Too much of a good thing?
Allure of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
7 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: December 03, 2017
Ship: Allure of the Seas
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 12278
Traveled as: Large Group
Reviewed: 6 years ago
Review summary
The Allure is a gorgeous ship and I believe everyone should try to see an Oasis class vessel. If you're one that likes exciting activities, excellent shows, and a variety of options for food, beverages, and things to do, you should love it. However, I value service and take cruises to unwind. The level of service received on the Allure was below my expectations in many areas and, in some places, completely absent. The Windjammer, for example, was completely self service. I enjoy being offered a beverage when in the Windjammer or elsewhere, but this only happened once during our 8 day trip! I think the Oasis class may be too much of a good thing. Perhaps over 6000 guests is too many to maintain excellent service.Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Chop's Grille
Perfectly prepared main courses with excellent service. The side dishes were good, but not to the typical high Chops standard of other RCI ships that I have been on.
Windjammer Cafe
Good selection of flavorful foods, but consistently crowded and offering no service except table clearance. The need for turnover is apparent and ruined the dining experience.
Boardwalk Donut Shop
Free donuts on the Boardwalk! The one I had was crusty and made me miss Dunkin Donuts.
Schooner Bar
Whether lounging or attending trivia games on Allure, waitstaff would walk right by and we had to summon them to get drinks. If we went to the bar, the service is strictly "What can I get you?"..."Here you go." with a receipt plopped down hoping for an additional tip beyond prepaid gratuities.
Ice Cream Parlor
Good ice cream and toppings selection, but pricey.
Boleros Lounge
Sporadically open during the 7-night cruise with wait times and impersonal interaction.
Boardwalk Bar
Great service and cocktails with a nice view of the Aqua Theatre and Boardwalk. This was our favorite bar on the Allure.
Onboard Activities
Vitality at Sea Spa
Advertised a special and then changed to a more expensive service half way through. Extremely overpriced for what was received.
Regalia
Don't sign up for the watch giveaway. They advertised some high end pieces and said a watch would be given away. I "won" the watch...and gave it to my 7 year old. It looks like it came out of the gift shop.
Whirlpools
Crowded and usually required a wait to get in.
Swimming Pools
Chilly, but not overcrowded and with plenty of chairs nearby.
Zipline
A lot of fun and staff was very friendly while assisting a first timer.
Entertainment
Studio B
Ample seating and attentive service during the shows.
Amber Theater
Typical theater with lack of drink service during the shows. Good lighting and sound for live shows and the 3D movies. Want popcorn? If you can find it, RCI charged for it on Allure.
On Air Club
Always crowded with standing room only and I couldn't get bar service on several occasions.
Aqua Theater
Oceana was an amazing water show. Hats off to all the performers.
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
The Allure is a beautiful ship that is a must see. The activities and entertainment are top notch. We had over 6,000 guests on our cruise and getting bar and restaurant service was sometimes impossible. As someone who prefers a cruise to relax and converse with friendly folks and staff, I prefer a smaller ship.
Ports of call
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida Did not visit port
Labadee (Cruise Line Private Island)
Disembarkation
9 Comments
Medic9701 6 years ago
Magicsneakers 6 years ago