Just returned from a 7 night cruise on the Allure with a group of 8 people. First let me say the ship is really gorgeous and the show were beyond wonderful. Saying that, here goes the rest. The food was disappointing. All of us agreed as well as others on the ship. The escargo were hard and gritty, the fish undercooked, the lobster dried out and steak tough. There was no eating area outside around the pool if you wanted to grab a pizza or burger. We had a 7 pm show for Chicago so we decided to go to the buffet as to be on time. WELL, the buffet did not open till 6;15 and the only place open was the hot dog stand on the boardwalk. If you do not choose to get off at the ports (we have been to these places so often) there is nothing to do. All the movies were geared to children or cartoons. The TV had so few channels and nothing up to date to watch. There were very few shops on the ship. I had trouble finding what to buy with my room credits. The buffet was loud and noisy and the selections were fair. Most of the desserts were some kind of mousse. The ship never felt crowded and getting on and off were easy and organized. We had a balcony overlooking the park and it was a waste of money as we only sat out once. An inside cabin is a better deal. I have been on the Holland American, NCL, Princess, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean and the Princess is the best by far.