Nov 4, Allure of the Seas, Western Caribbean - A Review and Complete Pictorial Guide!

[Burninghalo]

Gambee, I've been reading your review for quite some time now. I'm almost done. I have to say you did a fantastic job. I also wanted to say you sound like a lot of fun :) I think it's wonderful you cruise with your mom and boyfriend. Your mom sounds fun and outgoing as well.

Thanks for all the info, pictures and daily itineraries. My husband and I are going to be embarking February 24 on the Allure and your review has me beyond excited (btw it's our first time cruising ever). Your review has been soo helpful and I'm soo looking forward to our cruise. I also have a list made of what food to eat lol, Your pics had my mouth watering. Look forward to following you more on the boards to see more reviews in the future.

Happy New Year. :)

[MisterMom]

Let's get to 200,000 views... :p

[alaska_planner]

i'm still reading your review (i've only made it to page 18 so far) - and enjoying every second of it...

all the information and pictures and videos are fantastic!!!!...

 

another question - i saw on the compass that there is free frozen yogurt "on the pool deck"....where on the pool deck?

i adore frozen yogurt (much more than ice cream), so i'm guessing i might be a regular patron of the machine - if i know where it is!! :)

[Clarea]

i'm still reading your review (i've only made it to page 18 so far) - and enjoying every second of it...

all the information and pictures and videos are fantastic!!!!...

 

another question - i saw on the compass that there is free frozen yogurt "on the pool deck"....where on the pool deck?

i adore frozen yogurt (much more than ice cream), so i'm guessing i might be a regular patron of the machine - if i know where it is!! :)

There are at least 2 frozen yogurt machines on the pool deck just forward of the kids pool. There's also one in the Wipeout Cafe.

[alaska_planner]

There are at least 2 frozen yogurt machines on the pool deck just forward of the kids pool. There's also one in the Wipeout Cafe.

 

thanks!!

while everyone else is heading for the park cafe roast beef sandwiches (those things look vile to me :eek: - but i say that as a vegetarian :) ), i'll be heading for the frozen yogurt.... :D

[beachlovergirl]

thanks!!

while everyone else is heading for the park cafe roast beef sandwiches (those things look vile to me :eek: - but i say that as a vegetarian :) ), i'll be heading for the frozen yogurt.... :D

 

As a vegetarian, don't rule out the Park Cafe! For lunch they make salads where you pick out what you want on it. For breakfast they have amazing yogurt parfaits with fresh berries and granola topping......fresh cut fruit cups.....oatmeal......muffins and pastries. I also enjoyed the frozen yogurt by the pool......had a least one cone a day ! :D

 

Dee

[alaska_planner]

As a vegetarian, don't rule out the Park Cafe! For lunch they make salads where you pick out what you want on it. For breakfast they have amazing yogurt parfaits with fresh berries and granola topping......fresh cut fruit cups.....oatmeal......muffins and pastries. I also enjoyed the frozen yogurt by the pool......had a least one cone a day ! :D

 

Dee

 

sounds yummy! :)

[gambee]

Can't wait for your review of Breakaway in May..plus we will only 5 months from our first NCL cruise. Ken

 

I can't wait to be there already, I am almost done planning and now I got nothing to do for 4 month :(, lol.

 

 

Your review was awesome! Because I am going to be traveling with our 5 and 8 year olds, I'm using all kind of notes from your compass postings, including every Dreamworks picture op!

 

We are looking at Breakaway in 2014; it'll depend what comes out of RCI with their Sunshine class. But I LOVE the "lido deck" water park rides and ropes course; add to it Spongebob and it's a kids dream!! Will be looking for a picture of you with Spongebob or Dora! Can't wait to hear all about it!

 

Thank you again, carri

 

Glad you liked my review, I can't wait to hear what RCCL is going to come out with the sunshine project. I will definitely be there when the ship comes out. Breakaway floor plan does indeed look a lot of fun, can't wait to board her.

 

Hi Becky.... We can compare notes; I'm on the Feb. 24 sailing too. Between Gambee's & Host Faith's excellent notes + photos I have almost got my 'cruisin' spreadsheet done. Just waiting to book our entertainment. What a massive ship !! And why are they holding Cruise Critic & Crown + Anchor "dos" at the same time? :confused:. Grr!!

Gambee -- I am a long time migraine sufferer too. I stay away from commercial wines because the additives always give me a migraine next day. Try a 'kit' wine sometime.

Marilyn

 

 

Kit wines you say, I will look into it. Thanks for the info, wines do indeed affect me a lot.

 

 

GREAT Gambee!! I'm so glad you are doing the Breakaway! i will be on her early September!!! i wanted to do may but I'm traveling solo and it was $$$$$ so I'm good with September. I'm soo excited bout the Breakaway as well...so i definitely going to love your review for obvious reasons. between you and my co worker whom i convinced to go (inaugural sailing) i will be 'breakaway' prepared and even more excited.

 

Yeah the ship is definitely pushing my budget more than I liked and the more I read, the more that I plan on spending. This time around I want to try the spa among other things, we are very excited about this trip. Can't wait. :) Hopefully by september the ship will be fully polished for your trip. I am a bit skeptical of being among the first cruisers on this ship, but at the same time that one of the things that I am looking forward to.

 

 

Gambee, I've been reading your review for quite some time now. I'm almost done. I have to say you did a fantastic job. I also wanted to say you sound like a lot of fun :-) I think it's wonderful you cruise with your mom and boyfriend. Your mom sounds fun and outgoing as well.

Thanks for all the info, pictures and daily itineraries. My husband and I are going to be embarking February 24 on the Allure and your review has me beyond excited (btw it's our first time cruising ever). Your review has been soo helpful and I'm soo looking forward to our cruise. I also have a list made of what food to eat lol, Your pics had my mouth watering. Look forward to following you more on the boards to see more reviews in the future.

Happy New Year. :-)

 

 

Happy New years to you to. I think planning what to eat is one of the things I enjoy the most doing, although sometimes I end up having something completely different. I hope you have a blast on your cruise. Bring us some nice pictures back. :)

 

 

Let's get to 200,000 views... :p

 

Mom was pretty happy about that, I never thought I would get there.

 

i'm still reading your review (i've only made it to page 18 so far) - and enjoying every second of it...

all the information and pictures and videos are fantastic!!!!...

 

another question - i saw on the compass that there is free frozen yogurt "on the pool deck"....where on the pool deck?

i adore frozen yogurt (much more than ice cream), so i'm guessing i might be a regular patron of the machine - if i know where it is!! :)

 

 

I posted that on my review here is the link for that post http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=36096619&postcount=441 . to be honest with you, it really did not taste like frozen yogurt. But it was very tasty.

[alaska_planner]

i've made it to the middle of the labadee review (i'm swamped at work, so it's taking me a long time to read....but i'm enjoying every word and picture)..

 

anyway....your pictures of labadee are the most comprehensive i've seen and now i'm 100% positive i won't be getting off the ship!!! :eek:

 

like you, i live right by a beach - 10 minutes from a gorgeous Mediterranean beach....a lovely sandy beach....so why would i subject myself to what really seems to be inferior conditions?...

no problem though...the more time on the ship, the better!! and even better if lots of people are off the ship!!! i wonder how crowded the pool areas on the ship are that day...

Edited January 5, 2013 by alaska_planner

[beachbuddy]

i've made it to the middle of the labadee review (i'm swamped at work, so it's taking me a long time to read....but i'm enjoying every word and picture)..

 

anyway....your pictures of labadee are the most comprehensive i've seen and now i'm 100% positive i won't be getting off the ship!!! :eek:

 

like you, i live right by a beach - 10 minutes from a gorgeous Mediterranean beach....a lovely sandy beach....so why would i subject myself to what really seems to be inferior conditions?...

no problem though...the more time on the ship, the better!! and even better if lots of people are off the ship!!! i wonder how crowded the pool areas on the ship are that day...

 

Labadee is a beautiful place......we live by beaches too, but not beaches like Labadee.

[Monk86]

Great review so far- only on page 20! Distinct lack of family photos though!!:o

[NordicBreezer]

Well this review has been totally AWESOME & I can't thank you enough for all the knowledge I have acquired from reading your blog, viewing all your amazing photos, & reading the other CC comments. I found your name in Host Faith's blogs & once I started on your adventure I was hooked . It has taken me a couple weeks but I have read all 65 pages of your journey. I think writing your blog like a personal 'family' journal is what has made your review so entertaining & enthralled your audience to return day after day. Amazing!!

I am booked on the Allure for Feb. 24th (along with some other posters on this review ... see you at our CC meet + greet :D) . Like you I like to be fairly organized before I take a trip & I make spreadsheets too. But once on a cruise ship I've had to wing it & of course missed lots of stuff because I'm too tired the night before to read the " Compass" from front to back. Well not this trip.. LOL . The spreadsheet I have created, from perusing the daily "Compasses" you have posted is so detailed :p but it has sure helped me figure out what days to book my entertainment, restaurants, etc. And when the onboard shopping sales are :D.

The Allure is sooo big ; I know I wouldn't begin to see all it all; but I feel I have already with your pictures, & I am definitely looking for those jewelled hummingbirds near the 'On Air' . Beautiful! Have to remember to look up sometimes :).

I have a couple questions for you:

Which hot tub were you frequenting most? The one by the beach pool or the solarium one?

When leaving Fort Lauderdale , on the jogging track. Were you at the front or back of the ship?

Thank you again. You did an excellent job . A lot of work was involved & I appreciated every minute of it.

ps... I was on Celebrity Eclipse in June in the Baltic , & although I am a Celebrity/RCL frequent customer I found that ship a bit snooty & I am now looking forward to some fun times on the Allure. You must try the solstice class sometime just to see the grass sundeck & the hot glass demonstrations, however although I have never sailed with NCL I think you have probably made a good choice for a "fun in the sun" vacation. Enjoy & I will be looking forward to your next review.

[gambee]

Great review so far- only on page 20! Distinct lack of family photos though!!:o

 

Glad you're enjoying :)

 

Well this review has been totally AWESOME & I can't thank you enough for all the knowledge I have acquired from reading your blog, viewing all your amazing photos, & reading the other CC comments. I found your name in Host Faith's blogs & once I started on your adventure I was hooked . It has taken me a couple weeks but I have read all 65 pages of your journey. I think writing your blog like a personal 'family' journal is what has made your review so entertaining & enthralled your audience to return day after day. Amazing!!

I am booked on the Allure for Feb. 24th (along with some other posters on this review ... see you at our CC meet + greet :D) . Like you I like to be fairly organized before I take a trip & I make spreadsheets too. But once on a cruise ship I've had to wing it & of course missed lots of stuff because I'm too tired the night before to read the " Compass" from front to back. Well not this trip.. LOL . The spreadsheet I have created, from perusing the daily "Compasses" you have posted is so detailed :p but it has sure helped me figure out what days to book my entertainment, restaurants, etc. And when the onboard shopping sales are :D.

The Allure is sooo big ; I know I wouldn't begin to see all it all; but I feel I have already with your pictures, & I am definitely looking for those jewelled hummingbirds near the 'On Air' . Beautiful! Have to remember to look up sometimes.

I have a couple questions for you:

Which hot tub were you frequenting most? The one by the beach pool or the solarium one?

When leaving Fort Lauderdale , on the jogging track. Were you at the front or back of the ship?

Thank you again. You did an excellent job . A lot of work was involved & I appreciated every minute of it.

ps... I was on Celebrity Eclipse in June in the Baltic , & although I am a Celebrity/RCL frequent customer I found that ship a bit snooty & I am now looking forward to some fun times on the Allure. You must try the solstice class sometime just to see the grass sundeck & the hot glass demonstrations, however although I have never sailed with NCL I think you have probably made a good choice for a "fun in the sun" vacation. Enjoy & I will be looking forward to your next review.

 

 

First of you're welcome, glad your enjoyed. You know I have yet to read the review and always wondered exactly what made the review so successful. Mom suggested the same thing you said, I think it might be a combination of things. But in any case I think I will maintain the same recipe for future reviews. You know I can't believe how popular the pictures of those humming birds came out to be.

 

I am not sure if you got this from the review, but mom and I are Tub addicts. The only time we did the tubs in the pools was one night, every other time we did the ones on the solarium and the ones that hang over the ship. I found the ones in the pools to be too crowded, the solarium was our kind of place.

 

the jogging track does not go all the way around the ship, it crosses the ship at some point past the mid point. We were aft, I did extensive research about this and gave it a lot of thought. There were 2 CC departure parties going on, one on deck 11 and one on the lido deck by the flowriders. But in the end my #1 priority were pictures, and deck 5 aft was the best spot for this. I was very happy that I chose that location, the pictures were all very nice.

 

I will certainly travel Celebrity at some point in time, but for now I think Breakaway is a much better option for us. My mom is a kid at heart and we already traveled NCL and loved it. I am very interested in knowing if NCL new flag ship measures up to RCCL flag ship. Since I traveled NCL oldest ship and RCCL newest ship, I can't really compare the two lines.

 

Thank you very much for your extensive comment, I enjoyed reading it and replying. I hope you have a blast on your cruise. :)

Edited January 6, 2013 by gambee

[beachbuddy]

Gambee,

 

I might have missed it, but when is your cruise on the Breakaway?

 

Patty

[Crazy4Cruisin225]

What an amazing review!! I had a whole bunch of stuff to do yesterday and now I have to do it all today because I spent all day yesterday reading your review from beginning to end. And I truly mean ALL DAY:)

 

When I was finished reading it, I got on the phone and booked Allure for next October (was gonna book Carnival Breeze but your review changed my mind)!!

 

Thank you for posting all the Compass and menus. I had so many questions about RCCL and your review answered a lot of them. I'm especially happy to see that they still have a live calypso band by the pool for sail-away.

 

Have fun on the Breakaway and I look forward to that review as well so I know what to expect when I take her to Bermuda in 2014!!!

[gambee]

Gambee,

 

I might have missed it, but when is your cruise on the Breakaway?

 

Patty

 

I never officially stated it. We are booked for May 19 the second sailing from Bermuda, we are beyond excited.

 

What an amazing review!! I had a whole bunch of stuff to do yesterday and now I have to do it all today because I spent all day yesterday reading your review from beginning to end. And I truly mean ALL DAY:)

 

When I was finished reading it, I got on the phone and booked Allure for next October (was gonna book Carnival Breeze but your review changed my mind)!!

 

Thank you for posting all the Compass and menus. I had so many questions about RCCL and your review answered a lot of them. I'm especially happy to see that they still have a live calypso band by the pool for sail-away.

 

Have fun on the Breakaway and I look forward to that review as well so I know what to expect when I take her to Bermuda in 2014!!!

 

I know what you mean, before my Allure trip I spent many many hours reading reviews. Thank God my bf picked up on my slack with house hold shores during that time :D.

 

You know I was looking at Breeze for my next cruise, but I was surprised at the prices. I still plan on sailing her, but I need to wait until the price is right.

 

Have fun on your Allure trip, the ship is incredible.

[Beth C]

I never officially stated it. We are booked for May 19 the second sailing from Bermuda, we are beyond excited.

 

I was slightly disgruntled when I saw you changed your trip since I had my pre-cruise countdown all figured out with the Celeb cruise. Now that I see the date I'm ok with it... I leave for Hawaii on the 9th and will be home on the 25th. You're sailing from the 19th to 26th so this works out just perfect to aid in my post cruise depression ;) lol

 

 

Sent from my Speak & Spell using Tapatalk

[beachbuddy]

Thanks Gambee. I hope you will be letting us know on this thread when you start your review on the NCL cruise.

 

Patty

[EMED2010]

This was one of the best reviews I've ever read. Your pictures are fabulous!!! Also, love you hats, especially the blue one. Wish I could get my hubby to wear them!

[sarahecohen]

This was an AMAZING review. My bf and I are sailing November on the Allure and we cannot wait! Your pictures certainly helped us along the way!

 

Did you manage to get a price list of the Spa services, by any chance?

 

Also, please forgive me if someone has already asked this, but how did you get the vouchers for the free spa service?

 

Thanks!!! :)

[BugsyCruiser]

Gambee looking forward to your review of Breakaway. Since you changed your mind on Celebrity Reflection, I'll give you an idea how Celebrity is when I sail on Silhouette in 3 months ;)

[WanderlustingDiva]

Gambee

 

I have to say I loved your review.. I stayed up all night reading the entire thing!!!! I am going on my very 1st cruise in Feb on the Monarch and its true.. once I found CC I became addicted and it "cruise"this and "cruise" that..

 

But thank you so much for taking the time to do this review It is truly my favorite that Ive read so far!!

 

Can't wait for the next one!!!

[samben]

Fantastic review and pictures...........THANKS

[gambee]

I was slightly disgruntled when I saw you changed your trip since I had my pre-cruise countdown all figured out with the Celeb cruise. Now that I see the date I'm ok with it... I leave for Hawaii on the 9th and will be home on the 25th. You're sailing from the 19th to 26th so this works out just perfect to aid in my post cruise depression ;-) lol

 

 

Sent from my Speak & Spell using Tapatalk

 

I sounds like a win-win situation to me ;)

 

Thanks Gambee. I hope you will be letting us know on this thread when you start your review on the NCL cruise.

 

Patty

 

Will do :)

 

 

This was one of the best reviews I've ever read. Your pictures are fabulous!!! Also, love you hats, especially the blue one. Wish I could get my hubby to wear them!

 

Glad you liked it. After some thought I think I will only be traveling with the blue one from now on, the other one is too hot to wear on warm days. Not to mention all the work that it takes to keep them from getting damaged. By the way my bf hates those hats ;)

 

 

This was an AMAZING review. My bf and I are sailing November on the Allure and we cannot wait! Your pictures certainly helped us along the way!

 

Did you manage to get a price list of the Spa services, by any chance?

 

Also, please forgive me if someone has already asked this, but how did you get the vouchers for the free spa service?

 

Thanks!!! :)

 

Unfortunately I did not, that was one of the mistakes I made with this review. I will however tell you that the spa services start at $120 and go up from there.

 

The coupon for the free spa treatment was given to me by RCCL with a promotion they were doing at the time.

 

 

Gambee looking forward to your review of Breakaway. Since you changed your mind on Celebrity Reflection, I'll give you an idea how Celebrity is when I sail on Silhouette in 3 months ;)

 

Would you mind sending me an email when you start your review, I don't frequent the celebrity section any more and I am afraid I will miss it.

 

Gambee

 

I have to say I loved your review.. I stayed up all night reading the entire thing!!!! I am going on my very 1st cruise in Feb on the Monarch and its true.. once I found CC I became addicted and it "cruise"this and "cruise" that..

 

But thank you so much for taking the time to do this review It is truly my favorite that Ive read so far!!

 

Can't wait for the next one!!!

 

Glad you liked it, maybe you can travel on the oasis class ships for your second cruise ;), just how we did. Have fun on your cruise, the 1st one is a very special cruise. Enjoy every second of it.

 

Fantastic review and pictures...........THANKS

 

You're welcome, glad you enjoyed.

[cosmar]

I read that you went to Adrenaline Beach... looking at the map, I notice that it seems far away from the port. Was there a special reason to go there? Is there something special at that beach?

Thank you for your nice answers to everybody.