Allure May 19th Western sailing - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

[DonOtt]

Hey fellow cruisers....

 

Back to work today after our cruise on the Allure last week. My DW & I sailed on her 2 years ago (Eastern) and were overwhelmed and this time (Western) was no different. We took our two youngest kids (23 & 21) on this one which was fun.

 

This isn't really a review but just a mental dump....

 

The Good

- sailing with my kids and letting them see part of the world with us

- the food

- the shows

- the ship and her crew

- the ports

 

The Bad

- cruise over :(

- walking out on our balcony to enjoy the early morning or late evening view and being 'forced' back inside because of smokers on the balcony beside us

- people ignoring announcements and picture/video taking during shows and talking :mad:

- pre and post cruise flights where people are bringing more than the alloted carry on and folks have to now check their carry on as checked baggage because no overhead storage!

 

The Ugly

- only one....witnessing a woman complaining in Guest Services because her cruise vacation was interrupted when the Allure turned around (to Montego Bay)for a medical emergency. :eek:

[bluecruisin]

Thanks for sharing! Any other insights would be appreciated.

[Juliesfirstcruise]

Hi I was on that cruise! It was our first ever cruise and it was wonderful!! I can't think of any bad points apart from I had to get off!! Back home now getting through the pile of washing!! We were overwhelmed with the allure it was fantastic!! Can definitely say we will be going on another cruise sometime in the future were hooked now!! Loved the blue planet show but missed the ice show though, not enough time to do everything so will have to do it again. Also saw Chicago and ocean aria which were also fab.

 

Can't believe someone complained about the ship having to turn back, felt sorry for the person who fell ill.

 

Actually there was a bad point we went on a very badly organised trip to dunns river falls! Waited nearly an hour for the coach to take us there, our guide kept abandoning us and dunns river was very busy. We were also going to the dolphin place next door but only had time to eat lunch there then leave to go back to ship. Everyone on the bus was complaining some people had paid for a dolphin touch but didn't get to do it, and it was the only day it rained the whole holiday!

 

But aside from that it was a fantastic holiday, just looking at the photos and wishing I was still there!!

[Tkriger]

I was on this sailing as well.

 

Was in the comedy club when we had to turn around to Jamaica, which (other than being horrible that it happened), turned out to be a pretty good part of the two acts.

 

Only word of advice I have to share is do not book deck 14 - there were a couple nights the noise from the pool deck was pretty bad, and one morning at around 3 AM there was a bang loud enough to shake the room. So next time it will be deck 11/10 for us - although only having to walk up one flight of stairs to get to the pools was nice.

 

Best part of the cruise for me was winning enough in the casino to completley pay for the trip (and got invited to the VIP Casino program to boot). Came in 2nd in the slot tournament <so close to the free cruise!> +$550, then had an awesome week at the tables, hitting a straight flush and four of a kind at Ultimate Texas Hold em, plus hitting the 2 Queen of heart side bet for $750 at blackjack.

 

All in all, Oasis will probably be our next ship.

[DonOtt]

I don't know how embarkation works for other cruise lines as I've only sailed twice and both times with RCI. If they are half as good and organized then they are amazing. Quick and efficient! (would have been quicker if I had brought our Set Sail passes :o)

 

We waited until around 1 P.M. to board so we could time our arrival with having access to our rooms. This way we could drop off any unwanted baggage. For those who haven't cruised on the Oasis class, the first thing you are struck with is just how massive these ships are. Once you reach the top of the ramp, you walk onto Deck 5 and are met with your first interior view of this grand lady. I've posted pictures of the Royal Promenade and people are amazed that they are seeing the inside of a cruise ship.

 

The first time we went on the Allure, we had an early booking for dinner and found it rather bothersome so we decided to try MTD this time. What a blessing. We were seated quickly for all but 2 dinners. Breakfasts were mainly in the MDR and mainly buffet. We ate once at Johnny Rockets but didn't really enjoy it. We ate at two of the specialty restaurants (Chops and Rita's). We ate at Chops the first time around and knew it would be great but had heard mixed reviews on Rita's. One night's MDR menu really didn't appeal to me so I opted for Rita's and I wasn't disappointed with the food or service. My wife and daughter arrived earlier than my son and I did and were worried because there was only one other couple in there. Most lunches were grabbed at the closest spot to us....we didn't go out of our way to make sure we ate 'lunch' at any particular place.

 

The entertainment on the Allure is top notch. We took in every show except the Ice show. The comedians were fantastic and of course, Chicago, Blue Planet and Oceanaria were as well. As I mentioned, the one thing that really ticks me off is when people completely ignore the announcements about flash photography and video recording and decide to have a running commentary through the show. Funny thing is when they give YOU a dirty look when you ask them to be quiet. During the 'underwater' part of Blue Planet, I noticed a red square suddenly appear on the screen and thought it was a mishap with the lighting. It wasn't until I noticed it again (and again) that I saw a view screen from a camera in about the 4th row light up...moron!!! :mad:

 

My son, daughter and I did the zipline at Labadee. The worth of this has been debated on CC before and I was going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to do it, was it worth the money was the question. I'm glad I did. My only regret was not booking it earlier. My procrastination meant that we were able to go on the 12:30 run, putting it smack dab in the middle of the day. Missed lunch because of it. Our time at Falmouth was spent at the Hilton Rose. My daughter was mildly upset because we weren't 'doing anything' but when the clouds rolled in, the wind whipped up and the rain came down, we were very happy to be able to wait out the storm in perfect comfort of a resort with all the amenities. Best thing about the HRH was the jerk chicken lunch (4 pieces)!! In Cozumel, we did the TUlum ruins and Beach Break. The ruins were amazing to walk around in. After the ruins, we went to a small cafe where we had a quick lunch before hitting the beach. The waves were in a nasty mood that day and decided that it wanted my sunglasses more than I did. No biggie, they were worth about $20 anyways. Julio was our guide and did a great job narrating. Our trip back to the ship was delayed because one of the other excursions had a vehicle break down, quite a common thing I heard. Even though weren't the cause of the delay, I apologized to everyone I met on board the Allure because I'm Canadian, and that's what we do :p

 

My comment about the smoking on the balcony isn't any kind of anti-smoking campaign. I'm a non-smoker and find that smoking offends me, especially in that kind of situation....end of subject.

 

Dis-embarkation was just as smooth as embarkation. Our flight wasn't until 7 P.M. so we spent our day with 'Hollywood City Pass'. We walked up and down the Broadwalk, had lunch and enjoyed the sights....and there were many sights to behold :D. Back to the airport and I have to say that this was the first time that I was truly upset during the whole vacation. Most airlines have implemented a system where you pay for checking luggage in so people try to cheat the system by bringing more than they are allowed. If people were doing their jobs, these folks would be stopped and would have to abide by the rules but no, they are allowed to continue and find space for their carry-on suitcase, backpack and large bag (witnessed several cases like this). What this means is that eventually, people can't bring their carry-on suitcase on the plane and that's what happened to us and everyone behind us. Several thing happened at this point. I was trying to get everything out of my carry-on that I would need and forgot to grab my passport. I figured I wouldn't need it because my DW normally hangs on to my wallet....usually. It was packed away too. Add to this the multiple bag carriers and lots of empty space up above and I was seething, more at my stupidity than anything else I guess. I asked the flight attendant if I could access my bag after touching down in Charlotte but was told no (we were flying through to Syracuse). This series of events put me in a bad mood for the rest of the evening...

 

This was an amazing trip made even more amazing because I got to share it with my youngest kids. We are now planning a trip in September but are undecided on whether to take a cruise or go to a resort. I think a cruise is going to win out but to where? I has to be late September....

[smeck]

I was onboard with you and enjoyed the mighty lady. I was hesitant about big ship cruising but found I really loved her, not sure if I can go back to the limitations of the smaller ships.

[Lionesss]

What:eek:

No overhead storage to fly home?????

WHAT airlines??????

By the way..............nice review..........thanks.

Sea Ya

[Tkriger]

I was onboard with you and enjoyed the mighty lady. I was hesitant about big ship cruising but found I really loved her, not sure if I can go back to the limitations of the smaller ships.

 

 

I agree, the only thing I really miss about the smaller ships is the air conditioned solarium we had on the Serenade...Loved the Solarium on that ship. Allure's Solarium is nice, but dont try to walk barefoot on that brown flooring, burned my feet on boarding day walking the ~10 feet from chair to the pool.

[Adam185]

Hi I was on that cruise! It was our first ever cruise and it was wonderful!! I can't think of any bad points apart from I had to get off!! Back home now getting through the pile of washing!! We were overwhelmed with the allure it was fantastic!! Can definitely say we will be going on another cruise sometime in the future were hooked now!! Loved the blue planet show but missed the ice show though, not enough time to do everything so will have to do it again. Also saw Chicago and ocean aria which were also fab.

 

Can't believe someone complained about the ship having to turn back, felt sorry for the person who fell ill.

 

Actually there was a bad point we went on a very badly organised trip to dunns river falls! Waited nearly an hour for the coach to take us there, our guide kept abandoning us and dunns river was very busy. We were also going to the dolphin place next door but only had time to eat lunch there then leave to go back to ship. Everyone on the bus was complaining some people had paid for a dolphin touch but didn't get to do it, and it was the only day it rained the whole holiday!

 

But aside from that it was a fantastic holiday, just looking at the photos and wishing I was still there!!

 

Who did you book your tour with for Dunn's River?

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report, got to love the ugly, its their world, we just happen to live in it :rolleyes:.

[macrc]

We were on this cruise also. Have to say we agree with all the good things being said. Did not witness anything bad. People have talked about having trouble getting off the ships. This was probably the quickest we have ever made it to FLL. Our number was called at 7:35. We were walking into the airport at 8:15. That is after having to go to lost luggage to find a beg. It only had 2 tags on it. Great ship and a great cruise.

[couple_cruisers]

I was on this sailing as well.

 

Was in the comedy club when we had to turn around to Jamaica, which (other than being horrible that it happened), turned out to be a pretty good part of the two acts.

 

.

 

We too were in the comedy club when the announcement came and I agree the comedians did a good job with the multiple interruptions lol

[Juliesfirstcruise]

Who did you book your tour with for Dunn's River?

 

We booked with royal carribean. We complained at customer services and we got $20 each refund but was more bothered that the day was not as expected and a bit of a disappointment!! Although we really enjoyed climbing the falls when we eventually got there! We just seemed to spend most of the day in queues or waiting around for our guide, just badly organised really.

[Juliesfirstcruise]

I don't know how embarkation works for other cruise lines as I've only sailed twice and both times with RCI. If they are half as good and organized then they are amazing. Quick and efficient! (would have been quicker if I had brought our Set Sail passes :o)

 

We waited until around 1 P.M. to board so we could time our arrival with having access to our rooms. This way we could drop off any unwanted baggage. For those who haven't cruised on the Oasis class, the first thing you are struck with is just how massive these ships are. Once you reach the top of the ramp, you walk onto Deck 5 and are met with your first interior view of this grand lady. I've posted pictures of the Royal Promenade and people are amazed that they are seeing the inside of a cruise ship.

 

The first time we went on the Allure, we had an early booking for dinner and found it rather bothersome so we decided to try MTD this time. What a blessing. We were seated quickly for all but 2 dinners. Breakfasts were mainly in the MDR and mainly buffet. We ate once at Johnny Rockets but didn't really enjoy it. We ate at two of the specialty restaurants (Chops and Rita's). We ate at Chops the first time around and knew it would be great but had heard mixed reviews on Rita's. One night's MDR menu really didn't appeal to me so I opted for Rita's and I wasn't disappointed with the food or service. My wife and daughter arrived earlier than my son and I did and were worried because there was only one other couple in there. Most lunches were grabbed at the closest spot to us....we didn't go out of our way to make sure we ate 'lunch' at any particular place.

 

The entertainment on the Allure is top notch. We took in every show except the Ice show. The comedians were fantastic and of course, Chicago, Blue Planet and Oceanaria were as well. As I mentioned, the one thing that really ticks me off is when people completely ignore the announcements about flash photography and video recording and decide to have a running commentary through the show. Funny thing is when they give YOU a dirty look when you ask them to be quiet. During the 'underwater' part of Blue Planet, I noticed a red square suddenly appear on the screen and thought it was a mishap with the lighting. It wasn't until I noticed it again (and again) that I saw a view screen from a camera in about the 4th row light up...moron!!! :mad:

 

My son, daughter and I did the zipline at Labadee. The worth of this has been debated on CC before and I was going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to do it, was it worth the money was the question. I'm glad I did. My only regret was not booking it earlier. My procrastination meant that we were able to go on the 12:30 run, putting it smack dab in the middle of the day. Missed lunch because of it. Our time at Falmouth was spent at the Hilton Rose. My daughter was mildly upset because we weren't 'doing anything' but when the clouds rolled in, the wind whipped up and the rain came down, we were very happy to be able to wait out the storm in perfect comfort of a resort with all the amenities. Best thing about the HRH was the jerk chicken lunch (4 pieces)!! In Cozumel, we did the TUlum ruins and Beach Break. The ruins were amazing to walk around in. After the ruins, we went to a small cafe where we had a quick lunch before hitting the beach. The waves were in a nasty mood that day and decided that it wanted my sunglasses more than I did. No biggie, they were worth about $20 anyways. Julio was our guide and did a great job narrating. Our trip back to the ship was delayed because one of the other excursions had a vehicle break down, quite a common thing I heard. Even though weren't the cause of the delay, I apologized to everyone I met on board the Allure because I'm Canadian, and that's what we do :p

 

My comment about the smoking on the balcony isn't any kind of anti-smoking campaign. I'm a non-smoker and find that smoking offends me, especially in that kind of situation....end of subject.

 

Dis-embarkation was just as smooth as embarkation. Our flight wasn't until 7 P.M. so we spent our day with 'Hollywood City Pass'. We walked up and down the Broadwalk, had lunch and enjoyed the sights....and there were many sights to behold :D. Back to the airport and I have to say that this was the first time that I was truly upset during the whole vacation. Most airlines have implemented a system where you pay for checking luggage in so people try to cheat the system by bringing more than they are allowed. If people were doing their jobs, these folks would be stopped and would have to abide by the rules but no, they are allowed to continue and find space for their carry-on suitcase, backpack and large bag (witnessed several cases like this). What this means is that eventually, people can't bring their carry-on suitcase on the plane and that's what happened to us and everyone behind us. Several thing happened at this point. I was trying to get everything out of my carry-on that I would need and forgot to grab my passport. I figured I wouldn't need it because my DW normally hangs on to my wallet....usually. It was packed away too. Add to this the multiple bag carriers and lots of empty space up above and I was seething, more at my stupidity than anything else I guess. I asked the flight attendant if I could access my bag after touching down in Charlotte but was told no (we were flying through to Syracuse). This series of events put me in a bad mood for the rest of the evening...

 

This was an amazing trip made even more amazing because I got to share it with my youngest kids. We are now planning a trip in September but are undecided on whether to take a cruise or go to a resort. I think a cruise is going to win out but to where? I has to be late September....

 

 

 

 

We did the Hollywood city pass too! We were probably with you our flight was at 9pm! We enjoyed it sat in a bar watching the world go by literally - by rollerblades bikes Segway etc was fun!

 

Julie

[DonOtt]

We did the Hollywood city pass too! We were probably with you our flight was at 9pm! We enjoyed it sat in a bar watching the world go by literally - by rollerblades bikes Segway etc was fun!

 

Julie

 

We were the four person family at the middle table. Loved the people watching along the Broadwalk :)