This was our 5th cruise, the 2nd with Royal Caribbean. We cruised the western Caribbean on the Allure. Royal Caribbean once again proved to be our favorite cruise line! There was so much to do on this ship, things going on concurrently; we recommend reading the Cruise Compass each morning, and plan your day. The ship is amazing, not only because it is huge and beautiful, but also because there is just so much to do in so many venues; literally something for everybody no matter what age or interest. Thoughts from our experience:

- The shows: book online before your cruise date. They fill up. Get to each (especially Chicago, OceanAria & Ice Games) 45 minutes early and get in line to get a good seat, even with a reservation. Reservations are checked at the door with your seapass; saving seats is discouraged, but people still do it. Don't book an evening show on lobster night (Thursday, day 5 for our cruise, which was also the 2nd formal night). Chicago and OceanAria are must-sees; exceeding expectations. Blue Planet also wonderful. Our Headliner was Paul Boland, a comic singer impressionist and he was wonderful. The Comedy Show starred A J Jamal & Rick Corso; very hilarious. We scheduled it for the last evening, a great way to end the cruise, but we missed the Move It! Move It! Parade in the Royal Promenade going on at the same time (7:45 PM), which we wanted to see; no way of knowing that at the time we scheduled. About the Amber Theatre: the AC vents are under each seat on the main floor & when the AC is running (which was most of the time, it is VERY cold, to the point of being a distraction; even my husband was cold; recommend wearing slacks and enclosed shoes and bringing a wrap for the ladies. Also, on the lower balcony, don't sit directly behind the sound/lighting control area (which is on the rear of the main floor) because there are two computer screens on and lit all the time and the light from them is also very distracting. About the Aqua Theatre: the first 3 rows are "splash zones" something you may or may not like. Every other row thereafter is alternating, beach-like chairs, and benches. Probably not a bad seat in the house, but we preferred a seat with a back.

- Best meal we had was in the Samba Grille. Go hungry and don't fill up on the salad bar, as there are 9 different meats coming your way as the main course. It's a wonderful atmosphere and a very enjoyable evening; plan on two hours to enjoy the experience. Read more