Live from San Juan - Adventure of the Seas

[lauraodonnell86]

Thanks for the live review! You are doing a great job! We sail from San Juan in January on Jewel so it's interesting to hear the status of PR. Enjoy your cruise!

[printingchick]

Have done the Paddles excursion on Antigua twice, many years apart, and loved it both times. It's a GREAT value, well worth the cost. So glad to hear you enjoyed it as well!

[Darcy03231]

Your M&M is at night? Wow, this is the first I have heard of it being held at night - hope it is the same on ours :confused:

 

Yes, it was Monday night at 5 pm at Blue Moon.

[Darcy03231]

Yesterday. Was our stop in Martinique. We didn’t book an excursion here and just got off the ship and walked around town. We got a map of the points of interest from the ship. It was definitely the hottest day we had. Contrary to what we read ahead of time, no one was rude, plenty of people spoke English, and they took dollars. The exchange rate is .86 eu = $1, so they make .14 per dollar, but for us it was close enough for small stuff. If I were buying a high ticket item here I’d use a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees. We spoke with people who did a kayaking excursion here and ones that did a sea turtle on and they all enjoyed their excursions.

 

Since yesterday was Halloween, the ship was completely decorated! There was a party on the Promenade and a lot of people were in costume. There were some pretty creative people on board.

 

We saw the theater show, Jackpot, which wasn’t very good. Having just sailed on NCL two months ago it’s been pretty easy to compare and RCL is falling short here.

 

We’ve continued to meet people from PR and I’m amazed at how resilient they are. No one we’ve met has had power since Maria and one family hasn’t had it since Irma. They have no plans to leave their country as it is home. Whatever resources they have are shared with family and friends. The cruise has been a welcome break for them,

 

We’ve arrived in St. Lucia which is going to be a ship day for us. I’m looking forward to some pool time!

[lifetime_learner]

Following - Heading that way in December

[BillOh]

Following!

We are 2 weeks behind you.

Fantastic to hear that the airport has AC :)

 

 

In this situation, it will be interesting to see what difference 2 weeks makes. For once, I'm glad I have 6 months till my cruise.

[clochette]

The exchange rate is .86 eu = $1, so they make .14 per dollar,!

 

 

This is the actual exchange rate they did not make any money on it. So it really is not worth it to exchange money ahead of time.

[kayehall]

Friends of mine are sailing with you!! Calm seas and blue skies!!!

[Darcy03231]

This is the actual exchange rate they did not make any money on it. So it really is not worth it to exchange money ahead of time.

 

If something was 1 euro and we gave $1 we didn’t get change back, so they did make money on the transaction. For small dollar amounts it wasn’t worth the hassle of using a credit card.

[BoyntonBeth]

If something was 1 euro and we gave $1 we didn’t get change back, so they did make money on the transaction. For small dollar amounts it wasn’t worth the hassle of using a credit card.

You've got it backwards. 1 Euro is more than $1USD. You made money on the deal.

[Darcy03231]

You've got it backwards. 1 Euro is more than $1USD. You made money on the deal.

 

Now I like Martinique even more!

 

Yesterday was St. Lucia. We planned a ship day and it was a good thing because I came down with a cold. We spent most of the day out on our balcony and I napped out there for a good part of the day.

 

Today is Barbados and we booked a catamaran trip with Silver Moon.

[lauraodonnell86]

Now I like Martinique even more!

 

Yesterday was St. Lucia. We planned a ship day and it was a good thing because I came down with a cold. We spent most of the day out on our balcony and I napped out there for a good part of the day.

 

Today is Barbados and we booked a catamaran trip with Silver Moon.

 

Awww, I'm sorry you are sick. Being sick on vacation is the worst!! :( Feel better for Barbados! It's one of our favorites!

[kruise runner]

Hi Darcy

You have an excellent review . It is good to hear how San Juan is bouncing back . And how the people are dealing with everything. Hopefully they will have things back on track by Feb or Mar, when we sail . We have enjoyed your review and are waiting for more. Happy cruising:D

kruise kat , kruise runner

[Russ Lomas]

We saw the theater show, Jackpot, which wasn’t very good. Having just sailed on NCL two months ago it’s been pretty easy to compare and RCL is falling short here.

I think it really depends on which RCCL ship you are on. We were blown away by the productions shows on the Oasis, Allure, and Liberty of the Seas. The smaller ships do not the the quality of shows that the "smaller" ships like the Adventure get. Looks like your NCL sailing was on the Escape, which would be the biggest and best that NCL offers. I am sure if you were on one of the older smaller NCL ships, the experience you had on the Adventure would be comparable.

[luv2cruise391]

Lifeboat drill - what time was it? Will be on her in 2 weeks and wondering about dining time reservations.

[Darcy03231]

I think it really depends on which RCCL ship you are on. We were blown away by the productions shows on the Oasis, Allure, and Liberty of the Seas. The smaller ships do not the the quality of shows that the "smaller" ships like the Adventure get. Looks like your NCL sailing was on the Escape, which would be the biggest and best that NCL offers. I am sure if you were on one of the older smaller NCL ships, the experience you had on the Adventure would be comparable.

 

I’m sure that’s true, but we were on the Carnival Freedom last fall which is about the same size and were really impressed with the quality of the entertainment. There have been some good things on the Adventure. We liked the comedian and the Beatles tribute. I do find that we miss having a nightly comedy club.

[Darcy03231]

Lifeboat drill - what time was it? Will be on her in 2 weeks and wondering about dining time reservations.

 

There are two, one at 5:45 and one at 8:15.

[kayehall]

There are two, one at 5:45 and one at 8:15.

 

 

Are you assigned a time or can you pick which one to go to? Hope you are feeling better. Maybe you will run into my friends, Steve and Barb Schoonerman:cool:

[Darcy03231]

Yesterday was our day in Barbados. I booked a catamaran/snorkeling trip through Silver Moon. We were on the Silver Moon II, a sailing catamaran. They only take 12 people (we had 11). We both agreed it was the best catamaran trip we’ve ever taken. They took us to snorkel with the turtles, then to a shipwreck, and a coral reef. We had a fabulous lunch on board featuring freshly caught and grilled Marlin and BBQ chicken. We then sailed to a beach for some beach/swim time. Total tour time was about 5 hours.

 

Last night was our 2nd formal night. Dinner was the best meal we’ve had this week in the dining room. I had the prime rib and DH had the lobster. After dinner we made our nightly donation to the Casino.

 

We did see a family who looked like they were having a Quincerina party. I imagine that would be hard to do in PR right now. I’m happy the young lady and her family were able to do this for her as I’m sure it was a very special night for their family.

[Borrillje]

Yesterday. Was our stop in Martinique. We didn’t book an excursion here and just got off the ship and walked around town. We got a map of the points of interest from the ship. It was definitely the hottest day we had. Contrary to what we read ahead of time, no one was rude, plenty of people spoke English, and they took dollars. The exchange rate is .86 eu = $1, so they make .14 per dollar, but for us it was close enough for small stuff. If I were buying a high ticket item here I’d use a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees. We spoke with people who did a kayaking excursion here and ones that did a sea turtle on and they all enjoyed their excursions.

 

Since yesterday was Halloween, the ship was completely decorated! There was a party on the Promenade and a lot of people were in costume. There were some pretty creative people on board.

 

We saw the theater show, Jackpot, which wasn’t very good. Having just sailed on NCL two months ago it’s been pretty easy to compare and RCL is falling short here.

 

We’ve continued to meet people from PR and I’m amazed at how resilient they are. No one we’ve met has had power since Maria and one family hasn’t had it since Irma. They have no plans to leave their country as it is home. Whatever resources they have are shared with family and friends. The cruise has been a welcome break for them,

 

We’ve arrived in St. Lucia which is going to be a ship day for us. I’m looking forward to some pool time!

 

Hi!

I'm curious about Martinique. Did you see any taxis or tour companies waiting for people to walk off the ship and hire them for the day? We don't have anything booked there for our December stop. I prefer to use local guides, but I've been concerned about the language barrier. I've also read that there aren't a lot of people waiting at the pier who can be hired on the spot for a day tour.

Thanks!

[Darcy03231]

Hi!

I'm curious about Martinique. Did you see any taxis or tour companies waiting for people to walk off the ship and hire them for the day? We don't have anything booked there for our December stop. I prefer to use local guides, but I've been concerned about the language barrier. I've also read that there aren't a lot of people waiting at the pier who can be hired on the spot for a day tour.

Thanks!

 

I didn’t see many, but I really wasn’t looking for them. They did warn us on board that some of the drivers know enough English to get you in the cab but not enough for a tour. Some people from our roll call booked private tours ahead of time.

[BillOh]

Are you assigned a time or can you pick which one to go to? Hope you are feeling better. Maybe you will run into my friends, Steve and Barb Schoonerman:cool:

 

 

From memory. Most people automatically get assigned to the first one. A small percentage of people could still be boarding then, so they hold that for people who are late boarding, and I would guess if you skipped the first one, they would come find you.

[Atlantix2000]

If you are already on the ship, you will have to take part in the 5:45 PM (5:30?) muster drill. Every facility on the ship shuts down and employees will usher you towards your muster station. Stateroom attendants make sure all cabins are empty and there will even be crew at every staircase landing to keep you from wandering back to other parts of the ship. You might be able to hide in a bathroom but why? Dinner service is scheduled a half hour later than normal on the first night to accommodate the muster drill. The later (8:15 PM) drill is only meant for those passengers who boarded after the main muster has started.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

No, it was our 5th. We were canceled out at Embassy Suites, La Concha, AC Hotel and Coral by the Sea.

So AC canceled on you after you called 4 to 5 different times? That is crazy.

 

Glad you found another place to stay.

 

Bill

 

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

[Darcy03231]

Today was our sea day. We really didn’t do much other than hang out on the balcony as I’m still fighting this cold. We did go to the ice show that was very good. We also went to the casino. I had a voucher for $5 and walked out with $42 so I was happy.

 

We’re mostly packed, just a few things to pack up in the morning. Here are a few thoughts about our week:

 

We couldn’t have asked for better weather. Sunny skies and calm seas.

All of our excursions were great. We really enjoyed all the islands.

We love this ship. We both think it’s our favorite to date. We tend to like the smaller ships.

Service has been excellent. Everyone is eager to please and make sure you have a great trip.

Entertainment has ranged from very good to poor. It’s just been hit or miss.

The food has been our biggest disappointment. While the food in the specialty restaurants is exceptional, the main dining room has not been very good with the exception of last nights prime rib and the lobster. It’s been more like cafeteria food. The buffet has been pretty much the same thing every day. Salad bar, some type of beef stew, fish with a different sauce, rice, mashed potato, gravy, fried chicken, tacos, burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. There’s been no daily theme.

 

Overall, we’ve really enjoyed ourselves, but after two weeks are ready to go home.