Will try again

[Kim225]

I tried to post some questions earlier, but apparently did something wrong. Here goes again ...

 

My husband and I went on a cruise about 15 years ago, but since that time a lot has changed and I have a few questions. We are booked on the Navigator of the Seas in April and we have a 10 year old son that will cruising with us. He is an only child and is nervous about going to the Adventure Ocean club alone. Although we are traveling with my sister and her family, her kids are older than my son (15 and 17), so he will not know anyone else at the AO club and he is a little bit shy. I do not want him to spend our whole vacation there, but I think he would enjoy the activities and it would be nice to have a little bit of time with my husband. Can anyone give me specifics on some of the activities that I can tell him about that might get him excited when the time gets closer?

 

We are booked on the NOS in a Grand Suite. I know that this includes concierge service, but I am embarrassed to say that I do not know what the benefits of this service are? Can someone give me some feedback?

 

One last question ... In one of postings, I read that someone had regretted that they purchased transfers directly from the cruise line because the had issues. What are people thoughts on this? I am not sure yet how we are going to get from the rental car return at the Miami airport to the cruise terminal. Are there any rental car companies that have transportation?

 

I have learned a lot from the boards and appreciate everyone's experience and advice. We are getting really excited for our cruise and I am hoping that everything goes smoothly.

 

Thanks!!!!

[madforcruising]

This is the Welcome letter we got from the Concierge on the Jewel otS and pretty much summs up the Concierge service.

 

 

Outside the hours where the Concierge is serving in the lounge there is a coffee machine for coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino, Tea, Hot Chocolate 24/7. There´s also some kind of Juice and water available.

[BeachBumMama]

Just wanted to comment on transportation to port. Some car rental companies offer this, not sure which you're using but you can inquire there.

[Lou_70]

ok one question at a time

 

1- it is really impossible to say what your son will like and dislike.. There are tons of kids his age at adventure ocean, and he is sure to make a friend or two .. he might be a little scared the first day, as all the kids are,but the directors jobs are to get the kids to interact and have fun. There is a water slide there.. they have playstation tournaments, tons of games, a treasure hunt, and on the last cruise all the kids dressed up like pirates and took over the bridge. I have 2 kids 10 and 12, and one absoluetly loved adventure ocean, one did not like it too much. Colin, who did not like it too much, ended up meeting a boy there that he spent most of the week with. Even though he only went to adventure ocean for two days, the rest of the week he spent with his new friend in the arcade, playing ping pong, pretty much having run of the ship...We barely saw our daughter Allison, cause she spent all her time in adventure ocean, they even have a kids formal night. She got along with the directors, and had a blast.

 

2- conceirce lounge already answered

 

3- get a taxi from the airport to the terminal, it is way cheaper and three times as fast. they have posted rates on the taxi for the charge to the port, so there is no way to get ripped off. I think it is something like 25 bucks flat charge to the port. It has been a couple years since I have cruised out of Miami, but it could not of gone up too much. There are TONS of taxis waiting for you when you get off the ship to take you back to the airport for the same flat charge. That way you will not have to wait on a bus for it to fill, and then wait on the bus when it arrives for the driver to unload all the luggage and see the masses of people going through trying to get their luggage. We got our camera stole this way last time we used a bus. Never again.

[funforsun]

Once again, Lou with the definitive post.

 

I would only add that you should probably not address this issue of AO with your son too much more ahead of time. Let the "adventure" unfold as you get on the ship and he can discover the area for himself without a lot of stress ahead of time.

[Travelgrrl]

There is a 'get together' the first night where AO kids can meet each other and they have ice breaker type games to get the kids mingling.

 

That being said, neither one of my kids has ever cared for AO (Or any other line's kids' program) and prefer to spend their time with me at the pool (or wherever I am). As long as they are happy...! There are some activities the whole family can do, too.