This was the first cruise experience for most members of our party of 8 people and the first Royal Caribbean cruise for all of us. We elected to book the 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite (10330) which accommodated our party (which included 5 children) quite comfortably.

The entire experience was coordinated seamlessly thanks to our Royal Genie - Daniel - who not only navigated the logistics of the ship for us but went above and beyond in making this cruise vacation memorable by planning individualized events for our group, including a birthday celebration. The design of the Star Class program and the Royal Genie program really communicates the sense of all-inclusive luxury. For example, the kids loved nothing more than the sense of luxury and independence involved in being able to stop at Starbucks at their leisure. Included with the Star Class perks was high-speed internet for all members of our party; there was excellent Wi-Fi coverage in all the public areas as well as in our room. As a result, we were able to stream sporting events from home as well as alternate coverage of the U.S. election. This may seem like a minor point to anyone else, but - for me - the ability to send out laundry daily (also an included service with Star Class) was invaluable; seeing dirty clothes pile up while on vacation is just a reminder of work that I will have to do when I return home. ;-)

The breadth and quality of dining options on the Allure was absolutely perfect. I was one of the few members of our party who has cruised before on another cruise line. To be entirely honest, the expectation that I set (based on my previous experience) for my family members and friends who accompanied us on this trip was that the food would be mediocre. All of us were pleasantly surprised to discover that all of our meals were excellent in terms of flavor, presentation, freshness and creativity. Notable standouts for meals included Giovanni's Table and 150 Central Park. The service at all the restaurants was friendly and professional but I have to mention the manager at Coastal Kitchen whose engaging personality made our first and our last meal on board memorable. Kudos to Head Chef Lorenzo and his great team for their extraordinary effort across the board in all the dining venues. Read more