Allure B2B **Double** Trip Review 5/4/14 - 5/18/14 (lots o' pics)!!!

[SolsticeAZ]

Fantastic review! We don't sail on the Allure until Feb 2015, but this has been a great help to kickstart my planning! I'm sure I'll be referring back to this often! We're doing the Western itinerary, and I agree that it's the preferred in this case! Thanks for taking the time to put so many details in your review!

Thank you so much, and have a fantastic time next February. :D

[life_dizzy]

This was the best review ever!! Thank you so much for sharing all your photos, reviews and experiences! Our cruise in January will only be our 2nd ever, and our first time on Royal and I am so pumped to get on this amazing beast of a ship!

 

Thanks again for taking the time for so much detail!

[SolsticeAZ]

This was the best review ever!! Thank you so much for sharing all your photos, reviews and experiences! Our cruise in January will only be our 2nd ever, and our first time on Royal and I am so pumped to get on this amazing beast of a ship!

 

Thanks again for taking the time for so much detail!

You are more than welcome - glad you enjoyed, and I think "amazing beast" is the best description I've seen yet for Allure. :D Have fun in January!

[AZAficionado]

This was the best review ever!! Thank you so much for sharing all your photos, reviews and experiences! Our cruise in January will only be our 2nd ever, and our first time on Royal and I am so pumped to get on this amazing beast of a ship!

 

Thanks again for taking the time for so much detail!

My pleasure! She is one "well-endowed" cruise ship with plenty of aft, if you know what I mean. :eek: Allure will probably spoil you for any other Royal ship. But she's worth it.

[cruiserdudebobby8]

Abs love the Allure

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

[Cruise a holic]

My pleasure! She is one "well-endowed" cruise ship with plenty of aft, if you know what I mean. :eek: Allure will probably spoil you for any other Royal ship. But she's worth it.

 

We will be trying the Quantum this coming spring and the Anthem when she comes out- I think that the experience of each will equal the Oasis and Allure!

[SolsticeAZ]

Abs love the Allure

She is an amazing ship, with a lot to love!

 

We will be trying the Quantum this coming spring and the Anthem when she comes out- I think that the experience of each will equal the Oasis and Allure!

I am sure that's what Royal is hoping for!:D

[AZAficionado]

Abs love the Allure

It's hard not to love the Allure once you've sailed her!

We will be trying the Quantum this coming spring and the Anthem when she comes out- I think that the experience of each will equal the Oasis and Allure!

Maybe, although those ships are 2/3 or 3/4 the size of Oasis class ships with 2/3 or 3/4 of the amenities (go figure). We'll have to see. I'm just waiting for the giant arm to get stuck while it's over the ocean and passengers are in it.:eek: (Not my idea, the Diamond Concierge on Freedom last year said it first) I don't really want that to happen (imagine the complaint letters/threads). But if it did, I would be unable to look away (and maybe snap a photo).;)

 

Don't judge. You all know I'm a little twisted like that...

[luvmy3girls]

I'm leaving on the Freedom in 11 days, and loved your fabulous review of her so much, I had to read this one too! Once again, you knocked it out of the park. I love the two perspectives, because sometimes you need that female POV.

Thought I'd bump this back to the top so someone else can get enjoyment from it as well. Can't wait to read your Panama Canal review. :)

[BillOh]

Cafe "kids-style". Located right next to the sports court and teen area, this place is popular with kids of all ages. It is perfect for a quick bite. Not so much for a relaxing meal. They do have breakfast, however.

 

I think that was a change between 2011 and 2013, but a welcome one.

 

 

Thanks for the review of the Ritz Carlton, I might consider that for my return to Port Eveglades in 2016. I'm enjoying your review. I am very experienced in cruising with Arizonans. Including 7 days on Allure :cool:

 

Though I might be the one shelling out $200 for a room (guessing) and eating at the Hooter's next door! :) Once I make diamond, My diamond symbol in my signature will have a blue collar :)

Edited September 24, 2014 by BillOh

[BillOh]

I think that was a change between 2011 and 2013, but a welcome one.

 

 

Thanks for the review of the Ritz Carlton, I might consider that for my return to Port Eveglades in 2016. I'm enjoying your review. I am very experienced in cruising with Arizonans. Including 7 days on Allure :cool:

 

Though I might be the one shelling out $200 for a room (guessing) and eating at the Hooter's next door! :) Once I make diamond, My diamond symbol in my signature will have a blue collar :)

$200? I must have been really sleepy this morning! More like $400. Didn't look for any discounts though.

[spearmint]

Have only gotten to page 6, but am enjoying the results of your tremendous efforts! :D We sail for a b2b on November 9 and you are giving me lots of information that I have been wondering about.

 

Thanks,

Bill

[SolsticeAZ]

I'm leaving on the Freedom in 11 days, and loved your fabulous review of her so much, I had to read this one too! Once again, you knocked it out of the park. I love the two perspectives, because sometimes you need that female POV.

Thought I'd bump this back to the top so someone else can get enjoyment from it as well. Can't wait to read your Panama Canal review.

Thanks for the bump, and for the kind words! Enjoy your Freedom cruise...she's still my favorite ship.

 

Thanks for the review of the Ritz Carlton, I might consider that for my return to Port Eveglades in 2016. I'm enjoying your review. I am very experienced in cruising with Arizonans. Including 7 days on Allure

 

Though I might be the one shelling out $200 for a room (guessing) and eating at the Hooter's next door! Once I make diamond, My diamond symbol in my signature will have a blue collar

While the Ritz will run you a bit more than $200 :eek:, it's well worth it. Just so relaxing after a long cross-country flight (or after pretty much anything, really). As for Hooters...well, you can't go wrong with that!!

$200? I must have been really sleepy this morning! More like $400. Didn't look for any discounts though.

I suspect that the Ritz isn't big on discounts!

 

Have only gotten to page 6, but am enjoying the results of your tremendous efforts! We sail for a b2b on November 9 and you are giving me lots of information that I have been wondering about.

 

Thanks,

Bill

So glad you are enjoying, and I hope you have a great time on your B2B. :D

[AZAficionado]

I'm leaving on the Freedom in 11 days, and loved your fabulous review of her so much, I had to read this one too! Once again, you knocked it out of the park. I love the two perspectives, because sometimes you need that female POV.

Thought I'd bump this back to the top so someone else can get enjoyment from it as well. Can't wait to read your Panama Canal review.

I'll see your bump, and raise you another...;)

I think that was a change between 2011 and 2013, but a welcome one.

 

Thanks for the review of the Ritz Carlton, I might consider that for my return to Port Eveglades in 2016. I'm enjoying your review. I am very experienced in cruising with Arizonans. Including 7 days on Allure

 

Though I might be the one shelling out $200 for a room (guessing) and eating at the Hooter's next door! Once I make diamond, My diamond symbol in my signature will have a blue collar

$200 for a room at the Ritz? That's it SolsticeAZ, sell the house. At that price, we're living at the Ritz from now on!!:eek:

$200? I must have been really sleepy this morning! More like $400. Didn't look for any discounts though.

That's closer, depending on the season. The Ritz is ridiculously expensive, but you get what you pay for. If you're dropping the cash for a Jr. Suite B2B on Allure, the extra $300+ to upgrade to the Ritz disappears to rounding (seriously, it does).

Have only gotten to page 6, but am enjoying the results of your tremendous efforts! We sail for a b2b on November 9 and you are giving me lots of information that I have been wondering about.

 

Thanks,

Bill

Glad you're enjoying it and it is helping you out. Enjoy your B2B!:D

[sjudis]

I will probably do the same thing. Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[AZAficionado]

I will probably do the same thing. Lol

Stay at the Ritz in FLL? I don't blame you. I'm doing the same for my next cruise (Panama).

[FirstCruise2331]

Just came across your review and spent the time reading it start to finish. Looks like you had a great cruise. Your approach to a holiday (dont things by half and have plenty of 'liquid' refreshment!) is how I approach our vacations! This week I booked Westbound TA on Allure Oct 2015 and have bookmarked this I use again before we go.

[AZAficionado]

Just came across your review and spent the time reading it start to finish. Looks like you had a great cruise. Your approach to a holiday (dont things by half and have plenty of 'liquid' refreshment!) is how I approach our vacations! This week I booked Westbound TA on Allure Oct 2015 and have bookmarked this I use again before we go.

Great minds think alike.;) That TA should give you ample opportunity to see and enjoy everything on Allure - even all the art (we'll be expecting a full report on each piece of art :eek:). Enjoy the cruise!

[FirstCruise2331]

Will certainly post a review and check out the art work (there's artwork in the bars right?!)

[AZAficionado]

Will certainly post a review and check out the art work (there's artwork in the bars right?!)

You betcha!;)

[cbkb101]

Wow! I can not express enough how helpful this review was to me. We are embarking on our first ever cruise in January on the Allure (Western Caribbean) and this is exactly what I needed to see, prices, ports, wine, beer, and overall general knowledge of the cruising experience. Thank you both for taking time to share the experience and your photos.

 

Are there other members of CC that you look for trip reports from? I have read a few but none come close to yours!

[AZAficionado]

Wow! I can not express enough how helpful this review was to me. We are embarking on our first ever cruise in January on the Allure (Western Caribbean) and this is exactly what I needed to see, prices, ports, wine, beer, and overall general knowledge of the cruising experience. Thank you both for taking time to share the experience and your photos.

I'm glad the review helped you out. Enjoy your first cruise!! Although the Allure will spoil you for other ships.:eek:

Are there other members of CC that you look for trip reports from? I have read a few but none come close to yours!

Thanks for the huge compliment. There are so many outstanding reviews out there (try typing "review" in the search thingy). I don't know how many I read before doing my Freedom review, and so many of them were simply fantastic.

 

If you are looking for more like what I did here, these are what I would dub the "Big 3" for photo-heavy, comprehensive Allure reviews (and a source of inspiration for me):

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1737751

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1781792

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1877135

 

As for specific authors, obviously the 3 above (gambee, KansasCocoa, Swim13) as well as SailorJack, BillOh, Bugsy4271, and a number of other outstanding reviewers whose names I cannot remember right now.

Edited September 26, 2014 by AZAficionado

[Kkross]

Have enjoyed your review. Looking forward to sailing on Allure over the holidays.

[AZAficionado]

Have enjoyed your review. Looking forward to sailing on Allure over the holidays.

Glad you did. I haven't done a holiday cruise, yet. It might be something worth considering. Enjoy!

[spearmint]

Can you tell me if it is difficult to navigate from aft (dining room) to forward (theatre)?

We must finish second seating dinner and get to "Chicago" for 10:30. I know that we need to tell our waiter that we will be in a bit of a hurry, but, we are also slower these days, and especially if my wife wears heels. I get the impression from some posts that the route may be somewhat convoluted. (on Explorer OTS from deck 3 dining, one had to go up to 4 as the ice rink was "in the way", through the Casino area and, in front of the theatre, back down stairs to get to deck three again. With a bad hip at the time and heels, that was crowded, slow and tiring.

 

Thanks,

Bill

Edited September 28, 2014 by spearmint