ADVENTURE/ABC's Aug 20-27,2016 REVIEW w/lots of photos

[Hoopster95]

The views through the gun turret towers are incredible, as are the 360 degree views from various areas of the upper level of the fort. Besides the views you see below, there are even plenty more areas I did not get to on this trip that are at the lower level gardens and around the wall itself. Like El Morro, I would pan for 3 hours here to see most of everything. 2 hours is pretty quick and having been there before I knew where to go when we entered.

 

 

 

 

And from the top level you also get a great view of the bay with Plaza Colon (and our hotel) on the right, the Old San Juan cruise Pier center, and Pan American Pier between the buildings on the left... with a peek-a-boo view of Adventure through the buildings.

 

 

 

 

 

It was 95 degrees and humid, we were reeeeeally hot and wanted to complete our visit here and get back to the hotel for our luggage. In fact, we did all of the above in 2 hours and began our exit out of the fort at approximately 11am, but not before one last cheesy pic at the exit... betcha can't tell which one is me! lol

 

[Hoopster95]

I really want to visit the ABC islands. An itinerary that includes stops at each of those islands will most likely be the next cruise I will book, so I am looking forwzrd to following your review. I've already bookmarked Barefoot on the Beach in Aruba! :D

 

Great picture from San Juan!

 

Thx for following :D

A word of advice (for you and everyone I guess....)

The ABC's are not ports to get off, walk around port within 2 blocks for an hour to shop at Diamond's International, and then get back on to the ship to complain that the port is boring and there's nothing to do. As you will see in this review, the islands are INCREDIBLE!!! But you have to leave the port, you have to be adventurous and put some effort into the day you are there as much as you can possibly do. :)

[Hoopster95]

We headed out and decided that we still had an hour before check out at the hotel, so we waited for the free trolley for a couple of minutes. There were others waiting as well and they said they had been waiting for a while. Being low season, and not seeing many other tourists at all anywhere, I had definitely not seen many trolleys whatsoever like I had during my other prime month visits. So we decided to go on foot. With a decent pace, you can walk the 7-8 blocks east to west from San Cristobal to El Morro in 15 minutes... this is the same distance to the San Juan Gate and boardwalk which we had not visited yet, so we decided to make that our final walk around Old San Juan to the San Juan Gate.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g147320-d148184-Reviews-San_Juan_Gate-San_Juan_Puerto_Rico.html

 

 

 

 

From the San Juan gate you can see the walking/jogging path that extends out to the base of El Morro. The other direction takes you on a short distance back under the Fortaleza to the Paseo del La Princesa and the Raices Fountain

 

 

 

 

[Hoopster95]

Getting back to the hotel at 11:45, we gathered our things, checked out, and a taxi was called for us. Taxi fare was $12 + tip from the Cervantes Hotel... note the traffic was very little, much less fuss getting around old town compared to the last couple of times. Within 10 minutes, we were on the back road that leads to the pier entrance and I got my first glimpses of the Adventure!

 

 

 

 

I've read various reports of horrible embarkation experiences to great experiences... and everything in between. I found it relatively easy, but also had access to the D+/suite line which when I arrived was in fact shorter and had a priority over the regular line. There was a separate bag drop area for suite guests... I was only a JS, and I did ask them specifically... they said no problem and grabbed my bags. I went through the suite line of security and also at the check-in desk. There was about a 15min delay outside to get into the security area.

 

 

 

 

All in all it took maybe 1/2 hour from the time I stepped out of the taxi to the time I stepped onto deck 4 of the ship. And in no time we were up in the WindJammer enjoying our first meal looking out aft at the San Juan skyline

 

 

[Hoopster95]

Cabins were not ready until 2pm, but I think this is a good spot to mention my cabin rather than start my usual ship tour that I do in all my reviews.

 

I had booked this sailing about 65 days in advance ("last minute"), got an amazing JS rate I just could not pass up on a W GTY. After a week I was assigned a very forward JS on deck 9. There were a total of about 11 JS's available, including a couple of aft JS's dead center on 7 so I called to change. I immediately started googling for images and video of deck 7 aft JS's, as well as reading CC reviews (Bonnie Voyager posts amongst so many others) on these cabins and was worried about the super structure "obstruction" regarding site lines.

 

Amazingly, another week after that, the cabin that I ended up in came available out of the blue (I checked everyday). I emailed Merion_Mom for advice right away as I know she has a ton of experience with these aft cabins on Voyager... thanks to her she quickly emailed me back in her usual style.... with emphatic bold capital letters!!! lol YES YES YES BOOK IT! lol :p:D

 

So I again called to change.... thank you Merion_mom. 100% the right move for sure! You saved me from a bad choice. Once I show you all pictures, you may see what I mean. I think I would have been seriously disappointed on deck 7 aft unless it was a corner aft.

 

I'll end tonight's installment with this video just as my camera battery was dying when I entered my cabin for the very first time.... enjoy!

 

[YOUTUBE]2PCdl3DgF7s[/YOUTUBE]

[Ocean Boy]

Thx for following :D

A word of advice (for you and everyone I guess....)

The ABC's are not ports to get off, walk around port within 2 blocks for an hour to shop at Diamond's International, and then get back on to the ship to complain that the port is boring and there's nothing to do. As you will see in this review, the islands are INCREDIBLE!!! But you have to leave the port, you have to be adventurous and put some effort into the day you are there as much as you can possibly do. :)

 

I completely agree with this. I find the part of Aruba opposite of the port to be fascinating. The topography is so different from other Caribbean islands. The same is true with Curacao though I do find the port area there very nice to walk around. I just have to get to Bonaire now. The most I have seen of this island are lights in the distance as we sailed by at night.

[Clarea]

I completely agree with this. I find the part of Aruba opposite of the port to be fascinating. The topography is so different from other Caribbean islands. The same is true with Curacao though I do find the port area there very nice to walk around. I just have to get to Bonaire now. The most I have seen of this island are lights in the distance as we sailed by at night.

If you enjoy snorkeling at all, Bonaire is not to be missed.

[cyntil8ing]

Yep, thx Bob! :)

murhpy4, further to Bob's answer, any ship that home ports in San Juan uses Pan American Pier. Ships which visit San Juan for a day use the Old San Juan pier. I assume that could change in the future, but for now that's the way it is.

 

As far as I know only Celebrity and Royal Caribbean use the Pan American pier for embarkation. Carnival ships, currently Fascination, use the Old San Juan pier. I think NCL, Disney and the smaller lines do too.

[Ocean Boy]

As far as I know only Celebrity and Royal Caribbean use the Pan American pier for embarkation. Carnival ships, currently Fascination, use the Old San Juan pier. I think NCL, Disney and the smaller lines do too.

 

Princess uses the Pan Am pier also.

[ckrobyn]

Princess uses the Pan Am pier also.

 

You are very difficult to track down :rolleyes: Long time.......:o

[Ocean Boy]

You are very difficult to track down :rolleyes: Long time.......:o

 

YOU are the one who seems to have had disappeared. I've had a great summer. It will be over soon and it is getting to be about time now to think about heading to the Caribbean.:)

[Russ Lomas]

Keep up the great review and keep the photos coming...We have not been to the ABC islands yet but it is high on our list of places to visit. We do have a 9 day cruise on the Navigator booked that hits those three islands next year. Hopefully, we will not have to cancel it due to work.

[Daycare Provider]

DING DING DING!!! Well done Daycare re the fort in St. Marten :D

I'll have full reviews and more great photos when I get to those days.

Re-capping the photos

 

(1)

This photo is taken on the eastbound on-ramp onto the Queen Juliana bridge in Curacao, with a great view of Otrabanda & Punda below. I've seen a few things posted in the past... there is a walking path, there isn't a walking path, there is space to pull over and take picture, there isn't a place, etc etc etc... well, I've got the 100% goods in this review and I'll provide photos. This isn't an official pullover spot as my car was hanging over the shoulder about 1/3 width. I pulled in behind another tourist taxi who was in front of me as I got onto the ramp and thought what the heck... he's partially blocking the lane, so I will also really fast to snap a few pics. As I finished taking pics, another car pulled in behind me and stopped to take pics.

 

 

 

(2)

This is the dinner on the beach experience at Barefoot Beach.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g147248-d1883689-r115141913-Barefoot_Restaurant-Oranjestad_Aruba.html

http://www.barefootaruba.com/

It's a 5 min $10 cab from the pier and worth every penny to enjoy this atmosphere with my toes in the sand! Aruba's airport is extremely close by and you also get to enjoy the "Maho Beach" effect with low flying landings just down the beach from here. All in all one of my favorite memories on this trip and an extremely great evening. Like Marmelade in San Juan, reservations are a must for sunset dinner... the restaurant was full (on a Wednesday evening) with only one ship in port.

(Btw, this photo is with my regular hand held point-and-shoot Sony with lens and flash issues!!! No photo-shopping, editing, nothing! This is really what we saw sitting there having dinner)

 

 

 

(3)

Another one of my favorite memories of the trip is the hour'ish we spent up at Fort St. Louis, looking over the town of Marigot and Simpson's Bay in St Marten. I have not seen an RCL (or private for that matter) that says you get to spend time here. It's not a massive fort, and there's really no exhibits or anything... very raw place, but just totally gorgeous up there with the view in all directions.

 

 

:DHot dog i never win anything...yippeeeeeee

 

I noticed in one of your pictures of the Fort, the flags were at half mast. What was the occassion?

 

I am loving this reveiw, as I will be doing the southern route with stops inSt. Kitts and St. Thomas

[Daycare Provider]

The plague is beautiful up close. I remember it being close to the front by the alter on the left..]

[Mamacane71]

loving your report. Thanks for posting!

[Hoopster95]

If you enjoy snorkeling at all, Bonaire is not to be missed.

 

I One million % agree. I did the Woodwind tour again, the best there is. I'll be posting that in Day 4

 

 

 

As far as I know only Celebrity and Royal Caribbean use the Pan American pier for embarkation. Carnival ships, currently Fascination, use the Old San Juan pier. I think NCL, Disney and the smaller lines do too.

 

Ugh! I'm wrong... you're totally correct. My bad for that wrong info.

[Hoopster95]

I noticed in one of your pictures of the Fort, the flags were at half mast. What was the occassion?

 

I am loving this reveiw, as I will be doing the southern route with stops inSt. Kitts and St. Thomas

 

I asked the ranger at El Morro and he didn't know! :confused:

I totally forgot about it the next morning at Cristobal.

 

If you're doing St Thomas & St Kitts, then you miss Bonaire on that 7 day itinerary I believe. No worries there.... I feel that the island overall as a whole is not as interesting at all as Aruba or Curacao

[Hoopster95]

As you can see from the video from last night's final post previous page, I scored aft JS 1694 on deck 10...

 

 

 

Truthfully I didn't know what to expect. The storage was crazy with the walk-in closet and full length dressers with a ton of drawers... I could've brought my whole wardrobe no problem

 

 

 

 

This cabin is HUGE compared to other JS's, I didn't know what to do with all that space.

 

 

 

This is a connecting cabin. I've stayed in a connecting PR cabin before and encountered noise problems from next door. The PR had a single door... not this JS. The connecting door here is a double with space in the middle. There was a family next door with kids and we heard nothing.

 

 

 

And of course the standard JS tub rather than the standard circular shower.

 

 

 

Merion_mom mentioned that she sailed in this cabin (on Navigator I think) with two other girlfriends and she said it was more than ample for the three of them... so true easily 3 adults would be comfortable for sure. You can easily have a family of 4 in here no problem with the large pull out sofa and all the storage. And the balcony is killer as well!...

[Hoopster95]

I think it's really worth mentioning this tip now that we will be talking about balconies:

 

This is the only itinerary I have encountered that I feel is a must to book a balcony on the port side and not starboard.

 

All ABC piers the ship approach the pier from left to right, and then do not reverse to get out... the ship continues left to right, as a car does when entering and then leaving a circular driveway (in one side, out the other).

So the port side I believe will always face land - starboard will face the sea. Not only that, the last time I viewed Adventure in St. Marten (from Quantum) Adventure was facing out, not this time. Adventure faced in this time and thus all 4 ports the port side balconies had the best views of the pier and ports of call.

 

 

Now back to my balcony here in 1694....

 

 

 

I had read so many reviews, both in favor of and against these Voyager aft cabins... and now I fully understand why and I have my own opinions. Unless you're in a corner aft, you have no direct downward view of the ocean at all. In fact, you see the balconies both decks 9 and 8 below you. The lower deck you go, the less angle you have to "clear" the huge blue deck that protrudes out the the aft of the ship. So those in deck 6 & 7 right in the center will only see this huge blue deck underneath them for a very long ways, but no ocean at all. There are some photos if you google them and there are some here on CC. Now that I have seen and experienced this cabin, I know I will never book anything lower than deck 9 I don't think unless it's a deal I can't refuse, or an upgrade/upsell to a JS.

 

 

 

 

Having said that, this balcony is ginormous! Easily fitting two loungers, two chairs, two tables... and more than enough room to move them around how you please

 

 

 

This balcony is fully covered, there is no sun whatsoever. I felt no wind at all, even on sea days when were were moving at 18 knots. The Windjammer is immediately above... I did hear twice movement of chairs/tables/whathaveyou up above me in the early hours of the morning but went back to sleep... I wear ear plugs. If you are a light sleeper, this could be of great concern to you.

 

 

 

Deck 10 would have the least amount of obstruction from the rear super structure of the ship. Having said that, I was blessed to have had the opportunity to sail on Vision in a wrap around corner aft JS 8588 in 2013 to these same ABC islands... if you were to offer me that Vision cabin vs. this cabin on Adventure, I would take the Vision aft every time. I suspect the Radiance afts are equally as awesome without the superstructure. I think to really be more knowledgeable I need to try a side JS in order to compare apples with apples on the same class of ship.

But heck... this was an aft balcony and it was awesome nonetheless!!!

 

[Clarea]

I One million % agree. I did the Woodwind tour again, the best there is. I'll be posting that in Day 4....

We did Woodwind for the second time this past January and it was even better than the first time.:)

[Hoopster95]

There have been plenty of outstanding Voyager Class reviews in the past with many many incredible photos... I hope to add maybe some photos that are not "normally" shared on-line... you know, the standard three tier shot as soon as you enter the dining room looking up at the chandelier, a photo that everyone has! So with no explanations needed of the MDR, hope you enjoy the photos

 

 

 

 

 

[cyntil8ing]

We did Woodwind for the second time this past January and it was even better than the first time.:)

 

Another Woodwind fan here too! But last year, we simply took a ferry over to the island, walked down as far as we wanted and then drift snorkeled back. It was pretty awesome too, and cheaper.

[Hoopster95]

The Strauss Dining Room (also My Time) had a different color scheme of chairs and furniture than the other two decks. I suspect this will be updated during the drydock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, ok, ok!!!!! One final gratuitous deck 3 shot looking up at the chandelier lol!

 

[Hoopster95]

Another Woodwind fan here too! But last year, we simply took a ferry over to the island, walked down as far as we wanted and then drift snorkeled back. It was pretty awesome too, and cheaper.

 

Nice! I thought about that with the water taxi...

the only negative for me is not having Alejandro around taking professional photos from the Woodwind tour, he's awesome and incredibly reasonable priced for the CD of photos you get from Woodwind. I'll share some of the pro photos I received as well

[Hoopster95]

Well, Studio B made me famous again this cruise as I was "the chick" made up at the finally of Quest yet again lol! Man, was I hot!!! lol... but that's another story and I'll speak about the Quest later in the review (by the way, the best Quest I've seen in a couple of years, a few different activities, a lot more risque than has been lately, and with video replays!!! Great Quest)