Ranking the best Royal Caribbean cruise ships often highlights the newest and biggest ships because of how many innovations and cool things there are to do onboard.
Voyager of the Seas is 25 years old, but remains a great family cruise experience and should not be overlooked.
I'm sailing with my family on Voyager of the Seas, and it's actually my very first time on this ship. While I've sailed on plenty of Voyager Class ships over the years, this is the first time on one of Royal Caribbean's original game changers.
When Voyager of the Seas launched in 1999, it was the world's largest cruise ship. It even had its own zip code because of how noteworthy it was at the time.
The 137,276-ton cruise ship ushered in the modern age of mega ships, and paved the way for significantly larger ships to follow.
Sailing from Florida after years being overseas
This is my first time ever sailing on Voyager of the Seas and the major reason I haven't been able to try this ship is because she was always based elsewhere.
For many years, Voyager was homeported in Australia and Asia. This meant it was just out of reach for me to sail on.
All cruise ships eventually get moved around, and Royal Caribbean shifted Voyager back to Florida for the 2024-2025 season.
Voyager arrived at her new homeport of Port Canaveral in December, and is offering 4- and 5-night cruises to The Bahamas and Western Caribbean.
Unlike Utopia of the Seas, Voyager's itineraries have a bit more variety to them. Voyager will not only visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, but also Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Bimini.
For those that want more exotic locales, you'll get short cruises with varied ports on Voyager.
Water slides, shows, pools, and more
Ready for family fun on your cruise? Voyager of the Seas delivers on it.
Royal Caribbean spent $97 million in 2019 to enhance Voyager, bringing a few upgrades to the ship.
The list of changes include renovated cabins, two waterslides, a new spa, Battle for Planet Z laser tag, redesigned kids and teens spaces, and a new nursery for babies and toddlers.
It's quite noticeable how good the changes have been to the kids club spaces on Voyager.
There's a nursery now on the ship, and Adventure Ocean has the same updated programming that you'll find on Wonder of the Seas or Icon of the Seas.
The most noticeable upgrade are the addition of racer waterslides, and every ship Royal Caribbean has added slides to has been a major win for families.
Even if you don’t usually go on waterslides, these new additions are worth a try.
Of course, Voyager has a few staples that are still crowd pleasers and have been for years, such as the rock climbing wall, ice rink, mini-golf area, and FlowRider.
There's also a few shows onboard, including a Broadway revue show in the Royal Theater and an ice skating performance.
The shows are the perfect "dinner and a show" evening offering.
Plus, you'll find the usual assortment of evening entertainment, such as game shows, singers, musicians, and movies.
Nearly all the entertainment on Voyager is included in your cruise fare, which means there's plenty of ways to have a great day and evening without paying more for it.
Upgraded spaces too
It's worth noting how much of an overhaul the Vitality Spa received, as it's not usually an area of a cruise ship that gets a ton of work.
Royal Caribbean offers a large, purpose built spa on Voyager that is brand new. There's a more contemporary design to the waiting room and treatment rooms. Plus, there are so many ways to look out to the ocean while getting a treatment (assuming you can keep your eyes open).
If you're lucky enough to be staying in a suite, the suite lounge has a new look to it that matches Royal Caribbean's newest ship lounges.
Located on Deck 14 next to the Viking Crown Lounge, the suite lounge has a good look and better views.
Voyager of the Seas is probably cheaper than any of the newest ships
Speaking of value, one of the top reasons I was drawn to Voyager of the Seas is the price.
Compared to other ships, you're going to save a lot of money sailing on Voyager. New cruise ships always have a premium price tag, but Voyager is the perfect middle ground to avoid the sticker shock you get with Utopia of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, or Icon of the Seas.
Plus, Voyager offers a good assortment of family fun onboard. While you won't confuse Voyager for Icon, you aren't compromising on the variety of activities like you would if you opted for an even older cruise ship, such as Grandeur of the Seas.
Plus, you're getting varied itineraries too. Anytime you can find a short Caribbean cruise that goes somewhere other than The Bahamas, I'd consider that a good choice.
