Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Adventure OS - A Wonderous (and Occasionally Strange) Journey

JohnGaltny
 Share

Recommended Posts

JohnGaltny

JohnGaltny

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Thank you all. I appreciate when readers enjoy my particular insane ramblings. I am home now and back on my meds.:)

 

Nivek, it is still there and so is the bigger one where you need to ride with the kid.

My GDD had the greatest time. Me? Not so much.

Edited by JohnGaltny
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Familygoboston Great Review Rare

Familygoboston

Posted
Posted (edited)
Along about 10 seconds in, my innocent sunglasses took leave of my face never to be seen again.

 

As I said, I would come back to St. Maarten for a few days. I’d love to see the French side even though I am no longer anywhere near the age where the nude beaches will matter.

I’ll wrap this up on Thursday so check back in.

[/font]

 

Hmmm, wish I had read that before my "Adventure" I wasn't even standing under jets (that always looked so unapplealing to me in every way, but I also gave up downhill skiing at 45, so I'm just a wimp;)) and I managed to lose a pair on St Marteen, no wonder they sell so much of that $&*# in Phillipsburg, they may, in fact just be the sunglasses we've all lost! :rolleyes:

 

As for the beaches, whether it matters to you or not, you probably are the demographic you will see there :eek: My DD was unable to tell the men from the ladies, at 75, they all looked pretty much alike unclothed! The cabbie swears that in July and August it's different, but I suspect he's just trying to drum up business for the off season.

 

Anyway, enjoying your review!

Edited by Familygoboston
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JohnGaltny

JohnGaltny

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

The Past and How It Got There

So it’s time to wrap up this latest set of ravings and get back on my medication.

 

This was our 14th cruise with 9 on RCI and, as I said, it was something of a test cruise for my wife, an RCI veteran friend and myself. While it was not without it’s annoyances, I am genuinely glad to have enjoyed at least most of the "old" Royal intangible feel.

Adventure itself is a bit tired but still a genuinely nice ride. Our cabin (8620) was spacious enough with plenty of stowage and the Star Trek transporter tube shower. However, Flushin Roulette wasn’t as funny at the time as it is in retrospect.

My friends and I find this class to be our favorite since it has pretty much everything the Freedom class has (other than the suicide surf pool) while having 1,000 or so fewer idiots to deal with. Indeed, cruises are a way to prove Sartre was right, "Hell is other people".

Unlike the crew on my last Explorer mess, the staff on Adventure was, for the most part, attentive and friendly. They were much more like a happy crew and much less like a group of parolees doing community service with Lindsay Lohan. We actually got to be BFFs for the week with several of them. Never underestimate the value of those lap dancer singles.

That’s not to say that all was farting through silk. The drink prices have truly gotten almost to Manhattan levels, iced tea has disappeared at any time except meals, leaving a choice of water or H2O as the only beverage that doesn’t require that little bit of plastic that cost Royal $0.03 to make and me $1,000 or so to pay off.

Midrats are the same as always at Café Promenade. The little sandwich thingies are pretty good and the pizza has risen from plain cardboard to somewhat tasty cardboard. This is the one area where NCL and Carnival absolutely blow RCI away. On the bright side, the coffee actually approached mediocre all week until the last day when the old battery acid returned.

I will say that after 10 cruises to the Caribbean, we are about done. Right now I think we’ll do a kiss goodbye cruise on Majesty this winter and then stay ashore while we save up to take us all on a European cruise in 2017. Will that be on Royal? Probably but a lot will depend on schedules and prices at that time. RCI remains where we look first but will no longer be the only line we consider.

So that’s all folks. Unless SOPO turns me in yet again and gets me kicked off here, I expect to be back in Jan or Feb with the next set of random notes from the decompression chamber. Till then.......

Edited by JohnGaltny
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JohnGaltny

JohnGaltny

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Hmmm, wish I had read that before my "Adventure" I wasn't even standing under jets (that always looked so unapplealing to me in every way, but I also gave up downhill skiing at 45, so I'm just a wimp;)) and I managed to lose a pair on St Marteen, no wonder they sell so much of that $&*# in Phillipsburg, they may, in fact just be the sunglasses we've all lost! :rolleyes:

 

As for the beaches, whether it matters to you or not, you probably are the demographic you will see there :eek: My DD was unable to tell the men from the ladies, at 75, they all looked pretty much alike unclothed! The cabbie swears that in July and August it's different, but I suspect he's just trying to drum up business for the off season.

 

Anyway, enjoying your review!

 

LOL Boston. Actually, I suspect you are correct.

 

In 2013 on Freedom, we had two 18 year olds with us who immediately took off for the French side and I was pretty sure it wasn't for the Veal Cordon Bleu. The fact that a mere 1 1/2 hours later they hunted us down at Maho tells me all I need to know. Plus, we have all seen that 75 year old in the thong who looks like an alligator handbag walking upright at the Solarium. There are times I wanted to rinse out my eyes with acid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
capecodrealtor

capecodrealtor

Posted
Posted (edited)

"I will say that after 10 cruises to the Caribbean, we are about done. Right now I think we’ll do a kiss goodbye cruise on Majesty this winter and then stay ashore while we save up to take us all on a European cruise in 2017. Will that be on Royal? Probably but a lot will depend on schedules and prices at that time. RCI remains where we look first but will no longer be the only line we consider."

 

 

We too are saying goodbye to not only RCCL, but to cruising as well. After 26 cruises in 16 years, our last trip will be on Adventure (our 4th on this particular ship) February of 2016. We love the southern itineraries and the availability of five ports. The ship has never been the destination for us, and we know that the corporate mission's focus is the ship as the destination with the commensurate spending expected. While pricing has remained relatively stable, the service experience and product quality has diminished substantially.

 

The benefit of our past cruises is the familiarity of the islands that has allowed us to begin to plant roots in the Caribbean. We will continue to travel to the islands every year, but on direct flights, staying at beachfront locations, with a choice of dining options. These new land based trips are similar in cost, but with a higher level of quality in expectation and delivery.

 

We are grateful for the exceptional memories that cruising has offered us, and now is a time for new adventures without the crowds, the diminished service and higher level of expectation and quality.

Edited by capecodrealtor
added quotes
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Siora7777

Siora7777

Posted
Posted
"I will say that after 10 cruises to the Caribbean, we are about done. Right now I think we’ll do a kiss goodbye cruise on Majesty this winter and then stay ashore while we save up to take us all on a European cruise in 2017. Will that be on Royal? Probably but a lot will depend on schedules and prices at that time. RCI remains where we look first but will no longer be the only line we consider."

 

 

We too are saying goodbye to not only RCCL, but to cruising as well. After 26 cruises in 16 years, our last trip will be on Adventure (our 4th on this particular ship) February of 2016. We love the southern itineraries and the availability of five ports. The ship has never been the destination for us, and we know that the corporate mission's focus is the ship as the destination with the commensurate spending expected. While pricing has remained relatively stable, the service experience and product quality has diminished substantially.

 

The benefit of our past cruises is the familiarity of the islands that has allowed us to begin to plant roots in the Caribbean. We will continue to travel to the islands every year, but on direct flights, staying at beachfront locations, with a choice of dining options. These new land based trips are similar in cost, but with a higher level of quality in expectation and delivery.

 

We are grateful for the exceptional memories that cruising has offered us, and now is a time for new adventures without the crowds, the diminished service and higher level of expectation and quality.

 

I'm thinking about it too. I have three booked this year. I may just call it good after that. I'm contemplating a bremuda cruise for next year but I'm just about done if I do that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
B-52

B-52

Posted
Posted (edited)

Finally...a REAL Review...must be the Northeast perspective.

 

We also have been on many cruises, and we avoid the windjammer on every one...only time you'll see me there is passing through to get some fruit...

 

This will be our first out of San Jaun, and I was looking for a review from someone who did not wear rose colored classes.....

But then, you also described every RCI Cruise I have ever been on....

So yes, we too just about had it for a while...did a all inclusive land get away last Feb...I was very impressed, and the total $$ was not too bad...and ALL the booze was free all day, NO ONE nickel-dimed us at all....it was a pleasure tipping people as you go....

 

I travel and work throughout North Jersey...so the Spanish should make me feel like it's any other day.

Edited by B-52
Link to comment
Share on other sites
HeartCruzs

HeartCruzs

Posted
Posted

Thank you for your review. I laughed out loud many times as I thoroughly enjoy your writing style. If you write a book on any subject, fact or fiction, please let me know - I'll be the first in line to buy it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
Finally...a REAL Review...must be the Northeast perspective.

 

We also have been on many cruises, and we avoid the windjammer on every one...only time you'll see me there is passing through to get some fruit...

 

This will be our first out of San Jaun, and I was looking for a review from someone who did not wear rose colored classes.....

But then, you also described every RCI Cruise I have ever been on....

So yes, we too just about had it for a while...did a all inclusive land get away last Feb...I was very impressed, and the total $$ was not too bad...and ALL the booze was free all day, NO ONE nickel-dimed us at all....it was a pleasure tipping people as you go....

I travel and work throughout North Jersey...so the Spanish should make me feel like it's any other day.

 

Every time I read a comment like yours it gives me more and more of a hankering to give an all inclusive a try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
txskier

txskier

Posted
Posted

Great review! thanks for the chuckles and laughs. As yourself and some of the readers might be leaving RCCL for a while, we return to the AoS since our last ride on RCCL back in 2011. We are not loyalists to any cruise line.

thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JohnGaltny

JohnGaltny

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
"I will say that after 10 cruises to the Caribbean, we are about done. Right now I think we’ll do a kiss goodbye cruise on Majesty this winter and then stay ashore while we save up to take us all on a European cruise in 2017. Will that be on Royal? Probably but a lot will depend on schedules and prices at that time. RCI remains where we look first but will no longer be the only line we consider."

 

 

We too are saying goodbye to not only RCCL, but to cruising as well. After 26 cruises in 16 years, our last trip will be on Adventure (our 4th on this particular ship) February of 2016. We love the southern itineraries and the availability of five ports. The ship has never been the destination for us, and we know that the corporate mission's focus is the ship as the destination with the commensurate spending expected. While pricing has remained relatively stable, the service experience and product quality has diminished substantially.

 

The benefit of our past cruises is the familiarity of the islands that has allowed us to begin to plant roots in the Caribbean. We will continue to travel to the islands every year, but on direct flights, staying at beachfront locations, with a choice of dining options. These new land based trips are similar in cost, but with a higher level of quality in expectation and delivery.

 

We are grateful for the exceptional memories that cruising has offered us, and now is a time for new adventures without the crowds, the diminished service and higher level of expectation and quality.

 

For all the people the may like my writing style (well some anyway), I truly don't think I could have expressed my feelings any better.

Edited by JohnGaltny
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...