LIVE: Allure Western 7/1-7/8/12 with SilentBob007 and family

[sakigemcam]

We must have been sitting close to you. We opted to move away from Grandpapa's birthday bash. I couldn't hear a word my husband was saying, and some of the kids were up and running around, so we changed tables after the first night. I think we made a wise decision, since we could still hear them on the floor below. The debutantes were pretty annoying IMHO. I guess I have a BIG problem with them since we caught TWO of them stealing two towels off our loungers in Labadee when we went to the restroom for a couple of minutes. They had forgotten their towels and decided to help themselves. We were so fortunate to walk up on them just as they grabbed them! One girl gave the towel back instantly, and the other said she had put it down on our lounger and it was actually hers. She finally gave it back when I told her I was going to get a security officer. I don't mind large groups or large groups of kids, but these two groups thought Allure was a private yacht! No worries though....still had a wonderful time.

 

My advice - guard your towels and never leave your things (even for a quick break to the restroom.)

We were lucky then! We found Grandpapa and crew fascinating. And boy if someone was stealing my towels they would have run for their lives once I opened my mouth. I'm really glad we didn't see this side of anyone. What bugged us was the overcrowding at Labadee and that discarded diaper - and chaises being placed right in front of us when we got to the beach before anyone!OOOOOH did that get me!

 

One funny one was on Labadee, an Asian crew with high end cameras came to visit, stood in front of our chairs, and proceeded to pose for pics. One gentleman needed to crouch to get just the right angle, yet crouching mean his rear was about a foot from my face. Oh, did I get some good photos there! And another had someone else take a photo of him in mid-air - he'd say "One, two, three!" and jump about 2 inches. Got a shot of that too. My kids were loving it. Frankly that group was adorable!

[sakigemcam]

Reposting

[sakigemcam]

You crack me up - you do know the whole reason a smoker gets a balcony is to smoke on it?!

 

Being an ex-smoker (and a healthy eater, marathoner, etc) I try hard to tolerate the smoke. I do like it when a smoker puts it out when others come around.

 

But then, I would rather be a smoker, French fry eating, couch potato, but understand that I can't!

 

I hope you still enjoyed your cruise! We always do!

 

Silent BOB - LOVED your review- Made my week here much more bearable living vicariously through you! THANKS!!

I am SO intolerant of smokers....relentlessly so, really to the point of being obnoxious (I admit it!). I can't think of a reasonable solution for the cruise lines - so much of their market are smokers.

 

I myself pick drinking, hot fudge eating, couch potato....

[sakigemcam]

How much was your cab ride back to the airport? Thanks!

$15 including tip - for four of us with way too much luggage! Same on way there!

[sakigemcam]

Cozumel was better as we went to a beach club for some amazing snorkeling and lunch and beach time. Clean, fab fish. We did the shopping in El Centro and at least felt like there was some culture, although, once again, there was plenty of haggling. I really don't like that.

 

Which Beach Club in Cozumel? We are trying to plan our December cruise now and just trying to figure out what to do in each port.

 

Thanks,

Yes, it was The Money Bar. I think that was the site - moneybar dot com or themoneybar dot com. Pricing on the site. I found it, as I did the zipline in jamaica, on Tripadvisor. TA posts said that the ship excursions bring their snorkelers right there - and boy were they right - boat after boat right in our turf, at several times the price. We felt awfully smart lol. They also offer massages, there is a full bar, the guacamole was good and most importantly, it was clean. It was an $8 cab ride from the pier, plus tip.

[sakigemcam]

There was one FlowRider for stand-up and one for boogie boarding. I believe that if you've been going for a while, they want you to do a trick and wipe out.

There was a redheaded young woman, a cruiser, on the standup Flowrider, who was amazing. My son just said she was showing off as he had nowhere near her skills. AND upon leaving FLL, we saw a house with a FLOWRIDER IN THEIR BACK YARD!!! We decided this was her house.

[Jman1118]

There was a redheaded young woman, a cruiser, on the standup Flowrider, who was amazing. My son just said she was showing off as he had nowhere near her skills. AND upon leaving FLL, we saw a house with a FLOWRIDER IN THEIR BACK YARD!!! We decided this was her house.

 

If you were on the boogieboard side you would have seen Chazg's kids shredding it up. I went to watch them on day 1 and one of them got me completely soaked.

[Mal]

We were lucky then! We found Grandpapa and crew fascinating. And boy if someone was stealing my towels they would have run for their lives once I opened my mouth. I'm really glad we didn't see this side of anyone. What bugged us was the overcrowding at Labadee and that discarded diaper - and chaises being placed right in front of us when we got to the beach before anyone!OOOOOH did that get me!

 

One funny one was on Labadee, an Asian crew with high end cameras came to visit, stood in front of our chairs, and proceeded to pose for pics. One gentleman needed to crouch to get just the right angle, yet crouching mean his rear was about a foot from my face. Oh, did I get some good photos there! And another had someone else take a photo of him in mid-air - he'd say "One, two, three!" and jump about 2 inches. Got a shot of that too. My kids were loving it. Frankly that group was adorable!

 

That's what we love about cruising. What's disgusting to some is interesting to another...what we've learned to do is graciously ask to change things that bug us. When you do that, you enjoy your cruise and don't spend precious time focusing on those things that REALLY annoy you. Concerning the towel thieves...we were direct and did not back down. As I said, one handed the towel over quickly, and the other decided to argue. BIG mistake. We were just happy we SAW it happening....another minute and we would have been out $50.

[pasodancer]

Your photos are amazing!

[sakigemcam]

I had to share this - my kids remembered the name on the family t-shirts - I'm pretty good at web searches, part of my work, let this blow your mind! This again was the grandpapa who for his birthday booked all suites on the ship, had 60 of his family and nannies along - they closed specialty restaurants for them. I knew I should have asked to be adopted! Site is a little clumsy but really worth it to those on this trip! It was his 65th birthday celebration based on the site date! Feliz cumpleanos, grandpapa!

 

http://www.lightmediation.net/blog/podcast/2008/february/folies%20de%20jorge%20eljuri.pdf

[Sue Dawson]

Yes, it was The Money Bar. I think that was the site - moneybar dot com or themoneybar dot com. Pricing on the site. I found it, as I did the zipline in jamaica, on Tripadvisor. TA posts said that the ship excursions bring their snorkelers right there - and boy were they right - boat after boat right in our turf, at several times the price. We felt awfully smart lol. They also offer massages, there is a full bar, the guacamole was good and most importantly, it was clean. It was an $8 cab ride from the pier, plus tip.

 

Thanks so much I will look that up!

[Familygoboston]

There was a redheaded young woman, a cruiser, on the standup Flowrider, who was amazing. My son just said she was showing off as he had nowhere near her skills. AND upon leaving FLL, we saw a house with a FLOWRIDER IN THEIR BACK YARD!!! We decided this was her house.

 

I have a photo of that house and the Flowrider in my Oasis review...there was a guy riding it when we sailed away! I joked at the time with the people on our roll call at sail away that he must have seen it on the ship passing by one day and just looked it up in his " billionaires" catalog and ordered one;)

[KMagz]

.... The debutantes were pretty annoying ......we caught TWO of them stealing two towels off our loungers in Labadee when we went to the restroom for a couple of minutes. They had forgotten their towels and decided to help themselves.

 

^^ Those are REAL towel animals!!! :)

[Mal]

I have to laugh...the Grandpapa who is a gazillionaire and worried about kidnappers in the articles and pictures you posted had welcome signs on their doors....."Eljuri Family Cruise 2012"...there were 4-5 suites on our floor with those signs on the doors. So much for keeping a low profile.

[Familygoboston]

I have to laugh...the Grandpapa who is a gazillionaire and worried about kidnappers in the articles and pictures you posted had welcome signs on their doors....."Eljuri Family Cruise 2012"...there were 4-5 suites on our floor with those signs on the doors. So much for keeping a low profile.

 

Have you been to South or Central America? There are a few guys like Grandpa and millions living in cardboard boxes. It's not quite like a cruise ship;):D

[Mal]

Have you been to South or Central America? There are a few guys like Grandpa and millions living in cardboard boxes. It's not quite like a cruise ship;):D

 

Yes, I have been to Central and South America more than once and know what you mean. Just thought it was a little ironic when I saw your pics...that's all.

[sakigemcam]

Yes, I have been to Central and South America more than once and know what you mean. Just thought it was a little ironic when I saw your pics...that's all.

I hadn't replied yet...;)- but yes it is ironic in many ways - the security, the sadness of the poverty in Ecaudor. Our sources told us he spend half a million dollars on the accommodations and another half million on dining and liquor. The champagne was flowing. Yet it says he owns 200 companies, so I hope he works just a little bit. That HOUSE! Mrs. Grandpapa's face was as tight as a drum lol - Botox much? The women were all quite beautiful and beautifully dressed. Seriously I should have schmoozed him up. My family might then have chosen to stay ashore at a port, they would have been SO embarrassed!

[silentbob007]

We ate MTD very early all week (5:45 or so) ... the only distractions we had were one or two kids screaming bloody murder across the way in the dining room.

 

We saw some of the family in the Concierge Lounge and they were very quiet and polite in there.

[Riverwinds 13]

:confused: Am I still on Silent Bob's thread? Lots of hijack posts. Seriously, thought I had clicked on some other post.

[AF-1]

Nope, it's still the same post; a few extra tidbits were thrown in.

[silentbob007]

I think it goes to show how experiences can differ, even on the same ship and sailing. :)

[silentbob007]

Night on the Boardwalk by cmong, on Flickr

 

Anchor from Above by cmong, on Flickr

 

Viking Crown Lights by cmong, on Flickr

 

Viking Crown by cmong, on Flickr

 

Central Park by cmong, on Flickr

 

 

Promenade spy by cmong, on Flickr

[silentbob007]

Flying down the practice line by cmong, on Flickr

 

Practice line done! by cmong, on Flickr

 

Allure at Labadee by cmong, on Flickr

 

Zipping it by cmong, on Flickr

 

Swingers by cmong, on Flickr

 

$40,000 Britto original on the bridge of Allure by cmong, on Flickr

[Eng23]

Thanks for posting your "live review" for us. I'm down to 82 days to go! Thanks again, Harold. :)

[Jman1118]

Does anyone have photos of the Ecuadorean grandfather? all I saw were the quinceaneras and the viajes espacial (i got to meet some of those girls. Muy caliente!)