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Allure observations

MD_Dan

By MD_Dan,
in Royal Caribbean International

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MD_Dan

MD_Dan

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We sailed on a recent 3/4 night BRB.

 

1. The 3 and 4 night cruises have considerably different crowd from the 7 night cruises we are used to!  They tend to be younger and many with children.  One show in the theater featured a crying baby for a good 10 minutes.  Asking a small child to sit quietly for a 2.5 hour show is not realistic and rude to fellow passengers.   We are parents and that was unacceptable then (and now)!  With the lack of sea days, time to chill was reduced.  We saw more people very inebriated!  A lady in the comedy show made a fool of herself - even without the comedian saying a thing!

 

2. We enjoyed the balcony - especially with the hammock we brought.  The lame patio furniture on Allure needs an upgrade.  Anthem pulled up next to us and they had the chair/foot-rest combination.  I'm requesting a comfortable balcony seat - is that too much to ask?

 

3. The entertainment is what differentiates RCL from other lines.  Momma Mia was still great (we saw it again on both sailings}.  Blades (the Ice show) was less impressive than other RCL ice shows but still entertaining.  Blue Planet was only shown on the 4-night sailing.  The Aquatics show is always great!  And the comedy shows were excellent (better than previous comedians).  We thought Conner the the Schooner Bar was not as entertaining as the guitarist in the pub.  Maybe it comes with repetition, but we were less entertained with Love and Marriage; Battle of the Sexes; and the Quest.  (I'm sure others may disagree but this is our opinion).  And even trivia had many repeated questions.  We stopped playing because of the advantage was unfair to others.  But before the repletion, we won a highlighter!  Most prizes were highlighters and cozies but we saw two single-team winners take away RCL plastic drinking cups.

 

4. We had an excellent cabin steward and MDR staff.  We had special medical dietary needs and both the Windjammer and MDR exceeded our explications.  We bonded with our table-mates - even in the short sailings.  The bagel lady at Central Park Cafe knew exactly how I like my bagel and told me I was the only one who liked it that way(lox and cream cheese on a toasted ET bagel; open face[ with tomato and capers but the lox on top).  So the shortened cruise didn't affect the excellence of the staff.  Much has been written about the reduced RCL food quality.  We saw none of that.

 

5. We didn't see signs of age but Allure needs to be amped!  Her sisters Harmony and Symphony are more dressed. 

 

6. The temperature in the hot tubs has been reduced.  It allows you to stay longer but I wanted more than a hot bath.

 

 

 

 

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karena1

karena1

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Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, MD_Dan said:

We sailed on a recent 3/4 night BRB.

 

1. The 3 and 4 night cruises have considerably different crowd from the 7 night cruises we are used to!  They tend to be younger and many with children.  One show in the theater featured a crying baby for a good 10 minutes.  Asking a small child to sit quietly for a 2.5 hour show is not realistic and rude to fellow passengers.   We are parents and that was unacceptable then (and now)!  With the lack of sea days, time to chill was reduced.  We saw more people very inebriated!  A lady in the comedy show made a fool of herself - even without the comedian saying a thing!

 

2. We enjoyed the balcony - especially with the hammock we brought.  The lame patio furniture on Allure needs an upgrade.  Anthem pulled up next to us and they had the chair/foot-rest combination.  I'm requesting a comfortable balcony seat - is that too much to ask?

 

3. The entertainment is what differentiates RCL from other lines.  Momma Mia was still great (we saw it again on both sailings}.  Blades (the Ice show) was less impressive than other RCL ice shows but still entertaining.  Blue Planet was only shown on the 4-night sailing.  The Aquatics show is always great!  And the comedy shows were excellent (better than previous comedians).  We thought Conner the the Schooner Bar was not as entertaining as the guitarist in the pub.  Maybe it comes with repetition, but we were less entertained with Love and Marriage; Battle of the Sexes; and the Quest.  (I'm sure others may disagree but this is our opinion).  And even trivia had many repeated questions.  We stopped playing because of the advantage was unfair to others.  But before the repletion, we won a highlighter!  Most prizes were highlighters and cozies but we saw two single-team winners take away RCL plastic drinking cups.

 

4. We had an excellent cabin steward and MDR staff.  We had special medical dietary needs and both the Windjammer and MDR exceeded our explications.  We bonded with our table-mates - even in the short sailings.  The bagel lady at Central Park Cafe knew exactly how I like my bagel and told me I was the only one who liked it that way(lox and cream cheese on a toasted ET bagel; open face[ with tomato and capers but the lox on top).  So the shortened cruise didn't affect the excellence of the staff.  Much has been written about the reduced RCL food quality.  We saw none of that.

 

5. We didn't see signs of age but Allure needs to be amped!  Her sisters Harmony and Symphony are more dressed. 

 

6. The temperature in the hot tubs has been reduced.  It allows you to stay longer but I wanted more than a hot bath.

 

 

 

 

Allure is my favorite ship!  Looking forward to a B2B on her in January.  Doesn't matter what ship we go on, she will probably stay my favorite. As for it being 3 and 4 nights, does not bother us at all.  We do a ton of short cruises a year, we are 66 and 79, and we totally enjoy them.  Never see anyone out of control.  We love being on the ship and taking everything in.  

Edited by karena1
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link99

link99

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Posted

Just off Allure 11-20-2023 3 Day Bahamas. Comedy Club Was Excellent. Adult Comedy Show in Main Theatre was over the Top. Main Dining Staff Spot on. Park Cafe underwhelmed  with Food. Best thing there was the Bagel. Stay away from the hockey puck Bacon,Egg and Cheese Biscuits. Bistro Cafe Staff  just seamed overworked. Good selection in Windjammer was better. Bar staff and entertainment excellent. A fan of  Disco Night, but time for something different. Let’s move forward a decade. I would sail Allure again just for the break from life.

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MD_Dan

MD_Dan

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3 hours ago, schooner_Drinker said:

That comedy show was brilliant 

If you are talking about the Woman front row to the left of the stage.

She was absolutely wasted 🍷 

This was the 4 night portion 11/6 Day 2 8:30pm show 

 

The way both comedians went off script and managed to still put on an excellent show was worth the entry fee

 

The nice thing then was when they did the big show in the theater, we got to see new material not repeated 😉

 

Nancy

Yes, that was the show!  I was the guy the comedian called "a Republican".

Edited by MD_Dan
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CruisinCrow Great Review Rare

CruisinCrow

Posted
Posted
On 11/22/2023 at 7:32 PM, schooner_Drinker said:

That comedy show was brilliant 

If you are talking about the Woman front row to the left of the stage.

She was absolutely wasted 🍷 

This was the 4 night portion 11/6 Day 2 8:30pm show 

 

 

We were at that show.  The comedian did great with the woman. 😄

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HxFx

HxFx

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Posted
On 11/22/2023 at 3:34 PM, MD_Dan said:

One show in the theater featured a crying baby for a good 10 minutes. 

Was this the 11/6 cruise, afternoon showing of Mama Mia? We had that happen. They were sitting very close to us (balcony). I couldn't believe how long it took to take the baby out of there. I felt really bad for the actors.

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MD_Dan

MD_Dan

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12 hours ago, HxFx said:

Was this the 11/6 cruise, afternoon showing of Mama Mia? We had that happen. They were sitting very close to us (balcony). I couldn't believe how long it took to take the baby out of there. I felt really bad for the actors.

 

On 11/22/2023 at 3:34 PM, MD_Dan said:

One show in the theater featured a crying baby for a good 10 minutes.

 

Yes!  It wasn't the baby's fault.  Adult(s) cannot expect to take a baby to a long show and stay quiet.  But the real offense was in delays in implementing (for so long) the obvious solution of taking the baby out.  They must have been new parents because seasoned parents would have known better.

 

I've watched RCL's Momma Mia three times now.  It really is a great show.  I never thought I would love it but I was wrong.  I believe it was that show that several chatty people sat behind me.  They were mocking non-professionals attempting Broadway shows.  When the curtains fell, they couldn't stop talking about how amazing the RCL show was.  RCL made believers out of snooty theater-production critics (and I said all that without mentioning a certain US city)!!!

 

I especially like how those without lines acted.  But it amazes me even more how they go out there (show after show) and give 120%.  They are professionals in every sense!

 

We saw many of the actors (daily) on the running track.  And after show pizza was also popular.  My DW was star-struck at every encounter.  You'd have thought she met Tom Hanks!

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

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2 hours ago, MD_Dan said:

 But the real offense was in delays in implementing (for so long) the obvious solution of taking the baby out.  They must have been new parents because seasoned parents would have known better.

 

I love Mamma Mia. I always look forward to it when on Allure. The issue in question has nothing to do with new vs. seasoned parents. I was at one show where parents had their, obviously, elementary school age kids with them who had no interest in the show. These kids talked, squirmed around, and were constant distractions ruining the show for me. Some parents are oblivious or just think their wonderful kids can do whatever they want because the rest of the world thinks their kids are as cute as they think they are. Some parents don't want THEIR experience compromised just because they chose to bring their kids along with them. These parents should have controlled their kids or decided to leave the show with their kids but then they would have had to miss the show. They were "seasoned" parents. They were also selfish people.

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FishOn55

FishOn55

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On 11/22/2023 at 3:34 PM, MD_Dan said:

We sailed on a recent 3/4 night BRB.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are traveling on Allure 4-night sailing on Dec.11. When you were onboard, how was the overall temperature in public areas onboard? I always carry a shawl or sweater but wondered if the dining room, showroom, comedy club  etc. were overly airconditioned. I expect that the outside air temp for the 10:30 pm show in the aqua theater may be windy and cool. Your observations, please.   

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HxFx

HxFx

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11 hours ago, FishOn55 said:

We are traveling on Allure 4-night sailing on Dec.11. When you were onboard, how was the overall temperature in public areas onboard? I always carry a shawl or sweater but wondered if the dining room, showroom, comedy club  etc. were overly airconditioned. I expect that the outside air temp for the 10:30 pm show in the aqua theater may be windy and cool. Your observations, please.   

I was on Allure 11/6 sailing. None of the indoor spaces were cold to me (generally wore no sleeves). It was a bit chilly at the Aqua show though. 

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