Welcome our guest writer, Mike Scudiero.  Mike is a Royal Caribbean Blog reader who wanted to share his experience sailing on his first Voyager Class ship. 

Recently, my wife and I took our first trip on the Adventure of the Seas. It was a 6-day cruise that
visited Nassau, Labadee, and Puerto Plata, the latter two of which were new stops for us. 

We were excited for this journey as much for visiting those particular locales as we were to try
Adventure ourselves, our first Voyager Class ship.

Not long ago, Matt Hochberg created a vlog post focusing on the less discussed ships within
Royal’s fleet. While he didn’t list Adventure specifically, I think many of us would agree that this
ship – and the entire Voyager Class perhaps – can easily be overlooked. 

These ships aren’t the newest or fanciest ships around, yet they are far from the smallest and oldest which sometimes draws criticisms, too. 

That leaves the entire Voyager Class somewhere in the middle, although having sailed on all three Freedom class ships, I think it’s quite easy to confuse these two classes and their eight different ships. But maybe that’s just me.

Nonetheless, there are still some unique things about Adventure that my wife and I enjoyed,
and, well, at least one that we were a bit creeped out by. In no particular order, here are seven things that made Adventure stand out while aboard our first cruise:

Chops on Deck 4

My wife and are fans of Chops as well as multiple other specialty dining options when aboard
Royal Caribbean cruises. 

Of the 29 current or announced ships in the RCCL fleet, this is the only one in which you’ll find Chops on Deck 4, adjacent to Casino Royale and the Schooner Bar. 

On all other Voyager and Freedom Class ships, you’ll find a variety of other options, like Izumi,
Sabor, Giovanni’s, and even Hooked in this seemingly prime location, but only on Adventure
will you find Chops here. 

This comes with a downside: no windows. 

If you’ve eaten in this spot on other ships at the aforementioned restaurants, you’ll recall the views to be nonexistent and the lighting a bit dim. If you’re someone who only wants a quick break
from the casino for their Filet Mignon or Ribeye, this is as short of a distance as you’ll find
anywhere in the fleet.

Read more: I went on Royal Caribbean's upgraded and regular Voyager Class cruise ships. Here's what I liked about each

Izumi on the Promenade

Another once-in-the-fleet prize for Adventure comes for its exciting placement of Izumi: right
smack in the middle of Deck 5 along the Promenade. While there's always a mix of bars,
shops, and even other quick-serve restaurants that line the promenade on many RCCL ships,
only on Adventure will you find Izumi here, located right across from the British Pub. 

This does bring with it two downsides: the first is that you will not have the Hibachi/Teppanyaki version
of Izumi on Adventure. The second is that the overall menu is also somewhat limited. 

We learned from talking to our server that this is a result of a smaller kitchen/prep area for Izumi
because of its Promenade location, meaning compared to the Izumi we found on Quantum of the
Seas and some other ships, it won’t have the same expansive menu we were accustomed to on
the Freedom and Oasis Class ships. 

None of which is to say that it takes away from the overall experience. The central location with lots of foot traffic walking right by you as you dine makes this Izumi perhaps the most fun we’ve seen to date.

The Peek-A-Boo bridge

While not specifically unique to Adventure, the Peek-A-Boo bridge, something Matt and others
have talked much about, is not to be missed. 

It’s tucked away in the forward of the ship on Deck 11 and even has a bench seat and diagram guide in the viewing area, so passengers can get a sense of what they’re seeing below on the Bridge. 

As I understand it, all Voyager Class ships have this feature, but since it was a first for us, we found it interesting enough to seek out and would encourage any nautical fans to do the same. 

Also, it costs nothing to visit this section of the ship, which never hurts.

Artistic models throughout the lower decks

Adventure features custom-designed models resembling old Hollywoodesque caricatures and
Vaudeville figurines in and around both the casino and the Royal Promenade. Again, if these are on other ships, I must have missed them. 

While some might see these as catchy art, is it possible that stumbling past one of these eerie smiling cartoon characters after a few Deluxe Beverage Package offerings might be enough to freak you out slightly? Asking for a friend.

“Next Stop” notifications in the elevators

Although it’s possible I’ve just missed this on my other cruises, my wife and I both noticed
something new in the elevators: an indicator alerting riders what the next floor your car will be
stopping at as it ascends or descends. 

For example, if you’re on Deck 4 and heading to Deck 11 but the elevator is stopping to let someone else on at Deck 8, you’ll see that notification electronically above the elevator button options.

Adventure of the Seas is far from the newest ship in the fleet and is, I’m assuming, still due for upgrades at some point in the years ahead like many other similar-aged ships have undergone, but this is one area where the ship seems ahead of its time.

Café Promenade/Sorrento's/Sugar Beach

It’s one-stop shopping on Deck 5, which features all of these options rolled into one location.
Gone are the Ben & Jerry’s locations from RCCL ships, as has been written about on
RoyalCaribbeanBlog previously. Replacing them: Sugar Beach, something already found on
some of the newer, bigger ships. 

What made this new for us was having Sugar Beach, an extra-pay option like Ben & Jerry’s was combined with the specialty drinks available at Café Promenade. As most readers know, Ben & Jerry’s (and now Sugar Beach) is something that all guests pay for, regardless of what drinks or dining packages they have on that cruise.

Specialty drinks, like my wife’s twice-daily Iced Café Mochas, are free with either the Deluxe
Beverage Package or the Refreshment Package. Unlike all other ships we’ve sailed on, guests
getting a free specialty coffee drink have to swipe their card and sign for it, just as if it were something being bought in a gift shop, even if it’s still free because of a package. 

As for the food, just like the other ships this size and larger, there is a separate line for food items coming from Café Promenade, which is particularly helpful when Sorrento’s pizzas are flying out of the
oven and the line becomes much longer than the morning coffee line to its right.

Windows in Casino Royale

Any seasoned gambler will tell you two things you practically never see in land-based casinos: clocks and windows. The logic is that the house would much rather you not know what time it really is, so you’ll keep gambling! The lack of windows could just as easily be chalked up to security concerns, too. 

I’ve been on 12 different Royal ships, and this was the first in which I could see out windows to the sea. As I have since learned, Voyager Class ships are all built this way, which is quite different when you’ve been in and out of probably 100+ land-based casinos and never saw daylight from a Blackjack table. 

On a related note, it is also worth mentioning for the gambling enthusiasts that the machines onboard Adventure all seemed to be quite new, which I was not expecting given that the ship itself has not been remodeled recently.

These unique/unusual points of interest with the ship made for an overall great experience on Adventure of the Seas. I also felt the value was significant compared to some of the newer and larger options within the Royal stable. The crew was one of the best we’ve gotten to know on any Royal ship, and we’d choose it again in a heartbeat on a future booking.

Adventure of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas are both a part of Royal Caribbean’s Voyager Class of ships, which debuted in 1999.

Voyager of the Seas is the first ship in the Voyager Class. This ship was the first of its kind in the cruise industry because she included many never-before-seen features, like the Royal Promenade, ice skating rink, and rock climbing wall.

There are five ships in the Voyager Class. Adventure of the Seas is the third ship, after Explorer of the Seas. The other two ships are Navigator of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas.

Both Adventure of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas are considered older vessels compared to the entire Royal Caribbean fleet (Voyager of the Seas is the fifth ship built and Adventure of the Seas is the eighth ship built out of 26 total ships, soon to be 28 when Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas launch). However, these ships offer an incredible value because they are not too big in size, yet they still offer an impressive array of venues and activities for cruisers to enjoy. There really is something for everyone!

Overview of Voyager of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas

Voyager of the Seas’ maiden voyage was November 21, 1999. In 2019, Voyager of the Seas completed its $97 million Royal Amplification, which included the addition of waterslides, an updated Vitality Spa and Fitness Center, new staterooms, and redesigned kids/teens areas.

Read more: Voyager of the Seas review: What it’s like to cruise on Royal Caribbean’s oldest Voyager Class ship

Here are some other fast facts about Voyager of the Seas:

• Guest capacity: 4,269
• Gross tonnage: 137,276
• 1,020 feet long
• 15 total decks

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On the other hand, Adventure of the Seas’ maiden voyage was November 18, 2001. While Adventure of the Seas has not yet been Royal Amplified (it was postponed due to the pandemic), she did undergo two revitalizations in 2016 and 2018, which cost $61 million. During this time, waterslides, the Flowrider, Splashaway Bay, Izumi, new staterooms, and more were added.

Read more: Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas review: What it’s like to cruise on this ship today

More fast facts about Adventure of the Seas:

• Guest capacity: 3,807
• Gross tonnage: 138,193
• 1,020 feet long
• 15 total decks

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While these two ships are similar in length and volume, Voyager of the Seas can carry more passengers. Perhaps the biggest difference between these two cruise ships is the fact that Voyager of the Seas has received a Royal Amplification while Adventure of the Seas has not yet.

Dining and Bars

Voyager of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas offer many of the same places to eat. 

Both ships have three complimentary venues: the Main Dining Room (called The Sapphire Dining Room on Adventure of the Seas), Windjammer Marketplace (buffet open for all three meals of the day), and Cafe Promenade, which includes free pizza, coffee from Starbucks, and Ben & Jerry’s (the two latter are not included in your cruise fare). Both ships also have an area for soft-serve ice cream.

All of these venues are located in the same place on both ships: the Main Dining Room is on decks three, four, and five in the back of the ship, the Windjammer is on deck 11 in the back of the ship, and Cafe Promenade is located on deck five in the Royal Promenade. 

As far as specialty dining, both of these ships have:

• Chops Grille (American steakhouse)
• Giovanni’s Table (Italian)
• Izumi (Japanese)
• Chef’s Table (gourmet food and wine experience)

On Voyager of the Seas, Giovanni’s is located on the fourth deck by the Schooner Bar while Chops is located next to the Windjammer. On Adventure of the Seas, these locations are swapped where Chops is on the fourth deck and Giovanni’s is next to the Windjammer.

Adventure of the Seas is the only ship with Izumi located in the Royal Promenade. On Voyager of the Seas, Izumi is on the 14th deck near the Viking Crown Lounge.

There is one venue that is unique to both ships. Voyager of the Seas has a Cupcake Cupboard on deck 11 near the Windjammer; not many ships still offer this cupcake shop onboard. Something Adventure of the Seas has that Voyager of the Seas does not is Johnny Rockets. This is located on deck 12 in the back of the ship. Voyager of the Seas used to have a Johnny Rockets, but it was removed during the Royal Amplification.

Read more: I went on Royal Caribbean’s upgraded and regular Voyager Class cruise ships. Here’s what I liked about each.

Many bars found on Adventure of the Seas are also on Voyager of the Seas. Some of these bars are essentially the same but have different names. These include:

• Schooner Bar
• Casino Bar
• The Tavern on Voyager or Boleros on Adventure
• Star Lounge bar on Voyager or Imperial Lounge bar on Adventure 
• R Bar on Voyager or Champagne Bar on Adventure 
• Pig & Whistle on Voyager or Duck & Dog on Adventure 
• Solarium Bar
• Pool Bar
• Plaza Bar on Voyager or Windjammer Bar on Adventure
• Sky Bar/Lounge
• High Notes on Voyager or Blue Moon on Adventure

Entertainment and Activities

Voyager-Class ships offer lots of onboard thrills and activities for cruisers of all ages. Both Adventure of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas have:

• Ice skating in Studio B
• Flowrider surf simulator
• The Perfect Storm waterslides
• Rock climbing wall
• Sports court for basketball, pickleball, soccer, and other outdoor sports
• Mini golf (Voyager Dunes is on deck 13 while Adventure Dunes is split between decks 12 and 13)
• Pool deck with two large pools and four hot tubs
• Adults-only solarium (not enclosed) with a pool and two hot tubs
• Adventure Ocean for kids and teens, along with an arcade

There are a few differences between these two ships when it comes to activities. Voyager of the Seas offers laser tag in Studio B, called Battle for Planet Z. On the other hand, Adventure of the Seas has a Splashaway Bay on the pool deck. This area includes a Baby Splash Zone for kids who are not potty-trained so they can enjoy the pool as well.

Each ship has its own unique lineup of entertainment. In addition to the various headliners, there are two production shows in the Royal Theatre (dubbed the Lyric Theatre on Adventure of the Seas). Adventure of the Seas has shows Invitation to Dance and Can’t Stop The Rock while Voyager of the Seas has Broadway Rhythm & Rhyme and Music in Pictures. There is an ice skating show on each ship as well, called Cool Art, Hot Ice on Adventure of the Seas and Ice Odyseey on Voyager of the Seas.

Lounges and Public Spaces

Similar to the dining and entertainment venues onboard, Voyager of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas offer many of the same public spaces. These include:

• Suite Lounge
• Diamond Lounge (soon to be named the Crown Lounge) on deck five for Voyager and deck 14 for Adventure
• Conference center and loyalty desk
• Photo and art gallery 
• Casino Royale
• Various stores for shopping in the Royal Promenade
• Vitality Spa and Fitness Center
• Library and RC Online
• Next Cruise 
• Skylight chapel

The location of some of these venues is different on both ships. For example, the Vitality Spa and Fitness Center is at the front of the ship on Adventure of the Seas, but it is in the back on Voyager of the Seas. This is because during the Royal Amplification on Voyager, new staterooms were added where the spa and fitness center used to be.

Another interesting thing to point out is how on Adventure of the Seas, guests can visit the peek-a-boo bridge. Accessible from the Solarium, guests can venture to the front of the ship to take a peek inside the bridge of the ship and see the crew in action. Unfortunately, this is not available on Voyager of the Seas.

Lastly, Adventure of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas both have numerous stateroom options, including interiors, ocean view, balconies, and suites.

Itineraries

Adventure of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas offer a variety of short and long itineraries, typically in the Caribbean. What’s nice about these Voyager-Class ships is that they are small enough to visit ports that larger ships, like Oasis of the Seas or Wonder of the Seas, cannot.

In 2024, Adventure of the Seas will sail the Eastern and Southern Caribbean out of Port Canaveral. Most sailings are six or eight nights, and some go to Bermuda or Perfect Day at CocoCay. It appears she will have maintenance done in early November 2024.

As for Voyager of the Seas in 2024, she will continue with four and five-night Western Caribbean sailings out of Galveston until May. Then she will cruise around Europe, departing from Rome, Barcelona, Athens, and Venice. These itineraries visit the Greek Isles and the Mediterranean. For the rest of the year starting in November 2024, Voyager will be in Port Canaveral sailing the Caribbean.

Which ship should I choose?

I believe because Voyager of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas are so similar, the decision of which ship to cruise on would ultimately come down to the itinerary and price.

Adventure of the Seas may be a much better choice for those with small children who are not yet potty trained because it has a Splashaway Bay. During hot weather vacations, this would be a huge benefit and a factor to consider in your ship selection.

Royal Caribbean’s Voyager-Class ships are big enough to offer amazing entertainment options, like the spectacular ice shows and Flowrider, but also small enough to provide an intimate atmosphere. Cruisers will not feel overwhelmed navigating the ship. Whichever ship you choose for your voyage, you’re in for an unforgettable adventure!

I recently cruised on Adventure of the Seas for a seven-day Western Caribbean sailing that visited Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Back in December 2014, I had cruised on Adventure of the Seas with my family for a seven-day Southern Caribbean New Year sailing out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. This cruise visited Barbados, St. Lucia, Antiqua, St. Maarten, and St. Croix.

My time on Adventure of the Seas was quite different from 2014, but after all these years, I can confidently say I would recommend this ship to others. Whether I was cruising as a teenager with my family or as a young adult, Adventure of the Seas offered an excellent vacation getaway. I would still say I am very much loyal to royal!

Here’s how my experiences on Adventure of the Seas compared in 2014 and in 2023.

Adventure of the Seas refurbishment

Adventure of the Seas debuted in 2001 as the third ship in Royal Caribbean’s Voyager Class.

Along with myself maturing, so has Adventure of the Seas. A big reason why my experiences were so different was because the ship went through a $61 million revitalization in 2016 and 2018. Adventure of the Seas was set to be amplified in 2020 and 2021 as well, but this was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During these upgrades, many venues, staterooms and onboard thrills were added to Adventure of the Seas. These additions included:

• The Flowrider
• Perfect Storm waterslides
• Splashaway Bay
• The Suite Lounge
• Specialty dining, like Chops Grille and Izumi (fun fact: Adventure of the Seas is the only ship with Izumi on the Royal Promenade)
• Boleros
• Over 100 new staterooms

In my opinion, Adventure of the Seas is the perfect size. She’s not too big or too small, with a guest capacity of 3,807 guests. She definitely delivers the fun factor with these new refurbishments.

Then and now, Adventure of the Seas is a great choice for those looking to go on a family or friend vacation. I say this because Adventure is big enough to have fun amenities and great entertainment while not being overwhelmingly large like some of Royal Caribbean’s newer ships. Adventure also offers a variety of itineraries because she is smaller and therefore can fit into smaller ports.

Read more: Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas review: What it's like to cruise on this ship today

Overall, I believe Adventure of the Seas is in excellent shape for being over 20 years old. Back in 2014, I didn’t think the ship felt old or rundown. Today, I felt the same way.

Of course, there were a few spots where I noticed something that could have been patched or replaced, like the running path on deck 12, but this was very minor.

Cabin differences

In 2014, my parents, sister and I shared a balcony cabin. I had no idea what this cabin cost since my parents took care of the expenses, as it was our yearly family vacation.

This time around, I researched and picked the cruise specifically because it was the cheapest option in the timeframe I was wanting. The sailing I picked was nearly $300 cheaper per person than the following week. I also wanted to save money, so I opted to stay in an inside guarantee cabin. My mom tagged along with me for this sailing.

The majority of the finishes in our cabin were basically the same, so the ship felt familiar in that way.

Read more: I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Adventure of the Seas. It was small and windowless, but for $300 a night, it was a great deal. Take a look inside.

Back in 2014, housekeeping used to clean all the cabins twice a day. However, in 2023, Royal Caribbean changed this to once a day. Much like a hotel, the once-a-day service was just fine.

The one thing I wish this ship had was more outlets in the cabin, as my mom and I were constantly shuffling our numerous devices to get them all charged. Even back in 2014, it would’ve been nice to have more outlets since there were four of us in a cabin. But, the two of us in 2023 probably had twice the number of devices to charge than the four of us in 2014!

Dining differences

The dining experience onboard the Adventure of the Seas has definitely transitioned over the past decade.  

I remember between the six of us, we would order almost the entire menu so we could share and sample all of the dishes. Since I was a somewhat picky eater, I ordered off the Classics menu almost every night so I could order spaghetti or chicken. I also loved to order the chilled soups as an appetizer, whether it was strawberry bisque or peach soup. These were my favorites and I miss them so much!

I am glad Royal Caribbean updated the dining room menus, as it was time for some variety and new dishes. But I have to say, I miss the Classics on the menus where I could order from the same set of options each night. For picky eaters, this provided some flexibility to fall back on when the menu didn’t look appetizing. Some of the old dishes are incorporated into the new menus, which I am happy about.

A decade ago, my family did not prioritize eating in the specialty restaurants. We were normally satisfied with the food and selection in the Main Dining Room. Nowadays, we typically plan a few nights in the specialty restaurants because we find the quality and experience to be top-notch.

Read more: 7 reasons to eat at specialty restaurants instead of the Main Dining Room on your cruise

Before the new lobster rule, my mom would go a little crazy with ordering lobster. She would always order two lobsters to start and then it was very typical that our waiter would bring her another one or two more without asking because they saw how much she loved it.

In 2023, our waiter explained how each guest could only order one lobster.  Each additional lobster would cost $16.99. Both my mom and our neighboring dinner table convinced me to try the lobster, so I did (hesitatingly). As I expected, I didn’t enjoy the taste or texture of the lobster, so my mom happily finished it. 

Another huge shift in dining is how much more casual the dress code has become. For one thing, formal night is now typically “Dress to Impress.” This is described as, “a step up from your typical dinner wear, and includes collared shirts, dresses, skirts, blouses, and pantsuits.”

Only a few cruisers actually get out the formal gowns and tuxedos. On my recent cruise, maybe 50% of the people in the Main Dining Room followed the formal theme. A decade ago on formal nights, many tables were empty in the Main Dining Room. We figured those people didn’t want to get all dressed up. In 2023, if you don’t want to get all decked out, you can still come in casual clothes. Back in 2014, I packed prom-type dresses for formal night. This year, I wore a dress from Old Navy and fit right in just fine!

Before the new dining room menu was released, it was not uncommon to be at dinner in the Main Dining Room for about two hours. Today, we were normally done within 75-90 minutes. This may be different for those who dine with My Time Dining because there was always a long line of people waiting to be seated when we exited the Main Dining Room around 7 p.m.

A small thing I noticed and missed from back in 2014 was the self-service ice cream. It was usually fast and easy to make your own cone. Today, there is a staff member that serves up the ice cream. Every time I walked by, there was a line varying from 10 to 30 people. This changed back in 2020 due to the pandemic and seems to have stuck.

Entertainment differences

Some of my favorite things about Adventure of the Seas in 2014 are still my favorites today, especially the outstanding entertainment.

Whether it was the ice skating show in Studio B or the singing and dancing in The Lyric Theatre, the spectacular shows are one of my favorite parts of cruising. The costumes, choreography, and artistry all keep me captivated every time. I have never been disappointed with the entertainment on Adventure of the Seas.

For me, the Love and Marriage game show is a cannot-miss. The 2014 show is truly one I will never forget because my parents participated in it (and left me scarred for life). They were the middle couple, as they were married for 27 years at the time. Because my parents knew a lot of the questions they would ask (since we have cruised so much), they ended up winning! They won a Cariloha king sheet set, his and her watch and wallet set, a bottle of champagne, and a DVD of the show as a keepsake.

Since we were cruising after Christmas and before New Year's, Adventure of the Seas was decorated so beautifully and festive. We had a special New Year’s Eve dinner menu in the Main Dining Room. They even gave us fun hats and noise makers!

One of the highlights of this trip and something I’ll always remember was ringing in the new year on the pool deck. They provided all the party favors and it was a very memorable evening. If you're considering cruising during the holidays, I would definitely recommend it!

Internet differences

Access to reliable internet is significantly more important than it was a decade ago. 

Since I work remotely, fast internet is a necessity on my vacations, including cruise ships. Remote work has become prevalent in today’s society, and you will find more and more people working while on a cruise (like me)! The internet on my recent trip was great and I was able to stream videos and send emails with no problems.

Back in the day, I enjoyed being able to disconnect from the internet and “live in the moment.” I still like to do this every once in a while. That way I can truly escape my work and enjoy my vacation.

Excursion differences

Cruising back in 2014, I was with my parents, sister, cousin, and cousin’s wife. In fact, this sailing was the first one for my cousin.

Because it was my cousin’s first cruise, we did a lot of excursions through Royal Caribbean. At every port, we had a full schedule so we could show her the best Caribbean experience we could. We went kayaking, standup paddle boarding for the first time, and visited many beaches, including Maho Beach in St. Maarten. The weather was perfect since it was wintertime.

Visiting the Caribbean in August 2023, my mom and I were met with high humidity and 90+ temperatures every day. Also, we did not look into doing excursions because we had visited all of the ports before. We honestly minimized our outdoor time because it was so hot (Us Midwesterners aren’t used to the humidity)!

There's good and bad things about every cruise, including the one I just enjoyed.

I recently disembarked from a seven-day voyage onboard Adventure of the Seas. I had a fantastic time, but like many things in life, it wasn’t perfect.

Honestly, it’s easy to come up with things that I loved about my time on Adventure. I always love the food, entertainment, activities, and relaxation that comes with cruising. Adventure of the Seas is over 20 years old, but she is in excellent shape and offers a great value for cruisers.

Finding bad things about my trip was a little more difficult to do. I’d say that’s a good thing!

Nonetheless, here are the five things I loved and the five things I hated about my trip on Adventure of the Seas.

Love: The cruise director

Most cruise directors don’t stand out to me that much, but that is not the case with Kabir Bageria. Kabir was awesome! He made my trip on Adventure very memorable.

So many things about Kabir impressed me. His energy, enthusiasm, and upbeat personality are unmatched. He makes it his priority to ensure every guest feels welcome onboard.

He loves teaching his energetic signature dance classes on the pool deck multiple times throughout the voyage. He had a plethora of dad jokes he would share before and after shows, which were always funny (some more than others). He shared with me he tries to respond to every message he receives, and that truly sets him apart in my mind.

Every time he saw me or my mom, he would go out of his way to say hello and chat with us. Of all my cruises, Kabir was the most hospitable and accommodating! He made his home at sea feel like mine for my seven days onboard.

Kabir was nice enough to meet with me during his busy day so we could make content together for our social media channels. You can watch the interview here, and be sure to follow him on Instagram if you want to see what it’s like to be a cruise director!

Hate: Lack of outlets in our cabin

The thing I hated the most about this cruise was the lack of electrical outlets in our stateroom. There were only two outlets on the vanity for me and my mom to use. Between both of us, we had two cell phones, two smartwatches, two iPads, a laptop and camera to charge throughout the week. 

There were also a few instances when we had to blow dry our hair. We were constantly shuffling around our devices to see what needed to be charged first and plan ahead. 

Read more: I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Adventure of the Seas. It was small and windowless, but for $300 a night, it was a great deal. Take a look inside.

I thought I had read online that there was an outlet or two behind the beds. I made sure to check behind both of our beds for an outlet, and I was disappointed to not find one.

I will definitely look at bringing a power adapter like this one next time.

Another thing I wanted to note about our cabin is that I wasn’t sure if our air conditioner worked as it should have.

We had the air conditioner on the coldest setting we could and it was comfortable enough, but some may have found our cabin a little warm. It matched the refrigerator in our cabin — not that cool.

Love: Location of our cabin

While I hated there not being enough outlets in the cabin, I loved its location on the ship. We stayed in cabin 9379, which is on the ninth floor.

This floor proved to be very convenient because we were only two floors below the Windjammer and pool deck. Then, we had to go down just four floors to be at the Royal Promenade, the hub of activity on Voyager Class ships. 

The fact that we were in the far aft of the ship, the amount of people walking by our cabin was minimal. This made for a secluded cabin both in the mornings and the evenings when we really appreciated the quiet. 

Hate: Disrespectful kids

Because our over-capacity sailing (3,947 total passengers) had nearly 1,000 people under the age of 18 onboard, kids were everywhere. My guess is that many families were having their last summer vacation before school started (keep in mind, we cruised in early August).

Of course, kids onboard are fine, but my complaint is about the ones that weren’t respectful during shows.

My mom and I went to every headliner show in The Lyric Theatre. We usually went to the earlier show at 7:30 p.m., and these were well attended by all ages.

But, there were kids and teenagers that would be there who clearly didn’t want to! So many teenagers would be on their cell phones the entire show, and the light from their phones was distracting. Others would talk during the show – pretty loudly.

Many instances, parents would drag their young kids into the show and sit in one of the front rows – during the show! Families would come in last minute, start to crawl over us, and no more than 15 minutes later, crawl over us again to go the bathroom or leave because they’re bored. I don’t know why they would come to the front of the show when they can sit in the back or the side where they can easily slip out if they need to.

One night, a young boy kept bopping up and down so hard in his chair behind us that our chairs rattled and vibrated during the show. My mom had a kid behind her kick her seat throughout the show another night. I know it is their vacation as well, but I wish these parents would’ve had their children be more courteous to those of us around them.

We were thrilled if we had a non-interrupted 45 minutes of viewing enjoyment.

This leads to the next thing I loved about Adventure of the Seas.

Love: Entertainment and activities

The entertainment and activity options onboard Adventure of the Seas were plentiful! I was never bored. As mentioned earlier, my mom and I attended every headliner show. Sometimes, we saw the shows twice because we enjoyed them so much!

Read more: Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas review: What it's like to cruise on this ship today

The comedian, IMPACT, and the ice skating shows were some of my favorite entertainment. I also attended many of the game shows in the Imperial Lounge, including Majority Rules, Battle of the Sexes, and The Quest.

After attending the “Up Close & Personal with our Entertainment Family” event, Kabir, the cruise director, explained how important filling out the post-cruise survey is in terms of what entertainment the ship offers.

For example, after reading all the survey comments, Adventure of the Seas is considering adding an 80’s party in addition to the popular 70’s party. I like how they take into account what we as guests liked (or disliked) and want to see on a future cruise.

Hate: Numerous time zone changes

Our cruise visited Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Roatan, Honduras; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. We had a total of four nights with time changes.

For some reason, our cell phones didn’t always update when there was a time change. We found ourselves getting times messed up and missing a few activities because of it. 

Gaining an hour twice at the beginning of our trip was great (yay extra sleep!), but then it wasn’t so great when we had to lose them a few days later.

There was an instance when we were taking our sweet time getting ready before dinner in the Main Dining Room. I was in the shower when my mom frantically yelled, “It’s actually 5:30, not 4:30! We are late for dinner!” My mom ran to our dinner table and told our waiter, and luckily, they were nice enough to still serve us even though we were about 30 minutes late. They were so accommodating and didn’t make us feel bad for messing up their schedule.

It is only because my mom checked the Royal Caribbean app that she realized it was actually 5:30 p.m. instead of 4:30 p.m. With all the time changes, I would recommend using the trusty Royal Caribbean app when in doubt because the app is in ship time, the time you need to know for all onboard activities, events, dining, etc.

Love: The staff

Speaking of being accommodating, the staff on Adventure of the Seas took excellent care of us!

Our stateroom attendant did everything she could to keep our cabin well stocked, clean and comfortable. She brought us extra pillows, extra towels, extra lotion and daily Cruise Compasses upon our request. If we requested something, she was always on it and did it with a smile on her face.

We chose to eat in the Main Dining Room every night. Our waiter and assistant waiter did a spectacular job! If we weren’t happy with something, they were great about recommending something else. They would always give us their honest opinion if something was good or not. We found them to be spot-on and we appreciated their candor.

My mom and I also made a friend in the Windjammer. After his initial question about getting us drinks, we stirred up a conversation with him. He shared how he missed his family and six dogs in the Philippines. 

The next day morning, he showed us a picture of his dogs! After making a connection, he took great care of us each morning, even when the Windjammer was super busy.

Hate: Inconsistent food temperature

While I liked having dinner in the Main Dining Room every night, there were times when my food wasn’t hot like I would’ve wanted.

Either the food was super hot and steaming, or it was lukewarm. For example, the spinach artichoke dip appetizer was nice and hot while my mom’s escargot was not on the same night.

The food still tasted good when it was lukewarm, but it would’ve been better if it was hotter.

Love: The Key

This cruise was the first time I tried The Key. After experiencing it, I would definitely consider getting it again for a future cruise.

Our embarkation day was amazing mostly because of The Key. Being able to check in at 11 a.m. (an hour earlier than our regular check-in time) was extremely convenient and within a few short minutes, we were able to walk onto the ship.

After a quick muster drill, we enjoyed a tasty lunch in the Main Dining Room with a menu from Chops Grille. Before we even had dessert, our cabin was ready. When we opened our stateroom door, my carry-on was there on the couch.

All the perks of The Key made the first day of our vacation much more relaxing. Day one of our voyage felt like a full-day experience instead of a travel day! Basically, if you subtract the internet we wanted to get for the seven days onboard, the extra benefits were less than $60 per person. 

I wrote an article detailing my Key experience that you can read on our sister site, Cruise.Blog, here.

Hate: A stinky situation

We had quite the stinky situation for two days. I was sitting in my cabin when I all of a sudden got a whiff of the skunky smell of marijuana. I went into the hallway and could smell it wafting from someone’s cabin.

For the next two days, we noticed the same bad smell in our hallway as we left our cabin. Then one time as we were trying to figure out the exact location of the smell, a stateroom attendant started talking to us and explained how he smelt it too. He stated that it wasn’t allowed on the ship and that he was going to report it. We were happy to hear that.

After this conversation, we never noticed the smell again. We assumed the warning was made and we were pleased that it was dealt with quickly!

Read more: Things that can get you kicked off a cruise ship in an instant

Adventure of the Seas may not have as many bells and whistles as other Voyager Class ships, but she offers some great values in cruising right now.

My mom and I recently disembarked Adventure of the Seas after a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing that visited Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. We had a wonderful time!

Here’s what you can expect when sailing on Adventure of the Seas.

Ship revitalization

Adventure of the Seas is a Voyager Class ship that first set sail in 2001.

She was the first ship to come back to service after September 11. To commemorate this, the godparents of Adventure are four individuals who “devoted their lives in service of others.” This plaque is located near Boleros.

Read more: All about Voyager Class cruise ships

In both 2016 and 2018, Adventure of the Seas went through a $61 million refurbishment. Royal Caribbean added new cabins, new thrills like the FlowRider and waterslides, as well as new venues such as Izumi, Chops Grille, and more.

Embarkation process

For this cruise, we decided to purchase The Key. 

When we were able to select our check-in time for embarkation day, noon was the earliest we could select. After we purchased The Key, we received an email about a week prior to our departure that we could arrive at 11 a.m. We were happy to see that we could get to the cruise an hour earlier than expected!

My mom and I took a Lyft to the Port Everglades terminal and arrived at 10:40 a.m. We wondered if they would make us wait since we were almost 30 minutes early. 

Read more: Guide to cruises from Fort Lauderdale

The Key check-in spot was easily identified, and we were able to walk right up and check-in. Security only took a few minutes.

We were then directed upstairs, where another employee separated suite guests and The Key guests. We weren’t there for more than five minutes when we were told we could board the ship.

The whole process was very easy, smooth, and fast. By our original planned arrival time, we were already onboard and exploring the ship. In reflection, it seemed as though we got the same priority treatment as a suite guest for a whole lot less money!

Was it worth buying The Key? If you are new to cruising and/or below Diamond in Crown and Anchor Society, I would say yes. Some of The Key benefits overlapped with my Diamond Plus status, such as the priority seating at shows and the wifi being included in lieu of my two free days.

I would definitely recommend The Key for your next cruise if you are planning to buy internet for your voyage. 

Interior cabin

My mom and I stayed in the cheapest available cabin, which was an inside guarantee cabin. 

Read more: I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Adventure of the Seas. It was small and windowless, but for $300 a night, it was a great deal.

We were not able to select the location of our cabin, but we ended up having an ideal location on deck nine. We only had to go up two flights of steps to reach The Windjammer and pool deck.

 Our cabin was situated in the very aft of the ship. Since we were at the end of the hallway, we didn't hear much noise, which was great for sleeping. The sailing was so smooth I couldn't feel the ship move at all in our cabin!

My first impression of the cabin was that it was well-kept and clean. There was more than enough storage for all of our belongings with a large closet and vanity with multiple drawers.

The bathroom was small but offered everything we needed.

This was my first time cruising with the new housekeeping change. My mom and I agreed that the once-a-day cleaning was just fine. It worked out great to have our stateroom attendant clean while we ate dinner. I actually liked not having a morning cleaning because I didn’t feel I had to get out of the room quickly so they could clean.

Dining onboard

Adventure of the Seas offers many places to dine onboard. We never went hungry!

Most mornings, we dined in the Windjammer for breakfast. I loved getting a custom omelet and some waffles, along with my favorite cranberry bread.

On our first sea day, we enjoyed breakfast in the Main Dining Room. We got to the Sapphire Dining Room at 9 a.m., and there was a line to be seated. We only had to wait about 15 minutes. It was a busy morning so our food didn’t come super quick, but I was glad to have breakfast in a different venue.

The Windjammer was busy a lot of the time since the ship was over capacity. When we went to the Windjammer during off times (like the end of breakfast or lunch, especially on port days), it was less crowded and we were able to find a clean table easier. 

Every evening, we dined in the Main Dining Room. We had early seating at 5:30 p.m. Here are the themed menus we had each night:

• Welcome Aboard
• French Night
• Taste of USA
• Italian Night
• Mexican Night
• The Royal Night
• Bon Voyage

Our waiter and assistant waiter were both so nice! The service was excellent and fast. Our dinners usually only lasted about 75 to 90 minutes. 

My only complaint about the Main Dining Room was how some of our meals were not very hot. Either my food was super hot (which I like) or lukewarm. The cold food was always cold so I didn't have to worry about that.

Whenever we left dinner, there was a long line to get seated. This was usually around 7 p.m. We really liked having a scheduled seating so we could just walk to our assigned table every night and not wait in line.

I loved that I could use my Diamond Plus drink vouchers on drinks such as Johnny Rockets milkshakes and Starbucks frappuccinos. I of course also had some yummy cocktails most nights.

My mom tried room service once during our sailing. She ordered from the complimentary menu and got some coffee and donuts for an estimated delivery between 9 and 9:30 a.m.

The morning of, a crew member knocked on our door at 9:10 a.m. She was expecting two cups of coffee, but instead, she got two carafes, each filled with two cups of hot coffee. She was pleasantly surprised because she needs lots of caffeine in the mornings.

Activities and entertainment

My mom and I went to every Production and Headliner Showtime performance in The Lyric Theatre. We always love going to these shows because of the wide variety of acts, from singing, dancing, comedy, and dare I say, adventure.

Can’t Stop the Rock and Invitation to Dance with the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers, as well as IMPACT, were my favorite performances.

IMPACT was described as, “having passion and charisma, along with extraordinary lighting effects and staging.” What was really cool was that we were able to see their last performance on Adventure. They had been performing onboard for two and a half months. Their high-energy show was filled with dancing, singing, intricate choreography, stomping, drums, and more! My mom and I thoroughly enjoyed IMPACT, so much so that we saw them twice on the same night.

The ice skating show Cool Art Hot Ice “explored the multifaceted world of art by embarking on an odyssey through time and geography.” I didn't quite pick up on the theme of the show, but nonetheless, I enjoyed watching the beautiful ice skating.

We also saw Jimmy Hopper sing some rock tunes. After seeing his show, we felt like we had seen him before. Sure enough, when we returned home, we found an old Cruise Compass and saw he was on Harmony of the Seas in 2022 when we sailed!

Lastly, the comedian Heath Harmison performed on the first and last night. He hosted a late-night comedy show on the last night that was hilarious. I wish he offered more shows during our seven-day voyage!

I like going to the game shows on Royal Caribbean ships. Some of my favorites from Adventure of the Seas included Finish That Lyric, Majority Rules, Battle of the Sexes, and The Quest. Every game show was very well attended by all ages. It was usually hard to find a seat in the Imperial Lounge!

Other activities that were a highlight for us included:

• The sail away party
• Outdoor movie on the pool deck
• Rock climbing (during The Key priority time)
• The Perfect Storm waterslides

Ports of Call

My mom and I did not purchase any shore excursions during our trip. At each port of call, we explored on our own.

Roatan, Honduras

The Roatan port is convenient to a touristy area with restaurants and shops. We decided to go shopping a little bit and ended up purchasing a few souvenirs.

The water here was beautiful and crystal clear. We could see colorful fish right off the shore. There is no doubt that snorkeling and scuba diving would be great here!

I thought it was fun how the town did a special send-off for us when we sailed away. A whole bunch of locals, drummers, and dancers did a little show while they waved goodbye.

Belize City, Belize

Belize was a unique port because it was the only one that required us to tender to the city. 

Read more: What does tender mean on a cruise ship?

Because we had The Key, we did not have to worry about getting a tender ticket. We were able to get on a tender between 7:30 and 9 a.m. Everyone else had to get a tender ticket the morning of between 7 and 9:15 a.m. We got off the ship around 11 a.m., so we didn't really take advantage of this benefit.

I was slightly worried that the 20-minute ride to the city would be rough (I get motion-sick pretty easily), but it wasn't at all! It was smooth sailing the entire time.

My mom was afraid we’d have to wait a long time to return to the ship and have to stand in the heat. This was not the case. They kept enough tenders running that we walked right on one after we explored the port area and did some shopping. Plus there was a partially shaded waiting area, so my mom was happy. 

Cozumel

It was extremely hot in Cozumel the day we were docked, so we didn’t do much of anything! We got off the ship around noon, took a few photos with the ship, and then went back onboard for a cold drink at the bar. 

Perfect Day at CocoCay

Our final stop was at Perfect Day at CocoCay. I was most excited about this port! It has become one of my favorite places to visit. There’s so much to do, so every time I am there, it’s a different experience. 

Read more: 40 Perfect Day at CocoCay tips, tricks and secrets

It was so hot out that the first thing I wanted to do was get in the water at Oasis Lagoon and enjoy a cocktail at the swim-up bar. The water wasn't as cold as I wanted it to be, but it was refreshing, almost like bath water. 

After several hours at the Oasis Lagoon, my mom and I got chicken sandwiches and a funnel cake to share at Snack Shack. It was so delicious!

We wanted to find a nice relaxing spot in the shade, so we headed over to the hammock area at Chill Island. I took advantage of my Wi-Fi and watched a show while in the shade. It was a lovely day!

Disembarkation day

As The Key guests, we enjoyed an exclusive breakfast in the Main Dining Room. This was available from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m.

There was a special breakfast menu that featured entrees like steak and eggs, crab benedict, and french toast. There were also other continental breakfast items available. After most mornings in the Windjammer, this was a nice way to spend our last breakfast on the Adventure.

We chose to leave the ship during the main departure time and pick up our luggage inside the terminal. We had a late flight out of Fort Lauderdale, so we were not eager to leave. Before disembarking, I got one last Starbucks coffee!

In the terminal, there was a dedicated area for The Key guests' luggage. Our two suitcases were the very last ones in The Key area when we exited the terminal at 9:20 a.m. As soon as we walked outside, I ordered an Uber. It didn't take long to get one, and the drive to the airport was a quick 10 minutes.

A few final thoughts

We sailed the second week of August. Because school hadn't started quite yet, there were lots of families onboard. In fact, of the 3,947 people onboard, nearly 1,000 of them were children (under the age of 18). The ship’s capacity is 3,807, so there were lots of families using bunk beds.

This cruise seemed to be the end-of-summer vacation for many families. There were lots of family reunion groups onboard. My mom commented that she felt on the older side at 62 years old.

The diamond lounge was very quiet throughout the voyage. There was plenty of seating whenever we went. We found out there were less than 110 diamond, diamond plus, and pinnacle members sailing!

The Wi-Fi was fast onboard. However, it was sometimes spotty in our cabin. I didn't have problems when I watched YouTube videos or had to send work emails. Overall, I would say the Wi-Fi was reliable and quick.

For my recent cruise onboard Adventure of the Seas, my mom and I stayed in the cheapest cabin available.

I selected an inside guarantee cabin around two months before the sailing departure. A significant factor as to why I selected this cabin type was because of the cost. I definitely don't mind cruising in inside cabins, so I thought the $2,160 price was reasonable for a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing.

Read more: How much does a cruise cost?

Because this was an guarantee cabin, I was not able to select its location on the ship. Of course, I always prefer to get a cabin midship for the smoothest possible sailing. I tend to get motion sick, so being in the middle of the ship is ideal for less movement.

However, from my experience with inside guaranteed cabins, it usually ends up being in the very front or back of the ship. For this sailing, we were in the very back of the ship.

About two weeks before our sailing, I checked the Royal Caribbean app and noticed our assigned cabin was 9379. This cabin was situated on the starboard side, in the aft of the ship. 

This cruise was the first time I purchased The Key, so upon opening the door to our stateroom, I saw my purple carry-on on the couch. It was so convenient not to lug it around for the first several hours onboard the ship! 

My first impression of the cabin was that it was tidy and clean. 

We noticed right away that the cabin was quite spacious at 160 square feet. The decor wasn’t dated, but the drawers had a pink tint to them that reminded me the ship is in fact 22 years old.

As soon as you walk into the cabin, you are met with a large closet. The closet had 18 hangers and six wide, wire shelves for all the clothes we packed.

The beds were separated per our request prior to embarkation. Next to both of our beds was a side table with a drawer and an open compartment. One side table had a phone on top that took up the majority of the space.

Each bed had a wall light above our heads. This was perfect for reading and getting all settled in before turning off the lights and the cabin becoming pitch black. The darkness made for good sleeping; this is one of the advantages of an inside cabin.

Our cabin included a full-sized couch. This was nice for another place to sit instead of our beds. Sure there were a few stains on the cushions, but it was nothing terrible. We even lined up our shoes (yes, my mom brought seven pairs of shoes) under the couch for easy viewing and access.

The vanity is a great feature of the cabin because of all the storage. It had nine drawers: six deeper ones and three shallow ones. I found the shallow drawers hard to use, especially since one had a hair dryer in it, rendering it unusable for other things. On both sides of the vanity were glass shelves for additional items. 

On the right side of the vanity was a TV that could swivel in different directions so wherever we were in the cabin, we could see the screen. My mom loved this because she slept on the same side as the vanity and was able to position the TV to be at the foot of her bed so she could watch TV while falling asleep.

Above the TV was a safe and two deep shelves for more storage.

Below the TV was a mini refrigerator. The refrigerator was useful primarily for keeping water and sodas cool. It didn’t get super cold. We tried to put a plate of complementary fruit we received in there, but it didn't fit. We wished it had a deeper shelf so we could have stored more in there. 

The biggest disappointment in our cabin was the lack of outlets. By day two, we were really wishing we had packed an approved power strip so we would have more outlets to charge our cell phones, iPads, watches, camera, and laptop. We were constantly shuffling devices based on need and usage.  

Before the sailing, I thought I had read online that there was another outlet behind the beds. I looked under and behind both beds and unfortunately didn’t find one.

Read more: The clever reason to bring a European power adapter on your cruise ship

The bathroom was certainly not glamorous, but it got the job done (literally!). 

The major thing that caught my eye was four Salt + Breeze bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion on the bathroom counter on embarkation day. This was the first time I’ve had that in a cabin. 

We later asked our room attendant and she said that was a perk for Diamond and above guests. I was very happy to have these toiletries because I am not a fan of the all-in-one soap in the shower.

Behind the right mirror were three shelves for various toiletries. I didn't need this extra storage, so my mom utilized it. We had two sets of towels hanging up when we arrived, but after asking our stateroom attendant, we had three sets each day which was helpful. 

The shower (I call it a space pod!) was compact, but it always had plenty of hot water and good pressure. If you are curious, the approximate diameter of the shower was 29 inches.

Overall thoughts about our cabin

We really appreciated the location of our cabin. There was only one room next to us before you turned the corner to the suites that are across the back of the ship. This meant there was very little foot traffic throughout the day and night, making the location pretty quiet.

Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

Another aspect of the cabin location we enjoyed was the proximity to the Windjammer and pool deck. We only had to walk up two flights of stairs to be near all the excitement!

Something random we noticed was how extremely heavy our cabin door was when trying to open or close it. On the plus side, I think the weight of the door may have helped cut down noise from the hallway.

Our luggage was delivered to our door by 1:30 p.m. on embarkation day, so as soon as we got them, we started to unpack everything. After unpacking, we hid our suitcases under the beds so they could be out of the way to leave as much open space as possible.

Read more: Best inside cruise ship cabin hacks

Not long after receiving our luggage, we met our stateroom attendant. This was my first cruise since the new housekeeping change (one cleaning per day instead of two), so she explained to us that she was available every day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then again from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and asked what time we preferred. Since we had early dining room seating at 5:30 p.m., we selected 6 p.m. each day. 

We had no issues with the once-a-day cleaning. It was nice not having to worry about knocking on the door in the early mornings and waking me up. I also liked not feeling rushed to leave our cabin in the morning so the attendants can clean before their afternoon breaks.

Our stateroom attendant was wonderful and bought extra pillows for us and gave us a paper Cruise Compass every night on our beds (per our request).

Overall, I would say I was pleased with our tiny stateroom. Considering the ship's age, she is in respectable condition. I believe because of the quietness, ideal location on the ninth deck, and convenience to the Windjammer and pool deck, I'd recommend this cabin to future cruisers.

Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas is a mainstay of the fleet, offering a blend of fun activities on a cruise ship that has been refreshed fairly recently.

Adventure of the Seas is a Voyager Class cruise ship, which means she is a medium-sized vessel in Royal Caribbean's fleet. While not as big as other ships, she still packs lots for families to enjoy.

In addition, the value you can get with an Adventure of the Seas booking is superb, as Royal Caribbean International often prices sailings much lower than the largest ships sailing the same itinerary.

Adventure of the Seas sails from a variety of places in North America and Northern Europe. Her home ports include Cape Liberty in New Jersey & Galveston, Texas.

Here's a look at what Adventure of the Seas has to offer onboard, and what makes it a great choice for a cruise.

Adventure of the Seas Overview

Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas is the third cruise ship in the Voyager-Class cruise ships, and was launched in 2001.

She has 14 passenger decks and has a maximum capacity of 3,807 guests (although her regular occupancy at double occupancy is 3,114).

In 2016 and 2018, she underwent a $61 million upgrade that added new dual racer waterslides, Cyclone and Typhoon, the popular FlowRider surf simulator, and a children’s aquapark, Splashaway Bay. They also added a new sushi restaurant and more than 100 new staterooms, a refresh of all existing staterooms and a brand new Suites Lounge.

Measuring 138,193 in gross tonnage and 1,020 feet long, Adventure of the Seas is not a small ship. She has a capacity of nearly 4000 guests at double capacity, 14 guest-accessible decks, and 1,963 staterooms.

Like all Voyager-Class ships, she has a Royal Promenade that runs through the middle of the ship and is the main thoroughfare, with shopping and dining to enjoy.

Fun things to do on Adventure of the Seas

You'll find a lot of onboard activities on Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas, beginning with the pool deck.

Adventure has two side-by-side main pools and several jacuzzis, as well as an adults-only (16+ years old only) Solarium. The Solarium has both a pool and hot tub.

Kids will enjoy Splashaway Bay water park, which has mini slides, a drench bucket, geysers, and lots of area to run around.

On the back half of the pool deck, there are the Perfect Storm waterslides, which has twin racer slides.

You can also hit the sports courts, try the rock-climbing wall, or even the FlowRider surf simulator. All of these experiences are complimentary.

The FlowRider offers both stand-up surfing and boogie boarding options throughout the cruise.

There's a two story mini golf course, known as Adventure Dunes, which is complimentary to enjoy.

In terms of activities, you'll find a daily assortment things to do onboard the ship. Each day, the Cruise Compass is distributed to guests with a guide to what times each activity is planned for, and at which venue.

Examples of activities you can expect include:

• General trivia
• Name that tune
• Karaoke
• Game shows
• Art auction
• Dance fitness classes
• Movies on the outdoor movie screen
• Belly flop competition

There is also a wide assortment of live music on Adventure of the Seas. From bands to solo performers, you'll find different venues offering live music throughout the day.

Three venues each evening offer a signature Royal Caribbean live music experience, with a piano player in the Schooner Bar, guitarist in the pub, and Latin band in Boleros.

Each evening in the Royal Theater, there will be a show. It could be a comedian, musical medley, magician, or a dance performance.

Game shows are also hosted each day of your cruise, where guests are invited to try their skill at games such as "Battle of the Sexes", "Love and Marriage game show", and more.

One more must-do event is the free skate in Studio B. On select days, Royal Caribbean opens up its ice rink to guests to skate. Skates and equipment are provided and there is no extra cost. You just need long pants and socks to participate.

Adventure of the Seas Dining

Your Royal Caribbean cruise fare includes meals and snacks, along with some drinks.  There's also the option to spend more and dine at specialty restaurants.

The good news is you definitely will not go hungry on this cruise with all the dining options.

Complimentary dining venues on Adventure of the Seas:

• Main Dining Room, the main restaurant on any Royal Caribbean ship, offering a classic sit-down dining experience in a 3-story venue
• Windjammer Marketplace, a buffet open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a variety of both American and international cuisines
• Cafe Promenade, a small cafe offering specialty coffees and teas along with small grab-and-go items like muffins and sandwiches. There's also complimentary pizza here by the slice
• Arctic Zone, soft-serve frozen yogurt by the pool

Specialty dining venues on Adventure of the Seas:

• Chops Grille, Royal Caribbean’s signature steakhouse
• Izumi Sushi, Japanese cuisine and sushi
• Giovanni’s Table Italian Restaurant, classic Italian food featuring freshly-made pastas
• Johnny Rockets, a 1950s style American restaurant with milkshakes, burgers, and fries
• Chef’s Table, an intimate group dining experience where each course is paired with wine
• Ben & Jerry’s, serving scoops of ice cream, sundaes, and milkshakes
• Room service, Nearly 24 hour room service delivered to your cabin.

Should you spend extra for specialty dining? It depends on your tastes and budget.

There is nothing wrong with the food included with your cruise fare. The main dining room and Windjammer offer so much food for each meal, that you're likely to dine there and be quite content.

What specialty dining offers is a greater variety of food, which a lot of cruisers really enjoy. Steaks, lasgana, sushi, and more are what you get with specialty dining and in many cases, these foods are not otherwise available in the complimentary venues. Moreover, the quality of the food tends to be higher than similar offerings in the dining rooms.

Most people tend to book a blend, and sprinkle in specialty dining to augment the main dining room or buffet.

Adventure of the Seas bars & lounges

You'll find many bars and lounges to enjoy a cocktail while on your cruise.

Here's a list of bars and lounges on Adventure of the Seas:

• Schooner Bar
• Boleros
• Solarium Bar
• Casino bar
• Imperial Lounge
• Duck & Dog English Pub
• Champagne Bar
• The Plaza Bar (Windjammer)
• Viking Crown Lounge (Blue Moon)
• Diamond Club
• Suite Lounge

Most bars have the same drink menu, so what makes each special is the decor. Some are more laid back venues, while others offer more of a focus on music or entertainment.

The Schooner Bar is a staple of the Royal Caribbean fleet, with live piano music each night of the cruise. It's a great place to sing along and have a drink.

If you prefer something more laid back, check out the Blue Moon in the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 14. There's wonderful views of the pool deck and area around you.

Kids Club

Adventure Ocean is the name of the kids club on Adventure of the Seas, which is available for kids between the age of 3 and 17 years old.

Adventure Ocean is divided into four age groups, with each group having their own programming and rooms suitable to the age range:

• Aquanauts (3-5 years old)
• Explorers (6-8 years old)
• Voyagers (9-11 years old)
• Teens (12-17 years old)

Adventure Ocean is mostly complimentary, with the exception of childcare after 10PM.

Aside from embarkation day, there are two types of Adventure Ocean operating hours: port days and sea days.

On sea days, Adventure Ocean is typically open

• 9am - noon
• 2pm - 5pm
• 7pm - 10pm

On port days, Adventure Ocean is open for the entire duration your Royal Caribbean ship is in port.  Once the ship leaves port, it resumes the normal schedule described in sea days.

An arcade is also located in Adventure Ocean and open to guests of all ages, although it comes at an extra cost.

On the first day of your Royal Caribbean cruise, guests can register their children in Adventure Ocean prior to Adventure Ocean opening.  While you can register kids at any point in the cruise, take advantage of the open house on embarkation day for an optimal experience.

Adventure of the Seas Entertainment

You'll find shows performed in two venues on Adventure of the Seas: the Lyric Theater and Studio B ice skating rink.

In the Royal Theater, there are different shows performed each night. This includes a welcome aboard show on the first night and a farewell show on the last night. In-between, the singers and dancers perform shows such as Invitation to Dance and Can't Stop The Rock.

In Studio B, guests can enjoy Cool Art...Hot Ice!, an ice skating show, which is described as, "a journey through time and space. The story unfolds when Arthur falls in love with a statue that comes to life. He's led by his muse on a whimsical journey where nothing is truly as it seems." It's a fun show that is worth seeing for the talented ice skaters.

Outside of signature production shows, a variety of other entertainment can be found on Adventure of the Seas, including live music, karaoke, and game shows.

Spa & fitness

If you're looking to forget your cares, or stay in shape, while onboard Adventure of the Seas, the Vitality Spa and Fitness Center is where you want to go.

The fitness center is complimentary (although classes cost extra) and has cardio and strength equipment you can use on a first-come, first served basis.

Over in the spa, you can reserve an appointment for a massages, facials or a salon treatment. These all cost extra. Port days often have better discounts available than sea days, so be sure to ask about any onboard specials in the spa.

Adventure of the Seas Review

While not the newest or glitziest ship in the fleet, Adventure of the Seas has plenty to do onboard at a very reasonable price.

A Voyager-Class cruise ship is an excellent value, because they are still big ships with lots of activities that don't cost a lot to sail on. It has the signature venues most people expect with a Royal Caribbean ship, so there is not much compromise aside from lacking the absolute newest innovations. 

Often people considering Adventure of the Seas are worried they are making a mistake by booking a ship that is 20 years old instead of newer ships. The reality is the age of a ship isn't what it once was, and recent upgrades in 2016 and 2018 really raised the bar for what you can do onboard. Yes, they are one of the older ships, but that isn't the end-all, be-all, of what makes a great ship.

If there's something lacking on Adventure of the Seas, it's the staterooms still have the older feel to them compared to cabins on new Oasis or Quantum-Class ships. Besides the decor, there's less storage space.

In addition, the suite experience on Adventure pales compared to the services and amenities you get for staying in a suite on Oasis or Quantum-Class ships. Of course, the price of a suite is a lot more affordable on Adventure, the the Suite Lounge and concierge services are still lovely.

What draws us to Adventure of the Seas is the price. You can sail on Adventure of the Seas for likely half the cost of a newer ship, and unlike smaller  Royal Caribbean ships, there's still plenty to do. For most families, they should find enough activities to keep them busy without feeling like the ship lacks too much.

The crew members on Adventure of the Seas have always been quite good, and work hard to deliver a great cruise experience.

If you're a new cruiser, Adventure of the Seas is one of the cruise vessels you won't feel out of place on because of all the extra space and fun things to do. Voyager-Class vessels are destination experiences, which make it a good choice for a first time cruiser.

Between the value and fun offerings, you'll have no trouble enjoying a relaxing cruise aboard Adventure of the Seas.

All guests sailing on Adventure of the Seas will have to wear a mask while indoors, including fully vaccinate passengers.

Due to the Delta variant, Royal Caribbean is informing guests booked on Adventure of the Seas sailings from The Bahamas they will have to wear a mask while indoors.

This information only applies to guests on sailings out of Nassau, Bahamas in August 2021. 

A spokesperson for the cruise line said, "In an abundance of caution due to the emerging Delta variant and to ensure that our guests, our crew and the communities we visit remain healthy, Royal Caribbean International has adjusted its measures for boarding."

Adventure of the Seas restarted sailings from The Bahamas in June, and since all adults are required to be fully vaccinated, masks for fully vaccinated guests while indoors was not required.

The new rule for Adventure of the Seas matches mask requirements on other ships sailing from the United States this summer.

"When indoors, all guests 2 and older are required to wear masks unless they are actively eating or drinking."

"Guests may remove their masks in venues and events dedicated to fully vaccinated parties."

Masks are not required in your stateroom when you are with your traveling party, outside on the open decks, or at Perfect Day at CocoCay, unless in a crowded setting.

Guests under the age of 2 do not need to wear a mask.

Adventure of the Seas will also add fully vaccinated zones available only to vaccinated guests, similar to other ships in the fleet. Once inside a vaccinated zone, fully vaccinated passengers can remove their face mask.

Passenger's SeaPass cards will be required to access lounges, shows and dining venues.

If someone booked on Adventure of the Seas in August does not wish to follow these protocols, Royal Caribbean is happy to provide a refund or move their sailing into the future when circumstances may have evolved. Please contact your Travel Advisor or call the cruise line at 954-628-9290 or 1-800-256-6649.

Carnival Cruise Line changed their face mask policy this week to match Royal Caribbean's requirements.

Passengers sailing from The Bahamas on Adventure of the Seas in August will have to get their Covid-19 tests complete closer to their sail date.

Royal Caribbean changed their policy for when guests sailing on Adventure of the Seas from The Bahamas need to get either a PCR or antigen test result.

Instead of 5 days before the sail date, all guests age 2 and older will need to take a negative test for Covid-19 no more than 3 days before arriving in The Bahamas.

Any kind of negative Covid-19 test will be accepted (PCR or antigen).

The new rule kicks in on August 1.

Changing testing requirements for cruises from The Bahamas have been a regular occurrence since cruises started back up on Adventure from The Bahamas.

Initially, The Bahamas required tests for all, then dropped it for vaccinated visitors.  Royal Caribbean added antigen testing for all passengers as an early requirement, and then changed it to PCR tests.

Cruise line health policies have had to be adjusted due to changing needs and best practices advised by health officials.

Royal Caribbean says its test requirements more stringent than what The Bahamas mandates for inbound travelers.

Adventure of the Seas is the only Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailing from The Bahamas, and was the first ship to restart operations in North America, following the cruise industry shutdown.

Unvaccinated guests sailing on Adventure of the Seas will no longer be able to book shore excursions on their own beginning with the next sailing.

Guests booked on Adventure of the Seas received an email indicating unvaccinated passengers, including parents traveling with unvaccinated children, are required to participate in shore excursions offered by local tour operators approved by Royal Caribbean.

If your traveling party is fully vaccinated, there is no change in the shore excursion policy.

In an abundance of caution, when visiting ports other than Perfect Day at CocoCay, parties that include unvaccinated guests, including parents traveling with unvaccinated children, are required to participate in shore excursions offered by local tour operators approved by Royal Caribbean. These tours meet our health and safety requirements for unvaccinated guests.

Entirely vaccinated traveling parties may visit the port freely. All guests are subject to restrictions and requirements as defined by local authorities in the ports we visit. Additional details will be provided onboard.

Royal Caribbean will offer a discount for guests under 16 to help offset the change.

The cruise line says the decision was made "to protect you and the communities we visit."

The change comes one day after two unvaccinated children on Adventure of the Seas tested positive for Covid-19 and had to be quarantined and brought home.

Celebrity Cruises made a similar change this week for their Celebrity Edge sailings that begin this weekend as well from the United States.

Guests traveling on #CelebrityEdge June 26 that excursions will be required to disembark in Mexico. This is a change from what was done on Adventure of the seas this week.

A bit disappointing, but we understand everyone must remain flexible for a bit. Happy to be #cruising! pic.twitter.com/llfaRjuk9k

— CruiseHabit (@CruiseHabit) June 24, 2021

Policy changes are nothing new for cruise lines as they resume operations. One constant in the months leading up to cruises restarting has been policy adjustments, reversals, and additions. 

Read more: Top 8 things you should know about going on a cruise in 2021

When Adventure of the Seas' sailings from The Bahamas were announced, shore excursions were initially limited to just cruise line tours.

Then, the company changed policies prior to the first sailing to allow guests to go on any tour, regardless of vaccination status.