We'll try not to mention a certain Hollywood film here, but Casablanca's history is as captivating as its cinematic counterpart. From its humble beginnings as a Berber settlement to its rise as a bustling port city under French rule, Casablanca has been shaped by centuries of cultural exchange and economic prosperity. Today, its modern skyline and vibrant culture reflect its status as Morocco's economic hub. As Humphrey Bogart famously said in the film, "Here's looking at you, kid." Oh. Damn.
Day 14
Tangier
James Bond's explosive Tanjawi antics may evoke excitement, but a visit to Tangier promises a more tranquil adventure. This Moroccan city's history is steeped in intrigue, with its strategic location attracting Phoenicians, Romans, and Arabs over the centuries. Tangier's allure as a cinematic backdrop has captured the imagination of filmmakers, showcasing its labyrinthine streets and stunning vistas. From the bustling Grand Socco square to the iconic Kasbah, Tangier's blend of cultures and influences offers a captivating journey through time. Embodying the spirit of adventure, Tangier invites travelers to explore its storied past and vibrant present with curiosity and wonder.
Day 15
Cádiz
Journey to Cadiz, where the echoes of ancient civilizations resonate through its cobblestone streets. This maritime marvel boasts a colorful past, once a haven for Phoenician traders and a strategic outpost during Roman rule. Blessed with a Mediterranean climate, Cadiz offers balmy breezes and sun-kissed shores, perfect for leisurely exploration. Unlike bustling tourist hubs, Cadiz exudes authenticity, inviting travelers to savor its laid-back ambiance and discover hidden gems around every corner. As Spain's oldest continuously inhabited city, Cadiz proudly showcases its maritime heritage, including the renowned Carnival of Cadiz, a festive extravaganza dating back over three centuries.
Day 16
Málaga
Day 17
At sea
Day 18
Barcelona
Barcelona, a city defined by its innovative spirit from the architectural wonders of Gaudto the bustling medieval streets of the Gothic Quarter, offers a vivid window into Spains artistic soul. The city benefits from a Mediterranean climate, ensuring pleasant weather perfect for leisurely explorations of its many districts. Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian utilize Barcelona as a key port, giving travelers the chance to immerse themselves in a blend of modernist architecture and vibrant local life. An intriguing fact about Barcelona is its beach was artificially created in preparation for the 1992 Olympics, showcasing the city's ability to ingeniously reinvent itself while maintaining its historical roots.
We'll try not to mention a certain Hollywood film here, but Casablanca's history is as captivating as its cinematic counterpart. From its humble beginnings as a Berber settlement to its rise as a bustling port city under French rule, Casablanca has been shaped by centuries of cultural exchange and economic prosperity. Today, its modern skyline and vibrant culture reflect its status as Morocco's economic hub. As Humphrey Bogart famously said in the film, "Here's looking at you, kid." Oh. Damn.
James Bond's explosive Tanjawi antics may evoke excitement, but a visit to Tangier promises a more tranquil adventure. This Moroccan city's history is steeped in intrigue, with its strategic location attracting Phoenicians, Romans, and Arabs over the centuries. Tangier's allure as a cinematic backdrop has captured the imagination of filmmakers, showcasing its labyrinthine streets and stunning vistas. From the bustling Grand Socco square to the iconic Kasbah, Tangier's blend of cultures and influences offers a captivating journey through time. Embodying the spirit of adventure, Tangier invites travelers to explore its storied past and vibrant present with curiosity and wonder.
Journey to Cadiz, where the echoes of ancient civilizations resonate through its cobblestone streets. This maritime marvel boasts a colorful past, once a haven for Phoenician traders and a strategic outpost during Roman rule. Blessed with a Mediterranean climate, Cadiz offers balmy breezes and sun-kissed shores, perfect for leisurely exploration. Unlike bustling tourist hubs, Cadiz exudes authenticity, inviting travelers to savor its laid-back ambiance and discover hidden gems around every corner. As Spain's oldest continuously inhabited city, Cadiz proudly showcases its maritime heritage, including the renowned Carnival of Cadiz, a festive extravaganza dating back over three centuries.
Barcelona, a city defined by its innovative spirit from the architectural wonders of Gaudto the bustling medieval streets of the Gothic Quarter, offers a vivid window into Spains artistic soul. The city benefits from a Mediterranean climate, ensuring pleasant weather perfect for leisurely explorations of its many districts. Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian utilize Barcelona as a key port, giving travelers the chance to immerse themselves in a blend of modernist architecture and vibrant local life. An intriguing fact about Barcelona is its beach was artificially created in preparation for the 1992 Olympics, showcasing the city's ability to ingeniously reinvent itself while maintaining its historical roots.
Er we’re travelling on Vision of the Seas from Baltimore. Ship is an older and smaller one in the fleet but despite this, cabin was spacious and a real plus was the cleanliness of the ship.
Limited facilities so no flow rider or ice rink, not even small crazy golf. Shuffle board (at an angle) was as exciting as it got, with badminton being played in centrum as no sports courts.
We were planning on a relaxing break and so lack of sports weren’t too much of a concern, however evening entertainment was a real let down. Shows of poor standard, no musical production, special guest stars were a let down. All of the above was not helped by such an old clientele who typically were on early dinner sitting and in bed by 9:30!
Quality of food was typically good and service in restaurant was excellent, but bar waiter service was very slow and could take up to half an hour from ordering a drink to receiving it.
I have no issue in sailing on an older ship but sadly this was more of a retirement home at sea - many guests simply stayed on ship to be looked after for months at a time. This is a great facility for some, but needs to be marketed as such. Not up to RCLs usual fun packed high quality offering.
11 night cruise tokyo to singapore with 5 stops; nagasaki, South Korea, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh and Na Treng. Within a few months of booking they had dropped Na Treng for unconvincing reasons. Then a weather event (not their fault of course) meant we couldn't board the ship until 2 days later than planned so our cruise was now 9 days. Despite having already dropped a port stop, they announced that they would be dropping two further ports to make up time so no stopping at nagasaki and S Korea. Then the day before we were due to stop at Ho Chi Minh, a tannoy announcement that we would instead be stopping at Da Nang. We couldn't research what to do there given the extortionate cost of Internet access. There was a stampede to book trips meaning 2+ hour queues.
So we lost 2 days of a cruise, 2 days of a drinks package, 5 stops became 2 of which only one was as advertised, the 2 extra nights we stayed in tokyo cost us dearly as we had to book a hotel room at short notice and to oay for food that would otherwise have been included on the ship, and the trips we had booked with external companies doe ports we didn't stop at were lost at considerable cost.
The Royal Caribbean customer service response? Just disgraceful. They refunded part of the hotel cost leaving us significantly out of pocket. The lost trips? Sorry but no refund. The extra food? Nothing. The loss of 2 days of the cruise and the drinks package, they offered an on board credit. I had no reason for a credit as I had nothing I needed to spend on board so wanted a cash refund. Nope, not budging. I have been with RC on several occasions and have now cancelled my crown and anchor membership and will never sail with them again. The measure of a reputable company is how they respond when things go wrong not when things go well and RC showed their true colours. Avoid at all cost
Lovely family cruise. Very busy as it was the summer holidays. Hot tubs full of kids which was off putting but great to see them enjoying themselves. Food great
We have sailed with RC for over 20 years and was very disappointed to find they had really cut back on their services they provide. No only 1 turn down per day had to ask for double towels rather than be provided, no tissues, stateroom not hoovered daily and balcony not cleaned. Even in the coffee shop always a big que. Entertainment very basic.
I think they need to up their game as there is a lot of other companies visiting the same cruise destinations, providing a better service for the same price.
We went as a family and had the most amazing holiday. All food was fantastic, especially the waiter-service dinners in the main dining room. The waiters were fantastic, they remembered my mum always had a cup of tea after her meal and they brought us things we wanted without us even asking, it was like they read our minds! The entertainment was fantastic, like being in the West End. We loved our cruise!
Brilliant ship with great dining options, fabulous staff, top entertainment and even the odd rocky day didn't put us off. Loads of onboard activities on the transatlantic journey. No chance of being bored... unless you want to be!
It is the best experience one can have just to rest and unwind oneself, eat different type of food and meet new people with same interest and most of all enjoyed my time with family.
