Back from the Dark Ages! Live Review of the Allure OTS

[Capt Snoopy]

Ahh it feels so good to be back on the forums, even though the Floataway Lounge did provide some entertainment. 

 

First things first though, introductions...I’m Cody and traveling with my fiancé, Blake, we are both in our mid-20s. We are really into food (still waiting for my metabolism to slow down and make me regret these years). This cruise we are in the Aqua Theater suite (14330) on the Allure OTS. Additions to our cruise are the Ultimate Dining Package (we are foodies, remember?) and the Deluxe Beverage Package, we are also into alcohol and milkshakes as well (there’s no judging on here, right?). 

 

So let’s rewind to Saturday when we will still in the forum dark ages. I flew Southwest out of Raleigh, NC direct to FLL with no issues at all and I took both of our checked bags with me (trying to be a great fiancé). Blake flew out of Spartanburg, SC (where her current obligations are) with a connection in ATL. And SURPRISE, a wrench was thrown in the mix when her flight to ATL was delayed two hours and SWA had to reschedule her on a later flight from ATL to FLL. Super super glad that we travel the day prior to cruising or she would’ve missed the cruise!!

Also included is a sailway pic from Port Everglades. 

—Cody

[Capt Snoopy]

Saturday, the day prior to sailing, we stayed about 10 minutes from the ship at Pier 66 Hotel. I felt bad because the Harmony OTS was docked which meant CruiseLifeRick was back from his B2B (loved his review!). 

 

For our afternoon snack after Blake finally arrived, we ate at the hotel restaurant Pelican Landing. I had ceviche that was incredibly acidic and Blake had a grilled Mahi salad, she said the fish was flaky and moist. 

 

We ended the day with Uber eats from a Mexican place (El Camino); shrimp tacos, carnitas tacos, and Mexican street corn. 

 

[Capt Snoopy]

Sailing Day!! I’m not sure about everyone else but I woke up at 5am and couldn’t go back to sleep. I get more excited about cruises than I do about Christmas. 

 

We tried to waste time by walking around the marina, then we went to breakfast. $18 for scrambled eggs, hash browns, and sausage links...I’d say overkill but nothing was close enough to walk. Ohhh and I forgot, they grilled a half tomato too 😄

 

Finally 9:30 rolls around and we get the Uber and head to the terminal. Side note, I picked 9:30 because when we sailed from Miami in July it took over an hour to get through security and to the lounge. Meanwhile here in Port Everglades, where they run things efficiently, I was sitting in the lounge by 10am. I guess it’s better than sitting in the hotel room. 

 

11:30 they let us on and WOW, the Allure is gorgeous! At this point, I’m not sure I ever want to sail in anything but the Oasis class. At this point it’s time for lunch so Giovanni’s Table it is. 

 

Our waiter was Jenazh (highly recommend!!!). We started off having warm bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then for appetizers we had the meat and cheese plate followed by the tonno crudo (he surprised us with 2 because he said 1 isn’t enough to share). For the main course I had the Seafood Linguine, absolutely amazing and didn’t taste fishy, as always it had TOO many noodles than I could eat LOL. Dessert was another surprise of tiramisu and cannolis. I will be coming back to Giovannis!! Also to drink we had Pinot Grigio and Pellegrino (I’ll omit that from now on because I’ll be having Pellegrino at every meal, I buy it by the case at home).

[MrFunInTheSun]

Thanks for bringing us along! 

[Capt Snoopy]

After a full lunch, we went back to the room and our bags had not arrived yet but a fruit plate and 2 bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon arrived, they know me so well! 

 

For dinner we went to 150 Central Park. Our server was Izzine (?) and he took immaculate care of us! Blake and I fell in love with the salts from around the world. Of course we HAD to try the cucumber basil martini and words don’t describe it. But if I had to choose 1 word, it would be: smooth. That martini is very well crafted and no one flavor is over powering. For appetizer we had the tuna tartare and the lobster gnocchi. The gnocchi were like pillows and just melted away! For the main course I had the short rib, sadly it was very tough to cut and chew. Blake had the beef tenderloin for one, we both agreed it was perfect; the red wine demi complimented the steak. Dessert comprised of the cheese platter, some kind of off-menu sponge cake for Blake (she has Celiacs so no gluten) and a cappuccino. 

 

After dinner we went to the Champagne bar in the promenade where I chose the ultimate Bellini martini and Blake tried the cucumber martini. Both of our drinks there were incredibly strong, to the point of not enjoying them. Even so, we took them and watched Mamma Mia and sipped on them. The actors and actresses were extremely talented with great voices and dance moves! Definitely beware, it is VERY provocative and we saw a mother with her kids and she looked like she regretted bringing them. Once the show was over, Blake and I got milkshakes from Johnny Rockets (YES, it is included with the Deluxe Beverage Package). Then we stopped by Sabor and picked up guac, salsa, and chips to eat before bed (no judging, remember!!).

[Espn]

Following along. We are on the same itinerary as you on Oct 28th. That is if we ever get a cabin assignment, we booked a suite guarantee and still waiting with 12 days to go. 

I like the font size you are using btw. Not used to the new look of the forum yet.

[Capt Snoopy]

6 minutes ago, Espn said:

Following along. We are on the same itinerary as you on Oct 28th. That is if we ever get a cabin assignment, we booked a suite guarantee and still waiting with 12 days to go. 

I like the font size you are using btw. Not used to the new look of the forum yet.

 

Good luck! Hopefully they have a Crown Loft left to spare for you 😉 Also I hope my font isn’t too crazy, it looks weird on my phone. 

Lemme know if you need pics or info or anything, I’m here all week 😄 

[Longhorn Cruiser]

[Espn]

5 minutes ago, Capt Snoopy said:

Hopefully they have a Crown Loft left to spare for you 😉 

LOL that would be nice but I don't expect it, probably just a lowly JS. I will miss the Suite Lounge though.

Have a great week and keep letting us know which drinks you enjoy and recommend.

[Capt Snoopy]

28 minutes ago, Espn said:

LOL that would be nice but I don't expect it, probably just a lowly JS. I will miss the Suite Lounge though.

Have a great week and keep letting us know which drinks you enjoy and recommend.

 Either way, double points! I think it would be fun to do the guarantee just to see what curve ball they throw!

The two best drinks I have had are the cucumber basil martini ($2 extra than drink package covers) from 150 CP and She’s a Geisha from Izumi....so far!

[Capt Snoopy]

Day 2 (October 15th)! We woke up and the seas haven’t been rough but I can definitely feel the rocking of the boat. It’s been constant light waves with white caps on top, I think that means 15 knot winds? 

 

So onward to breakfast! Coastal kitchen it is where we both have Eggs Benedict (mine was with smoked salmon and Blake’s with Canadian bacon), they also had gluten free bread which made her very happy. They promised her gluten free pancakes and muffins for Day 3. 

 

After breakfast we go walk to the lounge on 17 forward where they have cabanas. I was really glad for the cabana because it was incredibly windy, especially on the top of the ship. 

 

Then for lunch we had Izumi (in July on the Mariner the teppanyaki wasn’t covered with the dining package but they said they cover the $39 menu on the Allure). I had the poke bowl and ramen while Blake had the yellow boxtail and a spicy tuna roll and they even had gluten free soy sauce for her!!

 

For the afternoon we went to the casino and played blackjack and roulette where I was lucky and only lost $10, whew! I almost count that as a win compared to my other experiences in casinos. 

 

Dinner rolls around and every restaurant is booked so we go to the Coastal Kitchen. Dexter and Nancy are really the sweetest people, they really care about the guests. I had the escargot and Blake tried the beef tartar and they brought a shrimp cocktail. Followed up by veal tenderloin and Atlantic salmon with hollandaise. Then of course an assortment of desserts!

 

After dinner we watched OceanAria and WOW!! that is an incredible show. I was on the edge of my seat as those skilled gymnast dived off the platforms up to 4 stories high! Huge tip of my hat to their performance! After the show we went and ate shrimp tacos with chips and guac at Sabor, I’d highly suggest the guac!

 

Afterwards we walked around all the music venues and nothing really hit our chord. The pianist at Schooner Bar was playing kid songs on an electric piano instead of the grand piano (could’ve been for a real reason but I enjoyed the classic tunes on the real piano on the Mariner). Blaze was playing songs I’ve never heard of and it reminded me of a middle school dance because everyone was sitting and looking at one another. Then we tried Dazzles but I guess I’m too young to know a lot of 80s music, it seems like I only know the big hits of the 80s. So we decided to get Sorrentos and get some sleep!

 

[Capt Snoopy]

Day 3!! I wake up and man is it beautiful off the balcony, I can really get used to this. Blake is still in her slumber so I went down to Vitality and picked her up a Fruit Oasis Juice for her to wake up to. 

 

We head up to Coastal Kitchen for breakfast and what do you know.....they have gluten free pancake batter waiting for Blake. Huge shoutout to Bechir, restaurant manager, for making sure Blake didn’t feel left out for breakfast. Bechir is always personable and a pleasure to interact with. I had smoked salmon Eggs Benedict and Blake had her chocolate chip gluten free pancakes. When we were leaving, Bechir handed Blake 6 gluten free muffins and against our protest, said they will make a new batch everyday. If anyone needs gluten free muffins, lemme know!! Also boat is still rockin. 

 

After a morning nap, we go to lunch at the coastal kitchen, Blake tries some salad with French fries (I think those offset?) while I have the salmon with balsamic reduction, absolutely amazing. After lunch we ride the zip line on deck 16 to deck 15, the line is pretty short and goes quickly. I would say it’s worth doing once. Then we come back to the room to a surprise my buddy sent of two cheese plates and a bottle of wine, I thought that was very kind of him. 

Side note: restaurant manager in Coastal Kitchen’s name is Bechir, not Bechar. #BadAutocorrect

Now we are ALL caught up! Giovannis tonight for dinner, spoiler alert, I’m going to try the osso buco I’ve heard such great things about. We will dine with Jenazh again, he is a wonderful server!

[lvcruiselover]

Thanks for your review. We board the Allure on Sunday in the suite directly below you, 12330. Haven’t cruised since 2011 and never on a ship this large so I’m excitedly following along!  We will celebrate my 50th birthday and our 17th wedding anniversary during the sailing so lots to look forward to. 

[Capt Snoopy]

@lvcruiselover wow! Congratulations to many happy years you have had! You’re going to have a blast, there is so much to do on the Allure. I can’t even notice that there are 6000 people on the ship!

Is there any pictures you want to see of your balcony from above LOL?

[Palmetto Pilot]

Great review so far. Looking forward to seeing more!

[reaton]

Thanks for the review. I will be on Allure next summer as my first on RCCL. Though we won’t be in a suite, I’m considering the ultimate dining package. Was lunch on embarkation day included as part of that? Also, have you been charged for the extra visits to Sabor? All that guac would definitely make the package worth it! Thanks also for the information about Izumi as that is the first I’m hearing of any included hibatchi. 

[Capt Snoopy]

@reaton I would strongly suggest the dining package!! I feel like it’s worth the specialty dining for $24/day. Every lunch and dinner is included in the package, even on embarkation day (only caveat is only Sabor is open for lunch on port days!). If you want to swing by Sabor for chips and guac, it’s $8 and some change. I did it once but now I just go get pizza from sorrentos for free. But I haven’t ate dinner at the included restaurants so I can’t speak to those. 

[reaton]

Great to know- the fine print doesn’t indicate any lunches, but I’ve often found that sometimes the fine print doesn’t match how things actually happen lol. 

 

Thanks for the help!!

[Palmetto Pilot]

7 minutes ago, reaton said:

Great to know- the fine print doesn’t indicate any lunches, but I’ve often found that sometimes the fine print doesn’t match how things actually happen lol. 

 

Thanks for the help!!

We had the ultimate dining package on the Freedom last year and were able to eat at Sabor and Giovanni's for lunch. It was quite nice!

[Capt Snoopy]

@reaton we ate at giovannis embankment day and then Izumi day 2! I’d have to say giovannis and 150 Central Park are my favorite.

Palmettopilot is exactly right!

[Hopetotravel]

We're on this cruise also and haven't felt any rocking. Was mentioning to my Dh how smooth it is. It is quite windy though. 

[Capt Snoopy]

Giovanni’s was Amazing! The osso buco fell apart on my fork, I didn’t even need the butter knife. The bone marrow was creamy and plentiful. I substituted the polenta for the mushroom risotto and was not disappointed. I was so full I couldn’t even do dessert, oh the humanity! (Sorry the lighting was low so picture quality wasn’t great)

Then was the comedy show, it was very entertaining and wasn’t just generic humor. The first comedian ruffled some feathers by picking on pinnacle club members that had their badges on. The second comedian just rotated around the front row, making fun of different people and I think he approached it better. 

Now we are on to the Love & Marriage Game Show!

[Capt Snoopy]

10 minutes ago, Hopetotravel said:

We're on this cruise also and haven't felt any rocking. Was mentioning to my Dh how smooth it is. It is quite windy though. 

I guess your sea legs are better than mine or I might be more sensitive to the motion. My drink is swaying back and forth in the glass right now. 

[MrFunInTheSun]

3 hours ago, Capt Snoopy said:

@reaton I would strongly suggest the dining package!! I feel like it’s worth the specialty dining for $24/day. Every lunch and dinner is included in the package, even on embarkation day (only caveat is only Sabor is open for lunch on port days!). If you want to swing by Sabor for chips and guac, it’s $8 and some change. I did it once but now I just go get pizza from sorrentos for free. But I haven’t ate dinner at the included restaurants so I can’t speak to those. 

 

Agreed! The dining package is the way to go! I've done it on my last three out of four cruises. Having those lunches on sea days is a plus. I've also had a late lunch/snack at Sabor on port days (330-400). Did this both on Oasis and Harmony. Then later that evening still went to dinner at Chops or 150 Central Park.

Embarkment day, you were you able to get lunch that day too as part of the package? I'm hoping my cruise on Oasis in a couple weeks to be able to have lunch at Chops or 150 Central Park.

[Capt Snoopy]

@MrFunInTheSun yes I was able to get the lunch when I boarded the ship. Giovanni’s, Sabor, Izumi, or Chops, I don’t remember 150 CP being available.