Not So "LIVE" Allure of the Seas: TAKE 2

I'm BAAAACKKKKK!

One word for the past week onboard the Allure? Superfantabulicious!

Before I start, I want to let you know that I wrote a review of the Allure of the Seas last March. You can find it here, if you haven't read it, or feel like killing some time by reading it again. :)

This review will be a little different. I have a lot of pictures to share, but this will be less of a photo tour (you can find that in my last review) and more of a travel "diary," if you will. If you stay with me, I'll tell you about a surprise, the "new" Labadee cabanas, a wedding, and more.

Let's begin...

A little background before I begin...

Last year my parents had enough Royal Caribbean Visa points to cash in for a free cruise for 2. I talked them into the Allure of the Seas and booked them in cabin 8560, the same D8 balcony cabin that my DH and I had last March. (Oh the jokes that were made, but that's another story.)

Fortunately for the family, my parents decided that they love cruising more when the FAMILY is with them. SO, the next thing I know, I'm booked aboard the world's largest cruise ship along with my siblings and nephew. My parents cruise for 2 is now a cruise for 14. But it doesn't end there.

My sister and her fiancé decided they didn't want to wait until our Thanksgiving 2012 cruise to get married, so they changed their plans and asked for my help with the wedding planning on the Allure. I LOVE to plan, I LOVE weddings, and I LOVE to cruise, so this was right up my alley.

I went to work finding a wedding planner. I was able to find Tropical Weddings Jamaica through the Cruise Critic message boards. Before long, a Montego Bay beach wedding and reception was planned.

Not only was I looking forward to cruising the Allure again, but I was excited to celebrate my sister's upcoming wedding. However, my excitement was soon OVER THE TOP.

My mom gave me a call several months before our cruise and mentioned that she really wanted her siblings on the cruise to celebrate my sister's wedding. We decided to keep it a SECRET - and we DID!!! So, our group of 14 was increased by 5 (3 uncles and 2 aunts) plus the groom's 2 brothers making us 21 crazy cruisers! How we managed to keep this a secret is beyond me, but I'm so glad we did, as you will soon see.

After a ton of planning, making show and dinner reservations, a handful of room changes, airline flights, car rentals, hotel rooms, and all the other little things involved with cruising and traveling, we made it our way to Florida. Here's is the story of last week's journey. :)

***But you're going to have to wait until tomorrow... I want to do this right, and I'll be sloppy if I continue tonight.

Loved your last Allure review. We are sailing on her in November. Can't wait!

If this is half as good as your last review it will be awesome!

Looking forward to hearing "the rest of the story".

Welcome back, and looking forward to the rest! :)

Support - right back atcha!

Welcome back, I'm kind of hoping that I will once again be following in your footsteps. As we have discussed previously, I read every review before going on Allure and remember yours very well. I will also say reading reviews of Allure helped make it a great cruise more than any other because Allure is so different. That said, got our taxes done last night and got more back than we expected. I'm hopeful that when I get back from Jewel I'll book my return to Allure for 2013.

You're such a tease ;) And now I'm hooked and anxiously awaiting the rest of your review!

Looking forward to reading more. Thanks for taking the time to share your cruise with us. :)

bookmarking this for later! I started reading the other review you did and those pictures were FANTASTIC! Looking forward to our cruise this summer. after seeing you all on the "secret" aqua theater balconies, I am dying to find them myself!

Oh.....I'm going to have to wait until tomorrow now to read the rest of this! Time difference between the UK and the USA is a nightmare.

Looking forward to hearing how it all goes

CK x

Cant wait

Michele, Hope I get to read some before we leave on Friday. What was your favorite show? I heard mixed reviews about the ice show. We were not able to book that and if it is not worth it we will not wait in line for it. Welcome back and what I do not get to read before I go I will look forward to reading when I get back. Can't wait to hear about the wedding, I am sure it was just beautiful. How nice for the family to be able to surprise them.

Cindy

I've been SO looking forward to this review!!!! Michele, will you be posting the cruise compasses? I would love a more recent one :D

Looking forward to reading your observations, since the last edition was so fun.

Thanks for taking the time to write and share with your CC "fans"!

We have 39 days to go and great people like you make the time go much more quickly!

BOOO TEASE BOOOO

Waiting for the rest I will sit here and hit refresh till you come back and bless us with the rest.

i am all set.

Um...it's tomorrow. I am at the edge of my seat! Love your reviews.

Um...it's tomorrow. I am at the edge of my seat! Love your reviews.

Patience! Patience!

WOW, can't wait for more! :)

Anxiously awaiting... am 11 days out from my very first cruise on this ship!!!

Hurry, I leave in 2 days!

*****-gosh Is it sad I keep checking this tread lol

*****-gosh Is it sad I keep checking this tread lol

Me too:D