B2B Allure Of The Seas Pictorial Review - 31st March 2013 & 7th April 2013

The Oasis Of The Seas next to an NCL ship

This was one of the moments that helped me and my Wife-to-be decide that we would have to include the Allure Of The Seas as part of our Honeymoon. Having enjoyed 7 nights on the Oasis Of The Seas in January 2011 we were eager to try the Allure. This photograph along with the two below were taken in Nassau, Bahamas. It was also later that evening that I proposed to Sally and she accepted :-)

In truth, the decision in regards to our honeymoon was probably made during this week. We enjoyed my Sister's wedding in St Thomas and it was the perfect week.

They were taken on a ferry over to Paradise Island.

The Oasis is obviously the one on the right.

Although I had seen cruise critic prior to our cruise in 2011 I had never visited these forums. I was totally unaware of the vast amount of information and knowledge which they contained.

I gained lots of information and tips from reading them and I don't think there is even an inch of these mighty ships which have not been covered. I became an addict as I know many of you do too!

However, I do believe that everybody that sails on them will enjoy a unique adventure. I wanted to take the opportunity to share my views of a voyage on her. I am also aware that when you are planning a cruise and getting as excited as I was that you can't possibly read too much about it when counting down to that all important sale date!!

For those reasons if I there is interest in this review I will, over the next few weeks, give my review of my back to back sailing of the Allure. It will be more of a trip report than a formal review and I will offer my personal views of what the Allure has to offer. I will compare it to my experience on the Oasis and I will answer any and all questions as I go along. I have not done a complete tour of the ship as this is available elsewhere but I have hundreds of photographs of the things I experienced which I am more than happy to share...... Once I get used to using Photobucket for the first time ever :rolleyes:

Although I had seen cruise critic prior to our cruise in 2011 I had never visited these forums. I was totally unaware of the vast amount of information and knowledge which they contained.

 

I gained lots of information and tips from reading them and I don't think there is even an inch of these mighty ships which have not been covered. I became an addict as I know many of you do too!

However, I do believe that everybody that sails on them will enjoy a unique adventure. I wanted to take the opportunity to share my views of a voyage on her. I am also aware that when you are planning a cruise and getting as excited as I was that you can't possibly read too much about it when counting down to that all important sale date!!

 

For those reasons if I there is interest in this review I will, over the next few weeks, give my review of my back to back sailing of the Allure. It will be more of a trip report than a formal review and I will offer my personal views of what the Allure has to offer. I will compare it to my experience on the Oasis and I will answer any and all questions as I go along. I have not done a complete tour of the ship as this is available elsewhere but I have hundreds of photographs of the things I experienced which I am more than happy to share...... Once I get used to using Photobucket for the first time ever :rolleyes:

I would be interested in your review and your thoughts on the Oasis. I'm on Oasis in June and would like to book Allure next year

I would be interested in your review and your thoughts on the Oasis. I'm on Oasis in June and would like to book Allure next year

Thank you for being my first, and hopefully not my last, poster. The ships really are almost identical. I have all the Cruise compasses from both sailings and as and when I can, between working and sleeping, I will be scanning and posting them all in my day by day review. I have to get my camera lead from about thirty miles away and I will then be including lots of pictures of the Allure.

I look forward to your review!

To introduce myself

I am 33 years old and from Essex in the UK. I was travelling with Sally (32 when departing the UK) and my Step-Daughter Chloe aged 11 years. Chloe is celebrating our honeymoon with us for the cruising portion of our honeymoon. We were also joined by Sally's parents on the second leg of the back to back. (lucky me ;-))

I have previously cruised twice which were both with Royal Caribbean. Sally and Chloe have previously sailed just the once on the Oasis.

Sally and I were engaged on the Oasis and married on the 28th March 2013 just two days prior to our departure on honeymoon.

I am a holiday addict. Unfortunately finances dictate that we do nt holiday as often as I would like but when I do I put every effort into the planning. For me it is half of the fun!!

This Picture was taken on the Oasis in 2011

Thanks for the info ...

The Planning

From the day I returned in February 2011 I was building my supplies of holiday brochures and a few months later I began getting quotes from Travel Agents for the B2B cruise. I found travel agents were able to offer much better deals than I could get directly from Royal Caribbean.

I soon found that I was unable to book flights from the UK until about 11 months before when the airlines released their flight schedules. This was frustrating. I could book a package with RCI but these were at, what I felt to be, fairly inflated prices for the flight. I also wanted to continue our honeymoon for a third week for just Sally and I whilst Chloe would spend a third week with her Grandparents. This appeared to create complications with booking the cruise directly so I decided at this stage to book each part of our honeymoon individually so that it could be tailored just the way we wanted it.

Unfortunately this meant that any firm plans had to be put on hold until the end of April 2012. The wait for the flights to be released was almost as bad as the wait for the actual honeymoon. I decided to hold fire on booking the cruise until I was certain what the flight prices would be. We were a little inflexible with the dates as we wanted 2 of the weeks to fall within the 2 week Easter school holidays.

Initially we were planning on getting married at one of the stops on the itinery. Due to a few changes in family's circumstances in the intervening months much of our family were unable to make it as was originally hoped. Due to this we decided on a wedding at home. We knew there was hard saving ahead to make sure that we would still have the honeymoon we dreamed of. In retrospect it was the right decision. We had our dream honeymoon and also enjoyed a wedding where we had all our friends and family with us. We just had to spend a little more to have it that way as the budget was ever expanding......

Great start, and I look forward to more!!

SUBSCRIBED!!!Any info I can get from the Allure is welcome. Thank you for taking the timeto do this.

amazing beginning, and don't forget to include the wedding photographs. beautiful bride and handsome husband, looking forward to the full report

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

It's very kind of you to take all of us sailing along with you on your honeymoon :) .

I'm especially looking forward to the 2nd part of your story, as we'll also ge on the Allure for the Western itinerary. And the Cruisse Compass, please!

Your writing style is captivating, and good photos, too.

Thanks again.

To introduce myself

 

I am 33 years old and from Essex in the UK. I was travelling with Sally (32 when departing the UK) and my Step-Daughter Chloe aged 11 years. Chloe is celebrating our honeymoon with us for the cruising portion of our honeymoon. We were also joined by Sally's parents on the second leg of the back to back. (lucky me ;-))

 

I have previously cruised twice which were both with Royal Caribbean. Sally and Chloe have previously sailed just the once on the Oasis.

 

Sally and I were engaged on the Oasis and married on the 28th March 2013 just two days prior to our departure on honeymoon.

 

I am a holiday addict. Unfortunately finances dictate that we do nt holiday as often as I would like but when I do I put every effort into the planning. For me it is half of the fun!!

 

This Picture was taken on the Oasis in 2011

Smile Sir....You have that pretty lady next to you!!! HA!:p

Congratulations on your wedding! I look forward to reading your review. I was just on the Allure 4/7-4/14 so I am interested to get your take on the ship and all it had to offer.

Great start, and I look forward to more!!

Thank you. It's a slow start but I will get there :)

amazing beginning, and don't forget to include the wedding photographs. beautiful bride and handsome husband, looking forward to the full report

Thank you. I will certainly try to include a couple later on. As we have only just returned we are still to choose all our photographs from our photographer. That is something that ma in the come coming few days.

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

 

It's very kind of you to take all of us sailing along with you on your honeymoon :) .

 

I'm especially looking forward to the 2nd part of your story, as we'll also ge on the Allure for the Western itinerary. And the Cruisse Compass, please!

 

Your writing style is captivating, and good photos, too.

Thanks again.

I will certainly be adding all th cruise compasses. If I can work out how to scan them I'll do it that way. If not Ill take photographs if I find it speeds thing up a little.

Thank you for the compliment. I have never done anything like this before so any encouragement is appreciated.

I am off out to collect my camera leads this morning so that will allow me to get started properly!

Smile Sir....You have that pretty lady next to you!!! HA!:p

Haha. I am very aware that I am now married to a pretty lady. Most of my smiling is done from the other side of the camera (when I am not swearing at it for producing something nowhere near as good as I would hope). Unfortunately I am just a point and shoot merchant :p

Congratulations on your wedding! I look forward to reading your review. I was just on the Allure 4/7-4/14 so I am interested to get your take on the ship and all it had to offer.

I have plenty of photos of random people on my travels. You may well make an appearance at some point so keep your eyes peeled.

Thanks for sharing the review and photos.

Keith

Looking forward to your review and any information on the Allure. There is a group of 6 of us doing a B2B on the Allure at the end of November and first week of December.

My dad is one of the ones going and he did the pre-inaugural and the inaugural cruise on the Allure so he does have some info to give us. But it is always good to get information from others!!

Thank you for posting your review. I'm addicted to reading as much as I can about the Allure!

Thanks for sharing the review and photos.

 

Keith

You're welcome. Save you thanks to see if I do a decent job. I am just finding my way at the moment really.

Thank you for posting your review. I'm addicted to reading as much as I can about the Allure!

Haha I remember the feeling well. Just wish I had another one to look forward...... one day I'm sure

Looking forward to your review and any information on the Allure. There is a group of 6 of us doing a B2B on the Allure at the end of November and first week of December.

 

My dad is one of the ones going and he did the pre-inaugural and the inaugural cruise on the Allure so he does have some info to give us. But it is always good to get information from others!!

I hope I can be of help in some small way. I will do my best..... as I sit here with my tan fading fast :cool:

Can't wait for more................. :)