Big Changes for Allure of the Seas: Sister Ship But NOT a Carbon Copy!

[negc]

Costa Maya is a small cruise ship resort. Never seen a cargo ship there. As they have no cranes and it's in the middle of nowhere, I wouldn't expect to see one! Unless the cargo they get is over-priced souvenirs (which they have in abundance). It can be difficult to dock there sometimes because the pier is really exposed to the sea. There's a local village, which has a nice beach that's about 10 mins away. Transport is easy to come by and reasonably priced. You can also make the trip out to the ruins. Only issue I have is that I've never really found anywhere that good to eat there.

Has most things that Jamaica can offer, except for that feeling of terror and dread whenever you walk around a Jamaican town.

All things considered, I'd rather go to Costa Mya.

 

I must say that I don't share your aversion to or your experiences in Jamaica and we have been there on several cruises and spent a week at an all-inclusive in Montego Bay and did not hesitate to go off property and into town. Obviously we paid attention to our surroundings as we would in any large city but there was sufficient police presence to make us feel quite safe and the native people whom we encountered were friendly and helpful.

[sissymaryuk]

I have been on the streets of Rio after midnight and felt safer there than I did in Montego Bay town. I've always been agressively pestered by druggies/beggars in Montego. You get the beggars most places in the Caribbean, but in Jamaica it was different. They didn't ask they demanded.

[az.kuehn]

so glad we booked B2B's for the Allure in 2011....we are going for the ship NOT the ports......sounds really great!

[damosen]

WOW! How about 3-D movies at sea! Is RCI the very first to offer that amenity. That is so cool.

 

Wrong. I know that Costa have a 4-D cinema at at least 5 ships of them. Now all the new ships of Costa came with it.

[jenmouse]

Disney also offers 3D movies.

[koterry]

LOL.....no your not alone....KO.....;)

[petesweet]

We appreciated the humour also, he he very funny...

 

OK - I'll bite (after four or five references that I've skipped over) - WHAT'S SO FUNNY?

Kathy

[BrianAlt]

After carefully examining the differences, we have decided to book the Allure. The tipping point was the iPod docking stations. Sorely missed those on the Oasis. ;)

 

Seriously though, probably will be bringing the family on the Allure in April, 2012. See you then!

[peteukmcr]

Seriously considering Allure for Sept 2012, deck 8 D8 cabin starboard (can't justify $175 pp extra for a D1 cabin just for a bigger balcony, the interior sq ft is no bigger than a D8).

 

Why Allure not Oasis? Rita's Cantina as opposed to the Sea Food Shack (cheaper as well and music at night), Dog House (no charge) and in room iPod dock and I reckon there'll be a lot of more 'snags' smoothed out from lessons learnt on Oasis.

[not2old]

Loved Costa Maya! My DH and SIL took the Mayan Ruins tour and the "girls" went to the beach in Mahahual. Transportation was right @ the dock, very cheap and in an air conditioned van. The water was gorgeous and beautiful beach. My DD and I got four chairs and a bucket of beer. By buying soft drinks for the kids and our beer, we got free chairs and great food/drink service! Wish we were there longer when the Allure docks in Jan!

[ChristianDecker]

With all those very interesting changes for the Allure (we did Oasis and on each sentence of the article I nodded my head), I am wondering if Rich will stay on the Oasis ?

Rich was once on the Freedom and stayed there even when Freedom's sister ships came out. That time the sister ships were - for me - more or less a "copy".

 

Hmm, maybe Rich will stay on the Oasis so you have to do the Oasis to see Rich and have a good reason to do the Allure too to see the new features :cool::p

[Natasha708]

What changes are in store? Read on here ----> http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3865

 

Good article. Thanks for the updates!

[jroyalfuture]

We just sailed on the Oasis this month and loved the ship. Funny, but because of all the different neighborhoods it felt sort of more intimate in places like a much smaller ship.The neighborhood concept seemed to disperse the guests, so it never felt over crowded, except for Dancing in the Streets Night in the Promenade, and that was fabulous fun. We loved the Solarium Bistro and tried it for all three meals. The roast beef sandwiches in the Park Cafe were to die for. And our service and food in the main dining room was great, as good as we've ever had on any cruise ship.

 

I think the changes in store for the Allure will only enhance it. But we did have two issues that I wish RCCL could resolve, but I don't know how they could on the Allure. There cabin storage was very inadequate in our D category balcony cabin, and the electrical outlets were insufficient and ridiculously located.

 

We've sailed on a lot of ships that we've loved, and if Royal Caribbean could find a way to address these issues we'd like the Oasis class as well as any ship that we've ever been on.

[Chuggiebug]

Was on the Oasis earlier this month and loved her. WE had a CP bacloncy and wnted a BW on teh Allure. Booked it yesterday and love all of the changes in this article.

 

Someone told DH last week that teh Allure would also have a new steakhouse(other than Chops). anyone know more about it? Is it true?

[Pumbaamd]

You must mean this:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1275354

Enjoy!

Rick and Deirdra

[MsSadie]

Loved the article on Allure, I'm really excited to be sailing on Allure next spring, just wish we were going sooner. :)

[luvmylilangels]

Was on the Oasis earlier this month and loved her. WE had a CP bacloncy and wnted a BW on teh Allure. Booked it yesterday and love all of the changes in this article.

 

Someone told DH last week that teh Allure would also have a new steakhouse(other than Chops). anyone know more about it? Is it true?

 

I bet he is referring to the new Brazilian Steakhouse Samba Grill that will be on the Allure. Here is the description from RCCL's website:

 

Samba Grill, exclusively onboard Allure of the SeasSM is located at the Solarium Bistro, Deck 15 forward, introduces a sumptuous steakhouse experience with personality and flare. Brazilian music fills the air as the Solarium Bistro transforms to a hearty authentic churrascaria.

The dining experience includes a wide selection of nightly prepared soups, salads and appetizers at the buffet. The main course is the feature and includes 13 different meats and seafood carved tableside. Samba's gaucho servers, Brazilian style cowboys, provide a unique flare at the table as guests can choose from each of the featured signature meats that are presented from the churrasco grill and carved individually for each guest.

[ATG]

"meats and seafood carved tableside"

 

How do you carve seafood? Any idea what type of seafood they will have?

[brfan]

"meats and seafood carved tableside"

 

How do you carve seafood? Any idea what type of seafood they will have?

 

I was recently on NCL's Epic and they have a similar restaurant onboard, though they didn't serve seafood. There was something like 10 different kinds of meat (2 chicken, 2 sausage, pork ribs, lamb and rest different types of beef (eg. garlic beef; tenderloin, etc). Your assigned waiter would come to your table with a different kind of meat on a skewer. Most of the meats were on the skewers in portion sizes and the waiter would drop one or two pieces on your plate. I think I only had one cut that required actual carving. I assume the seafood will be the same way. On your table is a card - one side green the other red. If you wish more meat turn the card to green and when you wish to take a break turn it to red.

 

It was very good, but if Allure's restaurant is anything like Moderno's on Epic come hungry and do not eat lots of salads or sides, especially if you want to try out a little of each meat and/or seafood. I was pretty much stuffed after meat #9, but my waiter talked me into having a taste of the last one (lamb), which was very good. She also talked me into dessert, which was also very good.

[ATG]

We've done this type of restaurant in Atlanta, but they did not have any seafood. I just could not picture seafood. But, I do remember little sausages that were skewered and they slid them off. I guess I can see shrimp or large scallops. Lobster tails would be nice!!!

[Chuggiebug]

I bet he is referring to the new Brazilian Steakhouse Samba Grill that will be on the Allure. Here is the description from RCCL's website:

 

Samba Grill, exclusively onboard Allure of the SeasSM is located at the Solarium Bistro,....

 

thank you for the info. We have never done my time dining before but enjoyed all of the different dining venues on the Oasis and decided that the Allure was a great ship to choose it!

[MiamiSpartan]

I'm always surprised that more ships don't offer iPod docks in each room....

[Sea-trial]

At the handover in Turku the captain anounced that Allure was longer than Oasis by 50mm

So if you want to be on the biggest cruise ship in the world it has to be Allure

[UNV-IT!!!]

oasis was great. i got the chance to eat at each place and i personally loved all of them. i like seafood a lot and i loved the seafood shack. i dont love mex but still think it will be a nice change for a different ship. all in all the changes i think will be good. soliarium bistro i personally didnt like at all. samba grill is like chima here in ft lauderdale. its really good stuff. i am super excited for that. thats my next cruise...... for now

[kb071853]

Also on the Oasis the Central Park was to hot to hang out during the day and most nights. Wish they would also move Vintages back on the Promenade as we like to go have a glass of wine before dinner, it was to far out of the way in Central Park.