OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! B2B Allure!!!

[kath00]

OK, can you tell I am excited! I just booked B2B cruises on Allure of the Seas for Spring Break 2013! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT! I dunno why I feel like a kid in a candy store right now, but I am just jumping up and down! We usually cruise Princess but I have been on the Mariner (before they moved it from LA) and just LOVED it. We have been looking to go back on RCCL for a while now.

 

On top of it all, we booked the same Owner's Suite for both cruises plus the connecting balcony cabin for our family of 6 so for the first time, we will have true connecting rooms.

 

Any advice or tips on B2B cruising on Allure? I am just thrilled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D

 

Katherine

[cynt]

CONGRATULATIONS!

 

I don't have any advice but I'm extremely happy for you! :D

[ASeaPrincess1]

Ohhhh, Katherine! How exciting for you!!! Can I be an honorary family member????:D:D:D

[Jimnbigd]

Can I be a member of your family? :D

You will have the same MDR menu both weeks. I'm guessing you will have the same dining table and waiters too.

Many shows will be the same but hopefully you will have different headliners.

The ice show is definitely worth seeing more than once, I think.

I here the musical play (currently it is "Chicago") is worth seeing perhaps more than once.

Have a great time.

[chef_christoph]

You be as excited as you want...I'll live vicariously through you and your excitement :)

[firefly333]

Id be OMG OMG OMG too, dont blame you. I am so excited for Oasis and not even a B2B. I just want to see it with my own eyes.

[joand452]

Katherine, you are going to love it! We did our first B2B on Allure in March. It was fabulous; every day we talk about how much we loved the ship and can't wait to sail her or Oasis.

 

We had the same cabin both weeks, too, but did switch dining tables. I don't know if that was because we were linked with three other cabins for the first week and none for the second. It was not an issue; the wait staff each week was superb. I tried to have something different the second week.

 

On turnaround day, all the consecutive cruisers met at the Schooner Bar where we were given our new seapass cards. We had to keep the old ones in order to debark. After the last passenger left (and there were some who just didn't want to leave ;)), we went down to customs, walked pass the customs agent with our open passport and made an immediate u-turn back to a waiting area. We had to wait about 20 minutes to get back onto the ship. Then we were given lunch at Giovanni's Table (very good) and had to wait until 1:00 to get back into our cabin, just like the new pax. It was very well organized. We changed C&A levels from gold to platinum, so had the new platinum coupon books in our cabin (and became emerald by the end of the cruise; we were in a JS).

 

I spread our show bookings out, but forgot to make reservations for the headliner and comedy shows for each week. It wasn't a problem. We just stood in the stand-by lines. Next time (I hope there will be a next time) I'll remember to book those shows for each week.

 

Even with two weeks, we didn't do and see everything on that ship because we spent a lot of time relaxing. That's why we need to go on again!!

 

Hope you love it as much as we did!!

[kath00]

Wow, the transition sounds easy! Were you able to leave your bags in your room and just get off and come back on? I assume you don't have to take your luggage off to get cleared again.

 

What do you guys do in ports? I am just starting to look at the stops (we've been to most in the past but always to dive, pre-children). I KNOW the kids (8 and 13) wanna go to Atlantis and do the waterpark in Nassau but the time seems very short. I think we'll have to go through RCCL for it so as to not miss the ship... I am not sure what is safe to do in Jamaica either. OOOOH I am giddy with excitement at all the planning. And it's still 2 years away! This is gonna be the longest countdown clock ever!

 

Katherine

[joand452]

No need to take any bags with you when you get off the ship (the first time). I had no idea how long we'd be, so I took my purse with my Kindle -- and, of course, our passports.

 

You're not in Nassau very long, so I don't think going to the waterpark at Atlantis is very cost effective. You'd probably get a couple of hours at most. DH stayed on the ship, but I got off long enough to take some photos and buy a gift in the terminal building. We'd been to most of the ports before, so tried to do something a little different. We liked to do something for a few hours in the morning, getting back to the ship for lunch.

 

In St. Thomas, we took a cab to Emerald Beach Best Western (~$10) and used the beach for a few hours. Just had to pay to rent chairs. There's a restaurant there and water sports. We just hung out.

 

We'd never been to St. Marten, so took a cab out to Maho Beach (to watch the planes land) and then walked around the pier-side shopping area. Definitely want to go back so we can see the French side.

 

On the western side, we spent the day at Labadee, took the trolley tour (not through the ship) and free shuttle to Rose Hall shops in Falmouth and went to Nachi Cocum in Cozumel. That's not through the ship, either.

 

I'm ready to go back, but DH's job is in flux, so we have no cruise planned for next year. Usually we're counting down the days by now... :( Hopefully we'll know what's going on in the fall and book something last minute for the spring.

[kath00]

Thank you Joan. I hope you can go back too! We have to cancel one of our Sapphire Princess cruises (either Oct 11 or Spring 12) to be able to afford this! I am willing to give up one cruise but not both, as I feel like I need a "fix" every 6 months or so.

 

We just got off the B2B Princess West Coast and Alaska and it was WONDERFUL. 14 days on a ship is really the ideal time and we came home relaxed instead of feeling like we need another vacation after a vacation. Funny that I am ready to board a ship again and it's only been a month! AAAAH.

 

I am going to have to look at the Nassau plans. The kids really wanna do the lazy river at Atlantis (they advertise it on our TV here in San Diego all the time but OMG it is soooooo far to fly out there).

 

Kids also may want to try snuba. Dunno if that's an option but it would be fun for them if the waters are warm. Thanks again for all the tips!

 

Katherine

[misslizzxo]

 

Kids also may want to try snuba. Dunno if that's an option but it would be fun for them if the waters are warm. Thanks again for all the tips!

 

Katherine

 

I'm doing snuba in just a week and a half in St Thomas!! We're doing it through RCCL. Hope it's fun! And congrats on the B2B cruises!! *jealous*!!!

-Lizz

[Jimnbigd]

...This is gonna be the longest countdown clock ever!

I'd do two clocks -- one for the 2nd part of the B2B.

[kath00]

I'm doing snuba in just a week and a half in St Thomas!! We're doing it through RCCL. Hope it's fun! And congrats on the B2B cruises!! *jealous*!!!

-Lizz

 

Lizz

 

Please please let me know how it goes! Do you mind possibly finding out what is the youngest age one can do snuba? I would love for my younger girl to come with us too.

 

I would really, really appreciate it! Katherine

[Cruising89143]

You will love the B2B. You need two full weeks to really enjoy what this ship has to offer. We did a B2B in January. It was outstanding. :)

[Cruising89143]

Id be OMG OMG OMG too, dont blame you. I am so excited for Oasis and not even a B2B. I just want to see it with my own eyes.

 

 

Fire, when are you on the Oasis?

[ASeaPrincess1]

We have to cancel one of our Sapphire Princess cruises (either Oct 11 or Spring 12) to be able to afford this! I am willing to give up one cruise but not both, as I feel like I need a "fix" every 6 months or so.

Katherine

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek:

[misslizzxo]

Lizz

 

Please please let me know how it goes! Do you mind possibly finding out what is the youngest age one can do snuba? I would love for my younger girl to come with us too.

 

I would really, really appreciate it! Katherine

 

Youngest age to participate is 8 years. This is for RCCL's snuba excursion in St Thomas. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes! I'm so excited :)

-Lizz

[will773]

I'm SSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOO jealous! I wish that I could spend two weeks on the Allure. I will get to be on her in 4 days though! :D

[kath00]

Youngest age to participate is 8 years. This is for RCCL's snuba excursion in St Thomas. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes! I'm so excited :)

-Lizz

 

YESSSSS~! That's great news! We'll definitely do that with both kids then. YIPEEEE. Thank you so much for checking!!! :D:D:D

 

Will773: Speaking of jealous -- 4 days!?!?!?! WOWOWOWOW! Gotta go make my countdown clock right now. I am dreading seeing some 500+ days to go! :eek:

 

Katherine

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Kath, you are so fortunate to have a B2B on Allure. The ship is so filled with fun and wonders that it really does take two weeks to enjoy her in a leisurely fashion, plus repeat favorite activities. Even with two weeks the time will pass really, really fast.

 

If I were so fortunate to have a B2B on Allure, I would visit the jazz club every single night. I really enjoyed that place immensely, yet entirely too few people go or do not tarry long there. There were times when I had the band all to myself.

[will773]

Will773: Speaking of jealous -- 4 days!?!?!?! WOWOWOWOW! Gotta go make my countdown clock right now. I am dreading seeing some 500+ days to go! :eek:

 

I am so excited. Yikes...I couldn't handle 500+ days of waiting. We only had 120 and it feels like a whole year! :eek:

[ALSEAU]

Can I be a member of your family? :D

You will have the same MDR menu both weeks. I'm guessing you will have the same dining table and waiters too.

Many shows will be the same but hopefully you will have different headliners.

The ice show is definitely worth seeing more than once, I think.

I here the musical play (currently it is "Chicago") is worth seeing perhaps more than once.

Have a great time.

 

We have done 3 B2B on 3 different cruise ships and never had the same table or wait staff for both cruises. The explanation has always been that the wait staff rotate stations weekly so that everyone shares in the good and bad locations in the MDR in their relationship to the Galley.

[BillOh]

I dunno why I feel like a kid in a candy store right now,

 

A kid in Candy Beach perhaps? 400 or so days to think about it. ;)

[Jimnbigd]

We have done 3 B2B on 3 different cruise ships and never had the same table or wait staff for both cruises. The explanation has always been that the wait staff rotate stations weekly so that everyone shares in the good and bad locations in the MDR in their relationship to the Galley.

 

Makes sense. Thanks for the info. Also, I guess the cabin attendant could change even if you keep the same cabin.

[kath00]

A kid in Candy Beach perhaps? 400 or so days to think about it. ;)

 

LOL, so true! I am trying to book things like the hotel before and after the cruise but NOTHING is available for 2013. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING??? Don't they know that cruisers are obsessive/compulsive and otherwise just downright crazy with planning???

 

K