Disappointing cruise....

Adventure of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Southern

Cruises: 2-3 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 14

Overall rating:

2 out of 5
Adventure of the Seas

7 Night Southern Caribbean (San Juan Roundtrip)

Sail date: July 18, 2015

Ship: Adventure of the Seas

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 9 years ago

Review summary

This was my 3rd cruise but the first with Royal Caribbean.  My daughter an grand daughters had cruised with RC before with glowing reports.  We were all very disappointed with this one.  Our adjoining rooms were fine and our attendant was a joy.  Our waiter tried hard and our asst. waiter was a delight.  The food in the main dining room was okay but definitely not exciting and 2 hours to get through a meal was a bit long.  On previous cruises the food has been "Wow".  I don't usually write reviews but felt compelled to voice my opinion this time.  Cruises are expensive but we've always felt like they were "worth it" before.  The thing that bothered me the most was the attitude of most of the staff we encountered around the ship.  The best word I can think of for their demeanor is "oppressed".  Very few ever spoke or smiled unless we spoke first, which I can deal with if they are actually friendly in the end.... I decided maybe they weren't supposed to speak unless spoken to, which is a  bad idea, but a great number either didn't respond at all or barely answered.  The older guy working the drink bar in the Windjammer was downright rude.  I thought my daughter was just being sensitive so I went to get her drink one day (pop that she was paying for) and discovered that she was exactly right.  First he ignored that I was there and when I finally spoke up to get his attention and placed my order he did get me the drink but never looked at me or responded when I thanked him, just turned away... The guys that bussed the tables were generally friendly but, once again, only smiled or spoke after we greeted them and more often than not there was no smile.  For the most part the food in the Windjammer was okay but, with few exceptions, nothing great.  Room service was quite slow. Twice we were told 30 to 45 minutes...we waited an hour and a half and finally just went to bed.  It never did come.  We ordered cookies from them because they were softer than the ones in the restaurants at first but by the end of the cruise were just like the ones around the ship....hard as a rock!  Getting registered was quick and the personnel very nice.  The disembarkment  process was fine also.  It was nice to have coffee and pastries there while we waited.  As we waited we got acquainted with another couple who were expressing the same opinion we had.  It was her first cruise and she was wondering what all the "hype" had been about.  Her husband had cruised with RC before and was assuring her that they weren't all like this one.  The ice show was spectacular and one of the singers was great!  The comedian, however, was quite vulgarly suggestive with children in the audience and Mr. McMahan was totally over the top weird.  Had we have been near the end of the aisle we would have left like many others were doing.  He was working hard but that's the best I can say for him.... The guys that helped with the rock climbing and inline skating were great.....helpful and cheerful. We didn't stay for the sexiest man contest but the things they showed on the video were appalling!!!  I think they should have "lines you don't cross" as far as lewdness goes, especially when there are youth in attendance.  Some of the things the men did to spectators was beyond crude... The crew did try to adhere to the rules, which I appreciate, as we saw a young lady turned away from the dining room for trying to enter in a swimsuit without a coverup.  After saying all this, I have to say I think I would have thought the cruise was "okay" if the staff had been friendly instead of looking straight ahead with blank faces when we met them around the ship.  I realize being "cheerful" gets old but it's just like any other job...if you don't like it, change jobs. 

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5
A few things were great but, for the most part, just okay.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5
Timing of activities like line dancing were at times not conducive to 6pm dining.

Entertainment

3 out of 5
Once again, I did the "okay" face because a couple were "great" but a couple were "pretty bad".

Service and Staff

3 out of 5
I didn't do the frowny face only because our wait staff (Ivo & Gushi) & room attendant were great. A few others would finally be friendly if we smiled and spoke first. Also, the inline skating and rock climbing guys were great.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5
The ship was clean but for recently being refurbished the mini golf course was in pretty bad shape.... torn flooring, etc. Our room was fine. Very good use of space.....storage everywhere. Plenty of room for our stuff.

Ports of call

San Juan, Puerto Rico

3 out of 5

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

5 out of 5

Basseterre, St. Kitts

1 out of 5

Oranjestad, Aruba

5 out of 5

Willemstad, Curacao

5 out of 5
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