Despite the mounting tension from the alarming ship news channels it was still an enjoyable TransAtlantic/Repostioning cruise: this ship has everything. Lots to do, lottsa of elbow room on the massive 220,000 ton Allure of the Seas: climbing walls, putt-putt golf, a full park/arboretum, awesome entertainment (had a 2.5 hour Broadway-quality ‘Momma Mia’ production and several excellent singing/dancing & Cirque shows, one with 30-meter outdoor diving) even a indoor skating rink with shows too. And special kudos to our doting Deck 5 dining room waiter Satyajeet & assistant waiter Jeffery! Every cruise I bring an ample selection of crisp 10-/20-/50-/100-dollar bills for distribution to uniformly hard-working/cheerful/taking-care-of-us/haven’t-seen-their-families-in-6-months staffers the day before debarking (especially the bartenders). I guarantee they can utilize these paper trinkets better than I can during the current world-wide cruising suspension. I heard the shuttered cruise lines are offering their dozens of ships/staffs for mobile, temporary hospitals/quarantine usage. Heck, with WiFi/kitchens/laundries/libraries/sharp crews/spas/gyms/running track and their thousands of super-efficient, comfortable cabins, perhaps employ them immediately instead of funding/building temporary facilities stateside. Read Less

Great Oasis Class ship. Experienced her for 12 days just before she goes to dry dock for amp. Cant wait to see her in 2021 from Galveston. The Allure overall had the best most consistent and good quality food of any RCCL ship we have been on. The Sabor Grill was amazing. Considering we were on one of the very last ships sailing, the crews dedication to keeping the ship disinfected was amazing. If it can be touched, it was sanitized throughout the day. Entertainment was outstanding including Mama Mia and especially Charlie Jourdan in the Bow & Stern Pub. Charlie was incredible, and he packed the place every evening he played. Amazing how organized Ft. Lauderdale embarkation was. Debarkation was just as organized. Loved doing the Muster Drill in the AquaTheater seating. Only hope when she is amped is they upgrade the slot machines in the Casino. Some were very old and uneventful. Read Less

First transatlantic.great time, an excellent experience! There was plenty to do ( or not do). The Mama Mia production show was fantastic as were the other headliner shows. The Diamond Club was a bit overcrowded, but Royal Caribbean did try to accommodate the best they could by expanding to other locations. Service in the diamond club lounge was excellent in trying to accommodate and meeting the demand. Service and wait staff around the ship in bars and restaurants was great. Due to the virus concerns it was obvious Royal Carribean was taking extensive procedures to disinfect and make sure that passengers felt confident while sailing that there would be no issues. You could not help but constantly see workers wiping down railings, walls, chairs, etc..above and beyond the standard cleaning that always take place. Sanitizers in front of every store and in many other locations around the ship. Will definitely plan another transatlantic. Read Less

This cruise was to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. My husband had never been on a cruise and had no idea what to expect. I had cruised about 40 years ago with NCL and enjoyed it very much. Life happened and road trips were easier. I wanted to do something BIG for our anniversary and I talked hubby into this cruise. We're from San Diego, I wish RCI would put a ship in San Diego or Los Angeles so we didn't have to fly and stay in a hotel before our cruise, that gets pricey. At any rate, I did a lot of research, my family nickname is Research Queen, I chose RCI for many good reasons. We sailed out of Ft Lauderdale, Port Everglades, such a beautiful port city! We chose a Western Caribbean cruise as our "first" time because I had gotten seasick all those years ago so I thought staying somewhat close to ports would make it less rough, no idea if that's true but we had no problem. I found some "natural" ear patches, I can't do Meclizine which is what is in the Dramamine and Bonine, I didn't feel sick once. This was at the onset of the Covid-19 so we just made the cut to cruise before they started shutting it down. I'm still a "member" of this sailing's page and not one person ever reported getting sick. This ship was spotless!! The crew was constantly cleaning and there were sanitation stations everywhere! Embarkation was flawless, as was disembarkation, as we got up and out early. We arrived at about 10:30 and it was starting to get busy but we were the second group let on the ship and had no problems. I had a few things I wanted to take care of right away so I had my poor husband running ragged while trying to arrange dining options, scheduling shows that I had been unable to do online, etc. We finally made it to Central Park for our first drink, it was one of our favorite drink spots, so pretty! Our room was available when we got there, at about 1:45 but our luggage wasn't there yet, no biggie, we were fine with our carry-on stuff. We booked a mid-ship, Deck 8 Balcony Room and we couldn't have been happier! We both thought that it was perfectly fine for the two of us, the couch helped tremendously as well as the balcony seating for getting some fresh air and beautiful sunsets and sunrises, it didn't feel small at all. We packed a LOT, two full size suitcases, two carry-ons and a backpack, it all fit in the closet and desk drawers just fine, I would have brought a few more hangers though. Having the large, lit mirror and outlets at the desk helped me get hair/makeup ready while hubby was showering. The bed and pillows were very comfy and there were small tables on each side of the bed with lights. My husband has a C-PAP and there was an outlet right under the bed for that. We didn't have an issue at all with not having enough outlets. The bathroom is small but that was expected and it really wasn't that bad. The rooms were so quiet, we never once heard anything coming from either side of the room. One thing I kept reading during my research was that the elevators were always crowded, not in our case. The only time we found that to be true was immediately after a show, again, to be expected, otherwise, we were always able to get on the elevator with ease. We chose My Time Dining, I wanted to choose the time we ate without being restricted. I chose the same time every night, 7:00 and we had plenty of time to make it to the shows. The food was very good and the service was outstanding! Our server was Haiyan and her assistant was Erwin, they were both so friendly and made each night a personal experience. We didn't have one meal that was disappointing and having the drink package was nice so we could have several glasses of wine without worry. We have some friends that treated us to a meal at Chops Grille, they had previously sailed on the Allure and wanted us to experience it so she prepaid on our Sail Pass. It was good, nice atmosphere but honestly, we both agreed that the food in the MDR was just as good so we're glad we didn't buy any of the Dining Packages, even though I was tempted, I wasn't disappointed with the MDR. We ate lunch a number of times in the Windjammer, I wasn't that keen on it buy hubby really enjoyed it and the views were great! We had room service once or twice, eh, it was just a convenience so we didn't have to get up and out too early. We did eat breakfast in the Solarium once, it was ok. The only thing I was a bit disappointed about, and it's not a biggie but was that all of the bars were at full capacity each night so unfortunately we steered clear most nights. The entertainment sounded great but it was just too packed so if that's important to you, eat early to get a seat early. We saw the Oceanaria, wow, it was amazing! We saw the Headliner Show, I think that was Joel Mason, great entertainer and singer. There was a great Marley Tribute Band in one of the bars and we watched one of the comedy shows that was also great! No disappointment in the entertainment! The Solarium was our other favorite place to get a drink, we just liked the bar situation there and the seating area. We never went into any of the pools, it was a little concerning after having read many reviews, let's just say a lot of drinking going on and not many who left and returned, if you know what I mean. We wanted to enjoy the ship so we chose to not do any excursions. I just got off at each port for a little walking around and shopping. We did do the ship tour which we both thoroughly enjoyed, there is a lot of standing and stair climbing so if you're limited in any way I would advise against it. Also, unless you're talking about a teen that would be interested in seeing the backside of things, I wouldn't advise this for kids but we loved it! Nassau was our least favorite, a lot of haggling. The crew was amazing, they were all so friendly and helpful, we didn't run into one grumpy person. Freddy was our cabin steward, always remembered our names and always had a smile on his face. He kept our cabin in tip top shape! All in all, we had the BEST time and we can't wait to get back to planning another cruise. We retire in one year and have our fingers crossed that RCI will place a ship on the west coast that doesn't require flying which would cut into our fixed income budget. We would love to be able to cruise several times a year like many others do. Read Less

My wife and I chose this cruise to surprise my folks and relatives, and it was an amazing success!!! My wife and I flew into Fort Lauderdale from Chicago the day of the cruise. This makes my wife a nervous wreck, but seeing as how we booked last minute it saved us almost $1000 dollars on airfare, hotel, and food. Amazingly, from the time we landed to embarkation was less than an hour. We were shocked how smooth the transfer went. Having traveled with my folks before we knew they were creatures of habit, and we knew exactly where they would be first - The Cafe' Promenade. My ma was shocked and started crying. The general appearance of the ship was usual Royal Caribbean very nice, but the Old Girl is worn and showing many of her blemishes. It is very noticeable that the ship is ready for a makeover. We stayed in 11607 Central Park Balcony. We had three rooms all in a line, and we had the room attendant open up partitions so it was like we had one GIGANTIC balcony. It was great for morning breakfast. We love the Central Park Balcony rooms! Our room attendant was less than attentive which is the first time this has ever happened on any of our cruises, but she did her job I guess. Dining we ate at two specialty restaurants, Izumi and Chops. Izumi was great! We had an amazing chef (Gerry from the Phillipines), and our waiter Kirk kept the Saki flowing. The company around the grill was outrageous. Seeing as we were all family how could I say otherwise. We love our Hibachi! Chops on the other hand was OK. While the steaks served in the restaurant may be great for some, they just don't compare to what we get back home in Chicago. We have decided unless we get a free upgrade we probably won't be eating at Chops anymore. The other 5 dinners we utilized MDR on Deck 3, and had MTD. Seating 8 people every night at 7:30 was a challenge, but the staff did a great job accommodating our needs. Our servers Davis and Petrus were outstanding. The entertainment was great! Per usual. I think it was the 10th time we have seen Mama Mia. It did not disappoint. Thank god we saw the the aqua show the first night as I think the rest of the shows were cancelled due to rough seas. The comedians were very funny. We enjoyed the piano bar, Rising Tide (during the Beatles tribute), and Dazzles. We went to country night at Dazzles. The band was OUT OF THIS WORLD! It is something everyone has to experience. Your eyes won't believe what your ears are hearing. I will just leave it at that. lol On a funny note my wife and I participated in one of the trivia contests. It was hard for us to find partners, but the two ladies who asked us to join them would not be let down. My wife Barbara and I cleaned up. We won that night's trivia contest. Activities were great. I did my first day flow rider, but mostly hung out at the pool. For the life of me, I can not comprehend how Royal has not figured out how to heat the pools. It is MADDENING!!!! I am not asking it to be hot tub hot, but it would be nice to enter the pool and not suffer a slight heart attack every day. Does anyone know why this is? The service around the pool was great. We had the ultimate drink package. For the first time in 11 cruises I believe Royal won the Battle of the Booze. I also believe Royal is very close to out pricing themselves with the UDP (72 bucks w/ tip is at the limit as far as I'm concerned). I have heard rumblings that Royal screwed up in 2019 offering $18 UDP's and now they are trying to recoup those losses. Which makes sense seeing as how we paid 55 bucks p/d just 5 months earlier on Anthem. Now on to the bad. The ports. Coco Cay was cancelled due to weather. Disappointing, but understandable. Switching out St. Thomas for San Juan was terrible. I have had it with Royal continually bait and switching itineraries. Sure they always say you can get your money back, but by that time most people have set vacation days and air fare. They know they have you. Always sending the ships to San Juan is just another example of Royal nickel and diming the guests. And the thruster excuse has been used to death. I will definitely go on Allure again once she has been beautified. We are traveling on Symphony 25 July 2020 (fingers crossed) and Odyssey 26 March 2021. Read Less

Chose this cruise as with children we love the variety of things to do and the excursions in the Caribbean are far more child-friendly than European ones making it worth the extra flight time. From start to finish STAR class gave us the Wow factor. From arrival at the cruise terminal being ushered through our own dedicated security line, meeting our genie and being on the Ship, in our suite with a bottle of welcome champagne and less than 5 minutes later all our luggage arrives. Being our first experience in Star class we just let Jay our genie sort and plan our entire week. All i can say is if you have a cruise on the Allure coming up then ask for Jay as your genie. He was amazing. Appeared out of nowhere all over the ship as if he's tracked us using GPS to surprise us with delights and treats. Ports were fine. St Maarten was pleasant and took the children on a boat excursion to Mahao Bay to watch the planes, swim in the sea etc, a wander round the shops and back onto the boat to find Jay's surprise for the children of a pop-up Pirate tent, balloons galore and mermaid tail blankets waiting in our suite. San Juan we had been to before so just had a wander around with the children as it was a short stop and not many child-friendly excursions available. Unfortunately storms were forecast in the Bahamas for the Saturday so the captain cancelled our trip there. We were slightly disappointed but this was outside of everyone's control and the captain changed course and took us to Labadee instead which was a very pleasant experience on barefoot beach with the children. Specialty dining was incredible. Chops was the stand out for me but 150 central park also had a wow-factor. We tried everything we could in a week and still couldn't get round all of them. One night I was even allowed a night off the children, wife and mother-in-law and went to Chef's table. This was an amazing experience which will stay in my memory for a very long time. amazing food, delicious paired wines and a service and experience beyond anything else I'd ever experienced on a cruise. We couldn't get the eldest child out of adventure ocean and she was asking every day to go back she absolutely loved it. Also used the babysitting chreche a couple of times to have a more peaceful meal which went down very well and the younger two seemed to enjoy this. Entertainment and shows were very good. Mama Mia and Oceanaria being the two standout ones from the week and well worth the watch. We even caught a second showing of Oceanaria from our balcony late one evening! Overall a wonderful cruise and a fantastic experience. Not sure how I'm going to go back from Star class after having Jay as our genie but without the amazing offer we got this time around it's just out of our price range usually. If you manage to find an offer and a deal and wonder if it's worth the splurge - 100% it is, you won't be disappointed! Read Less

I wanted to love RC. We‘ve cruised many times but this was our first on RC. My family and I were less than wowed. I realize the ship is heading to dry dock soon so perhaps they’ll make some necessary repairs but truly, it should have gone to dry dock before this sail. Due to a bad propeller our itinerary was initially altered 3 months from our cruise. We received notice but truly, 3 months out, what can we do. Our itinerary was further altered at sea when Coco Caye was deemed to be too windy with a chance of poor weather. I understand from other individuals on the cruise that this is NOT rare. Imagine how disappointed my kids were given they’ve seen a million commercials about “the perfect day.” Stopping at Labadee was a poor substitute. In addition, my daughters swimsuits got mixed up with the dirty towels and, after having our room searched first, we were told it was never found. Wonder why the laundry staff rooms were not searched like ours? Seems some staffs daughter will have a nice new swimsuit. The aqua show was rescheduled more than once due to rocking of the boat. . . Perhaps that bad propeller is more important overall? The arcades had many games that do not work, the food was ok at best, the ice cream shop ran out of mint chip ice cream, everything is a very expensive additional charge, the rooms were worn and tired and the customer service was just ok compared to Disney and surprisingly Carnival. Seems to me issuing a $38 credit for the stolen swimsuit would have been a minor token of goodwill and good customer service. I wish I had researched cruise lines and boats better. Sorry RC, you fall terribly short on MANY accounts. Read Less

We chose this ship because it worked w/the time and places we wanted to go/visit. We’ve been on 10 cruises together/12 each. This has got to be my favorite one. Between the airports/airlines, port, ship, etc, we had a seamless trip. The crew was amazing, the excursions, everything. Monoj & Dion were such good waiters that we requested them every night. The funny thing is, that we weren’t the only ones. One night we waited 30+ minutes, voluntarily, to have a table w/them. We went to St Thomas, San Juan, PR, and CocoCay. They were all fabulous, but CocoCay was outstanding!!! Well worth it. In St. Thomas, we went to Magen’s Bay. We previously went in 2012. The beach was gorgeous, there were plenty of places for shade, even when it’s really busy. The food was well worth the money, and was a great deal too. I did not care for the workers in the gift shop there though. The workers followed me around so much that they were handing me things. The inventory was extremely overpriced. When I went to buy a postcard, the employees wouldn’t even look at me. I will never go in there again. When we stopped in San Juan, we didn’t take an excursion, but that’s because we’ve there many times before. Don Tako and Starbucks are great stops. Make sure you stop by the fort, it’s beautiful. CocoCay was phenomenal. I could probably spend days on the island and still want to go back. There are many things to do that don’t require spending more money. The complimentary grills have great food, but I did suggest to RCI that they include shredded cheese. I love that you don’t have to take excursions to have a good time, but that they have great choices if you do decide to take one. I felt very safe the whole time. Love RCI!! Make sure to complete your survey that’s emailed to you after your cruise. It’s vital to the cruise line. Read Less

I will start off saying our cruise experience was really good. Overall, our party of 5 (4,25,26,54,55 y/o) all had a blast. We had two rooms and the service at our rooms was really good. Our head waiter (Joey) was great in the dining hall. A little shy, but slowly broke out of his shell. For the food, it left us wanting more. Some items were great! Some, not so much. We got a lot of over cooked meat, some desserts under cooked, etc. Next time we are going to go for the unlimited dining package and see how that goes. The itinerary was fine, the ports are all very similar though. And when we went to Coco Cay it was still under heavy construction (right before the opened the north beach). That was a bummer as a lot of the beach was closed so the only small portions open were packed! Also, during our cruise it seemed like a lot of people were in their first or second week back from the holidays. Also, there were a ton of new chiefs and cooks. Read Less

This was my 13th cruise (Diamond) and my SO's first. We were with the Chicago Music Cruise group. This is my second cruise on an Oasis class ship. My cruise style is as casual and unhurried as possible. I expect nothing more than good food, good drinks and a good time. This cruise gave all 3. Through the port was relatively easy although miss the Diamond priority lines but I guess with the scheduled times they figure the lines should be short. We got on the ship right around 1PM and straight to our cabin 12327 (Boardwalk View) and the last cabin port, aft. Then to the Windjammer for a bit of lunch. The Windjammer was above average buffet quality. Our service for breakfasts and lunches in the Windjammer with Vincent was outstanding. As soon as we sat down he was off with our cards (Deluxe package) for our custom mimosas. He was always prompt with water, juice or coffee. We ate a few times in the Main for dinner. Dalton and his assistant treated us well and were prompt. At one point I found a bit of older lettuce in a salad and it was quickly taken care of and the dining room lead came to check up. Our cabin attendant Aryan took great care of us. Always had the requested ice bucket and would unlock our door when our hands were full. Cabin was neat and tidy with plenty of room for two of us. Plenty of storage with a safe and blow dryer. There is one 3 plug outlet in the room and it looked as though they pulled power strips people tried to bring on. There could be more outlets but...oh well. One blog suggests USB multi and this seems a good idea. Bathroom was adequate and generally clean although there was a small drawer that was missed during clean out day. Entertainment was quite good. Mama Mia was great and as good as any regional cast production. Had the drink package that was well worth it. The full service Starbucks on board allows you to use your phone to pay. It is not included in the Deluxe Package. The walking track is on deck 5 and is 0.42 miles. The longer track is nice. Had a great time. Read Less

Lots to say about this cruise: Embarkation: We had The Key and arrived to the port before the doors opened. One door was clearly designated for Key members. We breezed through Security and check-in, then were escorted to the Key waiting area in the terminal. The waiting area was divided into groups for Suites, Pinnacle, Diamond Plus and Diamond members, The Key, then the remaining boarding groups. The process worked very well and we were on the ship shortly after 11:00 a.m. We then went to Giovanni's and were first in line for the delightful Amanda to book our Specialty Dining reservations. Off to Chops luncheon for Key members in the MDR Deck 4, then a drink at Sabor Bar (Kareem is fantastic!) before heading to our cabins. Our carry-on bags were waiting for us there. Muster Drill: We arrived at C1 in the Jazz on 4 early enough to score some seats. Muster was smooth, but I admit the handwashing and spy videos are getting really old with me after the previous 5 cruises. Specialty Dining: --150 Central Park. We were all VERY disappointed they no longer offer the 6 different salts and real butter. That was a huge highlight of our Oasis cruise in 2017. Service our first night there was only okay. The second night we dined there, Francisco made our evening!!! --Chops Grille. The limited menu lunch on Embarkation Day featured wonderful offerings. My friends and I enjoyed the filet, the burger and the halibut. The night we dined in Chops was good, not great. They were very busy and their stress levels showed. --Sabor: Again, good but night great. Perhaps it will improve in its new identity after dry dock. --Giovannis: The BEST!!! EVERY item on their menu is fantastic and we dined there our last 3 nights on board! OMG! We love Amanda and Jorge was our favorite server! Non-Specialty Dining: The buffet was a zoo each time we visited. No lines, just people shoving their way in to get food. The food was pretty good, but not worth the fight. Kudos to Hera, the manager and Zang, who helped us at breakfast on our last sea day. Park Café was okay too. Not worth waiting in line though. MDR was mediocre for breakfast and lunch. Solarium Bistro and Samba Grill were closed to us because they were reserved for Glatt Kosher specialty dining. Which brings me to... Fellow Passengers: I have never seen SO many children aboard a cruise ship!!! Most of them were screaming, running around and annoying while their parents either ignored them or just allowed them to misbehave. This is the first cruise EVER in which we did not make new friends, as the majority of the passengers were rude and unfriendly. So glad we had The Key and show reservations, which made things easier for us. Crown and Anchor Party: Held in the Aqua Theater and was absolutely fantastic! I sat front and center and enjoyed the special aqua show. Mario, the famous Pinnacle member with the most RC Cruises, sat right behind me. He is SO nice! The only annoyance was a new Pinnacle member who wanted to say "a few words", which was 10 laminated pages long and got political. The Captain and Senior Officers maintained their smiles through that 15 minute ordeal. Shows: Ocean Aria is a MUST!!!!! WOW!!! Visual joy! Ice Games! was boring to me, but the skaters are phenominal. Las Vega Tenors.....we left before the show ended. We missed Blue Planet, sad to say. Cabin: We had an Oceanview Balcony on Deck 9. Glynnis, out steward was WONDERFUL!!!! Spa: I had two massages. Very hard sell on Elemis products at the end of the first....I didn't like that at all. The second one was with Christine who was extremely intuitive and gave me constructive feedback afterward with little attempt for selling product. Perfect Day at CoCo Cay: Too short!!!! OMG, this island is great! We had an Oasis Lagoon Cabana. Thaddeous, our attendant, went out of his way to continually delight us. He surprised us with watermelon when we arrived After an hour-long dip and dancing in the VERY cold Oasis Lagoon, he brought us the famous mozzarella sticks (SO GOOD) and fries. Later, he brought us freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and a hot funnel cake. We were so full, but had to try the Crispy Chicken sandwich. We each took a bite and it is as great as everyone has reported. OMG!!! The island is beautiful, the restrooms clean, the food delicious.... I want another day there! Cruise Compass: The organization of this is by activity and Day/Evening. There are no bar hours posted (which I really needed on a day when the ship was rocking heavily). I hope RC will change this soon. Disembarkation: The best part of The Key! We received our instructions two nights before. My friend and I chose the Key breakfast in the MDR Deck 4 at 6:30 a.m. After enjoying Petit Filet and eggs, we walked directly off the ship at 7:25. They use facial recognition ID at Port Everglades and we were on our shuttle at 7:35. All in all, a delightful cruise. Read Less

I’ve been on Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas this week and was highly disappointed to find that one of the complimentary restaurants included in my cruise fare had been bought out by a group for the entire week and closed to the public. I cruised on the sister ship last year and loved the Solarium Bistro and Samba Grill and really looked forward to eating there on this cruise. It is so close to the adults only Solarium and suite deck for breakfast and lunch and I was very inconvenienced by this being unavailable and lines for the buffet being very long. I was never notified of that it would be closed and when asking crew members when it would be open, I could not receive a straight answer even when raising my question and concerns to the manager of all of the restaurants. I cruise several times a year and pay A LOT of money for a suite to receive the amenities that come with it. Royal Caribbean has cheapened my experience by introducing “The Key” program where people can pay $25/day to receive amenities not available to the suite guests such as private and exclusive access and time at onboard activities. I was ready to book my next cruise during this trip for a suite to Europe later this year, but it is no longer worth my money to pay that much and remain loyal to a cruise line that doesn’t value me as a customer. Read Less

In comparrison to other cruise lines in different parts of the world, here is how we found "Allure of the seas". The check- in was chaotic with masses of people. The check-in staff were generally stern and impatient as much as we tried to make things a little easier for them by being organised with our documents. After wards, checking in to the room onboard was easy. The ship is colossal and by far the largest we have been on-board. Overwhelming at first as this is the time you see the main deck packed full...upon check-in. The bedrooms are well presented and are clean and fresh. Room staff are efficient and friendly. Dinner in the Grande restaurant on the first evening was satisfying. It was a chaotic push in to the restaurant with no organisation. Dress code was never observed and we were shocked at how people behaved. The Grande restaurant was only reasonably "grand" on our first night. After that, the repetitive menu, the unorganised staff and the average food quality of the Grande, ....we chose to eat in Windjammer. Although it was free for all / canteen style, it generally had a nice selection of foods. Entertainment was magical, professionally performed and great to see. A lot of hard work goes in to this area. The highlight and a credit to the ship. Destination ports of call actually amounted to very little time. We were on board 7 nights and our actually port of call time amounted to around only 20 hours. We do not include Royal Caribbean's privately owned "perfect day" water park located on a sand bank on the edge of a Caribbean island. You can make your own mind up about that. The ship is an engineering marvel manufactured in Europe. However, it's very clear that it is purely a hard sell, money making machine. The cost of boarding this ship is expensive and as you speak to fellow passengers, it soon becomes obvious the wide variety of deals people have bought. RC must have a huge statistician office as some deals are reasonable. Ours was not. We paid a lot of money to be on-board the mass of , the Allure of the seas. I doubt we could be tempted again. Thanks for the "huge" experience, we learned so much. Read Less

First I must give this ship, the Allure, high marks on the Entertainment provided, the quality and excellence of the Specialty restaurants and the fact during the two weeks we were aboard this ship we had an excellent room steward, but as you will read there were many negatives that had we not already reached DIAMOND status of Royal Caribbean we might not have taken as many cruises aboard this line to do so. We have had some small inconveniences of their smaller ships but the ones we had here were numerous. We had the following issues: -The Sea Pass they provided us had wrong status on it and to obtain the benefits of that status we needed to have it corrected immediately. To do so we were told we needed to speak to the Loyalty Officer. When we arrived there was a rather long line of guests and therefore, it took well over an hour standing on line just to speak to the sole officer assigned this task despite the fact that this ship had over 6000 guests with nearly a third being Diamond status or higher! – the DINE, DRINK & DISCOVER PROGRAM which was part of our initial cruise package was canceled. Hence we were told we would receive a $50 credit. It wasn't included in the credits when we boarded. We needed to see guest services to request that credit and it took over a day before it was finally applied. – Our Diamond status allowed for one specialty coffee per day per person at the main coffee shop (not the StarBucks) at no extra charge. Several times they refused to give us the coffee for free and each time we had to go to guest services to find out why and to get this corrected. – The floor in the common area Men's room all over the ship were filthy, especially under the urinals. I needed to stand with legs spread wide apart to try to avoid the puddles of urine on the floor. Rarely during my two weeks on board did I see an attendant cleaning these restrooms and where the floor was actually clean. Twice I found stalls without toilet paper and/or in bad need of cleaning. I know someone from the crew visited these rooms as the trash bins were being emptied but that was it! – This is a very large ship, and I knew that when we booked it. However, trying to find a waiter to serve drinks while lounging by the pools or in the Solarium was very difficult. Often we'd finally have one come by but rather than the waiter stopping to ask if we wanted something we had to go out of our way to flag them to us. We even had waiters take our orders never to see them or the drinks we ordered, – When in port only one towel station was manned on the pool deck. Rather than maintaining at least one at each end of the ship near the two elevator areas we needed to hike to the middle of the ship and hope we guessed right as to which side of the ship they were situated on. If you have mobitlity issues this is not an easy task as this is a very long ship! – Overall the common area and hallways were not being cleaned regularly. I would see the same articles of debris on the carpets and floor hours and even days after I initially noticed it. - This, the lack of waiters, the too few manned towel stations and the conditions I found in the common area restrooms lead me to the conclusion that the crew size for this large passenger capacity ship was totally inadequate. Several times I tried to locate an officer in the area to report a problem but I could find none. It required a trip down to guest services to report these issues but often even that did not result in an adequate resolution. – The first week we ate our dinners in the main dining room. Although our waiters were very good I can't say the same for the food. Most of it was either over or under cooked. And it appears the chef believed in the heavy use of salt to make up for the otherwise poorly cooked food! The second week we had the Specialty Restaurant package for the entire week, and there the food was excellent! He food in the buffet areas, however, were as bad, if not worse, than the food served at dinner. Only the Park Cafe served a satisfactory salad for lunch. – Breakfast was one disaster one after the other. First time our order took 45 minutes to be served and they got my omelet order wrong. This was a continuing problem until eventually I gave up and went over to the Breakfast buffet Omelet line in order to assure that my order was carried out. – I understand that there was a large contingent of Orthodox Jews on board. I am not an anti-Semite for I too am Jewish. But to accommodate them RC had them take over the Brazilian Steak house for their meals? This created two problems. I purchased their Specialty Dining Package several weeks in advance of the cruise partially because I really like these Brazilian Steak restaurants and thus not to have access to it was a major disappointment. But, as this restaurant was in the Solarium area, whose access is supposed to be restricted for children over the age of 16 and adults only, resulted in the many under 16 year old children they brought with to run havoc throughout this area and even when sitting inside of the restaurant, as there are few walls partitioning off the restaurant from the Solarium itself, the noise and ruckus these children created totally disrupted any peace and quiet I though this Solarium would provide for us during this cruise. Overall between these guests and many other guests there were over 1500 children aboard this ship and I really would have liked to find someplace other than my cabin to find some peace and quiet! – During Mama Mia and other productions in the main theater these children, often including their parents and even Royal Caribbean personnel were talking in the back rows and just beyond it so loudly as to make it difficult to enjoy the shows. Its these shows that really distinguish this class of ship from others and should have been one of the greatest attributes of this class of ships. Yet they had no officers to ensure that quiet and decorum was maintained and in at least one case they actually contributed to the annoying distractions during the shows! – RC was charging money for small bags of popcorn offered at many of the entertainment venues. Really?! How cheap can you get? There were other minor issues that I won't bother to go into here. Early on our second week we spoke to their Manager of Guest Services and laid out many of the above issues to him. He listened sympathetically to us but offered only that he would send our issues up line to be be heard. We heard back from very late in that second week asking us if everything was alright and/or if we had any other issues that he should hear about. Quite frankly, by that time I had was too fed up to bother. One more caveat, if you have mobility issues and you are scheduled to visit Costa Maya in Mexico, be aware that the ship ties up to a dock which is attached to a very long pier. Its quite a hike just to get to the land itself and there is no shuttle. You have to walk it. I saw many individuals with mobility issues stop dead at the end of the ship, peer down this long pier and just give up and get back onto the ship! One of those individuals was my wife who has knee issues!! I will add that my wife and I did what we could to have as good a time as possible aboard the Allure. Please note, again, I must add that had this been my first voyage on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, I really don't know if I would have ever taken enough Royal Caribbean cruises to reach Diamond status and I will probably need to think hard about taking another. Read Less

We had been on this ship before. Although the ship carries 6000 plus passengers, It is not really a problem except for the elevators on the first day, and the pools on sea days. Our check in was done online previously, so we just walked onto the ship. We had the owners's suite which was spacious and had a whirlpool tub. But, there was a few surprises. I like the Coastal Kitchen for dinner, and the venue now has four alternating entrees , in addition to four fixed. Previously, Coastal Kitchen had only fixed selections. Ww ate in Coastal Kitchen for all the nights except one night when we ate in Chops.Other diners agreed with us that it had the best dining on the ship. Mamma Mia, the Aqua Show , the Ice Show, and the production show were of professional quality. In addition, some nights were spent in the romantic setting of Central Park, listening to music, or the jazz club. Another surprise was the restoration of recent movies on the TV. Of course there are still pay per view options, but I was satisfied with the complimentary selections. The pools could be quite crowded. Passengers are still being allowed to drink in the pool. (eliminated by other cruise lines) which adds to the crowding. The Solarium pool should be expanded for this problem. Costa Maya, one of our stops, is a town built by the cruise industry, but it contains two interactive museums, and the wonderful aviary.. I highly recommend a visit there. Read Less

We were very happy with our Royal Caribbean cruise. We chose the Allure because we have a tween and a teen and they were excited about all of the activities that are available. We booked this vacation as our family's Christmas present. EMBARKATION It was painless. It took us about 15 minutes to get on board. After going through security we received a band for our 11 year old to wear on his wrist. STAFF The staff was friendly and went above and beyond to meet our needs. Our room attendant, Made, was excellent. KIDS CLUB The staff in the kids club were all friendly and energetic. Our younger son is 11 and did not want to leave. Ever. There were organized activities--science, gaga ball, and other games. FOOD We really enjoyed the main dining room, and our kids loved being able to go to the Wipeout Café, Sorrentos, Park Café, the Promendade, and the Boardwalk hot dog kiosk. We also enjoyed the Windjammer Café. The only food that did not appeal to me was the Asian cuisine. It was very bland. We did have the free Johnny Rockets breakfast but we preferred the other dining venues. We also ordered the complimentary continental breakfast from room service. It was nice to eat on the balcony. COFFEE Yes, I am mentioning the coffee. I brought individual creamers to put in my coffee. The coffee on Royal is not good. I did have a Starbucks gift card and used it at the kiosk. CABIN Our cabin was 10216. We really loved having a balcony. The furnishings were up to date and the cabin was clean. There was plenty of room for storage (we kept our luggage under the bed). PORTS Allure was originally supposed to go to St. Thomas, St. Kitts, and Coco Cay. About four months before the cruise, we were told that due to continuing propulsion issues, we would go to San Juan instead of St. Kitts, and we would only be in San Juan for 5 hours. We were given the option to cancel without penalty. We opted to keep this sailing. We did not book a shore excursion in San Juan. If we had more time, we would have done the rainforest tour. Due to weather, Coco Cay was canceled and we instead went to Labadee. It was very pretty and there is a lot to do, but we opted to leave after a bit and go back to the ship. We enjoyed a near empty pool and hot tub. We loved St. Thomas and did the kayaking, snorkeling, and kayaking excursion (this was amazing). SHOWS The only show we went to was the Aqua show, which was fantastic. DISEMBARKATIONN This was a bit confusing, but it was our first Royal cruise. We thought we had to go to the Amber Theater to get our luggage at a certain time, but then were told to go to the baggage claim area after leaving the ship. We were able to get a cab and get to the airport. It was extremely crowded but that is to be expected when so many people are all trying to get somewhere at the same time. OVERALL This was a beautiful, well-cared for ship. We would definitely book the Allure again. Read Less

We chose this cruise to treat our son and grand-daughters (12 and 15 years old). It was their first experience. Everything turned out perfectly! From embarkation (10 minutes!) to disembarkation (10 minutes!). We had done the check-in online in October and had printed out our Sea passes...that's why everything was so fast! The longest wait was in the car waiting to pass the check points before entering the port (35 minutes). Once through, we left our luggage with the porter (be sure to have your cabin tags on your luggage). Then, found a parking space and got on the dock. With passports and Sea passes in hand, it took about 5 minutes to get on the ship and in our staterooms. We had adjoining rooms 11682 and 11684. Small but clean and confortable. Not a lot of storage but you do not need many clothes. Every day, you wore your bathing suit with a cover up for breakfast and lunch. At night, if it was a casual night, you could wear jeans but no shorts. When it was formal night, for men, a nice shirt and nice pants, for women, nice top and nice pants or a little dress. Yes, you saw some tuxedos and sequins but that was about 1% only. The food was delicious. We had made reservations to the restaurants in advance in October: so glad we did! When you arrived at the restaurant, there were 2 lines: one with and one without reservation. You should have seen the lines waiting! Great service everywhere: room attendant, servers, bar tenders. Always with a smile! As for the ports, not very interesting to us or the girls: all they wanted to do was go to the pools or to the beach. We missed one port because of rough seas: did not feel a thing. The entertainment was fabulous! As good as any shows on Broadway or at Cirque du Soleil. For those also, we had reserved in October...a very good thing. Our son and grand-daughters loved every aspect of the cruise. We will do it again with our other grand-children when they are a little bit older. We were lucky: nobody was sea sick or sick (the ship was extremely clean and with Purell stations everywhere. They were always cleaning the banisters and the elevators). The weather was fabulous! Read Less

This is our 6th time cruising, second time with Royal, first time with a big ship like Allure. Embarkation was super easy. We were about an hour late than our scheduled check-in time, but no problem at all. Disembarkation was also easy. We took our luggage ourselves. The ship is big. Our cabin was near the front of the ship so every time we either took 5th floor (has all the shops) or 8th (central park) or 15th (pools) to the main dining room, not a problem for us because we thought that was a way to explore the interesting parts of ship. Breakfast: If you go before 9am, there wouldn't be a line at the windjammer; but around 10am, you would start seeing long lines for breakfast on the at-sea days. Main dining room also serves breakfast, less crowded, with chef cooking omelette for you, which windjammer didn't have. Other free breakfast places simply provided same version of windjammer with much less choices, so we didn't even bother trying. Lunch: We only tried windjammer for lunch, which was just an ok level and didn't impress us at all. Dinner: Windjammer had really good steak and deserts that I liked on a few nights. They had an ice cream station and hibachi station on a few nights. Overall speaking, dinner at windjammer was better than its lunch. It closed at 9pm which wasn't very convenient. The food in the main dining room was good, especially the beef tenderloin. We didn't try any other specialty restaurants because we are always like Royal's main dining room. Problems with Windjammer: There was no separate plate to place tongs. The tongs was just placed back to the tray after people took the food, the food could be contaminated this way. Considering a big ship like this, I can't believe Allure has such loose safety standard at its biggest buffet place. And one night, Windjammer had a chocolate night dinner with lots of big cakes which was very nice. But the problem was that they didn't even provide cake cutters, they just put a regular knife there for each cake. Other types of cake was probably okay cutting with the knife but not the tiramisu cake, which was soft. So after just a couple cuts using the knife, the cake became so disgusting and messy. Again, I can't believe Windjammer on Allure was this unprofessional! Cabin: We had an inside cabin. No conditioner in the shower, only shampoo/body wash 2 in 1. The shower was a cylinder shape and was really small.. I wear pretty size S/XS, if I say the shower is very small, think about the people having bigger size than me. Sometimes when I showered, I had to open the shower door a bit so I could get more space. Entertainment was good. We could tell that they are trying their best to entertain us. I like the ice show and the diving show. There were no toilet covers in the public restrooms which was a surprise to me. We like Ziplining but the ziplining on Allure was boring. Overall speaking, it was good but didn't meet my expectations for Allure. Read Less

My husband, 21 year old daughter and 18 year old daughter and I went on the Allure to celebrate Christmas together and once again, Royal Caribbean did not disappoint. This was our 20th cruise, 13th on Royal Caribbean. We arrived at the port at around 11:15 a.m. and we sat down for about 3 minutes then we boarded the ship. Embarkation was easy and quick. We have been on the Allure before and all of her sister ships so there was no need to orient ourselves. We went straight to lunch in the Windjammer. Although the food is always delicious and fresh, it is very crowded and the tables are too close together which makes it difficult to move around. All of the food that we ate on the Allure was very tasty, fresh and at the right temperature. We based our dining location choices on proximity to our cabin sometimes and how busy each place was. Our favorite breakfast place was the Solarium Bistro, lunch at the Park Cafe or Vintages (great wine, tapas and service, especially from Gemma!) and dinner in the dining room or at the buffet. We had a fantastic lunch in the Main Dining Room one day but we only went once because it took a very long time for the food to arrive. There was a salad bar there that we really enjoyed! We paid for Anytime Dining and although the staff at the entrance of the dining room tried really hard to keep our wait time to a minimum, we didn't understand how Royal Caribbean could charge for this. There is room for improvement in this area. Although the Allure is 9 years old, it has been kept very clean and well maintained. Our cabin was spacious and our bed was comfortable. Our stateroom attendant Marie (Deck 8) was super friendly and attentive. The entertainment on the ship was excellent. We saw Mama Mia and although it was 2 1/2 hours long, it kept our attention the whole time and was really well done. We also saw the skating show "Ice Games". It was ok but not our favorite. The comedy show is always entertaining and did not disappoint this time either. We went to morning trivia at 10 a.m. in the Schooner Bar every day and the crew always showed up on time and we enjoyed being challenged by their questions. Royal Caribbean went over and above with little extras to make our Christmas really special. Many passengers gathered on the Promenade deck to sing Christmas carols, we had a delicious Christmas dinner, there were beautiful trees and decorations and they even offered us eggnog! We never waited long for a drink at any bar and the service was always friendly. Alexandra at the Schooner Bar mixed the best drinks and was our favorite bartender!!! Our ports were San Juan, St. Maarten and Cococay. We stayed on the ship in San Juan since it was raining and our departure time was 1:00 p.m. so there really wasn't much time to do anything and we have been there before and did not enjoy our visit. In St. Maarten we walked to Great Bay Beach. The taxi drivers tried to get us to take a taxi (they told us it was a 20 min. walk) but we walked and it took less time than that. It was an easy walk and we felt safe. We spent $40 USD for 4 chairs, 2 umbrellas, and wifi (although it didn't work because too many people were using it!) and to use the washroom and spend the day in front of the restaurant "Oualichi". It cost us $10 for a bucket of beer. We had lunch there and the food was very good but a little pricey. The restrooms were clean. Our girls rented jet skis right on the beach where we were and that was very convenient and fun. We always have a great day in St Maarten and the weather is always perfect! Our last stop was at Coco Cay, Bahamas. Although it was windy and rained on and off all day, the island is so beautiful and there is so much to do. Royal Caribbean got this right! They thought of everything! Everything was just perfect! They even improved the shopping area compared to Labadee. The Labadee shopping is very unpleasant because the salespeople are super aggressive and almost scary but at Coco Cay there is no pressure to buy and the salespeople are friendly and welcoming. There were many little huts to choose from and the merchandise was quite nice. We have never been disappointed when cruising on Royal Caribbean ships and will cruise with them again. The Allure is an exceptionally well run ship with great service and food. I would highly recommend it! I am looking forward to seeing the changes that the few months in dry dock in the spring will bring! Read Less

We chose Allure because of what it offered and it was wonderful! We had a Central Park Balcony cabin with adjoining balconies and loved sitting out there and listening to music and park sounds. Everyone recommended booking the Aqua Show early in the cruise and they were right. We were booked for the 2nd night and finally saw it on the 5th night after multiple cancellations due to weather. Mamma Mia was great but is for a mature audience. The ship did rock a fair bit because the seas were rough. It didn't stop us from enjoying the cruise. Our servers in the dining room were outstanding!! We have done 14 cruises and Bayyer and Neerja were the BEST!! Our cabin steward was just ok. Nothing special. Embarkation took about 15 minutes and disembarkation was walk right off grab our luggage and on our way. My grandkids ages 8, 11 and 13 loved the cruise. The 11 year old said it was the best 7 days of his life. The 13 year old made a group of friends the first day and except for dinner, which I required she eat with us, and shore excursions, we didn't see her. In St. Maartens we did the Eco Tour snorkeling and were disappointed. The water wasn't very clear and not a lot to see. In San Juan our stop was short so we walked around Old San Juan on our own and had lunch at a local restaurant. Cocoa Cay was wonderful. I had reserved a Thrill Park Cabana and it was right next to the slide. It was very roomy and had a sofa, chair and coffee table which had a locking compartment. It also had just outside the cabana a cooler with cold water and 4 lounge chairs. It included 6 towels and concierge service. We were provided with a menu to choose from or we could visit the buffet which 3 of us did go get our food from there-bigger selection. Wave pool was a favorite and the children's splash area was great for the 8 year old. We are already starting to save for another one on Allure in 2021. Read Less

This is our 3rd time on RCI. Our first was on the Oasis and the second on the Freedom. We chose the Allure so that our kids (young adults) would enjoy the amazing shows and the great activities on board. Ship: the OASIS class ships are by far the best for activities. The Allure will soon go into retrofit to get the latest new activities added (waterslides, etc). If you have young teens or young adults, these ships are the best. Dance clubs, zip lines, flow riders, rock climbing walls, ice rink. Lots to do! Entertainment: the shows on the Oasis class are first rate. The Aqua diving show is a MUST see. It is amazing with high diving acts and acrobats. Although I was disappointed there was only one show. When we were on the Oasis, they did 2 different shows. The broadway show, Mama Mia was very well done as is the ice show. The headliner show (ReVoiced), the second show by the main entertainment crew (Blue Planet) and the comedy show were good, but not spectacular (ReVoiced was way too short, for example), and not as good as the shows we saw on the Oasis or the Freedom. However, the Aqua and broadway shows alone make it worth while. Our young adults loved the clubs and late night activities. These ships to cater to families in all age groups. Service: service is always first rate on RCI. They will bend over backwards to make things work for you. I know of a family that was not happy with the long waits at the waterslides on CocoCay, and they refunded them. CocoCay: This private island is nice. However, we had booked snorkeling and it was cancelled because of weather. which is good, as we had our own equipment and frankly $45 to pay to snorkel was overpriced (There is no special price for being able to go on your own). The water slide park is NOT worth $100 per person. The line ups were 2-3 hours per slide! So glad I didnt fork over money for that. The local "coco" drink gives you a souvenir glass.. overpriced for a slushie in a plastic cup. Pool, swim up bar and beaches are all very good. Alcohol package: RCI makes you get 2 packages when you share a room. Very expensive and not accommodating if one person does not drink. We did not get it, as we find it way too expensive, you'd have to drink 12 drinks a day each to "break even". My young adult kids got it, and still did not drink enough. On our first cruise, they used to offer a wine package (a rate for 7 bottles of wine), which was a better deal to have wine with supper. As other cruise lines are starting to offer better drink packages (including free), I am hoping RCI will follow suite. Does not make sense to have to get their cup just to get flavoured waters, and almost no place to fill your own water bottle (not very enviro friendly) Cabins: are a fair size. Our boys were in smaller ones, but they work. basic. Mattresses are comfy. Hotelling staff are first rate and aim to please Dining: Windjamer was so packed sometimes (Breakfast at CoCoCay day) that the line up was over an hour. Food is average, but you can find good things like smoked salmon even at breakfast. Main dining room and solarium restaurant are both very good. Though the quality at the solarium was not as good as our fist two cruises. Service in main dining room is first rate, although sometimes we had to wait a while, even though we had reservations. On the other ships we sailed, we always had the same waiter. Here, we were shuffled around night to night. We prefer to have the same waiter. Food quality is best (for the free stuff) in the main dining room. The Central park cafe, Sorrentos pizza, sports food area were all pretty good too. Embarkation and disembarkation: VERY smooth. Although taxi system needs to be better when getting off. Gym and running track: largest running track around, and the gym offers everything you need to keep the pounds off. Central park, Boardwalk: these two areas are simply amazing. Sit in central park and have a coffee listening to the birds, or go for a walk on the boardwalk to have a hotdog and ride the carrousel. You will find it hard to believe you are on the ocean! DOWNLOAD THE APP!!! this app is essential. You can TEXT each other for free (no need to have the wifi package which is WAY too expensive). It also is great for following the hundreds of activities. RCI needs to keep this texting feature, it was so handy! Read Less

We chose Allure because this was a family cruise with 6 adults and 3 children. This was the 15th cruise for my wife and I. We have sailed with a variety of cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean. Pros Embarkation and disembarkation were smooth and worry free. Had expedited embarkation and it worked. We had three outside cabins on the 11th deck. Room steward opened up the balcony dividers so we could get together on the balcony. Rooms were comfortable and clean. Room steward did a good job. Entertainment was good - Mama Mia, Aqua show. We reserved seat prior to sailing. Saved us time waiting in line. Had fixed seating in the MDR - American Grill - food was good, service was excellent. My wife and I had the premium beverage package, this is a must have, Otherwise you have to pay for every drink, including bottled water. Bar staff very good. Several excursions cancelled due to the weather and our money was credited to our account. Cons Ship is quite dated, and will be going in for an update soon. Mattress was lumpy. Wi-Fi was OK, but had to log on every time you wanted to use Wi-Fi. Windjammer buffet was just okay. Same food every day. No snacks, sandwiches available in pool area. Had to go to the Windjammer to get any snacks. Ver few waiters in the pool area. More convenient to go to the bar than wait for a waiter. Nickel and dime you for everything. Went on this cruise for our kids and grandchildren. Won't go on another Royal Caribbean cruise. Read Less

Wanted to do a pre-Christmas cruise for the price and wanted to try a big ship.I still think Fort Lauderdale is too far away so it may be last time for this cruise port.So much we did not try.But loved Mama Mia and Oceanaria at the aqua theater..They were probably the best I have ever seen.I Iiked the ice show,blue planet,adult comedy show,and the love and marriage show a lot.As always the service was top notch.Our cabin was 10323 and had the best views ever;was tiny for 3 however.Not much space for storage.Had a great steward Rayborn.Our mdr was Silk and our servers were Juliet and Kadek and were also top notch.Our ports were nassau,coco cay,cozumel and costa maya.Our only RC excursion was Costa Maya port pass and it was great for the money.Our splurge was photo package and we are pretty happy with it as well.We liked Allure but still may be more small ship people.Our entire family and friends loved their trip.Embarkation and disembarkation went smooth as well.Myself and my grand-son were flagged leaving and were separated from my husband which made getting our bags off bad but a porter saw and helped us and was greatly appreciated.We had the best parking to get out of Fort Lauderdale faster.And yes we would do it again if the price is right!! Read Less

We are loyal RC Platinum members. The Allure is a beautiful ship but the service and food is not up to RC standards as we have experienced on previous cruises. The crew appeared to just be going thru the motions without any enthusiasm. If you got in their way they would give you a dirty look and expect you to move rather than them moving for you. I have never experienced such terrible service on RC. Our waiter pretended to not speak English when asked for a special request. He also would put the food down and run off. His assistant would pour us water and disappear from the room for long periods of time leaving him to work alone. We had to constantly try to get his or her attention from across the room just to get a water refill. At the end he had the nerve to ask us to rate him as a 10 on the survey. The food was just ok in the main dining room. The only thing that was special was the lobster night. It was the same old tired menu every night with a few add ons but nothing that would knock your socks off. We did eat at the Samba Grill Brazilian restaurant one night for a fee and the service and food there was excellent. They were the exception. The cabin was a good size but it is looking old and run down. There were holes in the curtains, stains on the carpet and a loose linoleum tile in the shower. Our room attendant did a good job keeping it clean. She was also unfriendly but she did her job. Embarkation was quick but then we were moved to a holding area to wait to board. They kept filling in rows and since we were there somewhat early we sat in the first filled row. When they started to board, they took the last passengers to sit first. When I approached to complain I was told that I was skipping in line. She wouldn’t listen to me to explain they were doing it backwards. She was an angry person and just tried to loudly belittle me. That was an indication of how the service was going to be unfortunately. The best thing about Allureis it’s entertainment. Mama Mia was great. The water show was awesome. Blue Planet was really good too. The headliner show was Mo5aic and they were great. The comedians were ok. One was funny and the other not so much. Read Less

Ports of Call: Coco Cay Nassau Cozumel Puerto Costa Maya This was first time doing a holiday cruise with Royal and my 2nd time on the Allure. The mood of the staff seemed a lot less friendly than my previous experience on Allure. It felt like the entire crew was just told no one was getting a Christmas bonus. Normally after you go to the bar a few times, they know your name, I usually get to know some of the servers in Windjammer and find out where they are from and a little about their families. No one was really interested in chit chat - all you got was a brief greeting and acknowledgement that you existed. The Ports of Call I had been to before, nothing new there. Only thing that was different was that we were in Cozumel until 7:30pm, which I have never known Royal to stay at port past dark. Mo5aic was the headliner of this cruise(think cheaper Pentatonix) they were really good and did 3 shows. They also had Mama Mia, Oceanaire shows, plus the 70s night. The ship was decorated for Christmas and the Promenade deck had a beautiful tree and silver snowflakes hanging from the top. Ultimately, it was not the Royal Experience I am use to having. Read Less