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

[Suzanne74]

Does anyone know when Pirate night for the kids is - on AOS? Do they go "visit" 2nd seating? My daughter loves this and we were planning on Portofino's the 2nd formal night but I want to see the pirate parade with my sister's kids and my daughter in it.

 

Strange question, I know. :o

[beach girl66]

Thanks, Robyn I got the compasses, only 37 days now to wait :p

Laura

[jjtt]

:D We will be boarding the AOS FOUR MONTHS TODAY!!!!!! :D No, I'm NOT that excited. ;)

[ckrobyn]

Robyn, when is the best time of year to take the AOS?

 

Weather vs Price? I am getting prepared to book when the new rates come out.

 

 

Just my opinion on this one ;) I sail the AOS the last week of Feb and the first week of March (we have done this 2 years in a row now). Seems to be a really nice mix of passengers - the ship is not over run with kids (I have a kid, so I do like kids....just not thousands of them at once!) The weather is consistently awesome at this time of year and the seas are calm.

 

Being from Canada, a winter vacation is a necessity for us! :)

[ckrobyn]

Does anyone know when Pirate night for the kids is - on AOS? Do they go "visit" 2nd seating? My daughter loves this and we were planning on Portofino's the 2nd formal night but I want to see the pirate parade with my sister's kids and my daughter in it.

 

Strange question, I know. :o

 

 

I actually watched the pirate parade with kids from AO - but I don't remember which night it was?? They paraded through the Lyric Theatre before one of the shows. Maybe Shar27 can help you with this one as her DD was in the parade!! :)

[gram1554]

Robyn We have the AOS booked for October. I am hoping that the ship will not be over run with kids like the cruise I took in the summer. I would love to have a copy of the compas. My home email is cl1554@sbcglobal.net. Thanks in advance.

[Shar27]

Does anyone know when Pirate night for the kids is - on AOS? Do they go "visit" 2nd seating? My daughter loves this and we were planning on Portofino's the 2nd formal night but I want to see the pirate parade with my sister's kids and my daughter in it.

 

Strange question, I know. :o

 

Suzanne,

 

My daughter was in the Pirate Parade. They do visit the second seating dinner just after 8:30. They then proceed to the show theater and march up onto the stage around 8:50 to put on a little show. After that, they march back out again and up to the promenade for another show.

 

They put on quite the show and it is very cute to see. We were in the theater when they were on stage. My daughter was center stage and was all over the Cruise in Review video. I am trying to remember what night it was, but don't remember. My husband seems to think it was the 2nd formal night, but I'm not sure.

 

Hope this helps.:p

[ckrobyn]

Robyn We have the AOS booked for October. I am hoping that the ship will not be over run with kids like the cruise I took in the summer. I would love to have a copy of the compas. My home email is cl1554@sbcglobal.net. Thanks in advance.

 

 

Your compass is on it's way! :D

[hawt1]

Suzanne,

 

My daughter was in the Pirate Parade. They do visit the second seating dinner just after 8:30. They then proceed to the show theater and march up onto the stage around 8:50 to put on a little show. After that, they march back out again and up to the promenade for another show.

 

They put on quite the show and it is very cute to see. We were in the theater when they were on stage. My daughter was center stage and was all over the Cruise in Review video. I am trying to remember what night it was, but don't remember. My husband seems to think it was the 2nd formal night, but I'm not sure.

 

Hope this helps.:p

 

My memory tells me it is second formal night as well. Make sure that if you are thinking of seeing them on the promenade to get there earlier than they say. We missed our daughter this year as they were running about 10 minutes early.

[Suzanne74]

thanks all - it was the 2nd formal night last year on NOS so it probably is then. We have 2nd seating (while dd stays at kids club - she HATES the dining room!) and were going to do Portofino's at 7pm but will probably make it a little bit earlier so we don't miss it. I really want to watch it on the stage this year. Last year we watched dd at the Promenade and it was hysterical.

 

thanks!

[RocCruisers]

Hate to jump so late into this thread, but It looks like AOS will be the only ship in many of the ports during Sept. and Oct. Is that a good thing or a bad thing as far as tours, shopping, beaches? For those that have sailed last year was that the case too?

[ckrobyn]

Hate to jump so late into this thread, but It looks like AOS will be the only ship in many of the ports during Sept. and Oct. Is that a good thing or a bad thing as far as tours, shopping, beaches? For those that have sailed last year was that the case too?

 

 

Are you kidding me? LOL! That is a GREAT thing!!!! When the AOS is the only ship in port (especially in St.Thomas and St.Maarten) it has priority for docking - which means it is the first ship, and closest to the dock area. In St.Maarten if there are several ships in port, the AOS is WAY down at the end of the dock and it is a long walk to get to the top of the pier :rolleyes:

 

Shopping will be a breeze because there won't be 6000 + cruise ship passengers all waiting in line to purchase stuff in the stores!!!

 

Trust me, in this case....less IS more!!!:)

[bruce-r]

Trust me, in this case....less IS more!!!:)

 

Yes, it is; more BETTER.

[sadie8]

Robyn, when is the best time of year to take the AOS?

 

Weather vs Price? I am getting prepared to book when the new rates come out.

 

We sailed fourth of July week last year and my DD actually commented on how FEW children we saw on board. Stay away from President's week in February - we were aboard the Navigator in February 2006 and it was over run with children. Apparently some school systems close for the week.

[ckrobyn]

 

We sailed fourth of July week last year and my DD actually commented on how FEW children we saw on board. Stay away from President's week in February - we were aboard the Navigator in February 2006 and it was over run with children. Apparently some school systems close for the week.

 

The AOS in February was not over run with kids, in fact there didn't seem to be a lot of kids at all? We sailed Feb 24 and March 2. My DD was in AO and there were only 10 kids in her age group 9-12. Not sure when President's week is, but I don't think it was either of those weeks?

[sealegs9]

The wine tasting is at 3:30pm on the Monday (cost of $9.95) in the Vivaldi Dining Room.

 

Hope this helps??

Hi Robyn - Thanks. You are great. We are Platinum, so won't pay :D

 

Our M&M is scheduled for 5PM that day. The active posters in our Mixed Nutz group sent a letter to Xplora asking it to be scheduled earlier. If we are successful, we'll miss the swill wine tasting ;).

If not, I think us gals in the group will partake in the wine tasting.

[ckrobyn]

Hi Robyn - Thanks. You are great. We are Platinum, so won't pay :D

 

Our M&M is scheduled for 5PM that day. The active posters in our Mixed Nutz group sent a letter to Xplora asking it to be scheduled earlier. If we are successful, we'll miss the swill wine tasting ;).

If not, I think us gals in the group will partake in the wine tasting.

 

I think the time for the M&M on Monday is ridiculous! Obviously both of my M&M's on the B2B were scheduled for 5pm - which they must realize is formal night! I made it to one M&M, but not the other which is too bad after almost a year of chatting. The 5pm start leaves virtually no time to get ready for formal night and means you have to stop whatever you are doing on the first sea day by 4pm to return to your cabin and start getting ready! I think they should change the start time to 4pm which seems more sensible?

 

Luckily for both weeks our group met up at the pool on boarding day, so I did get to meet many of the folks I had been chatting with :)

[toonjie]

We are the only ship in port at all our calls on our upcoming May 11th cruise on the AOS and it was that way last year as well, believe me, that is what you want! Popular beaches aren't crowded as well as shopping. Magen's Bay Beach was empty, you won't find that in March when 6 + ships are in port. We bought something from a little shop in St. Maarten and the lady said we were her only sale that day! Shopping is just packed in St. Maarten during the winter months! So enjoy your solitude!

[emen822]

We are leaving this weekend for AOS :D :) :D and our meet and mingle was originally scheduled for 4:00, then they switched it to 5:00. I emailed xplora and also Laura from cruise critic to get it switched back to 4:00. That worked for a whole 24 hours until it was switched yet AGAIN to 5:00. I emailed them both again so hopefully we can get it switched back to 4:00. As of right now, we all decided to just go to the lounge at 4:00 anyway and we are also meeting the day before. 5:00 is just so inconvenient, especially on formal night.

[Adam185]

1) If I am reading the posts correctly, the formal nights on AOS are Monday and Thursday, correct?

 

2) Has anyone stayed at the Embassy Suites in San Juan? Looking at that for pre-cruise and possibly a post-cruise night.

 

We are at the 100 day mark. Can't wait!

[familycruzer]

Just my opinion on this one I sail the AOS the last week of Feb and the first week of March (we have done this 2 years in a row now). Seems to be a really nice mix of passengers - the ship is not over run with kids (I have a kid, so I do like kids....just not thousands of them at once!) The weather is consistently awesome at this time of year and the seas are calm.

 

 

Robyn, I just may be joining you in 2010 on an AOS cruise. I was thinking October or winter to get away from the cold her in PA.

[shonandsuzie]

1) If I am reading the posts correctly, the formal nights on AOS are Monday and Thursday, correct?

2) Has anyone stayed at the Embassy Suites in San Juan? Looking at that for pre-cruise and possibly a post-cruise night.

We are at the 100 day mark. Can't wait!

Hey Adam- Congrats on the 100 day mark! We have quite a bit longer than you. :(

We stayed at Embassy Suites Isle Verde last September. We loved it and there are pictures of the pool area as well as the view of the distance to the beach in my webshots link under our signature. Did you have specific questions about it? Our room and the hotel in general were very clean. The free breakfast buffet was awesome and the free drinks in the evening were great, too!

[Suzanne74]

I don't want to make anyone here jealous but.......

 

 

WE LEAVE IN TWO HOURS!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

 

We won't be bringing our laptop this time and I doubt I will be at the internet cafe so I will give a full report when I return on April 1st. I even have a journal to jot info down to give some good juicy details. :p

 

BON VOYAGE :)

[shonandsuzie]

I don't want to make anyone here jealous but.......WE LEAVE IN TWO HOURS!!!!!!!! :D :D :D We won't be bringing our laptop this time and I doubt I will be at the internet cafe so I will give a full report when I return on April 1st. I even have a journal to jot info down to give some good juicy details. :p

BON VOYAGE :)

YAYAYAYAYAY!!! Have a great time! I cant wait to hear your review! I cannot hear enough details at this point!!!

Oh, by the way, you failed....I am jealous:p

[ckrobyn]

Robyn, I just may be joining you in 2010 on an AOS cruise. I was thinking October or winter to get away from the cold her in PA.

 

 

It would be awesome to cruise with you!!!! Book the AOS for 2010 :D Better still, book it for Feb 22, 2009 or March 1, 2009!!!