Quick trip report of my Adventure on Adventure

[Ilovesailaway]

Just off Adventure OTS 2/2 through 2/9 traveling out of Port Everglades and stopping in Labadee, St.Maarten, and San Juan.

I want to do a quick comprehensive review of my trip and cover some of the things that I asked about leading up to it so that the info might be be useful to others.

 

Trip down, rental car, hotel

Flew down to FLL the day before on Delta. Flight was on time even though we connected through LGA (aka where travel plans go to die).

Arrived at FLL around 2pm, walked with my carry on and laptop bag (no checked bag) over to pick up my rental car -- 5 min walk. 

Had a full sized rental with Alamo. In the full sized aisle, they had several cars like the Altima, Malibu,.... they also had a few full sized quad cab pick up trucks. I chose an F150 because I wanted to be able to offer a ride to the port for a few ppl in my cruise party. Btw, Alamo did not require me to top off the fuel tank when returning. They said because my tank was so large I only needed to bring it back at over half.

Had a room booked at Sheraton Suites Fort Lauderdale at Cypress Creek -- good deal on Hotwire. Hotel was perfectly fine for pre-cruise: 20 min. from port, places to eat nearby. Hotel was a bit outdated but clean, and the staff was friendly. Only complaint was some road noise that others mentioned, but I didn't hear it.

 

To Port Everglades and rental return

Easy 15 min. drive from the hotel to the port. I brought 3 other cruisers from my party and their luggage. We were in terminal 25.  We arrived at the port at about 11:20. The line at security to drive into the port went quickly. I dropped everyone and luggage at the terminal and returned the truck. Alamo is right at the port entrance and very convenient. No hidden charges, drop off was very quick and I was on a shuttle to my ship in less than 10 minutes.

 

Boarding the Ship

I walked into the terminal at about noon, and I was on the ship in 10 minutes. No line at security. I had completed all check-in info online a few days prior. I grabbed a couple slices of pizza on the promenade and was sitting in the pub with an ice cold Newcastle in no time. At 1pm, I went to my inside room on deck 6 and unpacked. The room steward came by and introduced himself. 

 

The Ship

The ship is in great shape and the crew works hard to keep her clean. The level of craftsmanship is impressive. Its obvious that pride was taken in the tile work and the finish carpentry in the indoor spaces. I know that the ship is due for a renovation soon and you could see some areas where carpet and worn furniture could use replacing. However, that did not detract from my experience. My room was 6487. It's an inside room all the way aft. I don't mind being that far from the elevators and stairs because I like to walk a lot on board. The room was quiet. The attendant kept it clean and well stocked.

 

The Staff

I wanted to point out how great the staff is on Adventure. I have been on about a dozen cruises on a few different main stream lines. The staff on Adventure OTS is, hands down, the friendliest and most helpful I have experienced. They come across as very genuine and welcoming. An example is when I saw a woman who was having trouble with her electric scooter as she was going though the promenade. It appeared that the battery was low. I started to walk over but before I could get there someone from the cleaning staff, without even being asked, stopped what they were doing and quickly assisted. That was just one small example of the interactions I noticed. As awesome as they treated other guests, I almost felt like I was the most important passenger on the ship. I look forward to letting RCCL know about the great customer service.

 

The Food

This cruise was kind of a booze cruise / super bowl party for our group of 6 middle aged adults. We only had a few meals in the dining room where we were all together. We did not eat at any of the up-charge restaurants, other than Johnny Rockets for lunch one day. Having said that, and knowing food is subjective, I will give you my likes and dislikes. The Windjammer was bland. It also seemed a bit disorganized. An example would be having burgers before buns in line, then having to go someplace else to find cheese or to the salad bar for lettuce or tomato. It adds to the chaos LOL. I did hit the omelette station in the Windjammer every morning and that was decent.The main dining room was pretty good. The steaks were always to the right temp. Other dishes, such as pasta and chicken, were very tasty as well. My favorite was the lobster. Johnny Rockets was as good as I remember. Love the onion rings. I did notice that RCCL appears to have improved the pizza recipe, although it's much better when fresh. 

 

Entertainment

I thought the Caribbean and Latin bands were pretty good. A guitar player could be found on most nights in one of the lounges, but his set list seemed limited and often repeated. There were also a couple of female singers who were pleasant to listen to while having a drink. The 70's show in the promenade was fun. The piano players name was Keith, I believe. He played in the Schooner Bar and was very popular -- get there early for a seat. The ice show was very impressive. Hard to believe that is taking place on a ship at sea. I didn't catch the comedian or any of the other shows. One of the reasons for this cruise was to be on for the Super Bowl. They had a party with a burger/hot dog/taco spread in Studio B. They also had the game on at the big screen on the pool deck. It was fun being on board for the game. Wish the game was a little higher scoring though.  Passengers were allowed to wager on the game in the casino, and squares were also available.

 

Itinerary

The itinerary was perfect for the experience we were looking for. We sailed on Saturday. Sunday was a sea day, which was perfect because the Super Bowl was that night. It was also the first formal night, but I think some passengers skipped dinner to watch the game. We then had 3 straight port days. First was Labadee: I did the zip line. It was great. They weigh you and make you sign a bunch of waivers. Then you are fitted in a harness and walk over to a smaller zip line where they teach you the necessary technique. After that you are driven up the mountain and to the mother of all zip lines LOL. Its a great spot to snap a few photos but not so great if you don't like heights. A couple people did back out. I am not sure if a refund was given. The next day we docked in San Juan. I just walked around and took some pictures. Still see some hurricane damage. It's one of my favorite ports because of the narrow, cobble stone streets and old buildings. Our final stop was in St. Maarten. I took a cab to Maho beach just like my last visit here but was disappointed this time. The beach was very crowded and not as many planes to see. It didn't help that a lot of the beach seemed to be eroded, most likely from the hurricane. Traffic was really bad, as well, so it took a long time to get to Maho and back to the ship. We then had 2 sea days on our way back to Port Everglades.

 

Leaving the ship and Customs

I had a 9:40 flight to catch at FLL, so I did the self-assist debarkation. The ship docked at about 5:30. Those doing self assist started lining up luggage inside the Lyric Theater at about 5:45. We were able to start walking off at 6:45, and I was among the first off. Customs was a breeze. Even though I had the app, they wanted to see my passport and only asked a couple questions. I was in a cab to the airport by 7. There was only a short line at TSA, and I was at my gate for my Southwest flight with a ton of time to spare.

 

It was a fun trip. I hope this info is helpful. Let me know if you have any questions

[NanaP1398]

I was also on this cruise and had a wonderful time! Traveled with my sister & spent most evenings in the Schooner Bar with Keith, the piano guy. SO FUNNY! He is on Adventure till April & then going to Carnival. Big mistake for RC not to keep him. The bar was packed every night. He played from 9:15/9:30 until 1:00 anyway with no breaks! Super Mario was on board too. He has been cruising for 19 years & cruises 50 weeks a year! We also went to Maho but left after the Delta plane landed. Much better ride back to the ship. Glad we did it, but probably won’t go again if there are many ships in port. It was very crowded. Here’s us with Mario!

[SG65CB]

Sounds like you had a good cruise. I'm sure everyone has their opinion on the "best" number of port days vs. sea days on a 7-nighter. I did that same thing at the port a couple of years ago, drop everyone at the ship then go return the car. You need to get there early  because a long line of cars going into the port starts to grow around noon or earlier. The airport shuttle buses have a separate entrance into the port. It sounds like you dropped your truck off inside the port, Alamo has a drop-off there instead of taking it back to the airport?

 

You mentioned it quickly, you took an 8 night trip with just a carry-on bag?!?

[SG65CB]

18 minutes ago, NanaP1398 said:

I was also on this cruise and had a wonderful time! Traveled with my sister & spent most evenings in the Schooner Bar with Keith, the piano guy. SO FUNNY! He is on Adventure till April & then going to Carnival. Big mistake for RC not to keep him. The bar was packed every night. He played from 9:15/9:30 until 1:00 anyway with no breaks! Super Mario was on board too. He has been cruising for 19 years & cruises 50 weeks a year! We also went to Maho but left after the Delta plane landed. Much better ride back to the ship. Glad we did it, but probably won’t go again if there are many ships in port. It was very crowded. Here’s us with Mario!

 

 

How cool to meet Mario! He must bounce around from ship to ship instead of staying on the same ship for months at a time. 

[NanaP1398]

4 minutes ago, SG65CB said:

 

How cool to meet Mario! He must bounce around from ship to ship instead of staying on the same ship for months at a time. 

He was on a back to back on Adventure. He spoke in the Top Tier event & mentioned he prefers the smaller ships. He likes to see the ocean. I agree with him!  The mega ships are cool but I prefer the smaller ships. I like the lower outside decks and being able to see the ocean from most venues. He said he is on land 2 weeks a year & hates it! He was in the Windjammer the last night (having the Mongolian stir-fry, which was excellent) and the waiter there said Mario knows everyone. He was surprised I knew it was Mario. He said Mario is a real nice guy. It was fun meeting him. 

[davekathy]

Thanks for taking us along on your cruise. 

[eljayel66]

I’m on Adventure in April-Different itinerary though. Thanks for your review-leaves me even more excited about our trip !

[eljayel66]

1 hour ago, NanaP1398 said:

I was also on this cruise and had a wonderful time! Traveled with my sister & spent most evenings in the Schooner Bar with Keith, the piano guy. SO FUNNY! He is on Adventure till April & then going to Carnival. Big mistake for RC not to keep him. The bar was packed every night. He played from 9:15/9:30 until 1:00 anyway with no breaks! Super Mario was on board too. He has been cruising for 19 years & cruises 50 weeks a year! We also went to Maho but left after the Delta plane landed. Much better ride back to the ship. Glad we did it, but probably won’t go again if there are many ships in port. It was very crowded. Here’s us with Mario!

I LOVE a good piano man - do you know when in April Keith leaves ?? We sail April 7th so hoping we get to enjoy him !!

[Bkchero]

Adventure just went through a drydock and refurb in early 2018, so your comment about worn furniture and carpet is a little concerning . . . Glad you had a good time and thanks for the review.

[NanaP1398]

1 hour ago, eljayel66 said:

I LOVE a good piano man - do you know when in April Keith leaves ?? We sail April 7th so hoping we get to enjoy him !!

I read on his FB page he was leaving RC April 1st. (His name is Keith Retson-Spalding) He told us RC didn’t renew him so he was going to Carnival. Big mistake for RC! Standing room only every night. People were on the stairs trying to see! We had sooo much fun with him! Sorry you will miss him 😞

[LBumb]

5 hours ago, Ilovesailaway said:

interactions

Great review

[cruiseguy1016]

12 hours ago, Ilovesailaway said:

The Ship

The ship is in great shape and the crew works hard to keep her clean. The level of craftsmanship is impressive. Its obvious that pride was taken in the tile work and the finish carpentry in the indoor spaces. I know that the ship is due for a renovation soon and you could see some areas where carpet and worn furniture could use replacing. However, that did not detract from my experience. My room was 6487. It's an inside room all the way aft. I don't mind being that far from the elevators and stairs because I like to walk a lot on board. The room was quiet. The attendant kept it clean and well stocked.

 

The ship just went through a major refurbishment 1 year ago. We were on her 2 weeks after the work was done. I think carpets were replaced throughout the ship.

 

12 hours ago, Ilovesailaway said:

Leaving the ship and Customs

I had a 9:40 flight to catch at FLL, so I did the self-assist debarkation. The ship docked at about 5:30. Those doing self assist started lining up luggage inside the Lyric Theater at about 5:45. We were able to start walking off at 6:45, and I was among the first off. Customs was a breeze. Even though I had the app, they wanted to see my passport and only asked a couple questions. I was in a cab to the airport by 7. There was only a short line at TSA, and I was at my gate for my Southwest flight with a ton of time to spare.

 

Can you please elaborate on this? We have a 9:47 flight and I want to make sure we allow enough time to get to the airport. What time did you get the Lyric Theater? Roughly how many other passengers were doing self assist debarkation? How long was the wait at TSA and what time did you get to your gate?

 

[Ilovesailaway]

11 hours ago, Bkchero said:

Adventure just went through a drydock and refurb in early 2018, so your comment about worn furniture and carpet is a little concerning . . . Glad you had a good time and thanks for the review.

Sorry if I caused concern. I admit I did not look into when the ship was last in dry dock. The wear is very minimal. I think you will be very happy with the conditions on board. When I look at deck plans I see that some indicated changes are coming so I assumed more work will be done on the ship this year.

[Ilovesailaway]

2 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

 

Can you please elaborate on this? We have a 9:47 flight and I want to make sure we allow enough time to get to the airport. What time did you get the Lyric Theater? Roughly how many other passengers were doing self assist debarkation? How long was the wait at TSA and what time did you get to your gate?

 

I walked into the theater just before 6. There were about 10 people already there. A staff member directed me to the line of luggage that had started. People didn't stand with their bag, they placed their bag in line and had a seat. At about 6:30 people went and stood by their bag. At 6:45 we were allowed to walk off and into the terminal. Because I was toward the front of the group it was very quick to get through customs. They had several lines open. Within a few min I was in a taxi to FLL. It took me about 10 min to get through TSA (I don't have pre-check). My flight was at 9:40 and I sat at my gate for almost 2 hours before boarding.

 

 

[Biker19]

12 hours ago, Bkchero said:

Adventure just went through a drydock and refurb in early 2018, so your comment about worn furniture and carpet is a little concerning . . 

While they replaced the carpet during the dry dock (it would have about a year of wear now), typically, none of the furniture except sofa was replaced in the cabin.

[emen822]

Thanks for your review.  We are sailing this Saturday on the 8 nighter so I love hearing positive reviews.  I agree that the Alamo rental return was a breeze.  We did that in 2017 and it couldn't have gone any smoother. 

 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise!

[dreadpirate3]

12 hours ago, Bkchero said:

Adventure just went through a drydock and refurb in early 2018, so your comment about worn furniture and carpet is a little concerning . . . Glad you had a good time and thanks for the review.

 

I was on a cruise a few weeks before, I did not notice any worn furniture or carpets. My trip report has a lot of pictures and none are in there either.

[broadwaycam]

2 hours ago, Ilovesailaway said:

Sorry if I caused concern. I admit I did not look into when the ship was last in dry dock. The wear is very minimal. I think you will be very happy with the conditions on board. When I look at deck plans I see that some indicated changes are coming so I assumed more work will be done on the ship this year.

What changes are going to be done? Where do you see them listed?

[Biker19]

7 minutes ago, broadwaycam said:

What changes are going to be done? Where do you see them listed?

Adventure has had her dry dock already - the next one is not for another 4 years - don't believe there'll be any changes before then.

[The Fun Researcher]

19 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Adventure has had her dry dock already - the next one is not for another 4 years - don't believe there'll be any changes before then.

 

https://www.*****.com/2018/04/30/royal-caribbean-releases-royal-amplified-fleet-upgrade-schedule

 

Actually it's due for the big Amped upgrades in 2021

Dan

[The Fun Researcher]

Looking at the Adventure possibly out of Cape Liberty next summer.  Thanks for the review OP.

Dan

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Actually it's due for the big Amped upgrades in 2021

Oops, a bit off, only about 3 years away.

[The Fun Researcher]

2 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Oops, a bit off, only about 3 years away.

 

Yeah, not sure when in 2021 it is.  I just remember looking at it because I was hoping it would have been completed by summer 2020 when we are possibly going to sail on her.  

Dan

[Biker19]

Just now, The Fun Researcher said:

Yeah, not sure when in 2021 it is.  I just remember looking at it because I was hoping it would have been completed by summer 2020 when we are possibly going to sail on her.  

I assume in late fall to line up with her Nov launch anniversary.

[IAMGPW]

I was also on this cruise.  This is one of many many cruises I have been on.  The food was the best yet ( even in the specialty resultants)  The  service couldn't get any better.  Even the guy at the server at the coffee bar remembered my name 3 days after I met him.  By far the best cruise yet.  I am looking to travel on it again soon :)