Adventure of the Seas Review
Amazing Adventure of the Seas Vacation-August 2017
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My husband and I booked this cruise because it fit our schedules and the ports fit our desire for a relaxing but adventurous vacation. Like most, I read many reviews regarding the ship, and was a bit hesitant when I read some not so good ones. Let me tell you, this ship was AMAZING! Overall, this ship provided everything we could have asked for. The entertainment was fabulous. The cruise director Elvis is lively and can really make you laugh. We don't have children, but we met some great people on board that spoke very highly about the activities the ship offers for kids. The pool area was reconstructed to add a play area for children, and though it decreased the size of the pools, it's a great feature for families. Now to the details. If your cabin is on the 10th floor and you get to meet Vanessa, please say Hi. She was extremely attentive and helpful. We had an interior stateroom on the 10th floor and have no complaints. The room was spacious and had lots of closet and desk space for our needs. The only advice I would give is before you shower, place a towel on the floor, as water tends to splash out and makes the floor quite wet. Overall, we never had an issue with the cleanliness of our room and enjoyed it fully.
My husband is a vegetarian, and we were not sure what to expect in terms of a variety of foods. There was such an abundance of vegetarian options. Also, the staff in the Windjammer were incredibly accommodating. Every lunch there is a burger station, however no veggie burgers available. We only asked once and every time after that, the staff at the burger station had veggie burgers waiting for my husband! The staff went out of their way to make sure my husband was happy, that was incredible. Our dinner experience in the dining room was fun and memorable. Amy and Zilmara are hard-working and always gave us their honest opinion on dishes. Again, many vegetarian options were made available.
Our port of calls included Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba, and St. Marteen with embarkation/disembarkation in San Juan . We did not book excursions through the ship, instead onshore at each stop. This was easy to do and less expensive. We don't speak Spanish at all, but everyone speaks English, so it was not difficult. We enjoyed every port and what each had to offer. From island tours, to snorkeling, to lounging on beaches, the ports each provided us with the relaxation and adventure we were seeking.
Cabin Review
Interior Stateroom
Our cabin was always clean and tidy. Vanessa was always attentive and helpful. The room was spacious and fit all our needs.
Port Reviews
Bonaire
We booked a tour outside the ship and it was great. We opted for an island tour and got to explore the many areas of Bonaire. We visited 1000 steps, which is actually only 80 steps, the flamingo habitat, the salt mounds, and the old slave houses. Our tour guide was great and explained the history of this small island. We later took a taxi to Soroban Beach. A crystal clear, beautiful beach. Like most of these islands, try to get a taxi with more than just 2 people, as it greatly effects the rate you pay.
Curacao
By far my most favourite port on this trip. The heritage is evident. The city is well maintained. We booked a tour outside the ship. On our island tour, we visited the Hato Caves, the Curacao liqueur factory and a drop-off/pick-up from Mambo Beach. Mambo Beach is beautiful but very busy. Like all the other islands, you have to pay for beach chairs and umbrella if you want them. The food on the beach is pricey, but is expected when this beach is so popular with tourists. This beach also has an entrance fee of $3.50/person. There is some snorkeling here, but more catered towards water activities. Once we were back at the ship, the the swinging bridge is a short walk, about 10 minutes. We explored Willemstead and the beauty this dutch-city has to offer.
Aruba
We booked an UTV excursion with ABC tours prior to our cruise. If you are adventurous and don't mind off-roading, you will love this tour. We visited the lighthouse, the old gold-mining site, a natural pool (my favourite), blackstone beach, the natural bridge, and all along the way, experienced off-roading in Aruba along the majestic coastline. Our tour guides Joal and Paul were great and really provided us with an amazing experience. This tour was my husband's highlight of our entire trip. After the tour, we spent some time at Eagle Beach, and later walked the famous streets of Oranjestead.
St. Maarten
We booked a tour outside the ship. Unlike the other ports, were individual tour operators were easily accessible, we couldn't find them here. The only option we had were tours provided by taxi, which are pricier than any other island. Try to have more than just 2 people in a taxi, as the price decreases per person. As we left the port area of the ship, outside the security gates, we saw a few independent operators, but we were already in a cab. Our cab driver/tour operator Alfred was great. If you get the chance to ride with Alfred, take it. The man really knows his island, and is a great photographer. He made our experience on St. Maarten that much better. He took us to both sides of the island, Dutch and French. We toured Phillisburg, Marigot, Maho Beach, and our stop at Orient Beach. Food on Orient Beach is pricey, but delicious. We had lunch at the Sun Beach Clubber and if you have chance, have the Tuna Tataki. It's not hard to see why so many people visit this island. It is absolutely breath-taking.
San Juan
My husband and I spent one night in San Juan prior to boarding the ship. We spent the night in Old San Juan and it was absolutely amazing. Walking this city feels surreal. The buildings and roads date back hundreds of years and the history is well maintained. We stayed at La Terraza hotel, a beautiful boutique hotel in the heart of Old San Juan. It really fit our overall experience. We only had a short time in Puerto Rico, but are looking to coming back to this beautiful island soon.