B2B Allure Of The Seas Pictorial Review - 31st March 2013 & 7th April 2013

[milpston]

Loving your review. I've only been on smaller ships but I really want to check out one like Allure/Oasis or Epic/Breakaway. All the details you have been posting make it seem like despite the large number of guests you really aren't stuck in lines the whole trip.

 

I really wouldn't let that thought worry you. I honestly dont remember having to wait more than a minute or two for a drink or a table for meals anywhere. Maybe once or twice in the Windjammer but that was about it. I waited in lines to get on and off the ship much more when I went on the Navigator. Queues aren't an issue anywhere on here.

[bluecruisin]

Were you glad you had picked the catamaran excursion in Jamacia? We are considering doing this. Where any beverages or snacks provided? I'm sure you must have mentoined it,but including sailing time, how long were you on the catamaran? Thanks so much for your help and for this wonderful review!!

[shrimp56]

subscribing because this is fun:)

[tarajean1962]

 

Okay, i know I am a nurse but that photo sure looks like a petri dish to me!!:D

 

Greast update Paul!! I can't believe that you are on Day 5 of the second leg!! Is my B2b GOING TO GO THIS FAST?!?!

 

tARA

[joand452]

Paul,

 

I hope you found more of the "Small Wonders" before you got off the ship! They are everywhere! In addition to the brass "telescope" looking ones, there are also some that look like silver "binoculars" on a stand. They have scenes, too. I loved looking through them, hoping I'd found one I hadn't seen before. I'm sure I missed a few. Oasis has them as well.

[cruisergirl79]

finally figured out how to subscribe :o yes a little late, but still very much enjoying your review. :)

[Robinola]

Sally's black formal dress with the silver trim is Gorgeous!

[milpston]

Were you glad you had picked the catamaran excursion in Jamacia? We are considering doing this. Where any beverages or snacks provided? I'm sure you must have mentoined it,but including sailing time, how long were you on the catamaran? Thanks so much for your help and for this wonderful review!!

 

Hi there. Yes we were pleased we chose this excursion. I think wew were on the catamaran for about 3-4 hours although I didn't note down the exact times. It felt about right as we thought a full day on there hay have been a bit much.Drinks were definitely included although I don't remember eating anything. However, there was some snacks on the table in one of the pictures when they were briefing the snorkelling so we could have missed that. It was a good half day out at a reasonable price.

 

subscribing because this is fun:)

 

Glad you are enjoying it.

[milpston]

 

Okay, i know I am a nurse but that photo sure looks like a petri dish to me!!:D

 

Greast update Paul!! I can't believe that you are on Day 5 of the second leg!! Is my B2b GOING TO GO THIS FAST?!?!

 

tARA

 

Do you now what? I wrote that there was buddhas inside when I looked into it but I think my camera's view must have been better that my own eyesight at the time!

I'm glad it's not over yet as it is distracting me from booking any more holidays for now :D

 

Paul,

 

I hope you found more of the "Small Wonders" before you got off the ship! They are everywhere! In addition to the brass "telescope" looking ones, there are also some that look like silver "binoculars" on a stand. They have scenes, too. I loved looking through them, hoping I'd found one I hadn't seen before. I'm sure I missed a few. Oasis has them as well.

 

We found a fair few of them on both the Oasis and the Allure but I didn't notice if this one like this on the Oasis and took me 11 days to spot this one on the Allure. I don't know if there are any more like this one??

[milpston]

finally figured out how to subscribe :o yes a little late, but still very much enjoying your review. :)

 

Haha, I'm glad you ahve worked it out and are enjoying it.

 

Sally's black formal dress with the silver trim is

 

Gorgeous!

 

I'll let her know about your comment. I was surprised how many people commented on it when she was wearing it.

[milpston]

This morning I woke up at 09:45. This was the latest I had slept for the whole cruise and much more my normal way of doing things.

Chloe had already been to breakfast with Roy and Maureen. There are more limited options for breakfast after 10:00. We pretty much had the choice of the Wipeout Cafe, Solarium or Windjammer. We decided to head off to the Windjammer. On the way there we collected some towels and put them on some beds in our usual spot. There were plenty available and it looked like being another hot day.

 

 

We had no problems finding a table in the Windjammer this morning. It seemed like it was quieter this litttle bit later.

I had my normal sort of selection and it was nice and hot.

 

This was Sally's collection. We both had an orange juice each.

 

 

[milpston]

After breakfast I dropped a few bits back to the cabin while Sally lay in the sun. Chloe was already in the pool with her friend that she had made.

On returning I decided I was a little burnt from yesterday so I pulled up a chair with Roy and Maureen right to the aft of the pool deck, port side and next to the entrance to the Windjammer. The sun's position made for a nice little bit of shade here. I spent plenty of time just staring at the sea. It keeps me amused for hours just looking at the surface for flying fish. The main place I tend to see these is to the north of the Bahamas and in the area of the Turks & Caicos islands.

I read a couple of magazines that I had brought with me and hardly even looked at for the whole of the cruise so far.

Sally and I got ourselves a drink.

 

 

It was funny how many people walked past us and asked us where we got them from. I think they were pina coladas. They set up a stand selling these near to the towel station on deck 15. They don't seem to stay there for long as they probably only have a limited amount.

[milpston]

At 13:30 we remembered that we missed the men's international belly flop competition last week and made our way down to the Aquatheatre to catch it.

I had thought about entering this but I decided that it is painful enough without having the sunburnt stomach that I currently had. That's my excuse anyway!

The Cruise Director this week was Ken Rush. I liked him. I thought he had a really good way about him and I found him funny.

They do this competition really well with the use of the big screens for replays.

 

 

This is quite a popular event so it draws in the crowds. I stood at the very side of the Aquatheatre so that I could stay in the shade. The sun was beating down.

 

I have to say that very few of the entrants did a decent belly flop. A couple of them did but most of the efforts were pretty much like this one.

 

It was very entertaining. Once all the competitors had their go they did another one from the central platform simultaneously.

 

This guy was the winner and he probably deserved it.

The belly flop competition is worth catching if you haven't seen it before.

[milpston]

Sally and I headed up to the canitlevered whirlpool on the port side after the show for some relaxing. These are located near to the entrance of the solarium.

Most of the time we passed these they weren't rammed full.

 

 

There is a lovely view from in here. I enjoyed passing a bit of time from this spot.

[milpston]

At about 16:00 we headed to the cabin to relax and enjoy the air conditioning. We went via a bot of lunch in the Park Cafe.. just for a change :p

We received a letter reminding people to clean their hands before and after eating today due to a number of people becoming ill on the ship. There was also an announcement in a number of different languages blasted into the cabins this afternoon. Sally actually witnessed one guest being asked to clean his hands at the Park Cafe. He made a right song and dance about it and refused as he said he had already done it. I think RCI go to great lengths with this which is comforting. We never had any issues with stomach bugs throughout the cruise and I didn't meet anyone who had. There was obviously some issues with it on this cruise though.

It made me smile that this was the only afternoon that I had a nap in the cabin and the only afternoon that there was an announcement into the cabins. Nevermind, we had the last formal night of our cruise to get ready for anyway.:D

[milpston]

At 19:45 we went to the MDR. I was pleased that we had booked this time for our evening meal in the MDR throughout our cruise. It worked well for us.

We were sat on the same table as the previous night and I was glad as this was the bst team we had throughout our cruise.

I took a picture of the new wine package menue this evening when choosing our wine. (We stuck with the Kim Crawford).

 

I was glad this was the last formal night as I felt very hot in the MDR again this evening.

 

I don't really remember the wait staff doing their singing and dancing routine on our level this evening like I have seen in previous cruises. The floor below us definitely had it as I remember all the noise coming from down below and some guests standing looking over the railings to the deck below.

 

[milpston]

I'm sure I recall that there used to be fillet steak on the menu on lobster night but maybe I am incorrect about this. The only option for this is the Chops fillet which is at an extra fee. I do have some opinions to express about the MDR but I will leave this for the end of the review when I take a few moments to sum it up.

For starters tonight seafood cocktail (crab, lobster and shrimp). I had the Double Duck consomme which was lovely and Chloe had the Caesar Sald with no parmesan.

Somehow, I must have missing getting a picture of Sally's.

 

 

For main course Chloe and I had the Chops Fillet and Sally went for the Lobster.

 

 

Our wait staff were more than happy to help out with cutting food.

 

 

[milpston]

Chloe had the baked Alaska for dessert while Sally and I both went for the white chocolate mousse.

 

I can't seem to find the chocolate Mousse either. I think I may have been becoming weary of taking pictures of food by this point :D

[milpston]

I hope to get the rest of this evening and Mexico started on Thursday. I'll then have a couple of days off and hope to get the review finished by the end of the weekend.

[rednancy1]

I just love reading the daily installment of your great review. :)

 

Waiting until Thursday. :D

[digitalknoll]

Great review! How did you have time to enjoy yourself with all these excellent posts? I have been glued to this post for a couple of hours today and finally got to the end. Now what am I supposed to do, lol? Congrats on your wedding. My fiancee and I booked this exact trip in February. We are getting married Oct 19 and sailing Sunday the 20th on Allure going western then eastern. We went on the Oasis in 2011 for the eastern and absolutely loved every minute of it. There were things we weren't able to do that time around that we plan to do this time for sure. Your review has been so awesome for us. We are having friends and family join us for the first week and then it's just us on the second. We look forward to the rest of your review. Enjoy!

 

-DK

[madeleymon]

As we are also B2B cruisers on the Allure in September I have quick question; did you pack for a 7 night cruise and have clothes laundered or did you pack for the full 14 nights?? We have done several 14 nights round the Med before and always packed for 14 nights but with flying from the UK we are obviously restricted with weight. Thanks

[DesignGrl]

As we are also B2B cruisers on the Allure in September I have quick question; did you pack for a 7 night cruise and have clothes laundered or did you pack for the full 14 nights?? We have done several 14 nights round the Med before and always packed for 14 nights but with flying from the UK we are obviously restricted with weight. Thanks

 

I have the same question. Though not coming from UK, just a couple hours north of Ft. Lauderdale, we were still kind of stumped on how to pack. Are laundry services available and if so, are they crazy expensive? Did you send unders to laundry? I don't know about all that. Would love advice on this as well.

 

We really enjoyed your review and can't wait for our own journey to begin.

[tarajean1962]

I,too, look forward to this every day!!:D You are doing a superb job, Paul!!

 

Tara

[BEACHPAD04]

WHAT A GREAT REVIEW!!! Have read many but yours was the best of all the years I have read and great pictures. What a nice Guy to take your step-daughter with you on your honeymoon. Wishing you and Sally many years of happiness.

Thanks again for all your time in doing review:):):):):)