Review: Adventure of the Seas - "Because this will NEVER happen again"

[wolfganghowell]

Where'd he go?

[CruisinMama2003]

1 hour ago, wolfganghowell said:

Where'd he go?

I was wondering the same thing! Its been a few days at least. Maybe hes on another cruise 🤣

[prekteacher]

So enjoying your review and can't wait until you get time to continue.  Your pictures at Coco Cay are incredible.  The first and only time we have been to Coco Cay was in November of 2009.  It was our first cruise.   I have a fantastic picture with my two girls, a cruise favorite to this day.  We've missed Coco Cay since its renovation twice due to the weather and pandemic.  Now my girls are both leaving for Japan for 3 years and it will have to wait.  Your review is wonderful and you will look back and really see just how 'perfect' it was as the years go by.  

 

Thank you again,

Barbara

[RCCL Fan]

On 7/10/2021 at 10:29 AM, kruzinkel said:

Glad to see you back on a ship, Wayne.  Memphis misses you!

Aww thank you so much!   I miss Memphis too!   Where in the 901 are you guys?

[RCCL Fan]

5 hours ago, CruisinMama2003 said:

I was wondering the same thing! Its been a few days at least. Maybe hes on another cruise 🤣

 

So sorry been a little under the weather, and we had a busy weekend.    Next post written, I'm adding the photos now and will have it up tonight.   I promise to speed it up!

[Mary5625]

Yea

[RCCL Fan]

Day 4 At Sea

 

 

 

I'm not a big fan of cruises that don't start with a sea day.  I think you always need a day in the beginning to get settled on the ship, check everything out, get the lay of the land.

 

Today Day 4 was our first day for that.    It's my time to get you connected with the ship and the experience on board. 

 

 

So let me start with some stats.    I don't have an exact number,  as I got different ones from the head waiter, the diamond concierge, the hotel director, and some fellow cruisers I trust.     But Adventure of the Seas holds 3800 people.... we were sailing with somewhere between 900 and 1000 due to covid restrictions. 

 

The lack of people was apparent everywhere.....  I mean a sea day with a near empty pool deck??? 

 

You know how typically you cruise and you start to see the same people before long....   recognize faces in the crowd.  Well, this was you not just recognize them you know them by name.

 

 

I was actually so surprised how many cruising regulars/cruise critic users were on this sailing.   People were stopping me in the promenade, calling me by my handle, and saying they read my posts on here an enjoy them.   Now I'm not a stranger to people stopping, many of you know I work in TV News, but it's weird being stopped as the cruise review guy rather than the news guy.    I met so many regular posters here, and folks from social media.  It was really nice. We had a group we connected with on FB and our roll call and they were everywhere.    We really got to know one another  this week...

 

 

This first Sea Day we headed up to the pool deck.....  no problem finding chairs, right next to the pool.   No problem finding empty hot tubs,   or should I say warm tubs. 

 

 

For some reason the hot tubs were luke warm at best, one was downright cold.   maybe that's why they were easy to get into lol  But we still enjoyed them nonetheless, and i could let the girls in without being a strict one about making them get out to cool down every few minutes.

 

 

Ice cream was also serve by the crew.   My youngest has had a lactose allergy most of her life which she recently grew out of, and can finally have ice cream without major GI issues.   So let me tell you she put it to the test this cruise.  She lived at that soft serve ice cream station.   We were sympathetic with her new found excitement and let her go crazy and boy did she. 

 

 

Our "social media site" group had organized a slot pull for today.  One of our group members had worked so hard organizing it, but then someone (my wife) casually mentioned her excitement about the slot pull to the casino manager and well.... all the energy drained from his face.  He begged her to call it off,  said we were just 3 cruises in and working so hard to keep them safe. They really didn't want a large group of people in the casino at once.   Said it's just too risky and they can't take the risk and begged them NOT to do a slot pull.   So it was cancelled.   Don't plan one if you have a cruise planned soon.

 

  so lets talk about some of the changes.

 

Elevators ---  This is where the rule followers were called out!   So the rule says only 4 people in the elevators unless you're in the same group.  But whenever they stopped if people were in there already, 95% of the time they would invite you in, and say they don't mind.   Everyone was trying to behave but also trying to be logical and elevators were one area where many turned a blind eye.

 

Bar Seating ---  So you can't sit at the bar,  any bar, anywhere.   It's bizarre.  You're allowed to be there while you're ordering and waiting for your drink but once you get it,  you must go.   The bartenders were pretty strict about this everywhere.   Though as the week went by we saw it get more lax.

 

Windjammer:  --   Wow   So only open fro breakfast and lunch.    The also only opened one half of it.... and you could go up there at 9-10am on a sea day and play ball it was so empty.  It just didn't feel like windjammer.  But let me tell you it was so nice.     As you likely heard by now, servers dish the food on your plate for you and it goes relatively smoothly.     There were a few things I struggled with....    Want a hamburger...  have to ask for a bun, then a piece of meat, then cheese,  then a second slice,   it becomes a little labor intensive, and they weren't "on top of it"   Or want grits or oatmeal at breakfast, you get that at one spot, but have to go back to the bread section and ask for butter, or sugar or whatever you're putting in.    Needs a few tweaks but nothing huge.  It worked very very well.   I also found the food to be higher quality than on some ships recently.  Care was made to make sure dishes were fresh and that was very nice.   Once I did  have some fish that was raw in the middle, but it was the only issue.    I did miss the fresh squeezed OJ  in the morning, it was never offered, that I saw  and the concentrate stuff is just blah.

 

 

Many of you may remember a post I made a few months back about missing the big vat of bacon every morning....   well.... I still miss it.    For some reason on this ship, the bacon was cooked extremely well done, like majorly crispy.  If you're like me and like your bacon firm but not crispy/crunchy  you're going to be out of luck.  It never happened.   The sign even said "crispy bacon" and they weren't lying.   I was really missing my morning bacon.   I mentioned but they looked at me like I was nuts.  lol

 

 

The Theater/Shows ---   This really was where i felt the smaller ship more than anywhere else.   So basically the theater has every other row blocked off,   and then you must have two empty seats between you and your party, and then.... they're severely limiting the people in the theater on top of that.   So as one of the comedians said one night, "It's nice to be here with all 11 of you"    That's really how it felt.   It changed the whole dynamic of the experience.   When it was time for applause,  well you didn't hear much.... because there were so few people in the room.    It made me clap harder and louder trying to encourage the royal caribbean singers and dancers that those of us who were there were having fun!   Our cruise director, Hugo, inspired the title of this review by saying after a show one night, "There's only 900 people onboard, the ship is yours,  get out and go enjoy every second of it, because this will never happen again"

 

 

It was formal night....   and our first foray to a specialty restaurant....  we  actually had two reservations before this but cancelled both of them.  Day 1 we were busy with the luggage drama and Day 3 after the crazy big lunch at Coco Beach Club at 5pm, there was no way we could keep a chops reservation at 5:45pm.  So we pushed it back until tonight.

 

I will say we purchased the 3 night speciality dining pkg because it was a good price, but we really didn't need it and wound up cancelling it onboard.

 

We paid outright for Chops this night.... ate as a group.    I will say food was a mixed bag for me on this cruise, and it was interesting to hear everyone's take.

 

 

In Chops I ordered the crab cake to start and it truly taste undercooked to me,  I'm not sure what was going on.    I followed it up with the lobster bisque and well... it was cold and as one of our table mates later said, "tasted right out of a can"  I was super unimpressed.   I know they always say to tell them, but it just didn't seem worth it.    I had the filet, and it was great, perfect in fact.   The entree was amazing and totally made up for the starters.   Like at coco beach club I heard others raving, so I was beginning to think I was the difficult one. 

 

 

I had some kinda molten chocolate cake for dessert, again, not warm.   Our group still had a great time, got in some formal pics, and headed to our usual spot....   Schooner Bar.  

 

 

Now I don't know what it was, or why it was  but let me tell you, Schooner Bar was happening on this ship.   Typically it's the bar for trivia games and random stops.  Well on this ship, it was the hang out.  More than the pub, more than Viking Crown.  Everyone was in there singing away every night.  There was never an empty seat and always standing room despite the small group on board.

 

Pizza was a hit on this ship, seemed better than the usual Sorrentos fare,   I usually love the cafe promenade sandwiches but never saw one that jumped out at me this week.   There were some awesome marinated olives there though!   Check those out for sure.

 

The next day not only was Cozumel in store..... but we would see another occupied cruise ship, celebrity Edge was on its first sailing.... and it would be the first time since the pandemic two ships would be docked together at a port!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JessyCruises]

Glad you are feeling better! 

[Sea Dog]

Great post Wayne and I'm glad you are feeling better. Chops is really weird. I've heard all the stories about how bad it can be. Granted I've eaten at Chops twice, one on Adventure, the other on Harmony and both times were great. I'm no foodie guru but I do know a good steak and both times the steak was great. I guess it can vary any night, any sailing, and any ship.

 

btw, I don't know if you saw my earlier reply. I think we have a mutual friend, Carlton Houston? He worked with us as a youngster right out of "J" school at Mizzou. I worked with him enough to know he was a real talent and would go very far. Great guy who I respect very much.

 

Looking forward to hearing more from your fun travels.

[RCCL Fan]

58 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Great post Wayne and I'm glad you are feeling better. Chops is really weird. I've heard all the stories about how bad it can be. Granted I've eaten at Chops twice, one on Adventure, the other on Harmony and both times were great. I'm no foodie guru but I do know a good steak and both times the steak was great. I guess it can vary any night, any sailing, and any ship.

 

btw, I don't know if you saw my earlier reply. I think we have a mutual friend, Carlton Houston? He worked with us as a youngster right out of "J" school at Mizzou. I worked with him enough to know he was a real talent and would go very far. Great guy who I respect very much.

 

Looking forward to hearing more from your fun travels.

 

Hey Greg,  Yes, I have loved chops. I usually eat there on every sailing and despite many people saying it's a mixed bag only once did I have one that didn't meet expectations.  This is the second.... out of dozens and dozens of sailings those are good odds.   And my steak was amazing.   It was just the starters.   So odd.

 

Carlton is fantastic....   Smart smart guy.   I love our small of a world it is!

[RCCL Fan]

Day 5  --  Cozumel

 

 

 

 

Today was kinda a big deal. A cruise ship visiting a city where people depend on it...   actually two cruise ships.

 

 

I woke up in time to see Celebrity Edge sail into port. Onboard was Chairmen Richard Fain, and a whole bunch of reporters.... some personal friends.   Edge was the first cruise ship to leave from the US.  

 

I was actually surprised we were not only allowed to be in the same port as her, but we shared the same pier....  as one of my friends sailing on edge on her first cruise said, "I didn't realize we would be 15 feet apart"

 

 

 

I wanted to head down and see my friends.... but  my darling unvaccinated child meant I couldn't go ashore alone.   RCI had new rules saying we could only do ship tours.    So  I wouldn't be able to have  lunch with my colleagues I haven't seen in more than a year.   We phone called and waved from our perspective ships.

 

OK  Back to the tour.

 

 

 

We chose a Dune Buggy / Snorkel trip.  Royal sent a letter to the room offering a 50% on certain tours, since we were forced to cancel our private tour.   Oddly enough all the tours with the 50% discount had a minimum age that prevented us from doing them......  I was like uh.  Yeah she's too young for the vaccine, and for these tours.

 

Oh well, the others were discounted 20%.  Although when I went to book I learned the discount was only for the minor, not the 7 others in our group.   SO our tour wound up costing us a ton more. I was surprised they didn't offer it to the whole group.

 

  It had an 8am departure time, was supposed to be a 3 hour tour....   so figured we'd be back in time for lunch.... and with us being "quarantined" and not allowed away from the RCI tour,  I left the ship with just my passport and a few bucks to tip the guide.

 

 

We met shore side, in the shops area and were introduced to our tour guide. He told us we were his first tour in more than a year.  He was so excited to have us.

 

Told us our dune buggys were waiting at the pier,   asked who needed an automatic,  and said we would make a first stop to snorkel, then go to the other side of the island where we would stop for lunch, included in our tour, and then would make our way back through downtown.

 

I was surprised,  sounded like a lot for 3 hours, and there was nothing that said lunch was part of the tour.  OK maybe this wasn't so bad afterall.

 

 

Off we went in our dune buggys which really were just small compact cars with the doors cut off! LOL

 

but whatever it was fun.

 

 

Our first stop was a beach club, where I do wish i had brought more cash,  they folks at the snack bar and what not were there and ready to sell.  The beach was a little rough.... but nothing we couldn't live with.

 

 Was a great snorkel visit.... my wife said her best ever....  lots of awesome sealife and a great guide.

 

 

Then back in the dune buggys for a trip to our lunch spot.   It was like a 30 minute drive and we loved it, it was the uninhabited part of the island and it was really cool.    Then out in the middle of nowhere we stopped at this beach.... brown beach they called it.

 

 

We were led to an area where our group was told would be our home base for drinks and food and to enjoy the stop.   Our guide left and we ordered lunch,  with each person getting a drink.

 

By now it was noon,   long after our tour was to end.  but food came,  we ate, enjoyed and then we got.....  the bill.

 

 

Yep.  A bill.

 

We had been specifically told lunch was included by our guide when we left the ship.  Of course the ship description didn't say that but he did.

 

Each table was being handed bills for more than $100 and we were told "Cash Only"

 

and our guide couldn't be found.

 

People were freaking out.   No one had that much cash.  Like none of the people on the tours. A couple of us spoke to the servers and basically told them you have to take a credit card, if you don't you won't get money from any of these people.

 

So everyone banded together, shared cash and credit cards and made sure everyone's bills were paid.

 

Our guide showed back up and I approached him and said, "Did I hear wrong?  Didn't you say lunch was included?'   He said, "what's wrong?  what happened?"  I asked again, and he confirmed, "yes its supposed to be" 

 

We told him it wasn't and he went and talked to the restaurant and came back and said he was sorry it was a miscommunication.

 

But talk about that fear.... in Mexico no cash, and no ability to pay your bill at some small hole in the wall spot about 45 minutes away from the ship. 

 

I kept reassuring everyone that Royal would make this right, but some people didn't want to hear it, they felt duped.   It was a tense lunch. 

 

Now I'll readily admit I was a moron for leaving the ship without cash and a credit card,  complete moron.   But I honestly thought....   we're being quarantined.   they're going to let us drive these dune buggies around a bit,  jump in the water and head back to the ship.  No stopping for shopping or anything like that.   And being back by 11am  I expected to eat back on the ship.

 

We got a much longer nicer tour, just didn't have the cash to properly compensate these poor people who haven't had tourists for more than a year.   I wasn't worried about Royal making it right, I was worried that these people weren't going to get properly compensated and it all could have been avoided if we just knew what was happening.

 

 

Anyway. We got back to the ship about 2 hours later than planned.  I expected to be herded back on board.... but no.  We were just set free.   I mean there was really nothing stopping us from hopping in a cap and going to a covid super spreader event.  

 

I mean everyone was good and did the right thing, mainly because they were ready to yell at the people at the shore excursion desk.

 

 

I had emailed corporate earlier in the day to ask permission to be away from the group briefly to file a report for work. It was granted, but honestly I could have done it without permission.   I was expecting us to be under lock and key more, but i guess their main concern was just that we not go to some beach club that wasn't clean.

 

 

Anyway, I filed a report from the pier,  and went on board and to the shore excursions desk.  Spoke to a manager and she worked to get us a refund for lunch.  I went out of my way to push how helpful and nice our guide was.   I didn't want him to get in trouble,  it was a miscommunication, and poor planning and it led to a tough situation. 

 

After hanging out on the ship a bit and working to get my report sent back to the states, I asked my youngest if she wanted to go down for pizza.  Of course not.... she wanted to go UP to the diamond lounge.   This kid I swear.

 

 

 

 

 

She got her plate of cheese and  was doted on by the amazing diamond concierge Jennie, and the fabulous bar staff who couldn't put enough cherries on her drink.

 

 

 

 We sat and snacked.... as our friends from Memphis came back all excited, they had just met Captain Kate, the social media superstar / captain of Celeb Edge. 

 

 

 They follow her on social media and were totally stalking her.... apparently she noticed them staring and waving at her, and came outside.  There were shouts of "we love you"  and she put them on her social media page.    It was really funny!  I had bet them, they would not meet her and they proved me wrong!

 

Shortly thereafter we heard some crew members were hurt and headed to the hospital, not further details on what happened the rest of the week.

 

 

We then had an epic little horn battle between Capt. Kate and our guy Capt. Kristoff before heading back to the Bahamas. 

 

I may have my days mixed up but I think this night we saw one of the shows.... IMPACT. 

 

 

So this was a group using instruments and beats and lots of swinging of objects and well, I totally was not into it.  I kept trying but well.... meh.    But then I turned and looked at the girls  and well....  apparently it was just me.   They were all having a ball.

 

 

lol

 

There was some shopping done that night....   more time in the schooner bar..... and then I headed to bed for another night at Sea!

 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2021 by RCCL Fan

[Jasukkie]

Love your reports. The fresh squeezed OJ was at the bar in the very back of the Windjammer. I had it every morning. I'm not a big juice person ordinarily but that stuff is so good.

[californiagirl]

I’m LOVING your review!  We generally cruise every 2 years or so.  (We own several timeshares and do other land based vacations.)  I didn’t realize how much I miss cruising until I started reading your review.  Thank you for taking us along on your cruise.  I agree with others, you have a beautiful family.  

[RCCL Fan]

2 hours ago, Jasukkie said:

Love your reports. The fresh squeezed OJ was at the bar in the very back of the Windjammer. I had it every morning. I'm not a big juice person ordinarily but that stuff is so good.

 

I went back there and asked for it 3 times....  each time I was told they didn't have any .

 

So weird!!  were you on the same week as me?

Edited July 13, 2021 by RCCL Fan

[DISFANS3]

cool review..

[soremekun]

@RCCL Fan Can you please post a link to the video report?  We'd love to see it.

[Lido deck main]

Love the review.  Thanks for posting.

[Sea Dog]

10 hours ago, RCCL Fan said:

we ate, enjoyed and then we got.....  the bill.

Wow Wayne! I would of freaked out too. I think miscommunication will be the norm for a while as excursions get ironed out with the cruise lines. I'm like you I try to take the minimum with me on excursions but I won't from now on.

 

Just think you could of done your standup while on the excursion and write off the excursion and lunch. Just kidding of course!

 

Curious about the suspension in those buggy's. Is it a really rough ride?  I would like to do it but my back after years of being a photog may not like it.

 

Cheers to you on your great stories.

Greg the Sea Dog

[dswallow]

9 hours ago, RCCL Fan said:

 

I went back there and asked for it 3 times....  each time I was told they didn't have any .

 

So weird!!  were you on the same week as me?

 

At least you made it there for breakfast!

I managed to get there in time for it 1 day out of 21. Though I did have fresh orange juice that day because I used a waiter to get it instead of hunting it down myself. 🙂

 

 

Edited July 13, 2021 by dswallow

[3kidsncats]

8 hours ago, soremekun said:

@RCCL Fan Can you please post a link to the video report?  We'd love to see it.

Just google nbc and the title of the segment in the pic RCCL Fan posted.  It was fun to watch.  

[texhockey]

I remember seeing your report on TV when they aired it.  Have really loved your review.  Thank you for getting me excited about my next cruise.

[RCCL Fan]

I honestly didn't intend to post the photo from my news story. 

 

I uploaded it mistakenly. (hence why it was all the way at the bottom)  But I noticed too late to delete it. 

 

 I know you guys have interest, but its important for me to separate my personal life from my professional life for a myriad of reasons.     

 

Hope you understand.

 

I'll get my next post up this evening.

[RCCL Fan]

4 hours ago, dswallow said:

 

At least you made it there for breakfast!

I managed to get there in time for it 1 day out of 21. Though I did have fresh orange juice that day because I used a waiter to get it instead of hunting it down myself. 🙂

 

 

 

Always the expert. 

 

I did ask the server, but she just brought me the concentrated stuff.

 

 I saw the machine, but no one working it, so I went to the bar and asked.  I got, "we don't have it today"

 

Tried again...  I got  "Sorry we don't have any this week, mumbled something about the supplier"

 

So i dunno what happened.

 

[Coralc]

To be honest, we are kind of fascinated by your professional life too. 

Edited July 13, 2021 by Coralc

[3kidsncats]

Just now, RCCL Fan said:

I honestly didn't intend to post the photo from my news story. 

 

I uploaded it mistakenly. (hence why it was all the way at the bottom)  But I noticed too late to delete it. 

 

 I know you guys have interest, but its important for me to separate my personal life from my professional life for a myriad of reasons.     

 

Hope you understand.

 

I'll get my next post up this evening.

 I completely understand— my husband is a performer and we have to balance the same at times.  You can probably delete the image from your host server, even if you can’t edit your post, and maybe an admin will delete the link post for you.