Allure 1-6-13 with pictures

[sj25]

There are vans waiting at the port. They group people together to get to the same location. We had 6 in our van at $8/pp. to Maho, on way back only 5 so it was $9/pp

 

So did you have a hard time finding a taxi to take you back? Or are there alot of them there..like alot of places just waiting for business....did you have to wait very long to get the 5 people to go? Thanks...we are doing this port once again next Jan...and just might have to do this...again so I can actually get some good pictures like this.

[caneguy]

The Ritz Carlton is a beautiful place. Do you know if anyone can buy a day pass?

 

I just had breakfast with my friend who works for Ritz Carlton Corp. Sorry, she said that no day passes are available.

[caneguy]

So did you have a hard time finding a taxi to take you back? Or are there alot of them there..like alot of places just waiting for business....did you have to wait very long to get the 5 people to go? Thanks...we are doing this port once again next Jan...and just might have to do this...again so I can actually get some good pictures like this.

 

Getting a taxi back is no problem. At Sunset Grill there are plenty of taxis. Had no problem filling taxi to get back to port. I think we had to be back on board ship by 4:30 and left Maho around 2:15.

[bobmacliberty]

Assume review! Your pics of the ship immediate brought me back to our 2011 cruise. I'm getting relaxed just sitting here thinking about it.

[caneguy]

ST. MAARTEN CONT:

Some shots of The Allure from going to and back from Maho

 

Noordam - Holland America and The Allure

 

Allure from a distance

 

Allure

 

In Port

[Burninghalo]

Great pictures and review. Ill be on Allure February 24. I cannot wait. Reading these reviews gets me so excited :)

[scopewest]

Your pictures are fantastic! Thanks for sharing.

[sj25]

Getting a taxi back is no problem. At Sunset Grill there are plenty of taxis. Had no problem filling taxi to get back to port. I think we had to be back on board ship by 4:30 and left Maho around 2:15.

 

 

Thanks ...I think that is what we are going to do on our upcoming cruise Jan 2014...

:)

[Jaime1958]

Appreciate the review and excellent pictures. I have been on the Oasis with the same itinerary and looking forward to my April 2013 cruise on The Allure. On a freezing cold New England day, this is exactly what I needed to read. Go Patriots!

[caneguy]

I love your pictures of the planes...I was on a tour that stopped there for a little time...we did get to see a couple smaller ones come so close ...it is really wild...I would of loved to see the ones you got pictures of....awesome!

 

Thanks Julie. We got lucky and were able to stay for a while to see the big ones come in...

[caneguy]

Appreciate the review and excellent pictures. I have been on the Oasis with the same itinerary and looking forward to my April 2013 cruise on The Allure. On a freezing cold New England day, this is exactly what I needed to read. Go Patriots!

 

Thanks for the compliments. My son is in Boston going to BU and we have become Patriot fans, sorry but not the Red Sox though I have been to Fenway many times as he lives about 5 blocks from Fenway.

[caneguy]

Great pictures and review. Ill be on Allure February 24. I cannot wait. Reading these reviews gets me so excited :)

 

Thanks for the props. I am sure you will have a great time on the Allure. We all had the best time, the ship is better than you think it is before seeing it, truly an amazing ship.

[sj25]

Thanks Julie. We got lucky and were able to stay for a while to see the big ones come in...

 

I think it is more cooler due to I work at a small airport and see the planes...but to imagine them to fly in that close to people and that big. I had told everyone about it when I did this last year...but only had smaller planes coming in so did not give effect like the big ones do.

 

Also who is your captain and cruise director?

[caneguy]

Your pictures are fantastic! Thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks. Sometimes you get lucky with the camera:)

[caneguy]

Assume review! Your pics of the ship immediate brought me back to our 2011 cruise. I'm getting relaxed just sitting here thinking about it.

 

Glad you are enjoying the review and pictures.

[Lloyd555]

I just had breakfast with my friend who works for Ritz Carlton Corp. Sorry, she said that no day passes are available.

 

Thanks for asking your friend. Too bad about the passes, but atleast we got to see your great photos.

[caneguy]

Thanks for asking your friend. Too bad about the passes, but atleast we got to see your great photos.

 

one option is to join with a few other people and get a room for the day. My son went with a friend two years ago with two families and they booked a room in advance "checked in" and used the hotel for the day....

[slh182]

I just had breakfast with my friend who works for Ritz Carlton Corp. Sorry, she said that no day passes are available.

 

Thank you for asking your friend :) I am going to call the ritz to see if I can get a room for the night, but not stay obviously.

[slh182]

Thank you for asking your friend :) I am going to call the ritz to see if I can get a room for the night, but not stay obviously.

 

Okay, so I just checked and for over $600 a night I have decided not to do that lol. I'm going to try and talk my way into staying there for the day. I'm sure if I offered them money they would say yes, I hope.

[caneguy]

Okay, so I just checked and for over $600 a night I have decided not to do that lol. I'm going to try and talk my way into staying there for the day. I'm sure if I offered them money they would say yes, I hope.

 

That is a lot of money!!! The cost from the ship to the Ritz was $12/pp. We asked our cab driver to come back to bring us back to the ship.

[sharonlacey]

Just hang out on the ship, out of all the Islands PR is the last place I would pay to go to the beach.;)

[rlpolobear9]

Okay, so I just checked and for over $600 a night I have decided not to do that lol. I'm going to try and talk my way into staying there for the day. I'm sure if I offered them money they would say yes, I hope.

 

 

There are plenty of really nice hotels to get day passes to on St Thomas or St John. You can go on TA and search the forums or go on the islands forum on here

[caneguy]

ST.MAARTEN CONT:

 

Allure from a distance

 

Got back to the dock, looked at some shops and went onboard. Did some Hot Tub time before getting ready for dinner.

 

Solarium Hot Tub

 

Dinner tonight was at MDR and again, not great, not terrible and just OK. Nothing stood out and nothing was very bad at our table of 8 people.

 

After dinner I joined my mother, father in law and mother in law up in the Crown Viking lounge for an evening of Broadway songs. My wife again had some motion sickness and stayed behind in the cabin, the boy's "are you kidding me?, Broadway songs?" The first hour was hosted by the Cruise Conductor of Chicago and the second hour the cast of Chicago came up to sing Broadway songs. The Cruise Conductor did an OK job, some of the songs were right on, but on some he missed a few notes and you wanted to clench you teeth. The cast were terrific and I wish as they came up to sing, besides telling us their name the conductor would have told us which part they played in Chicao. I mentioned this to the cast member who sat behind me and he said he was going to mention it for the next time. He played the part of Roxie Hart's husband, did a really nice job in the show.

 

After the Broadway songs I made my way down to Adult Quest. Great time, very funny and overall a great time. Staggered back to the cabin and zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

[ronandcarla]

DAY 5 - ST. MAARTEN CONT.:

The bigger planes began to come into view

First Jet

 

Over the Beach

 

Getting Closer

 

Can you see the passengers on the plane wave?

 

Caught behind the jet blast

 

We are long time cruise passengers and travelers to Saint Martin/Maareten and your photos of the beach/airport area are beautiful. You might want to enter them on the airliners.net site for they have an awful lot of them for that area and thru-out the world. Again, Thank You for the review and photos, Ron and Carla M PS: I know what you mean about your ages, I'm 65 and my wife is 56, the only problem with that is this coming March I will start my monthly SSN benefits, with no plans for retirement and my wife who is to young for retirement benefits has just found another way to SPEND OUR MONEY!!!

Edited January 20, 2013 by ronandcarla

[caneguy]

I think it is more cooler due to I work at a small airport and see the planes...but to imagine them to fly in that close to people and that big. I had told everyone about it when I did this last year...but only had smaller planes coming in so did not give effect like the big ones do.

 

Also who is your captain and cruise director?

 

Cruise director was Alan Brooks. Sorry I do not remember the Captain's name

 

Yes seeing the bigger planes was amazing.