Allure of the Seas -- What Works and What Doesn't

I just returned from a cruise on the Allure of the Seas and thought it might be helpful instead of a review to mention some of the things that work well on the ship and things that don't. A little background: I have been on almost all of the major criuse lines but this was my first Royal Caribbean criuse, one I booked 1 1/2 years beforehand (I was really looking forward to trying this ship out). First impressions were not good, but I ended up being a big fan, so I'll start with what worked well.

Feel free to add your own comments/impressions if you've been on Allure or Oasis and ask questions.

What Worked Well :)

- The Neighborhoods - One of the most noticable differences between this ship and any other ship I've been on are the neighborhoods. Royal Caribbean didn't just make a big ship; it used the bigger size to create a whole different feel to different parts of the ship, which made sailing on her a unique experience. (I know the Allure is a copy of the earlier Oasis of the Seas, so my comments really apply to the original but I'll just refer to the Allure.) Each neighbor had a distinct vibe and all were interesting in their own way.

Royal Promenade - This seemed to me the heart of the ship and a signature of Royal Caribbean ships. It had a little of everything -- fast food places, bars, shops, and administrative offices (guest services, excursions). I found myself here more often than anywhere else on the ship. It was also the place for some of the more interesting entertainments--the Move It! Move It! Parades, not-so-spontaneous Mob Dance (and dance classes), and various musical group performances and some parties (which I missed). It made the center of the ship seem more like a town square than just a place to pass through while getting from one end ofthe ship to the other.

Boardwalk - This is a totally unique "neighborhood" -- a lively outdoor spot with a lot of very casual eateries, shops, and drinking places (not to mention a merry-go-round). The centerpiece is the AquaTheater which had the best entertainment on board (see below); it also had the most comfortable seats on the ship; I found myself sitting here relaxing long before any shows or events. The veiws of the ship and the sea and the sky were great--which makes me think that the best cabins on the ship are the Boardwalk-facing balconies near the back with views of the Boardwalk, the AquaTheater, and the sea.

Entertainment Place - A relatively small area in the center bottom (Deck 4) of the ship, this area to me had a definite vibe of a downtown area at night with entertainment places (Studio 4 and the Comedy Club (Comedy LIve), cool clubs (Jazz on 4 and Blaze) plus the Casino. It seemed a totally different ship than the Royal Promenade or Boardwalk--more adult and sophisticated (although the ice skating at Studio B was very kid-friendly).

Central Park - Another totally unique space for a cruise ship. Although there is apparently lawn space on the top deck of some Celebrity ships, Central Park has real vegetation. This area is not really like Central Park--one can walk through it in 5 minutes, but it has a very welcoming feel, a few different places with (differenty types of) seats to just sit and enjoy the sun (or shade) and fresh air (and bird sounds). This area has some of the best dining places on board--150 Central Park (which I did not try), Chops Grille, Giovanni's Table, Park Cafe, and Vintages (which I did, see below); and a few upper-end shops (Britto gallery, Coach store). What do they for these open-air spots when it rains? When it did one night I found out; they put out umbrella stands on each end of the Park filled with large umbrellas for passengers to use when walking through the park in the rain--very nice.

Pool and Sports Zone - This is the only part of the ship that seemed like other ships I have been on--the typical small pool surrounded by loungers pushed too closely together and bars and light snack places to keep one filled and refreshed during the day. This area actually has four different pools--a main pool (which is the same size as all the others), a sports pool (where volleyball is played every now and then), a beach pool (which apparently slopes and may have salt water--I didn't go in any of the pools) and an "H2O Zone" (kid's pool with water toys and slides). The unique part of this deck was not so much the different pools, but the FlowRiders, available on other Royal Caribbean ships but I don't think any other cruise lines. I did not try these but it was interesting to watch others for a few minutes--everyone who tried really seemed to like it. There is also a miniature golf course on this level.

Vitality and Sea Spa and Fitness Center - Royal Caribbean lists this as one of the neighborhoods but I can't comment on it since my only expericence was a somewhat-unfortunate haircut, but it had a nice waiting area and cafe.

Youth Zone - This is the seventh neighborhood and I have no knowledge about it at all except that it was located on the same floor as my cabin and there was no extra noise or any other evidence of it being there.

- The Entertainment -- My favorite part of the cruise was the entertainment and Royal Caribbean did and incredible job of offering both wide variety and high quality.

Aqua Shows - My favorite (by far) were the water shows -- "OceanAria" (which required reservations) and a family show with Dreamworks characters "Let You Entertain Me" (which did not). The OceanAria show was the best show I've probably seen at see; like a Cirque du Soleil show it didn't have much plot but it has some humor, a lot of acrobatics and feats of strength and high diving on a cruise ship!! The concept of a diving show on a cruise ship is amazing to me. Surprisingly, the other water show was almost as good--not quite the amazing aquatics, but plenty of good music, audience participation, fun skits, and interesting acrobatics. I would recommend both shows to anyone. (And don't worry about being in the "splash zone"--there was never much of a splash outside the stage.)

Chicago - I was disappointed that Allure had Chicago rather than Oasis's Hairspray but it turned out to be a great show (although a little long). The quality of the singers and dancers were (in my humble opinion) as good as on Broadway.

Ice Shows - There were two skating shows: Ice Games (which requires a reservation) and a family-oriented How to Train Your Dragon (which does not, and which I did not see.) Ice Games was very entertaining--great music, interesting sets and costumes. Again, the concept of an ice skating show on a cruise ship is incredible to me--very enjoyable.

Blue Planet - This was a production show more in keeping what one would normally see on a cruise ship--good songs, colorful costumes, interesting sets, and not much plot. It was very well done--with some particularly intriguing sets and nice acrobatics--the cast includes some of the players from the aqua shows. Definitely worth seeing, if you like production shows.

Headliner Show - This changes from cruise-to-cruise; on my sailing the headliner was abbacadabra--a tribute band for ABBA (the group is listed as aDbcadabra in the Cruise Compass, but that must be a mistake). I am a big ABBA fan (having seen Mama Mia more than once) so for me this was a great show and if you have a chance to see this group and you're an ABBA fan, this is a no-brainer. Apart from the ABBA connection, the group did a good job, not only singing incredibly well, and recreating the feel of a 70's era concert, but there was a nice mix of humor and audience involvement (without being too heavy-handed). A really good job by the group.

Comedy Show - There are two comedians for the comedy show, which changes with each cruise. On mine I do not recall the names of the comedians and they are not listed in any of the Cruise Compasses I saved. I will say that they were great--I was laughing so hard there were tears streaming down my face. I was somewhat sceptical about a comedy club but it was great. This is a very small venue, so be sure to reserve in advance.

And More - 3D movies (Clash of the Titans and Journey to the Center of the Earth) (again, unique to Oasis/Allure I think and not limited to just Dreamworks movies), movies outdoors (Green Lantern (which I saw) and a sing-along version of Grease (which I missed)), parades in the Royal Promenade (which was a lot of fun), and the usual cruise-ship entertainments: Sexiest Man Contest (an 81-year old won), belly flop contest, Love and Marriage game, karaoke, live music at pool parties and in lounges, etc.

- The Food -- The Allure had an incredible number of places to eat and they were all good. The best part was the variety; you can eat fast-food or fancy-food, free or expensive. Let's take them in alphabetical order.

Adagio Dining Room - The food here was very good; nice variety and very good service. I ended up only eating here for three meals (dinners) but the wait staff remembered me four days after having had only one meal there. If there weren't so many other choices I would have been happy to have all my meals here.

Boardwalk Dog House - A guilty pleasure of mine. After trying the Coney Island Dog one afternoon, I got into a habit of dropping by for a quick bite almost every day for the rest of the cruise.

Boadwalk Donuts - Okay, this was just a couple of shelves across from the Dog House, but it was nice to be able to get a chocoate glazed donut with no fuss for a quick sugar rush befored heading off to a morning excursion.

Cafe Promenade - A rare free dining option in Central Park--nice variety of sandwiches and salads--I opted for the much-praised and almost legendary Roast Beef Sandwich. Sorry, it did not live up to its advanced billing, but was good.

Candy Beach - Really a store, not an eating place, but it had a wide variety of candy for sale by the pound at too-high prices.

Champagne Bar - Actually, this is the Champagne and Martini Bar, but I did have a nice glass of champagne here. A usually quiet place with nice seating and a good place for a quiet glass of champagne (or wine or a mixed drink) before dinner. Its under eating places because I read that they serve some snacks, but not when I was there.

Chef's Table - Incredible! I had this one evening and it was well worth the price for the experience. A very convivial group of 14 (or 16?) has a set dinner in 4 (?) courses with a pairing of wine. The chef comes out before each course to explain what is being served and who it was prepared. The somelier then explains the wine chosen. I am not a gourmand, but enjoyed the experience. I even skipped one of the courses because I do not like fish--no big deal, no one cared. There was still pleny to eat; although the portions are small, they end up being pretty filling.

Chop's Grille - A very nice steak house in Central Park. I'm not much of a steak person, but the short rib was perfect and the chocoate mud cake is a must-have.

Cupcake Cupboard - A nice option for a little (extra-cost) snack now and then. The cupcakes were very good. I also signed up for the cupcaked decorating class which was fun--you do not need to have any skill to produce a cupcake that looks like a hamburger and fries (and tastes delicious)--a lot of fun.

Giovanni's Table - Okay, this was my favorite spot to eat on board. I had both a lunch (order the lasagna) and dinner (no lasagna on the menu) here and would have gone back again but ran out of cruise days. If you like Italian food, you should love this place. Service is also excellent (as it is everywhere).

Ice Cream Parlor - Nothing's better than an ice cream cone on a hot day--and a lot of the days were very hot. The ice cream here (extra-cost) seems to be hand-made and is excellent.

Johnny Rockets - Well, I tried Johnny Rockets for the first time on the Allure and liked it. Staff was friendly, the service was quick, and the food was good.

Rita's Cantina - I had a simple lunch here, rather than the Rita's Feast. The tacos were good--a very nice option to have available (tacos are also avaialble at the Wipe Out Cafe).

Room Service - A limited menu but I can't say anything bad about a menu that has pizza on it. I had a burger one day and pizza another day and both were good. I also had scrambled eggs for breakfast one day (for my thoughts on that, see below). Service was very quick.

Solarium Bistro - This was a nice quiet place for a quick bite; a less hectic and crowded option than the Windjammer Marketplace. The food was good, but choices more limited. I confined myself of muffins and scrambled eggs (see below regarding those scrambled eggs).

Sorrento's Pizza - Good pizza (well in my opinion there is no such thing as bad pizza). I only had the ready-made pizza and although I've read reviews that it is not very good compared to the made-to-order pizza, I found it to be fine. A helpful hint--if you find yourself having ordered a beer at the pub some afternoon and realize that there's something missing, you can just hop across the Royal Promenade to get a slice of pizza from Sorrento's and bring it to your table at the pub for a more balanced meal.

Starbucks - I don't drink much coffeee so I'm not really a Starbucks fan, but FYI they also sell small bottles of water and snacks at the Starbucks--the water is good to get before an excursion.

Vintages - A hidden jem in Central Park. A nice place for a relazing glass of wine, but a great place for a glass (or two) of wine and a plate (or two) of tapas--I strongly recommend the rice croquets. I also went to a wine tasting here, which was enjoyable and informative.

Vitality Cafe - As you could figure out from some of my other comments--I don't limit myself to health foods, but there were some nice choices at this cafe (I tried the banana bread, which hit the spot). It rarely was busy so a good spot for a quick bite.

Windjammer Marketplace - I have read a lot of comments about how crowded this place is; I did not have a problem getting through the lines and finding a table on my cruise--of course I did not go here for breakfast, which may be the busiest time. There was a good variety of food and it was very tasty. I am a fan of buffets in general and I thought this was a good one.

Wipe Out Cafe - Tacos! One of my favorite foods and its available here. The set-up is a little strange, with tacos, a chili meat, tomatoes, cheese, and salsa at one end of the counter and shredded lettuce at the other end (and I like them all in a taco) so it is a little challenging, but worth the effort--very good tacos. There are also burgers and hot dogs (which I did not try--I'm too loyal to the Boardwalk Dog House). I found it very crowded at times, but then would empty very quickly--a great place to eat when not crowded.

And places I did not try -- Izumi, 150 Central Park, and Samba Grill --I heard good things about the Samba Grill, but can't comment about Izumi or 150 Central Park.

- The Cabin TV -- It may seem like a small point, but the tv in the cabin was a significantly better than on other cruise ships I have been on. It is fully interactive, so you can check your account, make reservations at restaurants (and have the spa call to set up a reservation through your phone), order room service, and check our various videos explaining things on the ship. There are also 120 pay-per-view movies (well, some are just episodes of tv shows) available to order (which I took advantage of a few times--I know, you don't go on a cruise to watch tv, but I find a watching tv a nice way to relax after returning from an excursion or late at night).

- Service on Board -- I found service on board to be exellent throughout the ship; I had a great cabin attendant who got my cabin made up at whatever odd hour I happened not to be there--which changed from night to night. In restaurants service was uniformly friendly and prompt, whether it was an extra-cost restaurant or a free one. In fact, in some cases it was too good--being asked four or five times during a meal how things were was a little too much. At bars and lounges and in the theater I never had problems getting a drink, even without a lot of arm-waving.

- Cabin Bathroom -- When I first saw the bathroom I thought--this is not going to work; too small, but it turned out the showers were great. I liked the solid semi-circular doors instead of the curtains on other cruise ships I have been on and the showere head was high enough to stand under even for someone tall; it is also on a flexible cord. All very practical and comfortable even for someone of my (considerable) size.

- Luggage Express -- This is an option to send your luggage ahead to the final desitnation airport for a fee ($25 per person per bag). It is only avaialble if your flight if after 11:30 (from Fort Lauderdale; it may be different if you are leaving from Miami) and for certain destinations (U.S. only, I think) and on certain airlines (US Airways was mine). I found it really convenient--you do not need to take your luggage through customs--just pick it up at your final destination airport. You have to leave the shop after 8:00 am (not sooner) if you pick this option. You must apply for it; you may not be approved (and they wont' tell you why or why not you were not approved--it is apparently up to the airline). If you have mobility problems or you just overpack (like I do), its a nice option.

- Favorite Parts of the Ship to Just Relax -- For me this was a time for relaxing rather than doing, and I found some parts of the ship particularly nice places to do that: the Solarium (very quiet and peaceful), Viking Crown Lounge (during the day), Central Park, and, of course Poolside (but not by the Main Pool, which is a smoking area).

- Deck 14 -- My cabin was midship on Deck 14 (14600) and it worked out fine. I know some people are concerned about extra noise on the deck under the pool deck but for me it was not a problem at all. I only heard chairs scraping once or twice and music from the deck only once (and these were during the day, not late at night or early in the morning). (A bigger concern was the next door neighbors who had a rowdy welcome aboard party, but were not heard from for the rest of the cruise--but possibly noisy neighbors can be an issue anywhere on board.) There is an overhand so the balcony is shaded, but I prefered that.

- Interactive Signs by the Elevators -- These were particularly nice--big electronic signs on every floor by the elevators that can be used to find out "what's happening now" (a list of activities based on the current time), how to get to a particular place from where you are standing (such as the route to your cabin), rest rooms (guide to the closest rest rooms), dining places (lists of what is open and how busy it is at the time), and copies of the Cruise Compass. These signs were very handy to have around and, again, unique to Allure/Oasis (I think).

- Auto-tipping -- I know others my disagree, but I really like the auto-tipping option. Royal Caribbean lets you not just pay in advance (and requires it for My Time Dining) but you get a voucher and envelope to give out to staff if you want. You can use the envelopes to give extra or just to get credit for what you auto-tipped. Other lines that provide for automatic tipping do not provide the envelopes or vouchers.

- Excursions -- Well, I'll use this section to mention two excursions I recommend if you like learning about the places you are visiting: the Historic Walking Tour on Labadee and the Visit Mexico Park in Cozumel. I like short excursions so there is more time to do other things, such as get back on board and enjoy and empty ship and these were both short excursions--1 and 2 hours, respectively. The Historic Walking Tour focused on the history of Haiti and the various plants (including their medicinal values) on Labadee. It was facinating to get the perspective of a Haitian on his country (and the U.S.)--a different prespective than we hear in the U.S. The tour guide was very proud of his country and mentioned a lot in its history that he has a right to be proud of. The information about the plants and vegetation of the Labadee area was also interesting.

The Visit Mexcio Park tour was also good. Mexico Park is sort of a theme park with miniatures of a number of buildings from throughout Mexico representing various eras--pre-Columbian, colonial, and modern. The tour starts with a short film showing images of various aspects of Mexcio and its people (very entertaining--all music and images, not talking). Then there is a short tour of an art museum--Mexican art is beautiful--very colorful. Then the tour of the park with the guide explaining the various buildings. If you like history (which I do), this is a great tour. There is also a stop for refreshments (and rest) and (of course) a shop to buy souvenirs.

I highly recommend both tours.

Now the more interesting part of my post: what didn't work.

What Didn't Work :(

- Elevators -- The elevators were a disaster, particularly during peak times. As I mentioned, my first impression of the ship was not a good one and this was because of the hassle in simply getting up to one's room. It isn't just because of the crowds--the elevators were a mess. One would start on the 15th floor go down to 6th then go back up as you waited patiently on Deck 5; another would start on Deck 3 and zoom up to Deck 8 without stopping on 5 as you waited (and that's not because it was full; as the glass elevators went up you could see it wasn't). The result was that whenever an elevator stopped people would get on regardless of what direction they wanted to go; they'd just go up or down before heading in the direction they wanted--which meant of course, that the elevators were more crowded than they should have been. This was a serious problem during peak times--early in the morning, dinner time, etc.

In fact, the problem was so bad that for persons who use a wheelchair or scooter or have to push a stroller, I would not recommend this ship. To me it would be too much of a hassle. But I'll defer to others who are in scooters or wheelchairs to correct me if I'm wrong about how much trouble it would be to get around and whether it is worth the trouble.

- Scrambled Eggs -- I don't know how they did it, but Royal Caribbean managed to ensure that scrambled eggs were universally bad in every dining venue on this ship--no matter where I ordered them, they were dray and chalky and tasteless. Royal Caribbean has solved the problem of runny eggs by making sure that there is zero moisture in any egg served on board. Ugh.

- Messages on Cabin TV -- A minor point, but after writing how wonderful the cabin tv is (see above), I have to mention how annoying it was to get a message everytime I turned on my tv only to find that the "message" was just some ad for another something-or-other that Royal Caribbean was trying to sell. Which required a three-step process to delete every time. Annoying.

- Cabin Size -- I liked the small and functional bathrooms, but the cabin size seemed small. I traveled solo, so there was enough space for me and (almost enough) for the junk I packed, but the room seemed like it would be a tight fit for two and hopeless for three or four. The bed was comforbable, though.

- Libarary -- The library is totally inadequate. Very few books and few places to sit. You'll notice in my list of places to relax on board (see above) the library was not one of them. This was a little disappointing (lucklly I packed enough of my own books to keep my occupied).

- Table Assignments for Regular Dining -- Traveling solo I like to get assigned seating to meet people over dinner. On this cruise I planned to spend more nights at specialty restaurants, but I still signed up for regular scheduled late seating, asking for a large table. Well, the first night I got a table for 3 with two very nice women who had asked for a large table of people who speak Russian (which I do not). The next day, as I was contemplating switching to My Time Dining, I got notice that my table had been changed--this time to a table for three with two people who had asked for a large table of fun-loving people (which, alas, I am not). It turns out they had been seated the previous night at a table of people who spoke Russian. Royal Caribbean seemed to got out of its way to not pair people up based on their preferences. Next time I'll definitely go for My Time Dining.

- Bingo -- $32 for bingo cards (6 cards per game for 4 games) or $55 for a machine that had 30 cards per game for 4 games)--too expensive in my opinion. I did it once (a mistake) and not again.

- Port Lectures -- These were a joke. They were, as I expected, all about shopping. What I didn't expect, was that they were all about shopping for jewelry and watches--a little variety would have been welcome. I left after 5 minutes so if I missed something let me know.

- Soft-Serve Ice Cream -- I love soft-serve ice cream/custard, but the soft serve machines were all frozen yoghurt. The only ice cream during the day was the extra-cost hard scoop ice cream at the Ice Cream Parlor. Very disappointing.

- Lack of Community Feel -- Okay, now I'll get to a more serious issue--the overal feel of the cruise. Because of all the the options for entertainment at different times and dining at different times and the impossibility of everyone (or even a large percentage of everyone) going to the same event at the same time, this cruise did not have the community feel of other cruises. People on board did not seem to have a shared experience. I put this under things that didn't work because I found that it did diminish the cruise experience.

Somethings about the Allure I haven't quite made up my mind about.

?????? (Not Sure) :confused:

- Dreamworks -- I enjoyed Shrek (the movies) and the characters were not too intrusive; in fact it was kind of cute to see some big stuffed animal wandering around or posing for pictures with kids (and kids at heart). But I'm still not sure whether I like having the cruise line tied to a particular studio--does it mean we are seeing entertainment whose main purpose is to promote second-rate movies? At the captain's talk (a Q&A session with senior officers) one of the senior officers said specifically that Royal Caribbean decided it did not want to Disney-fy its ships, which I think is a good thing and encouraging, but I'm not yet convinced the mix is right.

- Smoking/Non-Smoking Areas -- At the risk of starting another smokers vs. non-smokers fight, I will mention that I found myself too often in smoking parts of the ship--which were not well identified (although, to be honest I wasn't really looking). I does not bother me (a non-smoker) that people smoke and have a place to do so on board, but the smoking areas around the pool seemed to have a lot fewer people than the non-smoking sections, but maybe that's not really the case, so I'm not still not sure whether the mix of smoking to non-smoking areas is right.

- Vertigo -- As someone who has a fear of heights I found some parts of the ship a little uncomfortable. On the other hand, most of the time (even in the glass elevators or on my Deck 14 balcony) it was not a problem. Therefore, I'm not sure whether or not the sheer height and very common glass viewing areas would present a problem for others who don't like heights. For me, it turned out not to be a problem, but I did avoid a lot of the areas that had scenic, but too-high, views.

Well, that's about if for my impressions of the Allure of the Seas. All-in-all a great ship in my opinion. I enjoyed my first experience with Royal Caribbean.

Thanks for all the info, taking out 14 & 17 year old nephews on the Allure for their first cruise in March. This will come in handy.

Appreciate your taking the time to share your experiences/thoughts in such a straightforward manner. Hubby & I probably going on the Allure in January at the request of friends from S.America; we're not regular cruisers and if we were, more the smaller-ship variety, so at first the idea was not exciting, but knowing somewhat about it ahead of time is putting me more at ease.

This forum is great that way -- I would have been totally stressed before we went on our first cruise (again, at the request of friends to join them) back in '09 if I hadn't discovered CC and been able to get a feel for what to expect in a general sense. Obviously there are many and varied opinions on everything but by reading them all, a good general picture emerges. Thanks again!

Nice review! I'm glad you enjoyed your first experience with Royal Caribbean. You mentioned elevator problems, I rarely take the elevator as I'm able to walk everywhere onboard and prefer to do that after so much eating. But I have noticed that alot of people say the elevators have problems. Some might be the fact that so many people rely on them that they are zipping up and down all over (fulfilling floor requests in the order they are received) that many people would get to their destination faster if they were able to take the stairs, which is why I do. But I understand that not everyone can take the stairs and myself after going up ten flights am rather winded. I suppose this is a problem that a large ship will always have and I guess you just have to have patients when waiting for an elevator. :)

OP:

Your review is comprehensive and well-balanced and reflects our experiences. I have friends who are considering sailing on the Allure and I will recommend that they read your review as it is helpful. Thank you for posting it.

We totally agree about the scrambled eggs. From what we've been told on board this dish is from powered eggs. The only place we found that we could order REAL scrambled eggs was when eating breakfast at Johnny Rockets...and these were excellent.

This ship has the "Wow" factor that never quits and booking her can become addictive.:)

Great review and great information - we're heading out on the Allure in just under 3 weeks and really appreciate your insight!

-germ

Nice review thank you!

I find the main dining room seating is hit or miss. More miss than anything else...now we always ask for a 2 top.....In the past have meet some great people at dinner.....but...dont want to takle the risk anymore...

Thanks for taking the time to write a balanced 'review'. We will be on Allure week after next, and you answered a question I was pondering re: the library. Guess I,too, will bring my own books.

Thank you, great info! :) We will cruise with the Allure in Dec.

Great info....thanks. We have a new to Royal cruiser going with us and will share you info with her.

It is nice to see a review that contains criticism. That being said, the reader can easily determine that you have certain eccentricities and are quite opinionated and therefore should take what you write with a grain of salt.

Let me guess, you are over the age of 60?

Wonderful post.

I liked your approach. Rather than a blow by blow of what time you go up, what you ate, when you changed clothes, etc., you concentrated on the ship ,which is why I read reviews. I think the elevator problem is universal to cruise ships. My DH uses a scooter so we have to use the elevators. I have learned to get on any elevator that has room. Otherwise we wait and wait while able bodied people rush past to fill the elevator leaving us to wait and wait. When I am out and about by myself I try to use the stairs as often as I can.

Thanks again for some great info. I am going to print this so DH can read it too. We sail Allure next year.

It is nice to see a review that contains criticism. That being said, the reader can easily determine that you have certain eccentricities and are quite opinionated and therefore should take what you write with a grain of salt.

 

Let me guess, you are over the age of 60?

EEWWWWWWW!

But really.... isnt this the case with every poster?

This person's review was fair and balanced! and written from his/her perspective... I for one appreciated it!

Thank you

I wasn't bashing OP. In fact I specifically complemented OP. That being said...

isnt this the case with every poster?

No, some people accomplish an objective review. That is fine that OP didn't do that. My comment was geared towards first time cruisers who may read the review and take away certain things as being problems, when the reality is that sure we all have preferences, but OP seems to have very specific ones, especially related to quiet and solitude.

I wasn't bashing OP. In fact I specifically complemented OP. That being said...

 

 

 

No, some people accomplish an objective review. That is fine that OP didn't do that. My comment was geared towards first time cruisers who may read the review and take away certain things as being problems, when the reality is that sure we all have preferences, but OP seems to have very specific ones, especially related to quiet and solitude.

Ok ...but I think first time cruisers will be ok without your protection and may just come to their own conclusions based on their needs and life experience and after reading several posts that include opinions from all walks of life...... That being said......I read the OP's review and came to a conclusion similiar to yours.

Very few writings of any sort are completely objective. We always carry our perspective.:)

No, some people accomplish an objective review. That is fine that OP didn't do that. My comment was geared towards first time cruisers who may read the review and take away certain things as being problems, when the reality is that sure we all have preferences, but OP seems to have very specific ones, especially related to quiet and solitude.

We all have very specific prefernces. You. Me. The person who started this thread. Everyone on this forum.

So, what makes a review objective? Should a "review" only be stuff like "We had dinner in the MDR. I ordered the prime rib", without saying "I liked it" or "It was OK" or "it was a little overcooked"

I, for one, found the review to be fair and balanced and objective. When he made a negative point, he also added that maybe it's just him or maybe he wasn't looking for it.

I appreciate all of the info and actually made a few notes that I will refer back to in January. I do have a question about Vintages. Are the Tapas complimentary with a wine purchase or are they charged ala carte?

I, for one, found the review to be fair and balanced and objective. When he made a negative point, he also added that maybe it's just him or maybe he wasn't looking for it.

 

Right.. I liked it too.

Of course, there are times when being objective really helps. Saying "Embarkation was really slow!" isn't so useful to me. What is "slow"?? 10 minutes? 20? minutes? An hour? Objective is "We pulled up to the curb at 11:00 AM.. Dropped our bags with the porters. We stepped onto the ship at 11:25 AM". That's actually a GOOD way to do a report/review. If they want to add in "the agents were very friendly and helpul, but the porter was a jerk", that's fine.

Good balanced review. I agree the elevators can be a pain during peak times (dinner). Thanks for posting.

I enjoyed your review and agree on many points - I definitely agree on the lack of community feel. That was the one thing that made me realize I preferred the smaller ships, even if just one step smaller like the Freedom class. I loved the ship and so many of the features and extras but am looking forward to trying a different ship and seeing which I prefer more.

Great review, lots of good info! :)

I must beg to disagree on a few of the "negatives" though.

There was several soft serve ice cream machines located near the pools. They were free, and always quite tasty!

And as for the elevators, I saw them to be quite busy during port embarkation/disembarkations, but during those time they rigged the elevators to only go a certain direction (down, for the crowd trying to get off the ship at port, and up only, for the crowd coming back on board trying to get up to their rooms) to speed up the process. We never had to wait longer than a few minutes, or just opted to take the stairs if we didn't feel like standing in a line.

I will agree with what you said about the scrambled eggs... Lol.

There was several soft serve ice cream machines located near the pools. They were free, and always quite tasty!

^^ Were they actually ice cream or frozen yogurt?

Thanks for all your comments. I realize that everyone has different interests and experiences will differ based on a lot of factors, even on the same cruise.

LovesSaltWater -- I agree with you; Cruise Critic is a great way to learn about cruising in general and specific cruise lines/ships/itineraries in particular. I discovered it before my first cruise, luckily, and it has helped me on every one since.

Tyler80 -- I did avoid the elevators a lot, but ended up spending most of my time in the lower decks (4-8--Boardwalk/Central Park/Royal Promenade) which were a few floors to far to walk up to my Deck 14 cabin most of the time; but I usually used the stairs between those decks and when walking down from 14. I think a deck 7 or 8 cabin would have been more convenient. (But the exercise walking those stairs was a good thing.)

beachnative -- Thanks for explaining about the scrambled eggs. I actually went to Johnny Rockets one morning for breakfast, but got there after they had stopped serving that day and didn't go back. I apparently just missed having real eggs on board.

MyNameIsGermy -- I think you'll love the Allure; enjoy your cruise!

storm1of4 -- I guess I'm not the only one that had some problems in the dining room, although you apparently had both good and bad experiences. I've learned my lesson.

Cruisenovelle -- I'm glad I my comments on the library were helpful. Have a great cruise!

Maritar -- The Caribbean in December on the Allure sounds great; enjoy your cruise.

Jakesmom04 -- As a new Royal Caribbean sailer myself I was impressed with the cruise line and think your friend will be as well.

snorkelman -- I'll admit to being eccentric, but not to being 60 (I'm mid-50s). I didn't mention it but my impression is that although the Allure (and Royal Caribbean in general) can be enjoyed by people of any age, it is aimed at and perhaps best appreciated by young and/or active people, considering all the activities on board--FlowRider, Climbing Walls, ice skating rinks, and multiple nightclubs/discos for partying late at night. This is probably the best cruise line for those in their 20s/30s/40s (or those who are older but as active as 30-year-olds).

jebl -- I'm not surprised that relying on elevators is a problem on all cruise ships and can be frustrating with a scooter. Enjoy your cruise next year.

jsmeeker/snorkelman/storm1of4 -- Thanks for the support jsmeeker and storm1of4, but, snorkelman, I wasn't offended by your comments. I don't pretend to be objective; as I mentioned in the opening lines of my post, feel free to comment about your own experiences.

yj2cute -- Unfortnately the tapas do carry a charge, but I don't recall the cost. You can get individual ones or buy a "package" 5 for x or 7 for y, with the specific tapas you get in the package listed. I had 3 as a late lunch.

Puffinator -- Another cruiser that noticed the elevator problems; so I wasn't the only one.

ShillyShally -- I generally like large ships because of the different dining/drinking/entertainment options but this was the first ship where I really noticed what I was missing that is present on smaller ships.

HMH G -- Oh no--soft serve ice cream was available and I missed it! Actually, after going around to different stations and always seeing only frozen yoghurt available I asked one of the workers and he said that there was only frozen yoghurt exept at the ice cream parlor on the Boardwalk. Maybe it changes from cruise to cruise or he was wrong and I just missed out. I'm sorry I didn't figure out the elevators while on board; maybe I would have found them less frustrating.

Thanks for all your comments. I realize that everyone has different interests and experiences will differ based on a lot of factors, even on the same cruise.

 

LovesSaltWater -- I agree with you; Cruise Critic is a great way to learn about cruising in general and specific cruise lines/ships/itineraries in particular. I discovered it before my first cruise, luckily, and it has helped me on every one since.

 

Tyler80 -- I did avoid the elevators a lot, but ended up spending most of my time in the lower decks (4-8--Boardwalk/Central Park/Royal Promenade) which were a few floors to far to walk up to my Deck 14 cabin most of the time; but I usually used the stairs between those decks and when walking down from 14. I think a deck 7 or 8 cabin would have been more convenient. (But the exercise walking those stairs was a good thing.)

 

beachnative -- Thanks for explaining about the scrambled eggs. I actually went to Johnny Rockets one morning for breakfast, but got there after they had stopped serving that day and didn't go back. I apparently just missed having real eggs on board.

 

MyNameIsGermy -- I think you'll love the Allure; enjoy your cruise!

 

storm1of4 -- I guess I'm not the only one that had some problems in the dining room, although you apparently had both good and bad experiences. I've learned my lesson.

 

Cruisenovelle -- I'm glad I my comments on the library were helpful. Have a great cruise!

 

Maritar -- The Caribbean in December on the Allure sounds great; enjoy your cruise.

 

Jakesmom04 -- As a new Royal Caribbean sailer myself I was impressed with the cruise line and think your friend will be as well.

 

snorkelman -- I'll admit to being eccentric, but not to being 60 (I'm mid-50s). I didn't mention it but my impression is that although the Allure (and Royal Caribbean in general) can be enjoyed by people of any age, it is aimed at and perhaps best appreciated by young and/or active people, considering all the activities on board--FlowRider, Climbing Walls, ice skating rinks, and multiple nightclubs/discos for partying late at night. This is probably the best cruise line for those in their 20s/30s/40s (or those who are older but as active as 30-year-olds).

 

jebl -- I'm not surprised that relying on elevators is a problem on all cruise ships and can be frustrating with a scooter. Enjoy your cruise next year.

 

jsmeeker/snorkelman/storm1of4 -- Thanks for the support jsmeeker and storm1of4, but, snorkelman, I wasn't offended by your comments. I don't pretend to be objective; as I mentioned in the opening lines of my post, feel free to comment about your own experiences.

 

yj2cute -- Unfortnately the tapas do carry a charge, but I don't recall the cost. You can get individual ones or buy a "package" 5 for x or 7 for y, with the specific tapas you get in the package listed. I had 3 as a late lunch.

 

Puffinator -- Another cruiser that noticed the elevator problems; so I wasn't the only one.

 

ShillyShally -- I generally like large ships because of the different dining/drinking/entertainment options but this was the first ship where I really noticed what I was missing that is present on smaller ships.

 

HMH G -- Oh no--soft serve ice cream was available and I missed it! Actually, after going around to different stations and always seeing only frozen yoghurt available I asked one of the workers and he said that there was only frozen yoghurt exept at the ice cream parlor on the Boardwalk. Maybe it changes from cruise to cruise or he was wrong and I just missed out. I'm sorry I didn't figure out the elevators while on board; maybe I would have found them less frustrating.

No, you were right the first time: The self-serve machines are frozen yogurt.

Thanks for the review.

Do you by chance have the compasses? And would you be able to post them? We sail Nov. 6 and would love to plan a bit more.

Thanks in advance.