Just off Allure...mini review

[California kitty]

We are not cruisers, but this vacation was amazing! After two days in Barcelona at the cotton house hotel..line of the finest hotels I have stayed at, we boarded the allure on September 13th. We were in a jr suite which was incredible on the hump deck 12...Augus took care of our every need. We had my time dining in american icon and ate the five of the seven nights. The food was great...prime rib was huge and GOOD. we had either room service or the park cafe for breakfast and loved them both! Park cafe for lunch was great also...roast beef sandwich and create your own salad. Our last night was at Chops and we were not disappointed! Strip steak, short ribs, shrimp cocktail, crab and shrimp cake and more! We had wine, cheese and fruit from room service on the balcony almost every night.

 

Ports and excursions were great but HOT and tiring! DIY on Mallorca and Marseilles and thoroughly enjoyed roaming the towns! Did a ship excursion to Pisa and Lucca and they were great...our guide irene was perfect. For civitavecchia we did an afternoon ship excursion to lake bracciano, a visit to a nearby town and a winery which was very nice...lots of wine! On the final port day we had a private driver for a trip to ravello, amalfi and a drive along the coast with lunch! What a perfect way to end the trip.

 

We had a ton a photos taken on the ship as we enjoyed the two dress up nights and had a hard time narrowing down our purchase! The quality was great.

 

We only made it to the comedy show ( hilarious) and the blue man? Show high was great...the water number was jaw dropping! Wanted to see more but with so many ports it was difficult.

 

Enjoyed roaming the ship, rising tides bar, vintages, Central Park.

 

This cruise gets a big thumbs up!

[KBRADFORD79]

Thanks for sharing! Sounds like you had a great time. I hope to be able to afford an European cruise. I am confused, so the American Icon is on the Allure? RCCL website show the main dining room on the deck plan. Are there any other specialty restaurants on the new and improved Allure?

[California kitty]

Thanks for sharing! Sounds like you had a great time. I hope to be able to afford an European cruise. I am confused, so the American Icon is on the Allure? RCCL website show the main dining room on the deck plan. Are there any other specialty restaurants on the new and improved Allure?

 

 

It was truly an amazing cruise!mThere are three main dining rooms on allure. We had my time dining...I made reservations before we left for each night. The other two are traditional dining...silk and not sure if the name of the other. They are on decks three, four and five and are open to each other in the center! There are Many specialty restaurants and a few others which are included....park cafe, solarium and the windjammer. Upgraded restaurants are chops, Izumi, vintages, Giovanni's, samba, Johnny Rockets and sabor ( may have missed one). Lots of free snacks all over!

[KBRADFORD79]

It was truly an amazing cruise!mThere are three main dining rooms on allure. We had my time dining...I made reservations before we left for each night. The other two are traditional dining...silk and not sure if the name of the other. They are on decks three, four and five and are open to each other in the center! There are Many specialty restaurants and a few others which are included....park cafe, solarium and the windjammer. Upgraded restaurants are chops, Izumi, vintages, Giovanni's, samba, Johnny Rockets and sabor ( may have missed one). Lots of free snacks all over!

 

For some reason, I'm not able to book American Icon or Grande in advance. Do I have to book reservations onboard? American Icon has such great CC reviews. I also would like to try Grande. Thanks for the info!

[California kitty]

American icon is my time, the other two are traditional with either early oblate seating...depends how your reservation is done...my time or traditional...I suggest my time since the ports are so extensive and the timing is different every day!

[KBRADFORD79]

American icon is my time, the other two are traditional with either early oblate seating...depends how your reservation is done...my time or traditional...I suggest my time since the ports are so extensive and the timing is different every day!

 

That's why! I'm set for Traditional Late Dining. Thank you!

[transam84]

Thanks for your mini review. If possible I am even more excited now! We leave on 11 Oct for Rome and board Allure on 15 October. I'm struggling with what to pack. It sounds like the weather was still quite warm? Can't wait to see your pictures! Laura

[sparklymermaid]

We are not cruisers, but this vacation was amazing! After two days in Barcelona at the cotton house hotel..line of the finest hotels I have stayed at, we boarded the allure on September 13th. We were in a jr suite which was incredible on the hump deck 12...Augus took care of our every need. We had my time dining in american icon and ate the five of the seven nights. The food was great...prime rib was huge and GOOD. we had either room service or the park cafe for breakfast and loved them both! Park cafe for lunch was great also...roast beef sandwich and create your own salad. Our last night was at Chops and we were not disappointed! Strip steak, short ribs, shrimp cocktail, crab and shrimp cake and more! We had wine, cheese and fruit from room service on the balcony almost every night.

 

Ports and excursions were great but HOT and tiring! DIY on Mallorca and Marseilles and thoroughly enjoyed roaming the towns! Did a ship excursion to Pisa and Lucca and they were great...our guide irene was perfect. For civitavecchia we did an afternoon ship excursion to lake bracciano, a visit to a nearby town and a winery which was very nice...lots of wine! On the final port day we had a private driver for a trip to ravello, amalfi and a drive along the coast with lunch! What a perfect way to end the trip.

 

We had a ton a photos taken on the ship as we enjoyed the two dress up nights and had a hard time narrowing down our purchase! The quality was great.

 

We only made it to the comedy show ( hilarious) and the blue man? Show high was great...the water number was jaw dropping! Wanted to see more but with so many ports it was difficult.

 

Enjoyed roaming the ship, rising tides bar, vintages, Central Park.

 

This cruise gets a big thumbs up!

Nice review. I board Oct 4th, any chance of photos? :)

:)

[STANMELB]

Were you allowed to reserve dinner in the Coastal Kitchen?

[ken_nyc]

Thank you for the mini review California kitty!

 

It sounds like either the same itinerary or similar to what we are going to have on our Harmony of the Seas cruise next June.

[m1celt]

Thanks for the mini review. We board her in Rome on October 1st. Can't believe it's almost time for this cruise.

Do you have any tips for Marseille and Mallorca? We also plan on DIYing those 2 ports and just walking around.

Thanks Again

[JoeNorCal]

Great review. We were on Navigator earlier this month. Ate at Chops three nights. It really does rival the best steakhouses in North America. I opted for the 16 oz aged NYStrip and it was awesome. My wife went with the 9 oz filet. Great service, intimate setting. If you are on a ship with Chops and love great steak do it!

 

We're booked on Allure next year. Can't wait.

[Daveintb]

We just got back from the same cruise, we had an amazing time as well, a very port intensive cruise, long and delayed flights back to Fl, we need to rest from this trip now :D. The ship and crew are top notch as where most of the shows, we mainly ate in the MDR for dinner and WJ for breakfast and the food was good, especially the Bay Scallops au gratin !

[Lexiloo62]

Thanks for the mini review. We board her in Rome on October 1st. Can't believe it's almost time for this cruise.

Do you have any tips for Marseille and Mallorca? We also plan on DIYing those 2 ports and just walking around.

Thanks Again

 

 

I'm on your cruise too.. We are DIY in Marseille... so I've booked a segway tour - couple of hours around the port/city! Maybe see you on board... have you signed up to the 1st October roll call?

Edited September 22, 2015 by Lexiloo62