The AOS is the smallest ship I have sailed on. I was excited for this and actually would love to go smaller next time. After reading cruise critic for over a year preparing myself for what could be a terrible mistake....., I was pleasantly surprised! I'm truly convinced that the 80/20 rule applies to cruising. 20% of the people are just not going to be happy no matter what, and 80% are at least neutral to very happy! Also, it seems people are more likely to review the cruise if they have a problem to share with others.

I personally witnessed several people who were not happy. One non-gentleman was extremely upset that security made him send his over-sized wallet through the scanner while boarding the ship from a port. He made it clear that other ships have never had him do this. Another person complained extensively about the food and how she prefers her food served very hot. Probably the same person who complains at restaurants on land hoping to get the meal for free. In both cases, they made fools of themselves to all those people around them.

Regardless, my experience on board the AOS was fantastic. To start, we stayed at the Hitlon Caribe. It is a short taxi ride to the port. From there, embarkation was a breeze. We had no delays or problems getting on the ship. My room was ready on time and my luggage arrived as planned. I found our room clean and in working order. We did develop a small drip under the sink mid-week, but a quick call to maintenance did the trick. For the most part the bar staff was fantastic. The martini's in the Champagne lounge were the best I have ever had. The manager had been specifically trained in cocktails and she ensured that every drink go out with a standard that made you feel extra special. Simply AMAZING! The pool bars were typical. Not much talking or friendliness...., but in general if you were nice you had no trouble getting served. Read more