Adventure of the Seas - Southern Caribbean

[zinman]

Just back yesterday from a wonderful cruise on Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan. We did the itinerary including Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten and St. Thomas. Since there are so many reviews already out there, I won't write another one but am happy to answer any questions about the ship, ports, etc.

[roosterhead]

What did you do in Aruba? and Curaco? What room where you in? +'s? m-'s? will be on her in 3 weeks.

[sadie8]

We were on the Adventure a few weeks ago. Loved it so much we are going to do the other itinerary in 2007. I know you didn't ask me but in Aruba we did Jolly Pirates and made our reservations through their website, in Curacao went shopped a little and went to Kontiki Beach Club at the Seaquarium Beach. The color of the water was absolutely amazing, would go back in a minute.

[zinman]

In Aruba we did Palm Beach on our own. We paid $6/chair but we had them under a palm tree and didn't have to rent an umbrealla. My husband and one of our daughers did the jet skis and loved it. There was another water activity where people sit in inner tubes and are pulled by a speedboat. That lopked like al lot of fun. The water in the Caribbean is amazing - I would defiinitely recommend a beach excursion at least once. At night we just walked around downtown and checked out a couple of the casinos. We had a drink at one of the second story bars that looks out over the main drag which was nice.

 

In Curacao we took the ferry over to Punda and shopped. If you go past the two block radius where the ferry lets off, it's defintiely more geared to the locals' shoppping. The building front area of Punda is so pretty. My husband took a bunch of digital pictures on his own and doctoring them up on the computer to be framed - very pretty. There was a local on the way back to the ship with a huge snake around his neck. He was trying to get people to take pictures with him for money. Kind of creepy as far as I'm concerned but derfintley somethng interesting to see. The best photo op with the ship is in Curacao - as you walk from the ship toward the ferry there several areas to take a pciture with the Adventure n the background. Our tablemeates did the cave tour in Curacao which they said was impressive but extremely hot.

 

Let me know if you need more specifics. This is our fourth cruise in a row (per year), and I learn something new each time.

[baabtx]

Zinman - It truly was a great cruise - a few glitches onboard regarding communication in the fitness facility - but that was about it! Thought the Quinciniera being celebrated on-board was pretty cool as well - very lucky young ladies from the Dominican Republic.

 

Oh and yes - the snake was VERY CREEPY!

[zinman]

I didn't use the fitness center - brought my stuff but somehow never got around to it! It was a really fun cruise - I love the mega ships. I didn't even notice the snake at first. My husband said I walked within a few inches of it and didn't notice it until we were further away. Yuck. But I guess it's part of the whole experience of being in a totally different environment from home.

 

I didn't see the girls the night of their big celebration, but my husband saw the captain posing with each and every one for a picture. Very cool. My kids' 15 year old birthday celebrations are held outside on our deck with hamburgers and hot dogs - not quite the same!

[packed-n-ready]

Zinman,

Can you tell me in your opinion which side of the ship would be the best to be on. We are booked on the right (starboard) side now, but have a chance to still change it to the other side. We have a balcony and enjoy

watching people coming and going off the ship and seeing all the buildings

in port. So, inother words, the side facing everything that is going on.

Thanks,

[zinman]

I'll ask my husband and kids and get back to you. They have a better memory than I do as to which way the ship was facing the different ports. We had interior cabins, but the next time I would like a balcony and like you be on the side where the action is. It's a good question. We met some people on the cruise who had a balcony and said they enjoyed watching all the people scrambling to get back to the ship as it got close to pulling out time at each of the ports! That was us in St. Maarten - got back in the nick of time. I don't like cutting it that close. I'll post another reply later.

[LizC]

We had a wonderful time on Adventure. Loved it so much we booked two more cruises with RCCL.:)

[florie]

Thanks for the great info. Who is the current cruise director and was he/she good?

[Madkitty]

id be interested as well about the best side as we have starboard booked

[Madkitty]

Zinman,

Can you tell me in your opinion which side of the ship would be the best to be on. We are booked on the right (starboard) side now, but have a chance to still change it to the other side. We have a balcony and enjoy

watching people coming and going off the ship and seeing all the buildings

in port. So, inother words, the side facing everything that is going on.

Thanks,

 

LOL Benni you'll be able to tell me as we go a week after you get back :eek:

[mjyanne]

id be interested as well about the best side as we have starboard booked

 

I just returned from AoS (did the Barbados/St Lucia/Antigua route). We were in 7264 and we had a port view everyday except when in Antigua. The ship docked on the opposite side of the pier. I enjoyed being on the balcony watching everyone return and even got a few shots (with a zoom lens) of my DW & DS returning to the ship without them knowing it.

 

BTW, Richard Spacey is the CD and he is funny and very energetic.

[rotty2]

On the AOS Aruba route, port side is facing the town/action in Aruba and Curacao when you are docked. In St. Maarten port side faces some beautiful scenery as you pull in to the island (if you are up at that time), but then the ship backs in to the dock and port side is then facing the loading docks. In St. Thomas, starboard side faces havensight, but we have some awesome pictures from our balcony of some local houses on the hills from port side.

I can also say that after being on AOS three times, with the 8/13/06 sailing being the most recent voyage , that Richard Spacey was WAY better than the other 2 CD's that we had. I was surprised that it made a difference to me but it did. He put much more energy into it than the others. Enjoy your cruises!:D

[packed-n-ready]

Thanks Rotty2,

It sounds like a split. So we will stay on the starboard side, but I moved

to a higher floor to get the glass on the balcony railing. The 6th floor is

all solid.

[zinman]

The cruise director the week of August 13 was Simeon Baker, but he was going on vacation right after that cruise. He was ok but we liked him the least out of all the cruise directors we've had. He was just a little pompous or something. We loved Richard Spacey on a cruise a few years back. If you get him, you'll be very happy.

[rotty2]

The cruise director the week of August 13 was Simeon Baker, but he was going on vacation right after that cruise. He was ok but we liked him the least out of all the cruise directors we've had. He was just a little pompous or something. We loved Richard Spacey on a cruise a few years back. If you get him, you'll be very happy.

I agree with you completely. As I stated above, I was on the same 8/13 sailing. Simeon was also our worst CD. He really just seemed to be "going through the motions". We had Spacey last year and sailed the same week in August as this year. I also don't think I would sail on the same ship two years in a row again. Something was just "missing" after the cruise was over. We had never been to Aruba before and had previously sailed the other route on AOS two times, including last year. We decided to give her a shot again and do the Aruba route this year. It did help to know some of the bartenders/ bar staff though, as I never had a weak drink the entire cruise.;)

[yogibear]

I just booked for the sailing on 4/20/2008. Didn't want to leave it to the last minute:rolleyes:.

Which pier does Adventure dock at? Pier in OSJ or at the Pan American pier??

 

I'm looking forward to this trip as I want to return to Aruba!!..........Karen

[zinman]

Pan am pier.

[triciafromnj]

Just back yesterday from a wonderful cruise on Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan. We did the itinerary including Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten and St. Thomas. Since there are so many reviews already out there, I won't write another one but am happy to answer any questions about the ship, ports, etc.

 

Were the pools open when you were in port? Did you stay in Puerto RIco before the cruise?

[zinman]

Yes pools and most public areas were open including Windjammer - we got on the ship around 1:30 p.m. We did stay in San Juan the night before at the Courtyard Marriott Miramar - very nice hotel and restaurant. We took a cab to the pier in the morning, dropped off our luggage, and took a cab into old San Juan and did some sightseeing and shopping. It worked out really well.

[dachshunddoglover]

I would love to go on this sailing so bad but am a little concerned about going in to San Juan. How much were the flights? Was the airport friendly to manage? Where did you stay the night before the cruise? thanks so much!

[Nurse Daybreak]

I think is changes occasionally as we were had port cabins and when we pulled into St Marteen we were docked so that I was looking at town and the pier we were docked at. The starboard side was looking at the loading docks.

[rotty2]

I think is changes occasionally as we were had port cabins and when we pulled into St Marteen we were docked so that I was looking at town and the pier we were docked at. The starboard side was looking at the loading docks.

That's interesting. Were you on AOS (Voyager class)at the time? The Captain, on our sailing, made such a big deal about how the AOS had no dents in it and how we would be backing in to dock in St. Maarten.

[zinman]

I would love to go on this sailing so bad but am a little concerned about going in to San Juan. How much were the flights? Was the airport friendly to manage? Where did you stay the night before the cruise? thanks so much!

 

We had no problem at the San Juan airport. We flew out of Newark, NJ, one day after the London terrorist plot was exposed and literally had no wait at luggage check-in or security in Newark. Same when we flew out of San Juan a week later after the cruise. Maybe we got lucky but it was really a breeze. We got to the airport in San Juan about 3-1/2 hours early after getting off the ship (which did take quite a long time even though we were in the group getting off first). We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Miramar the night before the cruise.