BACKGROUND: I am 38 and The FiancE is 49. We are easy-going, open-minded and will always positively make the best out of any situation. We are also first time cruisers! I had to dragged The FiancE kicking and complaining on to the Adventure of the Seas ("I don't want to go on a cruise!", "It's too confining!", "I'll hate it!", "I'll be eating too much, etc."). Suffice to say that by mid-week, I caught The FiancE checking out Royal Caribbean's 2009 brochures for future sailings!
I will try to avoid addressing items that have been abundantly reviewed, but I do want to provide our perspective and what we discovered working well for us.
PUERTO RICO: Definitely ideal to fly in a day in advance. We stayed at the friendly Hotel Milano (307 Fortaleza) in Old San Juan for one night. We checked in May 3, which was great timing because the start of low season was May 1. We paid $95 ($145 high season) for our room. It was no frills standard, but quite adequately comfortable. We would advise asking for a room towards the back as the locals do like to party (loudly) into the wee hours at all the nearby eateries and clubs. We had a quiet room on the 3rd floor. We had a memorable meal at Restaurante Raices (315 Recinto Sur Viejo, a barely 5 minutes walk from Hotel Milano and nearly across the street, of the backside to the Sheraton). We had excellent flank steak and mashed plantains.