JCK60225204

Cruise:  This was the best cruise I've ever taken (my eighth, 7 on Royal, 1 on Celebrity).  My prior experience was on Navigator, Liberty, and Independence of the Seas, all of which I enjoyed.  The cruise ship was fully packed / booked but never felt crowded.  The lines and atmosphere were similar to my past cruises.  With so many things to do, I think the crowds were evenly dispersed everywhere.  The mall is on deck 5, gym and Boardwalk on deck 6, Central park on deck 8, so I found deck 6 to be a great central room location within one to two flights of stairs to many attractions.  The lifeboats do stick out from the side a little more, but do not obstruct the ocean view from the room balcony.  The Boardwalk and Central Park rooms are directly across from one another, so this may be a privacy concern for some. 

Tip:  All shows on Allure get booked before sailing, so make sure to reserve them at least a month before you sail if you want to get in (Chicago, Aqua Theater, Comedy Club, Ice Show, etc.)

Food:  The Windjammer buffet had less selection and was of lower quality over the other ships I've been on.  The food in the main dining room could be compared to Applebee's, however, you can up-charge to a Chops Grille steak for $16 at any meal...an awesome steak at a much better price over actually eating at Chops Grille.  The fee restaurant known as 150 was my favorite, it has a 7 course tasting menu that you can pair with different wines per course...very good. As for complimentary eateries, the café in Central park had my favorite breakfasts, while the coffee shop in the mall had great sandwiches and snacks.  Johnny Rockets is a fee restaurant, but serves free breakfast.  The main dining room has a limited breakfast buffet as well as a breakfast menu.  The Wipe Out Café on the sports deck makes omelets to order.  The Solarium Brazilian Steak restaurant (fee) serves free buffet breakfast and lunch.

I've done this route before, and primarily do it for the ship as a resort as opposed to the destinations.  All the dining on board is as expected.  The main dining room serves Applebee's quality, while the premium restaurants are good with a notable mention of Chops for some of the best steaks anywhere (but just upcharge in the main dining hall off the nightly menu to avoid the stuffy ambiance and full price).  The best restaurant on the ship is 150 which offers a multicourse menu, its one of my favorite restaurants anywhere lol.  Now for the buffet (think high school lunch offering)...limited choices and chaotic layout, not at all like the organized quality buffets on Oasis-class precursors.  Ship is phenomenal as an all inclusive resort with endless upgrades if so inclined.  The ship is huge but does not feel anymore crowded than a smaller ship, as RC does a great job of dispersing the crowds throughout to different activities.  Haiti was obnoxious crowded (probably the beautiful beaches)...I go early to avoid the hordes and enjoy the tranquility,  after which I head back to the ship which is vacant and enjoy the whole place to myself.  If you are a people person, do the opposite of what I just said :)  Pre-book all onboard activities, as they do fill up, especially the comedy shows.  If an event is booked, show up anyway to see if a cancellation is available, as people don't always make it.