AO on Explorer questions

[rm1247]

My husband and I and our kids, ages 5, 9, and 11, are leaving in a week on the Explorer. This is our first cruise and we are all very excited! I have a few questions specific to Adventure Ocean that I'm hoping someone will be able to answer for me.

 

1. I read that there is some type of marine lab on the ship. Is there a way to get a tour of it? My kids would enjoy that, but perhaps they will see it as part of AO??

 

2. We're considering taking our two older children on a snorkeling tour in Labadee, which would require us to leave our youngest behind in AO. I don't understand what types of options we'd have while docked there - is it onboard or on the beach? Is it open early if we join the early excursion? The times I've seen posted for AO don't fit with the tour times. The early excursion leaves before it opens (8:30) and the later one at 10:30 would end after AO closes.

 

3. Is there any way for us to know what nights AO will offer dining at Johnny Rockets? We’d like to coordinate our Portofino night with that. I think they offer it on the formal nights, but hopefully they’ll also offer it on other nights too.

 

4. If we make reservations at Portofino's for 7, do we have time to drop the kids off at AO first?

5. How far apart are the rooms for the Voyagers and the Aquanauts?

 

6. I'm confused about what will happen the first day. It looks like the AO open house/program is immediately after Sail Away. Do we have to run right down there, or is it more like a drop in type of event?

 

7. Will my 11 yo enjoy AO or will it be too childish for him? I realize it depends on the kid, but I'd love to hear from others with 11 yos who did or did not like the program.

Thanks so much for your help! I am SO looking forward to this vacation, but I'm worried that my expectations might be too high!

[crusinmama06]

1. The marine lab, I know they have tours, but don't know specifically how that works. Hopefully someone else here can answer that.

 

2. Adventure Ocean moves to Labadee that day. You are right, it seems like the times don't match up with your excursion very well....here is one from Labadee...

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/Royal%20Caribean%20AO%20Compass/scan0010.jpg

 

3. Yes they offer the kids dinner at JR on the first formal night. And usually one other non-formal night. But there is really no way to tell in advance unless you find someone who did the same exact itinerary and had kids with them.

 

4. Sign in for AO on most nights is 6:45pm. So yes, you will have time to drop off and get up to 7pm reservations at Portofino. That's what we did.

 

6. The Welcome Aboard AO show is not manadatory to register :) I always skip that show (it will replay 100 times on the in cabin TV anyway) And we go to the open house (at our leisure) and we register them. It's a 5 minute process. Pretty easy. And if you don't get to register the first night, you can always do it the next morning.

[rm1247]

Thanks, Michele! I have read many of your posts, and they are extremely helpful in knowing what to expect! I'll just check on the Labadee schedule and the marine lab once we get on board. Thanks for posting the AO schedules!