Allure 1-6-13 with pictures

[caneguy]

ALLURE OF THE SEAS 1/6/13

 

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS:

 

We booked our cruise through a Travel Angency via an 800 number. Our cabins were Central Park Balcony and “Superior” Ocean Balcony. The Central Park cabins came with an On Board Credit (OBC) of $175, pre-paid gratuities, and two dinners in any specaily restaruant expect Chef Table or 15 Park. The Ocean Balcony was all of the above expect the OBC was $225.

SO my adivce is to call around to see what kind of deal you can get!!

 

This is a wonderful ship. Even though it is so large, it is well designed and with the numerous event and location finders on every deck you can find whatever you want in just a few "finger points".

 

All the show productions were wonderful with my favorite being Blue Planet

 

FOOD:

Food. MDR - Average. We did MTD and the service was fine. Even though we did not eat there often we were seated in the same section on each our visits. On the second our waiter knew are drinks and preferences. My wife does not eat deserts (more for me!!) and on the second time eating in the MDR, he brought over covered plate which he explained was specially made for my wife. He lifted off the cover and written on the plate was "Nothing" in chocolate syrup. Very funny!!

 

Food. Specialty restaurants. All wonderful. Now, if you went to a fine Steak house or Italian restaurant at home they would probably be better than Chops or Giovanni's but each were SO MUCH BETTER than the MDR food. If you are a meat lover than Samba Grill is also well worth the up charge.

 

OUTSIDE SPACE:

Plenty of room everywhere on the ship. You can always find a lounge chair but it may not be in your first priority area. Sports area is fun and always activity there. Flow rider was so much fun, son's had a lot of fun on the basketball courts and met some friends there to hang with on the cruise.

 

SPA/GYM: Did not use the spa but the gym had all the cardio or weight training equipment that you would want. I did 4 spin classes while on board and all were well taught and the bkes and moniter devices were first rate.

 

BEST MEAL: Chops

BEST SHOW: Blue Planet

BEST ENTREE: Tie - Pan-Fried Barramundi Fillet / 10oz Filet Mignon both at Chops

BEST DESERT: Tiramisu Giovanni’s

 

Day One:

Arrived at terminal 18 at 11:15 and was on board the ship by 11:40, very quick and easy embarkation.

 

We are a party of 8, myself 61 y.o. wife 48 y.o. (yea me!!!) two son's 22 and 19, my mother 87, mother-in-law 79 and father-in-law 78.

 

Our dinners were all around 6:30. When you travel with family that are over 75 and at 5 PM they all start asking "when's dinner?" I was smart enough to book dinner at 6:30:)

 

The first thing I did was to make reservations at the specialty restaurants. I had a bunch of OBC that I wanted to use so I had to wait until I was on the ship to book and use these credits. Booked Chops for the first night, Giovanni's for the second, Samba Grill for the 5th night and both Chops and Giovanni's for the last night of the cruise. I will cancel one of them after eating at both to see which one was the family choice.

Did not have any problem booking the restaurants. I was worried as I went online a few weeks prior to the sailing and saw that Chops was booked for a party of 8 for most nights. I was told by the person taking reservations at Giovanni's that by 3:30 PM on the first day of sailing the previous week (New Years Cruise) that the restaurant was completely full for the week!!

 

After booking the restaurants I went to Park Cafe, met the rest of the family, and had my first of many Roast Beef Sandwiches and a fresh made to order salad.

 

Did a tour of the ship and then watched the NFL playoff game on the big screens at the Aquatheather, great venue.

 

 

 

 

 

[caneguy]

Sail Away was watched from the deck just above the Aqua Theather by the rock climbing wall on the starboard side. Not crowded and plenty of room to walk around and take pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[caneguy]

More pictures from sail away..

 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye Neighbors:)

[Starboard-33]

Love the photos.

[caneguy]

Sorry, PORT SIDE OF SHIP TO WATCH SAIL AWAY WITH THESE VIEWS

[PathfinderEss]

Great photo's thanks for posting them.

[slh182]

Thank you so much :)

[Cupcrazy]

Great pictures. Thanks for taking the time to post them. Can't wait for more

[jarz85]

We are a party of 8, myself 61 y.o. wife 48 y.o. (yea me!!!)

 

HAHAHAHA :D You made me spit coffee all over my laptop :rolleyes:

 

Great review so far, can't wait for more! Thanks

[whataboutport]

Is there more? Patiently waiting! :)

[FloridaMomma]

Can't wait to see more!

[caneguy]

I'm back....

Ok, so I had to go to work today so I am late in continuing my post. But I only work 3 days a week, so there will be more to follow soon...

 

Ate dinner tonight at Chops, also on night 7.

 

 

Dinner at Chops was first rate.

 

Chops Steak House

 

Apps. were ordered and you can order as many as you like.

Chops Appetizers

 

Entree's ordered on the first night were the Halibut, 10oz Filet, and NY Strip steak. I would say that the Filet and Halibut were the best. NY Strip was flavorful but I like a thicker cut of steak and this looked like something I would have gotten at the local Sizzler Steak house ( are the still around?) The Filet was almost as good as one would get at a good steak house like Abe and Louis in Boston, Quality Meat in NYC or might I say Gibson's in Chicago. OK, maybe I am embellishing a little, but it was a fine cut of meat. Sides are ordered to be shared as in most steak houses and they were fine. The mushrooms and loaded Baked Potato were the favorites. Also ordered were string beans, double mashed potatoes. Overall well worth the upgrade charge. On the second night I ordered the Pan-Fried Barramundi Filet and it was about the best dish I had on the Allure!!

 

Chops Entree's and Side Dishes

 

After dinner we wen directly to the Amber Theater for Chicago

Amber Theater

 

CHICAGO: This was a well done production. If you are expecting something like the movie, this is not what you get. What you do get is a very good production of what the stage play looked like on Broadway. The singing, dancing and acting were very good for a ship production. Enjoyed the show very much.

What I do not understand is why parents bring their children to see a show about sex, murder, greed and adultry. I would not want to explain to a 12 year old why the man asked "are you sure you husband is not home?" or see very attractive show girls move in very sensual ways.

[caneguy]

Opps.......

forgot to post the Desserts at Chops. All were wonderful and worth an extra 30 minutes on a bike in the gym

 

DAY TWO:

I am a early riser and decided to walk around the ship and take a few pictures

 

Beach pool area and Hot Tub

 

Kids Pool area

 

Beach Pool (I think)

 

Central Park

 

Central Park

[Matisse05]

Great start! Thanks for sharing!:)

[caneguy]

Some inside early morning pictures

 

Deck 5...

 

Royal Promenade

 

Royal Promenade

 

Starbucks

 

Little Boys Dream....

[caneguy]

DAY TWO: NASSAU

 

To keep my promise to my wife I went to a 7:45 Spin class to work off some calories. Great class and really good bikes. Cardio Monitors on a screen.

 

 

Light breakfast in the Solarium area. I then met my wife for her breakfast and found out that the main dinning room closed today at 9 AM. TIP: Check the compass for restaurant times as they change depending if the ship is in port or at sea. We then went to Windjammer which was still open. Windjammer selection for food was almost anything you would want (unless it was a made to order omlette). Only time we ate in the Windjammer during the cruise.

 

 

Most of our group (well everyone expect for myself and my two son's) stayed on the ship while docked in Nassau. I went with the boys to have a drink (well many drinks) at Senior Frogs.

 

Now there were four ships docked In Nassau at the same time. The Allure, Disney Dream, Carnival Valor and Carnival Ecstasy.

 

 

Disney Dream Carnival Valor

 

taken from Senior Frogs

 

I heard from people on the Ecstasy that one of the excursions in Nassau on their ship was a tour of the Allure, (that was a joke)!! We left the ship around 10 AM, walked passed the Disney Dream and I thought I was in Disney World! You know how at Disney after a ride the exit you though a gift shop so you might buy something, well the good people of the Nassau Tourist Assoc. funneled all these people into an enclosed crowded straw market. It took 15 minutes just to naivagate through this cheap mall. How many of the same straw bags, hats, cheap sunglasses can one person take?

 

So we finally made it to Senior Frogs and find out they open at 11 AM, just 90 minutes to pound down some "Yard drinks". SO......... let me say that as someone a little older, I really should not have tried to keep up with my 22 y.o. and 19 y.o. son in the drinking department:) But I had to hang with them as I wanted to make sure they would get back to the ship on time which was 1:30. WE had a very good time at Senior Frogs. The bartenders try as hard as they can to get you toasted in two hours so that you can stagger your way back to a ship (hopefully your ship). One, OK TWO "Yards" free shots poured by the great bartenders (our guy was Fritz) and then just follow the crowd back to the ships!

 

Senior Frogs

[AussieVisi2r]

enjoying your report. Thanks

[dmwnc1959]

GREAT review and superb pictures! That's one of the best pictures I've ever seen of Chops. My table was the first one of the left without the extra chair on the side. Best filet mignon I have EVER had and the Mud Pie was 'OMG good'! Simply amazing. Loved the Conch Fritters at Señor Frogs as well as the view of the ships. Looking forward to more of of your review!

[caneguy]

Thanks for the props. Both times at Chops our party sat in the back area along the wine cooler/rack and both times a first rate experience.

[suizas]

Who was your server at Chops? We like Jerome!

[johneeo]

Opps.......

 

DAY TWO:

I am a early riser and decided to walk around the ship and take a few pictures

 

 

 

Same here.

 

Nothing like a cruise ship, especially the Allure or Oasis at 5:00 AM.

 

The ship, it is my ship, all mine, nary a soul in sight, except my crew!

Edited January 15, 2013 by johneeo

[jakesmom04]

Can't wait for more. We (our group of 15) will be onboard her in April.

[caneguy]

I wish I remembered the names:) I gave the server from the second night at Chops my WOW card because of his wonderful service (gave my son's the use of his phone to check the NFL scores) and his recommendation of the Barramundi filet.

[tahqa]

 

Beach Pool (I think)

 

It's the sports pool :)

[Dolby1000]

We are sailing on the Allure in April. I love the picture reviews. Please keep 'em coming.

 

Thanks

 

OWD (Ocean Wave Dave)

Edited January 15, 2013 by Dolby1000