A voyage on the Voyager of the Seas.

On 27th September (our birthday!), our parents gave us the most amazing gift that any child would wish for his/ her birthday, a cruise vacation! Even though we had our annual examinations coming up in a month, we decided to escape our busy life routine and took off for Singapore in October.


It was a Royal Caribbean cruise (quite a large vessel…), three nights four days from Singapore to Penang and back. We landed in Singapore (second time coming here), then walked to the metro station. We rode and reached a certain point, after which we took a cab and reached the port. Our excitement on the first glimpse of the mighty RC Voyager of the Seas was simply indescribable.

After passing numerous security and baggage checks, we were finally on board!

It was fantastically high (seventh deck), the pleasant breeze whooshing against our merry faces. For a few moments, we only enjoyed the tranquility of where we stood, after which we were called by the crew members for a safety demonstration. We were instructed about the right use of a life jacket and were also given knowledge about what should be our response in any case of emergency, during which commands would blare out from the speakers installed in our rooms.

After this very essential Muster Drill (compulsory for all persons on the cruise), we were guided to our room. Our parents had their room, and we shared a room. It was a Balcony Suite, very spacious, with a jaw-dropping view of the electric blue water swirling way below us.

                                                          Wow! Such a spacious room!

Relaxing for some time on the master beds, we decided to explore this huge wonderland on water. And when we came out of the room (a difficult task, because it was not possible to avert our eyes immediately from the view outside!) we were amazed at the sight of the number of rooms stretched across an extremely long corridor.

We took a stroll down this long corridor, and then tried the elevator made entirely of glass! From this, one can view the entire promenade, lined with different shops offering a wide variety of souvenirs and foodstuffs.

The breath-taking view of the Royal Promenade!

But we got out only at the deck 13. This deck is indubitably a floor for all those individuals who wish to seek a bit of thrill and adventure. For us, this deck was one of the best, for it had a surfing simulator (Flowrider, one must not miss this!), a very huge rock-climbing wall, an arcade room, a mini-golf course, multiple swimming pools and what not!

And coming to the main point for all the foodies out there (like Mustafa!), there is an ice cream vending machine where you could grab vanilla, chocolate, or a duo cone any number of times in the day!

The thirteenth deck!

After roaming about mindlessly, without any worries of the world (yes, we had completely forgotten about exams at that moment.. oops!) we were very hungry. So we decided to go to the eleventh deck to satisfy our hunger, where a restaurant called Windjammer was situated. The name very much suited it, for it instead of walls, the boundaries or perimeters of this place was covered entirely with glass, from where one could enjoy a magnificent three hundred and sixty-degree view of the gigantic ocean and catch a glimpse of a part of the cruise’s stern, where the powerful engines churned in the water and propelled this massive vessel!

Apart from the view, the food too was good. The restaurant had set up a very long buffet with a variety of dishes from different parts of the world. It had basic continental breakfast, which includes choices such as croissants, cereals, muffins, juice, and coffee or tea, which was complimentary. Other options such as burgers, soup, pizzas, salads, and desserts were also available as well as quite a variety of Indian dishes! (for both lunch and dinner)

Oh, we had a hearty meal, and then we went to the helipad, located very close to the bow of the ship. At the helipad, the view is simply exotic! (the picture below will create an image of the famous scene of the Titanic in your minds!). This spot has benches arranged neatly in a circular fashion where many people could be seated and enjoy the chill breeze!

We spent a few hours exploring the cruise, then called it a day. When we returned to our rooms we got the chance to witness a beautiful sunset!

The next morning, we went to the library. It was a very comfy one – silent ambiance, luxury couches, wooden tables and chairs, a whole rack of a large variety of books on various subjects, as well as many family games were also included.
We also strolled down the promenade. If you get a chance to get on the cruise, there is always a pleasant mood in the air and some light music in the background. We also heard an English lady singing Bollywood songs. (Humorous, considering her pronunciation of Hindi words!)

Throughout the day, we did lots of fun things, but the highlight was the Flowrider (surfing simulator) and the rock climbing wall!

The Flowrider was one of the best experiences any person would have if he/she has tried it. It was on the thirteenth deck and consisted of a sloping pool. From one end water gushed out with a lot of force. The slope created a wave, on which one could surf. It was an epic experience, surfing on a never-ending wave, on the roof of the cruise!!

Surfing on the Flowrider!

Boogie boarding!

There is, unfortunately, quite a long queue for both of them (approximately fifteen to twenty people in front of you at any given point in time), hence it is better to go planned. But the wait is worth it!!

Rock – climbing, on the other hand, is no short of a thrilling experience! The wall is very, very high. But don’t worry, even though it may seem mordacious, there is nothing to be afraid about, as you are completely secured with a rope and a karabiner attached on your waist…. So you can just let go whenever you wish to come down, and you will slowly drop, as the rope unwinds on the pulley at the top. But if a person can reach the top, the sight is simply enthralling!

Rock-climbing on the thirteenth deck!

Another cool thing was they had set screens to create an open theatre, and they played movies at night.


It felt great to stretch ourselves on the chairs, by the poolside, completely in the open on the eleventh deck, without any disturbance! And we got to watch Jurassic park as well as Hotel Transylvania…

In addition to this, there was a mini-golf course. We passed some of our time in the evening (of our third day) playing here.

Playing golf :)

The Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas offers a wide range of recreational activities that keeps one always occupied (That is the exact reason why we did not disembark at Penang when the ship docked for a few hours…. The cruise is so huge, it requires a minimum of four days to be explored!!). Apart from all the fun stuff mentioned above, there are lots of other things to do too! There are dance classes, towel folding classes, cooking classes, live shows, concerts, games etc. being held in the promenade and elsewhere. Here is a list of various places you can go on the upper decks:
Deck 13 – If you have read, you will know!
Deck 12 – Running track, Sky bar, Adventure Ocean.
Deck 11 – Solarium, Pools, Outdoor theatre.
The Royal Promenade is a must-visit!

Ice skating on the cruise was fabulous. It was our first time trying our hand at ice skating, and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

Skating on the slippery ice!

At all nights, our family dined in the Sapphire Dining Room (Deck 5). It was a large and lavish restaurant, where the food was divine. We were contented with the fast service and the cheerful waiters.

We were also very lucky to meet and have dinner with Jasmine Chye one night. We came to know that she had been awarded the title of Miss Singapore Global Beauty Queen (2014). She had come on the cruise with her mom, and we sat together and had a nice conversational dinner.

From left to right - Jasmine, our other( in the middle), and Jasmine's mother.

The fourth day arrived, and our cruise at Singapore from where we had begun this amazing journey! All good things must come to an end, but an end is the beginning of a new story. This was one of the greatest trips ever! Being aboard the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the seas was a memorable experience, with the recreational activities it offers, the scenic view, the food - this list could be endless.

~Mustafa and Hussain:-)