Would you pay over $5,000 for a last-minute cruise on an older ship?
After not traveling together for nearly three years, a father and daughter decided to book a spontaneous cruise to Greece, Turkey, and Italy, spending $5,329.10 (including taxes, port fees, and gratuities) on a balcony stateroom.
Donald and Catherine Wright had been trying to plan something special to celebrate Catherine’s master’s graduation, but kept delaying the planning process.
At first, they toyed with a land vacation to Scotland. However, they shifted gears and began browsing available cruises to Greece.
They eventually settled on a weeklong sailing on Voyager of the Seas, a Voyager Class ship that debuted in 1999, to Mykonos and Santorini, Greece; Kusadasi, Turkey; Messina, Sicily; and Naples, Italy.
Catherine’s last cruise was a luxury one, having been fortunate enough to sail with her grandmother aboard Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer in 2019. Before that, she sailed on Harmony of the Seas in 2018 and Disney Fantasy in 2016.
Donald had also recently sailed on newer ships, including Quantum of the Seas and Allure of the Seas in 2024. As such, stepping onto Voyager of the Seas was different from what they were accustomed to.
Still, the cruise was less about the ship itself and more about the ports of call. Catherine and Donald roamed the cobblestone streets of Mykonos, explored ancient ruins in Ephesus, and enjoyed lunch in Sorrento. Plus, with just one sea day, sailing on a new ship with endless activities wasn’t important.
They could have saved money by opting for a windowless interior stateroom, but one of Donald’s non-negotiables on vacation is having access to a private verandah.
Their balcony stateroom, cabin #6518, was a comfortable space to retreat to after spending long days ashore and braving Europe’s summer heat.
In fact, they returned to their stateroom most nights around 8:00PM. They preferred to rest instead of staying out late at a bar or watching a show.
Not only that, but amenities on a newer, more modern ship would have gone to waste. While on Voyager, they didn’t use the rock climbing wall, FlowRider surf simulator, or Perfect Storm waterslides.
“The cabin was completely fine,” Catherine recalled, “The shower pressure was a little iffy, but that was the only thing.”
Donald added that he wished the mini-fridge’s temperature had been cooler. He noted that it barely kept a bottle of water cool, even after they had maintenance take a look at it.
The bathroom itself was a standard Royal Caribbean bathroom. It was compact yet functional with enough storage for two cruisers and a much-appreciated glass shower door instead of a clingy curtain.
As with other ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, the shower featured the same 2-in-1 shampoo-body wash hybrid, along with a small shelf for personal products.
Read more: I always pack two things for my cruise bathroom that I’ll thank myself for later
Being an older ship, the stateroom didn’t have an abundance of charging options, just one European and two American outlets by the vanity.
Catherine mentioned that the large vanity made getting ready easier, as she could spread her makeup and accessories out while her dad used the bathroom to shower and shave.
They were also impressed with the storage space. They were able to comfortably unpack and even had extra hangers!
Unlike newer Royal Caribbean vessels, Voyager of the Seas has a traditional ship design. As such, the balconies are recessed and cut directly into the superstructure, rather than protruding outward.
Consequently, they are more enclosed than balconies on ships like Oasis of the Seas. However, this means that they don’t offer the same panoramic views, something Donald didn’t love about the cabin.
According to Catherine, they didn’t use the balcony a lot. She used it more than her father, although she mentioned that she saw him stand outside watching the crew tie up the ship one morning in port.
Although their last-minute cruise was pricey, they don’t regret spending over $5,000 for a balcony on Voyager of the Seas, especially since it was the first time they had traveled together since 2022.
Donald said that he was impressed with the ship’s cleanliness and found the crowd to be a pleasant mix of couples and families.
The biggest complaint from their time onboard was that the food wasn’t as good as they had previously had on Royal Caribbean vessels. However, the cabin itself wasn’t as bad as they expected for an older cruise ship.
