Couple decides to take the kids along on a cruise for the first time

The Philadelphia Inquirer (MCT) - Snorkeling off Aruba _ captivating.

Jet skiing off Curacao _ exhilarating.

Parasailing off St. Thomas _ breathtaking.

Shopping on St. Maarten _ entertaining.

But my teenage son and daughter and my 25-year-old son and his fiancee would have been just as excited if the Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas had circled Puerto Rico for a week.

They loved everything about the ship, from the daytime Sudoku and bingo games to the nighttime comedians and karaoke, from dinner in the formal dining room to 24-hour room service _ especially 24-hour room service.

And they energized me and my wife, Valerie, leading her to salsa lessons, me to the gym, and both of us to play Sports Trivia (we won) and Name That Tune (we lost in sudden-death overtime).

"This is supposed to be our relaxing vacation," Valerie said on Day 5, referring to the once-every-five-years anniversary cruises we'd taken without the children. Then we hustled down Philipsburg's Front Street to catch up with them shopping for jewelry.

Not that we minded missing some chaise-lounge-and-book time, which we had enjoyed so much on our cruises to Bermuda, Canada and the Caribbean. Our fourth was the best one because it was so much fun being with our children on their first cruise.

On this cruise out of San Juan to the southern Caribbean, 616 of the 3,462 passengers were 17 or younger, and many more were 18 to mid-20s.

The ship had activities for children of all ages, including teenagers. Our daughter, Rebecca, who was celebrating her 16th birthday, took hip-hop lessons with her brother Eric, 19. She beat him and won the Sudoku Challenge, but passed on the teen dance club, Optik, which is restricted to 12- to 17-year-olds.

Most of the activities and entertainment were suitable for the entire family. When they were too risque, there was always something else to do. And the kids seemed to know the time and place of every event, day and night.

"How did you know about that?" I asked, as they led us to another trivia contest.

"The Compass," Eric answered, with the others nodding knowingly.

It turned out that late each night, as they devoured room-service pizza or dessert, they would scour the ship's newsletter for the next day's activities. And to think I'd worried that they'd be bored.

That's why Valerie and I had made sure to book exciting, active excursions for our days in port. The four-hour "Sail, Snorkel, Swim & Swing" at our first stop, Aruba, was the only trip we booked through Royal Caribbean. And it was just as much fun _ and as good a value _ as the excursions we researched and reserved online and by phone.

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From the minute we climbed onto the green-and-yellow Banana Bus, it was party time. The lively music and friendly banter with our hosts continued on the Jolly Pirates' ship, as we sailed to two primo spots for snorkeling and swimming.

At Malmok Reef, the water was calm and crystal clear, with schools of fish _ some neon blue, others yellow with black stripes _ darting around us. It was easy to see why Aruba is considered one of the best snorkeling and scuba-diving sites in the world.

The water was rougher at the wreck of the Antilla, a 400-foot German freighter scuttled by its crew at the start of World War II. We could touch the coral-covered ship _ the island's most popular snorkel spot.

As soon as we climbed back on board and turned in our snorkel gear, the crew broke out the island punch and pina coladas (plus soda and water), turned up the music, and untied the rope swing. After they showed off some Olympic-style moves _ and after we'd downed several drinks _ they handed over the rope for the paying customers to amuse each other. The bigger the splash, the louder the applause.

The Jolly Pirates were a tough act to follow, but riding Aquaboats off Curacao managed quite nicely.

I had come across Adrenaline Tours Curacao on the Internet, traded e-mails with them, and gave them a deposit _ even though I couldn't find anyone who could vouch for them. Luckily, my gamble paid off.

They picked us up at the pier, set us up with the two-person Aquaboats _ slightly larger than Jet Skis _ and sent us out with Erik, a Dutch guide, to explore the island's southern coast. Leaving Caracas Bay, we were out in the Caribbean Sea, bucking waves at about 25 m.p.h. The spray, refreshing but salty, occasionally blinded the drivers. It was a far cry from our tame rides on a Minnesota lake and an Outer Banks inlet.

Erik led us into coves and lagoons to see handsome vacation homes, a mangrove forest, beaches and cliffs. Then he took us to a tugboat wreck, which Rebecca and my older son, Michael, stood on while we snorkeled.

Back at the company's base after 2 ˝ hours on the water, we gobbled cheese croissant sandwiches and watermelon as though we hadn't seen food for days. At $480, it was a pricey excursion, but well worth it.

Our next adventure, parasailing at St. Martin's Orient Beach, got rained out, which gave the kids more time to shop on the Dutch side of the island.

That's right, they wanted to shop _ not for T-shirts and souvenirs, but for jewelry. Eric was on a mission to find a pendant for his girlfriend; Michael and his fiance, Marcia Valentin, were in the market for wedding rings, and Rebecca was curious about her Caribbean birthstone, alexandrite.

Toting coupons and a map of recommended stores from the ship's Shopping Show, Valerie got bitten by the bug, too, trying on omega chokers (gold on one side, silver on the other). I merely went along to carry the credit card.

They shopped till I was ready to drop, but left enough time to sample exotic liqueurs at the Guavaberry Emporium and you-know-what at the Belgian Chocolate Shop. Then Michael, Eric and Rebecca hustled off to meet Nick Maley, creator of Star Wars' Yoda, at his art and memorabilia shop, while the rest of us took a swim. They got photos with the celebrity, and we got refreshed.

The next day _ the last day of the cruise _ we took a personal tour of St. Thomas with Campbell Rey, a former chef who welcomed and guided us as though we were family. He took us to Magens Bay, one of the world's most spectacular beaches, for a swim; to Mountain Top for its famous banana daiquiris; and to roadside overlooks for panoramic views of the island.

But he really earned his $300 fee and tip when he hooked us up with Kyle and Nick, two young American guys with Caribbean Watersports, to take us parasailing. Valerie and I slipped into life jackets and harnesses, sat on a platform at the rear of the powerboat, and got hitched to the red, white and blue sail. When the boat accelerated, we gently went airborne, floating effortlessly and giddily.

From about 450 feet up, we had a bird's-eye view of the Caribbean's varied shades of blue, Water and Hassel islands, the capital city of Charlotte Amalie, and Marriott's resort at Frenchman's Reef.

To give us something else to remember, Kyle slowed the boat and dipped us in the water _ just enough to cool us off and make us glad we were wearing bathing suits.

The kids each got their turn _ another highlight of the trip. But for them, the real star of the week was the Adventure of the Seas and all that the ship offered. They had as much fun during the days at sea as they did snorkeling, riding Aquaboats and parasailing.

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Michael and Marcia lounged in the adult hot tub, away from the rollicking main pool. Eric played blackjack in the casino, winning a few dollars and losing a few more. Rebecca did it all: shopping, playing games, sunbathing, dancing _ and flirting with our assistant waiter.

We all relished the sumptuous buffets available throughout the day and the elaborate dinners served each night. Getting royal treatment from the waiters and maitre d' was easy to take.

And for Valerie and me, cruising with our children was smooth sailing all the way.

___

FAMILY VACATION AT SEA

By sailing out of Puerto Rico, we were able to cruise in the southern Caribbean and visit the islands we were most interested in: Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten and St. Thomas. It felt like three vacations in one _ exploring Old San Juan, excursions and sightseeing on the four islands, and relaxing and taking advantage of the ship's offerings during the two days at sea.

We flew to San Juan a day early, spending money on hotel rooms instead of flight insurance. We toured the historic district by foot and free trolley; explored El Morro, the island's most famous fort; ate in restaurants more popular with locals than with tourists; and attended Mass in the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, which houses the remains of Ponce de Leon. A week later, we had time to tour the Bacardi rum distillery, bottling plant and museum before flying home.

THE CRUISE: For the quality, quantity and variety of the accommodations, food, service and activities, taking a cruise is a bargain _ but it's not cheap. The kids' two inside cabins cost $1,843 each, and our balcony stateroom cost $2,543. Tips (a flat rate) added $410, and incidentals (drinks, formal photos and souvenirs) amounted to $375. It was our first cruise on Royal Caribbean (we'd sailed on a sister line, Celebrity), and we'd book with it again.

EXCURSIONS

_Sail, Snorkel, Swim & Swing

This is one of about 150 excursions offered by the cruise line. $45 per person for four hours.

_Adrenaline Tours Curacao

We booked the Aquaboat tour ourselves, but Royal Caribbean will offer it next summer. We paid $80 per person for 2˝ hours of wild and wet fun. www.adrenalinetourscuracao.com

_Parasailing

There are several operators at Orient Beach in St. Martin (the French side of St. Maarten). On St. Thomas, you can book with Caribbean Watersports directly (e-mail info@VIwatersports.com) or through some of the major hotels, including the Marriott at Frenchman's Reef. Starting Nov. 1, rides will cost $79 per person, $25 for those taking just the boat ride.

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_St. Thomas tour

Campbell Rey will tailor your tour to your plans. He'll drive you around the island; wait while you swim, shop, eat, drink or take photos; and tell you the history and customs of the island. Call him at home: 340-771-1568.

TIPS

_Using a travel agent can pay off. White Travel Service, in West Hartford, Conn., gave us $250 in ship credits.

_Our cabin's balcony overlooking the back of the ship was double the size of those along the sides, for the same price (thanks, again, to our travel agent). The location did require more walking _ good for burning off some of those calories from the buffets.

_Booking and paying a deposit early might save you from price increases. We avoided paying a fuel surcharge that way, though cruise lines reserve the right to pass along increased costs.

MORE INFORMATION

Royal Caribbean International, 1-866-562-7625, www.royalcaribbean.com

___ Bill Reed: breed@phillynews.com

___

© 2008, The Philadelphia Inquirer.