an Ohio Alphabet" released in October 2000.
She also writes feature and travel articles for national and regional
publications including Scientific American Explorations, AAA Home
& Away and Ohio Magazine, and is a staff writer and photographer
for Over the Back Fence Magazine. As a professional photographer,
her award winning images illustrate her stories and those of others,
but she admits that her grandsons, three adult children and husband
Bill are among her favorite subjects.
