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  1. UPDATED 13 February 2024 (Added Allure's return in 2026. Removed Liquor Taxation Section - Have not seen them in the terminals since 2022.) Galveston is home to Royal Caribbean's newest Cruise Terminal, a state of the art zero energy facility, and was home port for the 2023 President's Cruise on Allure of the Seas. Celebrity Cruises has advised that we should not be surprised to see one of their ships in Galveston at some point. Galveston is the fourth busiest cruise port in the USA and the 9th busiest in the world. Cruise ships calling Galveston their home port include: Harmony of the Seas - 225,282 GT - 5,484 Guests - 7 night sailings (Repositions to Barcelona 16 Mar 2026) Allure of the Seas - 225,282 GT - 5,496 Guests - 7 night sailings (Arrives 17 Mar 2026 from Fort Lauderdale) Voyager of the Seas - 137,276 GT - 3,602 Guests - 4-6 night sailings (Repositions to Barcelona 1 May 2024) Mariner of the Seas - 139,863 GT - 3,344 Guests - 4-5 night sailings (Arrives 6 May 2024 from Port Canaveral) Jewel of the Seas - 90,090 GT - 2,191 Guests - 8-11 night sailings (Arrives 8 Nov 2024) Norwegian Prima - 142,500 GT - 3,215 Passengers (Winter Home Port now through Mar 2025) Norwegian Escape - (Dec 2024 Sailings) Norwegian Viva - (Winter Home Port starting Dec 2025) Carnival Jubilee - 182,800 GT - 5,374 Passengers - LNG Powered Carnival Dream - 130,000 GT - 3,646 Passengers Carnival Breeze - 130,000 GT - 3,690 Passengers Carnival Miracle - 88,500 GT - 2,124 Passengers (Arrives 16 Oct 2024 from San Francisco for 9-12 night cruises) Carnival Legend - 88,500 GT - 2,124 Passengers (Arrives 22 Oct 2025 from San Francisco for 4-14 night cruises) Regal Princess - (Winter Home Port Sep-Mar) Disney Magic - (Winter Home Port each year) MSC - has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Port of Galveston to build a fourth cruise terminal! Cruise Terminal 10 Information Cruise Terminal 10 is owned and operated by a 50/50 partnership of Royal Caribbean and Ceres Terminals Inc. on land leased from the Port of Galveston. Ceres helped fund the project and will provide stevedoring and terminal operations. As the world's first zero-energy cruise terminal you can expect to find innovative design throughout this facility in things you see and also things you don't see. Below is a map of the new terminal area and parking lots operated by the Port of Galveston. In addition to surface parking lots, the Port offers covered and indoor parking. All parking lots have covered shuttle bus stops with buses circulating continuously to the cruise terminal, and there are plenty of covered walkways for a comfortable stroll from the walkable parking areas to the terminal. Electric Vehicle chargers will soon be available to the west of the South Lot. My favorite parking option: North Premium Covered Lot - it's only a few feet from the cruise terminal and it's covered. It's also the highest price option. Go to the Port's parking information page for more information and sign up for their loyalty program. You'll get an immediate $5 discount on your first reservation, the loyalty program equals a 10% discount on future parking, and they will send periodic discount codes that can all be combined for savings. Disabled veterans also get a discount. Tip: you will find less expensive options by using off-site parking operators which I have listed below in the Parking section of this post, which also has information on other things to consider regarding parking. Luggage can be dropped off at the terminal on Royal Caribbean Circle (see map above). Upon entering the terminal building, General check in is located up the escalators on the left (west) end of the terminal, while Suites and Pinnacles check in is located up the escalators on the right (east) end of the terminal. The door at the right (east) end of the terminal on Royal Caribbean Circle is also the entrance for Suites, Pinnacles, and Star Class guests. Star Class drop-off is at area 6 (purple columns on Royal Caribbean Circle). When disembarking at Cruise Terminal 10 there is facial recognition for quick passage through Customs and Border Protection. Then you claim your luggage and make your way out of the terminal to the pick up area on Royal Caribbean Way. As you can see on the above map, the embarking passenger ground transportation area (on Royal Caribbean Circle) is distinctly separated from the disembarking passenger ground transportation area on Royal Caribbean Way for better traffic flow. Planning & Tourist Info You can't beat this website for information on everything that is happening in Galveston: www.galveston.com Transportation Fly into HOU (Houston Hobby Airport) if you can. It's much closer to Galveston than IAH (Bush Intercontinental Airport) and you won't have the Houston traffic to deal with. Tip: my favorite airline option is JSX, a "semi-private" airline that uses private jet terminals at several airports across the country. You can essentially fly "private" and avoid crowded airport terminals, for about the price of a first class ticket. JSX flies to Houston Hobby Airport and disembarks in one of the private terminals. Here are some options for getting to Galveston from the airport: Galveston Saltwater Moms - my first choice for transportation to Galveston... a highly rated "personal driver" service. You book by sending them a personal message on Facebook. They are a licensed Transportation Provider with the Port of Galveston, which means they can legally operate at the cruise terminals. They have a $500,000 bond and commercial liability insurance. Give them a try as an alternative to the big guys. I've used them and had a great experience! Galveston Limo - provides very affordable shared rides from the two Houston airports with either their scheduled service or you can arrange a private car. Owned by a local family of good folks. Galveston Express Lyft and Uber - Lyft and Uber are the approved major rideshare companies operating at the Port of Galveston. The agreement with Uber was approved on 24 Mar 2023. Blacklane - a premium option for upper end vehicles like Black Sedan or Black SUV. You can reserve days or weeks in advance and cancel up to 1 hour prior to pickup time. Rates include gratuities, professional drivers, no "peak" surcharges or port surcharges. Drivers show up when scheduled. A bit more expensive but worth the price to reduce the stress you have with Uber/Lyft drivers canceling or having peak rates when departing the ship. I've used Blacklane in Galveston and Los Angeles with good results. If you use black sedans or SUV's with Uber/Lyft, I find Blacklane to be similarly priced, and sometimes lower priced during peak pickup times. Enterprise Rent A Car - Enterprise is the only rental car company on the island. You should be able to rent from Enterprise at the airport and drop it off on the Island. The Island location is open on Saturday (before Covid it was also open on Sunday). Check with Enterprise directly for updated hours and shuttle arrangements. Here are a couple of transportation options for your departure after your cruise: The pickup zone for Lyft and Uber is at the far northeast side of the terminal on Royal Caribbean Way. When you exit the terminal, turn left, and walk to the Uber/Lyft sign in Zone 1. If you prefer to take a taxi to the airport, turn right as you exit the terminal, cross the street toward the east side of the covered parking area and there will be several taxis ready and waiting. Here's a photo of the fixed fare rates as of 30 July 2023: Arriving By Car I-45 is undergoing several phases of construction that will continue into 2024 and beyond. TxDOT is widening I-45 all the way to Galveston Island so expect some delays and congestion. I-45 south ends on Galveston Island. When arriving on the island, if you turn off at the "Cruise Terminal" exit (Harborside Drive) you will hit a traffic back-up as you approach the cruise terminals. To avoid this traffic jam, as you drive down I-45 and arrive on the Island, continue straight on Broadway as the interstate ends and follow these directions: If you've reserved parking through the official Port of Galveston website, continue straight on Broadway as the interstate ends. Continue to 14th street and turn left. Follow 14th and it will take you straight into the entrance to the Cruise Terminal 10 area. This route will avoid the lengthy backup on Harborside Drive. As you enter the Cruise Terminal area, follow the signs to your pre-arranged parking lot or to the drop off or pick up areas. Parking If you search "Galveston cruise parking" you will see plenty of parking options. I highly recommend making a reservation on line with one of the parking companies, especially if you want an indoor space as these will sell out (especially now, with so many ships sailing from Galveston). Prepaying usually gets you a 5-10% discount and a guaranteed parking space. Things to consider in addition to price: Elevation - heavy rains can quickly flood the streets of Galveston, and not just during a hurricane. Leaving your car in an elevated spot will provide peace of mind against flooding if an unexpected storm comes in. Inside Building, or Outdoor Lot? - outdoor surface lots are cheaper, but your car is exposed to the south Texas sun and weather. A building provides better protection and security. Discounts & Loyalty - there are extra savings if you sign up for loyalty programs online and apply for any applicable discount. Reserve your parking after your account is set up and tagged with the applicable discount. You can combine loyalty and one discount but you can't have multiple discounts. The loyalty programs often mail discount codes to members. Security - parking lots are fenced and gated. Buildings are enclosed and locked. Some facilities have security cameras. The Port of Galveston claims that the Port Police patrol their lots 24/7 which you won't find at the private parking lots. Electric Vehicle Charging - more and more lots are offering EV chargers. If you drive an EV like I do, you will appreciate having your car fully charged when you disembark. This perk is currently free at all parking facilities where it is offered. The Port of Galveston will offer EV charging for an additional fee by scanning a QR code and paying online after parking at the charger. Remember that even a 110 volt plug will fully charge your car over the course of several days, so bring you charge cord as some lots offer 110V outlet access. Here is my comparison of some of the parking options. I have used Port Parking, EZ Cruise, and the Port of Galveston parking all without any issues. Hotels Galveston hotel prices are quite variable depending on day of week (weekends obviously much higher), whether there are major events happening, and the season (summer is the busy season here). Booking hotels during Mardi Gras (February), Lone Star Biker Rally (early November), Art Walk (every 6 weeks) and other major events will be much more expensive. Some hotels have a 2 night minimum on weekends. Ever since travel resumed following Covid, hotel prices on Galveston Island have gone way up. I love staying on the island before a cruise, but if the price is too high I stay along I-45 in Webster, League City, or Texas City where you'll find much lower hotel rates. Note that I-45 exits south of Webster can be very congested, especially during morning and afternoon rush hours. There are a couple of hotels near the port and the historic Strand District in Galveston, but no hotels are near the Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal 10. It's a great idea to arrive a day or two early and enjoy the island ambiance. The Harbor House overlooks the port area and Cruise Terminals 25 and 28, and is very convenient to many nice restaurants, museums, and shopping. The Tremont House is also very walkable to the Strand, nice restaurants, museums, and shopping. This is my preferred pre-cruise hotel and is now a Marriott Tribute property. The Tremont House is located in a beautiful historic building. The Tremont's rooftop bar has wonderful views of the island and port area and has been under renovation with a planned re-opening in the fall of 2023. The lobby bar has live jazz on most Thursday nights. There are plenty of other hotels on the Island, many along the Seawall facing the Gulf of Mexico. Hotels providing transportation to the port or offer park & cruise options can be found here. Call the hotel that you are interested in to confirm that they provide cruise parking. Galveston Dining (And A Few Drinking Establishments) Please avoid the tourist traps and chain restaurants that will leave you disappointed. Eat at these locally owned restaurants that use locally sourced, fresh food, including fresh Gulf seafood right from the docks in Galveston. All restaurants are casual dress unless noted, and all are family friendly (even most of the bars). Many serve craft beer on tap from Galveston Island Brewing. My only connection to these places is that I have personally eaten at them multiple times and I love them all! Rudy and Paco - 2028 Post Office St (21st and Post Office) - Arguably the best restaurant on the island. Wonderful food with a South and Central American flair. Best service on the island. A little expensive but worth it. We like going for lunch because it's very affordable (lunch served weekdays only). No shorts allowed at dinner. Reservations suggested and are a must on weekends or when The 1890 Grand Theater has an event. Riondo's Ristorante - 2328 Strand (24th and Strand) - Our favorite Italian restaurant on the island, and they also serve great seafood and steak. Beautiful historic building built in 1895 in the Strand Historic District. "Farm to Fork" sourcing and they make their own pasta. Tell them you "want a table in the vault." Katie's Seafood House - 2000 Wharf Road (On the water, adjacent to the Port of Galveston) - This is the only restaurant in Galveston that catches their own seafood! Enjoy great food, good service, and a wonderful view of the Port of Galveston from their covered outdoor deck. They offer free parking in the lot in front of the restaurant at 20th & Harborside (call the restaurant at (409) 765-5688 and select to option to hear the parking code). Blum & Co. at the Tremont House - 2300 Ships Mechanic Row (Mechanic Street) - Beautiful historic hotel built in 1879 near the Strand Historic District. An urban bistro, wine bar, and market offering a carefully curated menu that is indigenous of the region. There is a beautiful bar at the opposite end of the lobby with several Galveston Brewing options on tap. Before or after dinner, take the elevator to the top floor, turn left, and walk to the end of the hall to the rooftop bar to cap off the experience. The rooftop bar is being renovated and will re-open in the fall of 2023. Brews Brothers Brew Pub - 2404 Strand - Huge craft beer selection, creative American bar food. Very casual. You wouldn't expect it for a bar, but the food here is excellent. Burgers (try the "Mission From God"), fresh made chips (try them with Buffalo Sauce & Bleu Cheese), local fish tacos, salads, etc. Order at the bar, grab a table, and enjoy a beer while waiting on your food to be delivered to your table. Texas Tail Distillery - 2416 Post Office - On-site distillery for whiskey and vodka. Try the honey whiskey and other infusions. Friendly staff, fun place to try crafted drinks with local liquor, or try them all with a flight of shots! New: several food trucks are often located adjacent to their new location! Blvd. Seafood - 28th and Seawall - One of the best seafood restaurants on the island. There isn't a lot of curb appeal outside but the inside is very nice. The food and service are both quite good and the seafood is all local. The red snapper is amazing and always comes fresh from Katie's Seafood Market. Shucks Tavern - 414 21st Street - Newer hot spot downtown for oysters, seafood, and drinks. Fresh oysters from the most famous oyster beds in America! Mama Teresa's Flying Pizza and Italian - 416 21st Street - Next door to Shucks Tavern, this is the place for pizza. These guys hand toss the pizzas so high they almost touch the very high ceilings in this historic building! They also have nice Italian dishes. Convenient to the Post Office Street Arts District for a nice after-dinner stroll. Grotto Italian - 5222 Seawall (In the San Luis Resort) - Classic Italian restaurant featuring delicious veal, chicken, seafood, pizza, and house made pastas. This one breaks my rule of avoiding the Landrys restaurant chain, but we are convinced it's a great option. The Cove Poolside Bar - 5222 Seawall (In the San Luis Resort) - Beautiful outdoor poolside bar with a swim-up bar too, all overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The pool is heated so expect swimmers even in cool weather. Great place to people watch and enjoy a drink with one of the most picturesque views of the Gulf of Mexico on the island. Koops BBQ Kitchen - 4501 Broadway - the only barbecue restaurant on the island that I would recommend. Very clean, very casual, very good meat and homemade sides. Only open for lunch from 11 am to 3 pm or until they run out of barbecue. Leland House - 2711 Market Street - a nice neighborhood bistro serving breakfast/brunch, lunch, and dinner. Grab a menu, relax at a table, and order at the bar when you're ready. Closed Monday/Tuesday. Maceo's Spice & Import Company - 2706 Market Street - Excellent muffaletta's, sandwiches. Simple menu to eat in or carry out in this little spice shop. Freckleberry Teahouse - 2724 Market Street - this has become a hot spot for a relaxing hot or iced tea or coffee and a light snack. Comfortable seating is plentiful inside or in their large outdoor area. Red Light Coffee Roasters - 2728 Market Street - popular spot serving locally roasted and sustainably sourced coffee and drinks along with light snacks. Like many places on this list, they are located in a beautiful historic building. Hey Mikey's Ice Cream - 2120 Post Office Street - Ice cream is made in the store. Unique treats like Ice Cream Nachos (share with a friend) and traditional favorites. You gotta' go here! Note: this place is owned by a nice island family. It is sometimes closed over the winter holidays. Mod Coffeehouse - 2126 Post Office Street - comfortable with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Live music many weekend evenings. Coffee, tea, espresso, latte, home baked goods. Waterman's Restaurant & Marina - 14302 Stewart Road - great sunset and water views overlooking Lake Como and West Bay. Steak and seafood. The restaurant was built of long leaf pine salvaged from the 100 year old cotton warehouses that were part of Galveston's glory days. Relatively expensive and a bit of a drive from the hotel areas but this is a unique restaurant with a great ambiance, great service, and great water views. Jimmy's On The Pier - 9001 Seawall - On the 2nd story above the fishing pier (enter the souvenir shop, exit to the left, and up the stairs). Very casual with great views of the seawall and Gulf. Owner has their own farm and livestock for a true "farm to table" concept; other items locally sourced. Fish tacos, burgers, seafood, local beer, full bar, etc. Galveston Webcams Galveston has some great webcams if you want to see what the cruise port looks like, or if your friends and family want to watch you sail away on Royal Caribbean via several live full-motion HD video cameras.
  2. Hello everyone! I want to decorate my cabin door for kiddos High School Graduation & celebrate her acceptance to University. It's also her 18th birthday. Where do you recommend quality products? I have gone through some Etsy stores but I get a ho hum feeling, I want something to make everyone smile. Any suggestions would be so appreciated!
  3. Looking forward to some great fun on this first-time cruise for one of us! Come say hi, we'd love to make some new friends before and during this trip!
  4. Just booked this holiday cruise at a remarkably low cost! TA says it's filling up very quickly already even though it's almost two years away. This will be our first time cruising during the holiday and we're really looking forward to it. Amy (and Frank)
  5. I am looking for someone to take photos/vidoes of a proposal on our 5th day (November 8th) at Coco Cay. TIA!!
  6. There is a Facebook roll call page, and we are almost at 500 members. A few activities are planned for the cruise. Check it out if you're on the cruise with us. https://www.facebook.com/groups/567785214713802/?mibextid=oMANbw
  7. We are on an 8 night on the Adventure 07 June 2024. I realized after speaking with @Lovetocruise2002 and reading some additional great information sheets on here internet will not be included in the cabin unless you fork over additional monies. I personally find this insulting. I even sent a very kind and vibrant email to Mr. Bayleys office, they responded enjoy the suite as is. Kindly purchase the additional amenity if you so choose. Okay, it is what it is I continue to not love that the suites program isn't standardized but I'm part of the problem, lol I booked the cabin anyway! So to minimize the pain in my wallet can I piggyback the 2 days each of us get? Can I give kiddo all of the D + days? We would get 6 free days in total and that is enough. If this is possible, how do I do this, does it necessitate me visiting the internet desk every 2 days? This will be the first time trying to use this perk. I'm really being stubborn as I purchased some specialty dining and an excursion on the cruise planner, but it's the point darn it. I want to continue to feel joy, it just hits different knowing suites on other Royal ships include this amenity. Rant over, please help? Oh I'm in 1620 so it's like adding insult to injury This is our 18th Birthday/High School graduation celebration sailing that is why I splurged on this cabin. Sadly I didn't realize it only has one bathroom, oh my!
  8. I found my calendar empty so on 3 days notice I booked an aft balcony on Adventure of the Seas departing from Galveston. I had airline points and my airline credit card refunded the $11.20 fees for the flights so I'm flying for free. That just left the hotel to figure out since I always recommend flying in the day before the cruise. In the past hotels on Galveston Island have often imposed a two night minimum so I usually stay somewhere between Houston and Galveston but I discovered the Doubletree on Galveston Island was not requiring a two night stay and it was a reasonable rate so I booked it. Itinerary on this sailing: Day 1 - Embark Galveston Day 2 - Sea Day Day 3 - Costa Maya Day 4 - Cozumel Day 5 - Sea Day Day 6 - Debark Galveston I haven't cruised on a Voyager class ship since the restart so this was also an opportunity to sail a class I really like.
  9. For those of you who have visited Bahamas already do you know the cost of this Visa? Is this something Royal was toying with giving us some on board credit for? Not a deal breaker but I registered and now have to wait to take my 15 year old for her PCR test to upload, actually located a rapid PCR test, timing won't allow for vaccine and honestly not feeling the vaccine for her. Just want to do a bit more due diligence for her, we got it to sail we are old anyway!! Lol!! Insights thoughts please share with me, thanks so much everyone ?
  10. As I previously stated our Air2Sea flight is late on the 12th, I think we are the last Bahamasair flight of the day. With this pressing time frame for a timely embarkation I also purchased the shuttle to the Hilton for check in from Air2Sea. I know I need to check in for my flight but is there a ticket or voucher I should have received for this shuttle? Has anyone experienced or used this shuttle service before? I wanted the protection of Air2Sea in case things run late. Thanks everyone!
  11. Royal Caribbean will have at least 6 cruise ships definitely sailing this summer. I am very interested to see how many people have booked the different cruise options available for this summer.
  12. I booked a cruise on Adventure of the Seas and picked room 1101 thinking it would be awesome and relaxing to be right next to the Solarium. Then my more observant wife noticed that the room was also right next to the fitness center. Wondering if anyone had a room in this section of the ship and if we would be hearing the exercise classes and equipment.
  13. Hello, I hope it's okay to do a live-blog style recap (instead of it being live). I also took pictures of all the cruise compass pages and MDR menu. Please let me know how to best upload these, or whom I should contact to get them added to the cruise compass section. ----------------- This is my first cruise, with DW and in laws, for 8 nights from FLL to Eastern Caribbean, on Adventure of the Seas, 12/21/2019 sailing. The ports visited: St Thomas, St Marteen, San Juan, and Labadee. We originally considered booking on Allure, but finally we decided on Adventure. This fact will become important later. We did a GTY balcony room, and scored a spacious balcony on deck 6 fore. We bought the refreshment drink package (non-alcoholic) and the surf voom package. No specialty dining option because we figured we’d have enough to eat. Our dining time was traditional seating at 8:30. We booked our travel through MEI travel, and had Michelle as our contact person. She is extremely helpful and friendly, and really responsive with our questions. Due to inclement weather, the day before our departure the captain sent a note that they’re rearranging our ports of visit, but generally still keeping the same ports and same time-ish for each port. I did book excursions with a 3rd party, so I called them and let them know of the change. He was very accommodating (partly due to the fact that the whole ship is on the same boat as us, literally), so he has to work around the change. I wanted to do a live blog but I figured I’d rather write a review afterwards so that I can enjoy my vacation. That’s why I didn’t create a thread beforehand. I just jot down the basics of what we did each day. Day 1 We drove for 1 hr from Palm Beach to FLL, and parked our car at Discount Parking. Definitely would not recommend this vendor. It seemed like they only had 1 shuttle dedicated to cruise passengers, so we had to wait a long time to get taken to the pier (and also at the end, we had to wait almost 1 hour at the pier to be picked up). I did see a lot of Park N Go shuttles, so next time we will try that one. Due to inclement weather (again), the terminal was moved from pier 29 to pier 18. There was no communication about this from Royal Caribbean. I only found out from the facebook group. I don’t know how people would have found out otherwise. The check-in was quick. There is a short line for the security, then the ipad person took our pictures, and quick picture in front of a backdrop, but other than that off we go to the second floor, which connects to a gangway going to deck 4. We arrived at the terminal around 12:30, and stepped to the ship around 12:45. Although it’s almost one (and therefore our room should be ready soon), since we didn’t really have carry on, we went straight to WJ for lunch. There was a special gingerbread town decoration at the entrance of WJ Of course we started utilizing our drink package. We ordered pina colada and mango daiquiri. On the first day, they let you use your set sail pass instead of your seapass card to order drinks. After lunch, we went to our rooms to find out it’s all ready. The seapass cards were waiting in front of the room. Inside the room, all the excursions that we have bough with Royal Caribbean (including explanations about drink package and internet package) are waiting on our bed. I thought the whole thing was extremely well-organized. The room is very spacious for just the 2 of us. There is plenty of storage. The only negative thing is that the balcony still feels a bit closed in, and basically feels like a glorified port hole. I guess this is what you get for doing a GTY. But a balcony is still a balcony, so no complaint here. The closets and drawers offer plenty of storage space. Within 10 minutes, the stateroom attendant knocked on our door, introduced himself, and informed us about the muster drill. Collin, he is very nice and attentive, and we were very pleased with his service throughout the cruise. There were several times when I came back to the room carrying plates of food from WJ, and he saw me, and he opened the door for me. This happened as early as day 1 btw, so he was definitely quick in memorizing our faces lol. After the drill, we went exploring around the ship, with drinks in hand of course. The ship is fairly nice-sized, but not too big that I feel like it’s a floating city. I know this used to be considered “top of the line” when it was first launched, but now that there are much larger ships around, Adventure of the Seas is considered medium-large. There were Christmas decorations around the ship, so it felt really festive. However, they’re also “blocking” some access areas especially on deck 4 and 5, at both ends of the ship (so near Centrum staircases). Not a big deal because most of the time it was never that crowded, except during special occasions where you feel like the added stairway would have alleviated the crowd jam a little bit. Also, there were ship photographers in front of the Christmas tree, preventing you to take your own pictures. You can have your pictures taken, but then you’d have to pay to get them. During the sail away, we went to deck 12 aft to watch. It was windy and slightly raining. After the sail away, I tried a the flow rider for a little bit. Bad idea. It was hard, and I think my neck got whiplashed when I fell? I only noticed the soreness the day after. I saw some other people having fun on it, so good for them. Also the flow rider area is VERY windy throughout the cruise, because it’s at the top deck, aft. When the ship was docked it was okay, but whenever ship was on sea, it gets very windy. I also tried the slides. There are two slides: yellow and blue. The yellow one is supposed to be faster, but it also has a slight “bump” in it, meaning you cannot rest your head completely but you had to hold it up a little bit. This became a problem due to my sore neck, but was a lot of fun otherwise. I have been to a lot of water parks in Orlando, and I can say that these two slides were definitely top notch in terms of speed, thrill, and drops. Also because the ship was rocking, no two “sessions” were the same. It keeps you guessing and anticipating with every turn. I must have done each slide at least 10 times throughout the cruise. I also talked to one of the lifeguards (Matthew) which was very friendly. He said that one passenger hurt his head on the yellow slide because he laid down his head completely during the bump, so he cautioned me not to do that. He also mentioned that he used to work on Allure, and this was his second week on Adventure. He also didn’t know how to do flowrider in the beginning, but they have crew-only hours to train them, and after several times, now he can at least stand comfortably on it. I guess it made me feel better for not getting the hang of flow rider right away? Then we wasted some time at the solarium reading / enjoying the hot tub. There was a 5pm raffle for $500 voucher at the spa, although we didn’t win ☹ By this time, it’s already 6 pm ish, so we checked out WJ, which was American-themed. They had a welcome onboard cake, and beautiful dessert spread. I took 2 platefuls of food (one for savory things, one for sweet things) to our room, where the cruise compasses for day 1 and 2 were already waiting. I took pictures of them all so that we can plan out the night and the next day over dinner. Before dinner, they had a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. It was just a countdown to light the Christmas tree. I expected some singing at the bridge but there was none. This was where the promenade was full of people, standing by and getting around, and the added access (blocked by decorations) would have been helpful. At dinner, our table was right by the entrance. Because we emailed Royal Caribbean ahead of time, 4 of us were seated together. Our waiters were Franco and Antonio, and they were both very attentive. They even remembered our preferences (my steak rare). On the first two nights, we ordered hot tea, so by the third night, when we sat down, there were already tea bags prepared, and he brought out mugs of hot water without being asked. It’s the little touches like these that make long lasting impression. I went for double entrees right away: NY Strip and Salmon, while DW went for prime rib. The NY Strip was great, but I feel like the cook is one “over.” I usually order medium-rare at most restaurants on land, but this time I had to order rare in order to get the same cook. Just FYI. For appetizers we did calamari and shrimp cocktail, and for dessert we did chocolate cake, creme brulee, and blueberry cobbler. The appetizers tasted good but the portion was kinda small. Well I guess you could always order double appetizers, and that's what we ended up doing for the rest of the cruise. The desserts were good but not amazing. After dinner, we went to a comedy show. But shortly into it, we realized that it’s not our style (it was an adult show) so we just left and went back to our room and slept early. The nice thing about Lyric Theater is that, you can sit in the balcony on 4th floor (and it has a separate entrance that goes to deck 4 instead of deck 3). So that if you decide that the show is not your thing, you can leave without disturbing too many people. We ended up watching shows this way for most of the cruise. There is also a bar by the entrance on deck 4 (INSIDE the theater) so you can keep going back to order drinks, again without disturbing people.
  14. We booked a cruise in February 2020. We port at Fort Lauderdale at 5:30 a.m. and plan to take the first direct flight back home leaving Fort Lauderdale airport at 9 a.m. If we do express departure or self assist check out, would we make our flight at 9 a.m.? Does anyone have real experience to share with me regarding Royal Caribbean express departure at Fort Lauderdale with the Adventure of the Seas?
  15. Hi, we are going on Adventures of the Seas in November. We want to do a sting ray city excursion in Grand Cayman, since we have never done it and looking to book through Royal. We narrowed down to the following options: -Catamaran Sail and Sting Ray City: GCC7 -Sting Ray City and Starfish Point: GCS1 -Deluxe Sting Ray City: GCI3 It will be me, my 8 year old daughter and my 70 year old father. Sting Ray City is a must for me and my daughter. Starfish point was just something cool for the kid. Is there a clear winner of the 3 options above? I have also heard of high winds and rough seas canceling excursions, how will this be in November?
  16. Looking at the website, it looks like if you are staying in a Grand Suite on the Adventure, you get Private Lunch Seating in a Specialty Restaurant, since there is no Coastal Kitchen. Does anyone know which restaurant that is? "Private Lunch Seating in Specialty Restaurants (On Ships Without Coastal Kitchen) " "Private Breakfast Seating (On Ships Without Coastal Kitchen)" Thanks, jon
  17. As always trying to figure out how to start off another LIVEish. Laying in the room at the Embassy Suites on 17th in Ft. Lauderdale overlooking the port Adventure will soon be docked at. Yesterday (the 4th) was a travel day, sitting on a bus (RedCoach) from 7:30 in the morning until just a bit after 5:00 (versus the scheduled 4:10) in the afternoon. Didn't really have much of an opportunity to move around at the Orlando stopping point. Due to traffic delays outside of Gainesville we were running around 30 or 40 minutes late. As a result when we hit Orlando we were transferred to different bus that immediately left. Good thing for me, not getting to sleep until 4 am allowed me to sleep just about the entire journey. After getting dropped off at the Ft. Lauderdale airport used Lyft XL for the somewhat quick trip from airport to hotel, most of that time I'm sure was spent just getting out of the arrivals area of the airport. For those that are curious about cost: Lyft XL fare (3.64mi, 13m 21s) $19.36. Booked once again the "Premium Suite", sad to report that our friend the vending machine is gone. Been replaced by a snack basket that was left in the room. One of the great things staying in this area is the easy access to a shopping center. With that in mind and a cue from so many in the past wound out having dinner at La Bamba. Wound up ordering the Fiesta Combination that consisted of Chicken Burrito and Chunk Beef Enchilada plus served with yellow rice and refried beans. By the time we left it was getting on the busy side. With some time to kill and wanting to do some walking to help things settle wound up walking down to explore Total Wine. No purchases for onboard consumption, not much of a wine drinker. After a bit headed back to the hotel to enter a blissful food coma for a bit (yes more sleeping) and then finally getting around to posting this. What is to come on Adventure is going to be a new port stop for me, St. Kitts. Prior to St. Kitts a somewhat typical eastern run: Labadee, San Juan, and St. Maarten. This post is in honor to my dear friends the "Premium Suite" vending machines. Your selections will be missed.
  18. I'm taking my friend for his first cruise this coming May on Adventure. Unfortunately he has HSP (hereditary spastic paraplegia) and requires at times his scooter to get around. Even though we booked the cruise well in advance, there were no accessory rooms available ?. I don't think it will be a big deal as he doesn't need it in the room to get around, only when we go out perusing about the ship or at the ports. Plus, our TA informed us that the crew can take the scooter and park / charge it overnight in a specified area and have it back at our cabin the next morning. I know that this topic has been broached before, but if someone had booked an accessible cabin and they aren't handicapped, doesn't RC have an obligation to transfer them to another cabin and the accessible cabin given to the people who really need it? Granted as I previously remarked, he doesn't need it in the cabin so I don't think it will make or break his experience. Also, any tips you can offer would be great as this will be the first time I'm cruising with someone who has mobility issues
  19. I had intended to do a semi-live review of the cruise but decided against due to ropey voom and time constraints of travelling with a 10 year old. I’m also aware that there was another live blog of the same cruise but it’s always nice to see things from two perspectives. This is my first review on here but I took so much good info prior to this cruise that I want to give a little back. I had had a 2.5 year break from cruising due to moving house and other reasons so felt a bit out of touch. So... the contents of this review may not be relevant to everyone as I travel alone with my 10 year old son. No drinks package (but we did the three night dining package), no late nights and not too much partying but lots of family fun. On this cruise we were meeting my parents on board as they had just taken the snowbird migration prior. This is our itinerary - Thursday 18th October - Fly London Gatwick to Fort Lauderdale with British Airways. Stay three nights in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea at Plunge Beach Hotel Sunday 21st October - Embark Adventure of the Seas Monday 22nd October - At Sea Tuesday 23rd October - Grand Cayman (tender) Wednesday 24th October - Costa Maya Thursday 25th October - Cozumel Friday 26th October - At Sea Saturday 27th October - Disembark and return flight to London Gatwick. A brief bit about our pre-cruise ... I rented a car from Thrifty (compact - Toyota Yaris) which did the two of us just fine to get to our hotel and an afternoon trip to sawgrass mills. I drive an automatic at home but stick shift (manual) is still very much the norm in the UK and there was a very confused family in the next row to us so UK travellers beware that almost all rentals in the US are automatic transmission. We collected and returned at the airport for ease and I used the Google Maps app on my phone rather than renting a GPS. It worked well and my roaming package was capped at 140 mins, 100 texts but unlimited data for £4.99 per day with my provider, O2. Next time, I’ll make sure and pack a screen mount bracket for my phone. Our hotel, Plunge Beach in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, was just perfect. A beach from property with a well kept pool area and a lovely beach bar. It is directly across from a Publix (fantastic supermarket - need this in the UK!) so we were able to buy several meals including breakfast every day here and keep costs down. It become our morning routine to hit Publix at 7am then eat breakfast on the beach watching the sunrise There is a resort charge of $30 a day at Plunge but I felt this was great value As it included valet, bike hire, use of beach loungers, umbrellas and games/toys.
  20. HI there! I'm sailing on Adventure out of San Juan on Saturday, stopping in St Thomas, St Kitts, Curacao & Aruba. I'm kind of silent member, I listen to all of Matt's podcasts, and peruse the blog and forums quite a bit, but dont speak out too much. :) I've learned so much here and would love to help pay it back and help contribute. I'll possibly blog here each day, if there is anything you want to know, feel free to post here and I'll see how I can help. **5 days and 23 hours, but who is counting?!**
  21. Looking at excursions for our upcoming cruise in December on Adventure of the Seas. I am thinking that Nachi Cocum (sp?) in Cozumel would work that day. Any other recommendations for any of the ports. I know that some of the extended family wants to see some Mayan ruins. December 2 - Leave Fort Lauderdale December 3 - Sea Day December 4 - Grand Cayman December 5 - Costa Maya December 6 - Cozumel December 7 - Sea Day December 8 - Disembark Fort Lauderdale
  22. Adventure's dry dock date starts as of tomorrow and will go until mid-Feb. I realize that they are just finishing up the last refurb (adding panoramic state rooms, Izumi, ect). What else does everyone hope to see out of a 30 day dry dock? I myself would like to see her get a fresh coat of paint. Simple yet does so much.
  23. Hello, My boyfriend and I are going on a RC cruise in May 2018 to the Bahamas on Adventure of the Seas. One of the ports is Orlando Florida. My question is: would we be close enough to visit The Hard Rock Cafe while in port from 12 am to 9 pm.? We are casino fanatics and would like to go there on our own accord, not with a private journey. Any thoughts and/or info would be greatly appreciated.
  24. So according to the image in Matt's blog post about the 2018/19 Caribbean, Alaska, and Northeast itineraries (http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2017/03/15/royal-caribbean-announces-2018-2019-caribbean-alaska-and-northeast-itineraries ), Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ is going to get Adventure of the Seas doing the New England and Canada run (among other trips), and Voyager is heading off to Galveston. Can anyone who's been on both give an idea of whether this is an improvement, a downgrade, or just a "lateral move" for those of us in the Bayonne area who would prefer to sail out of Cape Liberty and use the money not spent on a flight towards getting a better cabin or other upgrades? It certainly looks like it's quite an upgrade over Vision. Adventure is a much bigger ship, and I see in the brochure pages on the RCI web site that they put that larger size to use with things like a water park and racing slides, golf area, more specialty dining options, etc. Plus, it was recently refurbished, so it's got all the new shiny. But how is it in person, not on paper? Is the overall experience on there better than on Vision for a family of four, where the kids are becoming older teens, or for a middle-aged couple traveling on our own? It's scheduled for the same itineraries Vision ran out of Bayonne, but will it be able to manage the same ports? Or will it have to change to some maybe less desirable ports because it can't navigate the same places that Vision could? Looking forward to people's thoughts on this. Those New England and Canada itineraries on Vision looked really nice, especially for an alternative to a typical fall foliage tour. I'm hoping that Adventure ca hold up to that.
  25. Matt, I just thought I'd give an update about what I saw on the Adventure of the Seas webpage this morning- I was looking this morning at pricing on our cruise in February on Adventure of the Seas and noticed some changes to RCI's site. First off, if you go to the AOS page, it now lists things as "coming soon", like the FlowRider, the water slides, Boleros Latin Lounge, etc. When I started digging deeper, in going to the deck plans, I noticed that they have started to spell out specifically where the changes will be taking place. Here they are: -Flow Rider- Aft deck 13 (all the way back) -Water Slides- Aft deck 13 (one side of the Flow Rider) -Splashaway Bay- Aft deck 13 (other side of the Flow Rider) -10 new inside cabins- deck 3 next to the Photo Gallery (that's how I read it anyway) -19 new cabins- deck 3 where Jesters used to be -Chops Grill- deck 4 where Jesters used to be -Boleros Latin Lounge- deck 4 where the Aquarium Bar used to be -Aquarium bar- deck 4 across the Centrum from where it used to be -Card Room/Library- deck 5 where the Connoisseur Lounge used to be -Izumi- deck 5 middle of the Royal Promenade -38 more cabins- deck 12 in front and around the sides of the Vitality Spa -Suite Lounge- deck 14 where Seven Heart Card room and Cloud Nine used to be The pool deck looks like it remains untouched (thank goodness!). I hope that helps. Please add to this if you notice anything missing. Thanks and I look forward to seeing her all revamped!
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