Great Week on the Allure

[kruzerci]

I'm not going to do a full review this time but we just disembarked the 5/4 sailing of the Allure. Overall it was a great cruise with great weather. Bugsy covered just about everything in his live review the week prior to ours, but if anybody has any questions, feel free to ask.

 

Just a few points:

 

-Our deck 6 JS was perfect but would book higher deck (we preferred deck 12 in December)

-Allure had the best Park Cafe we have experienced

-Giovannis and Chops were slightly below par

-Izumi was fantastic

-MDR was average at best (which seems to be the new normal)

-Fantastic staff

-Incredible shows (the Aqua Theatre is just incredible)

 

We slightly preferred Oasis due to dining, shows, and overall feeling of better quality, but I could tell very few differences in the ships themselves.

 

I honestly don't know if we would sail without a JS again. Having had suites the past few cruises, I think we are officially spoiled!

 

This was probably our last cruise on the Oasis class for a while. We love aspects of them, but miss the ocean views and diamond lounges on Voyager and Freedom class.

 

My only serious gripe about Oasis and Allure is that the upper deck chairs are tired facing inwards. The best part of laying out on the top decks, for me, is looking out over the water. The pool attendants have the loungers roped together facing inwards. Maybe it's just me but I don't want to stare at somebody laying out across from me when I could be facing the water/looking out over the pretty ports. It probably wouldn't make a difference to some people, but for those of us that spend most of the day out there, it was annoying. Lots of people were complaining about it and no answer was given as to why they're tied on Oasis/Allure but not other ships.

 

Anyways... we booked Indy for May 2015. Back to the Freedom class with a new port (St. Kitts!).

 

We couldn't have asked for better weather!

[sonicbuffalo]

We've been to St. Kitts....beautiful country!

 

Glad you had a great cruise!

[marci22]

My only serious gripe about Oasis and Allure is that the upper deck chairs are tired facing inwards. The best part of laying out on the top decks, for me, is looking out over the water. The pool attendants have the loungers roped together facing inwards. Maybe it's just me but I don't want to stare at somebody laying out across from me when I could be facing the water/looking out over the pretty ports. It probably wouldn't make a difference to some people, but for those of us that spend most of the day out there, it was annoying. Lots of people were complaining about it and no answer was given as to why they're tied on Oasis/Allure but not other ships.

 

That is so annoying. I usually turn the chairs out to face the ocean.

 

If they want them all facing one way, then they should face the ocean.

Edited May 11, 2014 by marci22

[akcruz]

Me too. Was it windy that they had the chairs tied together? Have never seen that before.

[LBumb]

indy is a great ship

diamond lounge was great

[kruzerci]

That is so annoying. I usually turn the chairs out to face the ocean.

 

If they want them all facing one way, then they should face the ocean.

 

 

Agree.

 

Me too. Was it windy that they had the chairs tied together? Have never seen that before.

 

 

No it was dead calm until yesterday. I've never seen it on any ship except Oasis and Allure. Not a vacation ruiner, but sort of annoying since the pool deck and Viking Crown are just about the only two places on the ship that you can see the ocean :p.

[AF-1]

Good to see you had good weather and good time. How can someone not have a good time on Allure; she's the best.:)

[bigmanpw]

Did they have limes on board at the bars? I'm sailing on the 18th. Thanks!

[kruzerci]

Did they have limes on board at the bars? I'm sailing on the 18th. Thanks!

 

 

Plenty of limes everywhere. The bartenders said it was hard to make a mojito there for a few weeks without limes!

[Lionesss]

Was yours the sailing that had a late embarkation due to a coast guard inspection..................?

 

If it was...............what time did you board?

 

Sea Ya

[kruzerci]

Was yours the sailing that had a late embarkation due to a coast guard inspection..................?

 

If it was...............what time did you board?

 

Sea Ya

 

 

Yeah... Embarkation was a disaster.

 

It was delayed slightly by the inspection and then there was a software glitch and everybody who had checked in before 10:45 had their information erased... so half the people getting on got the error buzz at the Seapass machine. They had to take pictures again and there were some problems with onboard accounts not being set up.

 

It was polar opposite of our incredibly easy Oasis embarkation, but it was only because of the unfortunate events Sunday morning.

 

All that aside, we were onboard by 11:45 or Noon, but we were in the first group of the suite guests to be onboard. General boarding was probably more delayed than D, D+, and suites.

[marci22]

They probably make the chairs face inward so it's easier for the servers to sell you a drink than when they are turned outward. I'm sure they found some study that said that.

[kruzerci]

They probably make the chairs face inward so it's easier for the servers to sell you a drink than when they are turned outward. I'm sure they found some study that said that.

 

 

Ha I didn't even think about that

[kruzerci]

They probably make the chairs face inward so it's easier for the servers to sell you a drink than when they are turned outward. I'm sure they found some study that said that.

 

 

Ha I didn't even think about that

[suizas]

They probably make the chairs face inward so it's easier for the servers to sell you a drink than when they are turned outward. I'm sure they found some study that said that.

 

exactly what i was thinking! although after 2 Allures and one Oasis cruise i remember the deck chairs facing out on the top deck................

[bigmanpw]

Thanks for the reply!

[Pennstatedj]

We just got off the Allure as well. I did a complete review. We also had a great time. The only complaint we had was MDR. The food was the worst quality we have had in 61 cruises. We were on this ship before twice and not this bad.

Diamond lounge was great.

Shows were fantastic.

Giavonnis was great.

Chops was ok.

150 was ok.

Guest lecturer was great.

Entertainment in lounges was great.

Had a great week.

Looking forward to going back to Celebrity and the better food in October. Need to visit other cruise lines to appreciate.

[wmp.dll]

Did they have limes on board at the bars? I'm sailing on the 18th. Thanks!

 

They had limes up until the last day. Then they started replacing with lemons. The limes were looking extremely rough on the outside, brown spots, etc. But there were limes on board.

 

Overall a great week on Allure, but I'm more of a Freedom Class guy my self.

 

Didn't do any specialty dining but I agree the MDR was just OK at best. I think the waiters have too many tables, tough to get the attention of either of the people taking care of us. Don't even get me started on the bar service in the MDR...ugh

Edited May 12, 2014 by wmp.dll

[LA_CA_GAL]

 

Didn't do any specialty dining but I agree the MDR was just OK at best. I think the waiters have too many tables, tough to get the attention of either of the people taking care of us. Don't even get me started on the bar service in the MDR...ugh

 

I have found the bar service in the MDR poor on every cruise I have taken.

[AF-1]

I also agree with above post. It takes a long time to get a drink in MDR. On some ships it seems they go out to the lobby bar to get drinks; then bring them back into dining room.

[mj]

Yeah... Embarkation was a disaster.

 

It was delayed slightly by the inspection and then there was a software glitch and everybody who had checked in before 10:45 had their information erased... so half the people getting on got the error buzz at the Seapass machine. They had to take pictures again and there were some problems with onboard accounts not being set up.

 

It was polar opposite of our incredibly easy Oasis embarkation, but it was only because of the unfortunate events Sunday morning.

 

All that aside, we were onboard by 11:45 or Noon, but we were in the first group of the suite guests to be onboard. General boarding was probably more delayed than D, D+, and suites.

 

Agree that embarkation was a disaster. We got there about 1:15 - 1:30 and was next to check in and the system went down. Had to wait 40-45 minutes to check in. Then after checking in, we sit down and waited to board. It was around 3:30-3:45 getting on the ship. Went to Park Café and then it was time to do the muster drill. Was surprised they sailed on time.

 

Another funny thing happened on the next sea day when my mom went to buy something from the gift shop. She swiped her card and it was not her picture. They had the wrong picture of her and according to the gift shop lady, they had a picture of a crew member on her card. She had to go to guest services and get a new picture taken.

 

Despite the glitches, had a great time. Great weather as well.

[LA_CA_GAL]

Sounds like the same people running the web site run the rest of the technology at RCI.