Critical magazine article about Allure of the Seas

[jeffdal]

Interesting tactic by Texas Monthly to send a reporter who is a reluctant cruiser to review Allure of the Seas. The extent the journalist proves that a cruise is not their thing (with a constant listing of outdoorsy credentials) is funny. Also it’s interesting to see that publication has been removing comments/responses to the article. https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/four-days-aboard-biggest-cruise-ship-sail-texas 

Edited December 21, 2022 by jeffdal
Typo

[minnie00]

doesn't seem too harsh. we all know better tho 😁

[Big_G]

I thought she was fair for someone who doesn't like cruising. Some of the comments at the end just show how people will pull any tidbit of information to justify their pro or non-pro position.

Edited December 21, 2022 by Big_G

[basenji56]

If the choice is between a cruise and a tent in the wilderness, sign me up for the cruise.  Even a Carnival cruise.  But that's the great thing about this country--everyone is free to pick what kind of vacation they want.

 

Still, I’m not sure the cruising life is for me. Until I feel the lure of a seventies disco party, a massage/facial combo, a great Broadway musical, and a high-diving act while sipping a neon-colored drink, all under the same roof, I’ll take my backpack and tent and head to the wilderness, where the bird sounds are real and the water flows in streams, not pipes.

[HappyTexan44]

There was actually an encouraging bit in it for me.   Of course, I'd already booked our starter cruise.  
I've gone live-aboard scuba diving.   Of course I was in the room alone, but the room size was fine.   Knowing that the cruise cabin is much bigger is comforting.  

[SummerBeee]

Critical might be a bit harsh. I found it quite informative 

[orville99]

I thought it was a relatively fair and mostly positive assessment from the viewpoint of someone who has only cruised once before, and was admittedly reluctant to do so again. An Oasis class ship can be a bit overwhelming to a newbie, and a 4 day cruise doesn't really give anyone (even a seasoned cruiser) enough time to find or feel the rhythm of the ship (or even find everything that's on it).

[neverbeenhere]

Seemed like an okay review by a non-cruiser. I will say that the past cruisers, designers and builders are the reason for the running track.

[firefly333]

I didnt like the fake bird calls. I had a central park balcony and got tired of them. 

[mk-ultra]

Pretty non-offensive and intuitive for a non cruiser.  She at least went in-depth on Allure.  I'm both a wilderness hiker and camper... and avid cruiser.  One of the better "not for me" articles I've read.  I respect that.

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by mk-ultra

[orville99]

15 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I didnt like the fake bird calls. I had a central park balcony and got tired of them. 

There are also real birds there - even though the staff try to avoid them being there.

[firefly333]

17 minutes ago, orville99 said:

There are also real birds there - even though the staff try to avoid them being there.

I looked pretty hard and never saw any real birds. ..and I looked for them. I just got off sunday after 2 weeks. 

[truffles2]

A real bird left a present once on dh's plate as we were eating outside….so, yes, there are real birds there.  Also there was, for a while anyway, a resident owl living in Central Park on Oasis.

[Jingerwoppy]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

I looked pretty hard and never saw any real birds. ..and I looked for them. I just got off sunday after 2 weeks. 

I liked the crickets at night. 

[Merion_Mom]

3 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I looked pretty hard and never saw any real birds. ..and I looked for them. I just got off sunday after 2 weeks. 

 

 

[firefly333]

I didnt say there were no birds on any ships. The article was about allure specifically. And I just got off 2 weeks on allure. ... the fact someone saw a bird on oasis doesnt mean there were birds the last 2 weeks on allure. .. if there were they sure werent happy at 40 degrees when we got in last sunday. Next sunday will be rough on any birds again. Texas is cold. 

 

Actually I've seen more than one bird that got trapped on a ship. 

[Ret MP]

7 hours ago, basenji56 said:

If the choice is between a cruise and a tent in the wilderness, sign me up for the cruise.  Even a Carnival cruise.

LOL LOL LOL   

[alfaeric]

Not quite a tent in the woods, but we very much camp a LOT now.  COVID got us into trailer camping, and it stuck.  Now that we are retired, it's pretty much a different season to our cruising time.

 

But for that article, it's not an OR for the camping vs. cruising- just like it's not an AND for all of the things that are on the ship- we don't do them all at once.  I would suggest that a newbie try things they've never done, but don't over do it.  The only think we've not done on an Oasis cruise is the zip line- but other than that, we've done every thing that one can do over our many Oasis cruises.

 

I agree that it's fair, other than that.  I fully accept that cruising isn't for everyone (and if it were, it would be considerably more expensive).  Just like I accept that camping isn't for everyone.  Or going to Europe isn't for everyone, or going to races, or going hiking or going to shows.....    Heck, the appeal to cruising is really different for everyone.

 

Can't wait to get on the Allure in February.  But I'm not taking the cowboy hat.  Unless it looks like a Panama hat.

[orville99]

13 hours ago, truffles2 said:

A real bird left a present once on dh's plate as we were eating outside….so, yes, there are real birds there.  Also there was, for a while anyway, a resident owl living in Central Park on Oasis.

The locker that the horticultural staff uses to store their tools on Oasis has several pictures on the inside of the door of all the birds that have visited Central Park over the years including an Owl and a red tailed Hawk. Birds joining the cruise at port stops are relatively common, and the yellow butterflies in St. Maartan love to lay their eggs on the plants in CP.

[orville99]

9 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

 

We had one of these get into our CLS on Harmony when we left the balcony door open one day. Took forever to convince him to leave.

[Big_G]

My son and I were tenters. Every Summer on the St. Croix River in Maine with a bunch of yahoos. Wife and daughter were motorhomers. Once my wife booked our first cruise that was the end of motorhoming. The tenting ended shortly thereafter because of old weary backs and bones.

[cruiselvr04]

We were in Central Park last week.  FYI it changes from birds to crickets at exactly 7 pm. 

[Big_G]

1 hour ago, cruiselvr04 said:

We were in Central Park last week.  FYI it changes from birds to crickets at exactly 7 pm. 

 

Nature's clock can be amazing sometimes. 🤣🤣

[drjohn4]

I for one am always glad to find an oasis where I can live in peace without all the constant government surveillance!  Birds aren't real!  https://birdsarentreal.com/

[HappyTexan44]

I think what makes this article OK to me, is that Royal reached out and offered the cruise.    
If it was an assignment I would be more inclined to say it was a bit of a hit piece sending someone that prefers tent camping and whose favorite part of the ship was the running track.