Is it Live or is it Memorex?- Allure of the Seas Review September 18-25 with Pics!

[mj]

I started reading this review before going on the Allure on 10/20/11 and it is good to see it is still going. Fantastic review and the Allure was a fantastic ship. When I was reading about what happened to your family in the parade, we actually had a good viewing spot. We were near Starbucks near something called the Shop. There was some lady from RCCL making sure that everybody was behind the line for the parade. She was busy as a lot of people were stepping over the line. The parade was great, but Shrek for some reason didn't come on our side at all.

 

This review was so great to read as it got me excited for my Allure cruise. Hope your family has had a good Thanksgiving and hopefully you have some more RCCL ships booked in the future so you will give more reviews like this one. We have Oasis booked next year and it will be a long time between now and October.

[jakesmom04]

Awesome review....we will not be on the Allure until 2013 but making all my little notes from everyone elses reviews. Your pictures are great. Thanks again!!!

[joand452]

Thanks so much for the rest of the story! It's a nice trip down memory lane and our two weeks on Allure!

 

Believe it or not, even on a B2B, I felt that we didn't see/do everything! It's kind of nice knowing that we'll still have new experiences when we go on Oasis.

 

I have a question about the Little Wonders. Did you just put your lens down to the top? I didn't take any pics of them, but have seen plenty of others' photos. I'll definitely try to see ALL of them on Oasis and take some pics.

[Dawne B R]

What an awesome review, thank you so much! My husband has been deployed for almost two years and we are doing a BTB in Feb. I am so excited, i can hardly stand it. Thank you soo soo much! Im going to try to email him so he can read your email, hopefully he has the internet time to read through it alL! THANK YOU!

[livingis2me]

Just when I thought you'd never get around to finishing this thing...;)

 

It was the best cruise that we'd been on. We can't wait to do it again!!! Looks like our next time on the Allure will be 9-22-13. We just have to wait until tax return time to book it. At least we get to go on the Disney Fantasy next year. Hopefully that will hold us over until we can get back on the Allure.

 

Ron

[murrayghj]

WONDERFUL review. Thanks so much for sharing your cruise with us!

[Dawne B R]

Im hoping someone will give us an answer. We got a balcony ocean view on deck 14. turns out it is right by kids club, is it going to be SUPER noisy?? Is the kids club open all night?

[The Big Booper]

I really enjoyed your LONG review, I read thru the whole thing over the holiday weekend. Some thoughts -

 

We did a B2B on the Allure last May and are veteran cruisers (D+ on RCI plus others), carefully planned, and still didn't get to do all the things we wanted to do and we don't travel with small kids. So don't fret that you didn't cover everything you wanted to.

 

In St. Thomas the Allure stops at remote Crown Bay because it can't get into Havensight (draft too deep). If you take the Disney Fantasy next year on the Eastern swing you'll see the difference.

 

The Viking Crown Lounge at the top of the ship is beautiful, when you go on the Allure again try to get there at least one night, if just for some pictures.

 

We are booked on the Disney Fantasy next December and we are in our 60's and go with another couple also in their 60's with no kids. Adults can enjoy that ship as well as kids.

 

Once again, one of the best photo reviews we've seen.

[telecruiser]

Great review! Did I blink and miss the promised chair hog story?

[VillageDwellers]

2. Brendan turned 12 just a few weeks after our cruise. They told him that he had to first try a session in the club and then they would give him the option to move up to the teen club. They were very clear with him that once he moved they couldn't move him back. We fully expected him to do it since he loved the young teens club on our last Disney cruise. But he really enjoyed the club so he didn't switch. I can tell you that he never regretted it.

 

This is my very first post!!! I've been a lurker for a while reading up on everything Allure of the Seas since we booked our very first cruise. (We are sailing in March 2012.) This has got to be the best review I've ever read. The detail and pics are amazing and well-written. Thank you for providing such valuable information!!!!

 

My SIL wants to join us on our upcoming cruise on the Allure. Her daughter is 11, just 2 months shy of her 12th birthday. My SIL wants to move her up to the next level (the 12-14 club) so that she can join my daughter, who's turning 13 in March. You mention that there is an "option to move up" in the kids/teen clubs. Does that apply to kids who are close to the next level? Are there any rules on this? Thanks in advance!

[Upandadam]

Wow, it's over?!?!? lol

 

Great review, and being dragged out over such along period helped to fill the void between now and our time on The Allure. Now, if only you could have dragged it out another 4 or 5 days! ;)

[livingis2me]

 

My SIL wants to join us on our upcoming cruise on the Allure. Her daughter is 11, just 2 months shy of her 12th birthday. My SIL wants to move her up to the next level (the 12-14 club) so that she can join my daughter, who's turning 13 in March. You mention that there is an "option to move up" in the kids/teen clubs. Does that apply to kids who are close to the next level? Are there any rules on this? Thanks in advance!

I'm not sure how close you have to be to go up to the next level. Brendan was less than one month away and he had the option. But again, they told him he'd have to try at least one session in his normal age group before they'd let him change. I don't know if this is always the case. I'd be willing to bet that she won't have a problem especially considering that your daughter is already in the teen club. I would expect them to have her try out a session in the kids club before they let her move on.:)

 

Ron

 

PS- Congrats on your first post and welcome to CC!

Edited November 28, 2011 by livingis2me

[livingis2me]

Great review! Did I blink and miss the promised chair hog story?

The chair hog was the purse in Windjammer.:cool:

 

Ron

[VillageDwellers]

Thanks, Ron!

 

If you don't mind, I have another newbie type of question. How many nights of formal or dressy kind of clothing did you bring for the Allure cruise? Is it formal every night or just a couple of nights in the 7 days? Thanks!

[flynsail]

Thank you for the fantastic detailed review and all the photos. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I'm a little sad that it's all over. I look forward to Sept 2013 when I can read another of your reviews and see how much your lovely children have grown. By the way, Savannah is an awesome dancer. We will be on the Allure next Dec with our teenagers and I can't wait, only a little more than a year to wait.

[joand452]

The chair hog was the purse in Windjammer.:cool:

 

Ron

 

Well, you know us cruisers -- we see "chair hog" and immediately think pool!

 

I'm surprised she didn't come by and yell at you for taking her table!

 

To VillageDwellers: Two formal nights on a 7-day cruise. The other nights are "resort casual" -- nice slacks, collared shirts for men; nice slacks, nice tops or dresses for the ladies. Although nice (not worn or torn) jeans are now allowed in the main dining room. Just a little hint -- we each pack two pairs of nice slacks (although I take black capris). A pair and a spare! No sense loading up the luggage with 5 pairs of slacks each!

[VillageDwellers]

To VillageDwellers: Two formal nights on a 7-day cruise. The other nights are "resort casual" -- nice slacks, collared shirts for men; nice slacks, nice tops or dresses for the ladies. Although nice (not worn or torn) jeans are now allowed in the main dining room. Just a little hint -- we each pack two pairs of nice slacks (although I take black capris). A pair and a spare! No sense loading up the luggage with 5 pairs of slacks each!

 

Thanks Joan! I'm already planning the least amount to bring. Any further tips will be most appreciated.

[BillOh]

Thank you all for being so patient...I'm sorry this is getting dragged on for so long. The real world is cruel-lol! ;) I am about 3/4 done with the next part just have to get the pics sorted, uploaded, and posted. I'm already at work tonight so it will be tomorrow! Thanks for hanging in there!

 

Jen

 

For those of us with no cruise scheduled yet, no problem! Its been great reliving allure. Next cruise will either be Allure or Freedom again.

[BillOh]

For those curious about riding on the bar without purchasing anything, be aware that lots of folks will hop on just for the ride- it appeared to be pretty typical behavior. In fact if you are just standing in the standing room only area of the bar, it is a little difficult to get service. OK a lot difficult. I think the servers assume the people standing in that area don’t necessarily want drinks.

 

Ok, I just don't get it. Now I love Maho beach and can understand why some people can't understand the fun of watching planes take off and land, but getting on the rising tide just for the ride? I thought it was a cool idea and if we wanted to sit and have a drink and watch the scenes change this would be great, but I can't imagine going to an elevator and taking a 15 minute ride. We avoided it so that people who wanted to use it could.

 

Now that you reminded me of the Allure book, that was very helpful in preparation for our cruise. I was given one shortly after Allure's innaugural sailing by one of the moderators. I didn't write it, but after I was done, I did a "pay it forward" type of thing and sent it to another CC member who was preparing to go on an Allure cruise with the instruction to "pay it forward" again. I wonder where it is?

[BillOh]

Gloria had a huge crush on Brendan, much to his dismay.

 

 

 

I almost knocked Gloria off the ship, good thing she was still there. I was on the running track and her dressing room for the aqua theater show is on that deck at the back of the ship. I came around the corner on a noon time run on a Sea Day and she was walking the wrong way on the track coming around a corner toward the stairs. Not smart! (They should escort those characters or close the track for a few minutes. )

[BillOh]

Quick question: Were chocolate shakes are included in character breakfast or was there a charge?

 

No, there was no extra charge, but at least on the day I was there, they were nothing more than glorified chocolate milk, not much of a shake.

[BillOh]

The End! :)

 

Wow! You've had a great deal of people thanking you for your review, so I'll just pile on. As an experienced cruise critic member you know how much people appreciate the reviews. Great reviews like this one sure helped pass the time before my cruise. When I got back I enjoyed doing my review and helping out others, now 7 months past, I enjoy reading these reviews to refresh my memory and pick up things I missed.

 

My wife and I are empty nesters, but we had a great time on this ship anyway. It truly is big enough and has something for everyone. We had very little character interaction, by choice, but it was obvious it was there for you. We were able to get away from kids when we wanted to, but enjoyed people watching and seeing families have a good time. Clearly your kids are great kids, its nice to see your oldest has time for his younger sisters. That may be beneficial 5-10 years from now.

 

I've been debating which will be my next cruise, Freedom again, or Allure again, you've got me leaning toward Allure again. I probably won't make up my mind till after tax time.

 

Thanks again.

[The Big Booper]

I almost knocked Gloria off the ship, good thing she was still there. I was on the running track and her dressing room for the aqua theater show is on that deck at the back of the ship. I came around the corner on a noon time run on a Sea Day and she was walking the wrong way on the track coming around a corner toward the stairs. Not smart! (They should escort those characters or close the track for a few minutes. )

 

Usually, on Disney, the characters are escorted by another staffer not wearing a costume who functions as the eyes for the person who can't see what is going on. I thought RC does the same.

[BillOh]

Great review! Did I blink and miss the promised chair hog story?

 

I must have missed it too, though she did say it wasn't much of a problem most days for her. It was a little worse on my cruise, I played with my new camera and posted an entire thread called MEET THE ALLURE CHAIR HOGS. but it got removed from the forum. I suspect a few CC members recognized themselves and complained. I may put it back up on my own website and put a link in my signature :p

[BillOh]

Thanks, Ron!

 

If you don't mind, I have another newbie type of question. How many nights of formal or dressy kind of clothing did you bring for the Allure cruise? Is it formal every night or just a couple of nights in the 7 days? Thanks!

 

Its 2 nights of official formal. On the Eastern, I think it was Tuesday (Nassau) and Friday (Sea Day) if my memory still holds. We took normal formal clothes this year and did specialty restaurants those nights.