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Fastest Ship in the World
By Tracy Ferguson - April 2002
  Recently I cruised on the Olympia Voyager of Royal Olympic
Cruise Line, and at the time I boarded the ship, it was the fastest cruise ship
in the world. Before our cruise ended, however, Royal Olympic launched the
Olympia Explorer, a "twin" to the Voyager, so now there are two
fastest ships in the world.
Both ships are small by today's standards. They
accommodate 836 passengers as compared to the 2000 to 3000 passengers behemoths
most cruise lines are now offering. Due to their speed and stabilizers the
Olympia Voyager provided us with a very smooth ride. We departed from the
Port of Houston, and visited Playa del Carmen, Mexico; Puerto Cortez, Honduras;
Belize City, Belize; and Progresso, Mexico. Each of these ports offered
the opportunity to visit a different set of Mayan Ruins, so the cruise was an
archaeology buff's dream cruise with plenty of beach time, trips to see natural
beauty, and snorkeling.
Entertainment aboard the ship was outstanding, featuring
vocalists and dancers from Eastern Europe, as well as some specialty acts.
The entertainer in the piano bar was extremely talented, and he enlisted some of
the other entertainers as well as passengers for karaoke and
"sing-a-longs".
  After departing Belize City, the Captain announced
over the
intercom that we should "fasten our seatbelts" as we were going to
experience traveling at 28 knots, and a bit later he announced that we were
actually going 31 knots - what a wake it created!
The crew, staff, and fellow passengers were the friendliest we
ever met! The service was excellent, and the ship immaculately
clean. This was my 22nd cruise, and I would have to rate this cruise among
the top three.
Unfortunately, Royal Olympic has moved the ship to the
Mediterranean for the Summer of 2002, but plans to return the ship to the Port
of Houston for the Winter season of 2003-2003. I highly recommend either
of the two royal Olympic ships for a cruise anywhere in the world - the
Mediterranean, Africa, South America, or the Caribbean.
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