Allure OTS Photo Heavy Trip Report – The “allure” of the Eastern Caribbean

[fletch1027]

This is the karaoke bar in the Promenade. It’s located at the end near the Starbucks. It was also our muster station, which makes it the coolest muster station I have ever assembled at! It was also where the CC meet & greet was and IMO is was a terrible place to do that (compared to Viking Lounge on Freedom)

 

 

 

We then headed towards the back side of the Boardwalk where you can get a great view of many of the BW view balcony cabins. It’s covered in shade but if it wasn’t, you would see Sabor on the right and Johnny Rockets on the left.

 

Tip: Johnny Rockets on Oasis class ships serve breakfast so that’s another (usually less crowded option) than the WJ. We ate there twice for breakfast.

 

 

 

A view of one of the rock walls and some of the former secret balconies

 

 

 

The very cool aqua theater

 

 

 

I thought this was a cool perspective pic of the massive bridge that looms over the aft of the ship

 

 

 

Didn’t take long for our DD to find the Sorrento’s

 

 

 

to be continued…

 

[imlulu]

Great approach to a review. We are on Allure this February, during school break. We are traveling with my 18 yr old ds who is a senior. Coincidence!

Edited January 11, 2017 by imlulu

[Canukcruisenewbie]

Wow. Great review. It looks like there are now telescopes on the Aqua theatre suite decks. I had read that they didn't have them on Allure.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[crusinot]

following! Headed to Allure 10/17

[harryfat1]

Hey, wait, I just finished reading your Freedom trip report two days ago and you are already starting a new Allure report?

 

No need to rest and cool down before starting a new one, eh? You’re just a trip report writing fiend…

 

Go, Fletch, go – SHOW ME THE BACON…

[fletch1027]

Great approach to a review. We are on Allure this February, during school break. We are traveling with my 18 yr old ds who is a senior. Coincidence!

 

 

Seems to be a win-win! A way to go along on vacation with a senior without them running loose 100% on their own! :)

 

I was going to mention this at the end during my "wrap-up", but our DD did not seem to have as good a time as an 18 yr old than she did when she was 17. Even though she was still in high school, she had just turned 18, therefore making her too old to hang out in the "teen" areas like the Living Room with the other seniors she met who were still 17.

 

Based on her experiences, there seems to be a gap with not a lot of things available for "young adults" (18-20) to do, so she ended up splitting time between the friends she made on the cruise when they were not in the teen areas and us.

 

So be aware of that in regards to the 18 yr old that will be with you guys...

[fletch1027]

Wow. Great review. It looks like there are now telescopes on the Aqua theatre suite decks. I had read that they didn't have them on Allure.

 

 

I noticed that - I wonder if the suite people have to put a quarter in to use them? :D

 

 

following! Headed to Allure 10/17

 

Thanks - you will love it! And with you guys not going until October, this report will definitely be done by then... ;)

[Canukcruisenewbie]

I'm going in April. Hopefully it will be done. :-)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[fletch1027]

I’ll start off with a massive tip for those of you that enjoy being outside for sail away. When we sail on Freedom, we always go out to the helipad / bow of the ship for sail away. On the Oasis (and Quantum) Class, the bow is not a public area. Knowing this, I scoured CC before we left to find somewhere to go for sail away. I found a very cool place that is less known about that is almost as cool as the bow. On Oasis classes, there is an observation area that is basically right on top of the ship’s bridge. They are informally known as the “bridge wings” (I believe it’s called the Sundeck on the ship) and can be hard to find if you don’t know where to go.

 

If you’re interested, here’s the directions: get up to Deck 14 – make sure you’re on the port (left) side of the ship – go all the way forward (you will start passing cabins) – go through the glass door at the end of the hallway on the left. Also, I believe I remember seeing some signs on Deck 14 for the Sundeck, but my directions will get you there without a worry!

 

All of these photos were taken from there as we headed out of port. Be aware though that if there are high winds, they may close this area (just like they do with the helipad on Freedom).

 

Ahead of us leaving was the Eurodam – hit the gas or get out of our way! :-)

 

 

 

Photo from the wing looking down the port side

 

 

 

The pilot boat means we're either coming or going!

 

 

 

A selection of inexpensive real estate along the waterway

 

 

 

 

... and we have fans hanging out on the porch watching the ships leave - what a life - hanging out watching the ships go by :-)

 

 

 

to be continued…

 

[bobmacliberty]

Seems to be a win-win! A way to go along on vacation with a senior without them running loose 100% on their own! :)

 

I was going to mention this at the end during my "wrap-up", but our DD did not seem to have as good a time as an 18 yr old than she did when she was 17. Even though she was still in high school, she had just turned 18, therefore making her too old to hang out in the "teen" areas like the Living Room with the other seniors she met who were still 17.

 

Based on her experiences, there seems to be a gap with not a lot of things available for "young adults" (18-20) to do, so she ended up splitting time between the friends she made on the cruise when they were not in the teen areas and us.

 

So be aware of that in regards to the 18 yr old that will be with you guys...

 

Had a similar problem on our last 2 cruises with 2 daughters who are now 21 and 18. The good news with 2 daughters is that they can hang out together (which is usually, but not always, a good thing :D). When one was older than 18 and the other younger than 18, the younger DD wanted to do some of the teen stuff, but that left out the older DD. Hanging out with the parents isn't always a good choice from their perspective. Royal should definitely look at doing more for the 18-20 group.

[fletch1027]

More photos from sail away. As you see the homes in my previous post, notice the beach area some of them have. From what we were told, their homes used to have just the sea wall up against the water, but after Hurricane Andrew came through they now have a small beach!

 

My future retirement home:

 

 

 

This is the (in)famous house where they had their own Flowrider installed (to the right of the house)

 

 

 

To quote the great Ferris Bueller, “It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”

 

In reality it is probably the millionaires version of the basketball hoop in the driveway. Kids want it, we get it, they use it vigorously for a few months, now it sits... :-)

 

 

 

This is similar to the smaller yacht that I will be docking in front of my future retirement home

 

 

 

Where the beach meets the port opening. I believe there is usually a group of people that like to watch the ships leave (and likely play in the waves the ships create)

 

 

 

 

 

to be continued…

 

[fletch1027]

Hey, wait, I just finished reading your Freedom trip report two days ago and you are already starting a new Allure report?

 

No need to rest and cool down before starting a new one, eh? You’re just a trip report writing fiend…

 

Go, Fletch, go – SHOW ME THE BACON…

 

I figured that while I was on a roll I would keep on going! :)

 

I had a ton of pics from Allure and wanted to put them to good use.

 

Plus, I didn't want to get too far behind with us getting ready for Freedom again. My old mind would forget what I did a year ago! :D

[DISFANS3]

Awesome photos and TR..

[fletch1027]

This is kind of a transition post between leaving port and getting to Nassau so I figured I would toss in some random things that may be useful tips for some.

 

 

When on a cruise it seems like everyone wants to only use “sailor” lingo (not sailor language hopefully). Left becomes port, back becomes aft, etc, etc. My trick when remembering port vs. starboard is that left and port both have four letters, but I also just found this cute image from a kids webpage that explains it also. Feel free to grab it and use it as your cell phone wallpaper during the cruise :)

 

 

 

 

For being on an Oasis class for the first time, it took us a while to remember which deck different areas were on. Remember, the elevators can be our friends when we get too tired for stairs and they also have these handy “cheat sheets” in each one:

 

 

 

Also, for me no cruise would be complete if I did not make my OCD special spreadsheet to keep track of everything. This includes which menus are on which days, times in port, MTD reservation times, estimated cash needed for tips and stuff at each port, and show times.

 

TIP: The show times are especially important because on Oasis class, you should always make reservations in the online cruise planner well before leaving. This is critical for things like the “Broadway” plays (Mama Mia on Allure).

 

 

 

While on the topic of Mama Mia, it was an awesome performance! If you are sailing Allure, make sure you do not miss this!

 

 

Also for those that are curious, here is a screenshot of my Voom speed, which was very fast all week:

 

 

 

to be continued…

 

 

[Juscaus]

Thanks for the review and Pic's, we'll be Allure this Sunday!!!!!

 

4 more days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BillOh]

 

 

 

Where the beach meets the port opening. I believe there is usually a group of people that like to watch the ships leave (and likely play in the waves the ships create)

 

 

 

 

to be continued…

 

 

Assuming you come in the day before your cruise, the next time you cruise Allure, I recommend you come here and watch Harmony sail away. Our roll call group got together to watch Oasis leave the day before our cruise. Great time.

[Ocean Boy]

I always enjoy reading other people's perspective of ships I've been on and seeing their pictures of places I've been. Looking forward to the rest!

[fletch1027]

I'm going in April. Hopefully it will be done. :-)

 

It will for sure be done well before then! :D

[fletch1027]

Awesome photos and TR..

 

Thanks! Glad to have you along!

 

 

greatttt way to remember the terms! Thanks for sharing

 

It's funny I have been scolded by fellow passengers that have butted into my conversations to correct me when I say left or right instead of port or starboard. Those same people that I assume are only on a ship if it's a cruise ship... :)

 

 

Thanks for the review and Pic's, we'll be Allure this Sunday!!!!!

 

4 more days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Have a great cruise! I can't wait until my next one!

[jandj1224]

Headed on the Allure on Sunday and love seeing all the pictures. Keep them coming!

 

On a side note I remember how disappointing it was cruising after aging out of the teen activities. You would think they would figure something out for this age group.

[troykahack]

Following. We are on the same cruise in 3 weeks.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

As are we....

[imlulu]

Seems to be a win-win! A way to go along on vacation with a senior without them running loose 100% on their own! :)

 

I was going to mention this at the end during my "wrap-up", but our DD did not seem to have as good a time as an 18 yr old than she did when she was 17. Even though she was still in high school, she had just turned 18, therefore making her too old to hang out in the "teen" areas like the Living Room with the other seniors she met who were still 17.

 

Based on her experiences, there seems to be a gap with not a lot of things available for "young adults" (18-20) to do, so she ended up splitting time between the friends she made on the cruise when they were not in the teen areas and us.

 

So be aware of that in regards to the 18 yr old that will be with you guys...

 

 

Thank you. Last cruise, my older ds went so they had each other. Im not too concerned if he hangs out with us. Based on our experience with our older ds, this is probably our last "family" vacation for many years. He is looking forward to casino and adult solarium. :)

[fletch1027]

Due to their size (no tendering and other port requirements), the Oasis class ships typically have one more sea day on a 7 day cruise than the other classes (like Freedom). That being said, we were less than excited initially when we saw the Eastern itinerary included Nassau as one of the three ports. Nassau is not our favorite place to visit. My wife and DD had no intention of doing anything in Nassau besides venturing off the ship briefly so my DD could get her free collectible charm from Diamonds International then back to the ship to lay out by the pool. Besides Nassau being kind of blah, the Oasis class stops here are so short, it’s almost like an extended pit stop anyway.

 

Me on the other hand, wanted something to do, so I started looking around the cruise planner for an inexpensive snorkel excursion that would give me a chance to test out my new waterproof camera. I came across something called the “Rainbow Reef Snorkel Tour” that looked like a great deal for $35. I searched around CC, started a thread and found some other info that made it seem worthwhile. I was easily able to book this tour after boarding the ship on Sunday afternoon.

 

TIP: Make sure to check out towels from the pool deck ahead of time (like the night before) if you're planning to get wet while in port!

 

We usually try and find “non-RCI” excursions for the ports because they are usually much cheaper and they are smaller groups which make them more personalized. The advantages to RCI based tours are that they have the “no left behind” guarantee and the meeting places are usually very convenient. That being said, here was our meeting place for the Rainbow Reef Snorkel Tour which was directly outside the ship under the green roof:

 

 

 

For those familiar with Nassau, we actually met the charter boat on the other side of the main pier without having to leave the secured port area. Here we are on the boat waiting to head out. Notice the wind blowing everyone's hair...

 

 

 

We met the tour guides, did a final head count and we were off

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a Bahamas mail boat used to deliver mail to some of the 30+ inhabited Bahamas islands. Props to them for being very descriptive on their boats!

 

 

 

Passing Atlantis, which IMO is probably the biggest rip-off excursion that RCI sells when you compare the cost to the amount of time actually spent there

 

 

 

Next stop - Rainbow Reef

 

 

to be continued…

 

 

[fletch1027]

We arrived at the destination, which I am assuming is the “Rainbow Reef”. Before I get into my underwater photos, I need to start making some excuses ahead of time. I did not think this through completely when planning this, but I discovered the hard way that the waters of the Atlantic, although down by the Bahamas, are still a bit chilly! When combined with the weather which was overcast and windy, it made for a very interesting adventure. My previous cruise snorkeling experiences were in Grand Cayman with much warmer February waters.

 

The tour guys were good. The boat had a clean restroom available and also they had what looked to be a brand new supply of masks and snorkels for us to use.

 

Despite the weather, I was bound and determined to get out there and get my $35 worth of snorkeling! I have all the faith in the world of the quality of my camera to take awesome underwater photos, however I wasn’t 100% pleased with these – likely due to the “perfect storm” of me bobbing around in the cold choppy water, the darker overcast skies and the water not being very clear from the recent storms. Either way, we are pressing forward.

 

I took a deep breath and hit the water. Once my body got used to the cold and I could feel my limbs again, I stuck my head in the water and started firing away:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to be continued…

 

[BillOh]

Passing Atlantis, which IMO is probably the biggest rip-off excursion that RCI sells when you compare the cost to the amount of time actually spent there

 

I largely agree with you based on my trips there on Allure and Oasis. However, its worth noting when we went on Majesty in last October of 2013, she was in port till Midnight and Atlantis had an offseason rate. We had a great day at a reasonable price. At least I can say I've been there. Enjoying the thread. [/thread hijack]