We had a great time on Allure of the Seas! Cruising is a great way to see new places and put forth very little effort. Royal Caribbean catered to our every whim and need and made it a very relaxing experience.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Ft Lauderdale embarkation was quick and mostly easy. We did have a bit of confusion on when we could board, as this was our first cruise, as well as where to wait. More signage/personnel could make this a bit smoother for newbies like us. But overall it was easy and quick!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We didn’t pay extra for any specialty restaurants. The main dining room service and food were SPECTACULAR. We didn’t see any need to pay extra when we had such a great time with this “included” food and service. The Windjammer buffet was great, we mostly ate there for breakfast and lunch. We did Sorrento’s pizza (complimentary) for lunch and late-night snacks a few times and it was always speedy, fresh, and tasty!
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
This trip was mainly about relaxing for us. We didn’t do any extremes activities (rock wall, zipline), just mainly sat around the pool and read. The music played by the DJ and the pool games were entertaining. Shady spots around the pool were a little hard to come by in the afternoons on sea days but that’s to be expected.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Oceanaria was very entertaining! They had high divers, dancers, tumblers, trampoline acts, hand balancers, and aerialists. We saw the Headliner Act as well, which was an all male a capella group called Revoiced. They were entertaining as well. The Ice Games show had great tricks and lots of talent but the storyline was a little weak. Blue Planet was the show I was most excited about but it was lacking as well. It had most of the same tricks/moves from Oceanaria—all very impressive but I guess we were a little numb to it after having seen Oceanaria. Overall, the entertainment was good for what it was!
Children's Programs
We didn’t bring our children on this trip.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Main dining room waiters were EXCELLENT! Very personable and attentive. Our room steward was also AMAZING! He stopped and chatted with us when he saw us in the hallways and he was always willing to help when needed. Everyone who worked on board seemed to be pleasant and enjoy their job.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This ship was so fun to walk around and explore. Everything was clean and it was apparent that constant cleaning and maintaining was happening even when we didn’t see it.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Perfect size for 2 people. Bed comfort wasn’t great but it’s a cruise ship and it’s only a couple of nights. Our cabin was very clean and well-maintained.
Ship tip
Explore the walking/jogging track! This seemed to be a little-known area and it offered great views and a nice quiet place to relax.
No excursion, just walked around on our own. Beaches that we could walk to weren’t that impressive. We didn’t feel like paying to get to a better one so we went back to the ship pretty quickly and enjoyed having it mostly to ourselves.
We didn’t pay for an excursion. Even though it was a rainy day we donned our rain jackets and explore the city on our own. We had so much fun! It is LOTS of walking (which we don’t mind). We visited the forts and then walked around Old City as well. The umbrella street is ok but mostly just for a fun picture, there’s not much else to do there. The vendors are not pushy and every local we interacted with was friendly and kind.
No paid excursion here either. We walked off the boat and headed straight for Nellie’s Beach. We got there early so we were able to get seats in the shade and didn’t have to pay for an umbrella. There were plenty of seats (free) and umbrellas available for purchase. The RC employees were helpful and kind. I would recommend to stay on the side of the island with Nellie’s Beach and Colombia Cove; the opposite side has a rocky beach and it isn’t as easy to get into the water over there. We really enjoyed our relaxing time here!
We carried our own bags and were able to leave the boat at 6:30 am. Easy peasy and fast. They had 3 lines open for people to get off the boat which really sped it up. Customs had a little delay, as expected, but still quick and easy.
We're doing the same cruise as you in September with relaxing being our top priority too. I hope our cruise is as good as yours and I don't see any reason it wouldn't be. Thank you for taking the time to write your review!
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