Allure of the Seas departing St. Martin Dec. 12, 2013

[bilyclub]

Who is the big guy with the mike on the helipad?

[G85 SS]

At what C&A level are invited on the bow for sail away? We're new Diamonds, but I think you need to be D+? It doesn't look like there are enough people on the bow for it to be extended to lowly Diamonds:confused:

 

I think it's Platinum and above.

 

I got an invite back in June on Oasis to go on the helipad for sail away from Nassau.

[BillOh]

At what C&A level are invited on the bow for sail away? We're new Diamonds, but I think you need to be D+? It doesn't look like there are enough people on the bow for it to be extended to lowly Diamonds:confused:

 

I think it varies based on how many C&A people are on board. Perhaps not all go that are invited. I did see a review of a person who was Emerald, as we both were when last on Allure that got invited. They posted a pic of their invite. I was emerald both times on Allure. I think, only based on what I have read that its USUALLY diamond and above. I know on my last jewel cruise the Upper Tier event was Platinum and above, but on Majesty GOLD was invited too. I'm just speculating they plan on X number for each event and invite the corresponding number of people starting at the top working down.

[MrDVC]

At what C&A level are invited on the bow for sail away? We're new Diamonds, but I think you need to be D+? It doesn't look like there are enough people on the bow for it to be extended to lowly Diamonds:confused:

 

I could be wrong, but it was my impression that the sail away was only for those currently staying in a suite.

[MrDVC]

Who is the big guy with the mike on the helipad?

 

I do not remember his name, but he was the head of the hotel side of things onboard. This was his last sailing for a while on the Allure. He is back on Oasis for the time being. He started out as an assistant waiter with Royal Caribbean.

[MrDVC]

It looked like you guys were having fun!

 

Here is the link to the picture, and if you're familiar with Flickr just click on the 'three white dots' in the lower right corner of the black field to get other sizes or order a print. I don't get any money from it, just the cost for Flickr to print and mail it.

 

 

 

:D

 

Thank you. So, I can assume the uploaded pic is full resolution and not a compressed file?

[UNV-IT!!!]

Great pics. Thanks for sharing.

[efields2]

I could be wrong, but it was my impression that the sail away was only for those currently staying in a suite.

 

This is incorrect. It is usually Diamond and above, or like others have said, if not a lot of diamond and above, they will extend the invite to those below.

[dmwnc1959]

Thank you. So, I can assume the uploaded pic is full resolution and not a compressed file?

 

If you go to the part that offers the various sizes (click on the 'three white dots') it will also give the option for the full resolution image. :D

[louv2000]

I was on this cruise. I'm Diamond. Didn't get an invite!

[jo24]

I was on this cruise. I'm Diamond. Didn't get an invite!

 

 

This is incorrect. It is usually Diamond and above, or like others have said, if not a lot of diamond and above, they will extend the invite to those below.

 

Hi

 

This particular sailaway party is for Suite guests only irrespective of their C&A status. I have attached the invitation we received in our stateroom last November whilst sailing the Eastern itinerary that shows that it is only for Suite guests.

 

I believe, if they are able to and depending on numbers, they try and arrange a separate sailaway party for the higher C&A levels.

 

Jo :)

 

 

 

 

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[jo24]

<<edit>> Amazing how maneuverable these big ships are. Allure appears to be aimed head on into the pier at Crown Bay and then quickly spins 90 degrees to come along side. I thought it would angle past and then back in.

 

Trust me, from my oceanview cabin at the front of the ship overlooking the helipad, I was braced for impact several times! I was surprised we didn't crash into the pier! The issue with docking in this location in St Thomas (for the Oasis class at least) is that it is concrete right to the sea bed so therefore when moving in sideways the water between the ship and pier has 'nowhere to go' so causes a lot of force back against the ship - too little thrust and they can't dock, too much and they crash into it! I saw this information on the Discovery show they did on the building and delivery of Oasis which followed her first Eastern itinerary.

 

I could be wrong, but it was my impression that the sail away was only for those currently staying in a suite.

 

You are absolutely correct. This particular sailaway, out of St Maarten, is for suite guests only.

 

On my previous post I have attached the invitation.

 

Jo :)

Edited December 28, 2013 by jo24

[jo24]

Apologies, duplicate post!

Edited December 28, 2013 by jo24

[LTyler]

BEAUTIFUL pictures!!

[Ocean Boy]

You have to do it, it is a brilliant experience. I did it out of St Maarten last November and Labadee in May. I was able to do it is part of the suite guests sailaway party both times. I am looking forward to my cruise on Indy next year as I have been reliably informed that guests have access to the helipad at all times.

Heck, if you don't get on it because you are a suite or high C&A level, you can always partake in yoga as I saw them doing that on there in August!

 

Jo :)

 

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That is true. I always spend a few minutes out there each evening. And it is something that I very much miss when on Oasis and Allure.

[jo24]

That is true. I always spend a few minutes out there each evening. And it is something that I very much miss when on Oasis and Allure.

 

I can imagine. I am looking forward to spending some time there just relaxing :) I saw the benches and thought how nice it looked. Is there a specific reason why there is no access on Oasis class but there is on Indy? Having not been on any other class of RCI ship, I can only guess that it is the access that is unsuitable on Allure with thresholds which are particularly raised?

 

Jo :)

[Ocean Boy]

I can imagine. I am looking forward to spending some time there just relaxing :) I saw the benches and thought how nice it looked. Is there a specific reason why there is no access on Oasis class but there is on Indy? Having not been on any other class of RCI ship, I can only guess that it is the access that is unsuitable on Allure with thresholds which are particularly raised?

 

Jo :)

 

You have to go through crew area to access the bow on Oasis and Allure. Thresholds are not the issue as you have to do stairs to reach the helipad on the Radiance, Voyager, and Freedom (Independence) class ships. But the pads are available to passengers on all of those ships.

 

It is a great area of the ship to see the night sky as there is no interference from the ships lights. The area is kept dark for bridge night vision.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Ocean Boy

[jo24]

You have to go through crew area to access the bow on Oasis and Allure. Thresholds are not the issue as you have to do stairs to reach the helipad on the Radiance, Voyager, and Freedom (Independence) class ships. But the pads are available to passengers on all of those ships.

 

It is a great area of the ship to see the night sky as there is no interference from the ships lights. The area is kept dark for bridge night vision.

 

Oh that makes sense, thank you. Having done it twice, I have to be honest and I never noticed I was in a crew area... but they had just put champagne in my hand so I was not focused on much else! :p

 

Jo :)

Edited December 28, 2013 by jo24

[MrDVC]

 

You are absolutely correct. This particular sailaway, out of St Maarten, is for suite guests only.

 

On my previous post I have attached the invitation.

 

Jo :)

 

Thanks, Jo. I was certain I remembered reading that on the invitation, but didn't take a picture of it.

[MrDVC]

If you go to the part that offers the various sizes (click on the 'three white dots') it will also give the option for the full resolution image. :D

 

Thanks for your help!

[jo24]

Thanks, Jo. I was certain I remembered reading that on the invitation, but didn't take a picture of it.

 

Don't worry, you were absolutely right and as I said before, they TRY to do a separate one for high level C&A. I hadn't got a picture of it until I rembered it was inside the cruise compass I kept and stowed under the bed and took one to post on here... Sometimes my 'hoarding' of holiday stuff comes in handy!

 

Jo :)

 

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[Lukkie]

 

Thanks for this picture. We both did a B2B on Allure and I can see us both on the helipad ;) This was the second week. The first week sail away party was at Labadee.

[fletch1027]

Thanks for this picture. We both did a B2B on Allure and I can see us both on the helipad ;) This was the second week. The first week sail away party was at Labadee.

 

So I guess that big ugly green guy was staying in a suite also? :D

[cindytx3092]

We were on the Allure and I have a few pictures of the RP from Crown Bay (using the incredible 60x1 zoom of a high end Lumix bridge camera) as well as some shots of the Allure and RP docked together in St Martin.

 

I'll post them in a day or so now that they have been offloaded to my storage external hard drive. First I have to set up a Flickr account.

 

This was the 12/8 sailing with the snapped cable on Life Boat #1 that delayed us getting to St Thomas by a few hours. Look at picture # 3 and you can see the empty davit at the front of the starboard side.

 

Thanks for these pictures Dave.

 

What happened to the Life Boat? Can they move the life boat to another location on the ship?

[The Big Booper]

What happened to the Life Boat? Can they move the life boat to another location on the ship?

 

On this trip, while doing practice lifeboat drills at Nassau, the cable snapped on lifeboat #1 and it could not be raised up to it's davit. The ship got clearance to sail without it from the authorities and the insurance agency. The lifeboat was towed back to Florida and the cable was replaced (or fixed). It was raised up to the davit when the ship returned to FLL at the end of the trip.

 

This was on top of the slightly reduced top speed because of premature bearing wear on the center azipod.