A ship too big
Allure of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern
7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: August 03, 2014
Ship: Allure of the Seas
Cabin type: Oceanview
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 9 years ago
Review summary
My family went on a 7 night cruise in early August. Such an amazing piece of engineering, the ship was simply beautiful. The lay out is totally set up to capture every dollar they can. It was a challenge to find "free" food when you are surrounded by fee based food and snack locations. Even popcorn was extra for the shows, and it never stopped. It was the first cruise where we had to make reservations for most events, even though our stateroom TV/Computer was not functional (for show reservations). The Casino was very nice and even had a large part dedicated to no smoking. The shows were good, even fantastic.
It was the crowds, everything had a long line and we were not organized enough to make reservations for each event. The bar staff was less than perfect for those of us with unlimited drink passes. They seemed to look at the receipt for the tip more than look at you in the eye and thank you.
We went during hurricane season and the crew was unapologetic about skipping the bahamas because of a potential huricane. Other than refund the shore excursion there was no offset or "make good." I think they could have organized something fun and unique for the extra shipboard day at sea. Just more Bingo and art auctions.
I disliked the constant need for reservations, the long lines, and the "free" food venues were always very crowded.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
Learn the layout as fast as you can. It is BIG. Use the stairs, it prevents the waits for the elevators. Make reservations if you want to go to shows or events.
Ports of call
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
Nassau, Bahamas Did not visit port