Middle Aged Drama Queen Goes BIG: Solo & Last Minute on the ALLURE!!!

[KansCocoa]

Since you took shadow photo - just wondering if the ground was covered in sea glass? I started collecting it recently on cruises and it had me wondering.

 

Yes - it was gorgeous! So, so pretty...especially when the sunlight hit it!

 

 

Do I understand you have a blog? What is the address?

 

The address is below now in my signature...just click on the "Adventures of a Middle Aged Drama Queen." :)

[KansCocoa]

WHOA!.... Where the heck have I been that I missed this gem of a thread. Sailing on the Oasis in June and am so unbelievably glad I came across this thread. It will be so helpful especially since we are fairly new to cruising.

 

My heartfelt thanks and appreciation for all the pictures, comments, time and effort you are putting forth in this thread. YOU are truly an asset to Cruise Critic!

 

Rose

 

Thank you, Rose! Where HAVE you been? We've been partying all this time without you - but glad you could join us! Good luck on your June sailing; you'll have an amazing time!

 

 

 

Where will we be able to read your review of NYC? I LOVE NYC!

 

You are such a good writer!

 

I will be writing about it this summer, on my blog...which is now in my signature, below, since so many people asked....

 

And thank you! :)

[KansCocoa]

i wonder if i could eat at rita's fiesta as a vegetarian.... hmmm...

looks like a lot of fun!!:)

 

That is a good question! I would think you would be able to! We had cheese quesadillas...and you could just skip adding the beef and chicken to the fajitas...it couldn't hurt to ask at the front desk while making reservations! And it was a lot of fun...the atmosphere was crazy!

 

 

what an amazing last day at sea. You would certaintly not be bored. I would love to learn how to mix some of the drinks on board. Looking forward to your tour review of the ships areas.

 

K

 

There are definitely drink-mixing seminars...for a small fee, of course! I already DID the tour review of the ship's different areas...at the beginning of the review, I did a deck-by-deck synopsis. Hope you find them and can read them! :)

[KansCocoa]

Sherri - LOVE this dress!!!!! This is SO me. Would you mind telling me where you got it? Here's me hoping that it is a store that is also in my location:p

 

Loved you cat picture - you need to take many more to compete with Brad bird pictures!:D

 

The little rum shack looked like fun. We will be in St. Martin in less that 3 weeks!!!!!:D

 

I actually remember where I got this dress, as I bought it for my 30-year high school reunion...in 2010! (So...I HOPE it's still available...but it may not be!) I bought it a little boutique called "Finishings For Her". The designer is a company called "Three Dots" - that is what is on the tag. Good luck, as like I said, I bought it almost three years ago...I hang on to clothes that I like and that fit!

 

The rum shack was indeed fun...and the rum was VERY good! I like the banana rum...obviously. ;)

 

 

 

 

1. Do you tip people like William? I guess they automatically added the fifteen percent gratuity.

 

2. Was your rum trip through RCI?

 

Sent from my KFJWA using Tapatalk HD

 

1. Although there is a 15% tip automatically added to the check, I usually throw in more...not to get into a tip debate here, but I am a generous tipper, as my very first job was as a carhop at a drive-in restaurant...and I depended on tips. I know how hard people work to get them! If I see someone who goes over and above on service - by greeting me by name, remembering my likes and dislikes, then I'll reward them....

 

2. Yes. It was called "Made in Paradise" - and was $56 when I booked it; I believe it is now $59....

[True Texan]

We will be on the Oasis in 3 weeks. I have been reading your review and just wanted to say thank you so very much for informing me as we'll as entertaining me.

[joand452]

I think there is supposed to be a dancer...but there wasn't the night we were there....

 

I've added my link to my blog now in the signature below...its the one that says, "Adventures of a Middle Aged Drama Queen." :) And thank you!

 

THANK YOU, Sherri, for taking the time to write this EPIC review! I look forward to reading about Celebrity. Now that we're Diamond, we're thinking of branching out. I don't think we'll get to Diamond+ and Pinnacle is ridiculously out of reach for us.

 

We were still Emerald on our Oasis cruise last year and were invited to the helipad for sailaways from Labadee and Nassau (we were on a B2B). I guess they didn't have that many D and above pax those cruises. Free drinks, a bagpiper and photos with King Julian. I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty cool.

 

Bookmarking your blog now :)

[Steppy08]

Despite my initial shock at you stowing away on our cruise, I'm so glad you came along Sherri! Especially when I needed someone to vent about my parents/Steve!

 

We will gladly adopt you again on any future sailings!

Sherri in the infamous Central Park 150 Clam Chair

[LoneStarJeffe]

Great review. Very...EPIC! I laughed out loud at spots and smiled most of the rest of the time I spent reading this. You have a true gift for sharing you experience in a way that makes those reading it feel a part of it. Thank you for taking the time to write this wonderful review!!!

[rsharp83]

Thanks for your review. We are boarding Allure as a group of first time cruisers in just 2 weeks. And after your review I still can't decide which menu I want when we dine at 150!

 

By the way we are neighbors, our group is from St Joe.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[cruzinlady1947]

Thanks Sherri for another "Excellent Adventure". I really think you deserve a 5 Star rating for this review. I will be anxiously awaiting your next adventure. Of course I never get any work done when I'm reading one of your reviews. :p

 

I hope you have a nice Easter. Take care and hope you feel better soon. Good luck with your surgery, but first have a great cruise on Celebrity. I loved my first and only cruise on Celebrity. You will too. ;)

 

Thanks again,

Gwen :)

[efiinut]

I got Live the Allure on the Allure in May 2011, at the Rising Tides Bar. I have one from the Oasis too, but as most posters have said, they can't find them on the ship anymore. One poster got one as a prize in a contest, but no one seems to sell them now. They do say "Collector's Limited Edition" on the front so I'm happy I got both books while they were available.

 

We were on B2B from 2/17 to 3/3 this year at our Meet and Mingle we got the books free. It seems there was a boo-boo in the printing. On the inside front cover it says "Live the Liberty." Maybe they are waiting for the correction to be made on the next printing.

[LissyTx]

Anyone else have trouble sleeping the night before a cruise???

 

I’m pretty sure I got perhaps 52 minutes of sleep – at MOST – the night before embarkation…and that may be stretching it. No matter how I tried, I could just NOT turn my brain off…thoughts of, “What if the hotel shuttle bus forgets me?” and “What if this is all a dream, and I’m really not going on a cruise tomorrow??!!” as well as, “What if the soda package isn’t available onboard and I have to go into Diet Coke withdrawal??!!” ran through my head…but the most prevalent thought was, undoubtedly,

 

“OH MY GOSH, I’M GOING ON A CRUISE!!!”

 

By 4:00 a.m., I was pretty much saying, “Oh, the heck with THIS!” and I got up and got ready. I figured I had seven days to relax and snooze and catch up on my rest while onboard the World’s Largest Cruise Ship (snort – yeah – like THAT would happen!), but it was a good thought, anyway.

 

By 9:00 am, I was in the lobby, eating a standard breakfast buffet and watching all of the other excited cruisers in the lobby…there is most definitely a buzz in the air as everyone is just…happy. Very, very happy. I think the key to world peace would be to have everyone in the world be embarking on a cruise – just build a few more Allure’s and Oasis’s, and RCI could handle the population.

 

Eventually, the shuttle bus arrived, and it was time to load up. Awkward solo moment #1: When everyone else on the shuttle bus realizes you are traveling alone…and they somewhat look at you like you’re either a social pariah or you have terrible halitosis. This will be something I have to get over – the fact I’m traveling alone – and this will require a bit of bravado and confidence.

 

As a solo cruiser, I basically have two choices on how I want to travel. I can travel the entire week in a vow of silence – never talking or conversing with anyone else – or, I can get to know my fellow cruisers…but I know that I will have to be the one to initiate the conversation. To show them I’m not a social pariah or have terrible halitosis. And so I do. Initiate the conversation, I mean.

 

I begin talking with the woman next to me in the shuttle bus – Marie, from Quebec. She is traveling with her husband, and they will be sailing on the Ruby Princess. We are talking about traveling, when she begins telling me a story of how she spent the night once with Hugh Jackman.

 

Did you catch that?

 

Hugh Jackman.

 

Yes. THAT Hugh Jackman. As in Wolverine, Les Miserables, and all things yummy Hugh Jackman.

 

Wait. What?! I SO wanted to hear the rest of this story, that I was (almost) willing to jump ship and sail on the Ruby Princess just to hear it – but luckily, our driver took his sweet time in getting us to the port, so I was able to hear how Marie spent the night with Hugh Jackman.

 

It turns out, she sat next to him on a red-eye flight, and they spent most of the night talking…she says he was very personable, even shaking her hand as they departed the plane…and she now gets to brag about spending the night with Hugh Jackman.

 

I touched her shoulder as she was getting out of the shuttle, so that I can now say that I TOUCHED someone who touched Hugh Jackman.

 

Little did I know that I would be able to do her one better after this Allure adventure…as I can now say that I sailed with Brad Pitt. I even have photographic proof…but you’ll have to wait for that.

 

Everyone on the shuttle was now intrigued that I was a solo cruiser – and even more intrigued that my Dear Hubby had blessed this trip…so I fudged a bit and said that I was an EPIC WRITER and I would be writing an EPIC REVIEW of this sailing, and therefore, it was strictly for research purposes that I was cruising. Certainly not for fun or anything like that…no. Research purposes only. Uh huh.

 

Anyway – we eventually arrived at the port at about 10:15 am and it was time to disembark the shuttle van and embark on the ship. I was able to quickly find a porter to take my bags, as well as get luggage tags…so, here’s a tip:

 

DON’T SWEAT THE LUGGAGE TAGS.

 

Seriously. I see so many threads on here where people freak out because they don’t have tags – or don’t know how to print them or attach them – and I just want to tell you: calm down. You can get luggage tags with NO PROBLEM at the port. Easy, peasy.

 

After handing over my luggage, I began making my way to inside the terminal….While on the way, I ran into a couple who had been on the shuttle bus with me, who were looking a bit sickened….I asked, “What’s wrong?” They replied, “The porter says we can’t go inside the terminal until 2:00 pm.” They were preparing themselves to sit outside - in the hot sun - until 2:00 pm.

 

“That’s crazy,” I replied. “Follow me.”

 

I’m not sure why they were told that…or perhaps they misunderstood the porter, who was probably trying to say that BOARDING wouldn’t happen until 2:00 pm, but whatever the case, we went in and quickly were ushered to our respective lanes to check in.

 

The Diamond lane was empty - SCORE! - so I hopped in and met up with RCI agent, Jack Doyle, who checked me in with no problems. When I asked his permission to take his photo, he looked a bit surprised – as I imagine he doesn’t get asked that very often. I told him I was en EPIC WRITER working on an EPIC REVIEW - and I needed his photo for research purposes. He looked at me like I was crazy - but gave his consent for his photo.

 

Tips for embarkation:

 

1. If you arrive early, you will probably find little, to no, lines.

2. However, if you arrive early, you will probably have to wait in the seating area.

3. There ARE restroom facilities, vending machines, and a playground in the seating/waiting area.

 

 

As I was waiting, I got a text message from Steve & Amy, saying they had just checked in and were in the Gold waiting area, which was across the way. I had no sooner stood up to wave at her, when it was time for the Diamonds to board. I quickly called her and told her we’d meet up at the Park Café, and it was time to go.

 

I had only one thought on my mind:

 

OH MY GOSH, I’M GOING ON A CRUISE!!!

 

 

Great review - my husband has told me I could go alone before, but I could never fathom doing it - and wondered how I'd feel doing it. You've definitely made it seem more doable.

 

Also, you'd mentioned cruising with Brad Pitt. I read the whole review and didn't see where you mentioned this again with your pic. ;)

 

Thanks!

Melissa

[PCWalton1]

I have finished it all and I am humbled. What an amazing story. No way I would ever want to compete with this so I will just provide a lot of pictures when we go in May. :)

 

Bill

[KansCocoa]

Great review - my husband has told me I could go alone before, but I could never fathom doing it - and wondered how I'd feel doing it. You've definitely made it seem more doable.

 

Also, you'd mentioned cruising with Brad Pitt. I read the whole review and didn't see where you mentioned this again with your pic. ;)

 

Thanks!

Melissa

 

Oh, I can't believe I forgot Brad Pitt!!! How does one forget Brad??!!

 

Okay...I went down to the Promenade one morning...early...and there he was...larger than life...our eyes connected across the expanse...and he was mine. All mine.

 

 

Yes...it was "inevitable" that we'd have this connection.... hee hee...

[Kteacher]

Thank you so much for suffering for the greater good by dining in all of those establishments on board :). We are on board in two weeks-yay! This will be our first time on Allure and first time dining in only specialty restaurants.

[jewel825]

Sherri, what a fantastic review!!!! I read each and every post and lived vicariously through you. I absolutely love your style of writing and the content of everything. I went through withdrawals while you were in NY and was so excited when you came back. I am sailing on the Allure in 9 short days. I can hardly wait to see all the stuff you described and I plan to make good use of all the tips you had for everything. I had no intention of attending any stretch classes but I'm so curious now about the Cameron Diaz instructor that I may have to go take a looky loo!

 

I'm sorry you are having sinus issues and I hope the surgery will take care of it for you. Enjoy your next cruise coming up. I look forward to following along again. Thanks again for sharing so much with all of us.

[Cassicruiser]

Sherri, I have loved every minute of all 3 of your reviews - especially the Serenade one which I read right before going on the Radiance last year. The Allure is a bit out of our reach at the moment, as we live in Australia - so it would involve about 28 hours flying to get to her, but who knows... maybe one day! Saying that - our next one will hopefully be an Alaskan cruise in 2014 or 15, so if you ever do one - I'll be waiting for the review.

In the meanwhile - I officially crown you as hands down the best reviewer/writer on Cruise Critic!! If you wrote a telephone directory, I would read it.

Thank you so much, and warmest regards from Australia.

[alaska_planner]

i am sure you've answered this several times already, but somehow i missed it...

how do i sign up for the all access tour?

i'm guessing on the first day, but where?

 

and again, if i haven't mentioned it already, thanks for the review!!!!

it's FANTASTIC!!!! :) :) :) :) :)

[rstout]

I believe you sign up for the tour at guest services.

 

Thanks for the review! I loved it and can't wait to see everything first hand. We are leaving today to drive to Florida to get on the Allure tomorrow! I suppose I should finish getting the car loaded and get the kids up instead of trolling CC for last minute info!

[gw2fll]

Thanks for the great review and taking us along. It was a wonderful trip - we really enjoyed ourselves, thanks for sharing. I'm off to take a trip to Europe next via your review. Can't wait to find out about the "personal security" item.

 

Doug

[Steppy08]

i am sure you've answered this several times already, but somehow i missed it...

how do i sign up for the all access tour?

i'm guessing on the first day, but where?

 

and again, if i haven't mentioned it already, thanks for the review!!!!

it's FANTASTIC!!!! :) :) :) :) :)

 

Guest services - as early as possible in the cruise. We didn't sign up until the second day and there were plenty of spots - the fact that they don't advertise it at all AND the $150 cost keeps the riff raff away.... ;)

[janeyzee]

Sherri - I will be rereading your review and making notes for my November Allure cruise. Having already been on the Oasis and the Allure, this review helped me relive the cruises and also learn a lot that I didn't know. I'll be checking the view from those public balconies for sure and probably eating at Samba and Izumi since your reviews were favorable on both. Thanks for all the tips, the whole review was memorable and helpful.

 

Good luck with your surgery and I'm looking forward to your blog entries and your next review. Your love of life makes me smile and I'm sure I'll be walking around the Allure saying "Sherri was there ... and there ... and there ... and she loved that!"

[pittnh]

 

I had opted for Self-Disembarkation…if you can take your own luggage off the ship, without requiring any assistance from porters, then you are eligible for this. Because I had a small suitcase and a garment bag, it was a piece of cake for me.

 

At 6:45 am, I was showered, dressed, and ready to disembark. A short elevator ride down to Deck 5, the Royal Promenade, and I was ready to go. There was no line waiting to get off the ship, and with two minutes, I was down near the Customs area.

 

Here, there WAS a bit of a line…but not bad. Perhaps a 15-minute wait…? By now, it was a little after 7:00 am, and as we were waiting, a guy came pushing his way up through the line, loudly announcing, “I have a 7:30 flight! I need to get to the front of the line NOW!”

 

Well. There was no way in the world this guy was going to make a 7:30 flight…! He was stopped by a Customs official, and when the guy got loud and belligerent with the official, he was ushered off to another area….Now, he for SURE wasn’t going to make his flight. We were all left shaking our heads, wondering on what planet this guy thought he could disembark off a ship at 6:45 and make a flight at an airport within 45 minutes…??

 

Soon, I was through the Customs area and out the door, where I waited about 25 minutes for the hotel shuttle van to come pick me up and whisk me back to the hotel, where I’d parked my car for what seemed like AGES ago.

 

Self-disembarkation – if it’s doable for you – is the way to go. My tip is to go early, so the Custom lines aren’t too crazy.

 

-----------------

 

Here are some summaries that I’ve compiled, if it helps any of you with your planning:

 

My Favorite Places for Adults

 

1. Solarium

2. Rising Tide Bar

3. Central Park

4. Thermal Suite in the spa

5. Trellis Bar in Central Park

 

Most Romantic Places

 

1. Central Park at night

2. Trellis Bar in Central Park at night

3. Dinner at 150 Central Park

4. Dinner at Giovanni’s Table

5. The hot tub in the Solarium – at night

6. The Rasul room at the spa

 

 

My Top 10 Favorite Places Onboard:

 

1. The Secret Decks

2. Solarium

3. Beach Pool

4. Central Park – both day and night

5. Thermal Suite/Relaxation Room at the spa

6. Café Promenade

7. Cupcake Cupboard

8. 150 Central Park

9. the cantilevered hot tubs

10. Regalia Jewelry Shop (go figure!)

 

Avoid These if You Don’t Like Crowds:

 

1. The Parades in the Promenade

2. Sorrento’s Pizza – usually crowded with kids

3. The pools on sea days

4. Promenade at night – or on sale days

5. Wipe Out Café on sea days – EXTREMELY crowded!

 

My Tips for Future Cruisers

 

1. Book your cabin in advance for what suits your needs best

2. Book your show reservations in advance

3. Get an outside balcony if you can, if you want that “ship” feeling

4. Get involved with your Roll Call here on Cruise Critic

5. Go with an open mind and a sense of humor

6. Explore some of the specialty restaurants

7. Take me…or my family…to write about your adventures.

 

Heh…just seeing if anyone’s paying attention to all of this.

 

 

And to answer the burning question…would I do it again?

 

YES!!!!!

 

 

 

Hi, I was on this cruise as well, what an awesome week. Except for that one brief shower on a sea day the weather was perfect. Couldn't have asked for anything better. Did you notice on Saturday it seemed really empty, especially on the pool decks? Not sure if it was because everyone was hung-over from the night before or the large Jewish contingent that was sailing was indoors observing sabbath. Never really felt "crowded" the whole week.

 

Thanks for helping me to relive the cruise experience through this review.

[texasgirl73]

Bravo, bravo! Thank you for a thoughtful, funny, and extremely helpful review. So many photos, so much information. I have already adjusted some of my plans based on the information I found in this report. :)

Edited March 30, 2013 by texasgirl73

[Ritchieozz]

 

I’m going to continue the review here in a second, but at this point in the narrative, I have to insert a true confession. Are you ready? Are you sitting down?

 

Okay. Deep breath. Here it is:

 

 

 

I have the World’s Worst Camera Karma.

 

 

 

It all began on a vacation when I was 15 years old to Philadelphia, and while I was exuberantly running up the famous “Rocky” steps, I accidentally dropped our one and only family camera – shattering it, and the film (remember that?) to bits. My parents have never let me live that one down. That story will still be told when I’m 95 years old and couldn’t tell you who “Rocky” even was and why was he on the darn steps. :rolleyes:

 

It continued in 2008 while I was on a 3-week mission trip to Hawaii, where I was helping to build a camp for disabled children. During the three weeks, I had amassed over 3,000 photos on my Nikon D50 camera…and one night, while reviewing my photos on the camera, a message popped up that said, “Would you like to reformat your memory card?”

 

:confused:

 

I’d never seen that before, and figured, “What’s the harm in that?” And so I said, “Yes.”

 

You know where this is going, don’t you?

 

 

In the blink of a nanosecond, 3,000 photos that had captured not only the spirit of Hawaii, but of our efforts there, went POOF. Gone with the Wind. Nada.

 

:eek::eek:

 

 

And my Bad Camera Karma continued on this cruise. In the first place, I’d had to go buy a camera at the last minute before cruising – as I didn’t have one with me in Florida. I had my iPhone, but I wanted something that wouldn’t lose it’s battery one minute after turning it on…which drives me CRAZY, by the way. Anyway, I struggled with that camera ALL week…and I would use it one day, use my iPhone the next, while trying to capture photos from the ship.

 

I thought I had managed to figure it all out…but for some very mysterious reason…all the photos that I took the rest of this day – Day #4 – have mysteriously disappeared.

 

 

 

Poof. Gone with the Wind. Nada. But – ONLY for this day. I still have all the other photos.

 

Is that weird???

 

So…I’m going to go ahead and continue, and tell you about a neat tour I did on the ship that afternoon, as well as my dinner at Izumi, but I don’t have any photos.

 

:o

 

They are now floating somewhere in Camera Cyberspace, joining all those photos from Hawaii five years ago.

 

 

 

Oh Sherri I feel your pain I too am one of those who has done the same.

 

Having just returned from Radiance of the seas here are some photos of Izumi for you. The same (I think for the first course) that you had but now have no photographic proof.

 

We did the Royal Dining Package and had a credit of $20 (I think) we did a package @ Izumi that cost us $2 more than our credit.

 

I have no idea how to put in full sized images so if you want full sized ones let me know.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Ritchieozz
adding detail on photo