AmyCT622

Just in case @AmyCT622 wants to look as well: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compass?ship=281

awesome!! Thank you so much!!!

Looking at the past cruise compass the main pool closes at 10:00 pm and hot tubs are open 24 hours. 

I’ve had spa staff approach me while on the ship and offer me special deals if I book for that day.  Port days you get the best deals. My friend and her daughter were laying by the pool on a port day, a staff member offered then Massages for half the price she saw them for in the cruise planner. If they do not book A certain amount of appointments they will start offering deep discounts to fill spots much like the specialty restaurants.

Help any a new blog post today shows an updated map.
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/07/23/view-the-updated-perfect-day-cococay-cabana-map

 

We just got back this past weekend from our sailing on Adventure.  We had a cabana.  Basically if you are sitting in the cabana you can see the bungalows across the beach.  They are located closer to the ship.  The beach beds are located by the beach swim up bar.
As far as our cruise we were the only ship there.   We immediately went to the excursion desk to reserve our cabana, but was told that they no longer would be doing that, instead you are assigned a cabana.  The assignment number is correlated to when you booked the cabana.  Iows, we booked 9 months out and our cabana was number 10.  It was actually better than the one we wanted which was number 4 or 5.  The reason why is number 10 is located at the very end by the jeddy with no cabana on the other side, so it gets a really nice breeze.  The negative is it is a haul to the bathrooms compared to the lower numbers.  
@roslynch1972 If you booked your bungalows simultaneously and they do it the same way as the cabanas you should be next to each other.  However, if the bungalows are like the cabanas there will be 2 rows (I didn't walk over there to see them, but from our cabana it looked like they were situated in 2 rows).  As I stated we were #10, #11 was directly behind us, which means you may not be next to each other (left/right), but front/back instead.  
There was a family that rented 2 cabanas and they were next to each other (left/right).  What ended up during the day was 1 cabana became the adults cabana and the other became the kids.  I say in the end bc in the beginning when they 1st arrived they pulled over the loungers and chairs to 1 cabana, but slowly the loungers went back and it ended up being a kids cabana.
@BobbysGirl5617  You are probably too far out from your sailing to book the daybeds.  
FWIW, I would do it again without a doubt if I was sailing in a group.  We got the cabana for 400, so it was basically 50 bucks a person, in an excursion realm that was insanely cheap.  The staff was amazing.  I ordered a drink as I passed our attendant on my way to the bathrooms, just assuming she would leave it in the cabana, I walked off of the bathroom and there she was standing waiting for me with my drink.  The attendants would walk out to the edge of the water and scream out your name to ask if you wanted a drink.  In the a.m. they bring you a plate of slices of melon and pineapple.  They bring you your lunch.  The menu is very varied and like dining on the ship you can order all you want.  The funnel cake and greek salad were fantastic, the portabello sandwich not so much.  In the afternoon they bring you a container of fruit kebabs.
On our cruise we were suppose to depart at 5, but they extended it to 6.
If my hubby and I were to do it alone, I would get the beach bed.  We are water people, so when we are out of the water it is to lie down and take a nap.  Their beds are plush.
This was the 1st cruise for my husband's family.  My BIL and his wife had never cruised, my SIL is a die hard NCL cruiser up to that day.  Trust me for 3 days I heard her comparisons of how NCL did this better.  The day we were at Coco, NCL had 2 ships at their island.  They had to tender.  You can see their ships from the beach.  That day my SIL turned to me and said OKAY I have to say RCL does it better.  Later that night we did the Chefs table, and the 70s party, she was truly converted to RCL.  My hubby looked at her and said now you know why there is the cliché Loyal to Royal.

@AmyCT622  Although Adventure does not have the big shows (Anthem out of Bayonne does).  They have the Ice Skating Show.  The Love and Marriage, Battle of the Sexes, Silent Party, 70's show and of course the Quest.  All of them are fun.  Also go to schooners and do the trivia.  It will be posted in your compass daily.  The trivia ranges from how well you know RCL to Michael Jackson to NFL.  
Adventure is smaller than Anthem, but it still has a lot to offer because it has more stuff impo to do during the day at sea.  You have the flow rider, and rock climbing wall, but you also have water slides, mini-golf that Anthem does not offer.  
If you are use to only cruising large ships remember that Adventures passenger load is @3200.  
 
 

@Fuzzywuzzy, I think you will really like Adventure OTS. We have sailed her twice before with next time coming in May. Here are some tips:
1. If you happen to be just 2 people going and have MDR dining and don't care about sitting by a window, you should email [email protected] and request table 545. We had it twice and loved it. It's a great location at a railing overlooking the lower dining room decks. The part we liked is that it was separated. Most tables for 2 are RIGHT next to each other, but this is at an indent in the railing and very nice. It's possible they do not assign the same table numbers for each cruise, but it's worth a shot.
2. Make sure to go all the way forward on the port side of deck 11. That takes you to the peek-a-boo bridge where you can look down and into the bridge as they navigate the ship. It used to accessible from both sides, but they put new cabins on the starboard side there during the refurb.
3. Although as crowded as you'd expect, make sure to catch the 70's show on the promenade (Night 3 when we went). The entertainment crew we had last year was the best ever. If you are really lucky, Fernanda from Mexico will be there. She was AMAZING and probably the nicest crew member we have ever met. We wrote to corporate about her--she was THAT good.
4. The Schooner Bar is one of our favorite places. They have the piano players, trivia games and other things going on there. However, it is next to the casino on Deck 4. If you are sensitive to smoke, go up to deck 5 forward then walk down to 4 so you don't have to walk through the casino.
5. I see from your signature that you were on Anthem last year. We were on her in 2016. As much as we enjoyed that ship (especially the 270 theater), overall we have had better times on Adventure.
Have a GREAT time and happy sailing!
 

Good advice from Matt and others above.  The production shows are fairly good, in my opinion, on all of the ships with Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers.  They are shorter than Oasis-class shows, but you don't have the strange plots that leave the audience puzzled...I actually enjoy the entertainment options on the "smaller" ships.  Have fun in August!

@Fuzzywuzzy Thank you so much!! Thanks, I will be sailing the August 23rd from NYC.....Hope you and enjoy your trip!!! and thank you for everyone elses tips and thoughts and advice.... TY @JBC @Matt @KathyC @JLMoran @Skid I really appreciate it!!! I am use to sailing NCL....it is my husband's 40th BDAY so we are trying a new ship....(well new cruiseline).... ?
HAPPY CRUISING everyone!!!
~~Amy from CT

@Fuzzywuzzy Thank you so much!! Thanks, I will be sailing the August 23rd from NYC.....Hope you and enjoy your trip!!! and thank you for everyone elses tips and thoughts and advice.... TY @JBC @Matt @KathyC @JLMoran @Skid I really appreciate it!!! I am use to sailing NCL....it is my husband's 40th BDAY so we are trying a new ship....(well new cruiseline).... ?
HAPPY CRUISING everyone!!!
~~Amy from CT

@Fuzzywuzzy Thank you so much!! Thanks, I will be sailing the August 23rd from NYC.....Hope you and enjoy your trip!!! and thank you for everyone elses tips and thoughts and advice.... TY @JBC @Matt @KathyC @JLMoran @Skid I really appreciate it!!! I am use to sailing NCL....it is my husband's 40th BDAY so we are trying a new ship....(well new cruiseline).... ?
HAPPY CRUISING everyone!!!
~~Amy from CT

@Fuzzywuzzy Thank you so much!! Thanks, I will be sailing the August 23rd from NYC.....Hope you and enjoy your trip!!! and thank you for everyone elses tips and thoughts and advice.... TY @JBC @Matt @KathyC @JLMoran @Skid I really appreciate it!!! I am use to sailing NCL....it is my husband's 40th BDAY so we are trying a new ship....(well new cruiseline).... ?
HAPPY CRUISING everyone!!!
~~Amy from CT

Hello @AmyCT622 and @Fuzzywuzzy. As far as I know, Broadway type shows are only on Quantum and Oasis class ships. We have been on Adventure (which is Voyager class) twice, once after the revitalization. Very good entertainment, but no Broadway. They have production shows like Invitation to Dance as well as headliners...comedians, illusionists, singer/impressionists, etc. Also has the ice show, which is great.
You can look at some cruise companies here to get a feel for activities and shows on Adventure of the Seas.
Happy sailing!.

We are on the August 3 sailing, if yours is after that I will let you know what they have going on?

Family of 4, me, wife (late 40's and 2 girls 12-17)
My main take away is, RC has a line management problem.  Overall, i didn't get the feeling Harmony was a gigantic ship.  Seemed the same size as the Disney Wonder from 10 years ago.  I mean that in terms of public spaces you could go.  The difference to us was in the extra 5 decks of cabins.  Making everywhere you went on the ship crowded and just one line after another.  I call this a line management problem because RC either doesn't care, or doesn't know how to efficiently deal with this congestion.
Embarkation was quick and easy.   From the moment our Uber dropped us off at the terminal around 11:30am, to the time we were on deck 5 was maybe 15 minutes tops.  This was not an issue at all.  The problems started from there.  All the people they have set up to do dinner reservations or excursion things we just painfully slow.  There was no sense of urgency to move things along.  And for every "worker" doing the actual work, it seemed there was another just standing by watching instead of trying to thin out the crowds.
Drink Package  was a great buy.  Zero complaints here.  Loved the top shelf booze.  Between water, soda, wine, and drinks we easily got our moneys worth.  But this is also part of the line management problem.  Way to many bars had just one bar tender, and they were all working on island time.  Again, no sense of urgency to help the guests.  You had 2 strategies here.  patiently wait for them to acknowledge you and make you drink.  But then have 3 or 4 other rude guests jump in front of you buy yelling out orders to the bar tender.  or, be one of the rude guests and just be the loudest person at the bar so they make your drinks next.  there was no happy median.  This was true on Coa Coa and all over the ship. 
Entertainment was awesome.   Grease was great.  Columbus was great.  the Ice Show (something in time) was great.  Both aqua theater shows were great.  the stand up comics were great at both family night, and the adult shows in the attic.  i will say at all these venues, the wait staff did a great job to get drink orders going.
Food was good, not great.  Jamie's Italian was the best meal we had.  Chops was decent, but no where near the "high end" steak house the try to make themselves out to be.  the quality of meat was just not up to standards with any steak house on the mainland US.  Izumi Hibchai was good.  Pretty much your standard hibachi experience.  For what it was, wind Jammer, small bites, and the solarium bistro were great.  Solid cruise / resort buffet food.
Pools were way to crowded on sea days.  It was just very gross people soup.  Way to many people to try and cram into that space.  
Things to do on ship were ok, except the zip line.  What a waste of space.  Way to much work for a 10 second experience.  But things like the rock wall,  mini golf, and flow rider all suffered from the line management problem.  One one occasion, i went to do the Flow Rider with my daughter, knew there would be a line.  Was totally fine with it.  The problem was, after waiting in line for 30 minutes, they just decide to stop allowing guests to ride, so the could do a 20 minute show of "tricks".  this was 2 people before it was to be our turn.  If the could have simply closed off the line, we and many others would have known not to stand in line and waste our time.  These are the little execution problems that remain a memory of our trip more then then anything else.  Mini golf, no management.  just 100 people doing what ever they wanted on a small 9 hole course.
Perfect day Coa Coa Cay was a tale of two swords.  We spent the morning and early afternoon at South Beach in a private bungalow.  This was well worth the money.  There were the perfect amount of people for the space.  We never felt crowded, and everyone got along.  Except the bar.  Again, only one bar tender and he could not keep up with the work load.  Went back to a shouting match over other people to get his attention.  the water park side was fun in the afternoon.  For the most part, the lines were ok for everything but the highest lides or the family raft ride.  The pool area was a big crowded mess.  We decided to avoid the people soup and focus on the rides.
St. Thomas was nice.  Did a taxi ride to the shops down town.  Was very enjoyable.  Then paid a guy in a taxi to takes us on a tour of the island to see most of the views and sites.  very enjoyable day on St. Thomas.
St Maarten was the highlight of the trip.  We paid BOB THE BOAT GUY prior to the trip for a 7 hour excursion, separate from anything RC was doing.  We were matched up with 3 other people for a total of 7 of us in a 36 foot scarab with a captain and first mate.  They took us to 3 separate snorkel / beach spots including Pinnel island.  Allowed us to hook our phones up to the boats awesome stereo, and just had a kick ass time all day.  Plenty of beer and booze for the day.  Good food and great staff.  Again, this was one of the best vacations days we have had in a long time.
Disembarking the boat was easy.  I paid the extra $25 per person for luggage valet.  Put out bags out at 10pm Saturday night, and didn't see them until we picked them up at the baggage carousel at our home airport.  this allowed us to leave our room at 8:00am, and we were through customs and waiting for our Uber by 8:20am.  We made it to MCO by 9:30 for an 11:55am flight.  very stress free.
in closing, we had a good time.  Just not great.  Maybe the act of cruising where you book your trip over 12 months in advance, and you have so much build up to the rip sets the expectations so high.  It was very hard to live up to all the youtube videos and podcasts.  Again, it was 10 years ago, but our memory of the Disney Cruise was great.  We do think if we cruise again, it will be on a smaller ship, and probably a Disney Cruise.  We felt the customer service level, and food were just a notch higher with standards the RC.  Enough that the extra $4k in price would have been justified.
Thanks for reading.  I will try and answer any questions.

We had a good time overall. 
I know my thoughts may seem a little overly critical.  Just giving my honest feedback.  Plenty of awesome things also.  My 12 year old had at least 20 ice cream cones.
We were deck 8 ocean view balcony.