Just back from AOS! 8/13-8/20

My first RCCL cruise and I had a fabulous time. I went with my best friend from NY so it was a girls cruise, our second together.

In Aruba we went to Eagle Beach and had dinner at El Gaucho followed by a visit to Carlos & Charlies.

In Curacao we went to Kontiki Beach, then to the distillery.

In St. Maarten we went to to Orient Beach then went shopping for alcohol as requested by various friends back home.

In St. Thomas, we went parasailing then to Magens Bay.

My favorites in order: St. Maarten, Aruba, St. Thomas, Curacao.

We did this all on our own only the parasailing was booked through the ship. I played lots of bingo and won $100 and the parasailing excursion. We climbed the wall, went ice skating, saw the ice show and participated in Quest. We were in the nightclub every night except for the first night.

I've been on 3 prior cruises 1 with Carnival (1999 Fascination) and 2 with Celebrity (2002 Galaxy & 2004 Constellation). I enjoyed the food on Celebrity a lot more. We ate in the dining room every night except for Aruba and the first night when we had early seating. We switched that to late seating. We were glad because we ended up with GREAT tablemates. We ate breakfast in the dining room once and the Windjammer every day after. I liked the food there quite a bit it got progressively better. I never had a bad lunch up there!

I enjoyed the people, the crew, and activities on RCCL better. We're in our early 30's and this crowd had a good age range. We made lots of friends!

My friend liked the latin lounge, we're both Hispanic but she's more into the music than I am. There was a large Hispanic population on the ship (not just Puerto Rican's) and I felt like I was back home in NYC where I grew up. There were also a bunch of girls celebrating their 15th birthday as is done in the Hispanic culture.

We used the spa, I booked 2 massages and they were fabulous.

We had a aft balcony room on the 7th floor and the rocking lulled us to sleep very easily. Lots of naps were taken. My friend is prone to seasickness but she was fine she didn't have to use anything during the enitre cruise.

I had 2 no foam vanilla latte's from the Cafe Promenade and they were better than the ones I get at Starbucks. Totally worth the 3.75.

We had the tipping billed to our accounts and as a treat for our stateroom attendant, when we left him his envelope, we made him a towel animal! We left a note to explain that it was our attempt at a snake but we think he got a kick out of it.

Disembarkation was longer than Celebrity but no worse than Carnival. This one lady flipped out at the end with the customs officials, saying how we have been waiting like animals for 2 hours and she was going to call RCCL and blah blah blah. Whatever lady get over it. I thought it was very organized though a bit long but whatever. It's the worst part of cruising everyone knows that! Sometimes it's great, sometimes it really sucks. This was in the middle, it wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. Maybe she was just having a bad morning, who knows but I thought it was uncalled for. They're just doing their jobs like everyone else. We were group 2 and after breakfast we went to get off at around 9 and we made it to the airport by 11. I made my 12:15 flight back to DC without a problem. Security and checkin were a breeze.

Will I go on another RCCL cruise again? Absolutely.

Lourdes :-)

thanks for your review sounds like you had a great time

Glad you had a great time and thanks for the review. I can't wait for our trip next month.

Did you have any opinion of the cruise director and his staff?

We are sailing AOS on 9/10...How was the view from the balcony? I had heard that there was a lot of superstructure on the aft balcony. Did you experience these. Thanks for the great review.

The cruise director was Simeon (I forget his last name) and it was his last cruise. He and the staff were great. He was especially funny during Quest.

As for the balcony view, we were in 7668 (port side I believe) and our view was fine. I took many a picture from there.

Thanks for the review! We sail AOS for the first time next May, can't wait :D

Thank you for the review!! It gave me even more to look forward to on our March 2007 cruise!

How far is Carlos & Charlie's from the port in Aruba?

Thank you for the info on the balcony

Thank you for the review!! It gave me even more to look forward to on our March 2007 cruise!

 

How far is Carlos & Charlie's from the port in Aruba?

We were on the AOS in January - and I thought I saw Carlos and Charlies right AT the Port. I could be wrong about the name of the place, but it was hopping! It is my understanding that a lot of the crew party there as well. We didn't go in, but it did look like a fun place.

We are doing a back to back on the AOS in February. Love the ship and itinerary :D

you can see c&c from the ship...it is really close...a very short walk. it is funny to watch all the people who, uh, had too many beverages run back to the ship at 12:50 AM as they start taking the gangway down.....it is sooo funny, it is worth the price of the cruise!!!

lol

Carlos and Charlies is about a 5 minute walk. You can see it from the ship.

Hi Neighbor:

We were in cabin 7394 (JS Aft). This was our 11th RCL cruise and according to my kids (age 21 & 17) the best one yet!. As Diamond members, we were able to take advantage of the Concierge Lounge. In addition to a self service bar, we were able to book tour options and receive additional priority disembarking vouchures for the 5 guests traveling with our family.

Both my kids and their 3 friends went to Carlos & Charlies in Aruba which is less than a 5 minute walk from the ship.

In Aruba, we booked the DePalm Island Snorkle through RCL. For $45, we received all snorkle gear, admission to a brand new water park on DePalm Island complete with slides, water cannons, and a large bucket which dumps water on the crowd standing below, and a FULL LUNCH BUFFET complete with BBQ Chicken, Grilled Burgers, Hot Dogs and all the usual salads & fixins as well as free Pina Colotas, Soft Drinks and Draft Balashi Beer, none of which was included in the tour description provided by RCL.

In comparing the AOS (Voyager Class) with our last cruise on the Jewel of the Seas (Radiance Class) the only dissapointment on the AOS was the layout of the Windjammer. Jewel had Food Stations which cut down on the long buffet-style lines experienced on the AOS.

Portofinos was excellent but don't get the flourless chocolate cake unless you want to consume 2 days worth of calories in 1 dessert.

We have reservation at El Gaucho next week. How did you like it! Is it within walking distance from the ship?

The cruise director was Simeon (I forget his last name) and it was his last cruise.

Lourdes,

Did he say who would be replacing him?

Hi LRISR, We are going on Oct. 8 out of Newark, is this were you left from ? if so how was it with new TSA regulations, did you have to pack the liquor in your suitcases ? We have a 12pm return flight do you think we will have any problem making it. Also have a queston for Thompson4131, how far is DePalm island and was the transportation included in the price ? Thanks for your great review any and all info greatly appreciated.

Also have a queston for Thompson4131, how far is DePalm island and was the transportation included in the price ? Thanks for your great review any and all info greatly appreciated.

The price of $45 pp included all transportation...pick up at the pier on an Air Conditioned Bus, approx a 25 minute ride to the DePalm Island parking area, once there we boarded a ferry boat to the island (also included) and 3 hours on the island. The island has fresh water restrooms and 2 large pavillions where the food & bar is located. There were more than enough lounge chairs on the white sand beach with many located under shaded shelters.

RCL offers 2 tour times...8:30 & 12:30. I highly recommend taking the early time to get the best chairs. We were on the 8:30 tour and were back to the ship by 1:10 which leaves plenty of time for shopping etc.

El Gaucho was fabulous. You have to take a cab, definitely not walking distance and it's in an out of the way place.

I left from Dulles in Virginia (I live in MD) but my best friend left out of Newark and she said everything was very quick. No problems at all.

I packed liquor in my luggage. I brought bubble wrap, plastic bags and used my old luggage tags for tape! I packed them in the middle of my luggage with clothes underneath and all around. All bottles were intact when I arrived!

When you first check-in, you have to fill out a form for your departure time which should help with your disembarkation.

I don't know who was replacing Simeon, sorry.

Carlos & Charlies is as close to the ship as everyone says. I wish we had spent more time there, it was getting really good just as we were leaving.

This is my second time to Aruba, in 1998 I spent 10 days there. I would go again and head over to DePalm island I've heard so many good things about that place.

Lourdes :-)

Lourdes,

I'm going to be in a cabin near yours in 5 weeks. How did you like your stateroom attendant? I told my wife about you leaving the "snake." We will attempt to do the same in case we have the same person.

Tim

Lourdes,

THANK YOU for posting your review. I board the AOS for the first time in a few weeks & although I was going to book the Aruba Sailaway Beach & Snorkel, I may switch it now to the DePalm Island Snorkel. That sounds like a much better value & my hubby is a sucker for the water parks!

~Kristie

Tim,

Our stateroom attendant was fine. He was very nice. His name is Humberto and I think he was from Honduras. I saw him one day coming back from port out of his uniform and he waved at me. I waved back but I had no idea who was waving for a minute then I said "Oh that was our stateroom attendant!"

Thanks for the review.....!! Can't wait for our turn !!

What is the name of the Latin Club onboard????

I think it's just called the Latin Lounge and I believe it's on Deck 4 by the casino. They often have a live band playing and they're pretty good.

Were you on team #4 with DENTURE MAN?

No but wasn't he a freakin RIOT???? I have never laughed so hard especially after Simeon made the comments about the grape smuggling. I was on Team 17.