Allure 15Sep2013 (Eastern) Trip Report - Photos, Kids, Excursions, & Compasses

[srvdmy4usn]

 

These guys are some hard core Royal Fans!!!!

 

 

 

The Rocks, although they were a great spot to watch the Oasis pull away, I like this perspective much better!!!!!!

 

[srvdmy4usn]

 

 

[MelGurl]

Loving your review!! Pictures and your family are lovely!

[Bruin Steve]

Andy,

Outstanding review so far! You and Mariah have a beautiful family.

I feel like I'm on the cruise with you...

 

We'll be back on Allure for the second time just after New Year's...and I can't wait...We asked our daughters if they wanted to come with us, but neither could get away ...Alas, they are now 27 and 29...We started taking them on cruises when they were 3 and 5...and last took them with us on Mariner of the Seas this past December...Enjoy these cruises with the kids now...they grow up so fast!

[srvdmy4usn]

Loving your review!! Pictures and your family are lovely!

 

Thank You!

 

Andy,

Outstanding review so far! You and Mariah have a beautiful family.

I feel like I'm on the cruise with you...

 

We'll be back on Allure for the second time just after New Year's...and I can't wait...We asked our daughters if they wanted to come with us, but neither could get away ...Alas, they are now 27 and 29...We started taking them on cruises when they were 3 and 5...and last took them with us on Mariner of the Seas this past December...Enjoy these cruises with the kids now...they grow up so fast!

 

Thank you, I am glad you are enjoying it. It feels like just yesterday I was 13 and sailing for my first time with my family, great memories that have never been lost. Hopefully we have created some of those very same memories for our kids!

[srvdmy4usn]

My advanced apologies for the lack of photos here, but I promise there will be more tomorrow!

 

After dinner we somewhat strolled around the ship slowly gathering our sense of direction until it was show time. Once again, props to CC and this amazing community for the advise; I made reservations for the very first showing of Ocean Aria.

Inside Tip: Book this show for the first night available, it is often canceled due to weather, rough seas, etc. This will give you the opportunity to catch it at another showing.

 

The best way to sum up Ocean Aria is to steal the tag line directly from Royal Caribbean, WOW! It really does not matter if you are a fan of Broadway, novelty, comedy, gymnastics, dance, etc. this show will have something to offer you. In fact, my personal opinion, I would say this is the absolute best show, produced by a cruise line, that I have seen. There was heavy influence from Cirque Du Soleil from the moment the show started until the introduction of the cast at the end. The skill shown by the divers is astonishing, and although I do not know their personal history it would not surprise me if they were once Olympic athletes, or trained to be at the very least. The synchronization between performers is impeccable, adding a natural level of drama to the show, as a mistake could probably be costly. With all this, I still believe there is small room for improvement. First, there is a movie that is played on both sides of the stage. The intent is to support the story line that the show is trying to tell. Even my 7 year old son said “that makes no sense” when following along with some parts of the movie. Other than not making much sense, I also believe the screens are somewhat distracting from the show. Although, that may be their intended purpose to allow the setup for the next act. Either way, I could see the screens be turned off and suffer no negative impact to the show. The other thing that could use some more “WOW” is the high dive act. In traditional showmanship form the divers progressively got higher, and as the show went on and the dives became more challenging. Where they fell short was the quantity of dives from the highest platform. If I remember correctly there were 3 dives from the top. There was so much build up, so much anticipation, but once the excitement was finally there, it was over and they were back down to the lower platforms. Adding a few more dives would really increase the energy in the crowd.

 

After the show was over we made a pit stop for one more surprise we had cooked up for the kids. Breanna (the 14 year old) was given a few choices as to how she wanted to spend a little extra cash on herself. She chose the soda card. They do not normally drink soda at home so this was appealing to her, as well as in the teen club it is somewhat of a social status similar to having drinks as an adult. To be fair we wanted something special for the younger kids and we had decided on Pets At Sea, but the kids did not know this. If you are not familiar with Pets At Sea it is nothing short of a blatant knock off of Build-A-Bear. If you are somehow unaware of what that is, consider yourself and your checkbook lucky! The kids were each allowed to pick out 1 animal and 1 outfit to dress them in. This took about an hour for all of them and we then let them purchase their own using their sea pass, they really enjoyed that part. Although the kids really loved this, it is not something I would recommend. The quality of these animals is just about the worst I have ever seen. We had 2 of them with holes and had to return the next day, 1 of the replacements later got another hole, and all of them are barely holding together at the seams. The clothes also do not fit very well so I am sure they will be ripping at the seams soon as well. I would spend the money elsewhere, or bring your children to Build-A-Bear instead.

 

Even though it was 11:00 PM, the kids were pumped up on vacation adrenaline and nowhere near calling it a night, but the adults had cocktails dancing in their brains like sugar plums. Like a gift from the strawberry daiquiri gods, the daily compass showed that The Croods was playing in 3D in the Amber Theater from 11:15 to 12:48. The kids were excited to be getting their first test of being “unsupervised”. After dropping them off in the theater, front row I might add, I mentioned to the staff handing out 3D glasses to smack them around if they get out of hand. Obviously I then made a bolt for the nearest bar! Breanna had already headed up to the teen meet & greet, so the adults were finally set free to play!

 

I had been eyeballing the Rising Tide Bar since we first started looking at the Allure so that is where we headed. It is a very cool novelty, but it would be the last time we were on it for the trip. I guess I went into it with too high of expectations or something, it just wasn't my thing. Now, if Royal Caribbean decided to put that outside on top of the Viking Crown Lounge or the Solarium with a 360 degree view of the water, SIGN ME UP!

 

Within no time at all play time was almost over, we had just enough time to stop at Sorrentos for a late night slice of pizza. The kids were given instructions to head straight to the cabin after the movie, do not pass go, do not collect $200. As this was their first day on the ship and I wanted to make sure they were respecting our newly set rules, so I decided to invoke my fatherly right and became James Bond! We headed to the theater a few minutes before the movie was over and went up to the balcony level. We could see the kids in the front row, right where I had left them, and waited for the movie to end. At the end of the movie they walked (yes, 4 “unsupervised kids” not running on a cruise ship!) out of the theater, went to the elevator and made their way to the cabin. Passing the test with flying colors.

 

Up Next: You can't even sell your junk to a 9 year old!

[Jmeyers]

Sounds so wonderful! I am shocked that the kids clubs are not open the first night. I was actually told by a RCC rep that they were. I'll have to look into this. Thanks for the great reviews!

[srvdmy4usn]

Sounds so wonderful! I am shocked that the kids clubs are not open the first night. I was actually told by a RCC rep that they were. I'll have to look into this. Thanks for the great reviews!

 

Pretty common for the customer service reps to give out incorrect information. If you check the Day 1 documents I posted and read the "Adventure Ocean Day 1" file you will see where it states

 

"Once we open on Day 2"

 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B3WuhccxbEjJRkxjcjFLb0Q5TGM&usp=sharing

[Jmeyers]

Yes, I didn't see that. Wow. Thank you. We will have to plan accordingly.

[DaniellefromOttawa]

Great review so far! Subscribing!

[Pebbles468]

What a wonderful review so far...

 

We are cruising with our children for the first time and it's really nice to hear your perspective and things to do with the kids!

 

Thanks... Can't wait to read more!

[lauren0309]

Great review. Looking forward to the next chapter!

[cruiserdudebobby8]

who was your master?

[Birgys5]

Loving your review! Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. We are first-time cruisers with children and your info/tips are very helpful as we prepare for our upcoming cruise on Allure in June. Looking forward to hearing more!

[BOAZ5]

Loving your review! Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. We are first-time cruisers with children and your info/tips are very helpful as we prepare for our upcoming cruise on Allure in June. Looking forward to hearing more!

 

I agree with Birgys5. Love the review. We are on the June 22nd sailing of Allure. First time for one of the BIG ones. I love being able to show the family sailing with us all the information and helpful tips. June can not get here fast enough!

[Eng23]

Hi Andy!!!! I'm finally back from cruising and back to work today and just spent the afternoon reading the first 5 pages of your review. It looks like your review is rolling along pretty good. It was great meeting you and your family and seeing you around the ship and during our scheduled events. Thanks for setting up the slot pull, it was fun even though we didn't hit the jackpot. :)

 

It's great that you got to do sailaway at the back of the ship. I was disappointed that the Wipeout Bar area was closed and the 2 crew members I spoke to said it would stay closed due to the Flowrider maintenance. I guess they were wrong as I later found out that the area was opened after the rest of us went to another location for sailaway. I should have stayed near you guys looking back on it. Keep up the good work on the review, I look forward to reading more! :D

[Birgys5]

I agree with Birgys5. Love the review. We are on the June 22nd sailing of Allure. First time for one of the BIG ones. I love being able to show the family sailing with us all the information and helpful tips. June can not get here fast enough!

 

We will be anxiously awaiting your return and sailing away June 29!

[srvdmy4usn]

Great review so far! Subscribing!

 

Thank You!

 

What a wonderful review so far...

 

We are cruising with our children for the first time and it's really nice to hear your perspective and things to do with the kids!

 

Thanks... Can't wait to read more!

 

You will have a fantastic time with your kids! I will be posting all the Adventure Ocean stuff for each day, that may help get an idea of what to expect.

 

Great review. Looking forward to the next chapter!

 

I will be posting some new stuff today!

 

Loving your review! Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. We are first-time cruisers with children and your info/tips are very helpful as we prepare for our upcoming cruise on Allure in June. Looking forward to hearing more!

 

Thank You, I am glad you are finding it helpful, if you have any specific questions just let me know.

 

I agree with Birgys5. Love the review. We are on the June 22nd sailing of Allure. First time for one of the BIG ones. I love being able to show the family sailing with us all the information and helpful tips. June can not get here fast enough!

 

I wish I could go back! As many others have stated, 1 week is just not long enough. I am sure you will have a great time, and thanks for reading.

 

Hi Andy!!!! I'm finally back from cruising and back to work today and just spent the afternoon reading the first 5 pages of your review. It looks like your review is rolling along pretty good. It was great meeting you and your family and seeing you around the ship and during our scheduled events. Thanks for setting up the slot pull, it was fun even though we didn't hit the jackpot. :)

 

It's great that you got to do sailaway at the back of the ship. I was disappointed that the Wipeout Bar area was closed and the 2 crew members I spoke to said it would stay closed due to the Flowrider maintenance. I guess they were wrong as I later found out that the area was opened after the rest of us went to another location for sailaway. I should have stayed near you guys looking back on it. Keep up the good work on the review, I look forward to reading more! :D

 

Thanks for stopping by and checking it out Harold. The slot pull was a good time, maybe next time I will pick a better machine! The sail away from the stern was great and for sure a bummer that it did not work out the way you had planned.

[srvdmy4usn]

DAY 2 CRUISE COMPASS & MORE!!!

 

I have scanned and uploaded every document given for day 2. This includes Cruise Compass, Adventure Ocean, and a shopping map of Nassau. You can access these documents by clicking

HERE. Feel free to download them for your own use. Once the trip report is over I will condense them into a single daily download, Enjoy.

 

Today is our first stop of the trip, Nassau Bahamas. I am personally not a fan of Nassau, but for various reasons the cruise industry insists that it is worth the stop on nearly every Caribbean itinerary. Being that the only people in our group who have not been here are Kayla & Lance, the plan was to make a quick hop off and then get back to enjoy the on-board activities. Primarily we would be hitting the straw market as this is a great place to pick up some cheap souvenirs for the kids.

 

By the time we crawled out of bed we were already pier side (moored to Port side, Starboard faced away from city with a view of Atlantis to the Aft of the ship). We decided to tackle The Windjammer this morning, the kids were not huge fans of the room service selection. This was pretty uneventful, but I felt the food was the best I have had from any ship buffet in the past. From our view at breakfast it was obvious that the weather was not going to cooperate again today.

 

After breakfast the ladies went back to the cabin for a few minutes so the kids and I made a break for the arcade. This place is like Las Vegas for kids. All the thrills and excitement of bright flashy lights, huge price tags, and no rearwards! The average game price was $1.45 give or take, this later proved to be really stupid, or genius on behalf of RCI as you end up "donating" change at the end of your cruise. We enjoyed a few air hockey battles and although there was no real rush for the day it was a quick stop. “All Aboard” was set for 1:30 PM so after the arcade we headed out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As others have stated the debarkation process is fantastic considering the size of the ship and the number of guests. The “gangway” button on the elevator is very helpful, and once off the elevator just follow the digital signs with giant arrows pointing you in the right direction.

 

After getting off the ship we strategically proceeded down the long walkway attempting to avoid the puddles left over from a late night storm. This later proved to be somewhat futile, as the weather did not hold out. One thing I really dislike about Nassau is the process of battling through the port terminal. The shops inside are not really high pressure sales like they are in the straw market, but it just annoys me that I have to navigate through a maze of shops just to get off the ship. After getting to the street, I quickly noticed the Straw Market is no longer on the sidewalk where it used to be (I must have missed when this happened), but there are signs directing you to the new location. Personally, I liked it outside better, it is so hot and there is not much moving air at the “indoor” location. Other than the location nothing much has changed, still high pressure harassment to purchase what I would call junk. For any of you that have not been there, expect to see endless amounts of Bob Marley T-Shirts and painted seashells. There is a row dedicated to wood carvings, and this would be the one thing I would not call junk, even though I do not have a purpose for any of it. You can often catch a few of the carvers working their magic and they do make a few pretty amazing pieces of art.

 

We had set up a budget for the kids souvenirs in advance, but did not tell the kids what it was. We wanted them to get what they wanted without being too concerned of the total dollar amount. We have learned in the past if you tell them they have $10.00 to spend they have to spend all $10.00 or they feel like they did not get what they wanted. Even with an “unlimited budget” in their minds, the relentless attacks from desperate shop owners, it was difficult to find things that some of the kids really wanted. We ended up getting a few things, and everyone was pretty satisfied, except Tyler. At 9 years old he was already on to the endless amounts of “junk” being offered and passed from purchasing anything.

 

We of course had to stop at Senior Frogs for what we thought would be a quick drink before we headed back to the ship. Not 5 minutes after we had stepped foot into the frog we were graced with another massive leak from the clouds above. It rained pretty hard for a good 20 minutes, and continued to rain for probably another 40. Eventually, there was a break in the weather and we decided that a light drizzle was probably the best it was going to get and we made a bolt back for the ship. My mom, along with several other hair conscious women McGyver’d themselves extremely fashionable umbrellas out of shopping bags.

 

Getting back on the ship was not as smooth as it was getting off. First of all, the terminal I spoke of already, is even worse when getting back to the ship. It is just not large enough to handle the traffic of the Allure. We were stopped up in heel to toe traffic for about 15 minutes. It was humid, hot, still, and everyone was wet. They were asking for ID as well as the Sea Pass Card, but it was obvious they were going through the motions and not really looking. I proved this by showing them my passport on a blank stamp page, not where my photo was. They waved me though, no questions asked. There were several people ahead of me that did not have ID and they were waved through with nothing more than a roll of the eyes by the security guard. So far none of this areally falls under Royal Caribbeans responsibility, so I do not hold them accountable, but that soon changes. After continuing the long walk down the pier in the sprinkling rain a line began to form where they split the boarding into sections based on what part of the ship you are on. In a “normal” situation this makes perfect sense, later on at another port it proved to be efficient and time saving. This was not a “normal” situation, it was raining! I was huddled over my camera bag protecting it from the rain, the kids were now aiming for the puddles as they wet anyway, and there was now a small army of women wearing bags on their heads. Call it bad timing, coincidence, or mother natures evil plan, but there was nearly nobody in line for the forward boarding and about 400 people in line for the aft. As we stood in line continuing to participate in the free group shower, the other boarding area was walking on the ship immediately. So Royal Caribbean, if you are for some reason reading this, if it is raining, it would make more sense to open both lanes of traffic to get guests on the ship as quick as possible. I am pretty sure we can all handle walking from forward to aft as necessary once on board.

 

Because of our slow start this morning, and the rain delay we did not get back on the ship until later in the day. We decided to head back to the cabins and watch the sail away. For some reason I really enjoyed the concrete jacks (not sure what to call them) they had set as a breaking wall as we came out of the bay. Although the photos do not really capture it well, the water crashing against them was mesmerizing.

 

Up Next: Zippidy Do Da!

[srvdmy4usn]

 

 

 

 

 

[srvdmy4usn]

 

 

 

 

[Elvis1209]

Andy,

 

Great review so far! Did you get a chance to smoke that cigar? I just finished one and now I wish I was back on the ship. One of those roast beef sandwiches would really hit the spot right now! Looking forward to your continued posts!

 

Elvis

 

I have to wait 130 days for my next cruise!

[srvdmy4usn]

Andy,

 

Great review so far! Did you get a chance to smoke that cigar? I just finished one and now I wish I was back on the ship. One of those roast beef sandwiches would really hit the spot right now! Looking forward to your continued posts!

 

Elvis

 

I have to wait 130 days for my next cruise!

 

Hey Elvis! I have not smoked the cigar yet, it is safely tucked away in my humidor waiting for a special occasion. I hear ya about being back on the ship, I have been having some withdraws for sure! I am jealous about the 130 days, I am sitting at 458 :(

Edited October 1, 2013 by srvdmy4usn

[MelGurl]

Love your review! Can't wait for moooorrreeee! Only 25 days

[srvdmy4usn]

After sail away we were in full sea day mode! The kids were excited to check out the afternoon session of Adventure Ocean. After dropping them off the big kids were off to check out the zip line.

 

Insider Tip - There are a lot of rules you must follow in order to participate in the zip line. To save yourself a trip back to your cabin do not show up without closed toe shoes with laces and dry clothes. Also, no earrings, necklaces, bracelets (or any other jewelry), sunglasses, hats, etc. Pretty much you want to show up with nothing on your person that is detachable or anything that could possibly fall off.

 

The zip line was was fun, but if you are the thrill seeking, outdoor adventure type, don't expect too much. It is definitely designed to please the masses. The safety processes are extremely well thought out and if you are at all nervous I would say just relax and give it a shot. At no point are you ever near any ledge without being strapped into a safety line. After donning the harness and helmet you walk over to the line itself. Once it is your turn you will be directed to step into the area where they have numbered steps. As you are transferred from safety line to safety line you progress from step 1 through 3. Once you are on step 3 the instructor will explain how to land on the opposite side, raise the safety gate and off you go. For me personally, it was fun to say I did a zip line on a cruise, but I only did it once. The lines were very short when we went, but throughout the week I did notice some very long lines. I would suggest doing this as it opens earlier in the day to prevent waiting in long lines. The lines were very long during the last two sea days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following the zip line we grabbed a few more drinks and decided to grab a seat in the empty Schooner Bar to kick our feet up and relax. I noticed we were right next to the Loyalty Office; as I was checking through the appointment list one of the agents said he had some free time and could help me right now. I flagged Mariah over and within 10 minutes we had booked a Spa Junior Suite on the new Quantum Of The Seas for January of 2015!I was on my way back to apologize to my drink for leaving it unattended, and was shocked to find the Schooner Bar was now full to the max! Apparently we decided to take a seat smack dab in the middle of trivia. We made a poor attempt at participating before we needed to get ready for our first formal night.

 

Formal nights may not be for everyone, but I really enjoy them on a cruise. I would even go as far as saying I look forward to them. In my day to day life I am a t-shirt & shorts kinda guy. The last time I tied a tie was actually my last cruise for formal night. This gives me the opportunity to dress up a little and enjoy the brief moment of living “in style”. I also enjoy getting the kids involved in this as well, the girls all had dresses to wear and the boys had suits.

 

There is one obstacle with formal night however. Five women and 2 bathrooms equal not the place for 3 men! In my attempt to avoid this hostile situation I had picked up the kids early from the Adventure Ocean. Got the two boys ready, got myself ready, and bailed! I was able to get out of the cabin with just about an hour left for the girls to get ready. While they were doing whatever it is that girls do, the 3 of us decided to go have a drink at the Bow & Stern. Before enjoying our beer and Shirley Temples we made a quick stop at the car in the promenade for a photo. Timed perfectly, our drinks were finished right as the women graced us with their presence and we were off to dinner.

 

I did not bring the camera to dinner tonight, but the food was fantastic. After dinner the kids wanted to go back to Adventure Ocean so away we went. I decided I was going to change for the night before our late showing of Chicago. After killing some time on the balcony the kids showed up excited for the rest of their evening. They have been waiting to have a “movie night” with room service. We had cookies, hot chocolate, cheese cake, and fruit delivered to the room to snack on while they watched one of the movies playing on TV. This became one of their favorite nights on the ship.

 

Chicago - I am not the normal Broadway type of person, so my comments may be somewhat misplaced, but for the most part I did enjoy the show. The production quality was very good, I think one would be hard pressed to notice we were on a cruise ship. The performers were great, but there were a few characters I did not care for. I am a fan of the movie Chicago, Jon Reilly plays ‘Amos Hart’ and more specifically Mr. Cellophane. That act was disappointing to me, but in all fairness I was comparing it to a major hollywood film. The show is cut down from the original so there are several acts that are not included, but that has no real effect on the story. Realistically, I think they could have cut 1 or 2 more and made the show a few minutes shorter.

 

Insider Tip - The theater is extremely cold, especially on your legs. I am not sure about the upper level, but on the main floor the seats have air vents under them, there is a constant flow of cold air during the show. I would not recommend wearing shorts, and girls with dresses and sandals, you have been warned!

 

After Chicago we checked on the kids and they were fast asleep, most of the snacks were gone and the movie was just ending. I had been wanting to check out the Viking Crown Lounge so we made our way up there. This became our favorite location on the ship, and we stopped by for at least 1 drink every evening. Fe was the bartender there this week and she was amazing! She is a single mother of a 14 year old son. She is from the Philippines and her son lives there with her parents. I believe she said she has been doing this for 9 years (but it may have been 7, I am drawing a blank). She, along with most of the crew, works 6-9 month contracts and then returns home to be with family. Sometimes her visits at home are several months, and sometimes as short as 3 weeks. While working her contracts she works 7 days a week, and they rotate venues through the ship every week. Her personal service as well as her positive and fun loving personality were top notch. If you have a trip coming up on the Allure, find whatever bar that Fe is working at and tell her Andy, Mariah, & Vicki said hi! I promise she will treat you right!

 

Up Next: Cabin Crawl, Kamikaze Style!