Trip Review

February 24, 2014

Mindy and her family (2 adults and 2 teens ages 16 and 14) spent part of their December holiday vacation aboard Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas. richjordanfishingThey chose this Southern Caribbean cruise because of the unique itinerary- which included stops in St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Aruba and Curacao. Cruising from San Juan was easy– no customs required! Their excursions were the highlights of their trip. Mindy pre-booked independent tours through our supplier Shore Trips and they did not disappoint. Unlike some of the crowded and impersonal excursions offered through the cruise line, they enjoyed small group and private trips. In St. Thomas they sailed on a catamaran to Buck Island, where they snorkeled and swam among sea turtles. In spite of the torrential down pour on the return, it was a fabulous trip. In St. Kitts they arranged for a private fishing trip with one of the local fisherman. They trolled for native fish, but only ended up catching barracudas! The kids particularly enjoy the “fishing seat” which was planted on the rear of the boat to allow them to brace themselves while reeling in the catch. In Aruba, they rented a car to explore the island checking out the natural rock formations, a lighthouse and beautiful beaches. They spent most of the day on Baby Beach, on the southern tip of the Island, where there are rental chairs to enjoy the gorgeous white, silky sand. Curacao turned out to be their favorite island. The natives are so warm and welcoming, and the Dutch culture is quite interesting. They had pre-arranged a snorkel safari on double jet skis and it turned out that they were the only ones on the trip. While the ocean was rough they learned that if you keep your speed up you can more easily handle the waves. Fortunately, they were only in the ocean for a short time. The majority of the trip was spent in lagoons and more protected areas where the snorkeling was unrivaled– they saw fish and coral of all kinds above a ship wreck. You barely needed a mask to enjoy the views under water. While Mindy and Rich did the driving on the way out to the reefs, the kids took over on the return. Jordan got to practice her driving skills while Max got his first driving lesson. Smiles galore!  While the ship was older and in need of repair, it was still an enjoyable cruise. They were disappointed by the food, but the time they enjoyed together as a family without internet, computers and cell phones, was priceless!

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