AOS - Which Route?

[Cruisechic470]

We have been on the Barbados route (Barbados, St.Lucia, Antigua, St.Maarten, and St. Thomas) and are thinking about sailing the AOS the opposite route (Aruba, Curacao, St.Maarten and St.Thomas). Who has been on both routes and can tell me which they prefer?

[harry0]

I voted for the Barbados but I wish it was a 8 day with 2 sea days

[happysinglemom]

I voted for the Barbados but I wish it was a 8 day with 2 sea days

 

Oh dear no. I detest sea days!! :o That is why I love this itinerary!!

[ckrobyn]

I haven't done the Barbados route, but I have done the Aruba route 3 times, with the 4th and 5th coming up in February on another B2B. I love the Aruba route - amazing ports, perfect weather and an all around outstanding itinerary! :)

[cot427]

I would love to go on the Barbados route. My friends went to Aruba, and they didn't seem to like it that much. I can't wait to see Barbados.

[robtulipe]

We did both this past winter out of San Juan and liked both. The Aruba route with the extra sea day and less tour intensive ports was more relaxing. For lots of action even on the sea day with it's sail by of many islands, the Barbados route is the way to go with it's many port offering so much diversity in tours possibility.

[sadie8]

We have done both routes. I really enjoyed the port intensive itinerary.

We love leaving out of San Juan and being able to have so many port of calls. My kids missed the extra sea day. We are doing the Aruba route again this May.

[DarthCruiser]

We have been on the Barbados route (Barbados, St.Lucia, Antigua, St.Maarten, and St. Thomas) and are thinking about sailing the AOS the opposite route (Aruba, Curacao, St.Maarten and St.Thomas). Who has been on both routes and can tell me which they prefer?

 

We did the Aruba-Curacao route on Adventure in 2006 and loved it. It was one of our favorite cruises. We have it booked again in Oct 2008!! (So I voted for this one.) We did the Barbados-St. Lucia route last January on Serenade, and it was great too. You can't go wrong which ever one you pick. :)

[DeLa Cruisers]

My family and I did the Barbados route on the Crown Princess this past Jan. and LOVED it!!! Now, we're doing the Aruba route on the AOS Sept. 30th. Dying to check out Aruba and Curacao. St. Thomas and St. Maarten are becoming very familiar to us now, seeing how this will be our 3rd time on both those islands in the last year!!!!!

[Tropical Traveler]

We had the rare and unique pleasure of doing both itineraries at the same time when we were on a special 10 day Sailing of the Serenade in April of '06. We stopped at all 7 islands, along with 3 sea days. (How I wish RCCL would offer this itinerary on a regular basis, but that's a subject for another thread another day.) It would be very hard to pick one over the other, but I would give a razor thin edge to the Barbados route. Those islands are lush and beautifully scenic, with a wider variety of tours, excursions, activities and things to see and do. The beaches are a bit better to.

 

The best advice I could give would be to try and have the best of both worlds. If your time and finances permit, go on both itineraries taking the Serenade on the Barbados route, and the Adventure on the Aruba route, thereby experiencing the best variety of islands and ships out there. Either way, it's all good.

 

Jack

[Tropical Traveler]

Just remembered, our 10 day cruise on the Serenade only had 2 sea days, not 3.

Jack

[Cruisechic470]

Thanks everyone!

 

We've been on the Barbados route and loved it - just wondering how the Aruba route compared.

 

Cruise Student - I like the sound of tha 10 day cruise! :D

[skiiergirl]

Hands down the Barbados route!!!!!! I too wish they would do 8 or 10 days. We just do a b2b on the Barbados route and make it 14! As another poster said, do Aruba on AOS and Barbados on SR....that works if you go in the winter or do a b2b on AOS in the summertime and then you get both routes.

[karena1]

We have done both routes. I really enjoyed the port intensive itinerary.

We love leaving out of San Juan and being able to have so many port of calls. My kids missed the extra sea day. We are doing the Aruba route again this May.

 

We have also done both routes and BY FAR our favorite is the Barbados itinerary. One - we love port intensive itinerary, and Two- we love those islands, lots to see and gorgeous beaches. We go the Barbdos route as often as possible. We will even go on the same ship to get that itinerary - a good example April 09 would have loved to go on AOS since haven't been on her and she is less expensive, but we will book the Serenande instead just because she goes on the Barbados route.

 

So my vote - BARBADOS!!!

[roe2ship]

I just booked the Barbados route, love the port intensive itinerary.

[robtulipe]

Thanks everyone!

 

We've been on the Barbados route and loved it - just wondering how the Aruba route compared.

 

St. Thomas and St. Maarten is offered on both route so the main difference are the more southern islands.

Aruba and Curacao are small low lying desert island with not a lot to see on them compared to the lush volcanic islands of the lesser antillies on the Barbados route. We consider both of these ports to be beach and water activities stops since there are good beaches and water activities like SCUBA diving and snorkeling and the good weather is almost a guarantee with something like 360 days of sunshine per year.

Willemstad, Curacao is the prettier port with brightly painted house and the Rif Fort right beside the ocean front pier where AOS docks. Smaller ships usually dock at the pier inside the harbor. You must walk through the fort, which is now a shopping center, to get to the swinging pontoon predestrian bridge which crosses the entrance to the harbor. Crossing it takes you to the main downtown area with it's many cafes,shops and floating (boats) market. There is an aquarium where you can do an animal diving or snorkeling adventure where you feed sharks through holes in a plexiglass barrier or wall. It is about 10 or 15 minutes by car east of the capital with a very nice beach park right beside it. There is also a dolphin and a sea lion swim adventure offered as excursions.

If you look at RC web sites (under Before You Board) for their excursions on both of these island, you will see most are involved beach or water activities.

[CruiserTK]

I voted for liking both equally. We went on the Barbados route on Radiance and last March did the Aruba route on AOS. Decide whether you want one or two sea days. Both itineraries are absolutely wonderful. The S. Caribbean is my favourite.

[niecyd]

I did the Barbados route. Love it but was exausted when I got home. :o A lot of ports for a short amount of days. I would have like another day at sea. My next route is Aruba.:)

[NoVa Mimi]

roe, we'll be on the same cruise as you in July! :) We love AOS so much, this will be our 3rd time!