Allure of the Seas Review
We Thoroughly Enjoyed This Cruise & the Ship in Particular!
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This ship is so large and there is so much to do & see – I almost don’t know how to begin to review it. First a comment on the size of the ship. While it is immense in size and there are over 5,000 passengers onboard, it generally did not feel crowded on the ship. I think this was because there are so many different areas (the “neighborhoods”) and outlets for dining & activities. The one exception was the Windjammer Café – the ship’s buffet-style dining option. It was a zoo (too many people, poorly laid out), so we generally tried to avoid it.
Embarkation wasn’t great, but it also wasn’t awful. We typically arrive a few hours after embarkation begins in order to avoid crowds. Our plans were foiled this time. Embarkation was delayed due to several passengers on the previous sailing coming down with intestinal distress. We were greeted by a RCCL employee handing out a piece of paper describing the issue. Our ship would sail as scheduled, but embarkation was delayed so the ship could go through an additional sanitizing process. My husband & I did not encounter any viral problems during our cruise, but apparently a small number of passengers did get sick. Unfortunately, this is a challenge that most large cruise lines face these days. Our approach is to wash our hands frequently, use hand sanitizer liberally, enjoy the cruise, & hope for the best.
We had booked an oceanview cabin with a balcony, and were not disappointed with Cabin 12138 (on Deck 12). Having a balcony is very important to us. One of our favorite parts of cruising is just sitting on the balcony and enjoying the ocean views. (Forgive us, we are from Ohio, so this is indeed a treat.) Of course, the cabin was small – as most are – but the arrangement worked for my husband & me. If we were sharing the cabin with children, it would be tight, but doable.
Cabin Review
Superior Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony
Of course, the cabin was small – as most are – but the arrangement worked for my husband & me. If we were sharing the cabin with children, it would be tight, but doable.We took a cruise on NCL’s Epic last October, so I often found myself comparing the two experiences since that was our most recent cruise and it was on a mega-ship. On the Allure, there was nowhere near the storage space that we had on the Epic. The TV was nice – flat screen & adequate size. But as on most cruises, the channel line-up was sparse & mostly not entertaining. The bed was very comfortable, and there was a couch. I preferred this couch to the one we had on the Epic. The one on the Epic was curved & not very practical for sitting or reclining.The bathroom was tiny. I didn’t like the stand-up shower. I am tiny and I could barely turn around in the shower. Our cruise experiences with Princess & NCL in this respect have been much better. Our similar-sized cabins on those cruises had tub/shower combos. In this tiny bathroom, there was not much space to store toiletries, and the sink was small, but we were able to use the space efficiently. The wire rack in the shower was mildly frustrating – it didn’t hold items very well, and they would often fall on the shower floor. The toilet had a mild latrine smell, but that has generally been our experience on other cruises. I am not making these comments to complain. Rather, I am trying to help other future cruisers shape their expectations to see if this ship would meet their needs. I wouldn’t hesitate to cruise on the Allure of the Seas again, and I would gladly have Cabin 12138 again.