Welcome guest writer Sydney Wall! Sydney graduated from UNC-Charlotte with a degree in English and a concentration in creative writing in 2021. She has always been passionate about traveling and never stops looking for adventure. Currently, she is pursuing a Master's in Accounting from UNC-Chapel Hill and continues to write every opportunity she gets.
I had never been on a cruise before my friend and I decided to journey across the Atlantic from Baltimore to Bermuda. The 5-night stay was rocky, but the fun was never-ending.
From the beginning, I felt like I was in line for a ride at Disney World. The winding staircase up to the atrium was exciting, and I had brought all of my sundresses with me. I had completed the online safety check and had all my belongings carefully packed in my suitcase that the porter had taken for me.
I was ready for anything Royal Caribbean could throw my way!
First impressions
The first thing we did was explore the ship and find lunch. Vision of the Seas is a smaller, older ship, so the décor was straight out of the 90’s. It was a fun flashback as I took in the atrium and its many levels.
My friend, being the pro that she is, directed us to the buffet immediately. The food was like any buffet, good – but not nothing to write home about. They did have many healthy and unhealthy options to choose from, which I appreciated. My friend and I quickly grabbed our choices and found a seat near the window.
I was sad to learn that the buffet did not include free sodas and that you would have to purchase a drink package to get unlimited access to them. Needless to say, my heart broke a little that day.
As we looked out the window, it was hard to imagine that in a few short hours, I would be in the middle of the ocean. It was hard to believe because it wasn’t true! We were in the Chesapeake Bay. (More on this later)
After lunch, we completed the last of the muster drill on the ship. It was incredibly simple. All we had to do was locate our assembly station on Deck 5 and scan our SetSail passes with the attendant. We were then free to do as we pleased, so we promptly found our room to put our bags down.
Our keys were located next to our door, so it was easier than checking into a hotel. We had an interior cabin, so there were no windows. It was spacious, but snug. My friend and I both had a small twin-sized bed, a nightstand, a desk to share, closet space, and a small bathroom.
Honestly, one of the weirdest things on the ships was the toilets. I had flashbacks to European public bathrooms where they take the top ring off to discourage people from sitting. However, after giving it a go, they were fine.
We moved quickly to the top deck just in time to hear the horn blast throughout the harbor. My friend and I don’t enjoy loud noises to varying degrees, so we moved away from the horn. WRONG! We had moved even closer to the horn, and we felt it all the way down to our toes. It wasn’t terrible, though.
Read more: I sailed in tiny interior cabins on old Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. I'd only book one again
Vitality Spa
Once we were free to explore, I suggested we go to the massage raffle. I was willing to bet that I would win all $500.00. Unfortunately, that did not happen. There were many winners of the spa gift cards, so my friend and I’s hopes of splitting the win were crushed.
Although we did not walk away with any cash, Royal Caribbean offered a 75-minute full body massage with a collagen eye treatment for $150.00, and if you booked that day, they included free hot stones or bamboo sticks. I opted to book a massage with that deal and received free hot stones.
After that, we headed to the rooms so we could change into bathing suits. My plan was to enjoy the complimentary sauna before the spa, but I had no such luck. After changing, I got lost trying to navigate the ship and had to book it for my spa appointment. Luckily, there was plenty of time to relax in their waiting room. It had an excellent view of the ocean and comfortable chairs for people to lounge in before and after a service or trip to the sauna.
Read more: 16 hidden cruise ship extra charges you should know about
I had to fill out two questionnaires with the same questions listed on them, which they used later to try and sell me more services. It was a short wait once that was completed for my masseuse to get me.
My masseuse led me down a hallway to the massage rooms we had seen earlier during our exploration. Once inside, I realized how small they were. They had an average-sized massage table, a shower, a vanity where I was able to put my things like clothes and phone, and a chair for the masseuse.
I quickly changed and the magic began. It was easily one of the best massages of my life, but I could hear my phone buzzing somewhat frequently. I suggest turning your phone off if you are going to get one of these services. The hot stone addition, usually $30-$50 extra, was incredible. It was well worth getting the massage the first day.
Izumi was amazing
Before the trip, my friend and I decided to use our onboard credit to eat at Izumi on embarkation day. Izumi is the famous Japanese restaurant on Royal Caribbean ships, and it was amazing.
Rather than opt for the á la carte menu, we prepurchased our meal in advance through the Cruise Planner, which included an appetizer, two main courses, and a dessert. I had the pork gyoza, a sushi roll, chicken teriyaki, and the lava cake. Each round was more incredible than the last.
During dinner, my friend gave me a short vocabulary lesson about the onboard dining options, including specialty dining, Traditional Dining, and My Time Dining. I really enjoyed learning about the various choices cruising provides, especially after checking out the different drink packages available on the ship. In short, cruises can be personalized in a ton of ways!
Main Dining Room experience
Vision of the Seas' Main Dining Room was beautiful! Traditional seating was nice because we knew exactly where and when we were eating every day. The convenience took out any worries that we might have had about reservations.
Honestly, I was a little worried about the food after lunch in the buffet on embarkation day but was pleasantly surprised. The food was amazing every night!
The Escargot and French Onion Soup were two of my favorite savory options. Both were incredible and paired nicely together. Two appetizers in one night is okay on a cruise, right?
If you are a big sweets girl, like me, don’t miss out on their chocolate cake. It may have been the best I have ever had. The apple cobbler, however, was a close second. It felt like a warm fall day in the middle of the Atlantic.
Still, not everything was a hit. My least favorite dishes in the Main Dining Room were the Roasted Beef Tenderloin and the Lasagna al Forno. The tenderloin was too rare for my liking, and the texture of the lasagna noodles was off. I also thought it didn't have enough cheese!
Speaking of food I didn't like, the pizza from Park Cafe in the Solarium wasn't anything special. It was pretty similar to cafeteria-style pizza!
Read more: Top 10 Biggest Cruise Ship Dining Mistakes to Avoid
The best drink package on board
My friend and I decided to try the cheapest drink package on board: a coffee package! For $36.58, we split a markable card that got us 15 small iced or hot lattes throughout the trip from Cafe Latte-Tudes.
We would begin our mornings with a latte and later enjoy an afternoon pick-me-up by the pool. The specialty coffee on the ship was Starbucks, so it was sure to be quality.
It made every morning easier to wake up to a strong caffeinated beverage and have a yummy drink with breakfast, especially if you are like me and hate drip coffee. It was worth every penny!
I was never bored
There were so many fun things to do on the ship every day that it was impossible to attend every event. Things picked up as soon as we were on the water. However, the casino remained closed the first night because we were not 12 miles from shore due to sailing through the Chesapeake Bay.
It was cool to look out on either side of the ship and see America for the first few hours, but it was slightly disorienting waking up in the middle of the ocean. We entertained ourselves that night with game shows and late-night pizza. It was great to see so many people settle into the groove of things immediately, enjoying their drink packages and the entertainment.
My friend and I quickly found our perfect routine of game shows and karaoke in the evening, where nobody cared how good you were at singing. It was a completely judgment-free zone!
We did attend one original production show towards the end of the cruise. It was a 70s-themed show that featured popular Boogie songs—including a fun ABBA tribute.
Before the show, I read about the backgrounds of many of the performers. They were all from different parts of the world, and many had been classically trained.
A few of them had worked with big names like Reba. I loved seeing so many talented dancers and singers perform some of my favorite songs. Plus, their outfit changes were amazing, and I enjoyed every second of the show.
My favorite game, Crazy Quest, happened on the last night, and it certainly was crazy. Everyone was running around trying to supply the missing puzzle piece or find a thong as soon as possible to get their team the most points during each round.
While this game is not advertised for passengers under the age of 18, it was easily the best way to end our last night. All the adults on the ship piled in to have the time of their lives, and it didn’t hurt that we were on the winning team.
Bermuda
Of course, the trip wouldn’t have been complete if we hadn’t docked in Bermuda. The second we got off the ship, it began to downpour. Luckily a gift shop was nearby, and I was able to get a rain poncho.
Once that was secured, we walked to the Visitor’s Center to look at the bus schedule and get tickets. We opted for a bus to take us into Hamilton and a ferry ticket to bring us back to the dock since it cost just $4.50 per person, per way! It was much more affordable than hiring a private taxi.
The bus ride took us all along the island, where we got to see houses, beaches, and the locals. A few schoolchildren even joined us for part of the ride. My only regret in Hamilton is not buying an additional bus ticket to get off at one of the beaches. However, this worked to our benefit because all the stores closed at around 5:00PM.
Read more: I spent $1,780 on a budget cruise to Bermuda on an old cruise ship. It was worth the money
My friend and I walked around and bought our souvenirs before finding a restaurant. This proved to be harder than we thought it would be. Many of the restaurants featured British cuisine instead of seafood; however, we found a restaurant with amazing lobster rolls and sodas! I think we were both thankful for Coke products at that point.
After dinner, we walked around Hamilton and took a few pictures. We wanted to stay close to the ferry, so we didn’t venture too far. It was a relaxing evening, but a lot of the time was spent waiting on the ferry to ride back to the boat. If you are planning on staying the day in Hamilton, I suggest arriving in the morning and going to the beach in the afternoon, or planning on an early night.
Shipwrecked
The next day, we woke up early to do one of the coolest things I have ever done: snorkel at shipwrecks in the Bermuda Triangle. Having pre-purchased our excursion through Royal Caribbean, my friend and I walked to the station at the end of the dock at our assigned meeting time and were guided to the small boat that would take us to the wrecks.
The guides were funny and entertaining on the way there. After a short safety briefing on life jackets and water safety, we were told about the history of the boats and the coral in Bermuda while en route to the shipwrecks.
The two boats we saw were The Constellation and The Montana. The Constellation was a wooden vessel carrying supplies, so it had deteriorated and left a mound of concrete blocks in its place. The Montana was made of sturdier material, so we were able to see large portions of the ship along the sea floor where ocean life had claimed it as its own.
The color of the coral in Bermuda is a mustard yellow color, unlike some of the brighter colors farther south. This is due to the cold water that runs through Bermuda. In fact, Bermuda is the northernmost point where coral grows, and it only does so because the Gulf Stream runs through the water. This makes it just warm enough.
It is a beautiful, healthy reef that has not yet succumbed to the pressures of global warming. I only faced one challenge during snorkeling – my fear of fish. It took a lot for me to get in the water and swim through the school of fish hovering near the boat.
The second I splashed into the water I was off. My feet propelled me through them fast enough, and I was able to calm myself down in about two minutes. Then it became a struggle to resist fighting the water, as it was a little rockier than normal. It was easy to do once those beautiful, ill-fated ships came into view. After we were done snorkeling, we enjoyed a complimentary Run Swizzle on the boat and were able to jump off of the side. It was easily the most exciting day that we had.
Read more: 11 common cruise shore excursion mistakes to avoid
Final thoughts
The last few days on the boat were relaxing, to say the least. I powered through a few novels and enjoyed a drink or two by the pool. It was difficult to come to terms with our cruise ending when we were having so much fun.
I was going to miss hanging out with my friend every day, going to the sauna, and all of the adventure. We enjoyed amazing meals in the Main Dining Room and the beautiful waves on the ocean.
Once we were on land, it took me a few days to feel normal again because of my sea legs! However, regardless of any uneasiness, I could not wait to start planning my next cruise.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
