“Live” from the "Allure of the Seas": Western - Nov 17-24,2013

[lauren0309]

Thanks for taking me along on your cruise. I'll be on Independence in 2 weeks and then have the Allure to look forward to next November.

[4evercruiser]

Certainly enjoyed your review...what has me feeling much better is the fact that a lot of the photos do not show completely congested public areas, which puts me a little more at ease regarding this class ship and the number of passengers...

 

David:D

 

I had the same reservations regarding the crowd situation on Oasis class ships. I was on Oasis 2 weeks ago and I was pleasantly surprised that the ship never seemed overly crowded, even on the pool deck where on other ships can be a nightmare on sea days. The layout of Oasis/Allure has everyone spread out with little or no crowds. Kudos to Royal Caribbean!

 

Happy cruising:)

[4evercruiser]

I've been following your and Bugsy's review all week. It has really helped me get over my case of post cruise blues. I just sailed Oasis 2 weeks and absolutely fell in love with the ship. My DH and i had such a great time on Oasis that we decided to sail her gain next year. Seven days just isn't enough time to see everything she has to offer.

[riclop]

Dale thanks for taking the time in taking us along. Hope Andy behaves better on your next adventure.

[cruise_control]

Breezy and I are on one last stroll around the ship. Got a s snack on deck 5 for a snack. We saw this guy in his boxers at guest services.

 

 

 

 

Oh the fun Adventures Cruising Royal Caribbean! :-)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - Please excuse any errors.

 

I hope lost & found had his pants! :eek::D

[MrFunInTheSun]

Thank you all for the kind comments and following along. Hopefully later once I settle back in and clean up after the animals house party or don't fall asleep I'll get a few more pictures I wanted to post. Also give my further thoughts on Lady Allure and cruise overall.

 

 

And more importantly my video from Dragons in Labadee.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - Please excuse any errors.

[reney313]

Thank you all for the kind comments and following along. Hopefully later once I settle back in and clean up after the animals house party or don't fall asleep I'll get a few more pictures I wanted to post. Also give my further thoughts on Lady Allure and cruise overall.

 

 

And more importantly my video from Dragons in Labadee.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - Please excuse any errors.

 

I have enjoyed following along! It looks like you had an incredible vacation!

[Arch713]

Thank you Dale! I think a lot of people are like me who 'secretly stalk' your review and enjoy every moment of it but don't comment very often.

 

Truly appreciate you taking us along during your cruise...I can't wait until I can have a Frozen mojito!

[janeyzee]

This was a big and long awaited quest to finally sail on the Freedom of the Seas.

 

That was it, the broken mug had set the stage for switching ships. So now here I am about to board the wonderful and beautiful Lady Allure in just two days!

 

 

If you ever decide to sail on Freedom, we are 20 minutes from the Port and would love to see you, or have you stay with us if you'd like. One of these days Darrell and I will sail on Freedom, not sure why we haven't done that yet!

 

So did you get your mug????

[MrFunInTheSun]

If you ever decide to sail on Freedom, we are 20 minutes from the Port and would love to see you, or have you stay with us if you'd like. One of these days Darrell and I will sail on Freedom, not sure why we haven't done that yet!

 

So did you get your mug????

 

 

That would be fun Janey to meet up or make it out on a PC cruise at the same time. Freedom is certainly on my short list of cruises here soon. Know I'll make a repeat appearance on the Enchantment again sometime too. :D:D

 

Yup, I got my mug. Hopefully this one won't break or I'll be forced to go back to Jamaica again. :D

[sharonlacey]

Thank you for taking us on your vacation. Love all he food pics, lol.;)

[thebooth]

Love your review, thanks so much for sharing!!

[BecciBoo]

Dale, I want to ask again about the secret balcony...now that it's getting more publicity...how many people found their way there when you were out there???

[MrFunInTheSun]

Alright, lets all flash back to last Tuesday November 19, 2013. Remember I was on a big boat trudging thru the water in the beautiful ocean. Anyways we docked in this nice spot called Labadee, Hati. Wouldn't it be great to go back to last Tuesday for real, right now? Know I wish I was, then I'd still be on the ship telling you about this fun adventure.

 

 

That was such a LONG and FUN day. Had so much fun that day that I never had a real chance to give my nightly recap before the next day and days adventures begun.

 

Tuesday morning we all met up at the Schooner bar so that we could go ashore together. Chris, Wendy, Tom, Mary and Chris2 had rented a cabana. I was tagging along with them all so that I'd know where they would be to pop in and say hello. We made a leisurely walk off the ship and gathered some group pictures before we made our way to the cabana. Once all settled in I decided I'd wander around some and investigate this beautiful spot and try and keep Andy out of trouble.

 

During my walks I saw wonderful settings like this.

 

 

 

 

And This...Cool old structures.

 

 

Got to listen to some really nice island music.

 

 

 

 

And watch some of the those on Dragon's flight come in for a landing and it look like they were hitting the wave.

 

 

 

 

Then I saw this nice lady who takes her picture taking very seriously. Think the camera may weigh more than her. That had to have hurt being wrapped around her neck all day.

 

 

[MrFunInTheSun]

Then strolled along and saw a nice park in the center which was in memory of the original Labadee site manager.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I came across the straw market like building in the Town Center. It was full of stuff like this.

 

 

 

 

Then I saw these and had to wonder. Were they made in China and then painted in Hati? I turned them over to see if there was a "Made From" but I couldn't find anything and didn't see the words "China"

 

 

I then left the building of tons of things I really didn't need. However I do like to sometimes get some type of local art, especially from places I've never been to. This was my first time to Labadee. Right after the building there is another whole area of outdoor vendors. Looks like this.

 

 

[Aquahound]

Dale, because of that awful wifi on the ship, I'm just now able to read your review. You and Chris captured the week perfectly. Good job!

[Mommamclovin]

I don't see the excursions for hilton rose hall in Jamaica or Mr. Sanchos, Cozumel as options on the cruise excursion lists. Did you book on your own and if so, did you just reserve online and then taxi over. I have always stayed with ship excursions. It did like your beach choices....

[2nd Street Girl]

Dale,

Thanks once again for your great review & pictures. Also, gotta love Andy & all his antics. I hope you will think about joining Chris, Wendy & Tom and a bunch of us on The Quantum 4/12/15. It's gonna be a "Quayzie" fun time!

 

Barbara

[MrFunInTheSun]

Then I got woshed in by that first booth on the right. See that guy standing to the left and a woman sitting down? They had some nice art work and were quite the talkers.

 

 

One guy kept trying to sell me his paintings then another guy that was there too. They were both very nice and then after talking to them for awhile decided to buy a painting from each of them at the booth they shared together.

 

These are the one's I bought from them and the ones they are holding the ones they painted. I paid more then I most likely should have but I don't mind giving a little money to some of the local folk.

 

 

Here's where the I won't say problem, but where it can get dicey in this area. Now before I get into this story, I think there is tons of nice stuff in that whole outdoor area and I'd rather buy something from one of them in the outdoor area then in the building.

 

I go to the next booth and actually buy two more paintings but forgot to take a picture of them with the guy I got them from. Now I paid less for these two then I paid for the original first two. But they are nice and if it helps their family's then so be it.

 

 

 

 

After I left this booth the next two booths wanted me to buy something from them. There words "Now it's my turn." LOL Heard those same words at the stores in Mexico too. Anyways moving on I let them go on with their speel and this guy really wanted me to buy some old coins and other stuff for $ 10 from him. He really needed $10 is my guess. Kept going on about his family and it would really help. This fun adventure went on for awhile and I finally progressed on that I didn't need anything else, I was picture painted out and didn't need anything else. Then he was like I give you something, you're such a nice man, etc, etc, etc. So he hands me this bracelet.

 

 

I thank him but tell him he really should take it back so he can sell it and money for it, I don't need a gift. Talking to you all is a gift enough for me. So I then progress to the next guy as he was right there and part of the other conversation off and on. Now this next guy is very "Americanized" he surely was not always from there and I learned that later on in our conversation. He mainly had paintings in his booth and he could see that I really didn't need anything. He too was very nice and I learned from him that it's very high competition there. They can't walk out to the main area to bring people back there and many times they can go a day without selling anything. A lot of folks don't make it down that way so they really do have to hustle. Our conversation went on for about 10 minutes or so and I finally conclude with him and give my good byes to them. The guy in the booth after wanted me to come to his and I said sorry, I'm all bought out. So I walk to the center and think those last two were really nice and I could feel for them as they seemed very genuine in how hard it is to sell there and provide for their families. So I turn around and go back and give both of them $ 5.00. The guy with that had previously given me the bracelet was so grateful he kept thanking and thanking me.

 

Then the other "Americanized" guy too thanked me so much and then went to his backpack and pulled out this wooden shot glass that was painted and said "Hati" and other stuff on it. Now prior to this he had asked my name and I told him. Well anyways moving on he was so thankful he was giving me this wooden shot glass but was carving my name into it. Here's the funny part, for some reason he thought my name was "Ted". He didn't re verify my name but just started carving "Ted" into the wooden shot glass. I wasn't going to correct him as it was nice and I guess it adds to the adventures.

 

Edited November 24, 2013 by MrFunInTheSun

[Cruzin-K]

 

 

 

I thank him but tell him he really should take it back so he can sell it and money for it, I don't need a gift. Talking to you all is a gift enough for me. So I then progress to the next guy as he was right there and part of the other conversation off and on. Now this next guy is very "Americanized" he surely was not always from there and I learned that later on in our conversation. He mainly had paintings in his booth and he could see that I really didn't need anything. He too was very nice and I learned from him that it's very high competition there. They can't walk out to the main area to bring people back there and many times they can go a day without selling anything. A lot of folks don't make it down that way so they really do have to hustle. Our conversation went on for about 10 minutes or so and I finally conclude with him and give my good byes to them. The guy in the booth after wanted me to come to his and I said sorry, I'm all bought out. So I walk to the center and think those last two were really nice and I could feel for them as they seemed very genuine in how hard it is to sell there and provide for their families. So I turn around and go back and give both of them $ 5.00. The guy with that had previously given me the bracelet was so grateful he kept thanking and thanking me. Then the other "Americanized" guy too thanked me so much and then went to his backpack and pulled out this wooden shot glass that was painted and said "Hati" and other stuff on it. Now prior to this he had asked my name and I told him. Well anyways moving on he was so thankful he was giving me this wooden shot glass but was carving my name into it. Here's the funny part, for some reason he thought my name was "Ted". He didn't re verify my name but just started carving "Ted" into the wooden shot glass. I wasn't going to correct him as it was nice and I guess it adds to the adventures.

 

 

Maybe Ted is a friend of Andy's :confused:

[MrFunInTheSun]

Dale, I want to ask again about the secret balcony...now that it's getting more publicity...how many people found their way there when you were out there???

 

Just like the rest of the ship, there was never a lot of people there. It's still pretty "secret". :D:D:D

 

Whilst I'm on that subject anyone reading this worried that this ship will be to crowded and all this or that. Ignore those thoughts. This was the easiest ship to get onboard and off. The most organized and over all earns A+. Royal Caribbean has crowed control pretty well down pact. Also this ship has so many places, people really are spread out quite well. One night mid evening I was in the Open Air bar and the place was pretty much empty. I asked the bartender if this is normal and she said it was. That is why a lot of workers would rather work some of the smaller ships because the wouldn't be empty like this on a regular basis.

 

For a ship with close to 6000 people on it it just amazes me on how easy it was to get on and off at a port. The security check points they have on land at each port surely help in this. But regardless of that the experience was by far the best with this ship compared to many others. There are a few times here and there where it could seem a bit crowded if a couple shows ended at the same time, but if one should encounter that it surely will not last long.

[LBumb]

home this afternoon

will have to get caught up when i am not so tired

great cruise

[MrFunInTheSun]

After that fun adventure I said my good byes again and was going to go back and take their picture since I forgot but decided against it.

 

I headed back to the cabana to meet up with the gang and see how they were doing. We all chatted and shared a few laughs about what there morning and been like and mine that I had just encountered. The person in charge of the cabana came over to give wrist bands as it was lunch time.

 

We all made our way to a delicious lunch. We got to meet up with Janey and Happy Campers. Was cool bumping into them during lunch.

 

 

 

After lunch it was about time for my long awaiting zipline with the dragon.

 

 

 

We go on a "Practice" run first.

 

 

On the practice run all of a sudden our nice Austrialian instructer is calling out would MrFunInTheSun please come up here, your going first. So I was ignoring it at first then finally made my way up as it kind of caught me off guard but was funny. So I get up there and was one of the first for the first practice run. Whilst I'm standing there the guy behind me asks if that's my mom down there waiting for me to go? I said no, just some good friends. Well Wendy, Tom, Chris were all down there watching me for the first leg and the people below were snapping my picture for them with their camera.

 

 

We go up this winding bumpy road and are greeted by a wonderful view like this.

 

 

Our instructed says MrFunInTheSun when it comes time for you, be sure to tell me so that I can radio down that your coming down. I ended up being with the last crew glidding down and the far line closest to land.

 

It was then my time to go. What fun I had, it went by WAYYYYYY to quick but well worth it. Below is my video going down. This video is on PhotoBucket so you will have to click from within the "Picture" and that will make it play. It's a bit different than like youtube and such.

 

THIS IS A VIDEO... CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO MAKE IT PLAY...

 

 

My little welcoming group at the bottom was the best, you will see them all lined up on the left hand side as I'm almost at the bottom with my abrupt stop. It was all of them and many others that really made this cruise even more fun.

Edited November 25, 2013 by MrFunInTheSun

[MrFunInTheSun]

Dale, because of that awful wifi on the ship, I'm just now able to read your review. You and Chris captured the week perfectly. Good job!

 

Thanks Paul! Was great to finally meet you and be on the same sailing with you and your wife. Hope our paths cross again. :D

[janeyzee]

 

Settling down from his buzz.

 

.

 

I'm enjoying all of Andy's antics! Reliving the week :)