LIVE Periscope from President's Cruise Allure of the Seas Sept 18 - 25

[maaaaattt]

It's finally here! The Presidents Cruise sailing onboard the beautiful Allure of the Seas!

 

I'll be broadcasting on Periscope and taking your questions/suggestions all week long.

 

Please add M_W_M_K if you would like to follow along.

 

Use this thread to post any questions you may have. If there's anywhere you'd like me to broadcast from, I'll be glad to. I'll also post a quick daily review here.

[motter]

My parents cruised with you on that fateful Anthem of the Seas cruise. I was watching for them in your updates back then. I'll be watching for the AGAIN on this sailing of Allure!

 

Hoping you have smooth sailing this time around.

[Lisa&Neb]

Could you find out the most recent menu order (menu pictures would be an awesome bonus)

[Baseball fan]

Are they offering coffee cards? I saw it mentioned along with the new drink packages. I am assuming it is something you buy on board. Thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[EatonDoolittle]

Just caught up with your 'scopes, following now.

What a fun parade @ check-in! They should do that all the time.

 

Love that you did not feel the need to narrate every second...:D

[maaaaattt]

Just caught up with your 'scopes, following now.

 

What a fun parade @ check-in! They should do that all the time.

 

 

 

Love that you did not feel the need to narrate every second...:D

 

 

Narrators... my biggest pet peeve. LOL

[easyboy]

Will be following.

[kevnick0814]

Following. Thanks! :)

[maaaaattt]

Day One - September 18, 2016

 

I'm in retail management and downtime barely exists in my world, so when I'm not thinking about work, I'm almost always thinking about next cruise. With that said... It's finally here and it's much needed!

 

I live in Brooklyn, NY. I flew down to Fort Lauderdale the afternoon before the cruise and stayed in the Best Western Plus Oceanside Inn on Seabreeze Blvd. For those wondering, it's a great little inn with a beautiful pool area and updated rooms painted the bright colors one would expect in South Florida. I chose it because of its location. In keeping with my cruise obsession, I wanted to land at 3 pm and be on the rocks on South FLL beach to watch Oasis sail by 5 pm. Flight was 20 minutes early, LYFT was quick and painless, check in was a breeze and I was Periscoping Oasis by 4:45.

 

I won't bore you with all the drinking I did Saturday night so let's smash cut to Sunday morning. As you would imagine, Matthew was up early raring to go. Hotel checkout time was 11:00 am (they do a complimentary breakfast from 7 to 10:30) and I was downstairs a quarter to with my LYFT app open on my phone ready to hail. Side note for you smart phone users... the price from FLL to the beach was $13 because of the airport fee, but the trip from the beach to Port Everglades was only $7. Both are VERY reasonable, considering 954-777-7777 would have charged upwards of $20.

 

Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked. We were at the ship and checked in by 11:15 (very efficient for such a huge ship). We were sent to the Diamond waiting area where we watched a quick parade of drums and brass to keep us entertained. Like clockwork, at 11:30 they began allowing suites and Pinnacles to board and then it was our turn.

 

Another aside here, the walk up the ramp was one of the slowest walks I've ever had on a cruise. Not sure why but it take about 15 minutes from sea pass card scan to actually walking onto the ship.

 

Of course, we went right to lunch in the Windjammer (doesn't everyone?). The buffet was the usual setup of burgers, mashed, spaghetti, nachos, Asian, fish, etc etc. There was plenty to choose from and it was par for the course. I always see complaints that the food onboard in declining, but since my first cruise in 2007 I honestly haven't seen any difference in this venue on Royal's ships.

 

I've been on this ship a couple times and have done the Oasis class a handful of times so it's not new to me, but it was for my lady friend who is on her second cruise ever (the first was the infamous Anthem cruise in February that sailed through a nor'easter so please, everyone, give her a round of applause for being a good sport). For this reason, we spent the next hour or so touring some of the more impressive parts of the ship before relaxing poolside for a couple hours.

 

I have to say, a 6:00 pm dinner seating is very challenging and I'm finding this out really for the first time. I'm sure I'm forgetting cruises from 9 years ago when I gave it a try, but I almost always book the second seating because I enjoy the night life on RCI's cruise ships. We went back to the room and quickly showered and dressed for dinner at 3:45 because muster was at 4:15 and then I love to watch sail away from the top deck. Oh well, I'm open to change.

 

We ate in the main dining room. I gave up a table for two near the window to be in a waitresses section that I met when I was onboard in June. They don't make wait staff assignments until 4 pm on the first day, so I was there just before 6 to ask the deck manager if being in her section was a possibility. He was very accommodating and moved us to a table for 10. When I showed up, she REMEMBERED MY NAME and gave me a huge hug. This is why I love Royal Caribbean.

 

Switching to the table for 10 proved to be a blessing in disguise because one night in I was in love with everyone at the table. They're a great group of people and I'm already looking forward to dinner every night.

 

Tonight I treated myself to the premium whole Maine lobster. It was really incredible. I'll be able to speak more about the MDR food tomorrow, because at $30, the lobster was a one time thing (but damn, was it good).

 

We pre-reserved all shows before getting onboard. Tonight was OceanAria. I've seen it before, but I would see it a 100 times. The talent these performers have is incredible and if someone dropped you onboard blindfolded, you wouldn't know the difference between some of these guys and gals and those from a Cirque Du Soleil show.

 

After the show we had a nightcap and headed back to our stateroom.

 

Day One review was a little long. I do apologize. Thanks for reading. I'll be back later with Day Two information and answers to some of your questions.

 

Again, I'm on Periscope all week long. Please subscribe by adding user M_W_M_K.

[maaaaattt]

Day 2 & 3 - September 19 & 20

 

So I'll just post some stray observations instead of posting a long, boring review...

 

- Day 2 was Nassau, Bahamas. Am I among the majority that wishes the ships would stop calling here? It's a great port to look at from the Pool Deck, but really just doesn't offer much else. We are only in port for 6 hours so it seems rushed as well. Granted, I've been here probably about 20 times, so maybe I'm jaded.

- Love the fact that summer is over and kids have returned to school. There has been literally NO lines for anything. We walked up to the zip line and rock climbing wall and were suited up and on them in mere moments. Great seats have been available at all pools all hours of the day.

- Ice has been available in all Free Style Machines. When I was on in June, there was never any ice. Again, I think the kiddies have something to do with that.

- There are no new menus in the MDR. The menus on Oasis were talked about and it is a test with the intention to go fleet wide. They are planning a wider range to satisfy the many dietary needs that exist today.

- Speaking of the MDR, the food selections on night 2 and 3 were good. Nothing to write home about, but better than the food I eat at home. Food is subjective. We will leave it at that. By the way, does anyone love escargot as much as me?

- On day 3 (sea day), CEO Michael Bayley did a two hour long Q&A with Crown & Anchor members. I broadcasted the entire thing on Periscope if you care to watch, but the biggest takeaway was Cuba. He believes the general election stopped a lot of the talks temporarily but thinks that after November it'll be just a matter of time. He hates that Carnival Fathom got there first.

- Mamma Mia was okay this time around. In June I was lucky enough to have an AMAZING cast. The bar was set really high. I was a bit disappointed this time, but I love the music and it's always fun to see and hear.

- I missed the Headliner show on night 3. Exhaustion set in and couldn't muster up the energy to be there at 10:30 pm. It was a ventriloquist and my dinner table mates said it was a great show. Oops.

- Crew energy and service have been exceptional. This is definitely a great ship for that. I would say it's because the President is onboard, but it's always this way.

 

Day 4 info coming up....

 

Add M_W_M_K on Periscope to follow along with my live broadcasts!

[maaaaattt]

Could you find out the most recent menu order (menu pictures would be an awesome bonus)

 

 

Sunday - Mojo

Monday - Saffron

Tuesday - Pamento

Wednesday - Basil

Thursday - Shiitake

Friday - Jasmine

Saturday - Pomodoro

[Relax@Sea]

I won't get to stressed about going solo, You seem like a very outgoing person so you should have no problem making friend's on your solo cruise.

I have gone solo many times and have met some great people and now I cruise with some of them when I go solo.

[maaaaattt]

I won't get to stressed about going solo, You seem like a very outgoing person so you should have no problem making friend's on your solo cruise.

I have gone solo many times and have met some great people and now I cruise with some of them when I go solo.

 

 

I appreciate the kind words. It'll be different, but knowing myself, I'm sure I will survive. It's something I've always wanted to try.

 

People that do it swear by it, so there must be something great about it! [emoji5]

[travelingla]

I watched all of your scopes, Matt -- all were excellent and so much fun. I get on the Allure this Sunday -- sailed the Oasis in February so know pretty much what to expect and am excited.

 

You've mentioned trying solo for the first time. I did that a few years ago on an 8 nighter from Baltimore -- it was a wonderful itinerary including Bermuda and Newport - in June. I enjoyed my tablemates - and absolutely loved being by myself all day! I loved doing what I wanted and when I wanted -- I did not have to worry if anyone else was having a good time :rolleyes: It was delightful.

 

You will have a different perspective that cruise -- which might not be a bad thing at all!

 

Look forward to more of your scopes!

Edited September 24, 2016 by travelingla

[maaaaattt]

I watched all of your scopes, Matt -- all were excellent and so much fun. I get on the Allure this Sunday -- sailed the Oasis in February so know pretty much what to expect and am excited.

 

You've mentioned trying solo for the first time. I did that a few years ago on an 8 nighter from Baltimore -- it was a wonderful itinerary including Bermuda and Newport - in June. I enjoyed my tablemates - and absolutely loved being by myself all day! I loved doing what I wanted and when I wanted -- I did not have to worry if anyone else was having a good time :rolleyes: It was delightful.

 

You will have a different perspective that cruise -- which might not be a bad thing at all!

 

Look forward to more of your scopes!

 

 

Thank you!

 

I have a feeling I will have a very similar experience. [emoji16]