Review for Adventure of the Seas 4-19-09 to 4-26-09 before dry dock on 4-27-09. We've sailed Carnival 4 times previous. I want to point out the cruise itself was relaxing but I compared both Carnival and RCCL and was disappointed with food and $$ for the "all inclusive cruise", plus all drinks on Adventure of the Seas(AOS) Checking in: We booked through RCCL and that was very easy and smooth. We flew out of Tf Green in Providence RI but live 1.5hrs away in Gardner mass this saved just under $1000 by not flying out of Logan (Boston, ma). We flew out using US Air at 920am the day of with a quick lay over in Philadelphia. We sat on the tarmac for awhile in Philly waiting as there was lots of air traffic and we where 1hr late to San Juan. Arriving in San Juan went smooth, you get your luggage find the cruise rep who is nearby they issue you luggage tag (note remember your room number it helps not essential but helps). Your bags go onto a truck and you go on the bus. Next time you see your luggage is at your stateroom between 9 and midnight. Make sure to pack your bathing suite and another change of cloths in your carry on. Check in was smooth and getting on board was quick as we arrived about 4pm got right to the room. The room was a D1 balcony 6374 back of the ship right side. Having a room this far back in the ship means lots of walking. We where very hungry since we ate before leaving the house at 5am. Took the elevator to the windjammer on deck 11 but found it closed, then for free pizza deck 5 closed, free ice cream back to deck 11 closed ( it's not open 24hrs like Carnival). The mandatory fire drill was going to start around 5pm/530pm that's why everything closed. So my comment would be go to San Juan a day early and spend the extra $100 to $200 it will make things much better. This was not even suggested by RCCL cruise rep. Dining: They had free style dining but once you signed up you could not go back, we did not take advantage of this. Note the only food served between 5 and 630pm is the pizza bar unless you have first seating for dinner we had second which is at 8:30. This is important, example: The ship departs Curacao. ST Maartin, and ST Thomas at 5pm, when we came back from any of these islands we where hungry but nothing except the pizza bar was open. Carnival we could go to the buffet and have a burger or something just about anytime. Not on RCCL they closed between 5 and 6:30 not a good time as people not only us where looking for some food after returning from the islands. They did not even keep one of the 4 buffet lines open. Carnival had some buffet line open 24hrs not just pizza. The food in the restaurant was ok not great this again is compared with Carnival 2years ago. We found the Windjammer had better food as did some other couple we meet on cruise critic.Portofino's was the service we received on Carnival in the dining room I had a fillet minion= outstanding. So is it worth the $20 apiece extra I would say for $10 a piece yes not $20. Johnny rockets= staff outstanding food is great but $2.50 a person? and anything like a shake soda is extra so why the $2.50???For an all inclusive cruise they sure do nickel and dime you for things like water $2.95 soda $2.50 juice free only served in the windjammer during meals. Carnival always had juice water available, soda was reasonable. All the dining is inside no outside buffet like Carnival you could get a table outside if available but it was a little bit of a walk. I ordered a martini $8.98=gin beefeater, bud light 1pint 16oz $5.90.   Entertainment: Shows we had Chara, known for the love boat, was outstanding loved it. Ice show=must see outstanding. All others =1/2 hr in length and where ok but short.  Pool and pool chairs, where excellent the solarium is awesome=adult only. Casino is on deck 4 it's a casino and one difference is it is not on your way to the dining room and there are no kids running in and out. It was bigger than the other Carnival ships we've been on. I need to add this, the cruise director Casey Pelter was a lame duck. Example there was a British cruise line, Ocean Village, parked next to us in St Maartin and they where all at the rails singing and waving the union jack with their cruise director(s) rockin the boat. I'll tellya I wanted to be on that cruise line. Our cruise director=???? They basically where mocking RCCL with music and such ie: we will rock you etc... Cruise director was... well asleep at the wheel. They even had there crew members out there and you could see the AOS crew on the bridge shacking their heads. Shore excursions: Aruba = Kuku Konuko booked through RCCL=fun it is kid friendly no drinking just a fun tour. Curacao = found one on the pier it was awesome highly recommended= not through RCCL. St Maartin = shopping tour ($120) that goes to the French side through RCCL= good but we definitely would have just taken a taxi and been just as happy and saved $60. Do it on your own. St Thomas = on our own to Coki / Coral beach (where the aquarium is) it costs $21 a person adult do not know about kids but highly recommended. The aquarium is great take in and the snorkeling at the beach is fun. The beach is attached to the Aquarium that has lockers and fresh water shower. Disembarkation:  They give you tags with a SUGGESTED time to leave the ship we where scheduled for 850 to910am.  Put our luggage out the night before, we already prepped for this before we left home. We woke up at 7:30am went to breakfast at the windjammer then went to the room grabbed our carry on bags and left the ship by 930 945. Took the RCCL included transport bus to the airport waited in line for 45min to 1hr. Oh if they say you need an inspection for fdma(food and drug...) or something to that affect ignore it and stay in line the luggage was inspected at the pier. Had a 245pm flight sat at the airport and that's it we had no real horror story of waiting in line. Maybe we got to the airport relatively early? Stuff:         Service desk deck 5= good no problems, all the staff except the cruise director where out going he did some showings but I saw nothing special about him. Ship was in great shape. If you want to buy art we did not but if you think you might google Park West At Sea. Getting a deck chair was no big hassle and they have deck chair police=actual name on shirt and they have a badge too. The water on board we tried not to use the tap water but the bottle stuff is Evian= has sodium. I also use a CPAP machine which I brought along or my wife would not of slept. No trouble with the airline carrying my regular carry on and the CPAP. On ship I asked for an extension cord which they have plenty of. I used the Evian water and it coated my machine in sodium residue. Like I said the cruise was relaxing but in my opinion not as good as the four previous Carnival. Cabin needed more storage and the furniture is shrunk to fit the room / make the room look bigger. The bathroom is small but efficient for someone under 6 foot luckily i'm 5'7".