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

[QTMichele]

Oh Michele! We are getting snow now! Guess you got out of WV just in time!! :D For some reason my sister said she read that Hairspray may be showing on Allure. Let me know if it is, please if you hear anything about it! Have a blast!!! 64 days and I will be on her! I'm sooo excited! :cool:

 

Steph

 

We do not have snow here. ;)

 

Chicago is the show, unless they've changed it in the last few days.

 

Your time

Is coming SOON!!!!!!

[pcrum]

After dinner, I went to Chicago. I was a little apprehensive about this as I'm not a huge Chicago fan; however, it was a great show. At 90 minutes, it's long enough to tell the story, but short enough for those of us (me) who were exhausted.

 

 

Do they not do the Chicago show in it's entirety We are huge theater fans and that is a major draw for us. Is the show cut?:(

 

Thanks for the review. Loving all the detail!!

[QTMichele]

Michele,

 

DW and I just put our deposit down on our cruise on the Allure for the 7/22 Eastern Caribbean itinerary... Reading the past 24 pages has only amp'd up the excitement I had reading about this ship... This will be my 3rd cruise, my wife's second and the first one without our 2 daughters... they're going to be at sleep away camp for 25 days.

 

By now, I think you're in Florida celebrating with your family and your sister's impending wedding.. Mazel Tov to all of you ..

 

Can't wait until your next review... Something for me to do for the next 168 days..

 

mG

 

Thanks so much! We had a great cruise, and I know yours will be just as lovely. :)

 

Do they not do the Chicago show in it's entirety We are huge theater fans and that is a major draw for us. Is the show cut?:(

 

Thanks for the review. Loving all the detail!!

 

Nope - it's a 90 minute abridged show; however, they did a great job with it. :)

[Snorkel Dawg]

Michele-Welcome back! So was the Allure as impressive the 2nd time around?

Curious to read about the different things you did this time that you might have missed the first time.

 

 

We are signed up for the Prohibition Event in April. Not sure what all will be going on at it. I know it includes drinks & some type of show? Did you guys try it? Any info you can share would be appreciated!

[QTMichele]

Michele-Welcome back! So was the Allure as impressive the 2nd time around?

Curious to read about the different things you did this time that you might have missed the first time.

 

 

We are signed up for the Prohibition Event in April. Not sure what all will be going on at it. I know it includes drinks & some type of show? Did you guys try it? Any info you can share would be appreciated!

 

Oh yes, definitely as impressive! I'm on my way to start my review... go check it out! It's another "Almost LIVE" :D

 

OH... didn't do the Prohibition Event, but I heard it was fantastic! The "highlight of the cruise" according to one member of our roll call. It's $35 for all you can drink, but I'm not sure what else they do. :confused:

[CorvetteMimi]

Can you tell me about any of the Dreamworks movies??? I read about them but do you have to reserve them??

[Radio]

Wow, Michele. . .I loved your review. The photos were wonderful, and it really showed that you guys had a fun time.

 

Your pics from Allure of the Seas really make me want to sail again. . .

 

Thanks for taking the time to post all of the pics. ..

 

 

 

 

Radio

;);)

.

[QTMichele]

Can you tell me about any of the Dreamworks movies??? I read about them but do you have to reserve them??

 

No reservations necessary for the Dreamworks movies. :) As far as I know, the movies change so your mileage may vary from what was shown during our cruise(s). The titles, times, and location will be in the Cruise Compass.

 

Wow, Michele. . .I loved your review. The photos were wonderful, and it really showed that you guys had a fun time.

 

Your pics from Allure of the Seas really make me want to sail again. . .

 

Thanks for taking the time to post all of the pics. ..

 

 

 

 

Radio

;);)

.

 

<<<Bowing down to LIVE Master>>>

 

THANK YOU, Radio! You know I love your live threads, and I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and comment on my "not so LIVE," even almost a year later. ;) LOL My newest review can be found in my sig, if you're interested. And, like you, I'm already ready to cruise again!

[crackersfive]

Thanks for sharing and taking the time. We sail on the Allure on April 1 and it is great to see everything before we get on board!!

[QTMichele]

Thanks for sharing and taking the time. We sail on the Allure on April 1 and it is great to see everything before we get on board!!

 

You're welcome! If you're interested in my most recent Allure cruise, then click on the link in my signature. :) Thanks for reading!

[lovintheseas]

Michele, I am new to CC and a 2nd time cruiser....I have to say that I loved reading on your cruises! Thank you for taking the time out to share your experiences with all!

[QTMichele]

Michele, I am new to CC and a 2nd time cruiser....I have to say that I loved reading on your cruises! Thank you for taking the time out to share your experiences with all!

 

WOW - your first post is on MY review! THANKS so much for reading, and thanks for the nice comments. I have another Allure review from just a few weeks ago - you can find the link in my sig - if you're interested. It's from a different perspective - cruising with a group of 21 people, including my children.

 

Thanks again!

[beachbuddy]

Thanks! :) If you see any that I should've/could've/would've posted, then let me knwo. ;)

 

 

 

Oh my gosh - you have getting ready to go on a cruise brain, don't you? LOL

 

You'll have to go on Allure one day, but, for now, I need a good Radiance Class review. :D That's the next class I want to try with DH.

 

Michele, I'm really enjoying your review and all your photos! We were on the Radiance and the Brilliance and that class is my favorite! I think your husband will really like that class. I really hope I like the Allure as we are doing a B2B. I kept saying "I'd like to see the Allure and/or Oasis but don't think it will be for me" and here I am doing a B2B......LOL We're doing it with a bunch of cruise friends so I'm sure we will have a great time and looking at your photos is making me very excited to go!!

 

I have a question about the cabins. You said your bed was by the balcony and I heard that some beds are by the closet. We are in 8584 and I'm hoping that the bed is by the balcony........would you know how I could find out if our bed is by the balcony or the closet? The closet looks like the closets that were on the Celebrity Silhouette and I would not have been happy if our bed was by the closet on that Celebrity cruise. We lucked out and it was by the balcony on that one. How many shelves are in the closet? Are there any drawers at all? Do they have the storage area on both sides of the vanity like they do on their other ships?

 

Appreciate any information you can give me about the cabins.

[QTMichele]

Michele, I'm really enjoying your review and all your photos! We were on the Radiance and the Brilliance and that class is my favorite! I think your husband will really like that class.

 

We haven't booked a Radiance class ship yet, but we did book the Monarch last week! We're in for a big change, but we're excited to try a different way of cruising. :)

 

I really hope I like the Allure as we are doing a B2B. I kept saying "I'd like to see the Allure and/or Oasis but don't think it will be for me" and here I am doing a B2B......LOL We're doing it with a bunch of cruise friends so I'm sure we will have a great time and looking at your photos is making me very excited to go!!

 

WOW - a B2B!!! I know it's wrong, but I'm envious! LOL I really hope you enjoy your cruise. Allure isn't for everyone, but I think that *most* people would have an enjoyable time. On our last Allure cruise (February 2012), we had the best time ever! It's a great time, especially when you're cruising with others.

 

 

I have a question about the cabins. You said your bed was by the balcony and I heard that some beds are by the closet. We are in 8584 and I'm hoping that the bed is by the balcony........would you know how I could find out if our bed is by the balcony or the closet? The closet looks like the closets that were on the Celebrity Silhouette and I would not have been happy if our bed was by the closet on that Celebrity cruise. We lucked out and it was by the balcony on that one. How many shelves are in the closet? Are there any drawers at all? Do they have the storage area on both sides of the vanity like they do on their other ships?

 

Appreciate any information you can give me about the cabins.

 

Your cabins SHOULD have the bed by the balcony. We had cabin 8560, which has the bed by the balcony. Every other cabin from there will have the bed by the balcony. :)

 

I know a lot of people have strong feelings about the bed placement, so I'm glad you're getting what you want. But, for others who may be concerned about placement, we like both placements for different reasons. For example, the bed by the closet does make it a little more difficult getting into the closet, but I don't think it's 'bad.' Also, the bed by the closet makes it more difficult to get into the room. However, it leaves the sitting area wide open to see the view of the ocean. On the flip side, the bed by the balcony leaves the room feeling "more open." Of course, you'll have to walk around the bed to get to the balcony, which may be a negative for some. Either way, it's a nice room on a great ship.

 

Thanks so much for reading my review. It's over a year old now, but it's great to see it resurface and that some people are getting some enjoyment out of it. I appreciate it!

[QTMichele]

Michele, I'm really enjoying your review and all your photos! We were on the Radiance and the Brilliance and that class is my favorite! I think your husband will really like that class.

 

We haven't booked a Radiance class ship yet, but we did book the Monarch last week! We're in for a big change, but we're excited to try a different way of cruising. :)

 

I really hope I like the Allure as we are doing a B2B. I kept saying "I'd like to see the Allure and/or Oasis but don't think it will be for me" and here I am doing a B2B......LOL We're doing it with a bunch of cruise friends so I'm sure we will have a great time and looking at your photos is making me very excited to go!!

 

WOW - a B2B!!! I know it's wrong, but I'm envious! LOL I really hope you enjoy your cruise. Allure isn't for everyone, but I think that *most* people would have an enjoyable time. On our last Allure cruise (February 2012), we had the best time ever! It's a great time, especially when you're cruising with others.

 

 

I have a question about the cabins. You said your bed was by the balcony and I heard that some beds are by the closet. We are in 8584 and I'm hoping that the bed is by the balcony........would you know how I could find out if our bed is by the balcony or the closet? The closet looks like the closets that were on the Celebrity Silhouette and I would not have been happy if our bed was by the closet on that Celebrity cruise. We lucked out and it was by the balcony on that one. How many shelves are in the closet? Are there any drawers at all? Do they have the storage area on both sides of the vanity like they do on their other ships?

 

Appreciate any information you can give me about the cabins.

 

Your cabins SHOULD have the bed by the balcony. We had cabin 8560, which has the bed by the balcony. Every other cabin from there will have the bed by the balcony. :)

 

I know a lot of people have strong feelings about the bed placement, so I'm glad you're getting what you want. But, for others who may be concerned about placement, we like both placements for different reasons. For example, the bed by the closet does make it a little more difficult getting into the closet, but I don't think it's 'bad.' Also, the bed by the closet makes it more difficult to get into the room. However, it leaves the sitting area wide open to see the view of the ocean. On the flip side, the bed by the balcony leaves the room feeling "more open." Of course, you'll have to walk around the bed to get to the balcony, which may be a negative for some. Either way, it's a nice room on a great ship.

 

Thanks so much for reading my review. It's over a year old now, but it's great to see it resurface and that some people are getting some enjoyment out of it. I appreciate it!

[PathfinderEss]

Great review, thanks for posting and especially your awesome pictures.

[QTMichele]

Great review, thanks for posting and especially your awesome pictures.

 

Thanks for your comments and taking the time to look through my review.:)

[beachbuddy]

Michele, I'm really enjoying your review and all your photos! We were on the Radiance and the Brilliance and that class is my favorite! I think your husband will really like that class. I really hope I like the Allure as we are doing a B2B. I kept saying "I'd like to see the Allure and/or Oasis but don't think it will be for me" and here I am doing a B2B......LOL We're doing it with a bunch of cruise friends so I'm sure we will have a great time and looking at your photos is making me very excited to go!!

 

I have a question about the cabins. You said your bed was by the balcony and I heard that some beds are by the closet. We are in 8584 and I'm hoping that the bed is by the balcony........would you know how I could find out if our bed is by the balcony or the closet? The closet looks like the closets that were on the Celebrity Silhouette and I would not have been happy if our bed was by the closet on that Celebrity cruise. We lucked out and it was by the balcony on that one. How many shelves are in the closet? Are there any drawers at all? Do they have the storage area on both sides of the vanity like they do on their other ships?

 

Appreciate any information you can give me about the cabins.

 

Your cabins SHOULD have the bed by the balcony. We had cabin 8560, which has the bed by the balcony. Every other cabin from there will have the bed by the balcony. :)

 

I know a lot of people have strong feelings about the bed placement, so I'm glad you're getting what you want. But, for others who may be concerned about placement, we like both placements for different reasons. For example, the bed by the closet does make it a little more difficult getting into the closet, but I don't think it's 'bad.' Also, the bed by the closet makes it more difficult to get into the room. However, it leaves the sitting area wide open to see the view of the ocean. On the flip side, the bed by the balcony leaves the room feeling "more open." Of course, you'll have to walk around the bed to get to the balcony, which may be a negative for some. Either way, it's a nice room on a great ship.

 

Thanks so much for reading my review. It's over a year old now, but it's great to see it resurface and that some people are getting some enjoyment out of it. I appreciate it!

 

Michele,

Thanks for the quick response. I still have a few more pages to read to finish this review..........LOL

 

Are there any drawers for clothes? I'm so used to the Explorer of the Seas and that ship has plenty of drawers plus shelves in the closet. So I'm wondering about storage space on this ship.

 

Patty

[QTMichele]

Oops! I forgot about the drawers. There are 3 (?) drawers at the vanity. There are two night stands by the bed, but there are no drawers - only shelves.

[QTMichele]

Oh, storage space is adequate, and I think most people should do fine finding a place for all of their belongings. My kids shared a room - plenty of room and then some for the 3 of them. That includes their snorkels, beach bag, diaper bag, etc. DH and I had plenty of room as well, and I overpacked, as usual.

[Poorplaya]

Plain and simple you gave us one of the best reviews I have ever seen. So much detail and so much information that you really just sold this cruise in so many ways. Thank you so much for taking the time to post so many pictures, your honest opinions, and just so much detail.

[beachbuddy]

Oops! I forgot about the drawers. There are 3 (?) drawers at the vanity. There are two night stands by the bed, but there are no drawers - only shelves.

 

Thanks Michelle, I can't stand a messy room with things not put away.....LOL:D We usually keep our snorkel duffel out on the balcony so not worried about that. I think you mentioned something about shelves in the closet too.......am I correct in that? Is bathroom storage okay? I really tend to bring way to much and I'll be packing for 2 weeks this time!! The other RCCL ships we have been on had storage on both sides of the dresser vanity as well as storage in the bathroom.......wondering what this ship has. The ones on each side of the dresser vanity were very small shelves but did the trick and held lots of things!

 

Patty

[QTMichele]

Plain and simple you gave us one of the best reviews I have ever seen. So much detail and so much information that you really just sold this cruise in so many ways. Thank you so much for taking the time to post so many pictures, your honest opinions, and just so much detail.

 

You're too generous with your compliments, but I appreciate them! Thank you. We really enjoyed the Allure the first time we went, but fell in LOVE with her the second time. Wow. She's just amazing, and so much fun. :D

 

Thanks Michelle, I can't stand a messy room with things not put away.....LOL:D We usually keep our snorkel duffel out on the balcony so not worried about that. I think you mentioned something about shelves in the closet too.......am I correct in that? Is bathroom storage okay? I really tend to bring way to much and I'll be packing for 2 weeks this time!! The other RCCL ships we have been on had storage on both sides of the dresser vanity as well as storage in the bathroom.......wondering what this ship has. The ones on each side of the dresser vanity were very small shelves but did the trick and held lots of things!

 

Patty

 

Oh, I'm such a neat freak! EVERYTHING has its place, and stays that way. ;)

 

There are shelves in the closet - maybe 5 or 6 shelves? They are fairly deep. The bathroom storage was fine for my needs, but I don't keep much in the bathroom except a few minor toiletries. I keep most of my stuff in the "hidden" shelves behind the mirrors. I know I could manage my things on a B2B since most toiletries are large enough to last (I bring full size) quite a while. The biggest issue you'll have is with clothing, but, if you send your laundry out, then that will help.

 

By the way, I use LL Bean's family size personal organizer. I usually unpack it while cruising, but I don't have to. Check it out here.

 

The nice thing about it is that you don't have to unpack it, it's a great way to organize your stuff, and it has a hanger. LOVE this and I give it as a gift to my favorite travel people. ;)

[nimiq]

In the beginning...

 

A few years ago, 2007 to be exact, my husband gave me a cruise on the Mariner of the Seas for my birthday. I fell in LOVE and became obsessed. That obsession led me to the Royal Caribbean VISA card... I use it for EVERYTHING I can!!! Last year it paid off and we earned a free cruise for 2. YIPEE! I booked this cruise with points for my DH and me during the WOW sale which added $100 OBC, then upgraded to a D8 balcony stateroom (#8560). After gratuities, upgrades and taxes/port fees, our cruise was definitely not free, but a great bargain, especially for the Allure. Thank you Royal and Bank of America - I continue to use your card and have earned almost 1/2 the points I need for another "FREE" cruise. :D

 

Back to the "Present"...

 

PRE-Cruise

 

I am currently 37 and DH is 38 - we're high school sweethearts. AW! ;) We left our three kids at home this trip - the girls had school and we needed some reconnecting time.

 

On the Friday before the Sunday departure, we flew into Orlando, picked-up our rental car (convertible - how fun!), then drove to DH's brother's home. After two days of visiting (and constantly thinking about my upcoming cruise on ALLURE!), we made our way to the West Palm Beach area to visit my grandmother.

 

 

We went to the beach to see the moon rise. Just beautiful - so much prettier than a grainy picture suggests.

 

 

After a great visit with family, we made it to Sunday. It's CRUZIN time!!!

 

We dropped off the rental car at the Ft. Lauderdale airport, then took the shuttle to the port (free from the rental agency). OMG - the Allure of the Seas is HUGE! Even after MONTHS (YEARS!) of reading about the Oasis Class, I was not quite prepared for the size of this lady. Just incredible.

 

 

 

 

Up Next: BOARDING!

 

This sound like it will be a fun review to read.

 

sea ya

 

Eric

Hal Westerdam March2012

Coral Princess Sep2011

Ruby Princess Nov2010

Sapphire Princess Sep2010

Rccl Adventure Of The Seas April 2010

Carnival Miracle Feb2010

Rccl Oassis of the Seas Feb2010

Rccl Majesty of the Seas Nov2009

Rccl Navigator of Seas Sep2009

Hal Westerdam Nov&Dec2008

Caribbean Princess Nov2007

Sea Princess Nov&Dec 2006

Diamond Princess Apr2005

Rccl Navigator Dec2004

NCL SUN Nov2004

Visit of QM2 Oct2004

Carnival Victory Nov2003

Golden Princess Apr2003

Celebrity Mercury Nov2002

Carnival Elation Nov2001

NCL SKY Nov2000

[beachbuddy]

You're too generous with your compliments, but I appreciate them! Thank you. We really enjoyed the Allure the first time we went, but fell in LOVE with her the second time. Wow. She's just amazing, and so much fun. :D

 

 

 

Oh, I'm such a neat freak! EVERYTHING has its place, and stays that way. ;)

 

There are shelves in the closet - maybe 5 or 6 shelves? They are fairly deep. The bathroom storage was fine for my needs, but I don't keep much in the bathroom except a few minor toiletries. I keep most of my stuff in the "hidden" shelves behind the mirrors. I know I could manage my things on a B2B since most toiletries are large enough to last (I bring full size) quite a while. The biggest issue you'll have is with clothing, but, if you send your laundry out, then that will help.

 

By the way, I use LL Bean's family size personal organizer. I usually unpack it while cruising, but I don't have to. Check it out here.

 

The nice thing about it is that you don't have to unpack it, it's a great way to organize your stuff, and it has a hanger. LOVE this and I give it as a gift to my favorite travel people. ;)

 

Michele, Thank you so much.........I am very happy to hear that they still have those "hidden" shelves behind the mirror and especially happy to hear that the shelves in the closet are nice and deep so I guess they are the same as they are on the other RCCL ships. We keep a lot of folded shirts, bathing suits, etc. on those shelves. I love the "hidden" shelves as they are great for all the extra meds I bring along.....(I am always afraid I'll need something so bring it all), extra suntan lotions, some snacks.......(yep, we always bring some peanuts, licorice and some chocolate) LOL like we don't get enough food on the ship! LOL Well, sometimes you have a craving for junk food......LOL I do have a toiletry organizer that I love. I usually don't bring it on a cruise but I do use it when we go somewhere overnight, but thanks for suggesting I bring it with me..... I bring full sizes of everything too.....sometimes 2 (did I mention I'm an over-packer). My husband usually takes things out of the suitcase when he sees doubles and I have to sneak them back in. I even take double toothbrushes. Believe it or not, a toothbrush has never broke in half in our life except when we were on a cruise (our very first cruise). Hubby's toothbrush broke, they had none on board to buy so he had to use it broken until we got to St. Thomas. We walked to so many stores looking for one before we actually found a store that sold them so ever since I bring doubles! LOL I did notice on our last cruise they had toothbrushes in the ship store......LOL

 

We usually do 12 night cruises so this one is just 2 more days and I think we'll be just fine with the clothes.

 

Thanks again for all the great information that you've provided all of us.

 

Patty