AOS 14 Nov 04 Review - Very Long Review (Part Five - Curacao)

Curacao – 17 November 2004

Well what can I say but – RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY! Yep you guessed it! ANOTHER RAINY MORNING! UGH! We got up late and weren’t in any particular hurry to go out into the rain so we had a leisurely breakfast in the dining room. The eggs benedict is really good and the omelets aren’t bad either. I prefer the table service much more than the Windjammer and I think I will make this my morning ritual unless we have breakfast on the balcony (when it stops raining).

Originally we had all planned to go to Breezes an all inclusive resort and enjoy all the food, drinks, beach, parasailing and snorkeling one could want for a mere $60 but since it was raining we nixed that idea and went into town to do a little shopping. We wandered through the little market that sits strategically between the pier where we tied up and the floating bridge. The floating bridge is a must see because I have been to Curacao several times before while I was in the US Navy. Once upon a time cars actually drove across that bridge but now it probably exists as a tourist trap. Anyway, we got to see the floating bridge open to allow a couple of tugs and a cargo ship go through. After Renee got her picture taken with a couple of iguanas we headed back to the ship and took a nap!

Shortly before we left Curacao the captain came on the intercom to give us our daily report and tell us about the dreadful weather conditions. Tonight he added a little something to the usual droning he did over the intercom; he told us of the impending high seas we were about to enjoy. He told us about the 16 foot waves and high winds we would get the pleasure of enduring tonight!! Well he was true to his word and not soon after leaving port we began to roll around a little and move quite a bit.

We have second seating and tonight’s show – Velvet Rope has the 1900 show for late seating guests. We all dressed up and headed to the show and I must say the singing was really good but do they think they are BON JOVI? Could you turn it down just a little? After the show we go to the dining room where we find that tonight we got a treat because after a few nights of serving us our drinks the bar server had guessed (correctly) our cocktails of choice and placed them at our expected seats at the dining room table!! That was cool and definitely meant a big tip later! Renee commented on how much the ship was rocking and to be honest I didn’t notice. I guess after 12 years in the US Navy you get used to that sort of thing. However, this is about the time Ron tells me that he doesn’t feel well and that he thinks he is going to throw up. He leaves the table and doesn’t make it out of the dining room before he vomits. I follow him out and show him to the men’s room where we clean him up and take him to the room. I put him to bed and call room service for some crackers and try to force feed him some crackers because I think he is sea sick. Well I thought he was sea sick until he started complaining of severe stomach pain and diarrhea!! In my honest opinion he had food poisoning. After an hour of continuous vomiting (LIKE I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE DO IN MY LIFE) I call the nurse on duty and tell her we are on our way.

We arrive at the medical center around midnight and I knock on the door. The nurse answers, takes one look at me and tells me that I don’t look sick! Well Einstein, I AM NOT SICK! The guy puking in the trashcan over there IS SICK! Well they admit him and put him in a bed while I fill out all the paperwork. In the ensuing four and a half hours they give him four shots and four bags of IV solution and he is STILL vomiting, running to the bathroom and complaining about stomach pain!! FINALLY at 0430 the nurse comes in and gives him a shot for pain that immediately knocks him out. She gives us some Gatorade and a bill and tells us to come back in the morning to see the doctor in the morning. The total bill for our little ordeal is a whopping $1120!!!!

So my other half sleeps through the night at around 0930 we go back to the medical center where the waiting room is full of sick people! I over hear the nurse telling the doctor that there were “two PAX sick last night”. They remove my boyfriend’s IV and we go back to the cabin and sleep the rest of the day. Since it was a sea day and the weather was crappy anyway, it seemed like a good day to sleep in!

Bobby - Have enjoyed your reviews especially since we have been on AOS 2 times. We love Curacao & Aruba. We were on the Golden Princess the week of Nov. 7, 2004 doing the S. Caribbean. AOS was docked next to us at the pier in S.J. On our last day, Nov. 13, we had high waves, & it was very windy. Couldn't use our balcony. When we arrived in S.J. Sun. morning, it was pouring. Little did we know that the next week would be so wet. Now you'll have to go back on AOS again when it's not raining so many days!

Gail

gailic - I am glad you like the review! The Golden Princess looked HUGE! We are going on the Island Princess next OCtober to Hawaii for 15 days! WOO HOO!!

The Golden is large, but AOS is larger. We missed the Royal Promenade. Seems like everyone has been going to Hawaii lately.

Gail

I went on AOS the very next week. We too, had a lot of rain, but my waiter said our weather was great compared to what you experienced 11/14-21.

Were there a lot of sick people on your cruise? What you have described sounds like the Norovirus. I think I would have fallen overboard when I saw that medical bill.:eek:

I was on the cruise with Bobby and I really don't think he has Norwalk virus. Non of us got sick. There were 8 in our group and we were always together. No of us got any symptoms... Ron was the only one who ate the chicken in the Windjammer that day and he is the only one who got sick in our group. I really think it was food poisoning, because he was so much better the next day.

Bobby ....... Have enjoyed reading EACH Part of you review!!! Thank You!

Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)

OCruisers - I am glad you liked the reviews!! I have a couple more installments to go!!

Your reviews are -awesome-. I'm sorry that your other half was sick.. .and holy moly - that's one expensive bill! Were you able to put in a claim to some kind of insurance company?

I was sick on a cruise once - seasick. 1/2 the ship was sick that cruise. It's something that I hope to never ever experience again...

MonaCK - thanks for the reply, and I am glad you like the review! Yeah my other half definitely had food poisoning because I have been sea sick and after 12 years in the US NAvy I can really describe sea sickness in great detail - and what he had was not sea sickness! I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE SEEN ANYONE THROWUP LIKE THAT!

As for the bill, I almost needed a doctor myself after they handed me that thing!! We have submitted a claim to Blue Cross Blue Shield and I have written letters to the medical claims adjuster for the Adventure of the seas and the CEO of RCCL. Additionally, we had bought the insurance from the TA and boy it better pay!

Bobby

OCruisers - I am glad you liked the reviews!! I have a couple more installments to go!!

bobby .... We'll be looking forward to reading them!!!!

Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)