Just returned from 1/8 Allure. Quick Review

[mickeyhereicome]

We were on the Jan 8-15 Allure of the Seas. There was 10 in our group, 4 cabins. I would rate this cruise a 6/10. We were not impressed. Two cabins had sailed with Royal before, two first time.

 

Pros: Beautiful ship. Loved Central Park. Loved that as big as the ship was and full, never felt crowded. Specialty restaurants were wonderful

 

Cons: MDR food not so great. Staff not very friendly, outgoing. On more than one occasion we were told not my job by staff. (ie, spilt something on pool deck asked a member wearing a white shirt if they could help me clean it up. Was told not my job need to find a person wearing a black shirt. Also, my husband was putting a room service tray out in the hall, staff passing by with empty tray cart. He asked if she could take it. She said no, leave it on the floor, I don't pick up the trays.) Way too much selling and soliciting. Walking out to the Boardwalk for OceanAria and there is 3 spa staff asking if you want to buy a spa package. And would ask every time you walked by. They were also outside shows and MDR. Did not like this. No bar staff around the kid pool area for drink orders.

 

We have sailed Disney, NCL and now RCCL. I wanted to try the mega ship, but will probably not run back to RCCL.

[Piazza1979]

I was also on this cruise. I'm not sure what your expectations were, but my experience was quite different from yours.

 

I agree with you about the up-selling. They even had a speech for Next Cruise before Bingo games started (Captive audience). That was a bit much.

 

Aside from that, everyone was friendly and helpful, always asked how our day was going, etc. I think your expectations of the staff were a bit much -- you don't know where the woman was going with the cart or what her next duty was. If she doesn't clear trays, that's not what she was there for. The guy on the pool deck may not have had a mop. I understand your point, nobody likes to hear "no", but I think you are being harsh. The employees work 7 days a week and get about 6 hours of sleep. Expecting them to be 100% "On" all the time is not realistic. Wait staff goes to the drinking crowd - not the kiddie pool. The bar is always there for you to walk up to if you want a drink without waiting for a server.

 

That being said, I'm glad you didn't complain about the weather like half of the people I ran into - as if RC controlled that!!! We had a great time on the ship, even with the crazy wind. Enjoy your next cruise, wherever it may be.

[Sun Lover]

I'm curious as to the drink prices. Can you tell me what the price was for most frozen alcoholic drinks and also if they still have the drink of the day & what the price was for that? That's usually quite a bit cheaper than the regular prices. Trying to decide whether to get drink package. Thanks.

[mickeyhereicome]

I'm curious as to the drink prices. Can you tell me what the price was for most frozen alcoholic drinks and also if they still have the drink of the day & what the price was for that? That's usually quite a bit cheaper than the regular prices. Trying to decide whether to get drink package. Thanks.

 

Most of us had the drinking package. There was only a few times we noticed an extra price. In Chops and I believe 150 and Giovanni's there were a few glasses of wines that were $14, but there were $12 choices. Bow and stern's and Boleros drinks were $12. We never paid more for drinks. Also we were told they always put top shelf up to the max and not well if your on the package. My SIL asked for top shelf and that's the answer she was told.

 

We asked about drinks of the day and were told they don't have that. This was my first time on Royal so I knew no different.

[drrich2]

I wonder how many parents want servers bringing alcohol around the kiddie pool? No doubt views vary, but perhaps it's disagreeable to enough people to discourage the practice?

 

We keep seeing threads on staff cutbacks and overwork it what was already a hard work, long hours environment. Some people may need to set limits to keep their sanity. Speculation, but rational.

 

I don't like upwelling either.

 

Richard.

 

 

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[mickeyhereicome]

I wonder how many parents want servers bringing alcohol around the kiddie pool? No doubt views vary, but perhaps it's disagreeable to enough people to discourage the practice?

 

We keep seeing threads on staff cutbacks and overwork it what was already a hard work, long hours environment. Some people may need to set limits to keep their sanity. Speculation, but rational.

 

I don't like upwelling either.

 

Richard.

 

 

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I can understand what you are suggesting. My husband had the drinking package and I had the soda package. Would have been nice to order a soda while supervising my children. On the flip side, people are going to drink if they want to drink. I'm sure plenty of parents left their children to order a drink at the bar because no one came by. I was spoke to for having an ice cream and sitting with my feet in the water. Someone next to me with a glass bottle wasn't.

[easyboy]

Thanks for your feedback.

[DISFANS3]

Thanks for report..

[Clarea]

We were on the Jan 8-15 Allure of the Seas. There was 10 in our group, 4 cabins. I would rate this cruise a 6/10. We were not impressed. Two cabins had sailed with Royal before, two first time.

 

Pros: Beautiful ship. Loved Central Park. Loved that as big as the ship was and full, never felt crowded. Specialty restaurants were wonderful

 

Cons: MDR food not so great. Staff not very friendly, outgoing. On more than one occasion we were told not my job by staff. (ie, spilt something on pool deck asked a member wearing a white shirt if they could help me clean it up. Was told not my job need to find a person wearing a black shirt. Also, my husband was putting a room service tray out in the hall, staff passing by with empty tray cart. He asked if she could take it. She said no, leave it on the floor, I don't pick up the trays.) Way too much selling and soliciting. Walking out to the Boardwalk for OceanAria and there is 3 spa staff asking if you want to buy a spa package. And would ask every time you walked by. They were also outside shows and MDR. Did not like this. No bar staff around the kid pool area for drink orders.

 

We have sailed Disney, NCL and now RCCL. I wanted to try the mega ship, but will probably not run back to RCCL.

I feel the same way about the upselling.

[Sun Lover]

I'm not sure what you mean by upselling. So if you have the drink package and order a mixed drink, they will automatically charge extra for premium liquor and then you have an added charge over and above the $12 limit?

[Clarea]

I'm not sure what you mean by upselling. So if you have the drink package and order a mixed drink, they will automatically charge extra for premium liquor and then you have an added charge over and above the $12 limit?

I meant the crewmembers pushing spa services, dining packages, drink packages, etc. Now it's common for them to get in your face in the cruise terminal, before you get on the ship.

[Sun Lover]

Oh, yeah, that is very annoying. It's been several years since we've cruised, but I don't remember them doing that at all.

[KrazyKanuk72]

Was om the Allure sailing the week prior to this. This was our first experience on an Oasis class ship and it will not be our last. The cruise was simply amazing. For starters the entertainment on this ship was the best we had ever seen all the show were incredible as were the musicians especially Matt from Australia playing Piano in the Schooner bar . Our Meal at chops was the best meal I have ever had in my life period. As for the MDR yes it has certainly taken a step back over the years . The food was decent but not outstanding. As for the crew , top notch all the way the service was great and staff were very happy to assist in anyway possible.

[packercruising]

 

We asked about drinks of the day and were told they don't have that. This was my first time on Royal so I knew no different.

 

The drink of the day is always listed in the Cruise Compass. It seems strange they didn't have them. Of course, I only drink beer. :D

[young_ens]

I keep hearing the MDR food isn't as good. I suppose that is planned because of all the specialty restaurants, basically upselling food. Since i haven't sailed in a while, I hope I don't see/feel that way about the MDR!

 

I agree on upselling, don't care for it. I don't usually drink, so not having someone ask me if I want a drink is fine by me. If I want one, I am perfectly capable of going to the bar (I don't see the staff as my PAs).

 

Looking forward to my sailing on this ship in a few months.

Edited January 20, 2017 by young_ens

[KrazyKanuk72]

I would not say the food is terrible in the MDR it is just simply not as good as it once was. We still enjoyed some great meals just not as blown away as in years past.

[Cel_cruise]

I find it very disappointing and likely even a loss of revenue that there is not waitstaff walking around the kiddie pool area.

 

Dragging kids out of the area to help them and their parents stay hydrated is not going to make other guests very happy...and worse someone may leave their child unattended to address the hydration desire.

 

 

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[davekathy]

Thanks for posting your opinion of your Cruise. .

[tere247]

We were also on this sailing. I have to say that almost all the dinners we had in the MDR were outstanding. Our servers worked their butts off and it showed with great service. I never felt the need to spend $42 each for specialty dining. We did go to Giovanni's for lunch and was disappointed that they changed the menu. Service there was also great.

 

That being said, service in the Windjammer buffet and Solarium Cafe was terrible. We ate our lunch and watched 3 groups of people stand by a large table, looking for someone to clear the table so they could sit. Buy the time we finished our meal, someone finally came to clean that table. Other times if we wanted to sit, we had to move dishes ourselves. I saw dirty tables not being cleared almost every time we were there.

 

The workers that pushed the carts with dishes or what ever supplies, you better watch out for them, cause they would look straight ahead and push that cart right in front of you. Very rude and dangerous. And yes, I waited for these workers to pass and not even received a nod or a smile.

 

Although some were smiling and very friendly, many more were obvious very unhappy.

 

I only went to the DL to get a bottle of water or a can of ginger ale to take to my cabin, and was greeted each time with smiles and welcome backs.

 

Shows were amazing, Quest had us laughing uncontrollably, daytime activities that didn't involve a sales gimmick, were also a lot of fun.

 

I think next time we might try My Time Dining. Maybe it's easier to schedule our meals around the shows instead of the other way around. A little less stressful rushing?

[itsanita]

We just got off the Allure on Sunday and it was our first time on the big ship. We had a great time but decided it is not our favorite ship. The Windjammer buffet was overwhelming. Huge crowds, tables not cleared. They were actually holding people outside in Disney like lines waiting to get in. We did not venture there after the first few days for any meals, so perhaps it got better. Having said that, we did not feel overwhelmed by people during the cruise...it did not feel crowded except by the pool during the day or when a venue would let out. The entertainment was the best we have ever had, just awesome.

The service in the dinning room was excellent, the food always good if not great. The folks in the Diamond Lounge were always helpful and seemed genuinely happy to help and talk with us. Our room steward was very sweet, but a bit clueless. Maybe too many cabins? We got other peoples invites all week, got someone else's bill on the door on our last night...things like that. We had to ask for ice in our room for 3 days before we finally got it...and then we got 3 buckets!! Not sure if they were being helpful or spiteful LOL. When we had questions, it took many attempts to find someone who knew the answers. We just figured that on such a big ship that would be expected. We had a great time, would certainly go on her again, but the Allure would not be our fist choice.

[easyboy]

I find it very disappointing and likely even a loss of revenue that there is not waitstaff walking around the kiddie pool area.

 

Dragging kids out of the area to help them and their parents stay hydrated is not going to make other guests very happy...and worse someone may leave their child unattended to address the hydration desire.

Very good point! I guess they have not considered that.

[martyap]

We have not taken a cruise in a number of years, have never been on a mega size ship.........and I relented to try the Allure which we will do in a few months. For the past 5-6 years we have focused on land based trips, often just the two of us, sometimes with 1-2 other couples. My expectations of our upcoming cruise are middle of the road.

 

Anytime you put so many passengers in a contained environment you are certainly going to have a certain percentage who push, complain, litter, hog.

I remember one instance when I observed a gentleman take the spoon in the dish of sprinkles by the soft serve ice cream, lick it and place the spoon back in the dish........or the lady at breakfast who had a fit because she got four pieces of bacon and her husband had five.......or the person who sneezed in his hand and then grabbed the banister. I do not expect five star dining; I don't care if drinks are $12 or $13; I am sure I will find edible food to eat; I expect the WJ to be over crowded and often piled with dishes; I expect people to hog 6 loungers by the pool even if they only need four; if my room steward forgets to bring ice I will find it myself; if the weather is not great I will be able to cope........it is what it is.......cruising in 2017!

Edited January 26, 2017 by martyap

[packercruising]

We have not taken a cruise in a number of years, have never been on a mega size ship.........and I relented to try the Allure which we will do in a few months. For the past 5-6 years we have focused on land based trips, often just the two of us, sometimes with 1-2 other couples. My expectations of our upcoming cruise are middle of the road.

 

Anytime you put so many passengers in a contained environment you are certainly going to have a certain percentage who push, complain, litter, hog.

I remember one instance when I observed a gentleman take the spoon in the dish of sprinkles by the soft serve ice cream, lick it and place the spoon back in the dish........or the lady at breakfast who had a fit because she got four pieces of bacon and her husband had five.......or the person who sneezed in his hand and then grabbed the banister. I do not expect five star dining; I don't care if drinks are $12 or $13; I am sure I will find edible food to eat; I expect the WJ to be over crowded and often piled with dishes; I expect people to hog 6 loungers by the pool even if they only need four; if my room steward forgets to bring ice I will find it myself; if the weather is not great I will be able to cope........it is what it is.......cruising in 2017!

 

I think you will be pleasently surprise, if that was your experience long ago. It sounds like you are already planning on being disappointed.

[katiel53]

We also sailed on the same cruise as the OP. I thought it was one of the best cruises I have ever taken. I didn't really pay much attention to the upsell people as we had the 4 night dining package and the 5th night was a BOGO for being Diamond Plus. We went to Chops three nights even though we hadn't planned on doing so.

 

The wait staff in Chops was really great and a lot of fun, so we changed some of our reservations to go there again and again. We also enjoyed Giovanni's. Samba though, was a big disappointment. Perhaps it was because it was a really slow night and that our reservations were for 8:30. There were very few (maybe 2 other couples, though I really don't remember.) The salad bar was basically empty, the gauchos didn't come around often with the meat. When it came time for the filet, he had two tiny pieces of filet on his skewer. We did have the "coaster" on green the whole time, so it wasn't that we weren't ready for meat.

 

I think I was disappointed in that we go to to Texas de Brazil which has a huge salad bar and the gauchos are constantly walking around with the meat.

 

I asked a bartender in the casino for a drink, but I didn't know what I wanted so he suggested a California cooler. I had the beverage package. That got to be my usual drink on this cruise. I had excellent service in the casino and it's not because I am a big time player. I think it's because I tipped on every drink. It was only $1 a drink, but I think that's why my glass wasn't empty for any length of time.

 

I liked the ship and service so well that my family and I are going back on Allure in July. I had no complaints other than the cold, but nothing we could do about that.