For all those who have booked or are going to book the AOS - read this!

[mikeqube]

I can't believe i'm asking this, i always think,what difference does it make when i read somebody else asking this question, but now that we're able to make reservations at Portofino ahead of time, I'm asking.Can anybody that's cruised on the AOS recently tell me which nites are formal, i'm sailing on Oct 26 a group of 5 and we're trying to plan a night for the 4 adults to go to Portofino and a night for our DD & SIL to go alone so we can keep our 4 y.o. grandaughter with us, also if anybody remembers which night the Ocean adventure pirate parade is that would be helpful too, she won't want to miss that, we're sailing at Halloween so it may be different, who knows.

In any case, thanks in advance, Claire!

 

The days at sea are the formal nights or at least they were when I sailed the AOS in Feb this year. The AOS is a great ship, I was a bit hesitant after reading some of the stuff on these boards about the other passengers and there were no issues. It was the best cruise I ever took!

[toonjie]

I can't believe i'm asking this, i always think,what difference does it make when i read somebody else asking this question, but now that we're able to make reservations at Portofino ahead of time, I'm asking.Can anybody that's cruised on the AOS recently tell me which nites are formal, i'm sailing on Oct 26 a group of 5 and we're trying to plan a night for the 4 adults to go to Portofino and a night for our DD & SIL to go alone so we can keep our 4 y.o. grandaughter with us, also if anybody remembers which night the Ocean adventure pirate parade is that would be helpful too, she won't want to miss that, we're sailing at Halloween so it may be different, who knows.

In any case, thanks in advance, Claire!

 

Mondays and Thursdays are the formal nights. Wednesday is the weakest menu, IMHO. Monday is Mystery Dinner Theater in Portofino, $49.50 for dinner and a murder mystery, so it is more expensive that night. Tuesday, 6:00pm-7:00pm is Johnny Rockets night for Adventure Ocean so you can put her in AO and they will take her to dinner and then watch her in AO afterwards.

[cds2423]

Thanks to both mikequebe and toonjie for the info. i remembered that first sea day would be formal but wasn't sure about the second formal night.

Toonjie thanks for the AO/JR plan, for sure we'll be putting her into AO she loved it on the Explorer last Oct. I've thoroughly enjoyed all your pics & reviews of the AOS, it obviously holds a special place in your heart. Before you know it you'll be cruising with the new addition to your family, cruising is a wonderful way to see the world. Congrats and good luck to all of you.

[roe2ship]

Glad to read many positive comments from all those who have recently returned.......I am getting real close now!!

 

I need some help please.......I have been trying Priceline for a resort for three weeks with no luck. I found out that the Marriott is fully booked:rolleyes: maybe part of the problem......anyway

 

Reading the better bidding website and the SJ boards here, no one has posted about winning any 3 star hotels lately. Has anyone on here? I'm concerned about getting the Normandie since it has mixed reviews.

 

Also, I really need to book a backup so my other question is which is better....the Holiday Inn Express or the Courtyard San Juan Miramar? Both are the same price. TIA

[toonjie]

Glad to read many positive comments from all those who have recently returned.......I am getting real close now!!

 

I need some help please.......I have been trying Priceline for a resort for three weeks with no luck. I found out that the Marriott is fully booked:rolleyes: maybe part of the problem......anyway

 

Reading the better bidding website and the SJ boards here, no one has posted about winning any 3 star hotels lately. Has anyone on here? I'm concerned about getting the Normandie since it has mixed reviews.

 

Also, I really need to book a backup so my other question is which is better....the Holiday Inn Express or the Courtyard San Juan Miramar? Both are the same price. TIA

 

I believe Robyn has stayed at the Courtyard and loved it so hopefully she will chime in soon. I would guess the Courtyard would be better than HIE. I would just keep bidding using resort only since all the others are still nicer than Courtyard or HIE. Remember you can add all areas except Rio-Grande-Humacao since Priceline only has resorts there and in San Juan, so you can bid multiple times in a day.

[roe2ship]

I believe Robyn has stayed at the Courtyard and loved it so hopefully she will chime in soon. I would guess the Courtyard would be better than HIE. I would just keep bidding using resort only since all the others are still nicer than Courtyard or HIE. Remember you can add all areas except Rio-Grande-Humacao since Priceline only has resorts there and in San Juan, so you can bid multiple times in a day.

Yes I have.....up to $130 and do not want to go any higher. Do you happen to know when bidding 3 star, is the only area San Juan that you can check? Thank you.

[toonjie]

Yes I have.....up to $130 and do not want to go any higher. Do you happen to know when bidding 3 star, is the only area San Juan that you can check? Thank you.

 

Betterbidding doesn't have 3* listed anywhere else, but I'm not sure, so I would be hesitant to add any other areas. Try asking the moderators on Betterbidding and see if they know. Otherwise, just have a backup and keep trying everyday.

[toonjie]

Antigua is up and running as DW is away, and I continue to play!

Great day with loads of pics and best cruise show ever!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783539

[Kelan]

Hi everybody. Coming from Princess & Celebrity I was a little hesitant to book a cruise on AOS, San Juan RT sailing. But as I read positive reviews here and, since San Juan is one of my favorite destinations, wife & I decided to book our first RCCL cruise!!!...

[kehlx2]

Hi everybody. Coming from Princess & Celebrity I was a little hesitant to book a cruise on AOS, San Juan RT sailing. But as I read positive reviews here and, since San Juan is one of my favorite destinations, wife & I decided to book our first RCCL cruise!!!...

 

We also will be on our very first RCCL--we are going Sept 28th 2008--we're like I think 15 Saturdays...:D....I don't see your info down when are you going? I am hoping it will be a great cruise--but hey--any cruise beats staying home...:eek:

[Kelan]

We also will be on our very first RCCL--we are going Sept 28th 2008--we're like I think 15 Saturdays...:D....I don't see your info down when are you going? I am hoping it will be a great cruise--but hey--any cruise beats staying home...:eek:

 

kehlx2, I just updated my countdown clocks. Yeah i'm very excited to go on a RCCL!!!. I booked for the new years sailing. From a previous cruise on new year's 2007, we like the party atmosphere on the ship and the weather!!!. As for the AOS, one of the must see's is the Ice Skating Show...so i've read. Where are you staying in San Juan?? There's no many hotel choices...but i really reccomend if this is your first time in SJ to stay a couple of days, lots to see/do.

 

P.D. I see you are from Iowa. How's everything downthere with the flooding? Hope you guys are doing fine. I have friends at the U.Iowa but i haven't been able to contact them!

[kehlx2]

kehlx2, I just updated my countdown clocks. Yeah i'm very excited to go on a RCCL!!!. I booked for the new years sailing. From a previous cruise on new year's 2007, we like the party atmosphere on the ship and the weather!!!. As for the AOS, one of the must see's is the Ice Skating Show...so i've read. Where are you staying in San Juan?? There's no many hotel choices...but i really reccomend if this is your first time in SJ to stay a couple of days, lots to see/do.

 

P.D. I see you are from Iowa. How's everything downthere with the flooding? Hope you guys are doing fine. I have friends at the U.Iowa but i haven't been able to contact them!

 

 

Well we just arrived home ( about 3 hours ago) from Seattle (there for 10 days) before that a week in Maui..So I knew we (our house was fine as long as we had power).

As we came home from the airport in the dark there are NO lights in the area downtown & any of those that were in the flood--but with a full moon I could see the river has gone down--but it smells BAD down there even driving thru on the interstate. All of the towns (including ours) are on odd/even water days--showers & washing clothes on your address days--this will continue until CR can get their water up to normal--it was really eery seeing no lights--only a truck every now & then on a street working on lines I guess...I gather they didn't let anyone in yesterday--still wasn't safe, also curfews from 9pm-5am..as we have been gone since May 31 we will do a no-no & drive down the interstate tomorrow & see what it looks like in daylight--although the news showed some stuff tonight & it isn't good. (we are like 6 miles north of the city & no problem--course we DO have TWO sump pumps & they have been running since winter thaw time..I suspect they will continue til maybe the end of July..course I hope the soaked ground clears soon--I think we will take some of our sump pump water which is clean (not for drinking tho & use for the toilets)

 

Hotel in SJ I used Priceline (with help from Toonjie) but I also put in Boutique--got one I hadn't heard of & got scared..but Toonjie said it was a good one--he proposed to his wife there: San Juan Water And Beach Club at Isle Verde I got it for $110 1 night but got 2 rooms (we are going with our son & DIL) they say this hotel is like South Beach. We've been to SJ twice & this will be our 3rd time the kids their first but they can't take anymore time off than they are doing. I am trying to talk them into the Segway tour on our return day before we go to the airport for flight home. Good way to go to the fort & not get tired...:D

[love2vacation]

no problem--course we DO have TWO sump pumps & they have been running since winter thaw time..I suspect they will continue til maybe the end of July..course I hope the soaked ground clears soon--I think we will take some of our sump pump water which is clean (not for drinking tho & use for the toilets)

 

 

Glad you came through dry. Water came within 10 inches of going over the levee here. We where very lucky. Many people around us had several feet of water in their lower level or basements but evidently our house is above the water table and our sump pump runs it is not spewing out the water that we are seeing elsewhere.

 

Some areas here where really wiped out - I feel for these people.

 

You picked a good time to be gone basically all the hwys where closed last week - and all but one of the bridges in Waterloo....

[ckrobyn]

Antigua is up and running as DW is away, and I continue to play!

Great day with loads of pics and best cruise show ever!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783539

 

 

Toonj - excellent review :)

 

I am on the countdown until my next AOS cruise....although it is still a long way away :( :(

 

Until then, I will live vicariously through all of you!!!

[kehlx2]

Glad you came through dry. Water came within 10 inches of going over the levee here. We where very lucky. Many people around us had several feet of water in their lower level or basements but evidently our house is above the water table and our sump pump runs it is not spewing out the water that we are seeing elsewhere.

 

Some areas here where really wiped out - I feel for these people.

 

You picked a good time to be gone basically all the hwys where closed last week - and all but one of the bridges in Waterloo....

 

What part of Iowa are you in? I just hope these people can regroup from this--but as I said I haven't seen it yet--it smells bad for sure..The Paramount Theater on the news last night said they had 7 feet of water..they had moved some things up--but an old organ looked pretty bad on the news. I heard that the local police closed I-380 then the State Police opened it back up--other than DT ramps closed from it they have left it opened..todays paper said there are 1,000 animals needing help..this also is sad also. We ARE going to take a fast trip down 380 & see what we can from just passing over the bridge--I know--not suppose to be there--but must see something so I can put my brain around it..its good I WAS gone--I'd have really been worried I am sure--even tho we live further north.

They are still having curfews 9 pm-5 am & all the surrounding towns are on water shortages--odd/even days--so today I CAN take a shower & do laundry--but will wait on the laundry til Friday..did some while out in Seattle.--plan to get some of the sump pump water to use to flush--haven't heard anything about the sewers--so this is unused water that would just go away--it seems to always some of of the pumps clean--although not for drinking. Am waiting to see what they plan to do about dogs--I can take care of a couple as long as they aren't too large--they'd EAT my 2 birds (conure & cockatoo) :eek: So kitties are out of the question. although I am already planned to take in 2 Bishons in July (for a friend while they go on a cruise)--there THAT makes it legal to write on the boards..:D

[love2vacation]

What part of Iowa are you in? -there THAT makes it legal to write on the boards..:D

 

I was just glad the levee held and I was not CRUISING down the Cedar River on top of our house!! (We are in Evansdale/Waterloo.) Where are you at? My SIL lives in CR and said the library is in awful shape. She works for the Linn CO. Dept. of Health so she will be a busy person!

 

I am looking to book another cruise but I am not sure which one yet. WE are thinking CCL Legend for 2009 and Serenade for 2010 (New ITN).

 

We did enjoy our AOS cruise in May - I sure do miss being waited on and not having to think about preparing meals, etc. The cruise director Mike is the BEST director we have ever had on a cruise and we really like Cheryl in the Lobby Bar. She was so friendly and put extra effort into things for us. If they could just come on every cruise with us!

[Kelan]

Well we just arrived home ( about 3 hours ago) from Seattle (there for 10 days) before that a week in Maui..So I knew we (our house was fine as long as we had power).

As we came home from the airport in the dark there are NO lights in the area downtown & any of those that were in the flood--but with a full moon I could see the river has gone down--but it smells BAD down there even driving thru on the interstate. All of the towns (including ours) are on odd/even water days--showers & washing clothes on your address days--this will continue until CR can get their water up to normal--it was really eery seeing no lights--only a truck every now & then on a street working on lines I guess...I gather they didn't let anyone in yesterday--still wasn't safe, also curfews from 9pm-5am..as we have been gone since May 31 we will do a no-no & drive down the interstate tomorrow & see what it looks like in daylight--although the news showed some stuff tonight & it isn't good. (we are like 6 miles north of the city & no problem--course we DO have TWO sump pumps & they have been running since winter thaw time..I suspect they will continue til maybe the end of July..course I hope the soaked ground clears soon--I think we will take some of our sump pump water which is clean (not for drinking tho & use for the toilets)

 

Hotel in SJ I used Priceline (with help from Toonjie) but I also put in Boutique--got one I hadn't heard of & got scared..but Toonjie said it was a good one--he proposed to his wife there: San Juan Water And Beach Club at Isle Verde I got it for $110 1 night but got 2 rooms (we are going with our son & DIL) they say this hotel is like South Beach. We've been to SJ twice & this will be our 3rd time the kids their first but they can't take anymore time off than they are doing. I am trying to talk them into the Segway tour on our return day before we go to the airport for flight home. Good way to go to the fort & not get tired...:D

 

I hope everything come to normal soon in Iowa!

 

As per the San Juan Water And Beach Club, it has very good reviews on tripadvisor, here is the link if you wanna see them:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g644389-d249487-r16418094-San_Juan_Water_Beach_Club_Hotel-Carolina_Puerto_Rico.html#TOPC

 

And I think your getting a very good deal, comparig to what reviewers paid. I like the Marriot, but the rates are very high most of the year.

[toonjie]

The St. Maarten to Anguilla portion of my review is up and running. Hear what happens when the girls we share a cab with drop their tops when we hit the beach! Hint, DW was not liking it! All our adventures getting to and from St. Maarten to Anguilla- 3 countries in 8 hours!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783539

[kehlx2]

I was just glad the levee held and I was not CRUISING down the Cedar River on top of our house!! (We are in Evansdale/Waterloo.) Where are you at? My SIL lives in CR and said the library is in awful shape. She works for the Linn CO. Dept. of Health so she will be a busy person!

 

I am looking to book another cruise but I am not sure which one yet. WE are thinking CCL Legend for 2009 and Serenade for 2010 (New ITN).

 

We did enjoy our AOS cruise in May - I sure do miss being waited on and not having to think about preparing meals, etc. The cruise director Mike is the BEST director we have ever had on a cruise and we really like Cheryl in the Lobby Bar. She was so friendly and put extra effort into things for us. If they could just come on every cruise with us!

 

I'm in Hiawatha--just the other side of Blairsferry Rd--on th enews today they are saying it will take along time to get back..but it will pass from the news & people will forget about them except of course they won't be better for a long time.

[kehlx2]

I hope everything come to normal soon in Iowa!

 

As per the San Juan Water And Beach Club, it has very good reviews on tripadvisor, here is the link if you wanna see them:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g644389-d249487-r16418094-San_Juan_Water_Beach_Club_Hotel-Carolina_Puerto_Rico.html#TOPC

 

And I think your getting a very good deal, comparig to what reviewers paid. I like the Marriot, but the rates are very high most of the year.

 

Yes, I check TripAdvisor alot & have seen it on this hotel--but had I not your link would have come in real handy--BUT there ARE some newer reviews--so you just reminded me to recheck...THANKS

[toonjie]

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July! Our adventures in St. Thomas are finally posted! Here's a link right to that page: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783539&page=12

[ckrobyn]

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July! Our adventures in St. Thomas are finally posted! Here's a link right to that page: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783539&page=12

 

 

Thanks Toonj - I look forward to it. In fact, I'm going to look at it now :D

[LonW]

Couldn't agree more! AOS is a great ship!

[toonjie]

Thought I'd post this directly into this thread so you don't have to click through my whole review:

 

Another Reminiscence….

 

“Final Countdown on the AOS”

 

The following is a true story that happened on our first AOS cruise which departed San Juan on May 14th, 2006 back when the AOS ran the same itinerary as the Serenade is now, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados, then a day at sea on the way back to Barbados.

 

The captain was Arnolf Remo

The cruise director was Richard Spacey

 

Saturday, May 20, 2006 Day at Sea

 

This cruise was my mom’s first and she had had a blast, as did I and we had done a lot since this was her first time visiting these islands and we were looking forward to a relaxing day at sea….

 

 

We began the day with breakfast on the balcony. After breakfast we went up to the rock climbing wall to catch them when they first opened. I remember I had to wait for them to open. I climbed the wall and made it to the top on each of the three courses, but it was tough since I started on the easy one and then moved to the hardest, should have done it the other way around! As I reached the top of the final course I noted storm clouds off in the distance, the same direction we were traveling, and I was glad we had gotten up and at ‘em early, before it rained. I then went to the fitness center to hit the elliptical machine and my mom went to the solarium and I was to meet her in the hot tub after my workout. My goal for the day was to workout really hard, (I had a 3:00pm spin class as well) and then enjoy the highlight of the cruise, a massage at 4:00pm.

I was on the elliptical for around 15 or twenty minutes when I saw we were heading into a thunderstorm way off in the distance. It was a very small circle of clouds of in the distance at the time and I remember wondering if we would divert course around it. A few minutes later the ship still was heading on the same course, directly into the clouds. I had a great view of the bow and I remember thinking it was like we were on autopilot lumbering towards rain without concern for the hundreds who by this time were sunning themselves on the pool deck. It was sunny everywhere else and the seas were normal, there was just one big ball of thunderstorm clouds and we were sailing on a direct collision course.

As the ship neared the clouds, they grew more and more ominous, I remember thinking they looked a little reminiscent of the storm in one of my favorite movies as a teen, The Final Countdown. It’s a movie about a freak storm that carries the USS Nimitz along with its carrier attack group and all its planes from 1980 back to December 6, 1941. The captain and crew then have to decide whether or not they should stop the Japanese invasion fleet before they attack Pearl Harbor. As I was thinking of this movie from long ago, the storm was no longer just reminiscent of the one that was in the movie, it was looking more and more exactly like it, more and more so, each minute we got closer and closer to it. By now I was thinking surely the master of the watch was calling the captain for permission to deviate course, but as we got closer, the storm seemed to grow larger and larger and deviation seemed like less and less of an option. If you saw the final Countdown, then you know the kind of storm I am talking about. Lightening was flashing from within the clouds, but it wasn’t the usual color, it had a grayish, bluish metallic color to it and the flashes seemed to glow with almost a fluorescent iridescence that was at once both captivating and spooky. Our bow still plied the waves heading straight into this storm and finally I could see the first drops of rain hit the fitness center window. I was so glad I got all my outside activities done early! Soon after the rain started, I remember hearing an announcement over the loudspeakers and I took my Ipod’s earbuds out and it was Richard Spacey telling everyone that they should all get under cover, that they didn’t know what it was that was falling and that just to make sure everyone should seek shelter inside the ship! Well that peaked my interest, from my vantage point on the elliptical machine looking out onto the bow of the ship, all you could see was rain. There was lightening off in the distance and some driving wind, but you couldn’t see anything falling. A few minutes later, Richard Spacey was again heard on the loudspeakers, this time I took my earbuds right out and could hear him say they believed what was falling with the rain was volcanic ash from a volcano in Southeast Asia. At the time that was the only volcano erupting anywhere on the planet and the first thought. was that the fine grey ash that was falling must have traveled around the world and be falling on us. I remember when I was in High School and Mt. St. Helens in Washington State was erupting and after school, all the way in New York, there was ash on our cars so I thought this theory was certainly plausible.

By this time I ended my workout and went out to explore this phenomenon. There were still loads of people out on the pool deck, but they were all either under cover on the sides or else actually in the pools. As I was exploring, Captain Remo came on over the loudspeakers and repeated the warning to seek cover just in case since they didn’t know of any danger, but just to be safe everyone should head inside. I check the Solarium and mom had obviously heeded the warning and there were just a few young adults in the pool. At the main pool, crews are beginning to clean the ash off as much as possible with their normal high-pressure hoses. They later abandoned this and switched to using the fire fighting hoses, that is how much ash was on the pool deck! The pools had to be closed and completely drained and fire hoses were being used to wash the ash down the drain. I felt so sorry for the crew, here it is the day before they have to turn around the ship and have everything looking perfect for the next sailing and the ship is just absolutely trashed. The hull of the ship looked grey and even the next day it was still not cleaned. I think the crew abandoned the idea of cleaning the whole ship and just got the passenger decks ready for the next sailing. It would be interesting to see if any CCers were on the May 21st 2006 sailing and could tell us how long it took to get everything clean?

We went to the captain’s question and answer time and Captain Remo said this was the first time he had ever seen anything like this in his 30 years at sea! The rest of the day went on quite normal for the passengers and hopefully the crew got loads of overtime! At the closing show, Richard Spacey, who I think is the funniest cruise director I have ever had, opened with the line, I hope everyone had a good day in spite of a little rain. I mean it’s not like it was raining down volcanic ash or anything!”

 

It wasn’t until the next day that we learned the volcanic ash wasn’t from the eruption in SE Asia, but a crater collapsed on the volcano on Montserrat spewing ash as high as 30,000 feet in the air. That ash, combined with a powerful thunderstorm at sea, created the final countdown on the AOS.

 

To read the story from other perspectives:

 

http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/planetearth/2006/autumn/aut06-volcano.pdf

 

http://www.cdera.org/cunews/news//montserrat/article_1652.php

 

http://www.cosis.net/abstracts/EGU2007/11090/EGU2007-J-11090.pdf

 

Check out the posts on this forum, there are satellite pics that show the cloud growing and heading right into the path of the AOS

 

http://www.geographia.com/antiguanews/messages/10/1440.html?1148411586

[maxs mom]

Hi Everybody!

Just got back from the AOS on Sunday (the 6th). Once again, we had a fabulous cruise on her! I tried to post right before we left, but I couldn't find this thread anywhere! Glad to see it today.

I thought the AOS had improved over our trip last summer. The food has improved tremendously and the new menus are great. This was our first sailing as D+ members and we were treated quite nicely. We had a tour of the bridge and that was fantastic. There were only 6 D+ members on this sailing! The Concierge Lounge was fabulous and Dede did a much, much better job than a year ago. Robyn.....she said to tell you hello. She did a lot of new things that she didn't do last year.....nice helpful touches.

The CL is open on Sunday night.....only it's from 4:00 until 5:30 because of the Muster Drill. We usually go around 7 and that's why it is closed then. Glad we found this out. That afternoon was a lot of fun.

We had one of the primo dining tables right next to the Captain's table. Loved it there. We were paired with 4 other couples from all over the country and we all clicked really well (as usual). We always end up with great tablemates!

Booked three more cruises while on board. Gotta love that OBC.

This was a huge quinsinera cruise and there were no problems associated with that whatsoever.

We had a very small roll call, but did make the 25. Only three of us showed up for the M&M. That was quite disappointing, but those of us that went had fun and won more prizes!!!

Just wanted to share. The AOS is still the best cruise out there. If you are sailing soon.....you're in for a treat!

Jane