mattpro

Sailed on the Adventure this past April and inquired about changes with the ship's officers.

They told me of the updates with the caveat that they could be changed as this has happened before.

The Suite Lounge will be on the 14th floor port side utilizing the space formerly used by the card rooms.

There will be floor to ceiling windows the same as the Diamond Lounge located on the same floor starboard side. However, the door will be closed to the veranda since the rockwall counter is located there.

The Connoisseur Club (cigar lounge deck 5 past the elevators and before the bar lounge area) was removed on the last drydock and will house the card room and library.

The Concierge Lounge previously located on deck 9 aft will house interior rooms.

The library was on the 7th floor and they will be converted to interior rooms.

On the front of the ship on deck 12 is where the panorama cabins will be located with floor to ceiling windows.

There will be a sundeck on the 13th floor above these new cabins.

The walking/jogging track on the 12th floor will now go behind the Sky Bar on one side and behind the big screen TV on the other side.

Izumi's will replace the Sport's Bar on the Promenade (deck 5).

When they took the disco out they added interior rooms on deck 3 and put in Chop's on deck 4 across from the Schooner Bar.

There will be no Coastal Kitchen on the Adventure.

The water slides and 2-tier miniature golf (12th & 13th) were installed on the aft in previous drydock.

Also, on the previous drydock they changed the smoking from the starboard side to the port side.

Smokers can smoke (cigarettes and cigars) on the pool deck (11) and the open air 12th deck where there are ashtrays, as well as the 4th floor outside between the elevator banks.

Smoking with a roof over your head is only available in the casino, which also has a non-smoking area in the rear by the bathroom.

I'll be on in Feb. 2018 to see what occurs.

Free Cruise Certificates

If you pay ANYTHING extra for your room besides port fees, taxes & gratuities YOU WILL receive C&A points.

That means if you pay ANY amount for your upgrade you will receive the correlated amount of points.

JS and up will receive double points.

The CL will be gone on deck 9 - think new staterooms

Having retired in 2011 I took my first cruise on RCL in 2012.

I got hooked on cruising.

Since then I have added more each year doing 18 seven day cruises in 2016 and will have 20 cruises completed by the end of 2017.

Only sail in the Caribbean from October to May. Like the warm weather

Have sailed on the Oasis, Allure, Liberty, Independence, Freedom, Navigator and the Adventure.

Definitely prefer the southern Caribbean itinerary and plan to spend 24 to 26 weeks on the Freedom out of San Juan when it deploys there.

Hyatt House versus Hyatt Place

They are across the street from one another with Hyatt House's parking lot shared by the Olive Garden.

The Hyatt House has condominium folks while Hyatt Place is a NEWER hotel with more spacious rooms and better facilities, especially the pool area.

Hyatt Place is the better alternative IMO.

As a frequent traveler on the Adventure I also strongly recommend Hyatt Place.

Very close to Pan Am pier(.4 mile away from ship).

Olive Garden across the street for dinner.

Complimentary breakfast.

New and spacious rooms with excellent pool on property.

So, I should move to St. Maatren since they have no other taxes?

-------------------------------------------------------------

LOL - However since it's an island that produces or makes nothing (guavaberry excluded) you would have to deal with an import tax on everything brought into the island.

While a great place to live - it is still just an island.

I've been going to St. Maarten since mid-80's staying on land vacations until my first RCL cruise there in 2012.

Personally I'd just rather cruise there, whether on an eastern itinerary from FLL or a southern trip out of San Juan.

Interesting article pointing out the pros and cons of how to deal with Maho Beach after a fatal incident.

The bottom line IMO is nothing will change at the site.

St. Maarten's revenue comes 100% from tourism and Maho Beach is a definite tourist attraction.

Businesses from the Sonesta hotel to the Sunset Grill to the taxi drivers and water taxi operators have too much invested for any change to occur, not to mention the road is a main conduit from Phillipsburg to Marigot.

For those who have never experienced the feeling of a plane flying directly over your head this article should act as an impetus to go there before any possible change could occur.

For those who want to stay in Cocoa Beach for a day before the cruise :

Web link - gotoportcanaveral dot com

Example of what I used

Picked up at Orlando airport - transported to Cocoa Beach's International Palms hotel (located on a very wide beach) for an overnight stay - picked up the next day and transported to the ship - went on the cruise - picked up afterwards and returned to Orlando airport.

Total cost = $139.00

This cost less than my taxi fare from my home to DCA, which is only 25 miles away.

Your life may be in danger here

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2017/07/13/caribbean-tourist-killed-by-forceful-blast-from-nearby-jet.html

If you want to get off the ship early stop by guest services.

They will give you a In Transit card which will allow you to reboard the ship without going thru lines.

At your B2B meeting the day before the end of the cruise you could mention this at the meeting and you will likely get BOTH your new sea pass card as well as the In Transit card.

This is not a problem that one should worry too much about.

You and your friends will be allowed to enter together.

Never a problem in San Juan.

Suggestion for Mr. Ro-Man-Tic

Take the Freedom out of San Juan for the southern Caribbean itinerary that goes to Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire & St. Maarten.

Stay at the Ritz Carlton in Isle Verde for a beautiful hotel with a pool overlooking the ocean.

Book a Grand Suite, which gives you the amenity of going to the Suite Lounge where you can enjoy free cocktails and hot/cold snacks nightly for 3 1/2 hours. You get major brownie points from the Mrs. since the suite comes with a bathroom larger than the one you have at home. Means your wife can shave her legs without having to be a gymnast.

It will not be necessary to buy the drink package.

When you board the ship go to the Royal Promenade where you can take advantage of the BOGO dining package for Chops & Giovanni's.

Since your stay in Aruba is till 11 P.M. you can book a very romantic dinner at the Marriot's Simply Fish located right on Palm Beach.

When in St. Maarten I would suggest going to Mullet Bay for a beautiful beach in the morning, spend a few hours there, then walk the 1/4 mile thru town to Maho Beach to watch the planes come in. If you like local Caribbean jerk food have it on the beach at Mullet Bay - or if you prefer drinks/burgers wait to you get to Maho.

This will still leave you time to shop on Front Street, every womans' delight.

Whatever you decide to choose - have a wonderful 25th.

It will be a trip to remember, especially if you take loads of photo's.

Adventure caveat:

The Adventure will not be sailing the southern Caribbean in 2019.

The itinerary will be taken over by the Freedom starting in November 2018.

There is a tour of Condado & Old San Juan that takes about 2 1/2 hours which you can sign up for when you go outside after clearing immigration.

Walk to the left outside about 100 feet and you will see a tour booth.

In Old San Juan they drop you off at the main plaza where you have an hour to shop or get something to eat. They pick you back up where they left you off.

They charge $25 for a single and after the tour they drop you off at your airline at the airport.

Costs the same as a taxi ride, so the tour is actually free.

With a 1 p.m. tour I would suggest waiting with the B2B folks in the Imperial Lounge.

They have the immigration officers come on the ship , so for those staying on board it is a very easy procedure. At the latest it will be 11:30 a.m.

In the envelope they give you with your new sea pass card they also include an In Transit Card.

When you re-board the ship just show them the card to avoid any lines to get on the ship, though lines are relatively rare on the Adventure.

Since you are already pinged in as being on the ship at the Imperial Lounge, you can just go about the ship like you never left.

Yes, I sail the Freedom from mid-Jan. thru mid-April.

You will definitely enjoy this ship and all the ports, especially if you like beaches.

In St. Maarten the three most popular beaches are the one in Phillipsburg because it's close to the ship and allows for shopping on Front Street.

Orient Beach so you can say you went to a nudist beach - CAUTION - there are somethings you just can't unsee.

Maho Beach where the planes literally fly just over your head as they come into land.

However, arguably the nicest beach in all of the Caribbean is Mullet Bay, located a quarter of a mile from Maho going toward Marigot.

Go to uTube and watch the videos.

You're welcome.

As another poster mentioned the Boat Yard in Barbados is a wonderful beach. You can take a taxi there or if you want some exercise it is only a 20 minute walk from the ship.

If you go to the top deck on the Freedom and look out to the right from the front of the ship you can see the bay the beach is on.

Once at the Boat Yard you can walk down to the Renaissance and swim out to where the turtle excursion goes. Not necessary to pay for a trip when it's right in front of you.

I'm also on the Freedom for the month of March 2019 and their two itineraries in the southern Caribbean have always been my favorites.

St. Lucia - word of caution - if you take a land based excursion (not with RCL) make sure you allow plenty of time to get back to the ship.

The reason is the roads are very bad (with wash-outs & detours) and if you're late the ship will leave without you.

Have personally witnessed this on three different occasions.

St. Lucia has the only drive-thru volcano in the world. If you go there and take the mud baths make sure you have an old bathing suit because you won't wear it again. You will have that wonderful, medicinal mud in places that you never even knew existed.

There are so many wonderful things to do on St. Lucia you could easily spend a week there to get the full experience.

Columbus Cove is the beach you want on Labadee.

It is located all the way in the back on the right side.

Three ways to get there without going by the pushy vendors.

1 - Take the ferry from the pier as you depart the ship.

2 - Take the tram at the first round-about all the way to the end.

3 - Walk past Barefoot Beach - just past Nellie's Beach there is a path way that goes along the waters' edge - past the Aqua Park and you are there.

As others have mentioned there is plenty of shade, a covered area for the BBQ, plus a steel band to get you in a happy mood.

The best part is that it is the only beach you don't need watershoes, since it is white sand all the way into the water.

Note: the best way to return to the ship is by taking the tram.

I would expect Mario to be on the Freedom this November out of FLL and stay on till the ship moves to another port.

My reasoning is based on he loves to go to the cigar bar ( connoisseur club ) nightly.

Aruba - Palm Beach

Curacao - Lion's Dive

St. John's - take the ferry over (they leave from the same cove the ship is docked) - take the bus tour of their 130 beaches - then they stop for a few hours at a very popular beach with facilities - then bus you back for your ferry return.

Diamond breakfast is in the MDR

Have been there on the Freedom and Adventure.

Each ship is different, but generally you will find them on the Voyager and Freedom class ships.

From 2 tops thru 8 tops in a separate space in the MDR.

Best ship for a B2B

I agree with Bob Clarea in picking the Adventure.

The southern carribean is the best itinerary , especially the ports in Aruba & Curacao.

If you're sailing in 2019 then the Freedom would be the choice since it is replacing the Adventure for this itinerary.

Nicer, newer ship with all the perks.

On RCL you are talking about the Oasis class and your best choices out of Florida are probably the Oasis or Allure.

By getting a junior suite you will have access to Coastal Kitchen - a very nice option for dining - breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For full perks look at a Grand Suite.

Go to RCL's web site and read what they have to offer for amenities. If you want that St. Regis experience this is DEFINITELY the way to go.

Your cost will be higher than a balcony on other RCL ship's, but if you can afford it I know you won't be disappointed.

Better food - access to Suite Lounge - priority seating for shows - concierge service for embarkation/disembarkation - private beach (Barefoot) access in Labadee - and much, much more.

A cruise that you will remember for a lifetime.