CruisinAg

I'd also suggest not stressing too much about booking shows, with the only exception being the comedy club. Small venue so even though there will be no-shows, the standby line more than makes up for the difference so that one is tough to get into without. For the majority of the other shows though, it's like anything else... people book reservations because it's free to do so and then once on board just don't find the time, or forget, to show up for the show. The theater is huge so you might not get a prime seat but you'll most likely get in even if you don't have a reservation.

I would suggest finding a place on board that you enjoy and becoming a "regular" there... always tends to be a different place for us depending on the staff ... on Mariner it was the pub where the bartenders felt like old friends by the end of the week, on Oasis it was Jazz on 4 which lead to "Facebook friendships" with band members.

Also, I recommend the main dining room for lunch on sea days... solid options and I love the made to order salad bar.

If you've ever thought about doing the "behind the scenes tour", what better timing than while on the biggest ship in the fleet? It's $150 per person, and a lot of walking and stair climbing, but lasts almost 3 hours and we all felt it was worth the cost.

Great review! I really hope to sail Alaska one day. It's definitely a bucket list thing for me. Look forward to any pictures you want to share!

Are there any other changes? We will be going on her next July.

I'm wondering the same. The waterslide doesn't excite me but I'm more excited to hear about what else is getting put on. I'm assuming Portofino's will become Giovanni's or Sabor? What about virtual balconies? (I'm in an inside room this time).

Very enjoyable read. Fun to see a cruise through the eyes of a first timer! Just booked the Liberty this past weekend and am getting excited for my cruise next April.

Thanks again.

Thanks so much for all the work that goes into posting a Live review! Your pics and info are great! I hope to sail on Quantum one of these days. Never been to St. Kitts and it looks great. Is it similar to St. Thomas? Seems so with the mountains.

A couple of things that I haven't seen discussed... when we used ours, yes there were a couple of times where we couldn't get a signal but they worked pretty well 90% of the time. In addition to calling anywhere on the ship - if you want to just call a room phone you just enter the room number, and call/texting the other phone; we found it handy to view the daily compass on there as well if we had forgotten to take one with us.

Also we got them on a trial period... I think they gave us until Wednesday to decide if we wanted to keep them for the whole trip. We ended up using them the entire time and paying the $30 but if for whatever reason they didn't work, or you found you didn't need them, they can be returned without being charged the $30

I'd do deck 12, Central Park for the peace and quiet when sleeping. Then when I'm ready to hang out on the balcony and feel the need to see water I'd just head down to the public balcony at the end of the hall.

I think it just depends on how many people on your sailing now about them. We used them for our recent sailing and when my mom went to inquire about 2 or 3 they still had some left. They had to go to the card room on 14 to pick them up and get a quick crash course. Of course the location may be different on oasis. They worked great for us. Believe it was $30 for the week for the pair. Make sure the other party is responsible though! $500 if you lose them.

Since most of your questions have been answered, I won't rehash them by adding my 2 cents.

But one advantage that I've not seen listed here to be "just gold" (as I am) with C&A is that there are priority lines at check-in for Gold Members... on our last trip me and my brother walked right up to the front of an empty Gold Members line for Deck 12 while a large group (many of whom are also members but were just following the pack) lined up in a zig zag line.

I stayed on deck 7 on Oasis and on my recent Allure trip, my parents had a jr. suite on 14. I don't think they had a ton of noise issues late at night but during the day you definitely could hear chairs and activity above.

Personally I loved the deck 7 location because we were 1 deck from 8 where we could use Central Park to get from one end of the ship to the other quickly or 2 decks down to deck 5 to be on the Promenade.

Taxi was $5 or $6 per person 2 weeks ago from Crown to Havensight

I was on that sailing as well. The Boardwalk was reserved by a large corporate group of 1200-1500 people between 6:30 and 8:30 on the first night and last night of the cruise. Venues get rented from time to time and most never notice but due to the size of the group they needed the space that the Boardwalk provided.

I was just on Allure last week and they're still doing it. I didn't take part but saw it in the Compass almost every day.

I don't know that it's more dangerous than any other Caribbean port, but it is a beating for very little pay off IMO. In order to get to street level you have to go through an immigration building which is really nothing more than a reason to force you through vendors selling trinkets.

The first time we went we got off the ship, fought our way out of the building and turned around and went back to the ship.

Unless you're going to Atlantis I really don't see the point. I'll be staying on board and just enjoying the scenery from the balcony or the deck.

Did you make it to the jazz club? Or get to hear the guitar player in the pub? How were they? Wii be on board this time next week.

For me these ships are the destination. I prefer Eastern because personally I find the scenery in St. Thomas and St. Martin prettier... and because I can use the Bahamas stop as another sea day to enjoy the ship.

I'll be on the 2/2 sailing... who was the entertainment in the lounges? The jazz club and pub specifically.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is stop in the jazz club one night early in your cruise. Since it's down on deck 4 by the comedy club it often gets missed by many until late in their cruise. My brother and I found it the 2nd night and were nightly regulars after that. It depends of course on the quality of the band on your sailing (Ours, the Katia Labbozzetta led quartet was awesome). Many people in our group who we convinced to come try it over the course of the week usually commented that they wish they'd have known about it earlier.

Looks like you're having a great time Chris. Can't thank you and Dale enough for taking time out of your trip to share with us! Can't wai for my 2/2/14 Allure cruise!!

- Brandon

Probably the best remedy is to find a good pic from one of these fine photogs on CC (preferably a POV style shot), set it as your desktop wallpaper and imagine yourself still being on your cruise! The rocking will make it extra-realistic!

Great review. I love the perspective of first timers! Looks like youre having a blast. The pic of you in front of the carousel is awesome!

Great review. You've got a good eye for photography. Don't worry about not eating at the buffet. I never even entered the Windjammer on my Oasis cruise and don't expect to on my Allure one!

I'm enjoying it. Always fun to see a trip through the eyes of a first timer!

I can see why your husband wanted you to include that picture? That's great with the Allure sign in the foreground and the iconic shot of Central Park.

Thanks for a great review! Sounds like a great cruise.

Don't know how many of you were on Oasis during its first couple of seasons but during our 2010 cruise we hung out nightly in the jazz club with the Australian quartet. Recently Katia Labozzetta, the pianist, told me she was going to be doing solo gigs at the piano bar on the Majesty this Spring. Would have loved to hang with her again and listen to her play. Holding out hope she'll be on the Allure next February.