Allure of the Seas Suite Review Jan 2016

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this review. I will be following along. We are doing our first ever GS in August and I want to make sure I know all the ins and outs of the "Suite" experience. You are a great writer and I am enjoying reading your review.

Thank you so much for the compliment! We had only been in Grand Suites on our other cruises... we loved them so so much! With our boys getting bigger, sharing that sofa bed was not going to happen this year, so we went for the family suite. Thanks for following along!

About this time, our tummies reminded us that on a cruise one is not allowed to go without food for more than two hours, so it was time to refuel. We were very nervous about My Time Dining so at DH’s urging, we were all ready to head downstairs to Deck 3 (American Icon Grille) a few minutes before 6. Deck 3 is where all My Time Dining guests (in theory) will have dinner. By the time we got there, there was quite a line. As we headed to the back of the line, I heard a lady say to her companion. Well, I guess we learned to make reservations in the future. So as we took up our place in line, one of the employees caught sight of one of my kid’s Sea Pass lanyards (yes we are that family that wears the lanyards – not always, but sometimes). She said: “Suite guests, this way”. Only feeling half guilty, we walked past dozens of families to a woman behind a podium and a laptop. She took our card and said, “Please follow this gentleman, he will seat you”. I’m breaking in here to say that I certainly am not relaying this info to prioritize suite guests from other guests myself, but so that those that are interested in knowing the perks will have the info they need. So, we prob cut off about 20 minutes or so when compared to those that did not reserve a time. I do think even those that had made reservations still had somewhat of a wait time. Especially the later it got in the evening.

The American Icon Grille was very pretty. Round glass bulbs everywhere and definitely a taste of Americana inside the restaurant. Having been on this ship before, it didn’t strike me as a complete remodel, more of a restyling. Like keeping your favorite sofa, but throwing some cute throw pillows on it. It did seem a little more crowded than the other restaurant floors (The Grande on 4, Silk on 5). I will mention if you love the traditional dining set up (like we do); My Time Dining will get some getting used to. The benefit or not having to hold to that strict 6:00/8:00 time frame comes with a price. Meaning, you do feel just a little rushed. Also, my family really enjoys connecting with the waiter and assistant for the entire week. This can happen with My Time Dining, but you must be sure to make a reservation for every evening and specify the waiter. We only wound up having the same waiter twice in our week. And that was mere coincidence.

But this first night we wound up with a very capable and interesting waiter named Sasa and his assistant Pedro. My sons thought he was just the best. He only waited on us one time the whole week, but made a point to say hi to the boys several times when we ran into him all over the ship. He even went out of his way to say hi to them when we saw him in port! That night at dinner he came up to our table (we were not seated in his area) and told us about his adventures in port and asked us what our day was like. Although he was only our waiter once that week, he wound up getting one of two WOW cards that were available to us to pass out. He really made an effort to connect and went out of his way to do so.

I am not a foodie by any stretch of the imagination and I truly could not tell you what we had any particular night, so the food portion will have to remain a mystery. Some of the standouts were, of course, the lobster, the pork chops, the turkey and dressing dinner and the tiger shrimp. I will tell you that no one in my party complained at all about their dinner. But having said that, they also know better than to ever complain about my cooking, so not quite sure about the power of that statement. I can tell you that no one gained less than 5 pounds in my house after we got home, so I would give the food two enthusiastic thumbs up! The desserts were delicious and beautifully presented. I had there ridiculously good BBB Crème Brulee. It is my favorite dessert on the ship.

After dinner we walked around exploring our ship. I had made a point of not reserving any shows on that first night. On our first trip on the Allure, 3 years ago, we reserved seats for the show Chicago on the first night. About a fourth of the way into the show, DH and I were getting fidgety and the great musical could not hold our attention. Too many things going on that we felt we were missing out. So on this voyage; I decided that a show on the first night was not going to happen. I’m glad we went that route. Much more relaxing to be able to take it easy on that first night. The boys went to play Teen dodgeball and the adults went off to explore. So after looking around at the new and exciting things to do for a few hours, we headed off to bed.

Your review is awesome!!! I will be on the Allure in August, in a RFS, and am always looking for reviews on them. Can't wait to hear more about your trip. Thx!!!

Thanks for the review, look forward to hearing more about the suite life

Enjoy the rest of your cruise

Subscribed:)

Happy Days!

Thank you - I agree not much info on suites / rooms / perks, etc. I appreciate you noting everything you have. We have a RFS on the Anthem in a few months. I understand it isn't the same suite perks but most should be

Monday, January 18, 2016 - Waking up to a mostly sunny day in the Caribbean is a feeling like no other. Even if your first stop is Nassau! The news updates from Nassau are scary enough to make me wonder why RCCL still has this on its itinerary. We could see Atlantis from the window on the way to breakfast and told the boys that’s the closest they would get to it. It really is crazy that RCCL still makes a stop there. The ship docks at 7:00 and leaves at 2:00. Most excursions don’t start until 10:00 (which truly means you are not on your way until 10:15) and all aboard is at 1:30. So $100.00/pp for approx. 2 1/2 hours just did not make much sense to us. In addition to all the tourism scams and crimes reported on and because we had been to Nassau a few times before, we chose to stay on the ship and take advantage of fewer people onboard. And, as it turned out, EVERYONE pretty much had the same idea that we did. At least it seemed that way when looking at the line into the Windjammer.

(Suite Side note: The Coastal Kitchen/Concierge Lounge on Deck 17 is open only for Suite guests. We went there twice the entire week. The first time was to take a quick peek and see how much has changed – completely different than the lounge years before. The second time was when we wanted to switch up reservations for the Comedy Show. The area was beautiful with a great view of the pools and ocean. They request smart casual in the restaurant at all times in the restaurant, and we always tend to wear swim suits with cover-ups from wake-up till dinner time. In addition, as I mentioned in a reply to an earlier post, we tend to enjoy people watching and there wasn’t too much of that in this crispy, clean environment.)

The Windjammer line moves pretty quickly (we waited no longer than 3 or four minutes) and we are in to begin our search for a table for 5. In reference to Windjammer food: It is not bad... It is not great, but definitely not BAD. And there is a good variety. The food that was supposed to be warm was warm, sometimes hot. Cold food was cold. Easy enough. I am not an omelet fan, so I will not succumb to THE GREAT OMELET DEBATE that seems to make its way into most Oasis class reviews. I will say that I saw some fairly pleasing to the eye omelets being produced in the Wipeout Café, but let us soldier on.

After we ate, we went back to the room for a bit. The day was to be partly cloudy with a high expected of 75 degrees, so we were taking our time. The boys looked over the daily Cruise Compass and highlighted the things they wanted to do. (Good idea to bring different color highlighters – adult’s planned activities are yellow, kids’ are green, etc.) The activities are somewhat limited when the boat is docked, so while plenty of things to choose from that day, there were many more the following At Sea day.

Because it was chilly and still cloudy, we all decided to watch the boys play some basketball in the Sports Zone. This area is on Deck 15 (toward the back of the ship). On that level is the basketball/dodgeball/soccer court. Also, the mini golf course and Flowriders are back there. Kind of out of the way they have tucked lots of lounge chairs around the perimeter of the court. With all the wind protection it was actually a nice place to hang out. The sun started to get hot, so the adults soon went to change into swimsuits.

After swim suits were on, we went in search of our favorite daytime place on the ship: The Sun Suite lounge. This area is reserved only for suite guests (or gold SeaPass card holders) only. In the past, the bartender came around and checked the guest's cards on arrival. This year, that has changed. The gate that leads up the stairs to Deck 17 had a magnetic lock that was released when you put your SeaPass into a card reader on the right side.

The Sun Suite lounge is located at the very front and the absolute top of the ship... right above the Solarium. It is a nice place to spend your day. It is truly one of the main reasons we pay extra for suites. Being able to have a leisurely breakfast and not be stressed about where to park your pale body for the rest of the day is a real game changer. While at the pool deck below you can see towel after towel unethically place holding for its absent owners, no worries of that nature creep their way up those wooden stairs to Deck 17. It was more crowded this trip than any other time we've spent up there. But still, no problem finding places for our entire group of five to spread out.

We were greeted by the bartender, who, in the past spent lots of time walking around taking drink orders. This trip, he kept more stationary and let the customers come to him. This way worked best on a crowded day for sure. I did miss the full service attention, but maybe during a more off season week its different. A gentleman by the name of Paul from the UK was the steward up at the Sun Suite lounge. He was just perfect and personable and so attentive and helpful.

We walked around the suite deck to check out the new cabanas we had read about on CC and RCCL’s website. We strolled past the bar area with its numerous padded loungers and chairs. Around the corner was an area to shower off, and then the new cabanas were to the left. There were four of the wooden plank sided cabanas, side by side. A couple of them had nice cushioned chairs, a table and two padded loungers. The other two had those circular sun beds with giant pillows that could be found in several other areas of the sun deck and directly downstairs in the Solarium. They were first come, first served and although we did manage to spend some time in a cabana over the week, we much preferred to be out in the open. The cabanas are a nice addition to be sure, but you all know by now about my penchant for people watching, and being in a private cabana was counterintuitive, lol.

Two bartenders stood out to us, but sadly we cannot remember either of their names. The first frozen drink of the cruise was one I would repeat several times that trip. It was some sort of Mango daiquiri thing. Mango mix with coconut Malibu Rum. So very yummy! At the Sun Suite Bar, we did question one of the bartenders about having to sign receipts. When we were on Allure in 2013 and Oasis in 2014, one of the things we liked best about having the beverage package, was not having to sign every single time we ordered a drink. The bartender says that now they have to keep a paper trail of all the alcohol that is consumed. So one of the nice perks of the beverage package is gone with the wind. Strike two for beverage packages! However, if we ordered a virgin Pina Colada, that was given over with no receipt. So I guess the alcohol is the only thing they are tracking.

When on a cruise vacation, we tend to have the same sort of routine. Wake up, breakfast, change into swimsuits, sun bathe until 1:30 or so, go to buffet, back to the sun deck or participate in an afternoon activity until 4:00 or so, get ready for dinner, eat, show, roam, then bed. So we pretty much followed this daytime regimen the rest of the days.

With this being the first full day of the cruise, Day 2 on the Cruise Compass, dinner was formal. In a suite, you are allowed first night formal complimentary pressing of your attire. You need to make sure to leave clothing laid out on the bed with the request lying near the clothing you want pressed. We chose not to have anything pressed this trip, but have used this service in the past. Nice perk for suite guests. Most of our wrinkles fell out naturally, or with a little help from shower steam and Downy Wrinkle Releaser.

On formal nights photographers are placed all over the public areas so you certainly don't have to look too hard to find them. They seem to be around most other nights as well, but are less obvious. The photographers will try to coerce you into coming to their stations if they are not busy. Some areas have a long line, some have no line. My experience is this: There is usually a reason that there is no line. Learn from me people. Those classic “family on the stairs” shots really are not flattering for anyone over the age of 25. Any photograph taken from below eye level is not going to turn out like you hope it will. Trust me on this.

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Wrangling three males to get their pictures taken is not for the weak of heart but it did happen. My suggestion here is to take as many photos as you can, you certainly don't have to buy any of them, but is sure nice to have a choice. We decided on the digital package that includes 10 shots on a flash drive for $179. There were other options available, but this made the most sense for us and the amount of pics that we liked. We did wind up choosing four additional prints because of the Crown and Anchor Society discount of buy one get half off.

We arrived at the dining room around 6:15 and after showing our gold SeaPass, we were ushered to the hostess for immediate seating. For those worried about the My Time Dining (like I was), if you are in a suite, do not worry at all. You will be seated within five minutes max. Not in a suite, please make your reservations as soon as you can. Take a look at the events that you have planned for the day and make your reservations at least the day before. The lines can get very long for those without reservations. Especially if you arrive after the big 6:30 rush. As we were leaving one night around 7:15, the line was out to the elevators.

Our dinner that first formal night was very good and we had exceptional service from waiter Robert and assistant Dayasand. The waiters really do set the tone for the evening. Great service can make an ordinary meal really great. And I remember that evening, with us all dressed to the nines, being really great!

Formal night attire has been on the decline on all cruise lines according to many reviews I've read. The Allure was no exception. We saw people in jeans (which in the past were not allowed in the Main Dining Room – even on regular night) and shorts. I am not a fan of this new trend! My mom and I wore longer cocktail dresses, hubby wore a suit, and the boys were in shirts and ties. We felt somewhat over-dressed, even in the dining room. The subject has been talked about a lot on reviews, so I will leave it there, but, sadly, it is the end of an era.

Enjoy reading your review. We were on the same sailing in one of the new deck 11 aft GS -- our first time in a suite. I agree about the suite sun deck, what a great benefit, and both Paul and the bartender were wonderful to talk with. We had signed up for MTD, but ate all our dinners in either CK or one of the specialty restaurants. I did miss the vibe of the MDR, but the food in the CK was amazingly good. And the suite lounge was a nice, quiet place to unwind after a busy day.

Were you in the group wearing Panthers jerseys in the suite boarding waiting area? We're Redskins fans, but did enjoy watching the game with all the Carolina fans in the Aquatheater.

Look forward to reading the rest of your review!

Looking forward to the rest of your review we are in a RFS just one deck above yours in March and can't wait.

Am sailing Sunday, anxiously awaiting the hopefully happy ending where you all go home, happy and well fed.

Ok to continue on with day 2… We were set to see the musical Mama Mia at 9:30 that night. I had made reservations for all shows several months in advance (doing this is very highly recommended if you are not a suite guest). It is not difficult at all to schedule the main events and not have to miss out. My way of doing this is pretty simple, especially because Royal makes it an easy flow. Choose the big Broadway production for the first part of the week. It is only presented during the first part because the actors do double duty in other productions later in the week. Oceanaria should also be scheduled early in the trip, because rough seas would cause the show to be rescheduled and you want plenty of options to fit it in your schedule. Have a spreadsheet or a handmade calendar out when you’re ready to book your shows (2 to 3 months in advance) and it's really no problem. Ok, having said all that, as suite guests, no reservation is necessary. I have always made reservations because of paranoia and the propensity of being a rule-follower, but once you show your gold SeaPass, you are let right in. You are pointed toward a section in the auditorium for gold SeaPass holders only. The seats are in a good viewing area of the entire venue. Definitely get there before 10 minutes before show time though because they will release those seats to everyone at that time.

Of course Mama Mia was amazing. My mom and I had seen it a few times before and loved it. Hubby did not complain and the boys made it through the entire first half of it. I call it a success! Lots of talent in that production. The performer who played Donna was incredible. Truly Broadway caliber performances and setting.

I'd like to discuss now what our boys would do during their free time. My sons are 16 ½ and 14. So they are simultaneously arch enemies and the very best of friends. They tend to vacation very well together however. Of the four cruises they have been on with us, we have never been able to talk them into doing the kids clubs. This year was no exception. While we would get ready for dinner the boys would pull out the Cruise Compass and highlight what they wanted to do. During the day they tended more toward basketball flow rider or ping pong, if they were not hanging with us, listening to music in the sun. They would also make a point of catching the pool side events too, like the belly flop contest. At night they would rotate between watching the brave and sometimes actually talented Karaoke singers, any and every sports event going on in The Sports Zone or eating pizza and people watching. One night of the cruise, they decided to step into the Teen Club and instantly hit it off with this group of boys that live within 30 minutes of our house! Of course that was two days before our trip was over. It did seem to me that this time of year was much lighter on the groups of kids than I’ve ever seen before. Which makes sense because we did pull the boys out of school for two days for the trip. Worth it to avoid the crazy crowds of summer and Spring Break.

After the show, DH, mom and I went back to our suite and found the boys hanging out in the room, anxious to tell us about all of their adventures. We were all quite exhausted by that time (relaxing is very draining!) and went to bed.

I'm confused: I was on Allure in December 2015 and all full-suite guests were to dine, in Coastal Kitchen, for the whole voyage. Why would you need a main dining room?

Based on Jan 2016 cruise on Oasis, Coastal Kitchen offers a fixed menu covering 4 days and then switches to alternative menu. Also, if you preferred the MDR menu or had special requirements then MDR is a better option.

Also you have to book for CK and sometimes it is fully booked or you can't get your preferred time slot. For gold card holders, there is no need to book in MDR and there is no queuing.

We ate in CK 2 nights, MDR 3 nights and elsewhere for remaining. it's good to try different venues IMO.

It might be the case that it different on Oasis or things have changed since 2015.

Thank you - I agree not much info on suites / rooms / perks, etc. I appreciate you noting everything you have. We have a RFS on the Anthem in a few months. I understand it isn't the same suite perks but most should be

Different set up on Anthem. We were in the RFS last year. Anthem have a number of complementary dinning venue and you book the one you want. They all have different menus. They also have the Coastal Kitchen for suite guests but I wasn't impressed. It is better on the Oasis class ships IMO.

Main perk is the gold card. Gives you access to reserved seating and exclusive areas like reserved sun deck. Other than that free drinks in suite lounge during happy hour (5 to 8:30).

The perks will be similar but the set up and experience is remarkably different. I have created a thread comparing the suite experience between Anthem and Oasis which you might be interested in.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016 – We had our first full day at sea. Mostly sunny, high of 80 degrees. Everyone was up and moving by 9:00 and we were at the Windjammer by 9:30. No lines… we walked right in. It used to be that if there were no tables available in the Windjammer, as a suite guest you could use the neighboring Izumi restaurant for seating. But now that Izumi is way down on Deck 4… I guess you’re out of luck. Food was hot and plentiful. Lots of variety… people eat strange things for breakfast I suppose.

Back to the room for a quick change and then up to Sun Suite Deck we went. Today was much less windy than yesterday and we found our usual spot which is across from the bar area on the port side. Make sure you take plenty of sunscreen with you. You can certainly buy it at the ship gift shop, but you will pay twice as much for it.

After a full morning in the full sun, we took a break at the buffet, then at 1:00 mom and I went to the AquaTheater to see the World’s Sexiest Man Competition (which was awarded to a very sweet, very ancient gentleman). The boys had played teen 3 on 3 basketball at 11:00, jumped in the pool for a while and relaxed in the sun. At 2:00 the ice show, How to Train Your Dragon was performed, but the weather was so nice, we decided to skip it. By 4:00 we were all ready to get ready for some real food.

There is one idea that I got from a post here on Cruise Critic years and years ago that I have done for my last four Royal Caribbean cruises and the cabin stewards all seem to love it. I wish I could remember who posted their idea so I could give them credit, but I just cannot remember. But I thought it was such a lovely gesture that I carried on the tradition. I bring stationary with our family’s name on it and a bag of full sized candy bars in my suitcase. Before we leave for dinner each night I write a quick note to the steward and thank him/her for their hard work that day. I lay it on our bed with a big Snicker’s bar or Reece’s Cups, etc. When we come back from dinner, it’s always gone and we are met with a big smile from the steward. The first time I did this many years ago, the steward said that by the time evening rolls around they are exhausted and are beginning to be drained of energy and how happy she is to always get to our room and see that candy. Perfect time for a quick pick me up to continue with their work. I knew then that this would be something I continued to do. So, whoever that was that first posted that suggestion, thank you for allowing me to use it!!

We had a nice dinner in the MDR. This time was a little different however. When we walked into the waiting area, we showed our gold SeaPass card to the attendant. She took us straight up to the hostess’ podium as usual. But because we got there at a weird time (think approximately 6:20 or so) she called someone on her mini walkie talkie and immediately a little man appeared out of nowhere and asked our family and another larger family to follow him. For a few seconds, I was a little panicked that we were going to have an awkward dinner with people we didn’t know. But then I relaxed and decided to count it as a true cruise experience. We went up the stairs to the Silk dining room and waited as he sat the larger family at a great table close to the front of the room. Whew, mini crisis averted. Then he sat us at a nice window seat closer to the back of the room. The Silk Dining room is also a very pretty venue. We ran into the same waiter that waited on us our first time on Allure. He vaguely remembered us… which the kids loved. His name is Bonaventure and he is from India. As I said before, we really enjoy getting to know our waiters from the MDR.

After dinner, the kids went to On Air to see the game show, If You Know It, Dance It. They were not impressed. They left early and met us at the AquaTheatre for OceanAria. As long as suite guests get there on time, they have premium seating in the middle rows. Close enough to see all the action, far enough not to get wet. We got there just as they moved aside to allow those without reservations to be seated. At this point, 10 minutes before showtime, you lose the rights to your seats, even if you have a reservation. It is very easy to forget this. We were able to secure five seats to the extreme right of the stage but we were very lucky. Another minute late and we would have been standing in the back of the theater.

Of course the 45 minute long Oceanaria water show is amazing. So many have talked about this show that I won’t take up space here. But I do wonder if I am the only person who feels tense and stressed out for the entire length of the show because I’m worrying about those high drivers taking a flying leap into basically a baby pool. Is it just me? Thankfully the waters were very calm and we felt very little motion. The performers and athletes did such a great job as always.

As soon as the show was over, we said goodbye to the youngins and mama and watched as the boys went into to Johnny Rockets to get a milkshake to fill their never full stomach tanks. They were able to use their buy one milkshake get one free Platinum Crown and Anchor discount that was on their SeaPass cards. DH and I walked down to the Amber Theater to see The Love and Marriage Show. We didn’t take the kids with us because you really just don’t know what kinds of crazy things will be said in unscripted game shows with adults. We really shouldn’t have worried. The show was based on The Newlywed Game from ages ago but had only the slightest suggestive undertones. They picked couples from different age groups from most newly married to longest married. We happened to be sitting beside the family of the longest married couple, a cute little couple (Tony and Grazia?). We had as much fun watching that family laughing as we did watching the show. It was a nice hour long show that the Cruise Director, Luke, did a really great job hosting.

Following the show, we stopped at Café Promenade and got some bottled water (which is covered in our package) and some late night snacks then headed back to our suite. On the way to the room, we heard some loud trumpets coming from Dazzles lounge. We stuck our head in to see what was going on. There was a band playing songs from the 40’s and some people dancing. It was a beautiful venue and I was surprised that more people were not there participating. We did see several couples dancing and others crowded around tables talking. It was getting close to midnight, however and the evening was winding down. If you like that style of big band music, scope it out on your Cruise Compass. It really did look like a lovely way to spend your evening.

We found mom and the boys coming back from listening to some Karaoke and they began telling us about some really talented singers that we have on the ship. Later in the week, they would introduce me to the young man and I got to hear him sing. Very talented indeed.

We had asked Matthew our cabin steward to supply us with more bathroom linens and, boy, did he come through! He probably left us double the original amount that we had.

We slept soundly that night after getting prepped for our trip to St. Thomas/St John the following day. It’s a good idea to have all your things put in bags and laid out nicely before you go to bed so there is no rush in the morning.

Based on Jan 2016 cruise on Oasis, Coastal Kitchen offers a fixed menu covering 4 days and then switches to alternative menu. Also, if you preferred the MDR menu or had special requirements then MDR is a better option.

 

Also you have to book for CK and sometimes it is fully booked or you can't get your preferred time slot. For gold card holders, there is no need to book in MDR and there is no queuing.

 

We ate in CK 2 nights, MDR 3 nights and elsewhere for remaining. it's good to try different venues IMO.

 

It might be the case that it different on Oasis or things have changed since 2015.

Yes, thank you for that info... I'm sure we will eventually have a meal at Coastal Kitchen, just didn't get to it this trip. :-)

Yes, thank you for that info... I'm sure we will eventually have a meal at Coastal Kitchen, just didn't get to it this trip. :-)

I enjoyed eating in MDR and CK. Service was great in both but CK had more of an exclusive restaurant feel. Also, wine is complementary and they regularly come and top up your glasses.

A little bit of an anomaly IMO that suite guests have to pay for wine in MDR but not CK.

Different set up on Anthem. We were in the RFS last year. Anthem have a number of complementary dinning venue and you book the one you want. They all have different menus. They also have the Coastal Kitchen for suite guests but I wasn't impressed. It is better on the Oasis class ships IMO.

 

Main perk is the gold card. Gives you access to reserved seating and exclusive areas like reserved sun deck. Other than that free drinks in suite lounge during happy hour (5 to 8:30).

 

The perks will be similar but the set up and experience is remarkably different. I have created a thread comparing the suite experience between Anthem and Oasis which you might be interested in.

Thank you - I am sailing after the new suite perks go into affect in May so hoping that they are closer to the Oasis class.

Enjoying your review! We are booked for 10/23 this fall. Our DS is 17 and usually has his best buddy (17) traveling with us. Trying to decide is a suite is worth is. So, your info is very helpful!!!

Enjoying the review

OP: Thanks for the review. I'll be boarding the Allure in exactly one week, and I can't wait.

I enjoyed eating in MDR and CK. Service was great in both but CK had more of an exclusive restaurant feel. Also, wine is complementary and they regularly come and top up your glasses.

 

A little bit of an anomaly IMO that suite guests have to pay for wine in MDR but not CK.

I loved CK when I was on the Oasis. A totally awesome venue if you ask me. The waiters were awesome, too. However, the way it is set up, I wouldn't be able to eat there every night, as there's simply not enough options. I'm perfectly fine with that though, as I do still love the MDR. I also don't think Royal set it up as a place to dine every night, but more like a specialty restaurant for suite guests. Breakfast was awesome too!

This review is to help those looking into the advantages of booking a suite on Royal Caribbean…Especially focused on Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas. We booked the Royal Family Suite on the Jan 17-24, 2016 cruise, leaving out of Port Everglades in Florida. Over the years, I have constantly looked for suite reviews before booking. They were so sparse, that I thought I would add mine.

 

A little background first. I am a NC born and bred southerner (48 years young) who married a Washington, DC fella (DH currently 53 years old). We travelled with our sons, DS1 (16 years) and DS2 (14 years), along with my beautiful, fun mama (70 years fabulous). My husband and I have been on 5 cruises total. We started our cruise fascination on Carnival’s Miracle – appropriately named since it is a Miracle that it is still in operation. No, I jest… it was fine at the time. But then we tried Royal, and have since remained Loyal. Our first Royal experience was aboard Radiance, then Allure, then Oasis, then most recently back on Allure. As you can tell… we are partial to the bigger ships. A few reasons for this are traveling with teens (tons to do) and my hubby’s propensity toward some sea sickness. The bigger the boat the less he felt the movement.

 

We decided to go in January instead of our normal high school Spring Break trip because our sons’ baseball schedule would be in full “swing” (pardon the pun) by March and we knew we would not be able to get away. So Martin Luther King Day mixed in with two Teacher Workdays was the perfect opportunity to set sail. As it happened, they only had to miss one day of school due to a half-inch of snow that shut our little southern county down, lol.

 

Saturday, January 16, 2016 - Our cruise to the Eastern Caribbean (Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten) on the Allure was a Sunday departure so we made our way to Florida on Saturday. Our youngest son, not quite ready to tackle flying, begged us to please make the 10 hours trip to Florida by car. Since it is abundantly cheaper to drive, and less chances of a full on freak out, we gave in. It’s really not a bad trip and armed with modern technology and an all-inclusive data plan, we had plenty to keep us busy.

 

We booked our hotel through an online booking site for ease and economy. We booked the Comfort Suites Ft Lauderdale, Airport and Cruise Port. The hotel was nice and clean and safe and truly about 4 miles at most from the Allure. Just make sure if you are using an online booking site (even a reputable one like we did) that you check to make absolutely sure that your hotel stay is confirmed. When we got there, they could not find our reservation. But because I had my email from the site, they miraculously found us a room and honored the discount price. So thumbs up to the hotel, thumbs down to website.

 

Sunday, January 17, 2016 - On Sunday morning, we had a continental breakfast at the hotel and headed off to the port. We left around 10:00 am from the hotel. It was an easy drive right to where we needed to park and got a front row space. So so many people talk about how easy and fast embarkation is with RC, but it is even faster when you have booked a suite. We dropped off our bags with the porter and were pointed to the Suites and Pinnacle doors. We were ushered in and seen by security immediately. We have always arrived early, so I really don’t know how long these lines can get, but I can imagine it gets to be quite a wait the later you arrive at port. Once we passed the bag checks, we were escorted to the line especially for Suite guests. We went straight up and signed our papers, received our GOLD SeaPass (which separates the Suite guests) then went to have the photo taken so they identify you in the mounds of photos that you will have taken later while on the ship. You know the ones… when the kids and your significant other are complaining about the thousands of other things they can be doing at that exact moment. Oh, is that just my family? I digress…

 

After the photo, you ascend the escalator up to the “holding area”. The RC employee will check your SeaPass then tell you which area to go to. There is the Suite area (closest to the door) and then all areas that belong to the various Crown and Anchor Society levels, then the general population. The only difference that I saw was the proximity to the loading doors, and a few pillows strewn about. After waiting about 5 minutes, we noticed about 50 people come through one door to the right. They were lined up Noah’s Ark style two by two, male and female (for the most part). I figured out that they were the back to back cruisers, coming off for a quick customs check. While they filed in, a small wedding party from our area was called to board the ship. Approximately three minutes later they called for all Suite guests to board. Total waiting time was about 25 minutes from parking the car to getting on the Allure. Not too bad.

 

During our short wait in the Suite holding area I had noticed that our Dining Time was incorrect. I had specifically arranged with our travel agent that we would like the Main Dining seating time. Our SeaPass card said we had My Time Dining. Because we had never tried My Time, I was terrified of trying it. So, to avoid the lines later, I make a B-line straight for guest services. I was seen immediately and shown a special little area with a gentleman named Beshir who was handling all dining requests. He was gracious and apologetic and basically said, “Main Seating is full, but I PROMISE you that you, as a suite guest will far prefer My Time Dining”. So we kept it as it was with the assurance that if we encountered any problems, Beshir would see to it that we would be seated in Main Seating the very next day. Spoiler alert: He was right. We love the concept of My Time – especially with the Suite perks – more on that later.

 

Because our beloved CAROLINA PANTHERS were playing at 1:00 on the big 0Aqua Theatre screens that afternoon, we quickly scooted up to the Park Café located in Central Park on Deck 8. Because this wasn’t our first rodeo, we knew the secret was out about those roast beef sandwiches, and there was no time to waste. We scouted out our traditional location in Central Park and DH sat guarding the table while the rest of us ran in and got the coveted Kummelweck sandwich. Delish as always. A few trips to the Trellis Bar and we were in full on cruising mode.

 

To be continued...

Any reason you aren't dining in the suite only dining room? We reallt enjoyed it and with exception of a couple of specialty restaurants, dined their most evenings.

Enjoy

Thank you for your detailed review.

So what would you say is the main difference between Oasis class and the Quantem class other than the neighbourhoods? What're the pros and cons of both?

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Great review so far. We'll be on Allure with sane itinerary as always enjoy hearing other's experiences. We're also staying at Comfort Suites (name has changed now). Did you find you could walk easily to the 17th area?

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So what would you say is the main difference between Oasis class and the Quantem class other than the neighbourhoods? What're the pros and cons of both?

Other major differences:

Oasis still has a main dining room with traditional and My Time dining. Quantum has Dynamic Dining with multiple different restaurants.

Oasis has a huge outdoor pool deck. Outdoor pool deck on Quantum class is small.