SolsticeAZ

SolsticeAZ (with her lawyer "dry" humor) and you have continuously put a :) on my face, so much so that for the last few days I've put aside the latest book I've been reading (JD Robb ... the "in death" series). Smiles r priceless. Thank you again. I didn't post thanks on the other reviews, don't know if u r still monitoring them.

 

Our cruise on Jewel which included Dominica, Grenada, St. Maarten, St. Croix and Barbados was chartered, and I have to settle for my second best itinerary which is St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St.John/Antigua and Barbados.

 

I'd appreciate if you have any ideas for activities which are not "beach-related". We r just going for different views, atmosphere and cultures (a very beautiful Mediterranean beach is a mere 10 min drive from our house, and we almost don't have winters here. When, for example, every few years is snowing in Jerusalem, people take a day off & the kids from school to see the phenomenon :D)

In appreciation of you recognizing my sense of humor (like a dry martini, it's an acquired taste :D), I'll share my thoughts on a couple of non- beach related options. Disclaimer (lawyer, duh): I have no first hand knowledge of this stuff!

St. Lucia has a volcano and mud baths that people raved about (I think this is what AZAficionado was thinking about). You can do it as a RCL shore excursion or plan through a private company. I heard both are good.

In Barbados, swimming with the turtles is supposed to be awesome. I'd skip the excursion. You can do it better and cheaper if you just head to the beach and ask.

In Antigua, we drove past a zip line that looked AMAZING. Probably worth considering, if you like that sort of thing.

And AZAficionado is right: you can't go wrong with just grabbing a cab and asking for a tour.

Enjoy!

Thank you so much AZ and you somewhat silent sidekick for a fantastic review.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the first, last, and only time that I have been or will be referred to as even "somewhat" silent. :D

In all seriousness, I considered joining in on this review, but the truth is this: there is only one person in this household with the patience, organizational skills, eye for photography, and sense of humor necessary to do one of these reviews justice, and that person ain't me!! So instead, I got to read along with the rest of you and enjoy the ride. I am glad so many of you enjoyed it as much as I did (though I'm really not sure AZAficionado needed the ego boost from all the compliments!!:eek:).

I loved your duAling reviews of the Allure cruise. Looking forward to this one!

 

Timm

I'm glad you enjoyed our Allure review. I got lazy for this one. Let the hubby do all the work while I look at the pretty pictures and toss in the occasional "peanut gallery" comment. Much more my style!! :D

Yea, yea. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce my better half and the official spokes model for the peanut gallery, SolsticeAZ!

 

Aren't you supposed to be at work right now? :p

Better half AND official spokesmodel?? So many compliments - I'm overwhelmed! *fanning self and ignoring peanut gallery comment*

Up on Deck 15 is the Skylight Chapel, just in case you have a sudden urge to get married. Another game of chance that appears rigged in the house's favor. Just kidding, SolsticeAZ.

The house ALWAYS wins in the end. (Insert evil laugh here). :cool:

Yay! I get to relive the cruise, and AZAficionado does all the work!! But since I took part in this beach odyssey, I'll chime in once in a while...someine has to be the fact-checker on the storytelling here! :D

I’ll chime in here to add my "Breaking Bad in Ensenada" story. After we’d seen all the things we had on our list for that port, AZAficionado and I still weren’t eager to head back to the ship (much as I enjoyed my time on the Legend, after 14 days I’d had about enough). So, we ended up stopping at a vaguely seedy-looking bar for a beer. Sitting at the table next to ours was a youngish Mexican gentleman, dressed in a t-shirt, jeans, muddy boots, and an obscenely expensive watch. Everyone at the bar seemed to know him, and they kissed up to him and catered to his every whim – more beers, tacos from a place down the street, even a shoe shine for those muddy boots – while he sat and periodically checked not one but two cell phones.

Who was this guy, I wondered? Someone famous? Maybe a politician? Halfway through my beer, light dawned. I was sitting next to a real, honest-to-God Mexican drug jefe. Well…probably just a low-level dealer of cheap pot and meth, but still! I kept wondering if those texts he was sending from his flip phone (a total burner if I’ve ever seen one) were to various underlings, telling them to knock off rival cartel members. Such drama!

These are the kinds of things that I think make fun and interesting vacation stories, but make my mother worry that I’m reckless in my choice of vacations, and possibly insane. I think we may both be right. :rolleyes:

Yay! I get to relive this trip through a mini-review, without doing any work of my own!!!

But I'll be sure to chime in later if (when?) AZAficionado gets something wrong...:D

I'm leaving on the Freedom in 11 days, and loved your fabulous review of her so much, I had to read this one too! Once again, you knocked it out of the park. I love the two perspectives, because sometimes you need that female POV.

Thought I'd bump this back to the top so someone else can get enjoyment from it as well. Can't wait to read your Panama Canal review.

Thanks for the bump, and for the kind words! Enjoy your Freedom cruise...she's still my favorite ship.

Thanks for the review of the Ritz Carlton, I might consider that for my return to Port Eveglades in 2016. I'm enjoying your review. I am very experienced in cruising with Arizonans. Including 7 days on Allure

 

Though I might be the one shelling out $200 for a room (guessing) and eating at the Hooter's next door! Once I make diamond, My diamond symbol in my signature will have a blue collar

While the Ritz will run you a bit more than $200 :eek:, it's well worth it. Just so relaxing after a long cross-country flight (or after pretty much anything, really). As for Hooters...well, you can't go wrong with that!!

$200? I must have been really sleepy this morning! More like $400. Didn't look for any discounts though.

I suspect that the Ritz isn't big on discounts!

Have only gotten to page 6, but am enjoying the results of your tremendous efforts! We sail for a b2b on November 9 and you are giving me lots of information that I have been wondering about.

 

Thanks,

Bill

So glad you are enjoying, and I hope you have a great time on your B2B. :D

Abs love the Allure

She is an amazing ship, with a lot to love!

We will be trying the Quantum this coming spring and the Anthem when she comes out- I think that the experience of each will equal the Oasis and Allure!

I am sure that's what Royal is hoping for!:D

This was the best review ever!! Thank you so much for sharing all your photos, reviews and experiences! Our cruise in January will only be our 2nd ever, and our first time on Royal and I am so pumped to get on this amazing beast of a ship!

 

Thanks again for taking the time for so much detail!

You are more than welcome - glad you enjoyed, and I think "amazing beast" is the best description I've seen yet for Allure. :D Have fun in January!

Great review so far -- looking forward to the rest!:D

Thanks also for the note about the photos.... is anyone else having trouble seeing any photos and if so, can you tell me which post#? When I look through, I see them all (but some are smaller at the beginning when I was using a different program). I want to to try to get it straightened out ASAP so no one misses out on the photos :eek:

For me, the photos in post numbers 31, 54, and 63 are not showing up. The rest look great. Hope that helps, and good luck!

Ship: Freedom

Port: Cozumel

We have a ton of BOA OBC available on our upcoming Allure cruise. I want to take the All Access tour, but I want to use OBC. Any luck with booking this tour once on board?

On our Allure cruise in May, we had no problem at all booking the All Access Tour on board. Just stopped off at Guest Services the first day. I recall they had a number of dates and times available for the tour.

Fantastic review! We don't sail on the Allure until Feb 2015, but this has been a great help to kickstart my planning! I'm sure I'll be referring back to this often! We're doing the Western itinerary, and I agree that it's the preferred in this case! Thanks for taking the time to put so many details in your review!

Thank you so much, and have a fantastic time next February. :D

Excellent point!

It's all a matter of perspective! :D Of course, the trick is for me to keep that perspective, instead of thinking the ten and a half months until my next cruise is an eternity!

The water taxi in Ft. Lauderdale is a great way to fill the time if you fly in the day before the cruise, too. The hop-on, hop-off feature makes it a great way to see the city without a car.

Absolutely! The water taxi was a great deal, and a lot more fun than I expected. Really glad we got a chance to do it.

Awesome review, thanks for taking the time to post it.

Thank you so much, and I am glad you enjoyed!

Fantastically written review! I really enjoyed the two person approach, it was great to see each of your perspectives on the different features of the Allure. Reading this is making the nearly 2 year wait until I sail on her much more difficult to bear!

Thanks! But don't think of it as nearly two years - "one year and less than 11 months" sounds much shorter! :D

First I'd like to congratulate you guys on such a wonderful review. This tag team duo is an awesome idea and very creative. You guys have only push my expectations for my trip just that much more. Reading your review I picture myself smoking a monte cristo under the stars n sipping on a shot worth $150:eek: ( lol probably minus the $150 shot ). But overall I loved reading another wonderful review of Lady Allure. Your writing and photos really bring the ship to life.

Thank you very much - I'm very glad you enjoyed the review, and I'm also glad the tag team idea worked!

Second is for both of you, after reading both of your conclusions, would you rank the speciality restaurants as (1) chefs table(2) 150 central(3) chops? I ask because on my trip I have the option of one speciality restaurant and wish to choose the one the will give me the best WOW experience.

That is definitely how I would rank them. And, while it is a matter of personal taste, I do know that everyone we dined with at Chef's Table seemed thoroughly WOWed, both times. It really was fantastic.

Again thank you for such a wonderful review. I'm not such an expert on wines but the way you've described the pairing with the food makes my want to try it.

Much as I hate to admit it, my better half is right, as usual: all that wine "expertise" just comes from drinking a heck of a lot of it!:D

P.s. A b2b is now on my bucket list after reading the awesome experience you guys have. Another check RCL has to send you guys :D

That's it! I'm quitting work and I shall live off all the kickbacks that will surely arrive any day now...right?:rolleyes:

Well I guess this is as good as place as any for my first post. Thank you for taking the time to write such a complete recap of your cruise. While I certainly won't be eating at most of the places that you ate and I don't care for wine, but I enjoyed reading about all the different places you experienced.

 

I showed my wife the thread and she went thru it in like an hour. I on the other hand read every word over 3 days:D. We sail on the Allure in Nov. and I will get a lot out of what you wrote, thanks again.

Thanks for reading, and for making us your first post! My hope in doing this review was to try to include "something for everyone" - some items that others might find interesting or entertaining - despite the fact that what I do on vacation may not be for everyone. I'm glad you found some stuff you enjoyed! Have a great time on Allure in November.

My first ever reading a tag team review and a great job by both of you. Kind of the WWE comes to Cruise Critic.

 

Along with Sailor Jack and one or two others, you are now listed on John Galt's "Watch List". It's similar to TSA's but with more competence and fewer strip searches.

As a long-time fan of your reviews, I am very flattered -- thank you. Although, in the interest of full disclosure, I lack the...er...silicone-based feminine enhancements that appear to be necessary for a woman to succeed in the WWE. Which may explain the lack of strip searches.;)

Fantastic review ..wonderful pictures .. and now i wait 2 years to sail Allure ..hehee but ill live it on this review ..

 

thank you !!

Thank you so much! I feel your pain -- it's a little less than a year until my Panama Canal cruise, and I can't wait. And no one seems to be doing any Panama Canal reviews to tide me over!:(

Early on I said this was the Best Review Ever, and now I'll say it again.

 

I linked to it on my roll call for anyone who's not been on the Allure (and even those who have been).

 

But the biggest complement I can give is from my DH, who doesn't read CC and when I point him to a good review says "just tell me what they said."

 

BUt last night he sat through this whole thread.... OK, I skipped through the comments and questions, but he stuck through the review.

 

Of course I cheated and told him there was mention of Remy XII, which sold him.

 

Seriously, thanks for a great read.

Wow...thank you for your extremely kind words! And thanks to your husband as well, for making it through the whole review (it's quite an endeavor even without the comments, and even with the incentive of cognac mentions :D). I am very glad you enjoyed!:)

I loved your photos and explanation. Can't wait to try out the Allure now!

Thank you very much! Allure is definitely amazing!

what a fabulous review!

 

Thank you so much for sharing. I really enjoyed both of your points of views.

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed!