All things EARTH...

Anita, I am loving your review. We are looking forward to the cruise, and this is making me even more excited, even if it is 13 month away, lol. I like the idea that we are trying something different.

With the dining...I know it is delayed, but they are preparing the dining rooms for this. I don't think they anticipate anything prior to our cruise, but you never know. So many people thought they would just stop it altogether so it's a bit surprising to see them create the smaller dining rooms now.

I think there is a lot I would enjoy about a overlooking Central Park. I'm open to different things, but one of the deciding choices for us was that most of your outside space on the Oasis class is on the pool deck. We really don't spend a ton of time on the pool deck. We've always found other open air areas to enjoy, and it's a special part of cruising for us. I wanted to make sure we had that "let's just watch the sea go by" area to enjoy.

On Allure...it is very difficult (if not impossible) to find a nice indoor space where you can enjoy the view of the ocean. When Mom and Dad did this same crossing on Oasis, the conversion of the Viking Lounge did not occur until dry dock. It was still a public place where you could get a great view of the ocean...HOWEVER, they decided to begin the conversion of the Viking Lounge on Allure DURING this sailing...so it was closed off as if it didn't exist.

This was a big disappointment. We all love to watch the ocean.

There were days when our first glimpse of the ocean wouldn't occur until pretty late in the day...especially considering the fact that we were in the middle of the ocean. I will be honest and say that the way that Allure relates to the ocean is a big negative for me.

I think Mom and Dad and I all concluded that the best way to sail on the Oasis class would be to get an ocean view balcony because it is amazing how much you can miss the ocean on Allure while sailing on her. So much of the public spaces have no relation at all to the ocean.

As to the dining room...I haven't done any research regarding the changes that are happening on Allure in dry dock. Regardless as to when or if they ever introduce dynamic dining on the Oasis class...the smaller dining rooms will be a very positive change. The dining room as it was could be very loud during dinner hours. I think that the noise level would be much more pleasant if they could create smaller rooms.

Debbie! I wore my Missoni Converse sneakers today too!!!! Cheers!

Based on what I can see online...all the balcony staterooms, regardless of view...have the same/similar layout. I didn't actually go into any other staterooms on our sailing...other than the glimpses you get into other staterooms when the doors are open while they are being serviced...which for all appearances would confirm that Laurie, your stateroom may be similar to:

Stateroom 12235:

This is a 2 person occupancy stateroom. You get a sofa. NOT a loveseat...a full sized SOFA. Mom and Dad's stateroom...12237...had a sofa bed. The sofa bed came out of a loveseat sized sofa. That room was an opposite of this room...with the bed by the balcony and the loveseat next to the closet.

We had connecting staterooms. The connecting door is in the entrance hallway, opposite the bathroom door...the bathroom is behind the closet:

The robes in the room are a reflection of loyalty status, not standard amenities for the stateroom. The closet has a second rod...it can fold up out of the way or you can use it to create a double rod for half the closet for hanging shorter items. My closet was jam packed with hangers...you can catch a glimpse of a hanger peeking out behind the closet door...it's solid hangers from that point to the end of the rod.

Shelves only...no drawers in the closet. There is a nice shelf above the hanging space...but I think it is rarely used...mine was covered in dust.

The black bump on the left wall is a magnetic door stop...it will hold the connecting door open. It is the BEST robe hanger. There are two small "hangers" above the magazine rack. One has the breakfast room service menu hanging on them...the second hanger will work for the robe too, but not as well.

If you move the magazines...those "buckets" can be handy for many items.

There is a full length mirror on the hallway wall next to the bathroom door. It's pretty impossible to take an outfit photo in the mirror though...

The bedside tables are simple shelves...completely open...so things can easily slide off them...they aren't truly useful for real storage.

The other main storage area in the room is around the desk:

The shallow top drawer has a perforated bottom...it holds the supplied hair dryer. (I didn't use this hair dryer...so no clue as to how powerful it is.) The other two deeper drawers are normal. You can start to see the cabinet with shelves next to the mirror:

There is a similar cabinet below, next to the desk chair...I think it only has two shallow shelves. The shelf above the television is fairly deep...two bottles deep. The frame of the mirror lights up like those old make-up mirrors from the 70s...but you can't adjust the lighting for day, night, etc. (Anyone else have one of those? It was Mom's but I LOVED that thing.)

There is actually a clock in the room! The iPod player below the television has a clock display. The left side will play the iPod...the right side is for charging only. There is a multi-outlet plug on the level of the desk...it has three side by side...and they face side by side...so if you have a DC converter on your charger, it will limit the access to the other plugs.

The bathroom is an efficient, cozy space:

There are two hooks in the shower. There are two corner shaped wire shelves in the shower. There is a nice single cabinet above the sink area (it may look like a double-wide because of the mirror's reflection) with a cute drawer.

The top shelf under the sink isn't very storage friendly. The bath floor mat (for when you step out of the shower) likes to live on this shelf with the toilet paper roll hanger. I moved the tissue box to the desk...

The cabinet under the sink has two mini shelves. A trash receptacle is attached to one of the doors...so the shelves are only as wide as one door.

Other hanging opportunities in the bathroom include 3 small hooks on the bathroom side of the door, 2 towel racks on the wall opposite the shower, and 2 small hooks on the wall next to the towel racks. Because I had hangers galore...many with the clips for hanging skirts, etc....I used hangers to hang my wet swimsuit, coverups, exercise clothes, etc...this worked well for using the wire shelves and the hooks in the shower for hanging and then I could easily move things around (even if they were still damp) to use the shower.

Our stateroom attendant needed to unlock the connecting door for us. Also, he opened the glass portion of the balcony partition so that we could share the balcony. Sharing the balcony didn't completely open it up...it just opened a doorway...but still...it was a handy arrangement to have the two ways to share living space.

This was my home away from home for 12 nights.

I preferred the desk and sitting area being close to the balcony...even if it meant that the area in front of the closet was something of a squeeze. I did sit at the "make up" mirror with the door open (GASP!) listening to music while primping for the evening (once I was decently dressed of course).

The closet configuration is different on Celebrity...so I was having a hard time visualizing how my family would use the room. For Celebrity, the closet is in the entrance hallway. One side has the door to the bathroom and opposite that door to the bathroom are the closets. There are hinged doors to access the closet...not a slider. DS and I have a system of leaving a closet door and the bathroom door simultaneously open to form a screen for a private changing area that includes the closet and the bathroom. This arrangement would just NOT be possible in the Allure stateroom configuration without some additional props.

Also...I missed the drawers for the closet. Celebrity has 6 drawers with a couple shelves above in one closet section.

Celebrity Concierge class comes with a robe...with a robe provided on Royal as a loyalty level perk...I didn't miss the robe...but I have to say that my current loyalty level doesn't come with a robe. I really like the robes. The little bathroom gets so humid after showering...I like having some time to cool off myself and lounge around a bit in a robe before dressing again. ESPECIALLY if I am sharing a stateroom.

All in all though...I thought the M-class concierge cabins (my only experience with Celebrity and the balcony Allure cabins were pretty equal. I did prefer the television placement on the Allure...the flat screen above the desk was much better than the television in the corner on Celebrity. And I did appreciate having a clock in the room on Allure...Celebrity has no clock except the time on the telephone display. And I think I might light the lighting better on Allure...but I'll get to that later.

All in all, I would say that the cabin comparison between the two lines...from my personal experience was fairly even.

Based on what I can see online...all the balcony staterooms, regardless of view...have the same/similar layout. I didn't actually go into any other staterooms on our sailing...other than the glimpses you get into other staterooms when the doors are open while they are being serviced...which for all appearances would confirm that Laurie, your stateroom may be similar to:

 

Stateroom 12235:

 

 

This is a 2 person occupancy stateroom. You get a sofa. NOT a loveseat...a full sized SOFA. Mom and Dad's stateroom...12237...had a sofa bed. The sofa bed came out of a loveseat sized sofa. That room was an opposite of this room...with the bed by the balcony and the loveseat next to the closet.

 

We had connecting staterooms. The connecting door is in the entrance hallway, opposite the bathroom door...the bathroom is behind the closet:

 

 

The robes in the room are a reflection of loyalty status, not standard amenities for the stateroom. The closet has a second rod...it can fold up out of the way or you can use it to create a double rod for half the closet for hanging shorter items. My closet was jam packed with hangers...you can catch a glimpse of a hanger peeking out behind the closet door...it's solid hangers from that point to the end of the rod.

 

Shelves only...no drawers in the closet. There is a nice shelf above the hanging space...but I think it is rarely used...mine was covered in dust.

 

The black bump on the left wall is a magnetic door stop...it will hold the connecting door open. It is the BEST robe hanger. There are two small "hangers" above the magazine rack. One has the breakfast room service menu hanging on them...the second hanger will work for the robe too, but not as well.

 

If you move the magazines...those "buckets" can be handy for many items.

 

There is a full length mirror on the hallway wall next to the bathroom door. It's pretty impossible to take an outfit photo in the mirror though...

 

The bedside tables are simple shelves...completely open...so things can easily slide off them...they aren't truly useful for real storage.

 

The other main storage area in the room is around the desk:

 

 

The shallow top drawer has a perforated bottom...it holds the supplied hair dryer. (I didn't use this hair dryer...so no clue as to how powerful it is.) The other two deeper drawers are normal. You can start to see the cabinet with shelves next to the mirror:

 

 

There is a similar cabinet below, next to the desk chair...I think it only has two shallow shelves. The shelf above the television is fairly deep...two bottles deep. The frame of the mirror lights up like those old make-up mirrors from the 70s...but you can't adjust the lighting for day, night, etc. (Anyone else have one of those? It was Mom's but I LOVED that thing.)

 

There is actually a clock in the room! The iPod player below the television has a clock display. The left side will play the iPod...the right side is for charging only. There is a multi-outlet plug on the level of the desk...it has three side by side...and they face side by side...so if you have a DC converter on your charger, it will limit the access to the other plugs.

 

The bathroom is an efficient, cozy space:

 

 

There are two hooks in the shower. There are two corner shaped wire shelves in the shower. There is a nice single cabinet above the sink area (it may look like a double-wide because of the mirror's reflection) with a cute drawer.

 

 

The top shelf under the sink isn't very storage friendly. The bath floor mat (for when you step out of the shower) likes to live on this shelf with the toilet paper roll hanger. I moved the tissue box to the desk...

 

The cabinet under the sink has two mini shelves. A trash receptacle is attached to one of the doors...so the shelves are only as wide as one door.

 

Other hanging opportunities in the bathroom include 3 small hooks on the bathroom side of the door, 2 towel racks on the wall opposite the shower, and 2 small hooks on the wall next to the towel racks. Because I had hangers galore...many with the clips for hanging skirts, etc....I used hangers to hang my wet swimsuit, coverups, exercise clothes, etc...this worked well for using the wire shelves and the hooks in the shower for hanging and then I could easily move things around (even if they were still damp) to use the shower.

 

Our stateroom attendant needed to unlock the connecting door for us. Also, he opened the glass portion of the balcony partition so that we could share the balcony. Sharing the balcony didn't completely open it up...it just opened a doorway...but still...it was a handy arrangement to have the two ways to share living space.

 

This was my home away from home for 12 nights.

 

I preferred the desk and sitting area being close to the balcony...even if it meant that the area in front of the closet was something of a squeeze. I did sit at the "make up" mirror with the door open (GASP!) listening to music while primping for the evening (once I was decently dressed of course).

 

The closet configuration is different on Celebrity...so I was having a hard time visualizing how my family would use the room. For Celebrity, the closet is in the entrance hallway. One side has the door to the bathroom and opposite that door to the bathroom are the closets. There are hinged doors to access the closet...not a slider. DS and I have a system of leaving a closet door and the bathroom door simultaneously open to form a screen for a private changing area that includes the closet and the bathroom. This arrangement would just NOT be possible in the Allure stateroom configuration without some additional props.

 

Also...I missed the drawers for the closet. Celebrity has 6 drawers with a couple shelves above in one closet section.

 

Celebrity Concierge class comes with a robe...with a robe provided on Royal as a loyalty level perk...I didn't miss the robe...but I have to say that my current loyalty level doesn't come with a robe. I really like the robes. The little bathroom gets so humid after showering...I like having some time to cool off myself and lounge around a bit in a robe before dressing again. ESPECIALLY if I am sharing a stateroom.

 

All in all though...I thought the M-class concierge cabins (my only experience with Celebrity and the balcony Allure cabins were pretty equal. I did prefer the television placement on the Allure...the flat screen above the desk was much better than the television in the corner on Celebrity. And I did appreciate having a clock in the room on Allure...Celebrity has no clock except the time on the telephone display. And I think I might light the lighting better on Allure...but I'll get to that later.

 

All in all, I would say that the cabin comparison between the two lines...from my personal experience was fairly even.

Anita, I know that the layout flips. Sometimes the bed is near the door and sometimes it is near the balcony. Ours will be near the door according to people who have had the room previously. the rooms seem really nice. It's odd how this class can be so different than the other classes. Keep those pictures coming!

Is there any way to tell from the deck plans which layout you will have?

Also, is the foot of the bed curved in every class of stateroom? Is this an RCI thing across the fleet?

Anita , Just curious did the ship seem crowded ? That is my fear with these massive ships that getting on & off would be a hassle and the crowds would be annoying .

Margaret, I'm trying to remember about whether or not the configuration of each is on the website or not. This is rather unique to the Oasis class. Honestly, I think my husband is going to be disappointed that the bed is near the door, not the balcony. I think it all depends on the person.

I don't think the rounded mattress is standard either. It's funny, cut I can't remember!!!! Isn't that awful?

I love all the storage space. RCI typically has shelves in the closet, and I like that. I can see what I have easily. I hang up as much as I can though. Then I use the shelves for shorts and pajamas, purses, whatever. I use the drawers at the makeup table for the underclothes and jewelry. They sneak storage in there everywhere. I absolutely love the space in a junior suite hands down, but the cost is too high right now. I'll jump at any price drops they have though if it becomes affordable.

@Margaret. Hello! What an interesting question regarding the rounding corners of the bed! So, I took a quick scan of the pictures of the staterooms that my DH has taken over the years: Jewel of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Mariner, Voyager, Explorer, Freedom, Oasis, Allure… and every single one of them has the rounded corner beds. So, I'd venture to say that… empirical data would imply… pretty much all the beds on RCCL have those rounded corners.

I have gotten so used to the flip/flop way that Celebrity staterooms have the bed next to balcony vs bed next to closet arrangement that I can't really remember whether that flip/flop is common on other RCCL ships. I can say that the way Celebrity does the flip/flop is every other stateroom; i.e., on the Oasis, Anita had her bed next to closet and the stateroom next door (ours) had its bed next to balcony. So I would say that a good methodology to use would be to locate a stateroom where you know the configuration and do the every other analysis to get an idea of the configuration of the stateroom that interests you. It's just an assumption, on my part, that RCCL would follow the same logic as Celebrity, but I don't know for certain.

Having been on the Radiance class, Voyager class, Freedom class, and (now) Oasis class of ships, I don't really see that much difference among the ships that have the promenade configuration. I don't know, Laurie, maybe you have a more discerning eye than I do, but I just don't "get" that there's a huge difference in these ships… other than the recognizable size differences.

I can tell you that, IMO, the Oasis class lends itself to having the most variability in the cruising experience based upon two factors: the stateroom that you choose and the loyalty status that you've attained. (Again, IMO), the difference between sailing in an ocean view balcony vs any of the neighborhood balconies is worthy of serious consideration. We chose to sail in the Central Park neighborhood balconies for monetary reasons, both times that we sailed the TransAtlantic itineraries. The difference between the pricing of the Central Park balcony vs the ocean view ones was the ability to stay in Europe for an extra week when we sailed on the Oasis! And the difference between the pricing, again, of the Central Park balconies vs the ocean view ones was the ability to have connecting staterooms on the Allure. I did, however, really miss the ocean "connection" during the crossings.

As to the question on whether the ship felt crowded, I would say that both the Oasis and Allure have the most crowded feeling of any ship I've sailed. Of course, they are the biggest ships that I've sailed. And, keep in mind that I've only sailed these extraordinary TransAtlantic crossings on both vessels. The thing that made the ship feel the most crowded, I think, is the way that you have to deal with your entertainment in that you have to make reservations in order to get into the venues for the performances; if you don't show up within 15 minutes of the performance, then the seats are all "released" and people waiting in a stand-by line are gained admission. What this means, in reality, is that people show up ONE HOUR before the performances starts in order to gain "best" seats for the performance. They do rope off areas of the venue for gold cards (suite passengers) and Pinnacle (loyalty status) passengers, and these remain roped off until that 15-minute before performance mark. I've never sailed any itinerary where people arrived at a performance so far in advance of its start time. And, people actually arrive ONE HOUR before a performance in order to be the first in the stand-by line which makes for a feeling of "crowding" at the venue. Your SeaPass card is scanned in order to gain admittance; we only had one problem with my DH's card not showing a reservation that we'd made but we managed to work it out with the "gatekeeper" at the time.

So, even though we had reserve seats… we couldn't find decent seats at the Aqua Theatre show because we arrived there "only" 20 minutes before the performance. We didn't have decent seats at Studio B for the ice show (even though I left the dining room without dessert so I could try to get seats for us at a 25-minute mark before the performance); I barely got us three seats together and that took some doing. Seat saving was a rampant problem, even though there were announcements that seat saving wasn't allowed. Just try to sit where someone is saving a few seats! I don't have that kind of confrontation gene, I guess. We managed to get good seats for Chicago, but we arrived 45-minutes before the performance and then did the "excuse me, excuse me" dance to get to the facilities before the show; just not fun, really. And, of course, whenever a performance ended is when you really felt the crowds; no different than any other performance venue you would attend, really. It's just that the jam was pretty intense because so many people would try to crowd at the elevator area rather than just walking up or down the stairs.

Anita and I did figure out the best methodology for getting to a lady's facility before any of the performances. We always walked up or down at least two flights of stairs and used a facility that wasn't in the vicinity of the performance venue. So, there are ways of managing that might need to be a bit creative, but get the job done.

What I mean about the loyalty status also giving you a "different" cruise experience… and this could also be the fact that we were on these TransAtlantic's with so very many higher-level status… Diamonds, Diamond Plus, Pinnacle… is that the lounges just couldn't accommodate all the cruisers with status. So, as a result… they make Private Events out of the lounges… like Dazzles was off limits for the happy hour time in the evenings to everyone but Diamond Plus and above… while Jazz and Blaze were off limits during happy hour for everyone but Diamond and above. When you consider that those are 3 bars on the ship, it made me wonder how other cruisers might feel about their evening's options. The Champagne Bar and Rising Tide were usually taken over by a specific group… so, again, this made the ship feel a bit more crowded.

I hope that this information isn't coming across as being negative in tone; I'm meaning it to be pretty factual and just give knowledge that, hopefully, is helpful in determining the best planning for your cruise on board the Oasis class. I just think that there's a lot of opportunity for some legitimate frustration, but… at the same time… a lot of customization can be achieved that would give a different flavor to the time onboard.

Really great review ! Thank you !

When I say the Oasis class is different than the other classes, I probably should explain myself better. You are right, Pam, all those reservations are one of the things that is different. Central Park, some of the specialty restaurants...those are different. With the other classes, I often find that the ships are all the same, with a size difference and a feature or two to distinguish them. They all look fairly similar.

But, I haven't been on that many ships so I may feel differently as I continue to cruise.

I think I'd be annoyed with all the groups taking over the bars, you know? My husband and I have always been fans of the Schooner Bar, and the Viking Crown Lounge, for the view and quietness.

I checked a picture of our room on Enchantment, and it looks like we had the regular rectangular mattress, not the curved one. There is something very nice about the curved one...I know it doesn't make a difference in how you sleep, but it's very pleasing to the eye.

Pam, I hope you are feeling better!!!

I figure that I'm a week out, it won't be silly for me to get my clothes and things ready now. :rolleyes: My dresses are all pressed and hanging on the outside of the closet. Most of my clothing is out and ready to be packed. I like to touch up knit tops with the iron and then pack them carefully, so those are setting on top.

Somehow, doing this makes me feel better and makes me think I won't forget anything. It seems like I have more than usual, but there is a big difference between shorts and a knit top compared to jeans, a knit top, a scarf, and a jacket. The knit cardigan and the lightweight coat will be repeated throughout the cruise as needed. It's cooler at the stops on my cruise than here right now. It's 87 here!

Anita , Just curious did the ship seem crowded ? That is my fear with these massive ships that getting on & off would be a hassle and the crowds would be annoying .

Hey Sally...

Mom answered this...but I'm going to chime in as well.

Embarkation was not overly crowded. The way that they continuously divide the passengers into subgroups made for a very manageable boarding process. Now...who knows but that we hit it just right for our deck? At a different time of day...perhaps it would have been more crowded?

Once on the ship...lunch was a different story. We ate at the Park Cafe (more on that later). The Cafe itself wasn't necessarily busy, but the only available seating was in direct sun...BAKING sun...and so finding a place to eat our lunch wasn't what it should have been. We sat on an available park bench in the shade, which wasn't really intended for meal time. When we walked around...and went to check out the Windjammer buffet...there was a huge line on both sides...and people were waiting to be escorted to an available table. WAITING... So the whole mealtime on embarkation day felt very crowded.

Many things could have been unique to our cruise because of all the Sea Days...so please keep that in mind for the following...

The Solarium was RIDICULOUSLY crowded. There were times when you could literally NOT find a single available chair. Not that there were people in all the chairs...but they were claimed with towels, books, magazines, etc. Usually, this occurred in the morning. After lunch...and especially in the late afternoon...the place would start to clear out a bit. But we observed a woman come and claim an available lounge chair next to us...she set down her towel, hat, and book...off she went...and we believe that she ate lunch in the Solarium Cafe...then came back and claimed her stuff and left without ever having used the lounge chair. Very annoying.

In the solarium, people would move the chairs around...there were some big groups of people...and also people that wanted to be more in the sun...or more in the shade...and they didn't really care about traffic patterns...and so this could contribute to the overall feeling of being so crowded.

The Fitness Center could be very crowded. There is only one machine that I should use at this time...the recumbent bike...and there were only 5 in the gym. It's a pretty typical PT machine...and I could pick out the other PT people...and we would often have to wait to be able to use the machines. Also...for space in the "stretching" and mat work, etc., area...I usually could find a place to do my PT...but most days...there were a lot of people in there.

Now definitely because of the nature of our TA cruise...people would camp out at certain tables and chairs. Usually, they would play a game of some sort...and if they found an available table in the relatively small Starbucks lounge (relative being in relation to the size of the ship...Cafe Al Bacio could seat as many.)...they might camp out at their table for hours...even if they weren't enjoying Starbucks offerings.

This phenomenon would happen all over the ship in various venues...like the Solarium Cafe. There were two nice outdoor patios at this restaurant...and just a couple of fun seats like a wicker style, big cushioned sofa and chairs, etc...and people would NAP in the sofa. And again with the games...

Like I say...the nature of a TA with 9 Sea Days in a row...but it could be annoying. Usually, we were able to find SOMEPLACE to sit in the venue where we were...but often, it was time consuming to do so...and many times, it wasn't a nice place to be...it was available because it was a windy seat on a cool (63 degree) day, etc.

The nature of the Oasis class (and perhaps all the Promenade based ships) is that the ship is kind of an open concept ship. Like an open concept house...if you don't have an "away" room that is somewhat cut off from the big open spaces...you never feel like you can find a quiet nook to get away from the rest of the family. The Oasis class, for sure, is like this. There isn't truly a place outside of your stateroom that you can get the crowd around you divided down or somehow "away" from your space so that you feel like you aren't in the midst of such a large number of people all the time.

Now some of this may have been due to the what Mom already talked about...there were 3 lounges that were claimed for the loyalty happy hours. Our sailing had about 5200 passengers...there were over 1000 Diamonds...I did not add any zeros...there were ALMOST 1000 D+...and there were 86 Pinnacle people. I don't recall the other levels...and I don't think you get a lounge without being one of these levels...so no impact on what I'm trying to say...but the lounges that were claimed for the Loyal to Royal were the out of the way places.

The Dazzles lounge is a pretty lounge. It's fairly small...they would have evening entertainment there...usually a live band/duo and dancing...but because it was a D+ lounge for happy hour...it was nearly impossible to find an open table/chair because they were STILL claimed by those that continued to enjoy the lounge after the happy hours had ended.

So again...the nature of the beast...likely unique to our sailing...BUT...

On the evening that we ate at Chops...we thought it might be nice to sit on the Terrace...but the Terrace had been reserved for Suite guests, Pinnacle, and D+...and if you weren't that...you couldn't reserve the Terrace. We didn't ask when we were seated if we could sit out there...I think the evening was cool and perhaps we didn't care so much to ask when we arrived and then risk feeling cold (especially with the health of our family), so perhaps it would have been available but not reservable, so long as it was actually available? IDK.

The bathroom situation Mom briefly mentioned was somewhat comical. MTD was on Deck 5...and the bathroom on deck 5 had 3 stalls. THREE!! ??? The bathroom on Deck 4...next to one of the seated dinners...had 5 stalls...FIVE! The best bathroom was on Deck 6...which is next to nothing. ??? So we learned to make our way to Deck 6 for the potty...when we were aft that is. It's a whole different story forward near the theater.

But ladies would be in a line out the door and down the walkway toward the stairs at that Deck 5 bathroom. OMG.

Times like this...it isn't so much that the ship felt crowded as it felt poorly designed.

Like Mom, I'm trying to give a factual answer to the question asked. I admit that I don't like Promenade ships. I prefer an outward facing ship...and Promenade ships are inward ships.

Now, ALMOST every time Dad and I were out on the Boardwalk...virtually empty. We went out there a couple of times during happy hour-ish times...and it was quite lovely. I think the big screens should be retractable. I think it's ridiculous that they have a slide show of videos of different ocean scenes, etc., and block the view of the actual ocean. We found the Boardwalk to be sheltered...if you could escape the wind, then the temperature wasn't too cool...if you were dressed properly. The only thing that would happen on the Boardwalk is that they would also start showing movies...and the sound was rather loud...but if you sat on the Boardwalk side of the bar out there...not the Aquatheater side...then the noise would recede enough to continue to have a nice conversation.

We had MTD...and we never had a single reservation...and we never waited for a table. Now granted...I believe that this was something of a "perk" for the dietary restrictions we were under...and the major problems we were encountering dealing with that (more on that later). There were times when we would see people waiting for a table in the lounge area...but not all night.

The dining room, for as large as it is...felt very crowded. Perhaps it was because we were in MTD and people were constantly coming and going...and where we were seated...we weren't removed from that foot traffic. Tables were close (like Europe!) and the noise level was high. It wasn't so much that you couldn't have conversation in a normal voice...or struggle to hear your servers...but the ambient noise of the dining room was always humming loudly. I can tell you that it was a noticeable different to eat in a different venue that was a single story as opposed to 3-story tall dining room.

Mom already talked about the shows...

In other places...there was almost a constant line. In the Promenade Cafe...for example...always at least a small line for picking up water, etc. Guest Services...that little drawer in my bathroom held the treasures of a previous passenger...several pieces of inexpensive jewelry...I kept thinking that I should go to GS and drop it off and explain...but I didn't want to deal with the line if I didn't have to.

My family discovered Music Trivia on our Carnival cruise...OMG...the Schooner Bar was the designated place for the non-progressive trivia (which was held in Dazzles)...and if you didn't arrive EARLY...it was challenging to find a chair. EARLY is at least 30 minutes...which for me, is a bit early to arrive for a 30 minute activity.

Now...I will say that, for the most part, we were able to do what we wanted to do. The crowds did not prevent us from this. And often...the line would be only 3-5 people...so not really a major line. And my norm was to not have to wait in the bathroom...and only dealt with crowd management bathroom strategy when the ship was generally congregating (like at dinner time and show times). But the times that you can find a quiet nook are few and very far between...and often at odd times.

For example...a couple of times, I went wandering around the ship before turning in for bed...I thought I'd check out the Library and the Card Room. It was after midnight, maybe 1 am-ish...and the Library was reserved for a private meeting...and the Card Room was full of people playing games.

It is what it is.

I don't know that I would say that the ship always felt CROWDED so much as it isn't designed with areas that help you feel like you are around fewer people...with the specialty restaurants being an exception to this.

For me...it's an eye's wide open kind of ship. Know in advance what you are dealing with...have an attitude that enables you to deal with it...pack your patience KWIM? For me...I would equate the Oasis class with a trip to Walt Disney World. You learn how to work the system...and it can be enjoyable. But it's THAT kind of vacation...

I think I'd be annoyed with all the groups taking over the bars, you know? My husband and I have always been fans of the Schooner Bar, and the Viking Crown Lounge, for the view and quietness.

The Viking Lounge doesn't exist any more for all intents and purposes. It is a lounge for Suite Guests.

The Schooner Bar was the one bar that wouldn't be so overrun with crowds...unless it was trivia time. It isn't that quiet though...it overlooks the Promenade...and of course, when the piano player is in there...it's all about that. On Oasis...there's no windows on the Schooner Bar so it's just an interior bar. There is nice seating in the Schooner Bar...nice conversation areas...just a big bummer that there is no ocean view.

It's funny, Anita...what you describe is really not the kind of cruising I like. I do hope that it is just that it was a sailing with many sea days and the like.

We will be sailing the first week in June. School won't be out yet here in New York, but I'm not sure of the warmer states.

When we were on Enchantment, it was a very quiet ship, with lots of little areas where you could curl up with a book or whatever. So different!

Oh, and here's the bed on Enchantment.

Laurie, the schools in Colorado are out before Memorial Day. Anita & Pam, you two rock! you've given so much thought to this review that I feel I was with you. We actually booked a 9-night Liberty cruise out of Galveston today for November this year. We'll go to 3 islands that we haven't been to (Jamaica, Grand Cayman & Costa Maya). We've had so much rain & hail this week (so unusual as we are high desert) that I think I'm rusting... & we scored an aft cabin! Melody

When we were on Enchantment, it was a very quiet ship, with lots of little areas where you could curl up with a book or whatever. So different!

Allure is not that kind of ship. It just isn't. I don't think that I'm overstating it to say that the only thing that is little on the Allure is the Library and the Ladies' Bathroom on Deck 5. It's a huge open concept ship with big rooms. It is possible to find space to enjoy the ship...but that space is rarely isolated and rarely will you be away from the traffic of other passengers.

I've heard of people complaining because of a ship being overrun with kids. There were 86 passengers under the age 18 on our sailing...so it was completely overrun with adults. Lots and lots of adults...who were Loyal to Royal.

Enchantment doesn't have the Promenade, right? It's a Vision class?

Oh...also to say...the Solarium Bar had an evening event called "Cigars under the stars" and they allowed smoking at that bar in the evenings. We were fortunate there one evening...no smokers. But we weren't so fortunate on the our other attempt there.

Our schools let out before Memorial Day. Texas would let out the week after Memorial Day...usually that Wednesday or Thursday.

Thank you Melody for that feedback! I think when you KNOW (as much as you can in these circumstances) someone...the experiences shared mean that much more...one reason why it's more fun to share here.

And this review has just begun...

Let me share something that is completely WONDERFUL on the Allure...drum roll please...

The Thermal Suite...

Everyone...oooooooooo...ahhhhhhhhhh.

Oh yes.

While we were in exploring mode...the pre-muster drill thing that you do...we encountered the spa table on Deck 16...it was set up along the wall in between the two entrances to the Windjammer Buffet. Mom and Dad are familiar with the offerings of the Thermal Suite because of the similarities between this Oasis class feature and the Persian Gardens on Celebrity.

Our big indulgence on the sailing was for each of us to get a pass to the Thermal Suite!

I heard two different numbers for the maximum number of passes sold. I heard both 40 and 50. And again...I didn't mess up on the zeros. I believe that day passes may still be sold...but I'm not sure. And I don't know how they limit those.

The Thermal Suite is lovely area in the Spa. Deck 6. This area contains access points to the Salon, the Fitness Center, and the Spa. Enter on Deck 6...walk past the Vitality Cafe and the seating for that...past the Salon entrance...at the information desk...do not take a left to the Fitness Center...take a right...

Walk past some lovely Asian inspired displays...through the quiet...

You will encounter a two-story high foyer type place with the slightly scary all glass stairs...

With a lovely Zen garden below the stairs:

And reach the Spa Desk. If you have purchased a pass, you will have a special sticker on your Sea Pass Card. Present your card, which will be held at the desk in exchange for an access key to the Thermal Suite and a locker key. You will also be given a clean, white robe.

Swimsuits are required in the Thermal Suite...men and women share the suite.

The locker rooms are nice. There is nothing private about them. There is not a changing room available. If you are shy...wear your swimsuit to the spa. There are showers available...towels provided in the locker room. These showers are much larger than the stateroom showers...but I did not partake and have no real opinion.

Like other spas...there is a meditation type room:

The lighting is somewhat subdued...but probably not as dim as this photo would lead you to believe. The ceiling above the center blossom tree is uplit and there is a happy cloudy sky above. There are no loungers...but most of the chairs have foot stools. It's a nice room to cool off in...and enjoy some ice cold water. There are 3 water dispensers in here...one has "flavored water" which means that there are lemon slices floating in the dispenser. There are also hot beverages...but I did not partake.

If you so desire...you can read all about how your tongue reflects your current physical/emotional state...and testimonies about how the acupuncture services on board helped other people that made use of such service...we did not...but we did look at the tongue diagrams...fairly interesting. There are binders scattered around the room with this info.

Take your ice cold water into the Thermal Suite...

Tours are given on embarkation day only...which is when this photo was taken. Mom is lounging on the heated lounger. OMG. I WANT ONE. I don't know how I could make one of these...but these loungers are amazing. You cannot comprehend how lovely and actually comfortable this rock hard, but HEATED, lounger is.

Hang your robe on one of the hooks on the wall. Grab a towel from one of the benches...you will appreciate the towel barrier between your bare skin and anything that you sit that bare skin on in the Thermal Suite...

And begin to relax on the lounger...

Then head into the room that appeals:

Choose between:

The Aroma Steam Chamber...the right door in the above photo

The Laconium Dry Heat Chamber: A tiled tempered dry room...the middle door

The Caldarium Steam Chamber: A tiled tempered steam room...the left door

or one of the two Tropical Rain Shower Experience Rooms...only hinted at with the small tiled sections on either end of the Thermal Suite. In addition to the rain shower head, there are 2 different buttons to push in each room...and each rooms buttons are unique...I will not share exactly what these buttons do...because you really should just explore for yourself and discover...

I will say that Mom pushed one of the buttons and the entire Thermal Suite heard her exclaim, "HOLY--!" And she didn't say anything but that...she cut herself off...

And everyone else who had pushed that particular button chuckled because that's a pretty good description...

LOVE me some time in the Thermal Suite...OMG.

We made good use of our passes.

The idea is that you go back and forth between the rooms and the loungers and the refreshing shower. Some ladies knew that they were going to be doing the Thermal Suite...they had creams and lotions and things that they were applying while in the rooms. Most people were barefoot...like ourselves...but some had flip flops. The tiled floor felt very unstable unfoot when wet to me...but I couldn't imagine relying on any kind of flip flop for more sure footing.

The Thermal Suite is available during spa hours...from 8 am to 10 pm for our sailing.

HIGHLY recommend.

This is completely new to me. So you can buy a pass? And this may seem silly to ask, but these are heated seats? A bit like a sauna? So you wear a swimsuit and a coverup? I'm very intrigued by this.

Ok, thermal spa lounger looks like heaven!

This is completely new to me. So you can buy a pass? And this may seem silly to ask, but these are heated seats? A bit like a sauna? So you wear a swimsuit and a coverup? I'm very intrigued by this.

The Thermal Suite is AWESOME. OMG. Ask away so you can understand.

You can buy a pass. For our sailing, they offered two different kinds of passes. One was for everyday...the other was for 7 days. The 7 day pass could be used 7 times...didn't have to be consecutively. Warning...they do add the automatic gratuity to the pass...

The loungers are heated from within. They are made of some sort of solid material...kind of similar to a Corian countertop? Kind of stone like...but molded. And they are in a comfortable position...there is a dip for your rear to get nestled into and the raised area for you to bend your legs...it means that you don't slide at all...your body gets wedged in there. And the entire seat is warm...heated from within...from edge to edge. Dad tried to capture my reaction to when I first sat on the lounger...not a good picture...but maybe you can tell that I was thrilled:

You can sit in your robe which the spa provides...or use a towel (which on normally stacked on the bench in the picture above, which is right by the entrance door...the same thing is on each side of the suite)...to protect your exposed skin from getting too warm against the lounger...or any of the tiles in the steam and dry sauna rooms.

You wear your swim suit only in the suite.

What I did...

Wear my swimsuit and a cover up of some sort...usually my big pareo-like scarf...and my Teva sandals to walk from my stateroom to the spa. In the locker room, I would leave my eyeglasses or sunglasses, Tevas, coverup and anything else I might have with me in the locker. Wear my robe from the locker room into the spa area...to the meditation room to get some water...to the Thermal Suite.

I would hang up the robe in the Thermal Suite and then just be in my swimsuit to use the suite...and grab towels in the suite to use. There are a ton of towels...they get wet...especially in the steam room. There is a basket for the used towels in the suite...so grab fresh towels as you want and use to your heart's content if you want a fresh towel for the lounger each time...or two towels for the lounger even...

When you are ready to leave...deposit your towel in the basket...put your robe back on...visit the meditation room again if you desire...and then back in the locker room, change back into your cover up, etc., and put the robe in the used robe basket in the locker room. At the desk, return your access card to the Thermal Suite and your locker key.

There are two access doors to the Thermal Suite...one on each side of the room. It takes an access card (like a security card at a business) to get the door to open...which keeps out everyone that doesn't have a pass.

The Meditation Room is available for all users of the Spa area. No access key required. I saw that some people were in there waiting for their spa technician to meet them for various services.

Meditation Room:

Water dispensers:

Let me know if you have more questions...

There are tours of the spa on embarkation day. If you go on a tour, you can enter a drawing to receive a fairly significant credit for the spa. So you can see what it is that you are purchasing. Mom knew about the Thermal Suite from her experience with Celebrity's Spa Area...so she got understand from just talking to the lady at the table what the Thermal Suite was all about...and we actually purchased our passes sight unseen at the kind of information/sales desk near the buffet.

Ok, thermal spa lounger looks like heaven!

Oh yes...truly...heavenly. You can nap on them...if the room isn't so busy that you feel guilty hogging the lounger. But even a short cat nap is NICE. So relaxing.

Happy Mother's Day!

It's still embarkation day...it's sail-a-way time.

Muster was pretty much muster. The only thing that was unusual about this muster drill was the fact that, in addition to normal life jacket, etc. safety information, we watched an animated film regarding the importance of washing your hands:

This is my personal rant...so please excuse me...but most people don't know how to wash their hands properly! It makes me slightly crazy. I've read that the average person washes their hands for a total of 8 seconds...this includes ALL the time that a person spends at the sink. This is kind of worthless...

Soap is a surfactant...and it takes the action of rubbing soap all over the surface of your hands for the soap to do it's thing as a surfactant. It takes a minimum of 20 seconds for the soap to dislodge all the things that are stuck to your hands (yes, including your natural oils) and all those things that have become suspended and attached to the soap get rinsed off. If you don't rub long enough...then things remain stuck to your hands. The final step is to determinedly wipe your hands with a towel of some sort to physically remove whatever the water rinse couldn't.

Basically, once you get soap on your hands...you are supposed to sing Happy Birthday to yourself...or sing the Alphabet Song...and when you are done singing, you have rubbed your hands enough. In all the bathrooms and hand washing I did, other than Mom, there was only ONE other lady that washed her hands for a full 20 seconds. ONE!

End of rant.

We did not have a definite plan in mind for sail-a-way. However, we quickly made up our minds at the end of muster and headed STRAIGHT to our chosen location for sail-a-way. Note to self...this is the thing to do if you really want to be where you want to be for sail-a-way. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Go straight to your chosen location.

We decided to sit in the Solarium on the port side...

While relaxing on a lounge chair...

I'll take this opportunity to tell you that I chose OPI's "Green On the Runway" for my toes. This is another duo tone...it is inspired by the Sprite can in the Coca Cola Collection. It's either green or a kind of purple brown color, depending on the light and angle. Mom is wearing a blue from Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Care on her toes...she will have to chime in with the color name:

http://www.remedynails.com/NailColor.aspx

You can tell from the empty lounge chairs beside us that we were among the first people in the Solarium and we had our pick of seats. It was a good choice. Comfy chair. Sheltered. You could stand up and take a picture through the open window.

The view from port side is of some gorgeous water front houses, some older houses, and either apartment or hotel buildings:

It's fun to see the people that come out to wave to the ship. Many wave flags too. What is slightly nerve-wrecking to watch is the continued boat traffic. It was rather unbelievable the nerve of some of the captains of the smaller craft that continued to enter/leave the harbor. I don't know if this is normal or not...I'm suspecting that the continued traffic on the leaving side was unusual because I've never heard so much horn blowing!!

OMG...the Allure was sounding off more than I have EVER heard before.

Our last look at land for 9-10 days:

We were hungry for dinner.

We were rather tired...our night's sleep had been rough...and with the way everyone was feeling...we decided to take advantage of the fact that most people are more casual than dressy for embarkation night. I changed into a print shirt that we have seen many times...the tropical fern like one in greens and rust and black. And I put on a tan pair of t-strap sandals. Mom added a hoodie to her outfit.

We had My Time Dining (MTD)...which means that we should be able to eat whenever we wanted to eat. You can make reservations...or not. We did not have a reservation. It didn't take us long to primp for dinner so we arrived at the MDR fairly close to opening.

If you have MTD, there are 2 podiums for check-in. One for those that have a reservation. One for those that don't. Both lines were equally, intimidatingly LONG. And it was clear that there was no clear advantage to having a reservation at this time as everyone was being seated. It was simply a matter of putting people through the system so to speak and then escorting parties to a table. We did not wait to be seated.

Dinner was rather unremarkable. I don't feel up to discussing our food situation yet...so I'm going to skim over that right now.

We were excited to use the Thermal Suite. That's exactly what we did after dinner. It was a lovely, relaxing evening.

And we turned in early for a good night's rest.

I ordered room service for breakfast.

If you think about it...with a ship of this size...it will make sense to you to learn that the room service breakfast menu is limited. For instance, if you want eggs...there are scrambled eggs. No other eggs. Only scrambled eggs. And it won't be surprising to know that most of the scrambled eggs on board...whether in an omelet or not...are reconstituted eggs...not shell eggs.

Make your selections on the door hanger...hang this on your door before 3 am. Breakfast is served in 30 minute intervals from I THINK 6 am to 10 am. You choose your timing. When your meal is ready and about to be served...your phone will ring...room service will verify your order and warn you that it is now ready and heading out for delivery.

You will have time to make yourself presentable...not shower necessarily...but definitely time to dress in what you feel comfortable to receive your breakfast.

I put on the robe over my pajamas.

The deliverer will put your tray wherever you direct...including the table on your balcony:

I ordered tea. The carafe was filled with hot water. Whether you order tea for 1 or 2, you will receive one full carafe. There were no choices for tea on the menu. I received:

If this is not your preference, probably the easiest thing to do is to stock your room with your preference. There are many different varieties available at the Promenade Cafe, the Park Cafe and the Windjammer Buffet. I also received a selection of natural and synthesized sugar and cream. But no honey. Honey IS available in the aforementioned venues...add that to your personal stateroom stash if you desire.

The balconies were not crowded with those enjoying their breakfasts al fresco but I certainly wasn't alone in my robe on my balcony. I didn't find the situation odd...yes...other balcony people can see you...so can anyone who cares to look from the pool deck above...or anyone who looks up from Central Park below. Didn't bother me.

The hashbrowns are not gluten-free. We discovered that many items are "premade" on Allure. Again, this makes sense for a ship this size. I am making no claim as to the WHO, WHEN and HOW the items are premade. Suffice it to say that the hashbrowns are premade and contain gluten and room service will not supply you will gluten-free potatoes.

If you are gluten-free, please specify gluten-free for the bacon. The bacon is freshly cooked but somehow bread is involved in the process to absorb rendered fat along the way...so you need to specify gluten-free so that your bacon is distinct from the normal process. This goes for the MDR and the Windjammer as well...you can't eat the bacon on the buffet offerings in either area...it must be prepared specially for you.

And this offers you just a hint of the challenges of eating gluten-free on board.

The fruit plate:

On the last days of the cruise...the cruise channel on the television will broadcast the cruise DVD. I didn't realize that the DVD not only shows a lot of the specific activities and passenger involvement for the sailing...but also, it includes footage that goes behind the scenes. There is an interview with the captain. It also goes behind the scenes of the food service and storage.

One thing that was somewhat fascinating to contemplate was how the ship was able to serve fresh fruit throughout the entire voyage. The cold storage on board is pretty amazing...according to what I saw in the video. It isn't an exact science...at times, you could see how the kiwi served on the fruit plate had been previously frozen...I've had this happen in a too cold spot in my fridge.

Continuing with my physical therapy was a major focus for me on this sailing. After breakfast, I dressed in what would be seen on me in some variation every other day of this voyage:

Tech fabric tank, tech fabric capris, fun compression sleeve (there is a design on the calf side), and my Zumba sneakers. My "watch" is my iPod Nano on a watchband-like wrist strap. I have designated workout jewelry...the corded necklace and Zumba logo stud-style earrings.

We didn't take any photos of the fitness center. It's HUGE. And justifiably so. It is a big ship after all. The fitness center takes up the entire forward area of Deck 6...so there are windows port and starboard. There are no windows forward though. There is a large offering of treadmills, 5 recumbent bikes, more elyptical machines, similar number of upright bikes, two rowing machines? There were a couple nooks with other machines...maybe there were some singles of different cardio machines...but I don't recall.

There is a full circuit of weight resistance machines. Dad says that the Oasis/Allure is the only ship that has all 20 machines that he regularly uses for his weight training circuit. Three other designated areas within the big open concept space are dedicated to free weights, classes/lectures, and a large-ish mirrored wall, wooden floor area for stretching, etc.

I used that stretching area every other day. There is a very large supply of yoga mats, two balance balls, and two Bosu balance trainers. Nearby are dumbells in various sizes...from the colorful 1 lb variety to the industrial-looking heavier variety. Someone used a tension cable one day...but I don't recall seeing the display. This area also has some sort of resistance cables hanging from the ceiling...I swear...Hmmm.

There are hand towels readily available at the fitness center. It's an honor system for the Purell wipes...they are scattered around the center and you can use them to clean a machine before and/or after you use it. I did not ever see the yoga mats cleaned in between uses...I covered the head part of mine with two towels.

For the cardio machines...

There is an iPod dock. You will be able to control your iPod through the machine's main screen. There was also a USB port...but I'm not exactly sure what that was for. I'm not familiar with other portable devices and how the cardio machine would interact with a device through that USB port. I don't know if this would just be to keep your device powered? Like if you had a Kindle or Nook...you could keep it plugged in to not lose its charge? IF you remembered to bring your cord.

There are other built-in entertainments through the cardio machine's control screen...I think there was a video option and a selection of videos/channels. I think there was a music option also. Point being...even if you don't have an iPod, you could still benefit from bringing your own set of earbuds or headphones.

As to the resistance machines...Dad used them so if you have questions...ask and I bet Mom could ask Dad and post. I can only report that the leg press machine is the style that makes your body go back and forth...not the style where your body is stationary and the actual foot rest goes back and forth. It wasn't a machine that I could use. I believe that most all the machines (including the typical cardio machines were LifeFitness brand).

I found the machines to be pretty beat up...of the 5 recumbent bikes that were on the one side of the room...only 2 worked properly...that is, only one had the proper tension on the pedals (one machine had the tension too high, such that every lady that sat on it next to me tried to reduce the tension even though it was on Level 1...I ended up on that machine on a different day and I finally understood why the ladies were struggling on it previously.) AND had all the electronics work properly so that my iPod worked with the machine as intended.

The screens were also quirky. You would try to push a "button" and your touch would activate a completely different "button" on the screen. And yet at the same time, the screens could be very insensitive. I saw several others pushing and pushing on their screens...just like me...trying and trying to get the screen to respond. It was just another exercise in patience...things taking slightly longer to accomplish than expected in normal circumstances.

I'm hopeful that in dry dock...the machines will get a good tune up or be replaced. Nothing was so horrible to deal with that I didn't continue to do my PT every other day of the sailing.

One of the best things that I brought on board with me was my refillable Nalgene bottle. Depending on where you live onboard...you can easily hit the Promenade Cafe, the Park Cafe, the Windjammer, or the Solarium Cafe and easily fill your water bottle. Yes...I filled a glass first and then used the glass to fill my bottle. Having your water with you in the gym is very handy. There are cup holders for most of the cardio machines.

You can actually pack the bottle in your luggage...similar in idea to stuffing your shoes when you pack...and it isn't a hassle to pack. This is the bottle I use...I like the wide mouth opening:

http://store.nalgene.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=3

nevermind

I'm confused about the topic of this thread. Is it just me?

Nope.

The topic of this thread is usually centered around the posters quest to find clothes that would be defined as EARTH colored according to the color system/theory of Curt.

This thread is 4 years old and we have formed quite a fun little group of ladies...some of us have actually met each other IRL...and this thread is taking a tangent to discuss my experience on my recent TA crossing on the Allure. It's a tangent similar to the one the FIRE thread took when Joby (Kim) went to Africa.

There will be more fashion discussion as my review continues...

And as Laurie discusses her upcoming cruise...I believe she leaves on the 15th? And reports when she comes back...

And anyone and everyone else that tends to report on such things here.

We are approaching the end of this thread...as I think that threads are shut down at 200 pages...and so I guess I am feeling more and more like expanding our discussion here to include other topics that are interesting to our group.

As always...anyone is welcome to join in our conversation!

Enjoying your posts, Anita :)