Allure CLS Detailed Trip Report with Many Pictures

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

We went to the concierge lounge for a while and then headed down to dinner. It was formal night. Duck for me and beef tenderloin for everyone else. Phil said the tenderloin was even better than the prime rib. I forget what this soup was, but it was one of the chilled soups that I love so much! Crème brulee and lemon meringue and some kind of berry thing for dessert. I remembered to ask the bar attendant for the after dinner shot and it was French Kiss tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

No show for us tonight and we went back to our rooms. The Viking Crown Lounge was calling my name with its music (as it did every night) as we walked by, but I was too tired and just danced back down our hall to our room. Our first towel animal! BTW, we did get chocolates on our pillows, but they are no longer Ghirardelli… That’s okay – I usually bring them home to eat at work when I start to wish I was on a cruise! Next up – Labadee!

 

[sauvichick]

Wow!!!! Best review ever!! I'm in NC snowed in, and this has been a treat...just what I needed on this cold snowy day!!! We board June 29, can't wait!!

 

I agree! p11djmau join the roll call!

 

PhilNDebbieAtSea: I am so enjoying all the details and photos. No detail is too small. Do you have the drink menu/choices for the Concierge Lounge?

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

I agree! p11djmau join the roll call!

 

PhilNDebbieAtSea: I am so enjoying all the details and photos. No detail is too small. Do you have the drink menu/choices for the Concierge Lounge?

 

Thanks! No, I wish I took a picture of the lunch menu. :( It was different than what had been on cc before I left and I can't even remember one thing that was on it. But I do know that there as nothing that any of us liked. As far as drinks, it is just the basics - certain house wines, beers, sodas, and liquors. They did have Coors Light, which we normally didn't find on other ships' conceirges lounges, which is Phil's favorite. Maria had white wine and she and I asked the bar attendant to make us something "sweet" once and he came back with the play on Sex on the Beach. :)

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

Labadee!

 

Storms far off behind us at sunrise this morning. Very beautiful! Especially the rainbow!!!! Gorgeous!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

Had a little mix-up with Phil over breakfast – we were planning to order the full breakfast room service for the first time – but he forgot and only ordered himself coffee. Again, no breakfast!!!! What am I starving myself on this trip??

 

Our first sights of Labadee:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

I had reserved online a hillside cabana on Nellie’s beach early on, just in case we were not able to get a cabana on Barefoot Beach (the suite beach). About 2 weeks out, I emailed the concierge (thanks to cruise critic) to see about getting a Barefoot Beach hillside cabana. He answered a week before the cruise to confirm. I then cancelled the Nellie’s Beach cabana. We wanted the hillside because we like privacy. They say if you have mobility problems, don’t get the hillside. I say if you have any - even the slightest - mobility problems, don’t get it. It is a bit of a rough climb. But it is very private and very beautiful.

 

We met M&F around 9 am to go over to the island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

We weren’t sure how to get to Barefoot Beach and had read something about golf carts taking you. We stopped at Information Services to see what to do. He was very nice! He called a golf cart, but it took a while, so we walked over. It was not far. We stopped at the concierge station and he gave us to an attendant to take us to our cabana.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

We were in Hillside #3. It was lovely and very private. There looked to be one above us. It had very nice views, but it was very hot in the afternoon, even with the ceiling fan. They gave us 4 bottles of water in ice. The stairs were difficult, but unique, because they were cut out of the stone of the mountain/hill. The cabana had 2 loungers in the sun and an L-shaped couch in the shade. Our attendant got us drinks once and we never saw him again. We liked the privacy but really could have used a few more drinks. We never got a chance to tip him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

We walked around early to avoid the heat. Glad we were smart enough to do that. Remember, we are not beach people and don’t swim, etc. We walked down to the Artisan Village, which was NOT quaint. They practically attack you. At the first “store” and I use the term loosely, wanting to support the locals, I bought 2 very very cheap bracelets that said Haiti and a handrawn magnet. I asked him how much and he said $22! I laughed and said $5. I ended up paying $10, which was $9 too much, but felt like I was “paying it back”. J But then I felt really bad because the guy next to him tried to get me to buy from him, but I was done and had to get out of there because there was too many people coming at me. I wished I bought from him because he was much older, and I felt awful, but I had to get out of there. We then went to the enclosed shopping area, run by Royal, and where they take your seapass. It was much better in there – less aggressive and prices were more reasonable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

We had reserved the zipline for Phil at 12:00 – the longest zipline over water in the world. Wish I was brave enough to do it! We realized as we were walking around that we had never received his ticket in our room. I don’t know why I didn’t realize – it’s not my first rodeo – but I didn’t. We stopped at the Barefoot Beach concierge to explain our predicament and he got right on the phone. While he was calling, Rahim, the concierge from the ship, stopped to see what was wrong. We were very impressed that he was on the island, making sure everything went well for his guests! We told him and he said, “No, I will take you over there myself! Meet me at 11:30.” Wow, that is service! When he got back from his zipline, Phil said, “There is a $100 bill with his name on it!” When, we came back, Rahim took Phil on a big golf cart and off they went. Phil said that there was a long line, but Rahim went behind the counter and spoke to the guy checking people in. Then, he called Phil over to go over to the set up area. Easy, peasy! First, they explain what to do, then they give you a little test zipline, about the size of the one on the ship. Then, they take you up the mountain in a truck. Phil was a little nervous, but he loved it! I had tried to get him to take the point and shoot camera up there but he wouldn’t. He really regretted not having it because he said it was gorgeous up there. (You can find a great picture on Mr. Fun in the Sun’s live review.) It took about an hour and 15 minutes all told.

 

We went to get lunch while Phil was doing that. I was STARVING! It was getting crowded, so I got the table while M&F went get their food. As they were in line, a LOT of people came and the line behind them was so long. They just started throwing food they thought I would like on their plates for me so I wouldn’t have to wait in that line. Very sweet! Food was good. They grilled the hot dogs, which they did not do on Coco Cay, and they were so good. Hot dog rolls on this ship are fresh! The ribs were very good. There was shrimp and steak and lots of things. It got very crowded when the peeps from Nellies Beach cabanas came over. I do see why Royal had to stop letting them over. It was just too long a line and not enough tables. I guess they could build up the area a little because they do charge the same for the cabanas. Frankly, though, I am sure the food is much the same in all of the BBQ areas. I never ate the steak anyway. J Desserts were rather bland!

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

The concierge got a golf cart to take us over to the zipline viewing area to watch Phil. We waited quite a while until he came down. It was a beautiful view. Too funny, people kept trying to swim out under the zipline. It is a very rocky beach and not conducive to swimming there. The zipline workers kept yelling at them to get out, but were often ignored.

 

This is the concierge bringing Phil off to his zipline adventure:

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

Video of Phil’s zipline – sorry, I was afraid I would miss his landing and seemed to be just ahead of him:

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

When Phil got done with the zipline, he grabbed something to eat and we tried to get pina coladas, but the bar we went to was out of them. And then their computer went down. So, we just got a soda and went to the cabana to chill and read. We sweltered in the cabana, I mean relaxed in the cabana for a while. But when Phil took to sitting on the floor in the corner to escape the sun, we decided to leave. The sun had been beating down on us all afternoon and the loungers in front were right in the sun. Also, we saw an iguana run right by us on our deck and then up the side of the cabana, so that put us in a wary mood. It was about 2:30, so we got good use of the cabana. It was well worth the cost ($225). We did actually like Coco Cay better. While there is a lot more to do on Labadee and it is awesome, we found Coco Cay cabana experience to be more relaxing, refreshing, and peaceful. Maybe it was just a little less hot with more of a breeze on the beach that day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

Back to the ship to shower and change for one of the highlights of the cruise!!! Suite guests received an invitation to a private sailaway party on the helipad at 4:15 pm. The helipad on the Allure is restricted area, unlike some other ships. We met Rahim at the Amber Theater and then were escorted through an employee only entrance to the helipad. Very cool! We were offered glasses of champagne or fruit punch. I took the fruit punch, but I probably wouldn’t take any drink next time because there was nowhere to put the glass so I could take photographs easier and change lenses. It was windy but gorgeous and it was right at sunset. Heavenly! There were some officers there and Shrek! It was just an awesome experience and a highlight of the trip!

 

 

 

 

 

M&F with Shrek!

 

 

 

 

Me and Phil

 

 

 

 

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]