Allure of the Seas 25SEPT-2OCT Western review and recommendations

Recently off the September 25 – October 2 sailing of the Allure of the Seas (Western Caribbean) and writing my first review. Background – this is my first review and I am writing from memory. It is of my personal experience and yours may be different. My wife (29) and I (36) have been on several RC (Freedom / Adventure), Princess and Premier (Disney) cruises and have wanted to do this class ship since the concept. Originally we were scheduled to do the NCL Epic but due to a work schedule change and the Epics schedule, we opted to do the Allure this fall. We chose the Boardwalk Balcony (B1) room 11-327 because of the uniqueness of the views and room. It is the second to last room and there is a great public balcony just outside the door which has a wonderful aft and side view and is always empty. Our travel agent gave us a nice room credit to go along with our RCI credit card points for a sizable start to the room tab. I used Cruise Critic and met many wonderful people in the Roll Call in the months leading up to the sailing. We opted for My Time Dining and very happy that we did so. The RC web page was used to book dinner and show reservations the day they became available for our sailing, so we had pick of the litter and were able to select exactly what we wanted. This would be the first time we opted to eat in a for-fee restaurant and selected 4 of them for this sailing.

Flying into FLL the day before the cruise was simple. The airport is right near the port and taxies were very inexpensive. We had the taxi driver take us right to our hotel, the Renaissance, and the 10 minute ride was about $14. Our room was not ready but we were able to secure out luggage with the Bell and venture out to Ft Lauderdale. For lunch, we ate at the Bimini Boat Yard which was across the parking lot from the hotel. Excellent fish and great service, capped off by some drinks at the outside bar while we waited for the hotel to call and tell us the room was ready.

Check in was a breeze and most people staying there seemed to be on our sailing. The Allure was the only ship sailing the following day. The room was clean, had a nice view and a comfortable bed. After swimming for a while in the pool and relaxing in the Jacuzzi (both outdoors in a serene area off the side of the hotel) we headed out to the Hard Rock Café, Hollywood with some friends who live in the area. Dinner, some light gaming and a walk through the clubs area capped the night.

Waking up Sunday morning we opted to skip breakfast and head right to the port. The hotel had a shuttle service for only a few dollars per person and ran them very efficiently to the port. We were the first group to depart the hotel and some of the first people to arrive at the cruise terminal.

After checking our 2 bags with the handlers at the curb, we made our way inside. Others on CC have stated that the porters were pushy and not helpful, but I found the complete opposite. I did not have luggage tags but the gentleman helped me out, made some up, pointed me in the right direction and asked if there was anything else he could do. Once inside, the process was as smooth as everyone says. We were through the check in and in a waiting area in 10 minutes. Arriving so early, we had to wait for the ship to be cleared but soon after were amongst the first to board the beautiful Allure. Like others said, the process was a breeze.

We boarded and made our way to Central Park for lunch. Roast Beef sandwich was as good as everyone says! Seating was difficult, but we found a nice bench in the park and relaxed for a while. Soon after, we explored the ship and waited for the rooms to become available. Our room was 11327, the second to last Boardwalk Balcony on the port side. Feet from our door was the public balcony where the sail away would take place. Fellow Cruise Critic friends put together quiet the sail away, which can be viewed here on Youtube:

The muster drill was more of a check in, our area was the Aqua Theater. Dinner was a My Time Dining with reservation (much shorter line!) in the main dining room, level 4. We like to sit with others, were offered a table for 2 or a larger table and we opted for the table with a few other couples. The food was decent, about what I expected, though I was highly disappointed with the deserts throughout the whole cruise – they all had nuts, which I am allergic to. I am not saying one or two desserts throughout, but virtually every dessert this week was covered, sprinkled, chuck full, garnished, topped or crusted in almonds, walnuts, or some kind of nut. Even on desserts which typically do not have nuts, they put them! The food was decent in the main dining room, nothing spectacular, but pretty good. We like to order a few appatizers, a bottle of wine and try many things. We didn’t keep a journal on what we ate throughout the week, so I couldn’t tell you what I had, but I do know I enjoyed it. After dinner, we went to the theater to see Chicago. Great show, not a bad seat in the house and the performance was well done. Best show I have seen on a cruise. Only downfall was about 10 minutes into the show a really tall guy came and sat in front of us and we had to start to do the bob and weave to see parts of the stage. After dinner, we made our nightly donation to the casino, which stretched our entertainment out for an additional 10 minutes. The ATM fees were $6 plus what your bank charges, or you could put it on your room card for a mere 3%. The casino was nice – new style slot machines, lots of low limit or select your limits; video black jack, roulette, and poker as well as live craps, roulette, black jack, and some other house advantage games which I forget. Limits all week were very low, plenty of room to play. Smoking side smelled just as bad as the no smoking side, probably because there is nothing separating them except for a bar which allowed smoking in it. But unlike other ships, this the English pub and some Salsa bar were the only places on the entire ship that the nasty smell lingered – for this, I was very happy! After giving our money to the dealer, we made our way to the Schooner Piano bar and had a few rounds. We were happy to be able to stay and listen to some songs as on past ships it would always be filled with smoke. Friends spotted us from the Rising Tides Bar so we jumped on and went for a ride, enjoying the company of others we met here on Cruise Critic. Soon after, we settled in for the night.

As stated before, the rooms are tight, bed was against the closet but we did not find it to bad to get in. Tight, yeah, but expected. Plenty of room under the bed for suit cases and other stuff. Interactive TV was nice, seeing bills online and ordering room service was a breeze. We made our order for the AM to be delivered around 930. When the sliding door is closed, you can barely hear anything from on the Boardwalk.

Breakfast delivery was prompt, but very disappointing. Coffee was okay at best, eggs and egg substitutes were strange, fruit portion was small. This would be the only day we ordered the delivery of breakfast for the whole cruise – which is very abnormal for us. We enjoyed it on the balcony and a real sized table on the Allure was a step up from the tiny end tables on a few other ships we have sailed. Today, we spent the day exploring the ship, swimming in the Beach Pool and relaxing. For starters, towels were available on deck, and we exchanged them throughout the week. Seats were readily available around all the pools from what I could see. We found chairs right in front of the pool every time we went throughout the week. May not have always been the best chair, or chaise lounges, but chairs none the less. Bar service was everywhere with the overpriced drink of the day. This week, there seemed to be minimal kids. Right in front of the kids zone is extremely slippery and there was always someone cleaning it and telling you to watch your step. It was dangerously slippery though. All the decks were very hot and flip flops needed in and out of the pool. The Beach Pool was our favorite, as it was the only salt water pool. The others were equally as active. Dinner on this first formal night was informal for us – we grabbed pizzas, sandwiches and other finger foods from the free venues, and a couple glasses of wine at our favorite spot on the ship, Vintages. Later, we watched the Ocean Aria show from our balcony and really enjoyed it. We caught parts of it 2 more times throughout the week. Watching them dive from the heights they did was incredible and the pool itself is really cool. At night, we went to a few bars and went to bed fairly early.

Our first port was Labadee, Haiti. The ship arrived on time and backed in. Breakfast was at Johnny Rockets, which proved to be a pretty good free option and we would come back one or two more times this week. We had an incredible view from our balcony of the island mountains. Reservations for the 9am Dragons Breath Zip line was made so that we could enjoy the beach afterwards. We made our way over to the staging area and checked in. They offered us an earlier ride, and we were off and running. Free lockers were available in the staging area, a quick harness class and off to the practice course. Before long, we were practicing and being driven up the mountain for our flight. The whole experience was incredible, views amazing and the thrill was great – but the ride was short and expensive. Glad I did it, would recommend doing it to others, but not sure if I could cough up the money to do it again next time. I was upset to see the island so overtaken by development, but guess it is the way the ship makes its money. Has been a few years since we were there and the blockade of the cove beach by the suite only area and huge junk market were both disappointing. The market was comical, and I think these people could sell snow shovels to people in Hawaii. The same junk stand after stand with the harassing lines of make me an offer, this is the best, I have hand made this, this is great, I have not made any sales all day, come in and look, etc. The 3 people we made sales from were actually people who were not pressuring us and were polite (magnet, wood toy, shirt) for a total of about $30. Prices are very negotiable. As expected, we made our way back to the ship shortly after lunch and kind of wish we went back before lunch. Typical BBQ stuff but it was not the best and it would be recommended that you just go back to the ship and eat some better food in an empty restaurant or dining venue. Onboard, I got in lots of flow rider rides, the pools were empty and we got some more food and drinks before the ship filled up for sail away. Take some water shoes for the beach, it is rocky. Take a small trek around the island (where they let you go) and take some photos. At night, we went to the Comedy Club and enjoyed the 2 comedians who performed. Get there early for a good seat as the theater is small (almost appears as an afterthought as not much room was given to this popular venue.) For dinner, we went to the Brazilian style steak house, Samba Grill. The food was incredible, though the music was a little loud at times. We are big wine drinkers and wanted a bottle with dinner - they offered us the recommended pairing – a $75 bottle which is already on the table. The meat kept coming and the sides from the bar were equally as good. This is a carnivore dream and is best tackled with an empty stomach, as you will get your fill. The entertainment was a girl dancing periodically and trying to get people up to dance with her. Good attempt provided some entertainment.

Pulling into Jamaica the following morning, the ship backed into the port docking on the Starboard side. The view was great from our Boardwalk balcony room. Unlike other stops, the gangway was opened up in many spots so no matter which elevator you got on, you could hit the gangway button and get off. The port area owned by RC had a bunch of stores and stands set up with low quality items and overpriced coffee. 3 other couples, my wife and I split a private tour which we pre-arranged with a company that the others had used on a few occasions. Peat put us on his very clean, almost new bus and took us to Rose Hall to see the haunted estate – this was something we really wanted to do. The tour guide at the Hall took us on a very nice tour explaining the history and story of the estate and we took our time going from room to room. After walking the grounds we boarded the bus and headed towards Montego Bay. We stopped off at the Tortuga Rum Cake factory for some odds and ends and realized later that the prices were pretty high on some things, but good on the rum. Our next stop was a supermarket in the middle of town. It allowed us to go inside and purchase the Blue Mountain coffee that everyone raves about at an incredible price (less than half of the price in the Falmouth square shops.) We also picked up some snacks and beverages. For lunch, Peat took us to a local restaurant which I forget the name of. It was an all outside restaurant with a bar and an outdoor grill. The food was incredible – pork, chicken, rice, bread fruit of the island and a few other local flavors. This was some of the best food I had on the entire trip, hands down. Soon after, another tour group came in and the line was 15 people deep until we left. A short drive around the island and we made our way back to Falmouth. We strolled around for a bit in the port area but really wanted to get back on the ship and prepare for the night. Pretty sure this was the night we did Ritas Fiesta at the Boardwalk cantina. With the three drinks included, the for-fee dinner was worth it, otherwise I would upset with just the food. Average Mexican style food served family style. Be forewarned, the place is extremely loud, do not sit anywhere near the speakers. Some dancing and attempts to get the crowd in a fiesta mood made the evening a little fun and a draw for the outsiders. Probably would not do it if we sailed on the Allure again.

Thursday was a sea day, we slept in late and had fun on the ship. Flow rider, swimming, playing in the casino and sometime in the adults only area, where we had breakfast. The food here had a healthy flare to it and is the place to go if you are health conscious. By now, our dreams of going to the gym every morning were just that – dreams. We saw it the first day on the ship and that was the end of that. The gym did look nice, and I hear people used the very nice equipment, but it just didn’t fit into our agenda this time around. Instead, we hit the soft serve yogurt machines on the pool deck (counted them in 3 places, including the Wipe Out Café and also 2 located mid ship between the pools, one on each side. The Wipe Out café was a great place to grab some quick free food throughout the day to include dogs, pizza, fries, and drinks. Like every eating place on the ship, staff was at the door to make sure all patrons used the hand sanitizer before approaching the food. The adults only area was a really relaxing place to sit back and enjoy a drink or sometime in the small pool. It was a bit strange – warmer than a pool, but not quite hot tub warm. The fountains were a nice touch. This being the second formal night, we decided last minute to hit the dining room and have dinner in there. We did not pack formal clothing per say, but my wife wore a nice dress and I put on khaki pants and a polo shirt. By no means was I out of place, even on a formal night. Again, we shared a table with 2 other couples and really enjoyed their company. On the topic of the dining room, it appeared that on the regular night they did not enforce the sandals or shorts rule, and on the formal night people wore jeans and other not-so formal clothing. For me, I could care less if people were dressed formally or comfortable. I did not want to wear a suit again and pose for pictures I know I am not going to buy – I wanted a solid meal and the dining room was my option. To much disappointment, the lobster they were serving was the spiny Caribbean kind. Being from New England, I could not entertain the idea of eating this kind, nor would I ever pay $35 for the Maine Lobster option on the menu. At the docks back home, one could pick up 5 for that price, or 3 in the supermarket. Dinner was good, had some pasta and scallops that was not on the menu but recommended by the waiter. Again, a lot of foods had nuts on it, including the scallops if I opted for the off-the-menu and every dessert option. We missed the Blue Planet show tonight but took in a movie.

Cozumel was our last port stop and did not disappoint us in the least. Ship docked on the starboard side and we made our way through the cruise ship / port owned shopping area and jumped into a taxi. The prices are posted right at the gate how much you will have to pay to most sites. This is always a fun stop and this time was no different. We selected Paradise Beach, a $13 taxi ride 10 minutes from the port. The driver was very nice, cab clean and weather perfect. Upon arriving at Paradise Beach, we were greeted by an employee who explained to us how the beach club worked - $2 gets you a pass to the shower and changing room / bathroom area, $12 gets you a different wrist band to have access to the water park attractions (trampoline, iceberg climbing wall, rocker, slides, jump things). There would be a $10 per person minimum purchase at the bar/restaurant and all the snorkeling and water activities would be included with our bracelets. Chairs and umbrellas were free. We opted for the two bracelets and were escorted through the pristine grounds to the beach. Past a great pool and a few bars, the beach was nice and few people there. One half is rocky leading into the water, and one half cleared out. At no time did anyone pressure us to purchase drinks, nor remind us of a minimum purchase. We put our stuff down and spent the next hour on the water park attractions. This is the same stuff the cruise line charges twice the price to use on Labadee, for one hour! They had a lifeguard in a kayak who was available to assist patrons if needed and the bottom was touchable in areas throughout the park, but deep enough under the floats to be safe. I do recommend seeing how deep it is before you jump in from anywhere high though, as one area was a little shallow and adults could hit bottom. We went up to the pool for a bit of swimming, drinks and sun after and really enjoyed it. Chairs in the water and it was refreshing. For lunch, we had some burritos, nachos and a few more drinks. The prices were very reasonable and the food delicious. That afternoon, I went snorkeling with my own equipment (could have used theirs for free) and did not have high expectations from what I read on Cruise Critic and TripAdvisor. There were a few fish near the dock, but that was about it. We showered up in the outdoor showers and used the changing rooms to get into dry clothes. After making a purchase in one of the 2 shops at the beach (very reasonably priced) we went out front and jumped in one of the waiting taxies for a ride back to the port. Once there, we made our way through the typical port shops and saw some friends on the deck of Senior Frogs (there are 2, one inside the port area and one 5 minutes down the street.) I hate their tactics at this place, but ventured in anyway. The waitress came running over and started to pour shots and litteraly pour them down our throats faster than you can say NO to, which my wife did not know they would charge $7 each for, but whatever we didn’t spend that much on the island so I didn’t complain. I had been here before and know the angle. We did order 2 drinks and were surprised at the $24 bill for them though, but they were good. Back on board the Allure, we changed up and headed out for dinner.

For this Friday dinner we had plans to eat at Giovannis, the Italian restaurant in Central Park. We started off with drinks at Vintages and a selection of tapas. We found this place to be great, with wonderful service and ambiance, and the tapas were great. Try a few different kinds each time you visit and you will surly find some that are out of this world. I also found this to be a great place to use my BUY ONE GET ONE FREE drink coupons – on the most expensive glasses of wine we could find. Heck, if you are going to do it, do it right. Dinner was out of this world and our favorite selections of food on board the ship. The waiter made some recommendations for wine and dinner options, all of which we took. You can find the menu items on other boards, but they change from time to time. Again, every dessert had nuts on it, so I washed it down with an ice cream as always. We contemplated changing our reservation for tomorrow from Chops to here, but opted to keep with our original plan. If I could do it again, I would go here for lunch on a day or two as many suggested. I hear the menu is similar, portions good, and food equally as impressive. Afterwards, we made our way by some photographers in the park, took some pictures and went to a few bars around the ship – listened to music and relaxed. Late night swimming in the adults area and Jacuzzis capped a wonderful day.

Saturday was our last full day aboard the Allure and was spent at sea. Back to the flowrider, some swimming time in a few pools and a poker tournament highlighted the days. Dinner was at Chops this evening and was pretty good, but not over the top. We spent the night clubbing, going to the karaoke bar and wandering around the ship. Selecting express check out, we did not have to put our bags outside our room this evening, but would have to be up early in the AM. We found out the hard way that room service on the last night ended really early and were disappointed that we could not get a late night fix without running downstairs for some pizza slices.

Waking up at 630, we were out of the room by 7am with our luggage in hand. We walked off the ship, went through customs in a matter of minutes, past the huge cluster of people looking for their luggage and right outside to a waiting taxi. The process from room to taxi was well under 30 minutes.

Some of the things I learned along the way, or made notes about for this ship and sailing are the following.

1. To use your cell phone, dial 001-(area code)-phone number.

2. Sail away show at Aqua Theater around 5:15pm

3. Bring water shoes for labadee, and a rash guard shirt for flowrider.

4. Sail away from Deck 11, port side - have friends watch on www.portfever.com

5. Bring a sweater/jacket to the Amber Theater if you go to see Chicago. It gets cold!

6. Aquatheater show can cancel if the seas are rough. See it early in case they cancel

7. Yogurt machines in wipeout cafe, 2 others between the two forward pools (free) deck 15

8. Sorrento's pizza – get a custom made one, put in box, take to the park!

9. Boardwalk Dogs; (free and nice selection, try them all)

10. Pinnacle Lounge: deck 16 (nice view for picture taking)

11. Shuffle Board courts are located behind Aquatheater

12. Scavenger hunt book – Live on the Allure – buy on the Rising Tides

13. They have nice custom salads at Park café

14. Johnny Rockets has a fresh (free) breakfast each morning

15. Scrapbooking gave some free embellishments specific to the cruise ship

16. For Cozumel, look into Nachi Cocom all inclusive and Paradise Beach for fun

17. Resturaunts that are included in price of admission on Allure:

· Winjammer

· Solarium Bistro free for breakfast and lunch, turns to Samba Grill for dinner (pay)

· Wipe Out Cafe

· Park Cafe (not to be confused with 150 Central Park)

· Dog House

· Johnny Rockets (breakfast only)

· Donut Shop (they are there in the AM on the Boardwalk)

· Sorrento's Pizza

· Promenade Café

18. Check out the wedding chapel. It is so peaceful there and the view is incredible.

19. Behind the FlowRiders. lounges and free telescopes

20. Onboard by 11:00 am, rooms ready around 1PM

21. Falmouth - About 15 minutes before sailaway ,go on deck 4 to watch the dock show

22. If you do the Flowrider...bring a rashguard or tee or tank

23. Schooner Bar for casual drinks and watch Dreamworks Parade from here;

24. Booth on the Royal Promenade where you can send a FREE video postcard

25. Your Welcome aboard family picture is used for facial recognition for all other photos

26. Public balcony end of deck 11 and 12 that overlooks the aft of the ship and Aqua Theatre

27. Cooking Classes: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/conten...scriptions.pdf

28. Breakfast in the Solarium. Nice spread of fruit and very good oatmeal

29. Internet must be set up in the public area before you can use in your room. If you have a coupon, you have to go to the Main Lobby desk 1st, give them your ticket then go to the internet room to set up account. You can then go to your room and use your wireless. Make sure to log out as detailed in the web page that pops up when you log in! The cost was .65c per minute, and the speed was okay for email.

30. Candy was .75c per ounce in the candy store! Bring your own.

31. Small fridge was stocked with snacks, soda and red bull.

32. Room safe is small – do not expect to put a laptop in it.

33. If you are healthy, use the stairs. You will wait if you use the elevators.

34. Animal towels? 2 nights we had them.

35. Unlike past cruises, I did not feel as though they were making announcements every five minutes to sell me something. This one was actually quite reserved in that aspect.

36. Smoke – only an issue in the English pub, casino and salsa bar. Avoid them and be okay.

37. Compared the cost of pub special beers to those at my local supplier. $20 for a $4 beer. You get the picture.

38. There is a 'sun deck' that's not really advertised much on deck 14. It's got only one entrance at the end of a cabin hallway on the PORT side only. You can walk right onto the top of the bridge wings and get a bridge-eye view of all ship docking procedures, use the telescope or just take in the great views.

39. Sign your waiver online ahead of time so you can go right to the Zip Line when it opens on embarkation day and get a ton of rides in before it gets busy.

40. Before your go, take a picture of your luggage inside and out. This will make them easier to identify your belongings if they are lost. Put some of each person’s stuff in each bag.

41. http://www.insuremytrip.com call them to get the perfect policy!

42. Bring zip lock bags with you. Go to the Park Café and get some sandwiches to take ashore with you, or put in your fridge for a snack.

43. They will offer bottle water with meals – and then charge you for them. Get tap water for free.

44. Drinks of the day are more expensive, and come in a take home cup you will throw away.

45. In Chops, you can get some great martinis, including the cucumber martini. They are $14 each, but come in a really nice glass you can take home, all boxed up.

46. We had a Boardwalk balcony, and loved it. Room 11327, the second from the end. Views of the ocean were good, the theater was great, and it was steps to the public balcony. I do not think I would have enjoyed it as much had we been any further then the third or fourth room from the end of the hall. Keeping the blinds closed when changing didn’t really bother me too much. The endless walk to an elevator…….

47. Room credit appeared on day 2.

Overall, we loved the ship, and were glad that we were able to sail the western route aboard this great ship. Royal did a great job in dispersing people throughout the ship and on our sailing it seemed empty. We are now set to sail our first Carnival (Dream) cruise come March and looking for our 2013 cruise. I do not have the Compasses, but if you have any questions, I will try to answer.

Excellent review! So well-written, and thorough!

Just one note about the Comedy Club:

It is deliberately small. Comedy works best in an intimate venue. The show is performed FIFTEEN times during your week-long cruise, so there is ample opportunity to go.

:)

Great review We will be sailing on her is less than 4 weeks!!!!:D

Wow, great detailed review with lots of pointers for future cruisers, good job.

Kirk

Thanks for the great review.

We're sailing the Allure Western for Thanksgiving and staying at the same hotel. What time were you able to leave for the port? I'd like to get there early. Did you sign up in advance? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

 

47. Room credit appeared on day 2.

 

I sailed the week after you (Oct. 2 departure) and I also wished that I had known that the OBC does not appear on day one. They have to manually add it to everyone's account and they told me that 90% of the people on the ship have some type of OBC, so it takes a while.

Also, I prepaid my gratuities but they never showed up on my tv account and only showed up on day six when they were delivered to my room.

Thanks for the great review.

 

We're sailing the Allure Western for Thanksgiving and staying at the same hotel. What time were you able to leave for the port? I'd like to get there early. Did you sign up in advance? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Just outside the lobby they had a shuttle service sign up area. We woke up, showered, packed and went downstairs at around 930 or so and were on the first shuttle to the port at around 1000 I think. We arrived at the port very early and were in the first group allowed to board (after the suite / diamond people, of course.)

Originally I thought we would take a taxi, but the shuttle was perfect. We did not need to sign up in advance, but I think we just lucked out as we took the last 2 seats. The port is minutes from the hotel.

Item 42...most ports do not allow you to carry food ashore unless it is prepackaged.

Thanks for the review.

Great review. We were on the same sailing with you and dined in the same restaurants, same nights that you did! Small world. We had been on Oasis, so we knew what to expect, but had a wonderful time on this sailing and it sounds like you did too. We are sailing on Navigator in March and my husband & I both said she will feel "small". We look forward to sailing Allure again.

Thanks for putting your thoughts down about 'our' cruise Brian. Enjoyed reading this and you were a wonderful boardwalk balcony neighbor :)

Agree about Rita's for the fiesta...VERY loud as we were near speakers as well and food only mediocre.

Oh here is direct link to the youtube video of that awesome sail away. Thanks for being there with us all

Brian here you are at sail away and a few other of your friends. Photos courtesy of Lou Inletphotos.com Thank you so much!

Thanks for the comments all, and Emmy, special thanks for putting together the wonderful sail away! Hope to get a few pics up here some day.

Great review, really enjoyed reading it and have printed off your tips.

This will be our first time on a Genesis Class ship so we have lots to learn.

How long in advance of your cruise did you reserve for the specialty restaurants and shows?

Many thanks.

Puffinater: Glad you pointed out that #42 is not allowed; I would have made the same note.

Kathy:)

Thank you for an excellent review.

Can you tell me what tour company you used for your Falmouth haunted estate & lunch & a website.

Thanks.

Dee Dee

Just outside the lobby they had a shuttle service sign up area. We woke up, showered, packed and went downstairs at around 930 or so and were on the first shuttle to the port at around 1000 I think. We arrived at the port very early and were in the first group allowed to board (after the suite / diamond people, of course.)

 

Originally I thought we would take a taxi, but the shuttle was perfect. We did not need to sign up in advance, but I think we just lucked out as we took the last 2 seats. The port is minutes from the hotel.

Thanks. Exactly what we were hoping for. I'd prefer to get there early.

Thanks. Exactly what we were hoping for. I'd prefer to get there early.

We were also at the Renaissance and we did sign up the day prior for the 10am shuttle. They had a table set up in the courtyard taking names and pre paying the $6 pp.

Allure was the only ship in port that day but if there are more than one ship and I know there will be I would sign up ahead or at least ask as you check in.

We were also at the Renaissance and we did sign up the day prior for the 10am shuttle. They had a table set up in the courtyard taking names and pre paying the $6 pp.

 

Allure was the only ship in port that day but if there are more than one ship and I know there will be I would sign up ahead or at least ask as you check in.

Thanks for the feedback. We actually have two reservations for the Rennassance and the Courtyard on the Beach. I feel okay about canceling the beach one and staying at the Rennaissaice.

There are four ships in port that day.

 

How long in advance of your cruise did you reserve for the specialty restaurants and shows?

 

Many thanks.

 

Kathy:)

Thank you! June 9th the reservations opened up for our sailing for the restaurants, the entertainment was about a week later. RC releases the reservation availability in blocks, so some sailings are a lot further out then others.

Thank you for an excellent review.

 

Can you tell me what tour company you used for your Falmouth haunted estate & lunch & a website.

 

Thanks.

 

Dee Dee

Peat Taylor Tours. We actually had Peat on this one, but his son also does some of the trips. He will customize the trip to your liking, taking you anywhere you want on his bus. Get a few couples and you will really have fun. He made some recommendations and we had some ideas that we wanted to stick with. Here is his web site, the reviews on trip advisor, and youtube videos of the Rose Hall (if you like haunted places, old estates, this is really nice.)

http://www.ochoriosjamaicatours.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147312-d780599-Reviews-Peat_Taylor_Tours-Ocho_Rios_Jamaica.html

Thank you! June 9th the reservations opened up for our sailing for the restaurants, the entertainment was about a week later. RC releases the reservation availability in blocks, so some sailings are a lot further out then others.

I will keep checking for our cruise. Thanks again.

Kathy

Thank you for the great review! I read that you have a nut allergy and was wondering if you contacted guest services before the cruise regarding this. My daughter has a nut allergy as well and we carry epipens for her. Before we left on the Freedom, I contacted them and we had special food, bread, and desserts prepared separately for her. She never was sick from the food. I am thinking of Allure for our next cruise and was curious if you had any further advice regarding this allergy for the ship.

Thanks for a great review,

Barb

Thank you for the great review! I read that you have a nut allergy and was wondering if you contacted guest services before the cruise regarding this. My daughter has a nut allergy as well and we carry epipens for her. Before we left on the Freedom, I contacted them and we had special food, bread, and desserts prepared separately for her. She never was sick from the food. I am thinking of Allure for our next cruise and was curious if you had any further advice regarding this allergy for the ship.

Thanks for a great review,

Barb

No, we did not. I think we did on one of the other sailings and they told us to remind the waiter nightly, which was okay because we had the same waiter every night. Here, eating in a different restaurant every night we would have a different server every night. One or two dinners had nuts, and a few of the appetizers) it was the deserts throughout the ship that had them that really hit it. The wait staff was very helpful in inquiring for us each time, as the first thing I would tell the waiter nightly was about my allergy and to make sure what I ordered was safe. One or two random things had nuts that only someone allergic and asking would think about (scallops one night had them, why???) but I always make it a point to tell the server. Ice Cream was the safety for me.

Brian great review.