The food is one of the best parts of any cruise, and I was looking forward to the dining experience onboard Vision of the Seas.
Overall, the food on Vision was better than some of the larger ships I've sailed on within the past year, namely Freedom of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas. Izumi, in particular, was out-of-this-world, with the fresh sushi and drool-worthy appetizers making it a must-visit.
Still, not every meal was a home run. Here's a breakdown of everything I ate during my 5-night cruise aboard Vision of the Seas, including a few dishes I'd skip next time.
Of note, I'm not a food critic and am not classically trained in anything cuisine-related. Others may come to their own conclusions, as everyone has different taste buds and preferences.
Embarkation Day Lunch
Though I'm no stranger to Royal Caribbean cruises, this was my first time sailing on a Vision Class ship, and I was worried that the buffet would lack variety—similar to my experience on Carnival Elation, a ship similar in size and age to Vision.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case. While the buffet wasn't as expansive as those on newer and larger ships, I always found something appealing, starting with the chicken curry on embarkation day! It had a nice flavor and was a little spicy, something I rarely say as someone with an above-average spicy tolerance.
To complement the chicken and rice, I made my own salad and tried a few polenta fries. You can never go wrong with a refreshing salad; however, the polenta fries were just okay. Nothing to necessarily write home about.
The biggest disappointment of the meal was the pineapple upside-down cake. The flavor was nice, but it was dry.
After sailing away, my friend and I headed to Park Cafe for some pizza to hold us over until dinner.
Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but Royal Caribbean's pizza is just fine. I've had better cruise ship pizza on other lines—namely MSC.
Embarkation Day Dinner
My favorite, and I mean favorite, meal on Vision of the Seas was at Izumi. It was the only specialty restaurant I ate at, and it did not disappoint. Everything was mouthwatering, from the refreshing edamame to the creamy firecracker shrimp roll and savory miso ramen.
Since we pre-booked through the Cruise Planner, we had the option of one appetizer, two large plates, and one dessert. If you're more interested in a light meal, you can always order à la carte.
Between the spicy miso ramen and champagne lobster roll, the latter was my favorite.
It was unlike any sushi roll I've had before, and I appreciated how the flavors came together. The blanched lobster was tender and sweet, perfectly complimented by the champagne sauce.
Read more: Royal Caribbean changed the sushi roll sizes for its fixed price menu
The spicy miso ramen was tasty, but I'd probably skip it next time in favor of another sushi roll.
The noodles seemed slightly undercooked, but the broth had that expected rich umami flavor that's always comforting.
For dessert, I went with the crispy sesame balls. Served warm, the outer layer was perfectly crispy, giving way to the soft red bean paste filling. It was both sweet and savory.
Breakfast Day 2
Unfortunately, I woke up feeling a little seasick the next day, and my motion sickness patch hadn't kicked in by the time we went to breakfast. We were sailing through some pretty choppy waters, with the Solarium pool drained and closed the entire day.
Since I wasn't feeling great, I went with a lighter breakfast consisting of eggs, some fruit, and a small piece of avocado toast. As expected, the eggs were standard cruise ship buffet eggs. They were a little cold, but I attribute that to our late arrival ten minutes before closing.
The fruit tasted fresh, but it was the avocado toast that stood out the most. The avocado topping was creamy and ripe.
Lunch Day 2
Despite the pool being closed because of the rough sea conditions, I spent the greater part of the first sea day in the Solarium. It made for a convenient setup, especially after learning the sauna and steam room were complimentary.
For lunch, my friend and I didn't gravitate far, joining the line at Park Cafe shortly after it opened. Compared to my salad in the Windjammer the day before, I was much happier with my new creation. Honey mustard dressing is so underrated!
I also got the signature Kummelweck sandwich with spicy mustard and horseradish. The roast beef was perfectly cooked, and it was a great complement to the salad.
My mid-day sweet treat wasn't as disappointing as the pineapple upside-down cake. The pistachio pound cake was so moist with a subtle pistachio flavor that wasn't too overwhelming.
In fact, I thought it was so good I got it again that evening as a late-night snack before bed.
Dinner Day 2
For dinner, we went to the Main Dining Room. At first, I was a bit weary of dining during the 5:00pm seating, but it worked out, as it allowed us to work up an appetite for pizza after enjoying the evening entertainment.
I started with the French Onion Soup, and do I really have to say anything else? I don't think the soup has ever left something to be desired. It really is just that good.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for my entrèe. I tried the Seafood Linguine earlier this year on Quantum of the Seas, and I should have learned my lesson then.
Though the sauce was creamy and the shrimp was cooked well, everything else about the dish was pretty bland. Next time, I know to go with the Roasted Beef Tenderloin.
The Warm Apple Cobbler is one of my go-to desserts.
I'll usually debate switching things up and ordering the Cappuccino Chocolate Cake or Toasted Almond Creme Puffs, but there's something so satisfying about warm apples and cold ice cream.
Read more: How Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room works
Breakfast Day 3
The next morning, I was feeling much better and eager to arrive in Bermuda! The weather, however, still wasn't in our favor. Despite the yucky conditions, we made the most of our time ashore, venturing to Hamilton and exploring the local stores.
When it comes to breakfast, I'm a bit predictable and tend to avoid the sugary stuff. As such, I went with scrambled eggs, the tried-and-true hash brown patty, and peaches.
This was my favorite breakfast in the Windjammer. Though the eggs were a little cold again, the hash brown patty was crispy, and the peaches were juicy and sweet.
Lunch Day 3
Since we didn't arrive in Bermuda until around 1:30pm, we decided to fuel up with lunch from the Windjammer buffet before making our way onto the rainy island.
Overall, I was happy with my lunch! While the veggie sandwich could have had more than two small pieces of cooked squash on it, the slathering of pesto mayo made up for it with a burst of flavor.
Not only that, but I found the stir fry to be tasty, too. I will say, however, that it wasn't as good as the made-to-order station on Celebrity Ascent. Nonetheless, it was still satisfying, with a variety of vegetables and small bites of chicken.
For dessert, I went with a small Oreo treat. It was only after my friend tried it and said how delicious it was that it caught my eye. After the first bite, I was hooked—the fluffy filling was nicely balanced with the crunch of the crumbled cookie bits.
Dinner Day 3
That night, we decided to have dinner off the ship, maximizing our time ashore. We stumbled upon a small restaurant in Hamilton offering $35 lobster rolls.
I don't think my New England-born-and-raised fiancèe would have approved, but I thought the dish was decent for the price—especially considering that Bermuda is known for being pricey.
Breakfast Day 4
It was back to the Windjammer the next morning. Unfortunately, this was perhaps the most disappointing meal onboard.
The heat lamp made the shell of the hardboiled egg almost too hot to crack. When I finally succeeded, I didn't take more than two bites, finding it overcooked, dry, and rubbery. The most upsetting part was the hash brown. I was looking forward to the satisfying crunch. Instead, it was on the soggy side.
That said, the fruit and chicken sausage were pretty average, and I tried a bite of my friend's banana streusel muffin that was surprisingly good.
Lunch Day 4
I was worried our shipwreck snorkeling excursion would get canceled due to the inclement weather. However, luck was finally on our side. It didn't start storming until sail away!
When we got back onboard, we had worked up an appetite and headed straight to the Solarium for lunch at the Park Cafe.
Once again, I went with a custom salad topped with honey mustard dressing, and as I'm writing this, I'm thinking it's something I need to purchase!
I also ordered the tomato, mozzarella, and pesto sandwich.
While the tomato was juicy, embodying the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, I wish the sandwich had been toasted a few seconds longer. The mozzarella was strangely warm and cold.
Dinner Day 4
When we sat down for dinner, I advised my friend that the Crispy Coconut Jumbo Shrimp had never been a letdown.
She decided to go with the Asian-Style Pork Bao Buns, and after trying one of my shrimp, she immediately flagged down our waiter to get an order.
Read more: Royal Caribbean Menus: Main Dining Room, Specialty Restaurants, & More
For my entrèe, I was torn between the Stuffed Grilled Eggplant and Rustic Chicken Korma. Both sounded intriguing, albeit with very different flavor profiles. In the end, I went with the Chicken Korma and was happy with my decision!
When it arrived, I was struck by the fragrant aroma of the spices. Each bite of chicken was tender, and the rice soaked up all the flavors of the curry.
The dish was served with a side of crispy poppadum and raita.
The Blueberry Cobbler was the perfect sweet treat. The vanilla ice cream added a nice contrast to the tart blueberries. However, I wish it had been served a little warmer.
Breakfast Day 5
After a few disappointing experiences in the buffet, we decided to try the Main Dining Room for breakfast. The overall ambiance felt a world apart from the bustling buffet.
I ordered a classic Eggs Benedict, a dish I find indulgent and comforting. The presentation wasn't anything worthwhile, but it tasted great!
I was, however, displeased with the hash brown. Even in the Main Dining Room, it wasn't as crispy as I would have liked.
Lunch Day 5
Once again, we opted to have lunch at Park Cafe. I went with a turkey wrap and the same salad creation as the day before.
I found the wrap pretty dry; the lack of a creamy dressing or juicy tomato left something to be desired.
Dinner Day 5
Before we knew it, we were heading to our table in the Main Dining Room for one final dinner. The menu on Day 5 was Italian, and I settled on the Golden Polenta Fries, Lasagna al Forno, and Tirasmu.
The polenta fries were much better than the ones from the buffet on embarkation day, but despite the description on the menu, I didn't find the dip spicy. It tasted more like standard marinara sauce!
Out of all the entrèes in the Main Dining Room, the Lasagna al Forno was the most disappointing.
I had high hopes for a comforting dish layered with rich meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and gooey cheese, but what arrived felt lackluster.
While the flavors were decent, the sauce was a little bland and could have used extra seasoning.
That said, the BEST thing I ate in the dining room was the Tirasmu. The layers of coffee-soaked cafe and creamy mascarpone melted in the mouth!
Disembarkation Breakfast
We skipped the buffet on disembarkation day, as we weren't in any rush to get to the airport for our 3:30pm flight. Instead, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the Main Dining Room.
The scrambled eggs were served at a much better temperature than those in the Windjammer, but the hash brown patty was a different story. Instead of a golden, crispy patty, I got a sad, soggy one.
The fruit cup was a great complement to the meal, though. It included a mix of watermelon, pineapple, grapes, and cantaloupe. Each bite was refreshing! The pineapple, however, was the true star.
