AF-1

Thanks. I'm so glad you are enjoying it. I think Emeril named what you are looking for - wasn't it smellivision?

You would be correct. Beautiful pics. Colors are great

Terri. U have done a wonderful job with your review. I can see the entire cruise thru your beautiful pictures. Only thing missing is the smell from all the food you ate onboard. Thanks for the memories.

glad u didn't do the zipline; a good friend of mine did it and broke her leg in four places; I was lucky and survived; so you made a wise choice

Thanks for staying with me, everyone! After all the excitement of last night's Super Bowl, I had to take a breather and get some rest. Who knew we'd finally have a game in the last quarter?!!!

 

If you remember where we left off of our tour, we’re still on Deck 16…and we’re now alllllllll the way back in the back – or aft, in official ship talk.

 

If you remember Deck 16, we started out in the front….all slow and easy…in the zen-like Solarium…and because sometimes we adults need some liquid relaxation, we discovered two of the pool-side bars – the Sky Bar and the Mast Bar. I’m not sure about you, but after partaking of some liquid relaxation, I need food – and Deck 16 provides that, with not only Izumi, but the Windjammer. And, of course – after indulging in either the delicious Asian goodness of Izumi – or overindulging in the buffet of the Jammer – some activity is now needed.

 

<Snort. "Activity"????!! Who am I kidding?! The only activity I need on a cruise is arranging my pool towel on my lounger so that it's absolutely perfect. But indulge me...if you will...because it will help me segue into the next segment.)

 

Back to "activity." We will find that at the very back of Deck 16…where we discover two of the many items that make the Allure unique.

 

First – the double FlowRiders.

 

 

The port-side FlowRider is designated for stand-up surfing (minimum height is 58”), while the starboard-side FlowRider is designated for boogie boarding (minimum height is 52”).

 

There are posted times when the FlowRider is open:

 

 

 

You can also pay for private lessons; the rates are below:

 

 

 

Parents: If your kids are under the age of 18, you’ll need to sign a waiver for them. If they’re under 13, you need to stay and supervise them while they’re participating on the FlowRider.

 

I’ll just say right here that I did not – and will not – EVER do the FlowRider. Ever. Never. No way. No how. I have a terrible aversion to water in my face, and until they can design a way for me (and others like me, because I KNOW I’m not alone in this…um...phobia) to ride the FlowRider, without a single drop of water touching my face, it ain’t happenin’. Hubby Mike thinks I’m weird, but I’ve patiently explained that it’s no different than having a phobia of spiders or snakes…okay. Wait. Perhaps it’s a little different…but it’s still the same.

 

Anyway. I didn’t ride the FlowRider. You get the idea.

 

----

 

And secondly...there is the ZipLine.

 

Steve, on the ZipLine...

 

Ahhhhh, the ZipLine.

 

If you've ever felt the need to soar 9 decks high while cruising in the Caribbean, here's your chance....For a mere 82' that will feel like a few seconds, it's a rush like no other.

 

Of course...I wouldn't know this. Because I didn't do it. Nope.

 

After I saw how all you ZipLiners land:

 

Amy, at the landing....

 

...where you somewhat come in hard and then crash and smash into the foam, hoping against hope that you don't take out the RCI employee waiting for you...

 

...I decided that my broken foot would prevent me from doing this.

 

Oh. That's right. I neglected to mention that I was sailing with a BROKEN FOOT on the World's Largest Cruise Ship.

 

Yup. I broke my foot on December 19th, which is a long story in and of itself, but just know that I had no one to blame but myself and my complete lack of grace, and I was oh-so-priviledged to don a lovely orthopedic boot for several weeks...and although I had removed my oh-so-fashionable (NOT) boot for the cruise, I was still limping while traversing the miles and miles of corridors of the Allure...which was NOT fun, nor conducive for my healing.

 

Here's a tip for you: Don't break your foot weeks before sailing on the World's Largest Cruise Ship. You're welcome.

 

Anyway. I digress.

 

When I saw how hard some of the ZipLiners were landing, I decided that in the best interest of my broken foot, it would behoove me to stay away from the ZipLiner.

 

Certainly the fact that I am petrified of heights had NOTHING to do with not riding it. Nope. Not at all. Nor the fact that I really had no desire to drop 9 decks, like a ton of bricks, if that teeny-tiny little harness should break while MOI was in it. That had NOTHING to do with it.

 

It was because I needed to protect my foot. Yup. Protection.

 

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

 

Anyhoo, here are the hours for the ZipLiner, in case you feel the need to fly:

 

 

Note that the minimum age for ZipLining is 6 years old; you MUST have socks and pants/shorts on...and your clothing must be dry. There is a minimum of 75 lbs and a maximum of 275 lbs to ride. Your pockets MUST be empty - and no cameras, no watches, and no glasses.

 

ON TO DECK 15!!!

Splendour is a wonderful ship even without a basketball court

thanks for the tour; your youtube video's of the canal are very clear. Great shots.

Thank you for 28 days of fun. It takes a special person to take the time to post a blog and upload pictures. Again. Thanks

I am looking forward to the return trip posts. All the food looks good to me.

I was on Voyager and it parked about 100 yds from the suspension bridge; it looks like the Golden Gate in SF. Buses transport people downtown. There were three other ships in port and we were all parked one behind each other.

I believe he said he is using a Canon Elph 110HS

Hi just joined this thread today 12 Oct. All I can say is "yeah, he's back" and he's live.

Sherri, I am enjoying your review. I was in Santorini in 07, when the ship hit the rocks. I see nothing has changed since 07. OIA looks excatly the same. I also know you guys were lucky, as you had a few ships in port. We had six in port. Three regular, and three unscheduled; the unscheduled were supposed to go to Mykonos; but they could not get in because of high winds; go figure.

Thanks, everyone!

 

I think we're all packed and ready to go for our adventure tomorrow...

 

And yes...the Italian jail was tongue-in-cheek...I'm at the most famous statue in the world, and I not only set off an alarm, but I run out of the museum clutching a purse - with terror and guilt written all over my face.

 

I'm amazed that I was never questioned...or stopped...unbelievable! I felt FOR SURE that it was just a matter of time before I had to answer to the authorities on what just happened. :)

Sherri, great review; my wife and I did Rome in Limo tour thru Florence and Pisa. Our driver took us to a Gelato store on the outskirts of Florence; She said not to eat the Gelato in town; as it was for tourists. We had great tasting Gelato. Enjoy your trip on Freedom; we took our five grandkids back in Dec. Have a ball.

Thanks for the tip. I can stuff a bunch of stuff in that bag.:D

Coswald Eagle; what a wonderful review with pics; you now want to make me book a cruise thru the Fiords and Norway.

Victoria, you have a great talent for tellling and sharing your stories. You pictures add so much to the story. I see you love life and have fun with all you do. Keep up the good writing.

Cheers

Iluvcruisin2, all your food pics are great. I hear people complain about the food on the ships; but you did pretty well in the Windjammer and MDR.:)

great pics and review. I had Cruise Director Gordon on another ship. He was great. Hope you enjoyed him.

I believe the only way to try and beat the system, is to have all members on one reservation. by that I mean, my wife and I sailed Freedom of the Seas in Dec; we paid for everything, so everyone was under our reservation and credit card. We had five adults and five children under 18. The ship said to buy the photo cd, all minor children under 18, who were in different cabins, would be included on the cd. Also, we took a lot of group shots around the ship during the week.

JENNAT- Thanks for sharing! Those were all things that I had wondered about already. I think it helps to hear and expect some of it to plan mentally. Now... Heading back to read more of your review! :)

I am on Freedom tomorrow 4 Dec, I have five grandkids who have never cruised. I am writing this post to tell you about my experience with Allure. It is a great ship. Yes, the Windjammer is smaller; but you have so many dining options for breakfast. The solarium bistro, is a health food place for breakfast or lunch, Johnny Rockets prepares made to order breakfasts, Promenade and Central Park Cafe have breakfast, along with the main dining room. The shows are great, you do have to do advance planning and book the shows online prior to boarding. But they are all worth it. The Aqua show with diving is nice, Blue Planet is a show much like Cirque Soliel, Chicago the musical, was good, there are almost twice as many venues on Allure than Freedom. More bars, more show places, and two flowriders, they use one flowrider for standup surfing, and the other for, boogie boarding, two rock climbing walls, and the zip line. This is just a quick idea of what's avail on Allure, since I haven't been on Freedom I will wait to post a review and let you know what I liked about Freedom and compare it to Allure. Cheers

Take a Taxi. should be about 30 min ride

Radio, you're a great american and a wonderful host of the "Live" thread. For those people who can't cruise three or four times a year, your "Live" threads are the next best thing to being there. Again, thanks, and have a wonderful time on your fall cruise. Your picture taking skills will definitely enhance the fall folliage in New England.

Negrilbride, I sailed Allure in Jan. The ship was at capacity, 5400; but we were always able to find lounge chairs by the pools. I was with a group of 20, and we had at least eight that hung out by the pools. They never complained about overcrowding or no loungers.

 

 

 

Your posts are AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for taking your time to share your experience with the rest of us!

 

I have 2 questions...we are doing the dolphin excursion while on Cozumel...do you know if you get to enjoy the facilities before/after your dolphin time, and is it included in the hefty pricetag?

 

Also, kind of unrelated, but I'm curious...do you know if the the onboard Starbucks take Starbucks giftcards???

 

We are heading out on the June 5th Western cruise, I can't wait!!!

 

Thank you so much!!!

Starbucks took gift cards on our Jan cruise.

Great info to know ahead of time. Thanks very much AF-1.

You are most welcome

for those who may be sailing Allure on an upcoming cruise; here are the breakfast times and venues open on departure day. this is direct from my departure letter on ship.

Breakfast is available:

5:30-8:30 Windjammer Deck 16

6:00-8:30 Solarium Bistro Deck 15

6:00-8:30 Park Cafe Deck 8

6:00-8:30 Adiagio Dining Room Deck 4

Please be advised that Starbucks, Sorrentos and Cafe Promenade will be closed to ensure a smooth departure process. Refreshments and coffee setup will be available in the designated departure lounges.

hope this helps