Not so "LIVE" Allure of the Seas Review with PIX!

[QTMichele]

It IS amazing! Feel free to post your picture here too. :)

[justluv2cruisewithhubby]

Excellent job on writing this review Michelle, it took me two days to read all 17 pages but well worth it. I've captured some nice tips for our cruise in Sept. Thank you :)

[Snorkel Dawg]

I'm not even 40 yet and can't remember my kids' names... so perhaps there really is no secret spot and I'm making it all up?!

 

 

Hey Michelle-Cruise critic this week featured an article on Allure which mentioned "your" secret aft balconies...so I guess the cat is outta the bag

 

 

Nice kitty :D

Dawg

[QTMichele]

Excellent job on writing this review Michelle, it took me two days to read all 17 pages but well worth it. I've captured some nice tips for our cruise in Sept. Thank you :)

 

So glad you found my review, and thanks for reading! I'm so ready to start another one... Allure 2012, here I come! :D Have a great cruise!

 

Hey Michelle-Cruise critic this week featured an article on Allure which mentioned "your" secret aft balconies...so I guess the cat is outta the bag

 

 

Nice kitty :D

Dawg

 

Darn... next thing you know, they'll be saying that someone else found "my" secret aft balconies first. Hmmph. ;)

[Snorkel Dawg]

Michelle-I've a few questions regarding the shows on Allure. Hoping you might have the answers.

 

Did you prebook entertainment? When you book entertainment are you actually assigned seats? Do you know how far in advance you can book entertainment on the ship?

 

 

Thanks!

S. Dawg

[QTMichele]

Michelle-I've a few questions regarding the shows on Allure. Hoping you might have the answers.

 

Did you prebook entertainment? When you book entertainment are you actually assigned seats? Do you know how far in advance you can book entertainment on the ship?

 

 

Thanks!

S. Dawg

 

I have *all* the answers! lol

 

YES, we prebooked all the shows available and highly recommend doing so. The reservation system opens up about 90 days prior to sailing (ours was about 110 days or so). Your reservations are linked to your SeaPass card, which will be scanned upon arrival at the venue. You must arrive early as they will open the venue to the stand-by line about 10 minutes prior to the start of the show. Seats are not assigned - it's first come, first serve.

 

Hope this helps!

[Snorkel Dawg]

Thanks Michele! :) You do have *all* the answers

Have a great day!

[joecat]

I have *all* the answers! lol

 

YES, we prebooked all the shows available and highly recommend doing so. The reservation system opens up about 90 days prior to sailing (ours was about 110 days or so). Your reservations are linked to your SeaPass card, which will be scanned upon arrival at the venue. You must arrive early as they will open the venue to the stand-by line about 10 minutes prior to the start of the show. Seats are not assigned - it's first come, first serve.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Hi Michele,

What shows would you recommend reserving in advance? Do you have to pre-reserve the "Ice" show as well?

Thanks,

Joe

[BillOh]

The reservation system opens up about 90 days prior to sailing

 

Hope this helps!

 

To elaborate, I BELIEVE that once a month they open up another month's worth of saildates for reservations, so if you sail on the 1st of the month you get about 90 days ahead, if your sailing on the 30th of the month you get closer to 120 days. I think they did this for specialty restaurants the same way.

[Baseball1999]

Hi Michele, How did you find out about the beer cooler? Was it on the Compassess anywhere? My husband will definately need to know about this. Thank you

 

I had read about the cooler on Cruise Critic, but I had also read that it was hit or miss. Maybe it's on all the ships on a regular basis now, but I didn't know, and I was THRILLED to find one.

 

Here's the deal: the cooler is FREE!!! Here's the catch: you have to buy 8 beers. On your next purchase, you get one free beer for every 7 you buy. Here's a better deal - buy a bucket of beer which is buy 5 get 1 free, then put them in your cooler.

 

[QTMichele]

baseball - we didn't see the coolers until mid-week, and then we saw quite a few bar staff wearing them and a few coolers set up at the pool bars. Being an avid CC follower, I knew immediately what they were! :D

[Snorkel Dawg]

We'll be needin one of those beer coolers too. I think we will be asking around the ship on day one.

[Baseball1999]

Thanks Michele, I am sure will be asking on Day 1 as well.

[RaiderFaninNM]

Hi Michele, How did you find out about the beer cooler? Was it on the Compassess anywhere? My husband will definately need to know about this. Thank you

 

I had read about the cooler on Cruise Critic, but I had also read that it was hit or miss. Maybe it's on all the ships on a regular basis now, but I didn't know, and I was THRILLED to find one.

 

Here's the deal: the cooler is FREE!!! Here's the catch: you have to buy 8 beers. On your next purchase, you get one free beer for every 7 you buy. Here's a better deal - buy a bucket of beer which is buy 5 get 1 free, then put them in your cooler.

 

 

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM..................Stella Artois and Dos Equis :cool:

 

Did you use the cooler the rest of the week, did you have to continue to buy 8 beers at a time?

[apollobeach]

Michele - We just came across your review....thanks much for all your hard work and very honest and constructive comments on The Allure....we sail on her on the 29th; now, after seeing your pictures and reviews of the venues on the ship, we think we're really going to enjoy ourselves.

 

John was born/raised in NYC, so look out for his pizza review!!!!!!:D Seriously, again, thanks - this helps any of us that are sailing on The Allure.

 

John/Rick

:p

[Snorkel Dawg]

and then we saw quite a few bar staff wearing them

 

Michele-I'm KINDA curious, how was the staff wearing the coolers?

I've worn a lampshade at the company holiday party but never a cooler!

I gotta get me one of those most "fashionable" RCL coolers.

 

 

Da RCLcooler, Da RCLcooler, Da RCLcooler is on fire!!!

[jbenedetto34]

Hi Michele, How did you find out about the beer cooler? Was it on the Compassess anywhere? My husband will definately need to know about this. Thank you

 

I had read about the cooler on Cruise Critic, but I had also read that it was hit or miss. Maybe it's on all the ships on a regular basis now, but I didn't know, and I was THRILLED to find one.

 

Here's the deal: the cooler is FREE!!! Here's the catch: you have to buy 8 beers. On your next purchase, you get one free beer for every 7 you buy. Here's a better deal - buy a bucket of beer which is buy 5 get 1 free, then put them in your cooler.

 

Hey Michelle,

 

Leaving on the Allure in the morning and I am very excited about my trip. Your review has started this cruise out perfectly for me. Thank you so much for your thoughts and insight.

 

I am very excited about the Beer Cooler. Is it something that you needed to ask for? Is it only at the pool bars?

 

Thank you again.

[QTMichele]

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM..................Stella Artois and Dos Equis :cool:

 

Did you use the cooler the rest of the week, did you have to continue to buy 8 beers at a time?

 

If you want the "discount" of buy 7 get the 8th free, then you have to "use" the cooler (must all be purchased at once). However, you can get a better discount by buying the bucket of beer and putting the beer in your cooler. The bar staff is great and refresh your ice anytime. Even our room steward did this. :)

 

Michele - We just came across your review....thanks much for all your hard work and very honest and constructive comments on The Allure....we sail on her on the 29th; now, after seeing your pictures and reviews of the venues on the ship, we think we're really going to enjoy ourselves.

 

John was born/raised in NYC, so look out for his pizza review!!!!!!:D Seriously, again, thanks - this helps any of us that are sailing on The Allure.

 

John/Rick

:p

 

Can't wait for your review! Have a great cruise, and thanks for the nice comments. :)

 

Michele-I'm KINDA curious, how was the staff wearing the coolers?

I've worn a lampshade at the company holiday party but never a cooler!

I gotta get me one of those most "fashionable" RCL coolers.

 

 

Da RCLcooler, Da RCLcooler, Da RCLcooler is on fire!!!

 

The coolers flatten out and were worn as a satchel. They weren't filled! ;)

 

Good luck wearing yours... maybe start a new fashion trend?!

[QTMichele]

Hey Michelle,

 

Leaving on the Allure in the morning and I am very excited about my trip. Your review has started this cruise out perfectly for me. Thank you so much for your thoughts and insight.

 

I am very excited about the Beer Cooler. Is it something that you needed to ask for? Is it only at the pool bars?

 

Thank you again.

 

WOW - tomorrow morning you are in for such a TREAT!!! Have a fantabulous time!!! Wish I was going with you! :D

 

Ask for the cooler at the pool bars (that's where we saw it), even if they don't have it out... maybe they'll get you one?! We didn't see them until mid-week, but who knows if that's the norm?

[D300]

Nice job!

Thanks for the review and the photos.

Can't wait for my b2b cruise in November.

[QTMichele]

Thank you! Your B2B sounds great... will have to try one myself one of these days. :)

[QTMichele]

Thank you! Your B2B sounds great... will have to try one myself one of these days. :)

[Buffett fan]

I just came across this review (better late than never!) and have to echo in with everyone else....thank you! I typically follow Radio and Trainman's reviews, but yours ranked right up there. I actually just booked a cruise on the Allure for next Feburary (I'll be boarding when you get off - darn it!). I will be reviewing yours and Radios reviews multiple times before we leave so I can remember all the *secrets* you all have shared. Thanks agains...and perhaps we'll cross paths on a cruise some day :)

[QTMichele]

I just came across this review (better late than never!) and have to echo in with everyone else....thank you! I typically follow Radio and Trainman's reviews, but yours ranked right up there. I actually just booked a cruise on the Allure for next Feburary (I'll be boarding when you get off - darn it!). I will be reviewing yours and Radios reviews multiple times before we leave so I can remember all the *secrets* you all have shared. Thanks agains...and perhaps we'll cross paths on a cruise some day :)

 

Thanks for the wonderful compliment! To be ranked with Radio and Trainman is the ultimate! I love their reviews as well and have been inspired by them and a few others to put hands to keyboard and type away. ;)

 

Have a wonderful cruise on Allure - and let us know how about your experience too! Feel free to change your date to one week earlier. :)

[Buffett fan]

I need to start spell checking before I hit enter - "thanks agains"...duhhh!

 

We booked the week of the 19th because it was part of a special sale over the Memorial Day weekend and the trip falls over a government holiday (one less day of leave for us to use and one more day of vacation later!). I originally called to book a balcony, but when I found out the cost of the balcony was $300 more per person versus an ocean view room, I decided that I could use that $300 for airfare instead. We are going to fly down a night early and stay at a hotel (recommended by Radio!), so the $300 savings on the cabin will help offset that a little too! Plus, I know once I get my confirmation, I'll really start spending money on specialty restaurants, and all the other fun stuff we can book in advance. ;) Maybe next time, I'll splurge on a balcony!

 

Regarding specialty restaurants, the only one we've tried before is Portofino (wonderful!), but after reading your review, I definitely want to try Chops and Rita's. Any others I missed or glazed over during your review that you thought were fabulous?

 

One more question - do you know if they had a mystery dinner theater on the Allure?

 

I'm so excited thinking about the new things I want to see on the Allure! I know I won't have time to see everything, but boy am I going to give it my best shot :)