Familyof4

Familyof4  -Welcome to the blog and yes the PIZZA on the Promenade is my go to

Thank you

Cafe Promenade on Deck 5 will have snacks that include desserts and premade sandwiches and it is open 24 hours.
 
You can see the compasses here:  http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compasses/adventure-of-the-seas/sat-2015-11-21-0000

Definitely make sure you do this first.  The screening locations are right inside the doors.
 
  I agree about the Forts.

The forts (San Cristobal and El Morro) are pretty darn cool.  Of course, there's always the beach (and there are plenty in Puerto Rico).
 
I suppose this depends on ages and gender as well.

We had an 11:30 am flight and were fine, but make sure that you let Guest Services know onboard so that you get an early luggage number or do self-assist. Also, make sure that the first thing you do at the airport is the agricultural screening; otherwise, you'll be sent there from the check in lines and will end up needing to stand in line all over again.

Checking in at the airport in San Juan is definitely a little more complicated than most US airports. You have to have your bags screened (and stamped) by customs...which doesn't really require that much time but it's still an extra step that we don't have on this end.

Pictures from our GS on Adventure. BOY, we really loved the space!
 
https://goo.gl/photos/t8WQHAW5Dbj17SDT9

I've found, and this may be seasonally dependent, that the Sheraton requires a multi-day stay.  I could have booked it for a Thursday & Friday night prior to our cruise last January but not just for Friday.

We stayed at the Sheraton Old San Juan also.  Very nice and perfect location.  You still need a taxi to the port, but if you are sight seeing in Old San Juan the day before, it's perfect.

We had four of us, me, my wife, my daughter, and her friend when we sailed the Jewel last January.  We stayed at Ciqala Suites in a 2 bedroom, 1400SF unit that was more like a condo.  Living room, kitchen, 2BR, 2 Bath with a laundry room for around $350/nt as I recall.  They have studios, 1 BR, 2BR & 3BR suites.  There is no restourant but the have a small rooftop pool that is nice with a bar and appetizers.  You get a nice free breakfast made to order in the morning and you are only about 1 mile to the Pan Am pier.
 
It is not near the water but they do run a shuttle to the beach.  It is an easy taxi ride to OSJ.

The Sheraton Old San Juan where we stayed is nice.   It would be better to stay in Old San Juan for site seeing and catch a cab to the cruise port where the Adventure is.  Its about a $20 cab ride maybe a little more for the four of you.  Its about the same $ for the cab ride from the airport to the Old San Juan district  One of the luggage handlers at our hotel taught us about the trolley and good places to eat local food.   Its about a 30-40 min drive from Old San Juan to the cruise port so I would leave the hotel about 10am

We stayed at the Sheraton Old San Juan last May on our Liberty of the Seas cruise and enjoyed exploring San Juan.  The hotel was right in front of one of the cruise ports and had a beautiful view of the water.   There are free trams that take you around the city that you can get on and off at any of the stops.  One of the trams goes around the inter part of the city and the other goes around the perimeter of the city.   We stayed on the tram the whole route several times just for the free tour.  The inter city tram is kinda trolley car and the perimeter one looks like a small bus.  The outer one takes you to both forts.  Remember to get to the port early as it gets crowded.  We got there about 1230 and there were long lines.   It will look confusing but there are RC people in uniform the can help direct you to the correct line.  The cruise port you will be using is NOT in old San Juan.  I believe the cruise port you will be leaving is called the Pan American pier

1. Tap water, lemonade, milk and coffee and tea (hot or cold) are all complementary anywhere on the ship. It might be difficult to get milk anywhere except for the dining spaces but I'm sure they would find it for you if you want it elsewhere. This goes for complementary or specialty dining. Alcohol of any kind and/or soft drinks all cost additional money. The only exception for specialty dining are the dining packages that specifically include wine and they make those very obvious so you will know which ones they are.
 
2. You are INcorrect about the alcohol packages. Both adults in a cabin do NOT have to purchase any package. If one person wants a beverage package and the other does not, then only 1 can purchase...but be warned, there is absolutely NO sharing allowed and they are very strict about it.
 
3. Can't help you on which package is best. Neither of us has ever purchased a drinks package. It is my understanding that the ultimate package is basically a combination of the premium and royal replenish (soda and water) packages. In general, the ultimate covers everything, the premium is wine and beer and the royal replenish is soda and water. There are some specific restrictions, but as an overall summary, this is probably good enough. Not sure which beers are covered in the premium package but I believe that most imports are covered. I could be wrong about this one. I'm not a beer drinker.
 
Matt has posted some very good overviews and details about the different beverage packages on the blog. Just do a search for beverage package.

We were first time cruisers on the Freedom last month.  We had MTD and it was great.  We pre-booked at 8:15 pm every evening.  We would go to the early show and then head straight from there to dinner.  We liked our serving team the first day and stopped at the desk on our way out to ask if we could have them every evening.  They said they'd put a note on our reservation and we were at the same table every time.  We also wanted to move our reservation earlier one day and that was not a problem at all either.
 
There was a hurricane in the Caribbean while we were on the ship and it was fine but it did prevent us from being able to tender to Grand Cayman so that became a sea day instead.  They automatically refunded anyone who had booked excursions through the ship but if you booked independent excursions, you'd have to work that out separately.  There was rain one day and some rough seas.  I had motion sickness medicine and my husband never has problems with that so we were fine, but I would recommend keeping something with you just in case.

Regarding dining times we are early eaters and prefer to me on a schedule so we choose first seating. Each of the three cruises we've been on, our groups have been large enough that we would have our own table. Take a large group if you can, we think it's fun when cruising with others we know.

We have always had a table just to ourselves when we pre-booked our reservation times.  I think if you just walk up you may be seated at a larger table with others.
 
Since you are going out of San Juan I definitely recommend flying in at least one day early.  I don't know from where you are traveling but flights tend to arrive in the afternoon to San Juan and any delay because of weather or aircraft issues may have you missing the ship. I actually recommend this for any cruise but San Juan in particular due to the travel distance and tendency toward connecting flights.

I'd suggest travel insurance and plan to arrive early. Hurricanes rarely interrupt cruises overall, but you need to be aware of the possibility. Also, by arriving early, you're assured of boarding if the ship needs to sail early.
 
Understand that your ports could change, so either book your tours with Royal or make sure that the independent tour providers will give you a refund if the ship misses port.

Yes, August is considered hurricane season (June - Nov.).

Mike's advice is spot on.
 
If you do book on your own, you're responsible for getting back to the ship on time. We usually aim for 3-3:30 for a 5 pm sailing from the port. Traffic can be a problem as everyone rushes back to the port.
 
In St. Kitts, we did the Sugar Cane Train. It was fine, but a lot of sitting. If you want to see the island, though, it's s comfortable but pricey trip. If we go back, we'd do Nevis for snorkeling.
 
Many of us our fans of Leo Brown in St. Maarten. He operates a private taxi. Two must for me are the beaches as they're amazing--and I'm not a beach person--and Maho Beach to watch the planes take off and land. We did Bernard's tour the first time, and that was very enjoyable too, but for nearly the same price with Leo you pick the speed at which you move and how long you want to stay at the various sights.
 
In Barbados, we went to a wild life sanctuary, which was fun as there were all kinds of exotic animals you could feed and toured the island. We did this through Royal.

There are two things I always tell first time cruisers that a very important! 1...make sure you are on time. The ship will not wait on you. You need to be on board at least an hour and half before sailing time. That also goes for stops at the different ports. I can't tell you how many times standing on my balcony I have seen people running down the pier to make it before the ship leaves. 2....make sure you have the correct ID paperwork to get on the ship. You can almost never go wrong with a passport. If you are using a drivers license and birth certificate make sure its certified copy. If you have a name change ..make sure you have certified copies backing this up ...marriage certificate etc etc. Not trying to scare you but it is important. I know you will have a great time and enjoy yourself...Mike

What a great trip for a first cruise! We sailed on Adventure from San juan for our 1st cruise in 2009. We loved it so much we chose that ship to get married on this past April. Advantage to MTD is certainly the flexibility for an active family. We are big fans of traditional dining and we request a large table so that we get to meet new people. A big part of our cruise experience is dining g with the same people and wait staff each evening. As for shore excursions, do your research in advance and book in advance either through RCCL or a private vendor.

You can precook MTD online somewhere between 60 and 90 days in advance. You'll find an option to book times roughly from 6-9 at your preference. Regarding tours, you're usually better off prebooking especially if it's a tour you want as it could sell out through the ship. It's also worth researching in advance as there may be private tour options that offer something better for less money. If you share your itinerary with us, we can offer suggestions. Of course, there is a convenience and a sense of safety booking directly with Royal.

MTD has really sold my wife on cruising as she was never a fan of traditional dining, which is why she found NCL so appealing. Plus, cruising has gotten more casual, which has helped foster her reluctant love of this form of travel. I, on the other hand, will do anything to just be on the ship. Require a tux, I'll buy one. Tell me I can only eat dinner at 4, I'll manage.

One tip would be to get to the ship early, even if they ask you to show up later. They tend to send out emails and phone calls assigning you a boarding time. They are just hoping to control the crowds, you can show up when you want.
Getting onboard early will give you time to explore the ship before it gets crowded. Plus, for us the more time onboard the better.
Also keep in mind you won't get your room or luggage till later, so it's good to bring a change of clothes (swimsuit) in your carry-on.