AOS 10-14 Review (Short)

[FL_Cruiser64]

If it makes you feel any better, we are booked on AoS for next September. So while there seems to be an increase in negative reports I think you can still have a good time. And hopefully RCI will get the point and take action when appropriate to control rude behavior (regardless of nationality).

 

Us too...us too....9-21-08 :D

[uksimonusa]

Seems logical. RCL can't like having a lot of fire sales either, wouldn't there be more profit if they had AOS in a market that didn't require fire sales? The southern route is so attractive to many, maybe RCL could more frequently fill a Vision ship w/o the need for fire sales. If being chosen mostly for the route, maybe the difference in amenities between Vision class and AOS would not impact sales. Better for RCL customers seeking non-fire-sale fellow travelers and more profit for RCL. The folks looking for bargains will go to Carnival. They are choosing on price over itenerary or amenities.

 

AOS can go to PC.

 

Keep Mariner in PC and send AOS to LA:)

[love2vacation]

We didn't see any of these problems on the Serenade in March 2006.

 

Is it particular months of the year? We are booked on the AOS for May 2008. I did notice the prices have gone way up since I booked more than a year out. Our particular cabin went up 350.00 pp; maybe this will help.

 

I am hoping for the best--- we chose to do early seating for dinner this time so maybe we can avoid some of the behavior.:confused:

[Aquahound]

Keep Mariner in PC and send AOS to LA:)

 

Excellent idea.

 

Also, I would love to see the AOS embark out of St. Thomas instead of PR, although I know that's not possible.

[bermudashorts]

Sailed the 10-7 sailing on Adventure.

There were a few rude people on the ship but it didn't effect my cruise.

There were a few cut in line folks, the elevator hogs and some that would stand around and block some areas.

But nothing worse than i've seen on sailing out of NY or Philly.

I never went into the clubs after hours so I have no comment about what might have happened late night.

I will note that one of the room stewards told someone in our group that the puerto ricans she had to take care of were bad and was complaining.

 

 

The duel announcements did become a joke of the cruise.

I thought for sure I'd re-learn my high school spanish, but it didn't happen.

Overall I think it was a great sailing. I'd sail out of PR again.

Sorry you had issues on your sailing, sounds like we might have picked a good week to go

[swmichigan cruiser]

I think we have sailed out of San Juan 5 times. Twice on Carnival, once on NCL and twice on Royal. We never had any problems on 4 of them including the Serenade which we sailed on in late November 2005. Last year late November we sailed on the AOS. Never again on the AOS. I sent Royal an email that if their goal was to make the AOS known as the low cost ship out of San Juan they were on there way to succeeding. Guess my point though is the other ships such as the Serenade at least at that time didn't seem to have the same problems.

[ckrobyn]

Aquahound - I am truly sorry that you encountered such rudeness aboard the AOS. I know this can have a real negative impact on one's overall cruise experience.

 

I have sailed on the AOS 3 times so far, with the 4th and 5th cruises (B2B) booked for this coming February. I will agree that there tends to be a large number of local Puerto Ricans aboard, but this has never been an issue on any of our cruises - certainly not the rudeness you described in your review.

 

I'm not convinced that rudeness is limited to the AOS - I have also sailed on the Radiance twice out of Florida and encountered more rude and disrespectful passengers on those cruises than on any cruise I have ever taken on the AOS :rolleyes:

 

I just think in general it is a shame that people are not respectful of eachother. I'm sure people's manners are just fine at home, yet they seem to think it is a free for all on a cruise ship. Pitiful isn't it?

 

I hope that potential AOS cruisers will not be put off sailing out of San Juan - I am here to give my experience and to say that each of our 3 sailings on the AOS have been wonderful and we are looking foward to more of the same in February.

 

Once again, sorry you had such a negative experience and I hope your future cruises are all great one's! :)

[FL_Cruiser64]

We didn't see any of these problems on the Serenade in March 2006.

 

Is it particular months of the year? We are booked on the AOS for May 2008. I did notice the prices have gone way up since I booked more than a year out. Our particular cabin went up 350.00 pp; maybe this will help.

 

I am hoping for the best--- we chose to do early seating for dinner this time so maybe we can avoid some of the behavior.:confused:

 

Maybe the price went up because lots of people booked...like a tripple quincera (or whatever that is called). That means 2,100 teenagers on your cruise. :D

 

Like 10-25-08.........

[FL_Cruiser64]

If your neighbor told me you were using the chair then I would leave it. But if I see a chair that seems to look "saved" (one shoe on each chair type of thing) I will remove the items and use the chair. Private property or not. And I wouldn't apologize for doing it. It is ridiculous not to be able to find a chair because someone saves 5 of them just in case they might want them sometime that day....or not.

 

Well we were talking about a towel, an open book and a pair of sunglasses belonging to a person who just wanted to get himself a refreshment.

 

:D

[roe2ship]

OMG :eek: all this rude behavior is scaring me. We will be sailing in Dec 2008 out of San Juan on the Serenade OTS for 7 nights to the S. Caribbean. Do they have this rudiness problem too? We are booked an early Dec sailing mainly because the cruise fare is really a great deal for a JS. Should I be worried?:confused:

As mentioned before, it appears Serenade does not have these issues. If you find any reviews indicating these problems, please let us know.

[roe2ship]

We ran into the same horrible behavior when sailing out of PR also, wild unruly gangs of kids running all over the ship, no parents in sight or doing any kind of control, line cutting, fights, pushing, shoving. I got pushed down the stairs.

 

Were these the same locals? NOPE, they were NEW YORKERS and NEW JERSERYANS all on February break. I am sure the few puerto ricans (very few) were probably horrified at the antics and situations caused by all the rude people. And for the record I am from NY.

Interesting. I imagined that the cost of airfare to San Juan would somewhat limit gangs of kids. How did you know that they were New Yorkers and New Jerseyans? For that matter you would think the Explorer of the Seas would have the same bad reputation.

[roe2ship]

 

There have also been local SJ travel agents post on here within the last few years about how low the prices are for the folks in San Juan so I don't believe for a minute that they pay the same price.

But if this was the case, why wouldn't Royal Caribbean discount prices leaving from other homeports like New Jersey and Florida?

 

I always thought the Voyager ships basically sell themselves.

[rednancy1]

Keep Mariner in PC and send AOS to LA:)

 

 

Bite your tongue. :eek: We west coasters can't wait for the Mariner.:)

[Aquahound]

I always thought the Voyager ships basically sell themselves.

 

In a way, this is true. But look at how many Floridians are on the Miami/FLL cruises. That's because we can drive to the port.

 

But in the Florida cases, the ships don't have to be discounted for us to book.

[teajak]

Interesting. I imagined that the cost of airfare to San Juan would somewhat limit gangs of kids. How did you know that they were New Yorkers and New Jerseyans? For that matter you would think the Explorer of the Seas would have the same bad reputation.

Spirit airlines has very cheap fares to San Juan. For example about once a month,$8.00 each way from Fort Lauderdale.

[Tranquil Waters]

Bite your tongue. :eek: We west coasters can't wait for the Mariner.:)

 

I always heard you west coasters were a greedy bunch.;) Keep your sticky little fingers off our ship!

 

Signed,

 

Midwesterner (who is much closer to east coast than west coast):D

[Aquahound]

Spirit airlines has very cheap fares to San Juan. For example about once a month,$8.00 each way from Fort Lauderdale.

 

 

Wow! :eek:

 

I wish I would have found those flights. When I booked, I couldn't find any Spirit flights that were direct from FLL to SJU.

[Newcruiser65]

Wow, if I were Puerto Rican, I'd be really offended. Surely, they can't all behave badly. From what I have seen on the posts, the problem seems to be large groups of unruly young people. Large groups of unruly young people anywhere from any country is going to be a problem. Who would willingly go anywhere that would be full of kids ( Americans or otherwise) on Spring Break? I know I wouldn't!

 

I've never been on AOS. I've never been to Puerto Rico and I don't even know any Puerto Ricans, but I just find it hard to believe that the entire country is completely devoid of manners, class, and common sense. I'm thinking it must be the kids causing the problems on the cruise, not the adults. ( At least I'm hoping!) Look at our own American young people and some of the things they wear,say and do. Would we really want foreigners judging Americans based on the antics of our college kids on Spring Break? Anyone heard of the " Girls Gone Wild Videos"? That's not representative of anyone I knew while in college! But foreigners might think so.

 

Everyone has the right to chose what atmosphere they want for their vacation and no one wants to be subjected to bad manners and chaos while trying to enjoy their vacation. I can understand that. But it just seems like most people are lumping Puerto Ricans together and making an equation that says Puerto Ricans + Cruise = Disaster. When a more likely equation is Unruly Young People from any Country + Cruise= Disaster.

 

For the record, Americans have a reputation for being pushy, rude, greedy and vulgar. Surely we aren't all that way?

[roe2ship]

Spirit airlines has very cheap fares to San Juan. For example about once a month,$8.00 each way from Fort Lauderdale.

Right and those fares are typically for travel midweek and limited to a number of seats, probably one or two (at that fare), not enough for a family of four, five, etc.

[Tranquil Waters]

Wow, if I were Puerto Rican, I'd be really offended. Surely, they can't all behave badly. From what I have seen on the posts, the problem seems to be large groups of unruly young people. Large groups of unruly young people anywhere from any country is going to be a problem. Who would willingly go anywhere that would be full of kids ( Americans or otherwise) on Spring Break? I know I wouldn't!.......

 

Wow, if I were a young person I'd be really offended......

[FL_Cruiser64]

Spirit airlines has very cheap fares to San Juan. For example about once a month,$8.00 each way from Fort Lauderdale.

 

I am in that flight planning position right now for pur september cruise. I am not sure to book flights early or take a chance and wait until something comes up later.

[Aquahound]

Wow, if I were Puerto Rican, I'd be really offended.....

 

Hence my discalimer not to read my review if you're easily offended. That's why I put it in a link, not on the thread itself. :rolleyes:

 

If there was a cruise somewhere in which the white, mainland Americans were constantly this much of a problem, I wouldn't be offended. I'd be embarrased at how those people make all of us look. :rolleyes:

 

Listen, we all know there are rude people on every single cruise. You will always see line cutting, unruly kids, etc. That doesn't need to be pointed out.

 

At no time did I say that all Puerto Ricans are bad. In fact, I know they are not. I reported on the bad behavior which always involved the Puerto Ricans that were on board. And I am not the first to report this. This is becoming common on the AOS. Also, I did not say it was all young people. The lady that stole my chair was in her 40's. As for the unruly kids, I blame the parents who were right there letting it happen. On a couple of occassions, the parents started doing cannonballs with there kids!

 

BTW, I did report some good things about this cruise........

[FL_Cruiser64]

But if this was the case, why wouldn't Royal Caribbean discount prices leaving from other homeports like New Jersey and Florida?

 

I always thought the Voyager ships basically sell themselves.

 

 

They do. It's called Florida Residence discount.

[Newcruiser65]

Wow, if I were a young person I'd be really offended......

 

 

I would be too if I were a young person who happened NOT to be unruly.

[Newcruiser65]

Hence my discalimer not to read my review if you're easily offended. That's why I put it in a link, not on the thread itself. :rolleyes:

 

If there was a cruise somewhere in which the white, mainland Americans were constantly this much of a problem, I wouldn't be offended. I'd be embarrased at how those people make all of us look. :rolleyes:

 

Listen, we all know there are rude people on every single cruise. You will always see line cutting, unruly kids, etc. That doesn't need to be pointed out.

 

At no time did I say that all Puerto Ricans are bad. In fact, I know they are not. I reported on the bad behavior which always involved the Puerto Ricans that were on board. And I am not the first to report this. This is becoming common on the AOS. Also, I did not say it was all young people. The lady that stole my chair was in her 40's. As for the unruly kids, I blame the parents who were right there letting it happen. On a couple of occassions, the parents started doing cannonballs with there kids!

 

BTW, I did report some good things about this cruise........

 

I guess I was too optimistic in hoping it was just the kids. If the adults were just as bad, then I really don't know what to say. That's pretty sad...