Allure Live, January 27 to February 3. - Where my Beaches At?

[ContessaK]

Loved reading through your live cruise updates. We are sailing a similar route in September but out of Fort Lauderdale. Nice to get an up close look at what we have to look forward too! Never been on Allure before. Can't wait!

[h20skibum]

Found this in my flow board bag. They love to inspect it. 
 

I hope they had English on the other side, otherwise we need to brush up on our Spanish.

It looks like Tapatalk came back just in time. Glad to see a lot more participation now. I tried doing a “live” on Harmony in November, and it was a struggle.

Looking forward to your take on Symphony.


Past Reviews post 184

[kag19]

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 9:03 AM, John&LaLa said:

 

Can't you get Starbucks delivered?

 

Wait, what?  Can you get it delivered?  Because if so then my vacation is getting an upgrade!

[deedle7544]

Loved your review, as always!

 

Inquiring minds want to know if you heard from the JW Marriott management team?

[A&L_Ont]

52 minutes ago, kag19 said:

 

Wait, what?  Can you get it delivered?  Because if so then my vacation is getting an upgrade!

 

I have heard about to star class doing that, but I was just go get it myself. It seems more rewarding.   They can also unpack your suitcases for you, but I’ll just do that myself.

 

23 minutes ago, deedle7544 said:

Loved your review, as always!

 

Inquiring minds want to know if you heard from the JW Marriott management team?

 

 

I have received an email from them when I was on the ship and I have to email them back tomorrow. They were apologetic but really didn’t  take ownership of the issue,just saying that they were quite busy.

 

It’s not as though the marathon was a surprise, After all it is been held for more than 17 years, so it’s a little bit of deflection on their part. They also said if we ever return they will do right by us. They gave us another 15,000 Marriott points on top of the 5,000 we already received.

 

In the meantime, we’ve already booked another room at the Hyatt Centric Brickle in Miami for our March cruise.

 

I will email them back and tell them that we’re cancelling our March reservation, and going somewhere else. The reason is our son is with us and we don’t want him to be put through another ordeal like the one we went through. I will inform them that we are returning back in September and if they want to make right by us then we will consider booking a room then.

 

The hotel was nice but there lots of hotels in the area that are just as good if not better. 

[A&L_Ont]

Final thoughts tomorrow as well as Compasses. 

 

We we have early dinner and hockey practice tonight. 

[Pratique]

Not having the room ready, not good. At least they didn't give you a key to an occupied room. That's happened to me way too many times, including a pre-cruise night in FLL at a Marriott property. Of all the things a hotel can do wrong, that's far and away the most serious, especially in a stand-your-ground state like Florida.

[bigeck]

Thanks for the review.

Just a quick one regarding the speciality dining.

Basically, what was the best

[bobmacliberty]

On ‎2‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 10:35 AM, A&L_Ont said:

 

 

Besides the hookah, looks like numerous power strips, irons, clothes steamers, and a Keurig coffee machine??  Your original post saying that there was something way better than a slow cooker had me thinking in a very different direction.

[A&L_Ont]

26 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Besides the hookah, looks like numerous power strips, irons, clothes steamers, and a Keurig coffee machine??  Your original post saying that there was something way better than a slow cooker had me thinking in a very different direction.

 

LOL, I didn’t look that close. 

[joand452]

Thank you, Andrew and Lisa, for taking us along on another fun-filled cruise!  Hope you'll do another live thread on your March cruise -- that should hold me over until the end of April!

 

 

[Andy C]

4 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

I have heard about to star class doing that, but I was just go get it myself. It seems more rewarding.   They can also unpack your suitcases for you, but I’ll just do that myself.

 

 

 

I have received an email from them when I was on the ship and I have to email them back tomorrow. They were apologetic but really didn’t  take ownership of the issue,just saying that they were quite busy.

 

It’s not as though the marathon was a surprise, After all it is been held for more than 17 years, so it’s a little bit of deflection on their part. They also said if we ever return they will do right by us. They gave us another 15,000 Marriott points on top of the 5,000 we already received.

 

In the meantime, we’ve already booked another room at the Hyatt Centric Brickle in Miami for our March cruise.

 

I will email them back and tell them that we’re cancelling our March reservation, and going somewhere else. The reason is our son is with us and we don’t want him to be put through another ordeal like the one we went through. I will inform them that we are returning back in September and if they want to make right by us then we will consider booking a room then.

 

The hotel was nice but there lots of hotels in the area that are just as good if not better. 

 

Brickell.

[Russ Lomas]

On 2/3/2019 at 8:01 PM, KiwiGal117 said:

I was through US departures using NEXUS last Tuesday- unusually the immigration officer did ask questions of all (for me it was just did I have food or alcohol). But all told to get through security and immigration it was about 10 minutes. Lines in the regular area were so long that they held some flights. Totally worth having NEXUS. I believe that it is open all the time as we were through there around 6:15 am.

Thanks for the input.  Glad we have NEXUS.  Our flight is scheduled to depart at 6:15 am.  Glad to see it is still likely we can use the NEXUS lane at that time of morning.  How long were you at the airport ahead of your flight for that time of day in Toronto?  I know they say 3 hours before for an international flight, but that is ridiculous for 6:15 am flight.  The airport should still be quiet at that time.  Had a flight out of Detroit at that time last March Break on a Saturday morning and you could have shot a gun off in the terminal and not hit anyone.  It was that empty (and it was Detroit, so someone may have actually already tried shooting a gun off in there....)

[Russ Lomas]

23 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

Russ this sounds like more than I know. We went through at 10am. I’d say check out the Toronto Pearson website relating to Nexus and see what they say. The other website that could help with clarification for hours in Toronto could be CBSA.  

 

Safe travels and have an amazing March break. 

Thanks Andrew for the advice.  I checked out the two sites you mentioned.  Did not find out hours but did find some other useful info for our upcoming trip.  Sounds like you can wear contact lenses for the eye scan at the airport, even though you could not do so when we got the initial scans done the first time when registering.  Can you verify if you wear contacts for the scan when checking in?

 

No chance of bumping into you this March Break since we are cruising out of San Juan.  Glad you and Lisa had a great trip last week and hope you have another awesome cruise with Owen in March.

[deedle7544]

4 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

I have heard about to star class doing that, but I was just go get it myself. It seems more rewarding.   They can also unpack your suitcases for you, but I’ll just do that myself.

 

 

 

I have received an email from them when I was on the ship and I have to email them back tomorrow. They were apologetic but really didn’t  take ownership of the issue,just saying that they were quite busy.

 

It’s not as though the marathon was a surprise, After all it is been held for more than 17 years, so it’s a little bit of deflection on their part. They also said if we ever return they will do right by us. They gave us another 15,000 Marriott points on top of the 5,000 we already received.

 

In the meantime, we’ve already booked another room at the Hyatt Centric Brickle in Miami for our March cruise.

 

I will email them back and tell them that we’re cancelling our March reservation, and going somewhere else. The reason is our son is with us and we don’t want him to be put through another ordeal like the one we went through. I will inform them that we are returning back in September and if they want to make right by us then we will consider booking a room then.

 

The hotel was nice but there lots of hotels in the area that are just as good if not better. 

"make it right" is too vague. Think about what you would consider satisfactory compensation and go from there. Get specifics in writing as to what the offer is, and a contact name. Also, if you feel the person that reached out to you isn't realy taking ownership of the issue (I see a failure in communication as a bigger issue, along with failing to assist with missed reservations) then escalate. JMO

[A&L_Ont]

1 hour ago, Russ Lomas said:

Thanks Andrew for the advice.  I checked out the two sites you mentioned.  Did not find out hours but did find some other useful info for our upcoming trip.  Sounds like you can wear contact lenses for the eye scan at the airport, even though you could not do so when we got the initial scans done the first time when registering.  Can you verify if you wear contacts for the scan when checking in?

 

No chance of bumping into you this March Break since we are cruising out of San Juan.  Glad you and Lisa had a great trip last week and hope you have another awesome cruise with Owen in March.

 

No contacts in this house, but lots of people wear them.  I can’t think that you would be the first with this situation.  

 

As for the cruise we are headed the opposite direction down to Roatan, Mexico, and Nassau. This year sounds like a “miss”.  Have some good rides. 

[A&L_Ont]

1 hour ago, deedle7544 said:

"make it right" is too vague. Think about what you would consider satisfactory compensation and go from there. Get specifics in writing as to what the offer is, and a contact name. Also, if you feel the person that reached out to you isn't realy taking ownership of the issue (I see a failure in communication as a bigger issue, along with failing to assist with missed reservations) then escalate. JMO

 

I have the hotel GM business card and will CC her my response email to the individual that reached out to me. I haven’t had the time to respond on Trip Advisor since I have been back. I might hold off on that until I hear back from the GM/contact person. 

 

I agree with you though, total failure to communicate.

[deedle7544]

7 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

I have the hotel GM business card and will CC her my response email to the individual that reached out to me. I haven’t had the time to respond on Trip Advisor since I have been back. I might hold off on that until I hear back from the GM/contact person. 

 

I agree with you though, total failure to communicate.

A post on TripAdvisor and also Marriott Verified Reviews triggers the same response system as the surveys. But it will bubble it back up again.

 

I do hope you get it worked out to your satisfaction!

[perfect match]

Thanks for another great review, Andrew! I enjoyed my virtual cruise with you and Lisa.

 

I'm looking forward to your upcoming Symphony cruise since we are sailing on her at the end of April. We are doing Eastern, not Western, but no matter, it's the same ship!  

 

 

[A&L_Ont]

8 hours ago, deedle7544 said:

A post on TripAdvisor and also Marriott Verified Reviews triggers the same response system as the surveys. But it will bubble it back up again.

 

I do hope you get it worked out to your satisfaction!

 

It would have been my Marriot Verified review that prompted their email. I took screen shots of my comments. 

 

 

 

After the survey they as if we’d like it posted on Marriott.com

 

 

 

I personally😉 loved the comments in this photo. 

 

[Neeny12]

15 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

I have heard about to star class doing that, but I was just go get it myself. It seems more rewarding.   They can also unpack your suitcases for you, but I’ll just do that myself.

 

 

 

I have received an email from them when I was on the ship and I have to email them back tomorrow. They were apologetic but really didn’t  take ownership of the issue,just saying that they were quite busy.

 

It’s not as though the marathon was a surprise, After all it is been held for more than 17 years, so it’s a little bit of deflection on their part. They also said if we ever return they will do right by us. They gave us another 15,000 Marriott points on top of the 5,000 we already received.

 

In the meantime, we’ve already booked another room at the Hyatt Centric Brickle in Miami for our March cruise.

 

I will email them back and tell them that we’re cancelling our March reservation, and going somewhere else. The reason is our son is with us and we don’t want him to be put through another ordeal like the one we went through. I will inform them that we are returning back in September and if they want to make right by us then we will consider booking a room then.

 

The hotel was nice but there lots of hotels in the area that are just as good if not better. 

 

If you do decide to go back try their property, the Stanton, on South Beach. It’s not far from the port and you get a beach day included (2 beach chairs, a welcome drink each, and 2 bikes). We had only one day and one night.  We ate at Joe’s Stone Crab nearby. I would do it again. No issues and our room was ready early 😉

If I got this right, the view from our room is attached.

 

[Sobro]

21 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

LOL, I didn’t look that close. 

 

You didn't see the string of Christmas lights?

[A&L_Ont]

42 minutes ago, Sobro said:

 

You didn't see the string of Christmas lights?

 

No I didn’t.  Probably the same owner as the hooka.😉 I bet they thought we were stopping in Falmouth.

 

Now we did see a man in the Port of Saint Maarten asking to buy pot from a gift shop/variety store in the port area, right behind the welcome to Saint Maarten sign. She said no the first time, and continued to say no after he asked 5 more times. 

Edited February 5, 2019 by A&L_Ont

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

No I didn’t.  Probably the same owner as the hooka.😉 I bet they thought we were stopping in Falmouth.

 

Now we did see a man in the Port of Saint Maarten asking to buy pot from a gift shop/variety store in the port area right behind the welcom to Saint Maarten sign. She said no the first time, and continued to say no after he asked 5 more times. 

The dude definitely picked the wrong island to do his shopping.

[itchintocruise]

Thanks for letting us tag along on your cruise. I hope Marriott does the right thing?