Can't Wait for my Next Cruise!
Allure of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern
7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: April 29, 2018
Ship: Allure of the Seas
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 14198
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 6 years ago
Review summary
All in all I truly loved this vacation! There were a couple of things that could have been better but I was very pleased with my experience. I think this was a great cruise for families or friends! I do think this cruise was a tad too large for me as there were about 6,000 people onboard. I am excited to plan my next adventure and encourage anyone thinking about the Allure of the Seas to go for it! You'll have an amazing time!Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Chop's Grille
Dinner was delicious and the venue was really beautiful!
Solarium Bistro Restaurant
The solarium bistro is a gorgeous space and the food was delicious but its way to small for this boat. There was always a long line and never an open table even during off hours. I would have eaten here more frequently but I didn't want to wait more than 15 mins for lunch.
Candy Beach
The store was a lot smaller than I expected. I think they could really build it up to make it more exciting!
Park Cafe
This was the best spot for lunch on board. They had salads, sandwiches, and a dessert/coffee bar. It can get a tad crowded but definitely worth checking out.
Rising Tide Bar
Such a cool bar!! The bar rises from the 5th floor to the 8th and back again. Loved it! Highly recommend getting a drink here.
Giovanni's Table
Food was delicious and the staff were wonderful. One of my mussels wasn't cleaned as well as it could have been but otherwise a perfect meal!
Boardwalk Donut Shop
This was adorable but the donuts were a little stale.
Onboard Activities
Swimming Pools
I wish the swimming pools were open later! During the day the pools get very crowded (as to be expected) so I usually like to swim later in the afternoon/ evening. The pools were frequently closed before 8:00pm and I would have enjoyed a few more dips under the stars.
Picture This
Our photography experience was awful! My mom and I got dressed up for formal night (partially with the intention of taking photos) and after waiting in line for more than 15 mins the photographer took awful pictures!! She had us stand in romantic poses and suggested very awkward postures. We felt very uncomfortable and at one point had to tell her the pose wasn't appropriate. We had planned to buy the photo package as a souvenir on-board and were appalled when we saw the end result. We looked humongous and uncomfortable. She asked me to adjust my dress and the end result was almost obscene. I was very disappointed by the experience and end result. I'm glad we were able to get a few nice pictures on our cell phones. It could not have been a worse experience!
Parkside Gallery
Parkside Gallery was fine.
Smile
I really hated the photography experience.
Guest Services and Explorations!
Guest Services was amazing! They were always helpful and knowledgeable. They had a great team! The gentleman who helped us book our excursion (I believe at Explorations) wasn't very pleasant and I would have preferred to book something on a computer.
Center Ice Rink
How cool is an ice rink on a cruise ship!! I don't skate but the families and kids that were skating had a blast!
Entertainment
Library
This wasn't so much of a library as a room filled with books passengers left behind. I recommend bringing your own reading material.
Blaze Comedy Club
The comedians were funny though we didn't stay for the entire show.
Central Park
This was my favorite neighborhood on the ship!! Beautiful space with a wine bar and places to get coffee. We frequently had lunch here.
Aqua Theater
Oceanaria was amazing!! I'm so glad we got to see it on the first night. Highly recommend booking the free tickets before your cruise!
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
Explore the boat! There were lots of beautiful places and spaces on-board to check out!
Ports of call
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida