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

[lisa70]

OMG Gambee That is an Awesome Review.

[bigeck]

Cameras.. don't get me started… One of my many obsessions :D

 

For those of you that asked about what camera I am currently using. It's a Sony Nex-F3, there are many options in the Nex family, the reason I picked this one in particular was because of the integrated movable flash and the lower price point. She is a great little camera and capable of taking some very nice pictures.

 

There are however a few flaws, the ergonomics of the camera are not the best and when you ask people to take a picture of you sometimes they struggle finding the shutter (one guy almost dropped it in Cozumel and I almost had a heart attack). The other problem is that she tends to climb to high iso, sometimes up 3200, the good news is that she can handle it very well under most circumstances, I just wished she stayed below ISO 2000.

 

Paired up with my camera are 3 lenses, the one that came with it is a kit lens Sony 18-55mm, is a very capable lens with a good range, the pictures taken from the north side of the inlet were taken with that lens. Unfortunately in all my packing fiasco I left that one at home. That is why you will find that I will add several panorama pictures to my review, I had to stitch a lot of pictures together. That 18mm focal range would of been great for some top deck pictures.

 

My main lens is a Carl Zeiss Sonnar 24mm f/1.8, it's a very fast lens and it can work wonders at night. This was the main lens I used during my trip, about 80% of the pictures were shot with it.

 

My third lens is a long zoom range Sony E 55-210mm f4.5-6.3 all the long distance pictures you will see were taken with this lens. It is a very good lens for the price, I only wished it was a little bit faster. None the less it will not disappoint you. All those pictures you saw from my last photo shoot were taken with that lens. The only thing I did was sharpen them ever so slightly before posting them.

 

All that said, this camera is absolutely amazing the size, weight and the picture quality will be hard to match at that price point. I am indeed in love with it and looking into getting a super wide lens for my future cruises :D. She is my pride and joy, I actually think this will be the camera that I will keep for a long time to come.

 

Attached to the camera is the Zeiss, then the Zoom in the middle and the kit lens to the right.

 

 

I also used my Sony DSC-U60 underwater camera for a few of the underwater pictures. This was my first ever digital camera, I bought it back on 2003, surprisingly is the only camera that has managed to stay with me for that long. Over the years I've averaged about 1.5 cameras a year and sold them all but this one. She is not great, the pictures are very noisy and she is very slow. But she is sturdy as hell and very easy to carry around, not to mention cute and unique :D.

 

 

 

Just a final note my previews camera that I just sold recently was a Sony DSC-HX9V, outstanding little camera. She served me right for the time I had her and enjoyed her very much. If you are looking for something more compact than the Nex lineup, look into a more current model of the hx9v, they are very strong performers. The only issue that I had with it was that it was tad slow and she might struggle a little at night, other than that it delivered great results.

 

I also took about 100 pictures with the Iphone camera.

 

 

Thanks for the advice on the cameras. I am going to buy a new for the next cruise. Costco over here has a Nex F3HD as a package with 8gb card and a Karl Taylor tutorial dvd, case etc. It has the 18-55mm lens. I had a look for lenses and is it a standard fit or do I need an adaptor for other lenses.

Thanks again,

Alex

[galba]

gambee, where did you hide the pictures of the gym?

[sj25]

I have to say a great review and pictures....I am so anxious for our cruise on this ship in Oct...we are doing the cruise for the ship not the ports and you made us think that was not a mistake..

[Grtpyrlvr]

Gambee, I was up in the air about booking the allure until I read your review! My biggest seller was the food and drink menus you kept posting! I am a huge foodie and the only time I drink is on vacation but I love variety.

 

Thank you for doing this!!!

[Beth C]

I never had any intention of cruising on the Oasis or Allure, as I felt they were too big - but friends last week convinced me, at the last minute, to join them on THIS week's sailing. I booked my cruise last Wednesday and was onboard on Sunday...in the meantime, I was frantically reading any reviews/tips/advice I could find on the Allure )

 

We've been way too long without an in depth super detailed review so this excites me that you've only got about 8hrs left on board ;) We should see the "Middle Aged Drama Queen's Totally Unprepared for the Allure of the Seas Review" thread up by hmmmm lunch time tomorrow? :D

 

I can't even imagine how you've coped this week with only 4 days notice... thats barely enough time to buy the cruise binder, laminate the pages and take the panic alarm off your purse lol

Edited January 27, 2013 by Beth C

[kath00]

Hi there again and quick question:

 

I can only drink caffeine free sodas and like my diet coke caffeine free. I noticed that's an option on those fancy soda machines. Can I take my cup into the dining room at night full of the CFDC? Or do they have caffeine free diet coke that you may know of in the MDR? I would LOVE to avoid lugging onboard my 12 pack if possible!

 

Katherine

Edited January 27, 2013 by kath00

[gambee]

Gambee - just wanted to pop in and say how much I enjoyed your review! (From one extensive review writer to another - I know how much work is involved, so I appreciate it!!)

 

I never had any intention of cruising on the Oasis or Allure, as I felt they were too big - but friends last week convinced me, at the last minute, to join them on THIS week's sailing. I booked my cruise last Wednesday and was onboard on Sunday...in the meantime, I was frantically reading any reviews/tips/advice I could find on the Allure - and I stumbled across your review.

 

It helped me tremendously in my planning...and I can't help but think of you sometimes while onboard this week. I'll see something, and it will trigger something you've written about, and I'll think, "Oh yeah - Gambee mentioned this in his review!"

 

Again, thank you!

 

Well hello, hello, first of I want to say that I absolutely loved your reviews and can't wait for your future reviews. I found them long time ago, I believe after my after first cruise and enjoyed every second of them. You do a very impressive writing them.

 

Booking Allure one week before sailing, that is crazy :eek: lol, I can't imagine doing all the research that that ship requires in that time, hopefully my review helped you out some.

 

Thanks for commenting here =), so when do we expect your review?

 

 

Gambee...thanks for the pictures and review. You did an awesome job at sharing the information and weaving the story. Loved it!

 

...I feel better knowing that I am not the onnly one addicted to CC!!!

 

No problem, my pleasure. No worries, I think I spend more time on CC than in my real life, the bf is always jealous, lol.

 

Your review was awesome and one of the best I've read. I've only sailed Carnival but it's time to spread my wings and try other lines. Looks like i'll be sailing Allure or Oasis soon :-)Thanks Gambee

 

You're welcome, Allure would be a great ship to experience for something new, she definitely has a lot to offer for everyone. We might be considering doing our first Carnival cruise in August, but that is still up in the air. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, glad you enjoyed.

 

i figured you were on another cruise! :)

 

that's interesting that it isn't used in South America.

I'm very used to it having not lived in the US now for over 25 years.

 

yes, your review makes it clear i'd need about a month on board to even attempt to see and do everything! :eek:

even just planning for an allure cruise seems a monumental task!!!!

 

i noticed on the compass that some of the jacuzzis are open all night (as well as some other places)...

i'm a night owl and one of the things that bothers me on the disney ships is that nothing is open in the middle of the night...so i'm really looking forward to RCCL!!

 

i'm not a teetotaler, but more than a sip will put me under the table....

 

was there anything else on the ship, other than the zip line, that always had a line? i hate lines too!!!

 

i'm a mom!! my daughter is in the middle of writing her trip report on her precruise trip in alaska and cruise on the Radiance of the Seas

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1725813

she's the one who originally brought your review to my attention.

we're hoping to be on the allure together this august (that is, me and my husband and she and her husband), so we've been reading everything we can get our hands on!

maybe your mom comes from my school of thought - food eaten from other people's plates has no calories!! (along with broken pieces, etc)...:)

 

are you kidding?? thank you for taking the time to write this incredible review!!!! i'm sure you know how helpful it will be to everyone planning a cruise on the allure...

i can't imagine the amount of time you must have invested in this, both on the cruise and after...i told my daughter that i would never do it as it would eat into my enjoyment of the cruise itself....so you're a better man than i am!!! :)

 

.

 

I am not sure about a month on board, but two weeks would be really nice. I would do one week trying to do everything and then the next relaxing.

 

The overnight jacuzzi is something that I will miss in other lines, I really don't know why they close it so early...

 

The flowrider had a small line and a few times on the MDR MTD had a short wait. I really can't remember anything else with a line, oh oh oh, always there was a line for the customer service desk, but it moves quickly.

 

I just joined your daughters review, love the pictures, thanks for letting me know about the review. My mom is also reading it and loving it. I am not really sure what my mom train of though is, I think its because she does not think she is hungry enough but then later on it appears that she was... The is my best guess, lol.

 

Yes I agree the time that I put into this project is just crazy I could not tell you how many hours. But for me it is different, I really enjoy it, I enjoy everything writing notes, taking pictures and then putting everything together. So trust me I had a blast =).

 

Hi Gambee and avid followers of Gambee!

 

Being a mom who has travelled with all of my 4 children as adults on cruise ships(most recent a 60th birthday party with my 3 girls and 5 girlfriends on the Freedom) they are my favorite traveling companions, even if they do watch what I drink like hawks! Lol. We don't share drinks, although a taste is acceptable, but at dinner we try to all order different things so we can share. However, we've been known to order an extra main course(or any course) for all of us to taste. That's one of the pluses of cruise dining!

 

I started watching the Oasis as soon as they started building her. My first trip on her turned into the Freedom because of group finances! That was 2011 and I booked my husband and myself a balcony room on the Oasis(western) at that time. From Indiana I'm in Florida now waiting to board her on Feb 16(have a daughter we're visiting, comes in handy this time of year!) My youngest, her husband and almost 2 year old will be joining us. She's the one who found your review. We both enjoyed it very much. She has downloaded your spread sheet!

And done most of the planing.

I did this itinerary in Jan of 2012 on the carnival Destiny, a nice little ship, going in for 25 million$ dry dock!! I must say I'm looking forward to seeing changes in Jamaica. My best experience there was the shop that was giving away free samples of their cream rum. If you didn't try it, oh my gosh so good, still enjoying a bottle from there. The gate to city reminded me of the King Kong movies. All the guards and stuff holding humanity back! Silly. We didn't venture out and probably won't this time. Besides a cabana on Labadee, we are just exploring each ports dock and then going back on board the ship to enjoy her. Do you know if the rock wall and zip line are open while in port? I tried to climb on Freedom and didn't do too bad for my age and weight, but now at 30 lbs lighter want to give it another shot. We also went ice skating, loved it! Brought back childhood memories. It is interesting to note that they offer private lessons on skating. We met a mom and daughter who spent most of their time there. ( special for young daughter!)

 

Boy this is turning into a pen pal letter!!!

 

I think your mom would have fun cruising with me and my girlfriends, we leave the men at home and have a blast!! But we'd let you come too!

 

I love the relationship I've built with my adult children and am glad to see others share it too! My husband is a wonderful man, but you'll find him sitting on the balcony while I want to be exploring the ship! Opposites do attract!

 

I'll cut this off, could go on! Glad you've continued this thread after your cruise to answer all the questions and to be just nice! Happy sailing. Saw the announcement for your Breakaway ship!! Enjoy! Joy

 

Hello, sunnydaygirl, first of all I want to thank you for stopping by and posting here on my thread. Also thank your daughter for sharing my review with you =).

 

I had to go back to the Compass to check you question on the port days, here is the one for labadee. As you can see they do open, but they have specific hours for it.

 

 

Something funny about your post that caught my eye is that you say your husband send a lot of time in the balcony and so did my bf, well he spend his time in the room. I am entire sure if sailing is for him, on our next cruise is just mom and me =).

 

I hope you have a great time on your family trip, I am sure you will have a blast.

[gambee]

OMG Gambee That is an Awesome Review.

 

thank you =)

 

Thanks for the advice on the cameras. I am going to buy a new for the next cruise. Costco over here has a Nex F3HD as a package with 8gb card and a Karl Taylor tutorial dvd, case etc. It has the 18-55mm lens. I had a look for lenses and is it a standard fit or do I need an adaptor for other lenses.

Thanks again,

Alex

 

Well you can buy other lenses not designed for the nex series but then you lose auto focus. If I was you I would stick to the Nex series, here is the link for those lenses http://store.sony.com/c/Alpha-NEX-E-mount-Lenses/en/c/S_NEX_eMount

 

it is a good system with a slowly growing arsenal of lenses. Enjoy it she is definitely capable of taking some great pictures, even with the kit lens.

 

gambee, where did you hide the pictures of the gym?

 

I did not, I am sorry, actually I don't even know where it is??? maybe in the spa, that is shameful, hence why I gaining wright :/

 

Maybe someone else can share? Like I said there were somethings I missed on this review, that one was one of them. It wont happen next time, that is for sure.

 

Have you tried google, there should be a few pics there.

 

 

I have to say a great review and pictures....I am so anxious for our cruise on this ship in Oct...we are doing the cruise for the ship not the ports and you made us think that was not a mistake..

 

Thank you. As of right now we are traveling ships and not ports, I am tech freak and I am enchanted by technology and the new wow factor. I can tell you that even with the not so good itinerary of the Allure that we did, this vacation turned out to be the most memorable one yet. I hope you have a blast and enjoy all that the ship has to offer. Remember I don't give refunds ;), lol

 

 

Gambee, I was up in the air about booking the allure until I read your review! My biggest seller was the food and drink menus you kept posting! I am a huge foodie and the only time I drink is on vacation but I love variety.

 

Thank you for doing this!!!

 

You're welcome. For the most part Allure wont disappoint you with food, we only had a few soso experiences. And as far as drinks, well you saw the lists, I hope you have a great time on your cruise :)

 

We've been way too long without an in depth super detailed review so this excites me that you've only got about 8hrs left on board ;) We should see the "Middle Aged Drama Queen's Totally Unprepared for the Allure of the Seas Review" thread up by hmmmm lunch time tomorrow? :D

 

I can't even imagine how you've coped this week with only 4 days notice... thats barely enough time to buy the cruise binder, laminate the pages and take the panic alarm off your purse lol

 

Right?, where is the review =)

 

Hi there again and quick question:

 

I can only drink caffeine free sodas and like my diet coke caffeine free. I noticed that's an option on those fancy soda machines. Can I take my cup into the dining room at night full of the CFDC? Or do they have caffeine free diet coke that you may know of in the MDR? I would LOVE to avoid lugging onboard my 12 pack if possible!

 

Katherine

 

I am not sure if they offer the option in the MDR, that said I think they only have the standart ones, not sure. But no worries no one cares if you bring your RCCL travel mug with you. Actually we had ours while we were on 150, lol, I know completely out of place. But no says nothing. If I was you I would just bring it everywhere. Have a fun time on your cruise :)

[aalden13]

Enjoying your review! Love that its very detailed. Keep it up. Pictures are great too as well. Thanks so much!

[Gator Man]

Gambee, I didn't mean to imply that I ever had a bad experience on RCCL all my cruises on board them were great, they have always had such beautiful ships and great service. I am a foodie and for a while there the food quality on RCCL deterioriated and I switched to Carnival because they had such great food and entertainment. Now it seems if the same thing is happening on Carnival since they changed CEOs a few years back, they seem to be gearing everthing toward the new cruiser and could care less about any kind of loyalty or what seasoned cruisers want, still a very good cruise for the money though. I like the traditions of cruising that were around in the 80's and 90's, not so much of a fan of freestyle cruising, it appears as if RCCL has a little of both. Will be looking forward to reading your review of NCL, I know it will be great.

[Gator Man]

Gambee, If and when you go on a carnival cruise, pick one of the newer ships like, the Dream, Breeze or Magic unless you are just looking for a getaway. There is a lot of difference in their 4 day cruises as compared to their 7 day, much different clientel. Their Serenty Decks are for adults only, very enjoyable. I don't think you would have a bad cruise on any line. Carnivals wait staff and room Stewards are fantastic but overworked. I have never had a bad Carnival cruise just don't like some of the changes they've made, think I'm just a little burned out with them. Carnival in my opinion has the best soups on the high seas, great escargot, good lobster, good seafood, stay away from beef dishes unless you go to Steakhouse.

[kerrytens]

As usual, I'm a bit late for this party:o. Gambee, this is truly one of the best reviews I've ever read. It took me all weekend (sadly life was calling me too) but I made it.

 

I just wanted to thank you for all of your time and effort in creating it.

 

I will add that I can't wait for your next review too:D:D:D

[hsaroya]

Hi, Gambee. Even though I read your entire review (in the space of one weekend - it was like a great novel that I just couldn't put down!) just prior to our Oasis Christmas cruise, I find myself coming back to it over and over again. Since Oasis and Allure are so similar, I don't look to my own pics of Oasis when I become nostalgic for my own recently completed cruise - instead, I turn to YOUR review! We were a family of 11 on the Christmas sailing of Oasis, and at the sailaway, my sister (Bali505, who has posted to this review) turned to me and pointed at the rocks, saying "Wonder if Gambee is down there taking pictures of the sailings!" I think she and I mentioned your name about a dozen times in the first couple of hours on the ship. Whenever we talked about wanting to do or see something, my teens would turn to me and say, in that typical teen tone, "Oooohhh, did you read that on Gambee's review?" Of course they knew the answer to that without having to ask! I even sent a link of your review to my roll call prior to our sailing.

 

We had a fairly good idea of the amount of cruise time you must have invested on this review while you were on board, but it really wasn't until we were on Oasis that we realized just how great a time commitment you made to give us this wonderful pictorial review. We would find ourselves sitting in front of Sorrento's, enjoying a pizza and lazily people watching, and my sister or I would say "Wow, at times like this, Gambee would have been taking pictures and notes of every nook and cranny." And then, we'd get back to lazily eating more pizza...

 

There were so many fine details that I noticed on the Oasis that I would have completely missed had it not been for your Allure review. And there were so many pictures in the ports that I DIDN'T take, because I knew I could go back to your review and see a better version of the same scene. As a diehard Princess cruiser (6 in 7 years), I was very trepiditious about taking this Oasis cruise. I was afraid that all the things I loved about Princess, I would not be able to find on Oasis - the quiet areas where I could watch the water, enjoy the sun, and read; the late night jacuzzi in the Sanctuary adult area with few others around, the excellent little snacks in the International Cafe...etc. So, I was extremely happy to have found your review just a few weeks prior to our departure. Your pictures and your words alleviated all of my concerns; in fact, I think ALL of my future cruises are going to be split between the Royal Princess and Oasis/Allure. This was the first cruise where I cared more about being on the ship, enjoying the atmosphere than I did about getting off to enjoy the islands (which we still did do at every port), but I know that when I get older and want a more relaxing holiday, I will definitely do the Oasis class of ships, as they are most certainly destination ships, not merely vessels TO the destination! Sadly, we booked Carnival Freedom as a cheap add on for New Year's. After Oasis, nothing could compare! I just hope that it hasn't spoiled me for Princess! Like you, my husband, and I, as well as my best friend, spent many evenings in the Solarium jacuzzi, enjoying an almost empty venue. In fact, I think the Solarium is what I will miss most when I sail Princess, although the non-fee adult area on the Royal Princess looks promising.

 

Thank you again, so much, for sharing your experiences with all of us. That so many people keep coming back months after your initial review is a testament to your wonderful, personal story telling abilities. Your 'voice' comes through in your words and that is what connects all of us to you in such a personal way. I look forward to your next review! Happy sailings to you AND your mother!

 

Harjinder

[HUBison2008]

I'm reading your review from start to finish so all of my comments and questions will be in one place. Also because as I started reading the review and it is at 28 pages, I'm focusing on your posts. I hope I'm not asking something that has already been answered, if I do I apologize.

 

Thanks for your tip about spreading your clothes throughout all of the bags. I read it before, but didn't put it on my cruise list.

 

The spreadsheet is a good reminder. We had something similar with our ADR's for our honeymoon at Disney.

 

Thanks for the tip regarding the aft balconies, especially as it relates to Oceanaria. It wasn't until I read HostFaith's review that I really paid attention to the need of reserving shows.

 

What kind of lactose pills do you use? Are they over the counter?

 

We know NEVER to order the filet of beef. DH made the mistake of ordering it on Monarch and he was disappointed as well.

 

The following questions are about Labadee:

 

Were there a lot of claim shells on the beach at?

 

Were you able to use your sea pass to get the sunscreen or did you have to use cash/credit card?

 

Did you have to pay for your mom's coke? I figured it would be free on the island some you have the package.

 

General question, how did you ensure you spot in the shade was still there after y'all walked around? We went to Cococay once, but we had an early morning excursion. After that was over we got back on the ship. Our whole reason for taking the western itinerary is Labadee and we will be there as long as possible.

 

Thanks for the tip and picture of Pango. Do you know how much it is? We also plan on bringing back tequila from Cozumel so I need to know what out international spirit budget should be.

 

Cozumel:

 

Did anyone tell you which resort those amazing pictures that you took in Cozumel belonged too?

 

Final comments:

 

Now I can see when everyone raves about your review on the Everything Breakaway thread. I didn't look at all of your pictures because I want to see them in person for myself. However, the pics that I did view were great.

 

On a personal note you're a great son. You were able to anticipate her needs and didn't have a problem sharing with her.

 

It's my intention to bring my mother when we sail Allure in 2015 (fingers crossed that they keep the schedule the way they have it for 2013 and 2014). My MIL went on Oasis so it's fitting my mom goes on Allure.

 

Lastly you are just a nice person. To acknowledge all of the questions and comments and provide thank you's makes you a special and caring person.

 

 

Thank you!

[Sinduf]

Hi Gambee, Thanks a million for your review. I have been confined to my bed for the last 2 weeks and decided to start looking into our next cruise. We really wanted to do Allure or Oasis for our 5th wedding anniversary in 2014 and was looking for as much info on them as possible as a friend was on Oasis and half put me off as she said it was too big and we're big Liberty fans. But after reading your review I can't wait to go and book it now. Thanks again for all your time given, input and great pictures.

[gambee]

Enjoying your review! Love that its very detailed. Keep it up. Pictures are great too as well. Thanks so much!

 

You're welcome, hope you like it.

 

Gambee, I didn't mean to imply that I ever had a bad experience on RCCL all my cruises on board them were great, they have always had such beautiful ships and great service. I am a foodie and for a while there the food quality on RCCL deterioriated and I switched to Carnival because they had such great food and entertainment. Now it seems if the same thing is happening on Carnival since they changed CEOs a few years back, they seem to be gearing everthing toward the new cruiser and could care less about any kind of loyalty or what seasoned cruisers want, still a very good cruise for the money though. I like the traditions of cruising that were around in the 80's and 90's, not so much of a fan of freestyle cruising, it appears as if RCCL has a little of both. Will be looking forward to reading your review of NCL, I know it will be great.

 

It is funny, I tend to like the opposite, well not everything. Food is a must for me, that is why I am not afraid to pay extra to get a better dining experience. It would be nice if the MDR food was up to par to the for fee restaurants, but then no one would use them. I am very much a fan of the freestyle cruising concept, we like dining alone and enjoying each others company. We are very excited about boarding Breakaway and enjoying what this new of ships has to offer.

 

Gambee, If and when you go on a carnival cruise, pick one of the newer ships like, the Dream, Breeze or Magic unless you are just looking for a getaway. There is a lot of difference in their 4 day cruises as compared to their 7 day, much different clientel. Their Serenty Decks are for adults only, very enjoyable. I don't think you would have a bad cruise on any line. Carnivals wait staff and room Stewards are fantastic but overworked. I have never had a bad Carnival cruise just don't like some of the changes they've made, think I'm just a little burned out with them. Carnival in my opinion has the best soups on the high seas, great escargot, good lobster, good seafood, stay away from beef dishes unless you go to Steakhouse.

 

Yeah I been hanging around the Carnival board for a few days and I settled on the same point that you made. We wanted to travel on the Breeze but unfortunately the price is simply to high not sure why and the reviews are not that good. So that sent me on to looking at the Dream, we would have to drive to Canaveral but the price is much more attractive with a better itinerary.

 

Mom loves soups so thats good, thanks for the advice I will keep that in mind, I am a seafood guy myself. I am sure we will have a good time on Carnival, but I am guessing it is just a different experience.

 

 

As usual, I'm a bit late for this party:o. Gambee, this is truly one of the best reviews I've ever read. It took me all weekend (sadly life was calling me too) but I made it.

 

I just wanted to thank you for all of your time and effort in creating it.

 

I will add that I can't wait for your next review too:D:D:D

 

Thanks for stopping by and commenting, you're very welcome glad you liked it.

 

Hi, Gambee. Even though I read your entire review (in the space of one weekend - it was like a great novel that I just couldn't put down!) just prior to our Oasis Christmas cruise, I find myself coming back to it over and over again. Since Oasis and Allure are so similar, I don't look to my own pics of Oasis when I become nostalgic for my own recently completed cruise - instead, I turn to YOUR review! We were a family of 11 on the Christmas sailing of Oasis, and at the sailaway, my sister (Bali505, who has posted to this review) turned to me and pointed at the rocks, saying "Wonder if Gambee is down there taking pictures of the sailings!" I think she and I mentioned your name about a dozen times in the first couple of hours on the ship. Whenever we talked about wanting to do or see something, my teens would turn to me and say, in that typical teen tone, "Oooohhh, did you read that on Gambee's review?" Of course they knew the answer to that without having to ask! I even sent a link of your review to my roll call prior to our sailing.

 

We had a fairly good idea of the amount of cruise time you must have invested on this review while you were on board, but it really wasn't until we were on Oasis that we realized just how great a time commitment you made to give us this wonderful pictorial review. We would find ourselves sitting in front of Sorrento's, enjoying a pizza and lazily people watching, and my sister or I would say "Wow, at times like this, Gambee would have been taking pictures and notes of every nook and cranny." And then, we'd get back to lazily eating more pizza...

 

There were so many fine details that I noticed on the Oasis that I would have completely missed had it not been for your Allure review. And there were so many pictures in the ports that I DIDN'T take, because I knew I could go back to your review and see a better version of the same scene. As a diehard Princess cruiser (6 in 7 years), I was very trepiditious about taking this Oasis cruise. I was afraid that all the things I loved about Princess, I would not be able to find on Oasis - the quiet areas where I could watch the water, enjoy the sun, and read; the late night jacuzzi in the Sanctuary adult area with few others around, the excellent little snacks in the International Cafe...etc. So, I was extremely happy to have found your review just a few weeks prior to our departure. Your pictures and your words alleviated all of my concerns; in fact, I think ALL of my future cruises are going to be split between the Royal Princess and Oasis/Allure. This was the first cruise where I cared more about being on the ship, enjoying the atmosphere than I did about getting off to enjoy the islands (which we still did do at every port), but I know that when I get older and want a more relaxing holiday, I will definitely do the Oasis class of ships, as they are most certainly destination ships, not merely vessels TO the destination! Sadly, we booked Carnival Freedom as a cheap add on for New Year's. After Oasis, nothing could compare! I just hope that it hasn't spoiled me for Princess! Like you, my husband, and I, as well as my best friend, spent many evenings in the Solarium jacuzzi, enjoying an almost empty venue. In fact, I think the Solarium is what I will miss most when I sail Princess, although the non-fee adult area on the Royal Princess looks promising.

 

Thank you again, so much, for sharing your experiences with all of us. That so many people keep coming back months after your initial review is a testament to your wonderful, personal story telling abilities. Your 'voice' comes through in your words and that is what connects all of us to you in such a personal way. I look forward to your next review! Happy sailings to you AND your mother!

 

Harjinder

 

I absolutely loved your post beginning to end. The funny thing is that I was actually taking pictures the after you left, I remember exactly because I got a speeding ticket leaving the park on the 23th, lol. So your sister was almost right. You're the second person that tells me that my screen name got called out several times during their cruise, thanks for saying that, it made me smile, glad to know that all that work I did is helping many out there. Thank you for sharing the link with your roll call, that helps it get lots of exposure.

 

Time... if only I could control it, I actually felt guilty at time because I was wasting time in tubs and such and not getting more information for the review. Also with all the work that I did and I still managed to miss the gym, chapel ect. It definitely took a lot of work, I believe it was the only thing in my mind during the cruise. Don't get me wrong I had a great time and doing all that work is part of what I like, so it was all good =).

 

For now we are cruising for the ships and not the itineraries, as much as I like seeing new places I find that having a time limitation on ports tends to stress me out and I end up in the ship much earlier than I should. We enjoy cruising because of the connection with ocean, the adventure, the mystery involved with sailing. And then there are the ships themselves, technological masterpieces with something for everyone to have a great time and stay entertained. I am not much of a fan of big production shows, I am however interested in smaller events like the marriage game, karaoke and different parties. You must be pretty excited with Royal princess, I been following the everything thread for royal and it looks like an amazing ship, we can't wait to sail her one day.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write this wonderful post, it was heart warming. I really appreciated it, I will see you around ^_^

 

I'm reading your review from start to finish so all of my comments and questions will be in one place. Also because as I started reading the review and it is at 28 pages, I'm focusing on your posts. I hope I'm not asking something that has already been answered, if I do I apologize.

 

Thanks for your tip about spreading your clothes throughout all of the bags. I read it before, but didn't put it on my cruise list.

 

The spreadsheet is a good reminder. We had something similar with our ADR's for our honeymoon at Disney.

 

Thanks for the tip regarding the aft balconies, especially as it relates to Oceanaria. It wasn't until I read HostFaith's review that I really paid attention to the need of reserving shows.

 

What kind of lactose pills do you use? Are they over the counter?

 

 

We know NEVER to order the filet of beef. DH made the mistake of ordering it on Monarch and he was disappointed as well.

 

The following questions are about Labadee:

 

Were there a lot of claim shells on the beach at?

 

Were you able to use your sea pass to get the sunscreen or did you have to use cash/credit card?

 

Did you have to pay for your mom's coke? I figured it would be free on the island some you have the package.

 

General question, how did you ensure you spot in the shade was still there after y'all walked around? We went to Cococay once, but we had an early morning excursion. After that was over we got back on the ship. Our whole reason for taking the western itinerary is Labadee and we will be there as long as possible.

 

Thanks for the tip and picture of Pango. Do you know how much it is? We also plan on bringing back tequila from Cozumel so I need to know what out international spirit budget should be.

 

Cozumel:

 

Did anyone tell you which resort those amazing pictures that you took in Cozumel belonged too?

 

Final comments:

 

Now I can see when everyone raves about your review on the Everything Breakaway thread. I didn't look at all of your pictures because I want to see them in person for myself. However, the pics that I did view were great.

 

On a personal note you're a great son. You were able to anticipate her needs and didn't have a problem sharing with her.

 

It's my intention to bring my mother when we sail Allure in 2015 (fingers crossed that they keep the schedule the way they have it for 2013 and 2014). My MIL went on Oasis so it's fitting my mom goes on Allure.

 

Lastly you are just a nice person. To acknowledge all of the questions and comments and provide thank you's makes you a special and caring person.

 

 

Thank you!

 

 

You're welcome I am glad that you got some tips out of the review.

 

What kind of lactose pills do you use? Are they over the counter?

 

I used all kind of them, all of them over the counter. Currently I am using this brand http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013OUODA/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i01 they are fairly inexpensive and work great.

 

Were there a lot of claim shells on the beach at?

 

There are tons and as far I understand all you have to do is ask for one and they will set it up for you. This was on adrenaline beach, I am not sure about the other beaches. REmember to bring cash for tips.

 

Were you able to use your sea pass to get the sunscreen or did you have to use cash/credit card?

 

Yes we paid with my state room key, just think of labadee as an extension of the ship.

 

Did you have to pay for your mom's coke? I figured it would be free on the island some you have the package.

 

It was part of the package, all they had to do is to look at the her card, nothing more.

 

General question, how did you ensure you spot in the shade was still there after y'all walked around? We went to Cococay once, but we had an early morning excursion. After that was over we got back on the ship. Our whole reason for taking the western itinerary is Labadee and we will be there as long as possible.

 

Well actually when I left for a walk my mom stayed and took a nap, so our spot was never left alone. Last time on our cruise to great stirrup cay a family with a very young baby took over part of our shade while we went to eat, we had left out stuff there. They just pushed our chairs together and made some room for a chair for their baby. I was ready to say something thinking they had just moved everything, but immediately I saw the baby taking a nap and understood why they did it. We had no problem in sharing our shade with them, that baby was white as snow. So mom got under the main shade and I just sat in half shade half sun.

 

Thanks for the tip and picture of Pango. Do you know how much it is? We also plan on bringing back tequila from Cozumel so I need to know what out international spirit budget should be.

 

I had to ask my bf, he bought it for me, he said it was $23.

 

 

Did anyone tell you which resort those amazing pictures that you took in Cozumel belonged too?

 

I had to research this one, I wasent sure where the answer was.

 

Originally Posted by xeriod

Thats the Park Royal, a resort. We stayed there for a week a couple of years ago. Its a really nice all inclusive. They do have day use for cruisers. I think that ran $75 and included lunch and all you could drink.

 

 

Thank you very much for the kind words I really appreciate it, I will see you around the Breakaway thread :).

 

Hi Gambee, Thanks a million for your review. I have been confined to my bed for the last 2 weeks and decided to start looking into our next cruise. We really wanted to do Allure or Oasis for our 5th wedding anniversary in 2014 and was looking for as much info on them as possible as a friend was on Oasis and half put me off as she said it was too big and we're big Liberty fans. But after reading your review I can't wait to go and book it now. Thanks again for all your time given, input and great pictures.

 

I hope you get better soon, thanks for taking the time to stop by and post. Maybe soon you can book it and have a great wedding anniversary. Glad you liked the review :)

Edited January 27, 2013 by gambee

[sunnydaygirl]

Well hello, hello, first of I want to say that I absolutely loved your reviews and can't wait for your future reviews. I found them long time ago, I believe after my after first cruise and enjoyed every second of them. You do a very impressive writing them.

 

Booking Allure one week before sailing, that is crazy :eek: lol, I can't imagine doing all the research that that ship requires in that time, hopefully my review helped you out some.

 

Thanks for commenting here =), so when do we expect your review?

 

 

 

 

No problem, my pleasure. No worries, I think I spend more time on CC than in my real life, the bf is always jealous, lol.

 

 

 

You're welcome, Allure would be a great ship to experience for something new, she definitely has a lot to offer for everyone. We might be considering doing our first Carnival cruise in August, but that is still up in the air. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, glad you enjoyed.

 

 

 

I am not sure about a month on board, but two weeks would be really nice. I would do one week trying to do everything and then the next relaxing.

 

The overnight jacuzzi is something that I will miss in other lines, I really don't know why they close it so early...

 

The flowrider had a small line and a few times on the MDR MTD had a short wait. I really can't remember anything else with a line, oh oh oh, always there was a line for the customer service desk, but it moves quickly.

 

I just joined your daughters review, love the pictures, thanks for letting me know about the review. My mom is also reading it and loving it. I am not really sure what my mom train of though is, I think its because she does not think she is hungry enough but then later on it appears that she was... The is my best guess, lol.

 

Yes I agree the time that I put into this project is just crazy I could not tell you how many hours. But for me it is different, I really enjoy it, I enjoy everything writing notes, taking pictures and then putting everything together. So trust me I had a blast =).

 

 

 

Hello, sunnydaygirl, first of all I want to thank you for stopping by and posting here on my thread. Also thank your daughter for sharing my review with you =).

 

I had to go back to the Compass to check you question on the port days, here is the one for labadee. As you can see they do open, but they have specific hours for it.

 

 

Something funny about your post that caught my eye is that you say your husband send a lot of time in the balcony and so did my bf, well he spend his time in the room. I am entire sure if sailing is for him, on our next cruise is just mom and me =).

 

I hope you have a great time on your family trip, I am sure you will have a blast.

 

Thanks Gambee for taking the time to do that for me. I thought I'd tell you I went to Costco and found the wine Columbia Crest(is that right) that you had a picture of. It was $7.89. We're buying the 5 bottle wine pkg and I wanted to try one first. It was pleasant. My daughter sent her spreadsheet to me today, lol, had their evening clothes choices on it, oh, and did I mention that they don't have a balcony but had a note to ask my steward for lounge chairs instead of regular chairs. Do you know if they still offer that!! Wouldn't know what to do without her! Haha. Kids! Say Hi to Mom for me!

 

 

BTW, I too enjoyed Sherrys review of the Freedom, a great ship!!

[mymollysue]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. We are going on the Allure in December and your review gave us a real insight into all the amazing things this ship has to offer.

 

Honestly, I think the cruise lines should hire you to do their photography. Your pictures are beyond amazing and better than any I have seen in brochures and online. You could even write the next Fodor's Guide to Cruising (if there is one that is)! Your details are impeccable. I think you could have a future in this!!!!!!!!

[Jyllie63]

Gambee, on page 27 of your review you have a picture posted of getting back inside the gate. There is a girl getting her hair braded and the picture is right above the taxi rate pics. Anyway, in the picture of the girl getting her hair braided is a painting of a house with goats and people in it. Do you happen to know if these are for sale and if so what the average price for the paintings are? Thanks!

[trvl_fanatic]

I've just recently re-acquainted myself with Cruise Critic, as I've been MIA since my last cruise 2 yrs ago, but I truly enjoyed your review!

 

Looking forward to your future trips & reviews.

[ken_nyc]

Gambee, this was the best review that I have read!! You do deserve the 5 star rating!! Your photos were also fantastic. I had trouble getting to the end of your review because of all the comments and questions, but I finally got there.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to do this review!

Ken

[gambee]

Thanks Gambee for taking the time to do that for me. I thought I'd tell you I went to Costco and found the wine Columbia Crest(is that right) that you had a picture of. It was $7.89. We're buying the 5 bottle wine pkg and I wanted to try one first. It was pleasant. My daughter sent her spreadsheet to me today, lol, had their evening clothes choices on it, oh, and did I mention that they don't have a balcony but had a note to ask my steward for lounge chairs instead of regular chairs. Do you know if they still offer that!! Wouldn't know what to do without her! Haha. Kids! Say Hi to Mom for me!

 

 

BTW, I too enjoyed Sherrys review of the Freedom, a great ship!!

 

Well I am not sure, I read plenty of people ask for a lounge chair and that no one has ever had an issue getting it. If my room on NCL does not have one I will be asking for one. The thing is that I am not sure if there is space for one of them in a room without a balcony, I don't think I would want one taking what little space there is in there. But I really don't see why they would not do it for her, you lose nothing by asking. I agree the wine was nice and smooth, I haven't had one since our cruise, maybe ill get a bottle for superbowl.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. We are going on the Allure in December and your review gave us a real insight into all the amazing things this ship has to offer.

 

Honestly, I think the cruise lines should hire you to do their photography. Your pictures are beyond amazing and better than any I have seen in brochures and online. You could even write the next Fodor's Guide to Cruising (if there is one that is)! Your details are impeccable. I think you could have a future in this!!!!!!!!

 

Thank you very much for kind words, it is definitely something that interests me. We will see where the future takes me. Thanks for taking the time to post here, have a great cruise :)

 

Gambee, on page 27 of your review you have a picture posted of getting back inside the gate. There is a girl getting her hair braded and the picture is right above the taxi rate pics. Anyway, in the picture of the girl getting her hair braided is a painting of a house with goats and people in it. Do you happen to know if these are for sale and if so what the average price for the paintings are? Thanks!

 

I don't I am sorry, I am not much of an art lover so I did not even bother looking at the stores. That said there are a few stores with original Jamaican art work, I am sure you could get a good deal.

 

Actually never mind, I figured maybe the price was written in the art piece. Well my camera had a lot in frame so focusing in there I think I read $35? could that be right? Hope that helps.

 

 

 

I've just recently re-acquainted myself with Cruise Critic, as I've been MIA since my last cruise 2 yrs ago, but I truly enjoyed your review!

 

Looking forward to your future trips & reviews.

 

Thank you for posting, hope to see around :), welcome back.

 

Gambee, this was the best review that I have read!! You do deserve the 5 star rating!! Your photos were also fantastic. I had trouble getting to the end of your review because of all the comments and questions, but I finally got there.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to do this review!

Ken

 

Thank you for kind words, glad you enjoyed it. :)

[Sadiesnose]

My boyfriend and I are going on the Allure in August with our 2 little ones. I'm so thankful for all the tips and hints you have shared here since we will be bringing our little ones along! I have thoroughly enjoyed your review and hope that your next cruise is as wonderful as this one was for you!:D

[Jyllie63]

Thanks so much for seeing that price tag for me! This is VERY do-able especially if I can barter them down a bit :) . Now to hope they have similar paintings when I'm there in May :) .