Adventure of the Seas

Sailing Small: Why our 8-Day Halloween Cruise exceeded every Expectation

When you’re used to massive mega-ships, stepping down in size can feel a bit daunting. On Halloween 2025, myself and 18 friends set sail on an 8-day Halloween cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas. As the smallest ship I had experienced so far in my cruising journey, I’ll admit I was a little nervous about spending over a week onboard a smaller vessel.

Let me tell you right now: those worries vanished on day one.

First, If you ever get the chance to take a Halloween cruise, no matter the ship, do it. The energy, the vibe, and the sheer excitement were incredible—and our entire group went all out with our costumes!

Uncovering Voyager-Class Secrets: The Peekaboo Bridge & The Solarium

Adventure of the Seas is a Voyager-class ship, which comes with some fantastic classic features you won’t find on the newer mega-ships.

The Peekaboo Bridge: One of the coolest hidden features on Voyager-class ships is the Peekaboo Bridge viewing deck, which lets you look straight down into the ship’s bridge, watch the officers and crew at work, and enjoy incredible forward-facing views. I read about this on a blog beforehand, but surprisingly, most of my friends who had sailed on this ship before had no idea it existed! If you’re boarding the Adventure (or any Voyager-class vessel), definitely seek this out.

The Solarium: While the Solarium is smaller than what you’ll find on Oasis-class ships, it’s an absolute charm. It features a lovely central rectangular pool, a dedicated bar, and plenty of quiet places to relax in an adults-only sanctuary. My friends and I spent several peaceful afternoons here.

Stateroom Spotlight: Falling in Love with a Deck 3 Ocean View

For this sailing, I booked an Ocean View room on Deck 3. I was honestly pretty nervous about being on such a low deck since I had never stayed that close to the water before.

It turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the trip! I absolutely fell in love with the room—especially the big, giant circular window that gives you an unbeatable, close-up view of the ocean rushing by. While the cabin is relatively compact, traveling solo meant it was cozy, perfectly laid out, and impeccably maintained. If I can’t snag an ocean balcony room in the future, I would definitely look to stay on a lower deck ocean view again.

Incredible Ports of Call

One of the greatest perks of sailing on a smaller ship is the itinerary flexibility. Because Adventure of the Seas can access ports that massive mega-ships sometimes skip, we visited an amazing lineup:

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
St. Croix, USVI
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

With the exception of St. Thomas, these were all brand-new destinations for me, making the journey even more exciting.

Cruise Shenanigans

Every good cruise should come with some unexpected Shenanigans! We were in the ocean in St. Croix and an insane rainstorm came down and it was the absolute best time! We took an amazing catamaran tour in St. Thomas to St. John – and on the way back our bus got a flat and one of our peeps had to help out and was instrumental in demanding a new bus because the locals were trying to fix the flat with the equivalent of a paperclip and some bubble gum! The most exciting was one of our friends won 10 grand in the adult arcade on the Piggy Machine! Go Piggy Go!

Onboard Life: Intimacy, Community, and Great Eats

The Casino & Gaming: While the casino area is relatively small, I found it to be one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I’ve had on any cruise. Because the ship has a more intimate feel, you get to know the people playing at the slot machines right next to you, and you keep running into the same friendly faces everywhere you go.

Specialty Dining: We treated ourselves to some specialty dining onboard, eating at both Chops and Izumi. Both restaurants were fantastic, offering the same top-tier quality and consistency we’ve come to expect across Royal Caribbean ships.

Final Verdict

Would I sail on Adventure of the Seas again? Absolutely.

In fact, I would particularly love to sail this ship completely solo. There is something uniquely charming about smaller ships that makes meeting people easier, navigating the vessel effortless, and the overall experience feel much more connected.

Bonus: Logistics

I love cruise ship logistics! Here are some basic facts about Adventure of the Seas (courtesy of my best friend Gemini!)

Launch Date: November 2001.
Refreshed: November 2016 and November 2018
Passenger Capacity: 3,114 to 3,382 guests
Staterooms: 1,557 total cabins
Crew Members: Approx 1,180 to 1,185
Length: 311 meters (approx. 1020 feet)
Width (Beam): 47-48 meters (approx.154 feet)
Decks: 15 decks total (14 passenger-accessible)
Cruising Speed: 22 to 22.5 knots