For all those who have booked or are going to book the AOS - read this!

[BarbaB]

Max is one handsome dude. I love the 90 pound lapdog line. My Max was also a large lapdog - about 120 pounds of German Shepherd. He's been gone 20 years now, but we all still miss him. Now I have a little 7 pound Siamese who has me wrapped around her little paw:o

 

Barb

[pauldell]

:confused: We booked our air through RCCL and have a flight out on the flight out of San Juan at 10 AM... I read in this thread that we cannot use the air arrangements for the baggage to be taken from the ship to the airport (for an additional fee) unless our flight is 11 AM or later..... should I be concerned about making our flight... since we will have to keep our luggage, wait for a bus to fill and then make it through all the airport "stuff" in time to make a 10 AM flight? Would like input, even thought don't know what I can do about anything... since we are going very soon and RCCL did make all the arrangements...:eek:

 

We had a 10:30 flight out of San Juan. If you go to the Front desk and tell them you have an early pass they give you special luggage tags and an Group E disembarking pass. You meet in a designated area and are the FIRST people off the ship. We breezed right off the ship, walked to the luggage area, got our 3 bags, zipped right through customs which was no more than "do you have any food products?" and walked out side, onto a cab and straight to the airport. We were inside the terminal waiting by the gate by 8:15. So it is possible to make the flight. The key is getting the early departure pass and tags from the front desk. You will need to show proof of your early flight.

[hmsdos]

We had a 10:30 flight out of San Juan. If you go to the Front desk and tell them you have an early pass they give you special luggage tags and an Group E disembarking pass. You meet in a designated area and are the FIRST people off the ship. We breezed right off the ship, walked to the luggage area, got our 3 bags, zipped right through customs which was no more than "do you have any food products?" and walked out side, onto a cab and straight to the airport. We were inside the terminal waiting by the gate by 8:15. So it is possible to make the flight. The key is getting the early departure pass and tags from the front desk. You will need to show proof of your early flight.

 

Thanks.... well we have the proof... our RCCL "book".. since we purchased through them:rolleyes: ... also have printed out tickets from the airline.... Again, thanks for your information.....

[hmsdos]

"Group E disembarking pass"

So this group goes off before the "Express" where people carry their own luggage off the ship? Again, thanks.

[hmsdos]

 

Let us know what happens. LOL.......

 

Okay... got in touch with Custom Air this morning (had the wrong phone number)... anyway.... the person answered said we are "guaranteed" to make the flight:confused: ... I volunteered that maybe we should just grab a cab... response "no' date=' use the transfers in your booklet...you will make your flight... guaranteed".... Soooo I asked what do I do if we [u']don't[/u] make the flight... she repeated "you will make the flight, guaranteed"....

[toonjie]

Okay, next installment is up with some supplements with loads of pics from embarkation day. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783539

[ckrobyn]

Toonj - I just posted something on your review thread. I am loving the detailed review and the wonderful pictures!!! Glad you had a great cruise and I look forward to more review and more pics!!!:p :p

[ckrobyn]

Have I told everyone on this thread how happy I am that it is still going strong???

 

Great to know that there are so many AOS fans out there!!!!! :) I only have 236 days to wait until I am on my favorite ship again.....*sigh*

[Deborito]

I just realized that you will be on the same cruise as me. :) I can't wait to meet you. Debbie

[whiteway906]

I'm down to single digits. The suitcases are out. I've made the lists and checked them twice. The packing has begun. I expect the pre-cruise insomnia to start any day now. Did I mention that I'm beside myself with excitement?

[love2vacation]

Did I mention that I'm beside myself with excitement?

 

:D:DI remember this well. Have a super cruise!

[toonjie]

Toonj - I just posted something on your review thread. I am loving the detailed review and the wonderful pictures!!! Glad you had a great cruise and I look forward to more review and more pics!!!:p :p

 

Thanks so much! Can't wait to finish the review so I can work on the album of pics from the last 3 years, I have so many great ones from the Aruba-Curacao route, those islands are so photogenic! This was definitely our best cruise ever though so the AOS keeps on getting better with age!

[pauldell]

"Group E disembarking pass"

So this group goes off before the "Express" where people carry their own luggage off the ship? Again, thanks.

I am not sure they had the carry off your own luggage option. They didn't mention it at all. When we were on Liberty last year they mentioned it over the announcements and in the compass. When I went to front desk they gave me dark blue luggage tags and told us to have it outside our door by 10:30. When we got off, they took us to the GROUP E luggage area and eveyrone's luggage was there waiting!! We were definitely the first group off the ship. They had us wait in the lounge on Deck 5 at the front of the ship. They then walked us down to deck 4 out the doors and right off the ship. If they have the carry off option, perhaps they were also in this same group.

 

I hope this helps!

[pauldell]

Have I told everyone on this thread how happy I am that it is still going strong???

 

Great to know that there are so many AOS fans out there!!!!! :) I only have 236 days to wait until I am on my favorite ship again.....*sigh*

236 is better than the 459 days we have until sailing on AOS again!!!!!!!!! I don't know how I am going to make it!!!!!

[toonjie]

The next installment is up, a review of our aft cabins, 1688/1388, for those of you interested in aft cabins, there's loads of pics.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783539

[toonjie]

Day at Sea and Barbados are now up with loads of pics from Welchman Gully and Bathsheba! Some shots of the AOS in Barbados & ice show follow.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783539

[hmsdos]

I am not sure they had the carry off your own luggage option. They didn't mention it at all. When we were on Liberty last year they mentioned it over the announcements and in the compass. When I went to front desk they gave me dark blue luggage tags and told us to have it outside our door by 10:30. When we got off, they took us to the GROUP E luggage area and eveyrone's luggage was there waiting!! We were definitely the first group off the ship. They had us wait in the lounge on Deck 5 at the front of the ship. They then walked us down to deck 4 out the doors and right off the ship. If they have the carry off option, perhaps they were also in this same group.

 

I hope this helps!

 

Yes... thanks so much:)

[ckrobyn]

Toonj - Loving the review!!! I have to say, your photographic skills are absolutely phenomenal :D I know you already mentioned it further back on this thread, but what kind of camera are you using??

 

I can't believe this thread is still going strong after all this time!!! :p :p

[toonjie]

Toonj - Loving the review!!! I have to say, your photographic skills are absolutely phenomenal :D I know you already mentioned it further back on this thread, but what kind of camera are you using??

 

I can't believe this thread is still going strong after all this time!!! :p :p

 

Thanks again! It's a Canon Rebel XTi. (BTW, I have to give my DW credit as well, some of the shots are hers, especially the close-ups of flowers, she loves those shots!) Next up is St. Lucia with our tour guide Herod, who I think is just the best ever! It was just about the best ever day we have had! :)

[Mark_K]

I am not sure they had the carry off your own luggage option. They didn't mention it at all. When we were on Liberty last year they mentioned it over the announcements and in the compass. When I went to front desk they gave me dark blue luggage tags and told us to have it outside our door by 10:30. When we got off, they took us to the GROUP E luggage area and eveyrone's luggage was there waiting!! We were definitely the first group off the ship. They had us wait in the lounge on Deck 5 at the front of the ship. They then walked us down to deck 4 out the doors and right off the ship. If they have the carry off option, perhaps they were also in this same group.

 

I hope this helps!

I was on Adventure last week and asked at Customer Relations. They said there was no carry-off option. We had an 11:55 flight, so I wasn't really worried.

 

As it turned out, when the Loyalty Ambassador came to the departure lounge to escort the D/D+ members off the ship, she extended the courtesy to us mere Platinum folk and we were at the airport and through security by 9:15AM.

[mattsmom11]

We have PR 8301 booked for our upcoming cruise on the AOS can someone either guide me in the right direction or inform me of what we might be over top of as in stores/shops/bars? I know we are 2 floors up but I am still curious as too what's below us.

Thanks

[ckrobyn]

Thanks again! It's a Canon Rebel XTi. (BTW, I have to give my DW credit as well, some of the shots are hers, especially the close-ups of flowers, she loves those shots!) Next up is St. Lucia with our tour guide Herod, who I think is just the best ever! It was just about the best ever day we have had! :)

 

Yipppeeeee! I just saw that exact camera on a TV commercial and have lovingly let my DH know that I absolutely MUST have it before our next cruise!!!! :D :D

[toonjie]

Yipppeeeee! I just saw that exact camera on a TV commercial and have lovingly let my DH know that I absolutely MUST have it before our next cruise!!!! :D :D

 

Great! Hopefully you'll get it. :) I would just recommend getting more lens than the one that comes in the kit as they call it. DW has the camera right now in VT, but I believe it is only 18 - 55mm. You want as much zoom as possible without getting too big and cumbersome.

[toonjie]

Next installment is finally up and running. St. Lucia with tons of pics. Read about our best day ever with the best tour guide ever, with load of adventures including scuba diving at the Pitons, bats at the Batcave and nude fishing guy, learn where to get the best spices ever and dine at Portofino.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783539

[cds2423]

I can't believe i'm asking this, i always think,what difference does it make when i read somebody else asking this question, but now that we're able to make reservations at Portofino ahead of time, I'm asking.Can anybody that's cruised on the AOS recently tell me which nites are formal, i'm sailing on Oct 26 a group of 5 and we're trying to plan a night for the 4 adults to go to Portofino and a night for our DD & SIL to go alone so we can keep our 4 y.o. grandaughter with us, also if anybody remembers which night the Ocean adventure pirate parade is that would be helpful too, she won't want to miss that, we're sailing at Halloween so it may be different, who knows.

In any case, thanks in advance, Claire!