AOS Review Aug 1 -8

[JLewis8310]

Good morning!

Would you be so kind as to send me a copy of the Compass as well? Diane and I will be on the Mariner this Sunday. Thank you ever so much!

Judy

jlewis8310@aol.com

[purdue98]

Please send me a copy of the compasses, too.

 

Thanks.

 

msbradford6@netscape.net

[laedw]

Please send me a copy of the compass. I am planning the same cruise in October '05. I can't wait! Thank you so much. My e-mail address is lesliee@ha-llc.com

[bobbyd6363]

OK! I hate to ask too but can I get a copy of the AOS Compass?

bhorn2@cox.net

 

Thanks!

[muscleman]

If anyone hasn't received the compass let me know. But check to see if you have enough bytes because it's pretty large. I have recieved undeliverable on some because a lack of space.

[hottm22]

I am going on the following Itinerary. If anyone has a compass please e-mail it to me..I would appreciate it!!

 

San Juan, Oranjestad, Willemstad, Philipsburg, Charlotte.

 

 

Thank you!

 

hottm22@yahoo.com

[bobbyd6363]

Muscleman

try sending it again - cleared out my inbox at bhorn2@cox.net also try sending it to bhorn@anteon.com

THANKS!!!

[gene624]

You undoubtedy understated the MESS on disembarking. Worst I have ever seen on 13 or 14 cruises.

Gene in BIrmingham

[drarill]

Muscleman:

 

Can I get a copy of the AOS compass? My email is wilfreq@icepr.com We are doing the same itinerary Jan 2, 2005.

 

Thanks;

Lydia

[love2cruise4ever]

I also did this same cruise on the AOS on Aug. 1-9th. The route took us to St. Thomas, St. martin, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados. I had a Junior Suite on the 7th floor. Toward the back of the boat. Large enough for the four of us in my family. The balcony was extremely big. We invited some friends for breakfast one day and had 10 people in the balcony eating at the same time. The room has a bathtub something that for a cabin in a cruise line these days is not the usual. Anyone who had cruise before for sure knows all the jokes about the size of the bathrooms.

 

We stay at the Club Level in the Ritz Carlton in Isla Verde the day before the cruise (great place to use your Miles to get a room for free;) ) , service was excellent, beach and pool are beautiful and the place is really great. We also stay one night after the cruise in San Juan (we wanted to avoid how crazy the airport gets on sundays and save on the airfare since it is less expensive to return on Mondays) and we picked the Embassy Suites for that extra night (we paid for that one :mad: ). it is a good hotel, which offers free full breakfast, free happy hours, and really big rooms at a good price but not beach.

 

If you like a party, go to The San Juan Hotel in Isla Verde on Saturdays and you will find the best party in this side of the world in that place. Great place for party not too good for staying there for what I hear the rooms are small and hotel service is not as good as the Ritz. But the lobby of that hotel is something you need to experience at least once. Live Music, lot of people, great drinks in the Lobby Bar, and a good size Casino. About food, If you like great steaks, then go to the Intercontinental hotel next door (by the way all of the above hotels are within walking distance in Isla Verde) and you can never go wrong with Ruth Chris (sp???). I like Japanese food so we dined at the Japanese restaurant at the Intercontinental I think the name is Momoyama. Traditional Japanese cuisine with teppanyaki tables similarly to a Benihana in service and prices.

 

We rented a car from Hertz for each of the night we stayed in San Juan. Hertz have an office at the airport and one at the Caribe Hilton. The Hilton is right in front of where AOS dock. Too far for a walk but only about a $5 taxi cab from there. So we figured that we came out ahead in taxi fare (remember they charge you for each piece of luggage). So in the way in we picked up the car at the airport, next day I left my family at the dock, went by myself to the Caribe Hilton, drop the car there and I was back with my family at the dock in no more than 15-20 minutes. In the way back I took a taxi to the Hilton, picked up the car (be aware that they closed from noon to 1pm for lunch) and came back to the dock to pick up my party.

 

Getting into the boat on Sunday is easy. Remember that the other route takes people to Aruba, Curacao, St. martin and St. Thomas. Since St. Thomas is the first US port on that route, meaning that you are reentering the US in St. Thomas, Custom and Immigration are done there, (we did this route the year before) therefore when those folks get to San Juan, they just get off the boat and that make it easy for RCCL to get the boat ready earlier for the people that are coming in on the next cruise. So you get on right away. Now when this particular route comes back to San Juan, we had to do Custom and Immigration in San Juan along with two other boats (Carnival and Princess) and therefore the lines were really big and getting off the boat took forever. I can only imagine that the people coming on the boat that day took forever to be able to get in.

 

What can I say about this boat, it was our second time on this boat and third on an RCCL boat of the same type. It is a great place. Food is plenty which is all you can expect in a cruise. It is open to debate if it is getting better or worse but the bottom line is that you get plenty of choices and most people will find something they like in all they offer. Service on the boat is good, not great but you are having a good time so have a drink and relax.

 

Now for the Islands:

 

St. Thomas, If you have been there before, trying going to St. John, there are plenty of tips of how to get there on this board under the ports of calls. Or you can Call J.C. Penny (340) 775-5703(home) and (340)513-2146. Great guy who has what they called a Safari Van which is a pickup truck that has been converted to take people in the back which is the way this is done in St. Thomas and that will charge you about $25.00 per person for a tour that takes you around the island and then to the beach. He will drop you off there and come back to pick you up at the time you tell him to do so. Then he will take you into town for some shopping and he will pick you up again and take you back to the boat.

 

St. martin: if you have a large group and want to do a private tour of the island (we had a group of 10 people)try renting a Van from The Taxi Association (again you can find their info on this board). We used in particular Jose Marlin (cell 551-2147) e-mail taxisxm@hotmail.com . He charged us $28.00 per person, for a private tour, all day long. Picked us up in his 14 passengers air-conditioned Van at the time we had agreed with him, took us around to both the French side and the Dutch side and was very nice and informative. Great way to see the island. Be aware that Orient Beach has a part where nudity is allowed. If you don't want to see the island and want a great beach, the one next to the port (you take a water taxi to it) is called Great Bay and it is very nice. You can rent water toys there, they just completed a nice walkway by the side of the beach and there are plenty of nice restaurants and shopping is just on the other side of the street.

 

Antigua: We took a taxi Tour with Lawrance of Antigua (about $25 pp) who took us on his van all over the island and to the beach. Very good service. Plenty of references on this guy on the board. You can't go wrong

 

St. Lucia: we did not do much and miss on this beautiful island. But if you want to do a taxi tour you can get it for about $30-$50 pp and there are a couple of drivers (Frank and Cosol) that have very good reviews on this board. Looked it up on the port of Calls under St. Lucia

 

Barbados: If you want to have the time of your life for $90 pp you can get a five hours lunch tour in the Silver Moon Catamaran. They only take 12 people on this 44 ft Catamaran. There are plenty of reviews on this boat including one that I posted under Barbados, on this board. This will be the highlight of your cruise no doubt about it. This is right out of a book of the lifetime of the Rich and Famous. Great experience.

 

So including the $90pp tour we did something in almost every island for under about $200 pp for the entire cruise. Not bad when just one tour on the boat can put you back $75.00 pp.

 

Overall Great Vacation. Can't wait to do it all over again next year.

[KenPog]

Thanks for the review. Please send me the Compass as I'm sailing on 8/29.

kenpogrob@comcast.net

[GMC]

A copy of the compass would be great. We are going May 05.

 

GMCartee@cs.com

[baileytheloverdog]

Please send a copy of the Compass. We are going Oct 10.

Baileytheloverdog99@yahoo.com

[muscleman]

Okay, I think I have sent everyone the compasses that asked for one. If you haven't received it let me know. But, like I said before make sure your have enouth space.

 

happy sailing.

[zme]

Just got home Sunday from the AOS. We had the best vacation ever. Our vow renewal went great and it turned out that a friend of mine, who was instramental in introducing my wife and I 10 years ago, just happend to be on the same cruise. It was completely unexpected and a total surprise. He was just as surprised to see us as we were to see him. I haven't even talked to him in a year.

 

The ship is beautiful, the service was great, but the wait at the dock to get on sucked big time. It took two hours to clear the ship. We got to the dock at noon got on the ship at 2

 

We bar hopped in Aruba and swam with the dolphins in Cuasau. (someday I'll learn how to spell that) Went parasailing in St. Maartin and shopping in St. Thomas. We were to tired to venture out Saturday night and because we got on the ship so late Sunday, we did not get to see anything in San Juan. We'll save that for another cruise.

 

The snorkle activity was great everywhere. Swam with the turtles in St. Thomas.

 

The only aspect of the vacation that I was not pleased with was a prenight in San Juan at the Caribe Hilton. We had a nice room, but it overlooked construction of a new building. Made that reservation in February and paid for an ocean view room. They didn't seem to care at all. I'll be posting a scathing review in the general area later with a cc to corporate Hilton.

 

Hope everyone had as great a time as we did

 

Take care all and cruise on.

 

zme

[bobbyd6363]

Muslceman!
I got the compasses! THANKS!

[bobbyd6363]

zme!!
We stayed at the Caribe hilton a few years ago and are staying there for our AOS cruise 14 november!! WHAT side of the hotel?! UGH! Man that will suck!

[Valerie]

Muscleman, I glad you had a wonderful cruise. I too had a great experience on the same sailing 7/18-25. What a awesome ship. My favorite island was St. Lucia. I had a wonderful tour guide who took us around all day. His tour was absolutely fabulous, and would do it again in heartbeat.

[muscleman]

Hi Valerie,

Yes, we did have a great time on the AOS. My favorite Island is St Marteen. We own a timeshare there an we will be going back there for nine days the first week in November.

I have two cruises book for next year. On the SOS in February and EOS in July. After the July cruise we will be diamond members (-:

I have read the Tom Joyner thread and saw you work near Crystal City. I work at the Pentagon. I take the long commute from Stafford everyday to the city.

Talk to you later

[cruiselover4us]

Can you try again to send me the compass. Thanks

[drarill]

Muscleman:
I didnt receive the compass, can you try again?Thanks
Lydia
[email="wilfreq@icepr.com"]wilfreq@icepr.com[/email]

[Valerie]

Hi Muscleman,

I liked St. Maarten too, I just had a better experience in St. Lucia. We actually too a tour in St. Maarten, and went to Orient Beach. However, it started raining hard about 5-10 minutes after we got there, so we left and went back to the ship.

Boy, you have your vacations planned out for 2005 already. That's impressive! I need to start planning. How many cruises do you have to take before your become Diamond members?

Yes, I work close to Crystal City. I was hoping I could get a group of us from cruise critic to meet in Crystal for lunch one Friday. I'll see how everyone feels on the Tom Joyner thread.

I applaud you and your commute. How long does it take you to get from Stafford to the city?

Talk to you later!

[muscleman]

Hi Valarie,

I plan my cruises way out in advance and pay for them like a bill. That way, it's paid for at least two months before I depart. I don't believe in using a credit card for vacations. I have two more cruises before I become Diamond. But after my two cruises next year we will be Diamond. We are thinking about a three day cruise so we will be Diamond before our big cruise in July. Right now it look like my group for July will be around 50 people. The one in February wil be just the wife and I. It will be the first time we have went solo.

My commute takes around 50 minutes. I leave home around 5:15 and I know you have heard that we use the slug thing in Virginia. It works real well. I sleep all the way to work and back home.

The meeting sounds good for lunch. My wife work in DC just a couple of metro stops away from Crystal City. It would be nice getting together to talk about our cruise experience.

[J&BinAZ]

Would like a copy of the compass as we are trying to decide which night to eat at Portofino's. It would also help us to plan out other activities.
You can email it to me at [email="JCravenMN@aol.com"]JCravenMN@aol.com[/email] Thanks for your help.

[syndyj]

Hi, can you try sending it again, to this address:

[email]jade_desire@excite.com[/email]