Allure Sept 30, 2012 - The Most Disorganized Review Ever

[swwake]

When we got there, once again, it had stopped raining and there was not a cloud in the sky anywhere near the pier. Here we go again.

 

Third time's a charm! This time, we made it off the ship! And we were able to accomplish Goal # 1 for the day - photos of the Dream and Ecstasy.

 

I mentioned previously that I had traveled on the Ecstasy in 1993. Here is a comparison of the ship in 1993 (with our friend Bryan) and today.

I mentioned earlier that I did not recall the balconies on the Ecstasy and they look like they have been retrofitted. I found an article online where Carnival announced the renovation, including 98 more balconies. That little ship has quite a history. A fire onboard in 1998, causing $17 million in damages, used as evacuee housing for Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans, drydock/refurbishment in 2006, and the 2009 drydock installing the balconies and more.

 

About this time, guess what? It started raining again. We headed for shelter and looked to the sky. We noticed that the clouds didn't appear to be clearing any time soon, and we were about an hour from all-aboard at 2:30, so we decided to head back to Allure. Senor Frogs would have to hold that Yard Stick for me until next time.

Here is the Atlantis, officially under water.

So we didn't accomplish Goal #2 for our day ashore in Nassau. But we weren't very upset about it. I'm pretty sure we went back to the flowrider, where the weather cleared in the afternoon. At 3pm sailaway, the cruise director (Allan Brooks) announced that we would be departing soon, but there was an immigration problem. He suggested watching the departure, as the port is small and difficult for a large ship to navigate. We watched from the flowrider lines, and it was pretty cool to see.

Next, dinner at 150 Central Park. Will it live up to its hype?

Edited October 13, 2012 by swwake

[Lorey2007]

Love your review can't wait for more. Thanks.

[swwake]

My guess is that we stayed at the flowrider right until 6pm when it closed. Then back to the room to get ready for dinner at 150 Central Park.

 

Tonight is Formal night, and even though we were not eating in the MDR, and the suggested attire for 150 CP is "Smart Casual", we opted for our formal wear.

Rewind<< At some point during Day 2, I found the cruise director's daily show on RCTV. It's called Babbling Brooks and it is entertaining. Allan Brooks wears a pink robe and broadcasts his show from his office. It is about 10 minutes long, and he has several daily segments, including:

- drink of the day (he takes a drink at 6am)

- review of the highlights of the daily Cruise Compass

- word of the day and/or Britto item of the day

- stunt of the day (he shows video of a stunt - not related to the ship or the cruise, but fun)

- trivia question of the day (he will answer tomorrow)

- reading and responding to Questions for the CD, which are placed in the box near Guest Services

- "hug-a-_____" day (each day he suggests you hug a different person (waiter, bartender, stateroom attendant, etc.)

 

His show is entertaining and gives good information. I may have never paid attention, because I have read that each cruise director does a morning show, but I have never seen them on previous cruises.

 

On Allure, Captain Johnny also does a daily show at noon, which is repeat broadcast throughout the day. He talks about our course, the weather, whether we are on time, and takes viewers on a tour of an area of the ship (bridge, engine room, etc.). He also gives some info about himself or the ship that may be interesting (like the fact that he has a parrot onboard).

 

Back to "real time". We got all dressed up and decided to go to the ship's photographers for some photos. We did some at a backdrop, and a few more at the grand staircase at the Royal Promenade. Unfortunately, my hair covered my eye in most shots, so we didn't feel it was worth it to buy the full-length shots. We did get this one.

A couple of nights later, we saw another lady in the same dress I wore for Formal night. Glad we didn't wear them on the same night!

 

We arrived for dinner at 150 CP just on time at 7:30pm. Tonight we missed the Captain's Welcome Aboard Address and Coctail Reception (free champagne). We were seated in Peanut Chairs at 150CP. I can't find any good photos, but they make you feel a little like Alice in Wonderland.

 

We were seated at at two-top, but close to another couple. We tried to be polite and leave them alone during dinner, but toward the end, somehow we started chatting. Very nice couple, and we had a good time talking to them near the end of their dinner. We would see them again later on the cruise.

 

150 CP has two menus each voyage. They change to the 2nd menu on Thursday (I believe). The Chef's Dining Package includes the dinner (normally $40 per person), but there is a wine pairing available for $75. We asked to split the wine pairing and were told yes, but warned that they would be 2-ounce portions (per person) for each course. We thought this would be plenty for each of us with 6 courses!

 

Before dinner, they serve bread with unsalted butter and their "salt flower" (that's what I'll call it). It was a dish with 6 compartments and a tiny spoon in each. Each compartment held a different variety of salt. I can't remember them all, but I do remember these:

- salt used in most dishes served on the ship

- hawaiian volcanic salt (pink, and supposedly tastes like roses - but I couldn't taste it)

- australian salt

- Indian salt

- black salt (I can't remember where this was from, but it was smoky and tasted like smoke. Very good and we could imagine it as a seasoning for a good steak)

- sulfuric salt (Again, I can't remember where it was from, but it tasted, oddly, like boiled eggs)

Hey, I guess I remembered them all!

 

Here is our menu:

150 Central Park Autumn Salad

fall-berry granola crusted duck confit, red-eye ailoi, bitter

green salad, duck prosciutto mocha swirl

brioche, huckleberry aigre-doux

 

Roasted Chestnut Veloute

gingerbread croutons, quince chutney, whipped

cider-mascarpone, shaved celery

 

"Clams Oreganata"

house-made wakame fusilli, steamed littleneck clams,

oregano breadcrumb "sand"salsify variations, sea

beans, American paddlefish caviar

 

Seared Scallop With Miso-

Braised Berkshire Pork Belly

kabocha squash puree, spicy-soy caramel, pickled plum

pudding, Swank Farms pac choi, bacon sabayon

 

Modern Shepherd's Pie

Guinness braised lamb shank pave, glazed thumbelina

carrots, pickled mustard seeds

caramelized cippolini onions, rosemary-hot potato espuna

 

-OR-

 

Harris Ranch Beef

Tenderloin "Reuben"

spice-rubbed pan-seared filet, rye bread puree, roasted

brussels sprouts, pickled tomato puree gruyere potato

dauphinoise, thousand island hollandaise

 

Toasted Pistachio Genoise

orange blossom-creme fraiche ice cream, honey poached

cranberries, sweet pistachio cream crispy orange

merengue, whipped cranberry soup

 

We were presented the menu and asked if everything seemed ok or if we needed substitutions. We were fine with it.

 

About the time that our first course was delivered, we also received customized souvenir menus with our names on them. A very nice touch.

 

We enjoyed our dinner, and it was plenty of fantastic food. We were enjoying the atmosphere so much that we decided to stay for an after-dinner drink. We chose a recommended port and they brought us a cheese tray that complemented it nicely.

 

Dinner took just over 2 hours at a leisurely pace. When we returned to our room, we were greeted by our first towel animal.

We received towel animals three nights during the cruise, and chocolates only the first formal night. We may have received chocolates other nights if we had eaten the ones we received the first night, but they stayed on our vanity all week.

 

After visiting the room, we stopped by the casino. We must have thought it would be a great idea to make a generous contribution to RCI so they can work on the new Project Sunshine ships. We played blackjack for awhile and had a good time. We ran into some people we had met at the flowrider earlier, and Captain Johnny stopped by to talk to many of the players.

 

We were having a great time and decided to forgo the Chicago show. We stopped by Blaze and had a few drinks, watching others dance. We didn't notice anyone really "dressed to impress" in Black & White (as the Compass had suggested).

 

After a great evening, we turned in.

 

So, to revisit the daily plan:

Today's Plans:

9:30am - Flowrider lessons Done.

Late morning/afternoon - Head ashore with two goals:

1. Take photos of the Ecstasy and Dream. Done.

2. People-watch at Senor Frogs Failed.

7:30pm - 150 Central Park Done.

10:30pm - Chicago (Broadway production) Failed.

Late - Black & White party at Blaze nightclub Done.

 

Tomorrow - our first Sea Day. Would we spend the entire day at the flowrider?

[ALSEAU]

After Ocean Aria, we decided to check out Blaze, the night club. Tonight was the "Traffic Light Party". Drinks were served in cups with flashing lights in the bottom that were either green (available), red (taken), or yellow (it's complicated). It was like Facebook on the dance floor. Except not really. Either nobody had read the Cruise Compass about the Traffic Light Party, or there were a bunch of complicated people on that ship.

 

The club was not very busy, and the DJ changed songs too often for our liking. Between flashing lights and shifting music, we felt like we were in fast-forward mode and it was just our first night. We wanted this cruise to last as loooonnnggg as possible.

 

 

So we took a walk on the upper decks. Just like we had on Oasis the first night. The pool deck was empty. The Viking Crown Lounge was empty. 6300 passengers on this ship and it was just midnight. Where was everyone?

 

 

I am surprised to read this. I never got to bed before 1:00 AM any night on the cruise. There were always a lot of people in Promenade at the "Bow and Stern" and "Boleros".

 

Well 8704 neighbor hope you are feeling better! I completely understand your embarrassment. First night I just went to Windjammer for dinner. Not impressed with it but that was the easiest for both of us. Hard to navigate wheelchairs into the dining room depending where your seat is. When I did go on Fri we went very early and moved chairs around and stayed til the end and did the same to get out. Worked ok for 2nd seating. Concierge Lounge was accommodating as well.

Bummer you lost one more day than I did. I love St Thomas. Hope you got to enjoy the day :)

 

We found not many people out late at the clubs or bars either and the majority of people on this cruise were 30s-50s. Not sure where everyone was either.

 

Again this surprises me because at 1:00 AM when I went to my room I had to practically walk pass Dazzles and it was almost always crowded with people dancing to some great music.

 

[mwoody1967]

OUTSTANDING REVIEW. I usually breeze right through reviews, skim actually, but this one has grabbed my attention, and has humor throughout. Thank you very much!

[eclecticpanthers]

[SIZE=4][COLOR=darkred]Really enjoying your review, we are sailing in 33 days Nov 18th! Thank you for your insight, this really helps us alot!:D[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[swwake]

CC only lets me quote 2 at a time, so I have given up on trying to be a gratuitous responder. I want to thank you all for your kind comments and for reading along. It keeps me motivated to continue.

I'm duplicating this in a travel blog I just started. I guess I'll add that to my signature someday.

Al - maybe everyone was on the Royal Promenade? Maybe that's where they were!

[luv2sail7]

Hey Susan - two questions:
1. Is the comedy show the same material every night or does the show change like half way thru the cruise?
2. Do you have the second menu for 150 CP when it changes mid-week?
And GREAT REVIEW!!! Can't wait until our Jan 27 cruise!!! Edited October 15, 2012 by luv2sail7
Wrong date

[Clarea]

[quote name='luv2sail7']Hey Susan - two questions:
[COLOR=Red]1. Is the comedy show the same material every night or does the show change like half way thru the cruise?[/COLOR]
2. Do you have the second menu for 150 CP when it changes mid-week?
And GREAT REVIEW!!! Can't wait until our Jan 29 cruise!!![/quote]
The comedy show on Oasis and Allure is the same throughout the cruise.

[swwake]

[quote name='luv2sail7']Hey Susan - two questions:
1. Is the comedy show the same material every night or does the show change like half way thru the cruise?
2. Do you have the second menu for 150 CP when it changes mid-week?
And GREAT REVIEW!!! Can't wait until our Jan 27 cruise!!![/quote]

[quote name='clarea']The comedy show on Oasis and Allure is the same throughout the cruise.[/quote]

It is the same show and same comedians, but I am told it can change based on audience composition and participation. We only went to one show, early in the week.

Also, the last comedy show of the week is moved to a different venue (I can't remember if it is Amber Theater or Studio B) and is for all ages. This means the humor may not be as "dirty".

I think they gave us the second menu. I will check tonight when I get home from work and post it if I have it.

[lvstitch]

Great report, can't wait to read more.

[lori450]

More, please.

I had a reservation for 150 Central Park but canceled it when I saw it was a fixed menu. You mentioned that they asked you if you wanted to change anything, do you know how that would have worked?
Thanks

[Steppy08]

Loving the review so far, we sail on Allure on Jan. 20 and can't wait!

[Familygoboston]

[quote name='swwake']I found it on my work computer. This was my final version, used to book our dinners. The gray items are options. Blue means Flowrider is open. Yes, we did book our dinners around Flowrider operating times.

[IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/sgwilson/Allure%20of%20the%20Seas%202012/planningspreadsheet.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

Love it love it love it! I made a similar one for Oasis and yes, already have my Allure one started! I found the schedule so handy for narrowing down what we wanted to do rather than spend time ( and you'd need to spend a lot!) reading through the Compass to winnow out what we want. I call it[COLOR="Red"] " My Time Cruise Compass"[/COLOR];):p
Thanks for your review and photos...now if only I could find a way to get mine for free in 6 months:rolleyes:

[suzyluvs2cruise]

[quote name='lori450']More, please.

I had a reservation for 150 Central Park but canceled it when I saw it was a fixed menu. You mentioned that they asked you if you wanted to change anything, do you know how that would have worked?
Thanks[/quote]

I'd be curious about that too. DH is a fussy eater....no fish or seafood so we didn't do 150 either.

[swwake]

[quote name='lori450']More, please.

I had a reservation for 150 Central Park but canceled it when I saw it was a fixed menu. You mentioned that they asked you if you wanted to change anything, do you know how that would have worked?
Thanks[/quote]I am not sure how it works or how much they would change. My recommendation would be to stop by 150CP on embarkation day and ask them about it there, then make the reservation. They do ask when you reserve if you have any food allergies, so I think with a good amount of heads-up, they will make whatever accommodations you need.

[nancydru]

Wonderful review! We will be on Allure for Thanksgiving so enjoying the pics!

[swwake]

[quote name='luv2sail7']Hey Susan - two questions:
1. Is the comedy show the same material every night or does the show change like half way thru the cruise?
2. Do you have the second menu for 150 CP when it changes mid-week?
And GREAT REVIEW!!! Can't wait until our Jan 27 cruise!!![/quote]Here's the 2nd menu for 150CP. It may change by January, because they had just rolled out our Fall menu 2 weeks before we boarded (I heard Molly Brandt was onboard for this).

[CENTER]Chilled Lobster Salad with Orchard Fruits
Smoked Apple-Cheddar Soup
Paupiette of Dover Sole
Potato Chip Pasta Cappellacci
Prosciutto Wrapped Berkshire Pork Loin
-OR-
Harris Ranch Beef Tenderloin "Reuben"
Chocolate "Dark and Stormy"

[LEFT]They gave us this menu with pairings as we were leaving, I think to entice us to return. I don't have the menu with detailed descriptions of each item.
[/LEFT]
[/CENTER]

[swwake]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][SIZE=2]I have not one single photograph dated October 2. We must have been having too much fun![/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]This was our first Sea Day. Our plans for the day were:[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]9am - 5pm open flowrider[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]10:30am - Meet & Mingle[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]10:30pm - Comedy Show[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Late - Escape by Malibu party[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We were up a little after 9am and grabbed a bite at Park Cafe on our way up to Deck 15 for the flowrider advanced session. "Advanced" just means you need to be able to load yourself onto the wave without assistance. The line wasn't long yet, and I remember one guy asking me "can you load yourself?" I think he was trying to save me time standing in line if I couldn't.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We rode until about 11am, then went for some real breakfast. We didn't check the Compass or the touchscreens first, and headed to the Solarium, remembering how much we loved the healthier options there on Oasis. When we got there, they were pulling the "crossing" ropes and closing the buffets.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]So we checked the touchscreens (we finally got smart!) and saw that the Windjammer was open. So, back to the aft of the ship. When we got there, the doors were closed on the starboard side. I don't remember checking the port side, but we sure did think it was closed. :([/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We headed back to Central Park and relaxed in some chairs while we waited for it to open for lunch at 11:30. At that time, there was immediately a line. We waited for the line to die down a little and headed in. Chris got a made-to-order salad and I got a "famous" roast beef sandwich and some chips.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I found a four-top table outside. I always hate taking a four-top when there are just two of us. But a few minutes later I saw a couple looking for seats and just invited them to sit with us. We were finishing up and they were just starting, so it worked out well and we met new people![/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We walked around the ship for a bit. We stopped by Guest Services to check on our Rita's Fiesta reservation, since it wasn't showing on our Personal Calendar in the cabin. They said "those TVs aren't always right. Check with Rita's." I also asked them if the "Live the Allure" book is still available for sale. They said they didn't think so. I had asked at the Rising Tide bar the night before, and they didn't have it (Rising Tide is where it was reportedly originally sold). I was a little sad that I couldn't find this book. I really wanted it.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]So we went to Rita's to check and they were closed for the afternoon. I found a server who said she would check with her manager and he would call our room and leave a message later today or tomorrow. (Never got that call)[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Chris went to the gym and I went to the pool to relax and get some sun. I strategically found a chair near the "main pool", knowing the "Pool Games" were scheduled for that pool at 12:30. I enjoyed watching the games, which were men vs. women and took place IN the pool. They played a line-up game where they passed a soaked t-shirt from the front to back of line over their heads, then the last person ran it to the front and squeezed into a bucket. The men won for squeezing more water.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Then they gave each team 2 minutes to choreograph a synchronized swimming routine, which was great fun to watch![/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I stopped by the spa and made an appointment for the next evening, then checked email in my cabin, before meeting Chris back at the flowrider.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We surfed until about 4pm, then went back to the room to change to dry clothes. We had our Meet & Mingle in the Comedy Club at 4:30 (changed from the original 10:30am in Dazzles).[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Chris stopped by the Bow & Stern for a Guinness to take with him to the M&M. Maybe he was nervous about meeting all of my new friends?[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We arrived just before 4:30 and were given nice lanyards to hold our nametags. These had a pen and pad of paper inside. We mingled a little and Zac, the activities director, welcomed us and gave a short presentation. He teased us about the upcoming Sunshine Class, not really giving us any information. Then he held a raffle drawing.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Before the raffle, Zac showed all of the prizes, which included a bottle of champagne (part of the grand prize package), a super secret mystery white box, t-shirts and - guess what? Eight (count 'em - EIGHT!) "Live the Allure" books!! I was on the edge of my seat. I said to Chris "I HAVE to win one of those!"[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]There were about 40 of us in attendance. Tickets were drawn. Numbers were read. Prizes were awarded. I was getting even sadder. So close to that darn "Live the Allure" book! And yet, so far.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]And then...[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]You guessed it. They called my number!! I won a package with a t-shirt, the mystery white box (which I was clearly not very excited about, yet everyone else in the room wanted to know!), and...[/FONT]
[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2][URL="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPZSJCfZfsc/UH4Zkb9GO-I/AAAAAAAAAKw/Soh7M2Z7kZc/s1600/DSC03686.jpg"][IMG]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPZSJCfZfsc/UH4Zkb9GO-I/AAAAAAAAAKw/Soh7M2Z7kZc/s640/DSC03686.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/SIZE][/CENTER]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][SIZE=2]Tada!! Yippee!! I had my book. This book is very cool and has descriptions and photos of 6 of the 7 "neighborhoods" on Allure of the Seas. It also has some interesting facts and trivia, and a sort-of scavenger hunt. When they originally released the book, they hosted a game show on board, but that has been discontinued.[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=2]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]What's in the white mystery box, you ask? It was a Royal Caribbean cold/hot cup/mug. We saved it to give as a gift. The T-shirt was sleepwear size for me, so I gave it to our new buddy Harold. Al, who coordinated most of our roll call and kept our manifest and activities list running, rightly won the grand prize with the champagne.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We enjoyed the Meet & Mingle and were glad that we attended. During the M&M, they finalized plans for a slot pull and cabin crawl later in the week. We knew we'd probably be at the flowrider during that time, so we didn't commit to attend these. I heard that the slot pull was a $20 investment with a $28 gross return. Not bad![/FONT]

[/SIZE] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=2]Next up, what would we do for dinner? We had no plans at all! [/SIZE]
[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT]

[suzyluvs2cruise]

[quote name='swwake'][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][SIZE=2]I have not one single photograph dated October 2. We must have been having too much fun![/SIZE][/FONT]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]This was our first Sea Day. Our plans for the day were:[/FONT] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]9am - 5pm open flowrider[/FONT] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]10:30am - Meet & Mingle[/FONT] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]10:30pm - Comedy Show[/FONT] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Late - Escape by Malibu party[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We were up a little after 9am and grabbed a bite at Park Cafe on our way up to Deck 15 for the flowrider advanced session. "Advanced" just means you need to be able to load yourself onto the wave without assistance. The line wasn't long yet, and I remember one guy asking me "can you load yourself?" I think he was trying to save me time standing in line if I couldn't.[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We rode until about 11am, then went for some real breakfast. We didn't check the Compass or the touchscreens first, and headed to the Solarium, remembering how much we loved the healthier options there on Oasis. When we got there, they were pulling the "crossing" ropes and closing the buffets.[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]So we checked the touchscreens (we finally got smart!) and saw that the Windjammer was open. So, back to the aft of the ship. When we got there, the doors were closed on the starboard side. I don't remember checking the port side, but we sure did think it was closed. :([/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We headed back to Central Park and relaxed in some chairs while we waited for it to open for lunch at 11:30. At that time, there was immediately a line. We waited for the line to die down a little and headed in. Chris got a made-to-order salad and I got a "famous" roast beef sandwich and some chips.[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I found a four-top table outside. I always hate taking a four-top when there are just two of us. But a few minutes later I saw a couple looking for seats and just invited them to sit with us. We were finishing up and they were just starting, so it worked out well and we met new people![/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We walked around the ship for a bit. We stopped by Guest Services to check on our Rita's Fiesta reservation, since it wasn't showing on our Personal Calendar in the cabin. They said "those TVs aren't always right. Check with Rita's." I also asked them if the "Live the Allure" book is still available for sale. They said they didn't think so. I had asked at the Rising Tide bar the night before, and they didn't have it (Rising Tide is where it was reportedly originally sold). I was a little sad that I couldn't find this book. I really wanted it.[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]So we went to Rita's to check and they were closed for the afternoon. I found a server who said she would check with her manager and he would call our room and leave a message later today or tomorrow. (Never got that call)[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Chris went to the gym and I went to the pool to relax and get some sun. I strategically found a chair near the "main pool", knowing the "Pool Games" were scheduled for that pool at 12:30. I enjoyed watching the games, which were men vs. women and took place IN the pool. They played a line-up game where they passed a soaked t-shirt from the front to back of line over their heads, then the last person ran it to the front and squeezed into a bucket. The men won for squeezing more water.[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Then they gave each team 2 minutes to choreograph a synchronized swimming routine, which was great fun to watch![/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I stopped by the spa and made an appointment for the next evening, then checked email in my cabin, before meeting Chris back at the flowrider.[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We surfed until about 4pm, then went back to the room to change to dry clothes. We had our Meet & Mingle in the Comedy Club at 4:30 (changed from the original 10:30am in Dazzles).[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Chris stopped by the Bow & Stern for a Guinness to take with him to the M&M. Maybe he was nervous about meeting all of my new friends?[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We arrived just before 4:30 and were given nice lanyards to hold our nametags. These had a pen and pad of paper inside. We mingled a little and Zac, the activities director, welcomed us and gave a short presentation. He teased us about the upcoming Sunshine Class, not really giving us any information. Then he held a raffle drawing.[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Before the raffle, Zac showed all of the prizes, which included a bottle of champagne (part of the grand prize package), a super secret mystery white box, t-shirts and - guess what? Eight (count 'em - EIGHT!) "Live the Allure" books!! I was on the edge of my seat. I said to Chris "I HAVE to win one of those!"[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]There were about 40 of us in attendance. Tickets were drawn. Numbers were read. Prizes were awarded. I was getting even sadder. So close to that darn "Live the Allure" book! And yet, so far.[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]And then...[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]You guessed it. They called my number!! I won a package with a t-shirt, the mystery white box (which I was clearly not very excited about, yet everyone else in the room wanted to know!), and...[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[CENTER][SIZE=2][URL="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPZSJCfZfsc/UH4Zkb9GO-I/AAAAAAAAAKw/Soh7M2Z7kZc/s1600/DSC03686.jpg"][IMG]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPZSJCfZfsc/UH4Zkb9GO-I/AAAAAAAAAKw/Soh7M2Z7kZc/s640/DSC03686.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/SIZE][/CENTER]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][SIZE=2]Tada!! Yippee!! I had my book. This book is very cool and has descriptions and photos of 6 of the 7 "neighborhoods" on Allure of the Seas. It also has some interesting facts and trivia, and a sort-of scavenger hunt. When they originally released the book, they hosted a game show on board, but that has been discontinued.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]What's in the white mystery box, you ask? It was a Royal Caribbean cold/hot cup/mug. We saved it to give as a gift. The T-shirt was sleepwear size for me, so I gave it to our new buddy Harold. Al, who coordinated most of our roll call and kept our manifest and activities list running, rightly won the grand prize with the champagne.[/FONT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]We enjoyed the Meet & Mingle and were glad that we attended. During the M&M, they finalized plans for a slot pull and cabin crawl later in the week. We knew we'd probably be at the flowrider during that time, so we didn't commit to attend these. I heard that the slot pull was a $20 investment with a $28 gross return. Not bad![/FONT] [/SIZE]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=2]Next up, what would we do for dinner? We had no plans at all! [/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5][SIZE=5]
[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/quote]

We didn't make it to the M&M for the 9/30 cruise. Didn't know about the time change. :confused: We were on the 9/23 cruise and your prizes were soooo much better than the ones we had. Glad you got the book you wanted. No books at our M&M....I would have liked to see one. Maybe next time.........

[Kenlorz]

I'm loving your review & how laid back your cruise experience was! Our upcoming cruise is planned to the max as it's our first (and I'm an uber planner:p), but if we ever get to go back I'd like to roll like you two do. BTW, thanks for all the help to my many questions you've answered the past few days on the boards. It's been super helpful!

[gambee]

Love your review, I am not sure why you call it disorganized. I noticed that you guys really enjoy the flow rider, I think i'd like to try it but I am a little intimidated by the masses. Used to snowboard and wakeboard, so I think I might be able to stand here, but not sure, never tried it before.

[elvismeggi]

Your review is great,
we was on the Allure on Sept 16.... :eek:
and we will come back next year, can't wait!!:D

Question: can please anybody advise me how I can include picture in my post's? I'm not allowed to include pics greater than 19,5 KB... but I have a really good pic of the coast guard I would share with you :rolleyes:

[BillOh]

[quote name='clarea']The comedy show on Oasis and Allure is the same throughout the cruise.[/QUOTE]

There are some minor exceptions. On our cruise their were 2 comics. One bombed badly the first night, so on night 2 (our night) his part was shortened and the 2nd comedian took up the slack. Night 3 the first comedian had new material that was better received. People in our excursion compared notes as we each had gone on consecutive nights.

[Coolcruise02]

Great review, can't wait for more!