Writer Lee Ann Christensen based this independent review on her 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Adventure offers an originality not usually found on mass-market ships. You may feel awestruck when looking down the 12-story-high atrium at the blue and white spotlights beaming across the large Royal Promenade. Riding down the glass elevator, you can’t help but be enraptured by the aluminum, steel, and fiber-optic “Planetarium” sculptures, moons and planets seemingly floating their way down the atrium. And then there’s the Royal Promenade itself, a 390-foot-long stretch of shops, lounges, restaurants, nooks, and crannies housing live entertainment day and night. It’s a modern look for this impressive work of modern engineering -- at 138,000 tons and 1,020 feet in length, Adventure and her four Voyager-class sisters were the largest cruise ships afloat until the recently christened Queen Mary 2 took to the seas.

Adventure may be large, but the designers made good use of her space. You’d never guess you were sailing with more than 3,000 other passengers -- it rarely feels crowded. Cruises are filled with a multicultural group. Popular with Puerto Ricans and citizens of Central and South America, all announcements are made in both English and Spanish. And employees actually seem happy to be here. Engage them in conversation and you’ll likely hear about the Southern Caribbean’s fabulous destinations and sunny days and their joy at being part of the Adventure family.

Why Adventure?

• Onboard activities: Adventure’s cruise director enthusiastically hosts everything from the Newlywed and Adventure Quest game shows to poolside horse racing, belly-flop contest, and sexy legs competition, keeping passengers guffawing from San Juan to St. Lucia.
• Lounges galore: A dozen-plus bars give ample options for drinks, dancing, and live entertainment.
• Recreation and fitness: Rock-climbing, in-line skating, ice skating, miniature golf, video golf, yoga, Pilates, spinning, and an expansive ocean-facing fitness center keep active sorts busy day and night.

Who should go
With all the fitness facilities and Adventure Ocean children’s programs, this ship is a great choice for families with children, from young kids to teens. Those wanting to pack their days with scheduled activities will also likely enjoy Adventure -- there’s always something going on. Stops at romantic Southern Caribbean islands make it a popular choice for honeymooners and couples.

Who shouldn’t go
Adventure may not be the best option for older folks and people with impaired mobility -- elevators are everywhere, but the ship’s length requires a lot of walking. The many families onboard make it a bad choice for the child-averse. The focus on less-than-cultural activities may not appeal to highbrow travelers, and those looking for a small, intimate cruise ship experience should look elsewhere.

Hits and misses

• Don’t miss: The Hot Art, Cool Ice ice-skating show is a must-see as both an artistic and technical feat. Skaters are performing on a rink 1/3 normal size, and when the ship is rocking, the ice can be at a different level than it was when the skater took off for that double Lutz.
• Best part of the ship: The Viking Crown, Blue Moon, and 19th Hole lounges all blend together into one large room, yet each retains its own distinct style. (Check out 19th Hole’s engrossing “Loppy Links” kinetic sculpture.)
• Best experience: Attending the Adventure Quest game show, where even spectators get involved. Be prepared to part with a piece of clothing or two.
• Best shipboard activities: Pool events on sea days, from the men’s belly-flop and sexy legs contests to poolside horse racing. Look on from the sun-soaked tiered seating, or get a bird’s-eye view from the Viking Crown Lounge two decks up.
• Needs improvement: With so many kids onboard, the ship appears to have a fairly lax policy on where they’re not allowed. Also, deck chairs need a good wiping off once in a while.
• Activities to skip: Spa seminars, offering the occasional good tip but expensive products. Unless you’re a hard-core bargain hunter or on the prowl for expensive jewelry, skip the shopping talks.

How to meet the captain
Like most ships, Adventure hosts a captain’s reception, but with this many passengers he and his officers can’t meet everyone. Instead, you’ll see the captain, microphone in hand, standing on Royal Promenade’s elevated walkway, greeting the guests as they sip glasses of free champagne.

Heard on the deck (from a group of smitten young girls): “Look at the captain! He’s sooo sexy.”

Tip: On embarkation day, to avoid the wait in line (often two hours or more), check your bags and head to Old San Juan. Enjoy a few hours exploring this gorgeous piece of Americana history, then head back at five and breeze through check-in.

Adventure has surprisingly few dining options, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem. Restaurants are rarely crowded, and the executive chef manages to create a wide range of food selections night after night. Midnight buffets are scattered throughout the cruise, and late-night snacks are always found at the Johnny Rockets grill and Café Promenade.

Main dining rooms
In an effort to reduce congestion, ship designers divided Adventure’s three-story dining room into three separate restaurants, each named for a famous composer: Vivaldi, Strauss, and Mozart. Designers took this opportunity to give each restaurant its own unique style, with art and color schemes varying from floor to floor, all connected by a grand winding staircase. Breakfast and lunch are casual, open-seating affairs, and tables for two are easy to come by. Dinner is a more formal occasion with assigned seating and a more extensive menu. Days at sea usually conclude with a very formal night. Food doesn’t vary much from what is found at the Windjammer buffet restaurant, with most entrées consisting of baked meats and creamy sauces. But the fancy linens, formal décor, attentive waiters, and leisurely dining pace make it the frontrunner for nightly dining preference.

Windjammer Café and Island Grill
Windjammer Café serves a buffet at each meal. Though busy at breakfast and lunch guests can always find a table. There’s no outside dining, but windows on three sides of the dining room show impressive land and sea views. At night the restaurant becomes the Island Grill; still a buffet, but a bit more formal, with tablecloths, drink service, and staff standing by to bring you dessert or refill your iced tea. With so many options on the buffet, guests often have a hard time keeping their meals to one plate. Buffets offer a variety of meats, cheeses, vegetables, salads, pizza, sandwiches, and more. Carved meats are always available, as are baked potatoes, fresh sushi, and antipasti.

Portofino’s Specialty Restaurant
Portofino’s fine Italian cuisine and intimate setting make getting a good reservation a challenge. By day 2 of the cruise, most dining slots are filled. If you must skip formal night to eat at Portofino’s, do so. You might miss free lobster in the dining room, but it couldn’t possibly be better than perfectly grilled steaks and al dente pastas in rich creamy sauces. The best part of dining at Portofino’s is the service, from the presentation of the food to the doting wait staff. Dining fees are $20 per person, plus tip.

Johnny Rockets
French fries and onion rings are delivered the moment you take your seat, and they keep coming. The menu includes hamburgers, turkey and veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches, and chili fries. Old-fashioned apple pie is served for dessert, á la mode or with a slice of cheddar cheese… or both! Though located just around the corner from the Adventure Ocean children’s center, this diner primarily caters to nostalgic adult passengers, many unabashedly singing along to their favorite ‘50s and ‘60s hits. Dining is free.

Other dining options

• Café Promenade: Open 24 hours, this casual café serves quick snacks – pizza (basic toppings), sandwiches (tuna, egg salad, and smoked salmon), pastries (cookies, éclairs, and the like), and fruit – with all food ready to go on the spot.
• Seattle’s Best and Ben & Jerry’s: Head to Seattle’s Best for the best (and only) espresso drinks onboard, for a fee. Wander down the counter for a scoop of Cherry Garcia or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, but it doesn’t come cheap: Expect to pay $3 or more per cone.
• Room service: The basics are covered 24 hours, including soups, sandwiches, salads, and cookies. Rotating entrées are offered nightly (often one or two found on the dining room menu). Service is timely, waiters are friendly, and delivery is free, though a small tip is always appreciated.

Best dining

• Dish: Portofino’s tender filet and garlic mashed potatoes are gourmet comfort food.
• Dessert: The main dining room’s fruity and chocolaty Viennese cake with layers of apricot jam. At Portofino’s, try the flourless chocolate cake with a side of cappuccino cream.
• Restaurant: Portofino’s top-notch cuisine and elegant setting makes it well worth the $20, and it’s the best place onboard to get a steak (the filet is excellent).
• Food seminar: Learning to make a Portofino’s-style filet mignon is easy with the wit and wisdom of executive chef Henri Rosier; his steak-grilling presentation along the Royale Promenade is an hour well spent, but get there early: Those with front-row seats have a better chance of becoming Henri’s official taster.

How to…

• Get a table for two: Visit the maître d’ station as early in the cruise as possible to change your reservations, and be flexible with both your restaurant choice and dining time. Small tables are limited in number, but if you’re willing to take a six o’clock seating you’ll likely get an intimate dining spot.
• Celebrate a birthday/anniversary: Inform your head waiter any time throughout the cruise and your table will receive a celebratory cake. (And yes, you can still order a second dessert from the menu.)
• Change seating: The maître d’ is there to please and will do all he can to get you a different table any time throughout the cruise, but don’t expect miracles if you want late dining (which fills up quickly).
• Dress for formal night: Formal means formal, with half the men in tuxes and most women in formal evening gowns. Guests can get away with resort casual, but if you want to fit in, go a bit over the top.
• Dress for casual night: For women, casual ranges from Capri pants to dresses, with men mainly sticking to khakis and button-down shirts. Jeans are rare.

Tips:

• To cut down on soft drink costs, purchase an unlimited soda card. Another way to save money is to buy soda from the duty-free liquor store. It costs less than buying it at a bar, and no gratuities are added.
• Don’t feel like paying for your dessert? Skip Ben & Jerry’s for the free self-service frozen yogurt machines scattered throughout the ship.

Heard on the deck (on formal night): “It looks like the prom, but for grown-ups.”

Cabins are spacious and almost half of them have balconies, which helps make a balcony view affordable even to those traveling on a budget. For passengers who’d rather save their money, inside cabins offer many of the same amenities found in an oceanview or balcony, including hair dryers, interactive TVs, desks, vanities, and telephones with voicemail. The only things missing are the view and a few extra square feet. Interactive TVs are a time-saving addition, allowing passengers to book shore excursions and reserve time in the golf simulator without ever having to stand in line.

Guests who wish to upgrade may want to start with the Junior Suite, adding a bathtub and 100 extra square feet for little more than the balcony-cabin rate. Those who really want to indulge should try the Grand Suite which offers such additional amenities as a baby grand piano and a private hot tub on the 170-square-foot balcony. Extended families may want to consider the Royal Family Suite. Measuring 610 square feet (not including the 234-square-foot balcony), it accommodates as many as 8 guests.

Cabins for guests with disabilities
Adventure has modified 26 of her cabins – from standard inside to Junior Suites – to accommodate guests with disabilities. Modifications include wider doorways and bathrooms with grab bars and lowered sinks. Royal Caribbean publishes an Accessible Seas brochure highlighting special features throughout the ship: Braille signage, early boarding and boarding assistance, hydraulic lifts for pools and hot tubs, and wheelchair-accessible blackjack tables in the casinos, among other features.

Bars, lounges, and casino
With regular bar service in 17 areas of the ship, Adventure has a lounge for all moods. Like cigars? Head to the Connoisseur Club, where dim lighting, wood paneling, and soft buttery leather sofas provide the perfect setting to enjoy a Cuban cigar and glass of fine scotch. Feel like dancing? Cut a rug ballroom-style at the Champagne Bar or disco dance at the eerie yet playful Jester’s, where gothic figures stand watch from stained-glass windows. Want some live music? Head to The Duck & Dog for a pint of Guinness and folksy Irish tunes, or to Schooner’s, where, yes, the pianist will consent to play “Piano Man,” but not without first giving you a groan and some good-natured ribbing.

Quiet areas
Adventure’s Internet café is filled with rarely-used computers. Connection charges are 50¢ per minute, and while time packages aren’t available, the ship has the occasional “buy two drinks in souvenir glasses, get 15 minutes free” deal. For more privacy, head down two decks to Business Services where a few other Internet-accessible desktops are hidden away in private rooms (same rates apply). Just below the Internet café is the cozy library (borrowing is on the honor system), which is modestly stocked with outdated bestsellers and a passenger book exchange of little-known paperbacks. Don’t expect any help in these areas; staff is rarely if ever seen in any of the three rooms.

Swimming pools
Adventure’s four pools are centers of activity during warm-weather sailings. The action’s at the two main pools on Deck 11. This is where sun lovers bathe on tiered decks and gregarious passengers belly flop and show off their legs for not-so-valuable prizes but a lot of popularity -- for 7 days, anyway. For real relaxation, hit the nearby Solarium pool; it doesn’t get quite as much sun, but is a quiet retreat for swimming, sunbathing, and reading. Little ones have their own pool at Adventure Beach – complete with waterslide and kid-sized tables and lounge chairs – which keeps the main pools mostly child-free.

Shows
Adventure’s live performances give guests something to look forward to every night. The Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers put on an excellent show, whether they’re incorporating modern dance moves into rock ‘n’ roll classics or recreating scenes from popular Broadway musicals. Guest performances – ranging from nightclub comedians to Russian magic acts to comedian-singers who’ve worked the cruise circuit for 20 years – are top rate. But the showpiece on this ship is the ice-skating show. Tickets are limited so don’t wait around before picking yours up: It’s the one show you won’t want to miss.

Shore excursions
Royal Caribbean sells an array of activities, from city tours to water sports to mountain biking and more. The ship spends the entire year in the Southern Caribbean, so understandably, the most popular excursions are snorkeling and boat rides. Excursions rarely sell out, but if one does, it will be the “booze cruise” (think four hours of sun and sea and all the Rum Punch you can drink). The best part of Adventure’s excursions is the convenience: Passengers can effortlessly book through in-cabin interactive TVs rather than having to stand in line. TVs even have short video previews for most excursions.

Weddings and vow renewals
Deck 15’s intimate Skylight Chapel is the site for most onboard weddings. The room seats up to 60 guests in cushioned pews, and couples take their vows below an elegant blue-and-gold stained-glass window. Royal Caribbean offers a variety of wedding packages, from simple vow renewals to extensive receptions. Couples must make all arrangements before leaving home, but the onboard wedding planner will help coordinate any last-minute details.

Looking for…

• Quietest spot: The business services center has privacy rooms for connecting to the Internet or just hiding away. If you don’t mind cigar smoke, relax on cushiony leather sofas in the lightly trafficked Connoisseur Club.
• Liveliest spot: On sunny days, the amidships pools see the most action. At night, head on over to the slot machines, where the alarm bells ring constantly as happy cruisers tote buckets of quarters.
• Most popular activity: Rock-climbing, but go on Day 1 or 2 while lines are short. It takes passengers a day or two to discover the wall’s location, and then the lines are long for the rest of the cruise.
• Best view: From the bow of the ship (commonly referred to as the “Titanic” spot), with unobstructed views and few people. For ocean plus action head to the Viking Crown Lounge, where you can see the ocean on (almost) 3 sides and get a good view of the action poolside.
• Best show: All shows are excellent, but we give Hot Art, Cool Ice accolades for all-around best set designs, music, and performances.
• Best drink: The frozen, fruity Mango Tango, which comes in a surprisingly attractive souvenir glass.

Tip: Slow Internet connections and company policy preventing guests from inserting CDs or diskettes into computers (due to concerns over viruses) limit what types of mail you can send from the Internet café. If you plan on spending a significant amount of time online, hit one of the shore-side Internet cafés, with cheaper rates and faster connections.

Heard on the deck (from a passenger to two Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers): “I’ve just gotta tell you that I loved your performance last night. I’m from New York and hit all the Broadway shows, and yours was as good as anything I’ve seen. Bravo.”

Spa and salon
Nothing new here. This typical spa offers the typical treatments at “just over land-based” prices. There’s not much of a relaxation area, but treatments will do the trick -- unless the stress of spending over $100 for massages and facials outdoes the benefits. Product-pushing ranges from heavy to nonexistent; some employees might insist you can’t spend another day without some $50 eye cream or lotion, while others end a session without ever mentioning what’s for sale. Be sure to book early if you want a sea-day appointment; by the end of embarkation day, they’re often completely booked. Look for the occasional port-day discounts.

Click to view a virtual tour

Fitness areas
Located just below the spa, the 7,000-plus square foot fitness center is a highlight of the ship. One might actually argue that it’s too large: It’s hardly ever filled. Exercise equipment includes weight machines, treadmills, stair climbers, recumbent and upright bikes, and elliptical trainers. The 20 ocean-facing treadmills have 20-minute time limits, but since treadmills are generally available, even on days at sea, time limitations are not enforced. Exercise classes, including aerobics, yoga, Pilates, and spinning, are held in a separate, adjoining room. Most classes cost $10. Sign-up is required beforehand, though no-shows are common, so you can often get in a class by walking in. One deck above the spa is a fairly unobstructed walking/jogging track and a full-size basketball/volleyball court. If you’re considering in-line skating, ice skating, or rock-climbing, check the schedule first. Hours are limited, though all activities are free of charge.

Tips:

• If you plan to cancel a spa treatment or fitness class, be sure to give 24 hours notice. Otherwise, you’ll be charged a 50% penalty.
• The fitness center’s locker room is equipped with both saunas and steam rooms. They’re rarely used and free for all.
• Exercise fanatics can purchase unlimited class packages for $75, but sign-up is still required for each class.

Shops are located along the 390-foot-long Royal Promenade. Here you’ll find half a dozen shops selling formal and cruise wear, diamonds, Caribbean jewels, Clinique cosmetics, duty-free liquor and cigarettes, and more. Royal Caribbean encourages passengers to shop onboard by offering a price-matching policy on everything from jewelry to liquor: Just bring your portside quote back to the ship and Adventure staff will match it. If you plan to shop extensively in port, attend the ship’s Shopping Talks to find out which stores Royal Caribbean guarantees. If you purchase anything from a Royal Caribbean-approved store and find faults with the merchandise, Royal Caribbean will assist you in getting it fixed or refund your money.

Tips:

• Liquor purchases aren’t delivered until the last evening of the cruise, but for a few extra dollars you can take the bottle back to your cabin immediately.
• Discounts increase as the cruise progresses -- wait until the last day to purchase your souvenirs.
• For $20 you can purchase a coupon book offering freebies and discounts in port shops throughout Mexico and the Caribbean.

Heard on the deck: “I bought a watch at a recommended store and the battery was dead. When I told the shopping manager what happened, he gave me $20 to get a new battery back home!”

Children and teens ages 3-17 will stay occupied morning to night with the Adventure Ocean children’s program. Activities are organized by age group: Aquanauts (ages 3-5) and Explorers (ages 6-8) focus on games and arts and crafts; Voyagers (ages 9-11) and Navigators (ages 12-14) concentrate on games and parties; and teens (ages 15-17) spend their time on sports, parties, and just hanging out. The staff is active and energetic; they must be, with hundreds of kids under their supervision each week. Each age group has its own room conveniently located just outside the Sports Deck, Johnny Rocket’s, and the video game arcade. With the exception of the occasional outing (scavenger hunts, pirate parades, basketball tournaments, etc.) kids tend to stay in and around their designated areas. A pool for little ones is located just outside Adventure Ocean, and is equipped with a waterslide and child-sized tables and chairs.

Adventure sails seven-night Southern Caribbean itineraries year-round, all out of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

• Cruise line - Royal Caribbean
• Ship name - Adventure of the Seas
• Type of cruise - Casual
• Total cabins - 1557
• Private balcony cabins - 757
• Total crew - 1185
• Passenger capacity - 3114
• Ship size - Large
• Officers nationality - Norwegian
• Year entered service - 2001
• Registry - Bahamas
• Ship length - 1020
• Tonnage - 142,000
• Decks - 15