"Live" from Adventure of the Seas - January 15 - 25

[time2cruise1980]

I love your review!! It is wonderful! I wanted to know if you did rent a car in St. Martin and how much it was. Thanks!! Can't wait to read more!!

[Deborito]

BLR - we are leaving for Adventure tomorrow morning so we will miss your last posts. Thank you, thank you for sharing your"adventure" with me. So excited more than ever now after seeing all your pictures and reading all your posts. You took out so much time in your vacation to do all this for us who will be sailing in the future.

 

Make that 3. I'm with Ginger2000 and Kikkycat. Thanks so much for this great thread. I flew to San Juan Late Wednesday night and arrived on Thursday afternoon. I had to log on at the Marriott just so I could find out what I was missing. :) Thanks again. Debbie

[nziggy]

Maybe the Nelson Brothers are on some kind of cruise circuit for entertainment. It would be nice to have them on our 2/22 cruise tho. Does anyone know what other "special extras" you get thru the concierge? I know some of the basics like priority boarding, the lounge,etc....just was wondering Thanks !!!

 

See you onboard in 29 sleeps

[BuyReallyLow]

BRL... Can you ask around and see if you can find out if MTD is going to be available soon and if you can only sign up at when on board? We are getting a lot of mixed messages, trying to find out if we can call ahead and reserve MTD.

 

Your updates have been outstanding, I am counting down the days!

 

What is MTD? I am sorry to say I have not heard of this. If you can provide an definition, I 'll see if I can find out.

[BuyReallyLow]

The afternoon occurred without incident. Pool days while in Port are nice. The ship is quiet – deck chairs are plentiful, service is quick…. Times are good. My DW and I settled in for a couple of hours of sun. The only detraction today was a small group of three children – ages from approximately 12 to 7. They were froliking around the pool area, running playing tag, and splashing each other. Normally this would not be too much of a distraction – kids will be kids. But after a short while, we notice that there is no parents around…. They seemed to be on their own. After they spilled an ice cream cone in one of the Whirlpools, my DW asked where their parents were. They did not speak English well – it was not their native language. They finally said that their parents were in port – they were by themselves. We were shocked! Their parents arrived at approximately 2 PM and collected their kids. So far this trip, we’ve had people miss the ship due to poor planning, overdrinking. What would have happened to these kids if the parents had something happen to them? Happily all ended well with the parents arriving. Security spoke with the parents about the children’s behavior (at least to keep them out of the Adult Jacuzzi). Problems were averted.

After our dose of sunshine, it was back to the cabin for a nap. We are used to eating the late meal, so taking naps is a regular pastime for us – and one that is so looked forward to. But with our main meal at 6 PM, there have been some days where activities “got in the way”. But not today – we were able to “fit in” a solid 2 hour nap. My system has still been off, and even today I didn’t feel quite well. So the nap helped.

Up for dinner, we arrived ready to say goodbye to our new friends and tablemates. It is amazing how these threads work – for some recognized our table mates by our pictures. Deb, I made sure Kathy knew that you saw her and said hello. Carl & Kathy and Darrel & Jane are off to Portofinos for the final evening, so this was our last together. It is admirable how Royal Caribbean can find good table mates – we’ve never had poor ones. But even with this good pool to work with, this group was the best. They were energetic – they are obviously good friends – and I think it is obvious that the cruise virgins Darrell & Jane will BE BACK!! We hope that we will cross their paths again – it would be a pleasure and an honor.

We had headed back to the cabin to call it an early night due to my system problems, so that we would be ready for our big day in St. Thomas. Yet we were ecstatic when our phone rang and it was our friend Ana who wished to get together for a drink. We met Ana three years ago when she filled in as our Concierge while De De was on vacation. She was a delight, and we hit it off. So when we came aboard, we looked her up and were delighted to see she was on board – and as a supervisor of Customer Service. We met her in the Champagne Bar with our friends Scott & Amy, and had a great discussion, catching up on her life. Working for a cruise line is a fascinating life, and speaking with various staff makes you feel they could (should?) write a book! Ana has no interest in doing so –she is so sweet!. If you get a chance, reach out – get to know a staff member. If these cruising adventures become habit forming J, having these relationships are wonderful – in our case they complete our experience. We look forward to seeing her (and her friend…) on another cruise… maybe in January 2010!

After our fantastic gathering, we headed to the cabin for an early evening. St. Thomas beckons… and we are ready!!

 

[Cruisingjer]

BRL... MTD stands for My Time Dinning, they are rolling out fleet wide in the near future.You can go to dinner anytime you like instead of 6:00 and 8:00pm. I think someone on the boards said it would be available starting Feb 15th on the Adventure. If you can find out if this is the plan I would appreciate it very much.

[Prphan2]

BRL... MTD stands for My Time Dinning, they are rolling out fleet wide in the near future.You can go to dinner anytime you like instead of 6:00 and 8:00pm. I think someone on the boards said it would be available starting Feb 15th on the Adventure. If you can find out if this is the plan I would appreciate it very much.

 

I had inquired of RCCL cust service the other day about MTD and they said yes, it is available 2/15, but they didn't supply a date to sign up, so I sent a reply requesting info regarding when we can all do so. Haven't heard back yet, but will post when I do. :)

[nziggy]

Thanks for inquiring on the MTD and posting when you do find out the info. We are on the 2/22 AOS cruise and would love to maybe switch to that for our group of 7. 6 pm always seems too early and the late seating is too late for our kids. The only tricky thing is tho is that it may mess up your timing in getting the shows......we'll see.

 

Nanette

[Guatiao]

Thanks for the updates! I am leaving on the AOTS on 3/1, and since my last cruise was in 2004, it's nice to get up-to-date with what's new with the ship and the service.

 

I wonder if my sailing will have My Time Dinning! I had not heard about it since I read Cruisingjer's post.

[BuyReallyLow]

St. Thomas, USVI

1-24-09

88 degrees

To know something, then, we must be scrubbed raw,

The fasting heart exposed.

- Gretel Ehrlich

For travelers to the Eastern Caribbean, St. Thomas is the known fruit. Most every route to the East includes a stop in St. Thomas. This island offers it all for those searching for the Caribbean Experience – lush environment, topography, wonderful beaches, and of course, shopping. Once you’ve been to St. Thomas at least twice, it becomes the known taste. The challenge when visiting St. Thomas is to find the interesting. Find the beautiful. Find what your heart desires.

I’m reminded of the statement that I read years ago in the Irish times by Connemara man after he was arrested for a car accident. “There were plenty of onlookers, but no witnesses.” In other words, we may log impressive miles in our travels but see nothing; we may follow all the advice in the travel magazines and still feel little enthusiasm.

Of course, the gap between ecstasy and irony in the realm of travel is a reflection of the abyss of experience in modern life. The phenomenon strikes at the core of my posts. I don’t believe that the problem is in the sites (like St. Thomas) as it is in the sighting, the way we see. It’s not simply in the images that lured us here and let us down, as in the imagining that is required of us.

 

 

Our first visit to St. Thomas caused a great fire to rise in my soul. Thinking back at my first views of Magen’s Bay in the early morning can be evoked easily and are one of my enshrined travel memories. During the succeeding visits, we ventured to St. John’s, taking in the absolute beauty of Trunk Bay and other secluded beaches. But always, we had experienced the island, but never have we experienced the beauty of the island from the water. That is out quest today – to board the sailboat Rumbaba to take a relaxed day sail on the waters around St. Thomas and St. Johns.

While at home, we live a good portion of our summers on the Mississippi River. Our small boat (33 foot SeaRay Cruiser) carries us from the heart of our city to the quiet backwaters and river towns of the one of the most beautiful parts of the Mississippi – from the beauty of the St. Croix River, down past the river towns of Red Wing, thru Lake Pepin to Lake City, past the wonders of Wabasha and points south to Dubuque Iowa. The river refreshes. The Sea norishes.

 

 

Rumbaba Charters sails the U.S. Virgin Islands aboard the 37” Hunter Legend. The maximum tour size is 6 people, plus Captain Bobby and his first mate, Karen. We’ve been looking forward to this day all winter long – and I’ve been looking forward to getting a good taste of sailing and the wonders that only the sea can reveal.

 

[BuyReallyLow]

I will repeat myself often but let me say it LOUD AND CLEAR - DO NOT PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS TOUR. The vessel is a cute 37” sailboat. A real sailboat, with full riggings. Once you are picked up by Captain Bobby in the dingy and brought aboard, you are instantly assaulted by the cooking of Karen. To begin, it is Banana Nut Bread and a Bloody Mary that is the best we’ve ever had. It was so good in fact that my DW had 5 (by my count!!). We were joined again by good friends Scott and Amy and another couple, John and Ann from the Washington DC area. Ann was at a conference for the week, and so they joined us today after a recommendation from their hotel. They also were not disappointed. Bobby takes you out of the Marina by the small putt-putt of the motors, until clear of the moorings. Then the sails are unfurled, and you are away on your adventure!!

The pictures I’ve included here tell the story. Around every bend more beauty arrives. Pictures just do not do justice to what you see. And the quiet… the sound of the wind in the sails…. Makes the world fall away around you. It is just you and your boat. After some time showing us the various islands, including St. John, Grass Island, and countless others, we settle into Christmas Bay, named for where Christopher Columbus spend Christmas on his 2nd voyage. Why here? Because this is where the wind took us, and the bay is soft, quiet, and full of the most beautiful fish we have ever seen. Snorkel gear is handed out, and into the turquoise water we tumble. The water is warm – just over 79 degrees, and the sea life is abundant. This is living, real coral, not the dead stuff you see in the Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay area. After about :45 minutes, our noses called us back to the boat – Karen was cooking again!! Filet Mingon, Mahi Mahi, Tuna, what ever you asked for while booking the trip, Karen has been marinating and Bobby is cooking. You can check out the prices on his website, but I would have paid the price for the meal alone!! It was superb, and when added to the surrounding of being in someone’s screensaver, life simply does NOT get any better than this. Washing down mouthful after mouthful with Rum Punch, Painkillers, Beer, mixed drinks…. Whatever you want… you get the idea… the day slides away into complete satisfaction.

 

 

After lunch, we re-don the snorkel gear, and swim to a small island where the drop off on one side is dramatic. Here you have an entirely different marine scene – now the fish school, and larger fish emerge from the shadows. It is awe inspiring, and quite a workout to swim around the island lost in the beauty. Time slips by, and after an hour, you are pulled back on board – tired, grinning like an idiot, just in time for… more of Karen’s masterpieces!! Shrimp, a mango dip to literally die for, garlic bread, warm chocolate chip cookies…. Oh, did I mention we were sailing again? J. Sitting near the front of the boat, the wind in your hair, your legs dangling over the side, your transported, to a favorite place, in younger times, on a lake, or a river, or a campground, or anywhere where your heart resides. This is paradise. This is magic. This is an experience to savor and NOT to miss!!

 

There are pulls a soul feels once or twice in a lifetime. When asked about these matters of destiny, Laurens van der Post described how the Bushmen distinguished the two hungers in human beings. The first is the hunger of the body for food; the second, and more important, is the hunger of the spirit for meaning. “Meaning transfigures all”, van der Post concluded at the end of his life. Sailing on the bluest of blue waters, the wind fresh in your face – simultaneously cool and warm as the sun warms the air and the surfaces around you. It pulls at something primeval – was this what I was meant to do?

 

Integral to the art of travel is the longing to break away from the stultifying habits of our lives at home, and to break away for however long it takes to once again truly see the world around us. This is why ”imagination is more important than knowledge,” as Albert Einstein noted, and why the art of travel is an art of reimagining how we walk, talk, listen, see, hear, write, and draw as we ready for the journey of our soul’s deep desire.

 

Try to see your next journey as more than an itinerary, to see it rather as the “slow accretion of details.” The truth of a journey is there in the strange new voices, the alluring spices in the market you never knew existed, the thrilling moment when your longing is finally fulfilled. And on this day aboard the Rumbaba, my longing is finally fulfilled.

 

Did I say you won’t be disappointed? J

 

Tonight… sad goodbyes and the dreaded packing up!!

 

[mex25]

HI buy

Youre so right as many a time we leave a great vacation feeling empty -no connection or longing to return.I've thourghly enjoyed your story of this cruise and i'll always remember to keep those moments long after the vacation is over-I'm on this very cruise this June-thanks for the preview.

[mjeffv]

We are sorry your cruise is almost over. Your blog has been wonderful and we can not tell you how much we appreciate your insight.

 

Some quick questions:

 

Would Rumbaba be ok for kids?

 

How was customs this the morning of St Thomas? Does everyone in your party have to present themselves?

[Cruising89143]

I have really enjoyed this thread. The photos are outstanding. Thanks for taking the time to share.:)

[cruisinunlimited]

This last excusion you were on in St. Thomas, is that a RCCL excusion? If so, what was the name of it, so I can look at in the excusion choices for St. Thomas. I will certainly miss your daily review of the day...and look forward to your post-cruise revew. Thanks again for taking the time to do this

 

Karen

[Gilgorm]

Hi BRL,

Is the dress code (no shorts) adhered to?

Thanks,

Donna

p.s. I have really enjoyed your adventures. Thanks for sharing!

[capecodrealtor]

Many thanks for your ongoing review! We sailed last year on AOS and are looking forward to sailing her again on 2/15. I love the idea of Rumbaba Tour, and if you don't mind my asking, what was your cost per couple? We too are traveling with friends and one is a former boat captain from here on Cape Cod, so he may enjoy this tour.

 

My gratitude for your story telling, your way with words refreshing!

[ckrobyn]

BRL - Thank you for sharing your love of cruising and the AOS with all of us :) You write so eloquently and it has been an absolute pleasure reading each and every one of your posts.

Your cruise is coming to an end, and tomorrow morning you will be disembarking - we will miss your live posts!!!! So glad you had a wonderful cruise filled with so many amazing memories! Safe travels home.......

All the best to you and your wife! :D

[Moon&Stargazer]

BRL:

Thank you so much for your 'awe inspiring insights' and wonderful pictures.

Really going to miss your daily live messages. All the best to you and your wife, have safe travel's and hope to see you onboard your next cruise!

[Guatiao]

By now, you should be in San Juan... thanks for sharing so much information and memories!!!

[BuyReallyLow]

BRL... MTD stands for My Time Dinning, they are rolling out fleet wide in the near future.You can go to dinner anytime you like instead of 6:00 and 8:00pm. I think someone on the boards said it would be available starting Feb 15th on the Adventure. If you can find out if this is the plan I would appreciate it very much.

 

Sorry... By the time I read this, I have already returned. I'll see if I can find out any information in the meantime.

 

Pretty wiped out from the travel yesterday. Will most likely post the last part of Day 7 and our Disembarkation process.

 

BRL

[BuyReallyLow]

We are sorry your cruise is almost over. Your blog has been wonderful and we can not tell you how much we appreciate your insight.

 

Some quick questions:

 

Would Rumbaba be ok for kids?

 

How was customs this the morning of St Thomas? Does everyone in your party have to present themselves?

 

I don't really think so.... it would of course depend on how old they are. I am thinking of my 9 year old... I would be a bit spooked of having her anywhere but in the cockpit area of the sailboat. You are really sailing, which includes the boat lean and everything like that.

 

Plus.... there is the various drinking. If that bothers you to have your kids see that sort of activity, it is something to consider. I would also consider how others on the trip would feel if there were kids on board... The maximum he will take is 6.

 

Just some various thoughts....

 

BRL

[BuyReallyLow]

This last excusion you were on in St. Thomas, is that a RCCL excusion? If so, what was the name of it, so I can look at in the excusion choices for St. Thomas. I will certainly miss your daily review of the day...and look forward to your post-cruise revew. Thanks again for taking the time to do this

 

Karen

 

No it is not done by RCCL. Way too small of a number for an RCCL event. That is one of the things we like about it - we normally try to avoid the RCCL events due to the large group sizes.

[BuyReallyLow]

Hi BRL,

Is the dress code (no shorts) adhered to?

Thanks,

Donna

p.s. I have really enjoyed your adventures. Thanks for sharing!

 

Nope - it's pretty much come as you are!

[BuyReallyLow]

Many thanks for your ongoing review! We sailed last year on AOS and are looking forward to sailing her again on 2/15. I love the idea of Rumbaba Tour, and if you don't mind my asking, what was your cost per couple? We too are traveling with friends and one is a former boat captain from here on Cape Cod, so he may enjoy this tour.

 

My gratitude for your story telling, your way with words refreshing!

 

I would be sure to check his website, as there is a discount for booking online. But I believe it was $115.00 per person. Or $230.00 per couple. Each couple gave him a $20 tip, so the total we paid him (all cash) was $500.00.