Allure of the Seas Review

5.0 / 5.0
3,136 reviews

Allure of the Seas

Review for the Western Caribbean Cruise on Allure of the Seas
User Avatar
freudy
2-5 Cruises • Age 40s

Rating by category

Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Cabin

Additional details

Sail Date: Jun 2013
Cabin: Ocean View Stateroom
Traveled with children

This was my first time on Royal Caribbean, or any cruise line other than Disney. My assumption is if you're reading this, you've read other Allure of the Seas reviews. I'll attempt to quickly validate several things I read but wasn't sure if I believed. Yes, this ship is huge. Yes, it can get crowded, specifically before/after events where large amount of people congregate, like shows, dinner, parades, muster drill, embarkation and demarcation. That said, Royal can't do a better job getting people on board the ship, and off the ship. I never felt overwhelmed with people - you need to realize that there are 6,000 other people trying to do the same thing as you, be a little patient. Yes, the elevators can get packed but, there are stairs right by every elevator, so work off that second dessert. Sea days are more crowded than port days (duh) but not unbearable. There seemed to always be a place to 'get away' by yourself, I never had a problem finding a lounge chair, there was always (if not too many) things to do. Finally, yes, the roast beef sandwiches in Central Park are pretty darn good. You have the opportunity to be 'nickel and dimed' to death if you freely swipe your sea pass card. Fortunately, there are no surprises on what costs extra. Would I go on the Allure again? Yes. Is the Allure best for you or your family? Depends, the rest of this review will focus on the differences between two options for week-long family cruising RCI's Allure of the Seas, and the Disney Fantasy.

A little bit about my perspective, there were two families, 9 of us total in 3 rooms. 4 adults and 5 kids. Two boys @ 16, two girls @ 13 and one boy @ 4. The other family had never cruised before; everyone in my family had been on at least 2 other cruises. I'm not a foodie, but I like good food. Generally, we're an active, social bunch. This is tough because nothing below was bad (unless noted). It's the difference between an A+ and an A in some cases. While I declared a winner in each category, it wasn't necessarily cut and dry, and definitely one man/family's opinion.

Best Ship: Allure of the Seas. The Fantasy is a beautiful ship and has so much going for it (I prefer the exterior of Disney over any other cruise line), but the size difference gives the Allure an opportunity to add so many more things to do and places (neighborhoods) to go that the Fantasy just can't compete.

Cabin Review

Ocean View Stateroom

Cabin I

This cabin was great. We were concerned about 'Jazz on 4' right above us, but we didn't hear a thing. The location was surprisingly nice. We could easily take the stairs to everything up to 8 without issue. We only took the elevator to/from the pool/top deck. It was also the path least traveled after shows, parades, and dinner (most people went up, we went down).

2 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find an Allure of the Seas Cruise from $269

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.