On the first day of our Alaska cruise aboard the Vision of the Seas we spent some time orientation ourselves with the ship and figuring out the daily activities on-board the ship. On most cruise ships there are many activities planned throughout the day. For example, on our Alaska cruise they had activities for adults and children, including informational seminars about Alaska and Alaska history. There were also special information gatherings regarding the shore tours that were available in the ports we would be visiting. There were also many fun activities such as bingo, ring toss tournaments, shuffleboard contests for families, "bago" ( a sort of ring toss but with small bean bags), team ping-pong and other family oriented activities. These activities gave our family to opportunity to meet other families on the cruise in an active fun filled environment.
Cruising, Gambling and Dancing
After the children were put to bed, the adults on the cruise really got moving. There are a number of fun adult activities in the evenings. On the Vision of the Seas, there is a casino with slot machines, tables and gambling tournaments, a newlywed game in the entertainment center and also excellent evening entertainment with music, comedy and magic. There was also a nightclub on board with different theme nights such as "Disco", "Oldies" and "80's rock and roll night". In addition there are also a few bars onboard for drinking and socializing. If the kids are still awake there are also family friendly comedy shows available in the early evening.
Cruise Dining Options
There is always something to do during the cruise days and there is food galore in the formal and informal dining areas. We ended up using the Vision of the Seas informal dining room for breakfast and lunch and we dined in the formal dining room in the evenings. You will be placed at a table with other cruisers when you go to the formal dinners. This will make for great evening conversation and a sharing of experiences while you’re on board the ship.
If you don't care for the table you get placed at, asked to be moved, the dining room attendants are very customer service oriented and will go out of their way to please you. We were very happy with the service we received while we were on Royal Caribbean and the Vision of the Seas is a wonderful ship. At dinner, you will have many choices; don't be afraid to order 2 dinners if you want to try a couple of things. Same with the deserts, order 2 or 3 and pass them around the table, the food was just fantastic on our cruise.
The Cruise Fitness Center
If your feeling a bit stuffed from eating 5 or 6 meals a day on your cruise, you can always visit the onboard fitness center that is on the Vision of the Seas and other cruise ships that we have been on. They have aerobics, fitness coaches, weights, exercise bikes and other workout equipment to burn those excess calories. If you want more pampering you can always go to the spa (extra charge) and get a massage, facial, body wrap and many other relaxing treatments.
During our Alaska cruise we had many options to choose from and most of our activities came without any extra charge. On Royal Caribbean you don't pay extra to go to the entertainment or nightclubs, but you will pay if you drink alcohol or even soda pop. Also anything at the spa will cost you extra but the gym is free if you don't order any special consultations or physical therapy.
The Cruise Card
On our Alaska cruise you could not use cash for extras, everything was charged to your "Cruise Card", which was backed up by your credit card when you signed in to the cruise terminal. The only exception I found for the "no cash" was the casino. The slot machines and other games all take cash and change, you can also purchase vouchers at the front desk of the casino using cash.
Lastly, if you’re not feeling social, you always have the option to sit in your cabin, order room service and watch TV. In addition you can always go to the top deck and walk, take pictures and just enjoy the scenery. I have found that there is something for everyone on these cruises and the value is tremendous when you consider all of the cruise options available to you.
