Two weeks on the Allure...

[birdofsong]

We just did B2B on the Allure in August (13th and 20th).  We booked through Casino Royale's free offers (we get them about once a week in the mail, but have only taken advantage of them one other time, last year, to take my parents to Bermuda). When I booked the Allure, I learned something interesting about these offers...you can (1) book two cabins if you and your spouse get separate offers in the same household; and (2) you can book more than one cruise from the same offer. I booked the second cruise first to go with my son and his girlfriend, and a week later, my parents told me they wanted to go on another cruise, so I called Casino Royale and they said that it was fine to use the same offer for a second cruise. We only had to pay taxes and port charges for the 8 free cruise fares.

 

I'm not going to go through a whole review of the ship or the cruise, but I can say that the entertainment was fantastic, the service was fantastic, and the food was okay, but there has definitely been a significant drop in quality with the RCL trying to hook people into dining packages.  The good part was on the second cruise, we knew what to order in the MDR from our experience on the first cruise.  The ship was clean and well run.  The ports were meh, but we didn't care -- we were more interested in time on the ship.  Interestingly,  - we had a different cruise director on each cruise.  

 

The bad part was that we ended up getting sick towards the end of the second cruise.  I woke up with a sore throat, and called medical to ask about getting a Covid test.  They told me to come down, but when I tried, I couldn't find them. I had to pull someone from the dock to walk me through the crew area to where the medical was.  I took a test and it was negative.  I didn't have any other symptoms at the time.  I spent the last two days resting during the day and going out to dinner/shows at night.  When I got home, I was still not feeling great, so I took a test when I got home.  Guess what?  That second line showed up in about five seconds.  It was my first bout of Covid, and although the symptoms got a bit worse (small fever, throat, and cough), other than having to isolate, it wasn't too bad.  I felt terrible about exposing others to it, though.  I did get boosted two weeks before we cruised.  So did my husband and my son's girlfriend, who also got it. I'm not sorry we went -- we had a great time, but it is a reminder that Covid is still around, and from what I hear, on an uptick.  

 

We did receive another free offer from the casino while we were on the first cruise, so we are booking a 10 day on the Ovation for New Zealand in March.  I'm already excited. 

 

Stay healthy and cruise on....

Edited September 7, 2023 by birdofsong

[firefly333]

I got sick last dec on allure. Like you I tested negative onboard. Medical can be reach from the forward elevator, bottom deck. Have to take forward elevator.  I went down at open and lots of crew down there being tested, so I left and went back when the line was shorter a hour later.

 

Yea covid on the up tick here in dallas. I'm on a b2b sept 17 and sept 24 on allure. Sorry you thought the food meh  .. I did too but my last cruise was radiance and so much better I had hopes. 

[BBQ Bacon]

How much do you have to lose/win to make the various tiers?

 

[sandebeach]

That is very odd that you were allowed to book two cruises off of one offer. It is definitely one cruise per offer, so you lucked out!

[birdofsong]

4 hours ago, BBQ Bacon said:

How much do you have to lose/win to make the various tiers?

 

To be honest, I have no idea. I think it has more to do with how much money you circulate through the machines. We play a fair amount, and on one cruise we broke even, and another we were down about $400. Worth it for what we got in return. 

[Sunshine3601]

4 hours ago, sandebeach said:

That is very odd that you were allowed to book two cruises off of one offer. It is definitely one cruise per offer, so you lucked out!

+1    the OP definitely did luck out as I have never heard of using the same offer code for more than one booking.    Good for the OP😃

[sailor05]

15 hours ago, BBQ Bacon said:

How much do you have to lose/win to make the various tiers?

 

If you're on FB there are some groups you can join for LOTS of information about this program. Just search Casino Royale.

[Sunshine3601]

20 hours ago, BBQ Bacon said:

How much do you have to lose/win to make the various tiers?

 

To reach prime, to get at least one annual free cruise for 2 people,  free cocktails in casino plus 30% internet onboard, you need 2500 points.    

Slots is the fastest way to get there.

Video poker does Not earn as many points as other slots.   

My DH and I have been prime for several years and has been worth it.

 

On average I have spent maybe $1000 get to prime each year, but of course you hope to win while playing slots.   It's all about running the money thru the machines to get your points.   Not how much you win or lose

 

Just make sure you use your Sea Pass each and everytime you go to casino to play.

 

The casino years runs from April 1st to March 31st.  If you cruise a couple times a year it is really easy to spend  couple hundred each cruise to reach prime or do it all on one cruise and you will also get a casino certificate while onboard.

 

 

 

[LittleJoefromKokomo]

Congrats on getting two cruises on the same offer 😀 

Me and my wife also got covid the last days on our 27th of August Anthem cruise.. as a matter of fact we are both at home sick now 😞 Third time for both of us and I had my 5th shot of the vaccine just 3 weeks before the cruise.

As in your case, what was very strange was that my wife tested negative on the ship AND after at home while I testetd positive immediately at home (didn't do the test onboard since I was fine until the last evening when I felt my sore throat)

Regardning the covid self tests, I belive that if they are a year old or more they don't detect the new covid viral viruses. My wife used an old test at home we had left from a year ago but I had my daughter go out an buy a new one for me and it was of a different brand also and it was positive immedeately.

I can 't even imagine how many people that were ill on the ship that probably doesn't even bother testing anymore.

[sailor05]

I am VERY curious about getting 2 cruises on 1 offer. I've never tried so really don't know if it's possible but I get LOTS of 3 and 4 night offers and would be great if I could book one of each to get 7 days total. Anyone ever tried/asked? 

[Ret MP]

I'm not a big gambler and my wife only plays slots, so I'm definitely not an expert on the subject of how you get free cruises or hotel rooms.  But, I do know that at a Ceasars Casino a "Pit Boss" told me that on the maned table games, there is no way to keep track of how much money an individual wins or loses.  So, they keep track of how much time you spend at a table, that's what they do when they get your rewards card, if you have one, and start the timing.  Automated table games and slots, it's easy to keep track of how much a person wins or loses, if they use a rewards card.  However, what's weird, I don't gamble nearly as much as my wife, she gambles at least twice as much as I do and she wins, but I sometimes get better rewards offers in the mail from the various casinos we visit.  I use my OBCs to gamble with on a cruise.  If I have any leftover on the last evening of the cruise, I cash it all in for cash.  Unfortunately, that doesn't happen too often.