Not so "LIVE" Allure of the Seas Review with PIX!

[QTMichele]

I keep playing the lottery....if I win, trust me when I say I'll do a back to back...and then some! ;)

 

I'm right there with ya!

[Snorkel Dawg]

I'd like to second Snorkel Dawg....this has been a fun group! Perhaps we need to do a group cruise for all of us sometime. I'd personally like to suggest next February 19th. Michelle - you can do a back to back cruise, and Dawg - this gives you plenty of time to book! Then we could all enjoy Rita's, Samba Grill, Chops and a few Dark and Stormy's together :) Hurry....sign up for the 2/19 sailing guys!

 

 

 

 

Yo Buffett,

 

We would love to join you on your 2/19 sailing but we are already booked for the 4/1 sailing. We always do spring break cruises so our dds don't miss any school. Thank you for asking us to join you though. But if we were to win the lottery ;) maybe then we could afford to hire Michele as our private guide & do a B2B2B2B2B2B2B cruise!

 

Seriously, there's many people that participate on this site that are very cool & would be great cruising with (& a few well...you know...not so great). Maybe one day we'll toast a cold one aboard a big ship. Cuz we plan on cruising for a long, long time :)

[QTMichele]

I'll be your guide-for-hire anytime! :D

[BillOh]

Thanks! It was fun writing! I wish I could write about my travel adventures every day!!! ;)

 

You may not be *surprised* per say, but you'll amazed nonetheless. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to NOT research a ship (ad naseum) on Cruise Critic and just explore for myself once onboard, then I think, "Nah! I'll miss something and kick myself afterwards!" Either way, cruising is a great time and I'm always ready for my next one. :D

 

 

 

 

How is your husband in that regard? I'm like you totally prepared, and 6 weeks after my cruise, I am still happy i did so. As you may of read in my review, my wife went in totally oblivious to what Allure was. She knew it was big, and I prepared her for the tradition breaking skipping the Windjammer on embarkation day. Once onboard I did get to live the excitement of the newness through her, probably the same way you do with your kids at Christmas (assumption on my part:o ) Enjoy that as well, it goes by quick.

[BillOh]

I did the flash mob during our Allure cruise May 22, it was a LOT of FUN!!! I've posted a link to a recent Allure flash mob....not ours b/c I couldn't find one that had a good view that you could really see what happens w/ the performers. During the week there were 4 rehearsals on the Royal Promenade to learn the dances. On Saturday, right before dinner we all performed for all who were on the promenade. No pressure....it's just good fun!:cool:

 

 

The flash mob is supposed to give the illusion that someone randomly starts dancing and others join in spontaneously. However well they achieve that, its still fun to watch. I don't dance because of severe uncoordination anxiety, but it was something my wife loved about the cruise and I still pull up the video and enjoy watching her. I can't hit youtube from where I am now, but if you search ALLURE GINA FLASH MOB you will see one of the two videos taken on the May 1st sailing.

[Buffett fan]

Yo Buffett,

 

We would love to join you on your 2/19 sailing but we are already booked for the 4/1 sailing. We always do spring break cruises so our dds don't miss any school. Thank you for asking us to join you though. But if we were to win the lottery ;) maybe then we could afford to hire Michele as our private guide & do a B2B2B2B2B2B2B cruise!

 

Seriously, there's many people that participate on this site that are very cool & would be great cruising with (& a few well...you know...not so great). Maybe one day we'll toast a cold one aboard a big ship. Cuz we plan on cruising for a long, long time :)

 

 

I love the idea of a B2B2B2B2B cruise! And I also think there are a lot of very cool people we meet trhough this board....just look at all of us :D Here is raising a toast that someday, we will all enjoy some liquid refreshment all together! Even if it isn't on the Allure or Oasis, we can always plan an East Coast departure!

[QTMichele]

How is your husband in that regard? I'm like you totally prepared, and 6 weeks after my cruise, I am still happy i did so. As you may of read in my review, my wife went in totally oblivious to what Allure was. She knew it was big, and I prepared her for the tradition breaking skipping the Windjammer on embarkation day. Once onboard I did get to live the excitement of the newness through her, probably the same way you do with your kids at Christmas (assumption on my part:o ) Enjoy that as well, it goes by quick.

 

My husband knows that he doesn't have to research a thing because I do it all and then some! I know I annoy him with my obsessiveness, but he's usually pretty good about not saying much as long as I return the favor and don't bombard him with "current cruise info overload." For our Allure cruise, he did look at several pictures (at my "request" - lol) so I'm not sure how surprised he was by the ship. <<Note to self - ask Jason about his Allure first impressions.>> And, yes, we celebrate Christmas and enjoy the experience through our children's eyes. :) Our oldest is now one of Santa's elves... two more to go...

[Cruise a holic]

Love those WOW sales when no other discount applies. We just booked Liberty for next year - missed the WOW by a few days. No OBC for us, but I'm going to take advantage of the "bring a friend" promotion and get a few OBC dollars that way. ;) Anyway, I'm glad you had the courage to book your Allure cruise. Your family should have a great time!

 

I'd love to be your guide... no need to hire me, just pay for my cruise fare and I'll be on your sailing! ;)

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment!!!

 

 

 

THANK YOU!!! You're going to love Ms. Allure!

My husband and I and two of our grandchildren will be going on the Allure of the Seas April 1, 2012. We loved the Oasis of the Seas- it was wonderful! Having cruised about 15 times- surely the most fantastic cruise ships! We have a Central Park view stateroom (2) and on the Oasis truly enjoyed the location! Quiet and beautiful! The cabins were also nice! The 9th deck cabin without the balcony are actually larger then the balcony cabins and more cost effective. A great deal.

[Snorkel Dawg]

Hey Cruise a holic-

 

We are on the same cruise. Booked two interior promenade staterooms.

Our first time inside. Hope we don't get claustophobic in them :o

 

You should join the roll call thread for our sailing. I know it's pretty early but the thread is aweful quiet...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1194216

 

 

Allured as well,

Dawg

[QTMichele]

Booked two interior promenade staterooms.

Our first time inside. Hope we don't get claustophobic in them :o

 

We had connecting PR staterooms on the Freedom last year - I loved them! No, it's not a balcony (my preference), but for the price and set-up, I thought it was great. :)

[megibabi7]

Sunday, March 20, 2011 (continued)

 

After lunch, we tried to explore the ship a little more. I was anxious to see it all, but, for whatever reason, our exploration was a bust. We went to our stateroom instead. To our surprise, our luggage had arrived by 1:30! I have OCD tendencies and just had to unpack.

 

Our stateroom is 8560 - bed close to the balcony.

 

Our stateroom, view from the door to the balcony.

 

 

Storage Area

 

View from our balcony towards the door.

 

Overall, our stateroom was great. It was smaller than our first balcony on the Mariner (we had a hump stateroom on Mariner, which offered space between the curtain and the balcony doors), but was quite comfortable. I felt the closet space was ample, and the shelving in the closet was good. (BEWARE: The safe was TINY! It held our wallets, passports and phones with little room to spare.) There were only 3 drawers, one of which was shallow and held a hairdryer. Cabinet space next to the mirror and below the desk was fine - good enough to hold toiletries and such. The nightstands were fine, but would be much better with drawers.

 

Our balcony was very roomy, and a great spot to read and relax throughout the day and evening. I loved the larger and higher table too. Great job, Royal!

 

Our Bathroom

 

Bathroom storage consisted of a few shelves large enough to hold toiletries. There were also two longer shelves under the sink counter. Although the bathroom was smaller than on other ships, it felt comfortable. The shower was roomy enough, and the shave bar was a nice addition. Overall, a good use of space. For ONE.

 

We met our stateroom attendant Joel - such a friendly, efficient man! He was GREAT and worth his tips and more. He called us by name every time we saw him, and always inquired on our well being. He even filled up Jason's cooler without being asked. He was attentive to every detail. THANKS, Joel! (rhymes with Noel)

 

A few thoughts about our cabin location... in one word: EXCELLENT! We booked a D8, forward, starboard side cabin near the elevators/stairs. The proximity to the stairs was great - so convenient. We were on deck 8 so we had almost immediate access to Central Park. WOW! It was wonderful to go from our cabin to Central Park and all its treasures (food, beverages, comfy seating, etc.). I would highly recommend this location!

 

 

How did you like being on the forward end of the ship? We were going to be close to the forward elevators, and wanted to know if that's a good spot to be. I was trying to figure out if being forward was a good spot.

[megibabi7]

A few more pictures from our first day's tour...

 

I fell in love with the gowns AND Central Park!

 

The Rising Tide Bar's "Home Base" - the water "show" was a nice touch when the bar was making its way to Central Park and back. We found the bar to be a novelty - just one more thing to do on Allure, but we did it to say we did it.

 

Cafe Promenade - Home of the great little sandwiches, cookies and sweets.

 

The Cupcake Cupboard - What a darling little place this is! Just adorable!

 

Cupcake Decorating Class Info - I signed up for this class... unfortunately, they called me on the first night and said I was signed up for the children's class. Um, that's not what my reservation says. I had the choice to reschedule for 1:30 or 3, but those are my "pool hours" so I cancelled.

 

Look what I could've made. There's always next year!

 

 

How much was the cupcake decorating class for the adults? I can't see the price on the picture! Thanks!

[QTMichele]

How did you like being on the forward end of the ship? We were going to be close to the forward elevators, and wanted to know if that's a good spot to be. I was trying to figure out if being forward was a good spot.

 

We loved it! When we booked, there were no aft elevator locations available. I have to admit, I was disappointed, but figured it would be okay. And, it was just fine!

 

Which do I like better? The aft elevator location, only because it's more centrally located. However, in the future, I wouldn't hesitate to book the forward elevator location again.

 

How much was the cupcake decorating class for the adults? I can't see the price on the picture! Thanks!

 

I believe it was $22.95, but I do not recall the exact amount. I never went to the class because of scheduling (er, rescheduling) issues on their part.

[ILuvCruisin']

great review thx for posting

[QTMichele]

Thanks for reading, ILuvCruisin'!

[sharod]

I believe it was $22.95, but I do not recall the exact amount. I never went to the class because of scheduling (er, rescheduling) issues on their part.

 

Here, I can help you out!!! It would be $22.00

 

[Snorkel Dawg]

Sharon-Thanks for posting the sign w/the pricing. I was just about to ask how much. Both my dds want to take the class next April.

 

 

Hi Michele-Did you book the class prior to your sailing? So I want to book the cupcake class for my girls, is there any way to tell that you are booking the kids class vs. the adults class?

[QTMichele]

Here, I can help you out!!! It would be $22.00

 

 

Thanks! I knew "my" price didn't look right - thanks for correcting me. :)

 

Sharon-Thanks for posting the sign w/the pricing. I was just about to ask how much. Both my dds want to take the class next April.

 

 

Hi Michele-Did you book the class prior to your sailing? So I want to book the cupcake class for my girls, is there any way to tell that you are booking the kids class vs. the adults class?

 

Hi SD! Yes, I booked prior to our sailing. You'll see an adult and a child option - easy to book! BUT... I chose the adult, but the class was changed to a children's class without notifying me about the change. It wasn't a big deal - they called me while I was on the ship and asked if I wanted to change the time. I declined (it was too early in the day - I had an afternoon appointment pool-side ;) ).

[vickiw0318]

I am feeling a bit under the weather this morning so this was a perfect time to sit back and read all of your wonderful review and anticipate both feeling better and being on the Allure next April. I will be with my DH who has some health issues so it will be a quiet sort of cruise for us. You reinforced my preconceived notion that the Solarium will be the perfect place for us and that we will enjoy hanging out in Central Park.

 

Thanks so much for sharing with us.

[PudgiPoo]

Does the Cupcake Cupboard have coffee? Is it cost or free? Thanks for your review. I am so ready to cruise and you make the waiting easier.

[joand452]

I can't remember if the Cupcake Cupboard had coffee (I don't think so), but Cafe Promenade is right next door, so you can take your cupcake and get a coffee and have a seat there.

 

Only two months until your Allure cruise -- I'm so jealous! We still have to wait until March 2012 to get on Oasis!

[QTMichele]

I am feeling a bit under the weather this morning so this was a perfect time to sit back and read all of your wonderful review and anticipate both feeling better and being on the Allure next April. I will be with my DH who has some health issues so it will be a quiet sort of cruise for us. You reinforced my preconceived notion that the Solarium will be the perfect place for us and that we will enjoy hanging out in Central Park.

 

Thanks so much for sharing with us.

 

So glad you enjoyed! Hope you're feeling better. :)

[QTMichele]

Does the Cupcake Cupboard have coffee? Is it cost or free? Thanks for your review. I am so ready to cruise and you make the waiting easier.

 

Agree with Joan - no coffee at the CC, but the Cafe Promenade or Starbucks will set you up. :)

[CruiseAwayWithMe]

Did you enjoy the Allure better or Freedom class? Is there much difference besides the neighborhoods and additional places to eat? I had the option of going on Allure of the Seas but went for Celebrity Eclipse because I got a better price. Maybe I will go on Allure the next time......... did you notice much smoking? Were you able to go into the Diamond lounge?

[QTMichele]

Did you enjoy the Allure better or Freedom class? Is there much difference besides the neighborhoods and additional places to eat? I had the option of going on Allure of the Seas but went for Celebrity Eclipse because I got a better price. Maybe I will go on Allure the next time......... did you notice much smoking? Were you able to go into the Diamond lounge?

 

Great questions - but my answers are subjective, and YMMV (your mileage may vary). :)

 

I have to start by saying that I had wonderful cruises on both Allure and Freedom. Although they are very different (decor, size, age, etc.), there is a familiarity that they share, I think, due to the overall layout. No, Freedom doesn't have a Central Park or a Boardwalk, but it does have a Royal Promenade, pool deck/H2O Zone/Flowrider, and general layout as Allure. Honestly, I felt very comfortable on Allure from the get-go. All the extras were icing on the cake. (and, as familiar as Allure was, there were many surprises, and a LOT of things to gawk at!)

 

For us, we probably wouldn't book on Oasis/Allure for the two of us unless there was a great price. We are perfectly happy on a "smaller" ship and can't wait to try the Radiance Class. However, I am THRILLED that we'll be sailing on her again this coming February - we're bringing our kids and other family members. I cannot WAIT to share this ship with them!!! We'll be on Liberty (Freedom's sister) a year from now - it will be even more telling how we feel after that cruise! Will we be able to go back to a smaller/older ship after 2 Allure cruises? I think so, but I'll post my thoughts next year. ;)

 

The smoking throughout the ship was minimal. Of course, it was always heavy in/near the casino, even when it was closed. The bars too - definitely had a lingering odor. I don't smoke and can smell it from afar. I don't like it and avoid it about 99% of the time. I will, however, go to the pub and sit towards the Promenade - I do enjoy the entertainment there and don't like to miss out. (And, I believe smoking was only allowed at/around the bar in that venue - at least we never saw anyone smoking elsewhere.) Could Allure do a better job for non-smokers? Yes, but it did not ruin my experience in any way - besides, I'm booked again! :) In comparison, Freedom of the Seas was a very non-smoker friendly ship. They really limited the number of venues for smokers. I loved that. Now, for the smokers out there, this is NOT an attack on you - just an expression of my preferences and opinion. For everyone, leave the debate for another thread - there are plenty of them out there. ;) Let's move on...

 

I am not Diamond and won't be for quite a while. I am, however, taking up a collection on Paypal for anyone who would like to contribute to QT's Cruise Fund so I may attain this status. ;) :D Thank you in advance.

 

Hope this helps with your questions.