Allure of the Seas Review
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We chose the Allure because we had cruised on Oasis in 2014 and liked it. I think the first time you go on a ship that size, it is quite overwhelming and there is so much to see and do that you just can't get to it all. This time, I felt so much more comfortable and knew where things were. I was able to find my way around the ship a lot easier and i knew what i wanted to concentrate on.
Everything about the cruise was amazing. Getting on the ship was so easy and quick. We went right up to Park Cafe for lunch and found it not too crowded. The first night on the ship we decided to skip the dining room and try a specialty restaurant, we had eaten at Chops Grille and Giovanni's on the Oasis, so we thought we would try something different. We made reservations at the Samba Grill which is a Brazilian steakhouse. I had no idea what to expect, but i can tell you for sure that it was a GREAT choice. You start with a buffet of salads, shrimp, cheeses and grilled vegetables. I could have eaten just that and been happy. Then comes the main event, and it really is an event! They serve you 9 different meats and each one was as delicious as the one before it. My favorites were the prime rib, the tenderloin, the short ribs and the chicken. They were all perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked. There were 5 of us eating and all of us loved it. We were absolutely pleasantly surprised!!! We figured the rest of the week we would eat in the Grande dining room. Each night there was a printed menu to order off- this was the only part of the cruise that i didn't love. I felt that the choices were very limited and that there wasn't a lot that i liked. You can pick a classic too, (linguini, salmon, chicken or strip steak) so i chose salmon but it was very bland. I understand the menu is changing in 2 weeks so hopefully that will get better. Let me be clear, everything i tried was very good - just limited in choice-and the service was fabulous, our waiters, Celinez and Ivo were so attentive and professional.
There was one night that i found nothing on the menu i liked, and couldn't fathom the bland salmon again, so i talked my family into giving Giovanni's another try ( we hadn't loved it on the Oasis). Again, we were pleasantly surprised! The food and the service were top notch. Unfortunately, they are changing their menu from family style to something new so i am not sure how it will be in the future.
Cabin Review
Family Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony
Cabins are small, we had 3 people and we were definitely stepping on each other.
Port Reviews
Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)
we stayed a few days in Ft lauderdale before our cruise. It was a fun city with lots of places to eat and plenty to do.
St. Maarten
we walked around and ate in St. Maarten. We loved the downtown area and had a great time!
Labadee
We went to the beach with everyone else, it was just breathtaking. We, thankfully, had rented a cabana with seating for 6, lounge chairs 2 water floats (they brought us an extra too) a cooler full of cold water and a waiter to bring us whatever drinks we wanted. Lunch was included and was pretty good. The water was crystal clear, the sand soft and welcoming, the view, spectacular. The only negative was when we asked how to get to the souvenir shop and we were directed to the Artist village where we were literally attacked by merchants trying to sell us everything. The were pulling us and trying to separate us- they talked over each other to try and get the sale. It was a little creepy and we had to just walk away. My 10 year old was definitely freaked out by it. We never did find the souvenir shop.
San Juan
When we got off the boat and walked toward Old San Juan, we had no idea where to go. There was no one from Royal Caribbean there to answer questions or direct us, unless you had paid for an excursion. We decided to take an hour bus tour of Old San Juan and the hotel district. We were glad we did. Our tour guide Walter was informative and funny. he showed us a lot of cool places. We stopped to take pictures at the most beautiful beach overlook and then again at Ft. Morro. It was a nice tour. When we got back we just walked old San Juan and talked to some locals.