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

[SolsticeAZ]

I'm kinda guessin that this here fancy drink aint included in that Ultimate Beverage Package?

As the resident drunk -- er, drink package expert -- I'll confirm what AZAficionado said: if you have the premium or ultimate beverage package, you'll pay the difference between the $10 package limit and the cost of the drink (I didn't overhear the 10%/20% off comment, but the general rule is what I'm saying). However, as the bartender kept reminding us, if you buy the last shot, you get the bottle (worth something like $600 or more) free!! That makes up for it, right??:D

 

Thanks for the great pics and taking us on your little adventure! I'm having fun reading along!

Thank you, and glad you are enjoying!

[SailinC2C]

I see in your post #188 you show the wine list from the Viking Crown. Can you photograph the wine list from the dining room? Or did I miss it? You seem to have covered everything so well!

[Cruise a holic]

As the resident drunk -- er, drink package expert -- I'll confirm what AZAficionado said: if you have the premium or ultimate beverage package, you'll pay the difference between the $10 package limit and the cost of the drink (I didn't overhear the 10%/20% off comment, but the general rule is what I'm saying). However, as the bartender kept reminding us, if you buy the last shot, you get the bottle (worth something like $600 or more) free!! That makes up for it, right??:D

 

 

Thank you, and glad you are enjoying!

While my DH and I have sailed twice on the Allure and once on the oasis, we are considering a b2b in Jan 2016 doing a b2b on the Allure or Oasis.

[SailinC2C]

Another wine question.....

Do they still sell the 5,7 bottle packages?

 

If so, do you have a copy of the listing of wines you can pick from that you can photograph too?

[JohnSnowGOT]

HEy thank you so much for this great review!!!

We have sailed the Allure about 7 times and did a B2B in January. Love seeing your eye on this great Ship!

There are some great ALLURE crew members we have come know over the past couple of years.....Any crew members you care to mention in your review? We loved Gemma in the Champagne bar. She is fantabulous! The Champagne bar was our own private Concierge lounge! wonderful drinks and service!

Edited May 28, 2014 by JohnSnowGOT

[AZAficionado]

I see in your post #188 you show the wine list from the Viking Crown. Can you photograph the wine list from the dining room? Or did I miss it? You seem to have covered everything so well!

Thank you, so much for the kind words.:) Two places I knew I wasn't going to cover was the MDR and the Windjammer. Ordinarily, they are the places where I eat most often. Not so on this cruise. The Windjammer lost out to the Diamond Lounge for breakfast. The MDR lost out for two reasons: First, there are just so many other options we'd rather enjoy. Second, because of the options, you often end up at an empty table or table of strangers which kills one of the things I like most about the MDR - getting to know your table mates.

 

So, sorry. No pics of the menu or wine list. I'm sure you can find it elsewhere on these boards or online somewhere. The specific MDR menu for each night is listed in each Cruise Compass (Jasmine, etc.) and those are all standard fleet-wide.

 

They had a copy of all the menus (Chops, Giovanni's, etc.) in the Diamond Lounge, MDR included (just for that particular day). I decided against taking photos of the MDR because I wasn't going to experience or review it.

While my DH and I have sailed twice on the Allure and once on the oasis, we are considering a b2b in Jan 2016 doing a b2b on the Allure or Oasis.

Either way, you really can't go wrong. Enjoy!!

Another wine question.....

Do they still sell the 5,7 bottle packages?

 

If so, do you have a copy of the listing of wines you can pick from that you can photograph too?

Yes, they still have wine packages. We did not get a list because they were not handing out lists unless you were going to sign up for the package (we were not). I guess they were short on lists or something.:confused: Sorry.

HEy thank you so much for this great review!!!

We have sailed the Allure about 7 times and did a B2B in January.

There are some great ALLURE crew members we have come know over the past couple of years.....Any crew members you care to mention in your review? We loved Gemma in the Martini bar. She is fantabulous! The martini bar was our own private Concierge lounge! wonderful drinks and service!

You are most welcome and I'm glad you are enjoying it.:D I'm going to mention a few crew members at the very end. I will say that there was no Gemma in the Champagne Bar or any other bar that I can remember. Keep in mind that the crew are often on 6-8 month contracts. If you see someone in the fall, they probably won't be on in the spring.

[SolsticeAZ]

I see in your post #188 you show the wine list from the Viking Crown. Can you photograph the wine list from the dining room? Or did I miss it? You seem to have covered everything so well!

 

Another wine question.....

Do they still sell the 5,7 bottle packages?

 

If so, do you have a copy of the listing of wines you can pick from that you can photograph too?

As my better half mentioned, we didn't get copies of the MDR wine list or the wine package lists. However, for what it's worth, I did a quick internet search for "Royal Caribbean Wine List 2014" and found a few sites that at least purport to have the most current lists for both. You may want to check that out.

While my DH and I have sailed twice on the Allure and once on the oasis, we are considering a b2b in Jan 2016 doing a b2b on the Allure or Oasis.

Given everything there is to do onboard, I think Oasis/Allure is a perfect choice for a B2B!

 

HEy thank you so much for this great review!!!

We have sailed the Allure about 7 times and did a B2B in January. Love seeing your eye on this great Ship!

There are some great ALLURE crew members we have come know over the past couple of years.....Any crew members you care to mention in your review? We loved Gemma in the Champagne bar. She is fantabulous! The Champagne bar was our own private Concierge lounge! wonderful drinks and service!

Thanks for the kind words, and I will definitely be giving a "shout out" later in the review to a few of the fantastic crew members we got to know. However, Gemma wasn't in the Champagne bar when we were there. She must do a great job, though -- I have seen her name in a couple of other reviews.

[33tekfan]

We hit the Champagne & Martini Bar for a Bombay Sapphire martini and Cosmopolitan. I’ve been a big fan of the Champagne bars from the first one I went to on the Monarch of the Seas back when she was the biggest thing afloat (she has not been decommissioned, but instead sent down to the minors with Pullmantur). Sadly, the one on Allure is slotted to be refit as an R Bar. Sigh.

 

 

What is an R Bar? I have not heard of this yet.

[Ti2m]

As the resident drunk -- er, drink package expert -- I'll confirm what AZAficionado said: if you have the premium or ultimate beverage package, you'll pay the difference between the $10 package limit and the cost of the drink (I didn't overhear the 10%/20% off comment, but the general rule is what I'm saying). However, as the bartender kept reminding us, if you buy the last shot, you get the bottle (worth something like $600 or more) free!! That makes up for it, right??:D

 

 

On the Carnival Conquest they offered this. The clerk said they usually sold 2 or 3 each cruise. But my wife reminded me how many Coach purses that would buy. ;)

[AZAficionado]

What is an R Bar? I have not heard of this yet.

A few ships already have one. Here is RCI's blurb on it:

 

R Bar, featuring a sophisticated 1960s vibe, complete with iconic furnishing and signature cocktails created by a savvy and personable mixologist.

 

A crew member described it as everything is made from scratch, which means it takes longer to get a drink. I think the implication was also less tips per hour.

On the Carnival Conquest they offered this. The clerk said they usually sold 2 or 3 each cruise. But my wife reminded me how many Coach purses that would buy. ;)

During our first week on board, they sold one shot (to me). During the second, they sold seven (one to me and six to a table dining at Giovanni's). Each shot is roughly equivalent to one trip to the Coach store.:cool:

[AZAficionado]

Day 7 - At Sea

 

 

The news of the day. For those who weren't staying on, the news was pretty bad: last day of the cruise!

 

 

[AZAficionado]

 

All the sun and fun was beginning to catch up with me. I set an alarm to make sure I didn’t miss the Consecutive Cruiser’s meeting at 10 am. When it went off, I really didn’t want to get up. But I did, and got told basically the same information that was provided in the Consecutive Cruiser’s memo they left in my room. From there we headed to the Captain’s Corner, which was very interesting and informative.

 

 

 

Lunch was Park Café part Trois – custom made salads. If it wasn’t good, I’d have nobody to blame but myself.

 

 

During the afternoon, I decided to take a break from lounging and headed to the smoking area to enjoy a nice cigar. For those of you who smoke, this was a really nice spot. For those who don’t and don’t enjoy the smell of smoke, I’d avoid this area (deck 15 port side).

 

I've been very critical of the lack of a cigar lounge on the Oasis class ships. It was based on my experience on the Oasis, which I don't think had an area like this at the time (maybe it still doesn't?). There were a number of nights where it was very windy and Cigars Under the Stars was outside on 17 (not in the Solarium) and this place did just fine. It's not the cigar lounge on Freedom class ships, but it'll do.

[AZAficionado]

 

Before dinner we went to see Blue Planet. As with other shows, if you have reservations you can get in early. I highly recommend it.

 

 

There was some aerial acrobatics.

 

 

More aerials – pairs this time.

 

 

This was pretty cool as the performers were hidden in the tree.

 

 

There were plenty of acrobatics – they were using bungee ropes for this one. Yo-yo girls anyone?

[AZAficionado]

 

The imagery of the desert scene was really well done.

 

 

More aerials for the air-themed scene.

 

 

However, the “underwater” scene was really cool. The combination of aerials behind a sheer screen with fish projected on it was awesome.

 

 

More aerials.

[AZAficionado]

 

The trampoline act was pretty impressive.

 

 

Overall the choreography and imagery was really nice. Not the best show I’ve seen (Cirque de Soleil it was not), but pretty darn good for a cruise ship. Worth seeing.

 

 

Dinner was at the Chef’s Table, located in the Concierge Lounge. They had us meet in the Library where we enjoyed a glass of champagne. We were ushered though the lounge rather quickly, so I didn't grab a photo.

 

 

Upstairs (yea, the Concierge Lounge has two floors) our table was waiting. There were eight of us and the company was fantastic. They keep the spare silverware up around the lights, so if you drop something, you can just reach up and grab another one (no, those are decoration only).

[AZAficionado]

 

Here was the menu, which you get to keep. There were also place cards, but I’m not going to ruin the mystique by showing my real name (sorry).

 

 

Of course, they started with some bread. And the first course was the seafood salad, which was amazing (and came with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – it only took me six days to finally get one, gripe).

 

 

Next up was an asparagus consume, carrot soup, and crab salad brioche. The sommelier was fantastic in running us through how the food changes your palate and impacts the tastes of the wine. The carrot soup was to die for. Seriously, if that were my last moment, I’d die a happy man. Then it was black cod, which also was amazing. The portion was enormous, especially given the number of courses, but everyone at the table seemed to manage.

[AZAficionado]

 

This tenderloin was like butter. It was seared, vacuum sealed in a bag, and slow cooked for 3 hours at 300 degrees under steam. The reductions with it were also amazing. Dessert was a chocolate crème brulee, a cherry-pistachio financier, and home-made vanilla ice cream. All I have to say is OMG, yum!

 

 

Naturally, they didn’t stop there and brought out a tray of after dinner snacks, just in case someone was still hungry. This was easily one of the best meals I had on the ship. 150 Central Park was also fantastic, but Chef’s Table was by far the best value if you do the wines at 150.

 

 

After dinner we were treated to bags in the hallways. One of the perks of a B2B is getting to see this while all your stuff is still in your cabin. Yea!

 

 

Later, we had a few after dinner drinks – this one is particularly good and not on the menu. It is St. Germaine and champagne. I'll tell you how turnover day went tomorrow...

[SolsticeAZ]

On the Carnival Conquest they offered this. The clerk said they usually sold 2 or 3 each cruise. But my wife reminded me how many Coach purses that would buy. ;)

Your wife is a very sensible woman.:D

[SolsticeAZ]

Day 7: In Which It All Catches Up

 

I wanted to do the Captain’s Corner because I had never been to one. It was well worth it – very informative, and the Captain and his staff were all very fun and personable. With one notable exception – a guy who was STILL upset about the computer issues on embarkation (get over it, seriously) – it was clear from the questions people asked and the comments they made that the majority of folks really loved the ship and the vacation.

 

After some half-hearted shopping and a Park Café salad, it was time for more balcony while AZAficionado smoked up. I enjoyed a glass of Los Vascos Sangre de Toro rose wine – it had a hint of sherry flavor mixed with strawberry.

 

 

Blue Planet

 

 

That afternoon was Blue Planet, which I really enjoyed. It’s tough to describe because it seems like it’s a show that’s intended to appeal to the widest audience possible. Basically, it’s a variety show with lots of singing (to a track, not a live band), dancing, aerial work, acrobatics, and trampoline stunts. There were four main singers – two women and two men – who were all really excellent. The songs were mostly pop songs, though not super-recent ones (think Earth, Wind & Fire through Red Hot Chili Peppers), and were thematically paired with the various acts, all of which conveyed the show’s message, which was basically “be good to the Earth.” Some of the acts were merely okay. The animated “tree,” for example, was not much of a surprise, and there was an odd act with a guy dancing around on a bridge that I just didn’t get. However, I found the “underwater” part of the show to be particularly beautiful, entertaining, and aesthetically pleasing. Overall, the show was very entertaining.

 

Chef’s Table

 

AZAficionado has given you the “skinny” on the food (no chance of being skinny after that dinner!). The wine pairings, included in the price, were outstanding (but sorry...no pictures):

 

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc: paired with a poached seafood and citrus salad this wine was brisk, with a lemon and mineral flavor that paired perfectly with the seafood.

Belle Glos Pinot Noir Blanc: a blush-style wine with the flavor of cherries with a spice finish. At first, as the sommelier pointed out, it tasted like nothing, as our palates had been altered by the first course. He then had us try the wine with each item of the second course: the asparagus consommé, the carrot soup, and the crab brioche. In each case, now that our palates had cleared, we could see that the wine was differently enhanced by the food we tasted with it. It was an awesome example of how food and wine work together to create an experience.

Famille Perin Gigondas: the initial aroma of this Rhone blend was musty but cleared with aeration, and the wine had a delicious currant flavor that paired beautifully with the black cod (so you really can pair red wine with fish).

Salentin “Numina” Mendoza Malbec: a Bordeaux-style blend from Argentina that was big and bold with a dark fruit flavor and a great mouth-feel. It worked perfectly with the beef.

Provincia Di Paloma Moscato d’Asti: the quintessential dessert wine – fruity and sparkling, and a good match with both the chocolate and the financier.

 

I was very impressed by both the food and the wine, and I was particularly impressed by the sommelier, Rudi. He definitely knows his wine, and he was educational, informative, and funny. Most importantly, he walked the very fine line of explaining enough to really help out the folks in the group who don’t know much about wine without “talking down” to those of us who do.

 

SolsticeAZ's Art Corner

 

 

 

[dudaze11]

What a fabulous review. Thank you guys for spending so much time and energy to regale us with your cruising story. I hope you have many great cruises awaiting you in the future.

[SolsticeAZ]

What a fabulous review. Thank you guys for spending so much time and energy to regale us with your cruising story. I hope you have many great cruises awaiting you in the future.

Thanks so much for the very kind words -- they are much appreciated!!

[MisterMom]

Wonderful. Amazing. Detailed. Love it.

 

(any chance you have PDFs of the Compass? Sailing the Western Itinerary at the end of June. Tks!)

[AZAficionado]

What a fabulous review. Thank you guys for spending so much time and energy to regale us with your cruising story. I hope you have many great cruises awaiting you in the future.

Thank you so much! We have the Panama Canal in roughly a year...

Wonderful. Amazing. Detailed. Love it.

 

(any chance you have PDFs of the Compass? Sailing the Western Itinerary at the end of June. Tks!)

Glad you are enjoying it. :) I don't have PDFs of the Compass. I suppose I could make a PDF from the images, but you could as well.;) I didn't save the full-sized scanned images, just the reduced ones that you see in the review. Sorry.

[vacation_junkie]

Wonderful. Amazing. Detailed. Love it.

 

(any chance you have PDFs of the Compass? Sailing the Western Itinerary at the end of June. Tks!)

 

save as a jpeg and then just print to letter sized paper . Worked perfect for me...

[AZAficionado]

save as a jpeg and then just print to letter sized paper . Worked perfect for me...

Yep. Was the resolution still pretty good? I reduced those to 15% size from the original so they'd have a chance of fitting on a normal monitor.