Just returned (5/8 - 5/15) WOWWWW!!!

[MamaPuggle]

Just returned from a week aboard the Allure. Trying to write a review would be hard. I will touch on the postives (many) and the negatives (only one or two). I would also be glad to answer any questions.

 

DW and I sailed for our 25th Anniversary. She 49 and me 50. This was our 5th cruise and second on RCCI.

 

We traveled down to Ft. Lauderdale the day before our cruise. We stayed at the Embassy Suites. Great hotel with a great loaction. We booked a package that included airport pick-up and shuttle to the pier. We had a room on the 11th floor and had a view of the port. We would stay at this hotel again in a minute.

 

Arrived at the port around 11:30. Embarkation was fast and easy. We were aboard the ship in less than an hour. Cabins were not ready until 1:30. After a little walking around, we went to the Park Cafe for lunch. Great spot w/ great food.

 

Our cabin, 11196 was a D-1 on the hump, port side. We found it to be a great location. The balcony was terrific. It was deeper than most and had a table and two chairs that were very comfortable. The cabin itself was fine. The bed was near the closet and we had no issues. The bathroom was laid out nicely and the shower tube made showering a pleasure. Our cabin attendent was efficient.

 

I don't know where to start writing about the ship. Although DW and I were on CruiseCritic daily before the cruise, it did not cause us to lose any of the "wow" factor once we were aboard. The ship is just out of this world. It was everything we hoped it would be and more, by a mile.

 

We did the traditional dining, late seating (8:30 p.m.). When we booked, we requested a table for two and were assured that would be the case. When we arrived for our first dinner on Sunday night, we found we were at a table for six. I mentioned to the waiter that we had requested a table for two. He asked that we eat at this table for the first night and he would check on a table for two for us. We dined w/ two very nice couples and decided to remain at this table. Our waiter was wonderful. He knew our names, got to know our likes and dislikes and assited us with "sped up" dining when we needed to get to a show. We would rate the service we recieved as A++. As for the food, I should first state that DW and I enjoy good food without being overly fussy. I had no issues with the quality of the food. It was all served fresh and hot. My issue was with the menus. To me it seemed RCCI tried to fancy them up more than needed. Every day there were one or two cold soups on the menus and no hot soups. I guess this is more of a personal thing. Over all, I would rate the main dining room food an A-.

We did eat at two specialty restaraunts, Chops Grille and Giovanni's Table. Words do not desrcibe the experience we had at Chops. It rivaled any meal we have had in any restaraunt at sea or on land. I cannot think of a rating high enough to give it. Both food and service were exceptional. As for Giovanni's Table, the rating would not be as high as Chops but would still be in the A range. Service was teriffic. Both places were worth the additional charge.

All the other eating spots were great and I think we hit them all. We even thought the Windjammer food was decent.

 

Entertainment on the ship is first rate. We saw Chicago, OceanAria, Blue Planet and the comedy show. I would rate all four as "Don't Miss". We made our reservations before sailing and I would urge all future cruisers to do the same because there were no reservations to be made for these shows once you were on the ship.

 

The ship is the cleanest one we have ever sailed. The staff was the friendliest. We cannot say enough about the staff.

 

Based on what we read on CriuseCritic prior to sailing, I can state the following after our cruise:

 

1. Getting a lounger near the pool was never an issue, both on sea or port days.

2. Chair Hogs were not an issue.

3. We never waited more than a minute to get an elevator.

4. Bartenders were more than happy to fill your soda cups.

5. Our bed was very comfortable and there was a "egg crate" topper on it.

6. Formal nights were Monday and Thursday. Lobster was served on the 2nd formal night. Our waiter asked everyone if they wanted a second lobster tail.

7. In our opinion, don't bother getting off the ship at Falmouth. Port is still under heavy construction. A few local merchants sell their wares under tents. It seems like it will be a lovely port when finished but that seems like months from now.

8. DW and I are not smokers. She is more sensitive to smoke than am I. We spent some time in the casino each night. The smell of smoke was never an issue although it was stonger on the smoking half of the casino (Duh).

 

I will finish with the negatives. The biggest one for us was the coffee. It was TERRIBLE with the only exceptions being the brew that was served in the specialty restaraunts. The dining room brew was only passable. As for the swill that was served everywhere else, don't bother. My suggestion is that you buy a Starbucks gift card before boarding. They are accepted and their coffee was our only saving grace.

RCCL needs to do something about the seating at the Windjammer. There were never open seats. We would walk around with our trays for 5 or 10 minutes and never found a seat. We ended up back at our room to eat with the food getting cold before we arrived there.

 

These negatives were small and in no way diminished to terrific time we had aboard the Allure. It has to be experienced, words do not do her justice.

 

Please ask any questions that you have. I'll be glad to answer them.

[lambstew]

Thanks for the review! Glad you had a great time! We are going on Allure in July and have also booked the cruise transportation package at the Embassy Suite. How did that work for you? Did you call the ES after you got your bags from baggage claim? How long did it take to pick you up? Were there a lot of people on the same package at the ES? Did you pick your time to take the shuttle to the port? I'd like to hear how that all worked for you.

Also, did you do any excursions in Cozumel or Labadee?

Thanks for your help!

[MamaPuggle]

It worked fine. We had a small hiccup. We called the hotel after we retrieved our luggage. We were told they had no shuttle. We took a cab to the hotel. When I explained to the desk clerk that we had the package but had to pay for a cab, the manager came right over. She apoligized and immediately reimbursed us for what we paid for the cab. I guess I spoke to a brand new employee when I called from the airport. This employee wasn't aware of the package. Upon checking in, I was given a receipt that was for the port shuttle the next morning. When we were ready, we notified an employee who was standing outside the front door that we wanted the shuttle. He took our receipt and put us in a shuttle that was waiting there. We were at the pier 15 minutes after notifying the employee. We thought the hotel was terrific.

[BillOh]

We were getting off the ship when you were getting on. I almost could have written your review. We don't drink cofee, so I can't offer any opinion there. I'm glad your dining with 6 worked out ok. We have had some great tablemates over the years and usually look forward to our dinners. This time we were at a table for 4 and the other couple never showed up again after the first night, I'm hoping it wasn't something I said, I'm usually far less obnoxious when I'm on vacation ;)

 

We had no elevator issues either, but it helps to not stop at the first set you see when leaving a crowded venue or getting back on the ship. We also had a great dinner at Chops and were pleased.

 

We found the comedy to be so-so, not sure if it was the same pair for you or not, unfortunately, the only way I could describe them is one was a small white guy and the other a larger (think Middle linebacker sized) black guy. I've totally forgotten their names. The little guy had a rough night the first night of the cruise and he was told (reportedly) to remove some stuff from his act, so the 2nd night, when we went he wasn't there too long. It was only a fair experience for us. I'd be curious if it was the same two guys for your week.

[lambstew]

mamapuggle - thanks for the explanation about the Embassy Suite. We can't wait! Did you fly back home on sunday? We are staying Sunday night and flying out Monday afternoon, so I still need to figure out a hotel Sunday night - post cruise....

[jcaccountant]

Thanks for that good idea getting a Starbucks giftcard. I didn't like the coffee on Oasis last year. I don't understand why they keep using that coffee? Has anyone tried Seattle's Best coffee somewhere else and does it taste as bad?

[LynnAB]

Just returned from a week aboard the Allure. Trying to write a review would be hard. I will touch on the postives (many) and the negatives (only one or two). I would also be glad to answer any questions.

 

DW and I sailed for our 25th Anniversary. She 49 and me 50. This was our 5th cruise and second on RCCI.

 

We traveled down to Ft. Lauderdale the day before our cruise. We stayed at the Embassy Suites. Great hotel with a great loaction. We booked a package that included airport pick-up and shuttle to the pier. We had a room on the 11th floor and had a view of the port. We would stay at this hotel again in a minute.

 

Arrived at the port around 11:30. Embarkation was fast and easy. We were aboard the ship in less than an hour. Cabins were not ready until 1:30. After a little walking around, we went to the Park Cafe for lunch. Great spot w/ great food.

 

Our cabin, 11196 was a D-1 on the hump, port side. We found it to be a great location. The balcony was terrific. It was deeper than most and had a table and two chairs that were very comfortable. The cabin itself was fine. The bed was near the closet and we had no issues. The bathroom was laid out nicely and the shower tube made showering a pleasure. Our cabin attendent was efficient.

 

I don't know where to start writing about the ship. Although DW and I were on CruiseCritic daily before the cruise, it did not cause us to lose any of the "wow" factor once we were aboard. The ship is just out of this world. It was everything we hoped it would be and more, by a mile.

 

We did the traditional dining, late seating (8:30 p.m.). When we booked, we requested a table for two and were assured that would be the case. When we arrived for our first dinner on Sunday night, we found we were at a table for six. I mentioned to the waiter that we had requested a table for two. He asked that we eat at this table for the first night and he would check on a table for two for us. We dined w/ two very nice couples and decided to remain at this table. Our waiter was wonderful. He knew our names, got to know our likes and dislikes and assited us with "sped up" dining when we needed to get to a show. We would rate the service we recieved as A++. As for the food, I should first state that DW and I enjoy good food without being overly fussy. I had no issues with the quality of the food. It was all served fresh and hot. My issue was with the menus. To me it seemed RCCI tried to fancy them up more than needed. Every day there were one or two cold soups on the menus and no hot soups. I guess this is more of a personal thing. Over all, I would rate the main dining room food an A-.

We did eat at two specialty restaraunts, Chops Grille and Giovanni's Table. Words do not desrcibe the experience we had at Chops. It rivaled any meal we have had in any restaraunt at sea or on land. I cannot think of a rating high enough to give it. Both food and service were exceptional. As for Giovanni's Table, the rating would not be as high as Chops but would still be in the A range. Service was teriffic. Both places were worth the additional charge.

All the other eating spots were great and I think we hit them all. We even thought the Windjammer food was decent.

 

Entertainment on the ship is first rate. We saw Chicago, OceanAria, Blue Planet and the comedy show. I would rate all four as "Don't Miss". We made our reservations before sailing and I would urge all future cruisers to do the same because there were no reservations to be made for these shows once you were on the ship.

 

The ship is the cleanest one we have ever sailed. The staff was the friendliest. We cannot say enough about the staff.

 

Based on what we read on CriuseCritic prior to sailing, I can state the following after our cruise:

 

1. Getting a lounger near the pool was never an issue, both on sea or port days.

2. Chair Hogs were not an issue.

3. We never waited more than a minute to get an elevator.

4. Bartenders were more than happy to fill your soda cups.

5. Our bed was very comfortable and there was a "egg crate" topper on it.

6. Formal nights were Monday and Thursday. Lobster was served on the 2nd formal night. Our waiter asked everyone if they wanted a second lobster tail.

7. In our opinion, don't bother getting off the ship at Falmouth. Port is still under heavy construction. A few local merchants sell their wares under tents. It seems like it will be a lovely port when finished but that seems like months from now.

8. DW and I are not smokers. She is more sensitive to smoke than am I. We spent some time in the casino each night. The smell of smoke was never an issue although it was stonger on the smoking half of the casino (Duh).

 

I will finish with the negatives. The biggest one for us was the coffee. It was TERRIBLE with the only exceptions being the brew that was served in the specialty restaraunts. The dining room brew was only passable. As for the swill that was served everywhere else, don't bother. My suggestion is that you buy a Starbucks gift card before boarding. They are accepted and their coffee was our only saving grace.

RCCL needs to do something about the seating at the Windjammer. There were never open seats. We would walk around with our trays for 5 or 10 minutes and never found a seat. We ended up back at our room to eat with the food getting cold before we arrived there.

 

These negatives were small and in no way diminished to terrific time we had aboard the Allure. It has to be experienced, words do not do her justice.

 

Please ask any questions that you have. I'll be glad to answer them.

 

 

 

OMG!!! It is such a SMALL WORLD. My husband and I were in 11195 last week (Central Park Balcony). We saw your Happy Anniversary banner on your door!!!!!! In fact, we saw YOU off and on, too, when we were leaving our cabin or going back in. Out of the whole huge ship it's amazing to have been NEIGHBORS. I wish we had spoken <g>.

 

All the positives in your review are exactly what I would have written. We definitely "lived" the same week you and your wife did. Amazing! We have been telling everyone we had a PERFECT cruise. In fact, we want to go back!!!

 

We were on Oasis twice last year, so we NEED another Allure cruise to balance out the behemoth ships, right? That's my story.

 

I'm glad you had such a memorable cruise, too. Are you on FB? I've posted a lot of pictures from our cruise there. I think if you saw them, you'd remember me/us, too.

 

Weren't the shows just AMAZING???

 

Gosh, we'll have to compare notes here <lol>.

 

Lynn

[MamaPuggle]

Hey Lynn,

 

It really is a small world. I do remember our brief encounters. We would love to view your photos. If you'd like, send me your name to franklin7425@aol.com. I'll look you up on facebook.

Thanks, Mark

[MamaPuggle]

Hey Lambstew,

We didn't fly out until Monday. We went right back to the Embassy Suites on Sunday. The rate was cheaper because we didn't book the travel package. We took a cab from the pier - $15.00 including tip. They were great and allowed us to check into our room at 11:00 a.m. On Monday morning, the hotel had a shuttle to the airport - $7.00/person. We really enjoyed our stay there!

[livingis2me]

Thanks for the review!

 

Just curious, why the Starbucks gift card? Do they not accept the sea pass card? I'm a big Starbucks fan. I'm budgeting at least $15-$20 per day for Starbucks between my wife and I. So please inform if there is an incentive (or need) to having the gift card.

 

Thanks,

Ron

[MamaPuggle]

Livingis2me

There is no incentive to purchasing a gift card and they do accept the sea pass card.

[LynnAB]

Hey Lynn,

 

It really is a small world. I do remember our brief encounters. We would love to view your photos. If you'd like, send me your name to franklin7425@aol.com. I'll look you up on facebook.

Thanks, Mark

 

 

 

Hi, Mark,

 

I emailed you with my FB info. I hope you got it okay.

 

Lynn

[berbet]

MamaPuggle - I agree. You pretty much wrote our review, too! We were on your cruise. We, too, stayed at the Embassy Suites w/the airport to hotel/hotel to pier package. We were lucky and when we called after baggage pickup, they sent the van to get us. They took my cell phone number and then they called the driver. He called me back in about 3 mins and told me what time to be at the pickup place. He didn't explain too well. He said to go out of the terminal and take a right and that he would be at the hotel sign. We stopped at a sign not too far out of the terminal. We saw him drive by and pull over quite a way down the road past us. I called him and said I just saw him go by. He waited while we walked down with our luggage. The shuttle in the a.m. to the pier was easy. They had many vans waiting to take guests to the pier. We waited no time at all. Embassey Suites has complimentary happy hour from 5:30 - 7:30 and complimentary breakfast including omelets made to order. Their breakfast is awesome!

 

We, too, had lunch at Park Cafe on embarkation day.

 

I totally agree about the coffee - YUCK! It was too strong and bitter. I normally take 2 creams. I put 7 creams in that coffee and could not make it smooth tasting!

 

Wasn't our weather perfect?!!!

[will773]

Thanks for your comments. Glad you hear you had a great time!

[livingis2me]

Livingis2me

There is no incentive to purchasing a gift card and they do accept the sea pass card.

OK, thanks. Maybe a gift card would help keep our Starbucks spending in check.;)

 

Thanks again for your review.

 

Ron

[Rancher Dave]

RCCL needs to do something about the seating at the Windjammer. There were never open seats. We would walk around with our trays for 5 or 10 minutes and never found a seat. We ended up back at our room to eat with the food getting cold before we arrived there.

 

What time of day were you at WJ? Wondering if it is a time of day to avoid or if it is really every time folks go up there.

 

DD loves WJ, me not so much, but on our Daddy & Daughter cruise we will end up eating there a few times...and I hate walking around as my food gets cold. Prefer to go to Sorentos and other smaller venues where the food is being cooked and served quickly and there are open seats...

[Beasleymonster]

Can you purchase a Starbuck gift card on the ship?

[mrsrocster]

I agree with most of your review too....I was on the 4/24 sailing of Allure and personally, since I am a late sleeper.....I didn't find the Windjammer that crowded, found a table with a, minimal amount of walking. Actually, I've found that anytime you go to a common area at its most peak time(s), you will find a large crowd.....if you have the luxury of changing your schedule, do so and you will be rewarded with less crowds. Not everyone can do this and I understand that, I just don't want others to get the idea that they will always have a hard time finding a spot to sit when they visit a particular venue on any ship. Certain things, like shows, you can't change your schedule and yes, you'll find crowds, but if you can get there early enough and people watch, do so.....if you like people watching, that is a lot of fun before the show and time flies.

 

Michelle

[jatdowning]

We were on this cruise, too.

 

We felt the elevators were incredibly slow and we opted for the stairs the majority of the time. We would wait and wait and when they did come, people would push you by running toward them and by the time you got there, it was full. If you did make it on, it stopped on every floor. People claimed that it must be kids but I never saw kids pushing the elevator buttons :rolleyes: The elevator would stop on every floor and sometimes there wouldn't be anyone there.

 

It was a minor disturbance that was easily fixed by taking the stairs. We're young and fit so we didn't mind too much.