Allure Comments - 1/27/13

[Giorgi-one]

Just got back from Allure cruise. Just a few comments. In general, we thought it was a fantastic cruise.

 

Ship - Magnificent. Impossible to describe in words, and photos really don't show all the details.

 

Stateroom - We had an oceanview balcony. Nothing special. Pretty much in line with recent trend toward smaller cabins on new ships. Barely enough storage for 7-day cruise. Interactive TV worked occasionally. Dumbest idea - no drawers in nightstands.

 

Specialty Restaurants - We had one complimentary dinner and purchased package of three restaurants for $70 per person.

Samba - Had a great time with the waiters. Food was good not great.

Chops - Wife ordered chicken which was awful. I know it's a steak house but no excuse for what they served her. Appetizers and soups were good.

150 Central Park - Intersting idea but I was never sure what I was eating. Our waiter seemed to lose interest when we did not order wine.

Giovanni's - Good food but does not compare with Italian food we get at any restaurant in Philadelphia or South Jersey.

 

Main Dining Room - Our waiters were the greatest - lots of fun. We ate there three nights and food was good. Lobster was very good.

 

Windjammer - I always thought Royal Caribbean Windjammer was the worst buffet on the high seas and Allure did not disappoint. Way undersized, mediocre food (at best). One beverage station on each side of restaurant. Bacon at breakfast was the worst I have ever seen (I am 70 years old so I have seen a lot of bad bacon). Avoided the place for rest of cruise.

 

Central Park Cafe - Roast beef sandwich was good.

 

Sorrentos - Pizza was passable. Again Philly/South Jersey has some of the best Pizza in the USA so I don't expect much on a cruise.

 

Solarium Bistro - Ate breakfast and lunch here most days. Very good. Nice atmosphere. Never crowded.

 

Coffee - Best I have ever had on any cruise. Coffee is brewed using Seattle"s Best ground beans. On the downside most venues serve coffee with milk. Half and Half at the miminum, light cream is preferred.

 

Entertainment - Fantastic. If you don't enjoy this entertainment, you should stay home.

 

Elevators - Sized for a ship about half this size. In fact, most ships half this size have about the same number of elevators.

 

Ignorant Passengers - People had complained on these boards about people from a certain South American country. Not as many on this cruise but they seemed to be arrogant.

 

Quest - One of the funniest experiences of my life.

[hospital]

Short, sweet and to the point. Love it....

[funfamilyof6]

Very good review, thanks for sharing!!! :)

[Steppy08]

It's a shame your dinner at Central Park 150 wasn't explained better, our waiter did a fabulous job of explaining everything. Plus, didn't you get the personalized menu at the beginning?

 

We thought Samba was great, and the food at Giovanni's rivaled the meals we had in Rome and Naples this summer, but to each his own...

[Lionesss]

Very nice review.

Thanks

Sea Ya

[Langley Cruisers]

Entertainment - Fantastic. If you don't enjoy this entertainment, you should stay home...

 

Or you could do what we do and just choose to do something else. Cruise ship entertainment is not for everyone and we have found that we are becoming more and more uninterested in the shows. *shrug* But I don't want to stay home. ;):D

 

.

[gambee]

Ignorant Passengers - People had complained on these boards about people from a certain South American country. Not as many on this cruise but they seemed to be arrogant.

 

 

do you mind if I ask which country?

[Astrogal]

I'd like to know, too, though I'm GUESSING Brazil

[Merion_Mom]

I'd like to know, too, though I'm GUESSING Brazil

 

Check.

[samj80]

Elevators - Sized for a ship about half this size. In fact, most ships half this size have about the same number of elevators.

 

I was actually impressed by the efficiency of the elevators on the Oasis class considering the number of people on-board. There are 4 banks of 6 elevators. I'm not familiar with any other ship which has 24 public elevators. Granted they were busy after shows and such, but you could easily get around this back walking to the aft elevators.

[pittnh]

I was actually impressed by the efficiency of the elevators on the Oasis class considering the number of people on-board. There are 4 banks of 6 elevators. I'm not familiar with any other ship which has 24 public elevators. Granted they were busy after shows and such, but you could easily get around this back walking to the aft elevators.

 

 

I really find it funny that people could actually complain about the elevators. Short of beaming up from one deck to another, can't think it could be any more efficient.

[Giorgi-one]

It's a shame your dinner at Central Park 150 wasn't explained better, our waiter did a fabulous job of explaining everything. Plus, didn't you get the personalized menu at the beginning?

 

We thought Samba was great, and the food at Giovanni's rivaled the meals we had in Rome and Naples this summer, but to each his own...

 

Yes our waiter did explain and yes we did get the menu. I was being a little facetious. Really don't get the point of seaweed pasta and most of the other dishes.

[Giorgi-one]

Or you could do what we do and just choose to do something else. Cruise ship entertainment is not for everyone and we have found that we are becoming more and more uninterested in the shows. *shrug* But I don't want to stay home. ;):D

 

.

 

I really did not mean that you should stay home. Again, I was using a little "posters license". I think most people understood this. I was trying accentuate that the entertainment was very good. Perhaps a more accurate statement would be that if you choose to attend the entertainment on Allure and do not enjoy it, you would probably not enjoy entertainment on any cruise ship, and if that is really important to you, you should not cruise on this ship. Lighten up!

[Giorgi-one]

I was actually impressed by the efficiency of the elevators on the Oasis class considering the number of people on-board. There are 4 banks of 6 elevators. I'm not familiar with any other ship which has 24 public elevators. Granted they were busy after shows and such, but you could easily get around this back walking to the aft elevators.

 

They were busy in the morning going to breakfast, midday going to lunch and pool, evengings going to dinner, after shows, embarkation, debarkation and coming back from ports - exactly the times one would need to take an elevator. Agreed, I never waited for an elevator leaving the casino at 2 AM/

[Eriksgarden]

Our experience at 150 was so bad, they refunded the meal without us even asking or saying we did not enjoy it.

 

The Solarium Bistro for breakfast and/or lunch is like the greatest kept secret on Allure. Never crowded and the food was very good.

[onthewater51]

You made my day with this...

 

"I am 70 years old so I have seen a lot of bad bacon"

 

Thanks :D

[funfamilyof6]

Yes our waiter did explain and yes we did get the menu. I was being a little facetious. Really don't get the point of seaweed pasta and most of the other dishes.

 

Yuck...what the heck is seaweed pasta? :eek:

[chadbeck]

Just got back from Allure cruise. Just a few comments. In general, we thought it was a fantastic cruise.

 

Ship - Magnificent. Impossible to describe in words, and photos really don't show all the details.

 

 

Windjammer - I always thought Royal Caribbean Windjammer was the worst buffet on the high seas and Allure did not disappoint. Way undersized, mediocre food (at best). One beverage station on each side of restaurant. Bacon at breakfast was the worst I have ever seen (I am 70 years old so I have seen a lot of bad bacon). Avoided the place for rest of cruise.

 

 

Entertainment - Fantastic. If you don't enjoy this entertainment, you should stay home.

 

 

Ignorant Passengers - People had complained on these boards about people from a certain South American country. Not as many on this cruise but they seemed to be arrogant.

 

Quest - One of the funniest experiences of my life.

 

 

I was also on this cruise and agree with most of it but a couple other comments.

 

Ship-It really is amazing that they were able to put all of that on one ship. Just crazy

 

Windjammer-There is actually two drink stations on each side. One in the very front and one just before you go to the back. Or there was every time I was in there. Along with two mini stations set up in the back area.

 

Entertainment-I agree it was the best of any ship I have been on by a long shot. I think the last 10 cruises I have skipped the shows because they are all the same. Not the case on this ship.

 

Quest-I have been to the quest a bunch of times and that may have been the funniest one I have ever watched. You can't un-see Billy Idol

[LaVitaBella2]

Please tell me you at least had the famous "Cucumber Martini" at Central Park.... I have to say I was on the Oasis and LOVED it ! My son & I only had dinner one night in the main dinner room... we could not get enough of Central Park ! and we are from NYC... so we known good food :):)

[Giorgi-one]

I really find it funny that people could actually complain about the elevators. Short of beaming up from one deck to another, can't think it could be any more efficient.

 

I can complain about anything. It's a Gift!

[Giorgi-one]

It's a shame your dinner at Central Park 150 wasn't explained better, our waiter did a fabulous job of explaining everything. Plus, didn't you get the personalized menu at the beginning?

 

We thought Samba was great, and the food at Giovanni's rivaled the meals we had in Rome and Naples this summer, but to each his own...

 

We ate at one restaurant in Italy on our Med cruise. Was supposed to be pasta with sea food but there was no sea food. When I order same dish at home (for about half the price) there is at least one pound of sea food on top of the pasta.

 

I ordered veal at Giovanni's. Got a 1/2" thick piece of slightly chewy meat. Does not compare to veal dishes we get in Italian restaurants at home.

 

Note I am not talking about 5* or any * restaurants. I'm talking about little restaurants located in shopping centers.

 

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder!

[raerom]

do you mind if I ask which country?

 

Hi Gambee...DH and I just off this cruise also. We had a blast! Poster is complaining about 650 Brazilians. There were 3500 Americans and almost 1000 Canadians. Lots of Japanese and 62 other nationalities. Being from Toronto I come from a multicultural society that embraces every nationality. I thought the South Americans were a fun bunch. The only rude people I personally came across were the couple who burst into the elevators before letting the people out first and the 2 girls sitting behind us during Chicago singing and repeating the dialogue. Ruined Chicago for us. They were also so annoying crunching the ice in their drinks while the show was going on (these people were either American or Canadian). We were partying with a couple who are from the USA but originally he was from Columbia. What an awesome time! Extremely fun loving!

[raerom]

DH and I had a fantastic experience at Chops and Central Park 150. We dined at Chops twice because the food and service was so great! The service at 150 was outstanding!!! DH and I shared the wine pairings. I will admit to get the most from this meal the wine pairing really makes it. The waitstaff spend quite a bit of time explaining the wine and how it pairs with the food. If you don’t get the wine pairing they will not have as much to talk about. We had a 3 hour dinner here enjoying the food, wine and the enthusiasm of our waiter!

[Steppy08]

We ate at one restaurant in Italy on our Med cruise. Was supposed to be pasta with sea food but there was no sea food. When I order same dish at home (for about half the price) there is at least one pound of sea food on top of the pasta.

 

I ordered veal at Giovanni's. Got a 1/2" thick piece of slightly chewy meat. Does not compare to veal dishes we get in Italian restaurants at home.

 

Note I am not talking about 5* or any * restaurants. I'm talking about little restaurants located in shopping centers.

 

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder!

 

Well, food is subjective and to each his own. I would never eat only one meal in a country and generalize that all restaurants in that country are bad. We have eaten in about a dozen restaurants in Italy (Florence, Rome, Naples... well, Positano, not really Naples) and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Giovanni's and thought it compared well with real Italian food.

[johneeo]

I was always up at 5:00 AM, so I would hit the WJ for breakfast when it opened at 7:00.

 

Obviously, no crowds, and I found the food pretty good and plenty of it. Scrambled eggs, hash browns, corn beef hash, sausage, salmon, french toast, pastries, etc.

 

I will agree, the bacon was nothing to write home about.