just off allure--critical analysis

[markf]

returned today from the most beautiful ship, i have been on, and i have taken 30 + cruises.

I am diamond on RCCl but haven't been on RCCL in many years, first time in this class.

Activities:Much to do, but an issue for me is having to make decisions prior to leaving. what show will I see and when. I am on vacation and would like to do what I want, when I want within reason.

They have a comedy club that seats 250 people for 5000 + passengers??! How does that make sense..

Some interesting deficiencies, in my opinion, if you want freshly prepared food after 10 PM no where to get it. Buffet closes at 930 pm earliest I have ever seen. some places are open but they have prepared sandwiches. Pizza doesn't cut it for a NYer.. not even close, sorry.

I was looking for cut up fruit one evening, no place to get it--

another interesting issue--pool chairs on deck 15 mostly tied up and are tightly set up side by side. no way to move them, unless you untie the rope holding them together. how do you have a drink, with no where to put the drink? no tables and room between chairs,no pool attendant either.

Beach towel distribution is controlled , by signing in and out. but on port days instead of having 4 towel places they have 1. doesn't make it user friendly.

Specialty restaurants , we went to Giovanni, Central Park, samba. The 2 latter ones are way overpriced for what they deliver..

 

Overall reasonable value for what you pay, but I rather pay a few dollars more and get treated better.. but maybe that is when Celebrity comes in!!

[markf]

forgot to mention, the Diamond club, very nice touch and the ability to get 3 free drinks from 430 Pm to 8 Pm each evening.

[Clarea]

... They have a comedy club that seats 250 people for 5000 + passengers??! How does that make sense.. ...

That's why they have over a dozen performances.

[Cuervosar]

Thank you for your critical analysis.

[cb at sea]

That's why we never sit NEXT to the pool...climbing into your seat from the foot of the lounger isn't pretty OR fun! Go further from the pool, and there's more space.....and YES...they should have some little patio tables to put stuff on!

[RocketMan275]

That's why we never sit NEXT to the pool...climbing into your seat from the foot of the lounger isn't pretty OR fun! Go further from the pool, and there's more space.....and YES...they should have some little patio tables to put stuff on!

So, how many loungers should be removed to provide space for the tables?

[mac_tlc]

That's why they have over a dozen performances.

 

 

And one on the last day in the Main Theater.

 

 

mac_tlc

[hgiles]

I agree on the comedy events. I was in a suite and knew to book that on day one. But that shouldn’t be the case. They need a bigger venue.

[drrich2]

"Activities:Much to do, but an issue for me is having to make decisions prior to leaving. what show will I see and when. I am on vacation and would like to do what I want, when I want within reason."

 

This is kind of a 'yes and no.' Compared to Voyager-class, for example, Oasis-class offer more choice in entertainment (e.g.: shows), but to make the most of that (& guarantee a seat) you've got to plan in advance and book a night and time. This can be onerous & annoying to some, though it's not all that hard to do online.

 

Reminds me of people debating the former 'dynamic dining' on Anthem; advance scheduling was either irksome or a minor triviality, depending on who you read.

 

Some on the forum indicated many people who reserved don't show up, so you can usually get in without a reservation, though you have to wait later to enter. That's big shows; I don't know about small audience events like the comedy show you mentioned.

 

The AquaTheater offers a different venue for shows of a different type, which also expands the offerings.

 

I found my 1st Oasis-class cruise a bit daunting; if it were the 1st cruise I'd taken, I'd have been a little overwhelmed with planning. Our 1st cruise was Adventure of the Seas in '06, & my wife & I were a bit overwhelmed with that!

 

Richard.

[Merion_Mom]

returned today from the most beautiful ship, i have been on, and i have taken 30 + cruises.

I am diamond on RCCl but haven't been on RCCL in many years, first time in this class.

Activities:Much to do, but an issue for me is having to make decisions prior to leaving. what show will I see and when. I am on vacation and would like to do what I want, when I want within reason.

They have a comedy club that seats 250 people for 5000 + passengers??! How does that make sense..

Some interesting deficiencies, in my opinion, if you want freshly prepared food after 10 PM no where to get it. Buffet closes at 930 pm earliest I have ever seen. some places are open but they have prepared sandwiches. Pizza doesn't cut it for a NYer.. not even close, sorry.

I was looking for cut up fruit one evening, no place to get it--

another interesting issue--pool chairs on deck 15 mostly tied up and are tightly set up side by side. no way to move them, unless you untie the rope holding them together. how do you have a drink, with no where to put the drink? no tables and room between chairs,no pool attendant either.

Beach towel distribution is controlled , by signing in and out. but on port days instead of having 4 towel places they have 1. doesn't make it user friendly.

Specialty restaurants , we went to Giovanni, Central Park, samba. The 2 latter ones are way overpriced for what they deliver..

 

Overall reasonable value for what you pay, but I rather pay a few dollars more and get treated better.. but maybe that is when Celebrity comes in!!

 

Welcome back.

 

That's why they have over a dozen performances.

 

It has been 15 on my cruises, IIRC.

 

And back to markf: Comedy clubs SHOULD be small and intimate. That's part of what makes the show.

[Dixie1337]

And back to markf: Comedy clubs SHOULD be small and intimate. That's part of what makes the show.

 

I completely agree!

 

Also I'll add, I went on the oasis last year and made reservations for every show, but I'm chronically late so I rarely made it there before it opened up to everyone without a reservation, and I never had a problem finding an ok seat (minus the comedy show).

[Keith1010]

Enjoying your report.

Keith

[yuvraj]

Oasis class is my favourite and I don't mind planning ahead. Adds to the excitement but I appreciate that it isn't everyone's idea of fun.

 

Observations made by OP are valid but in no way affect my enjoyment of the cruise and I would not change a thing. It comes down to we all have different interests so things regarded as shortcomings by some will have zero effect on the rest.

[griffy116]

We typically sail Royal and Freedom class has been our favorite. We went on a Celebrity cruise and a Royal cruise last year. We always enjoy ourselves and did enjoy both cruises, but if you find it difficult to get a fruit cup late at night Celebrity is going to disappoint you too. NY style pizza? You'll be disappointed on both lines, but I'm not a NY style pizza lover so it's not a problem for me. As for the comedy shows, we made reservations knowing that our plans might change, but hoping they don't and we can be at the comedy show we reserved. I don't recall any late, late night comedy shows at all on Celebrity. We always find that the pool areas, late at night are set up for the early birds the next morning. Bar servers weren't available late at night around the pool on Celebrity either. Also, as for the loungers being tied down, we were on Celebrity when they tied the loungers down in the early afternoon. It was because the winds picked up dramatically. I don't know what the weather was on the Royal cruise, but maybe the anticipation of winds during the night or that this is a standard practice "in case" there are winds they encounter....????

[micmacmissy]

Beach towel distribution is controlled , by signing in and out. but on port days instead of having 4 towel places they have 1. doesn't make it user friendly.

 

True. I think the towel system on Royal cheapens the cruise experience. Charge everyone an extra $25 for the week and just let the towels be taken and returned without all the lines and counting and returns (which don't seem accurate anyway- so many people who return their towels wind up with a charge, and i'm guessing vice versa!).

 

Overall reasonable value for what you pay, but I rather pay a few dollars more and get treated better.. but maybe that is when Celebrity comes in!!

 

Actually, our last two cruises on Celebrity were cheaper than our last two cruises on Royal! I think Celebrity is a great value, especially if you don't use all the stuff (carousel, zipline, rock wall, etc) and are cruising without kids!

[Havingfun2010]

There is a difference between a "Comedy Club" and a "Comedy Show". Comedy shows are held in the theatre with plenty of seating and is one of the evening programs. It is designed for the masses of people who hide in the back rows, and once the "adult part" of the show starts, get up, and leave in disgust and complain about being offended. A comedy club, is a small location, set up in such a way, that no one can hide and the comedian has open access to poke fun of anyone and everyone leaving. It's designed to be small. It's designed to be fun. It's a different experience.

[cruisinfanatic]

True. I think the towel system on Royal cheapens the cruise experience. Charge everyone an extra $25 for the week and just let the towels be taken and returned without all the lines and counting and returns (which don't seem accurate anyway- so many people who return their towels wind up with a charge, and i'm guessing vice versa!).

You're kidding, right?

We swipe out at beginning of the cruise and just exchange them when needed. Never any huge lines to do this.

Then swipe back in on the last day.

[Newbieflorida]

Been on Allure twice, Oasis in March. I actually enjoy the planning aspect. It eliminates all of the "what do you want to do tonight?" and "where are we going to eat tonight" debates.

[LS6Caddy]

but an issue for me is having to make decisions prior to leaving. what show will I see and when. I am on vacation and would like to do what I want, when I want within reason.

They have a comedy club that seats 250 people for 5000 + passengers??!

 

I can understand both sides of the aisle when it comes to making reservations. I don't find it to be that big of a deal. I have changed my mind and not gone to shows I have reserved, and I have decided to go to shows I didn't have a reservation for and not had a problem...aside from the comedy club on Oasis class as others have mentioned. And I have always cruised in groups of at least 15 people. And to echo...its a comedy club...not a comedy show. I think they are going for a certain feel with having an intimate setting. The ice arena is relatively small when taken in context with the number of passengers.

 

Some interesting deficiencies, in my opinion, if you want freshly prepared food after 10 PM no where to get it. Buffet closes at 930 pm earliest I have ever seen. some places are open but they have prepared sandwiches. Pizza doesn't cut it for a NYer.. not even close, sorry.

I was looking for cut up fruit one evening, no place to get it--

The days of midnight buffets and things of that sort are long gone. It is just not realistic to offer the type of food you are seaking late at night without having a lot food waste...especially with the number of passengers on these ships. I have always been happy with late night offerings and understand I am not getting 5-star restaurant quality food at midnight...I am perfectly happy with my little sandwich and cookie at 2 am...none of which I really need...yet always eat anyway :o. It is also unrealistic to expect NY style pizza in this setting. Heck...my mom is from NY and she says the only place she gets her NY style pizza fix is actually in NY.

 

another interesting issue--pool chairs on deck 15 mostly tied up and are tightly set up side by side. no way to move them, unless you untie the rope holding them together. how do you have a drink, with no where to put the drink? no tables and room between chairs,no pool attendant either.

Beach towel distribution is controlled , by signing in and out. but on port days instead of having 4 towel places they have 1.

 

Deck chairs by the pool have always been a hot conversation piece. There are not enough. They are too close. People save them. It is what it is. I don't mind sitting a few rows off the pool anyway so it doesn't eat at me as it seems to others. Same with the towels. It may be a slight hassle to check them in and out...but whatever...not really a big deal at all.

[Homosassa]

For those of you complaining about the pool towel charge:

 

You must have never cruised in the days when if one was ashore and at a beach, the sand would be covered with left behind towels because people were too lazy to bring them back to the ship.

 

And then there were those cruisers who saw the towels as a free souvenir to take home.

 

The charge makes sense in controlling the overhead cost of replacing towels.

[BillOh]

forgot to mention, the Diamond club, very nice touch and the ability to get 3 free drinks from 430 Pm to 8 Pm each evening.

 

 

You're not limited to 3 drinks in the Diamond Club, only during that time at many outside bars.

[FloridaPalms]

OP, glad you thought the Allure was the most beautiful ship you’ve been on in over 30 cruises. While I prefer the Voyager and Freedom classes, I think the Allure is my favorite of the three Oasis class ships I’ve sailed on and am looking forward to cruising on her again for Halloween.

 

No late night fruit cups is solved by stocking the fridge earlier in the day. I liked to squirrel away a cheese plate to have with a glass of wine. NY pizza? Heck, I haven’t been able to find that anywhere in Florida since I moved from NY in 92. But I did find some of Sorrento’s specialty pizzas weren’t bad at all.

 

While making reservations for shows is a pain or daunting task for some, it is a necessary evil for a ship this size which offers so very much quality entertainment. Like others have posted, I too love the intimate venue of the Comedy Club.

 

Yes, towel checkout is a pain, but another necessary evil.

 

As BillOh posted, you get unlimited drinks in the Diamond Club during the happy hours. I loved the location on Allure (same on Oasis but Harmony is a windowless room on deck 4). Allure had some excellent hors d’oeuvres last year, including bacon-wrapped scallops. Yum.

 

~ Judy

[ALSEAU]

 

Yes, towel checkout is a pain, but another necessary evil.

 

~ Judy

 

Since the topic of towels has been brought up many times I have a word of caution for B2B cruisers. DON'T forget to turn your towel in on the last day of your 1st cruise.. Your credit card will be billed for towels for the first week even though they are in your stateroom. Rules are rules.

[markf]

THANKS FOR ALL THE COMMENTS:

There was no comedy show in the main showroom, only in the comedy club. I suppose if they had both that would work.

The chairs being on top of each other was a daily event , so wind was not the issue. the issue was saving on manpower assemble and dissemble the chairs on decks.

But in reality, going back to work today, makes these issues less important , i did say it was a critical analysis!!

[Merion_Mom]

THANKS FOR ALL THE COMMENTS:

There was no comedy show in the main showroom, only in the comedy club. I suppose if they had both that would work.

The chairs being on top of each other was a daily event , so wind was not the issue. the issue was saving on manpower assemble and dissemble the chairs on decks.

But in reality, going back to work today, makes these issues less important , i did say it was a critical analysis!!

 

 

 

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If so, look on Night #7.

 

 

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