Allure of the Seas Review
Wonderful Ship - Okay to Bad on Excursions
Rating by category
Additional details
This was our family's first cruise. We went because we wanted to give our kids a sampling of Europe and a cruise was a good way to easily hit a lot of locations. Overall we were very happy with the trip and it was gave us what we wanted. The ship was nearly perfect for us, the excursions were not.
Our worst experience with the ship itself was just getting on board. We hadn't even boarded when we were stopped by a pushy representative of Chops Grille who made us feel uncomfortable and pressured. If this had been my second cruise, and not my first, I just would have ignored him. Now I know. After that bad start, I was worried about what we signed up for, but everyone on the ship after that was wonderful.
We stayed in two interior rooms. They were in good condition, except for the mattresses which felt a little saggy. The staff kept things very clean and Leo our stateroom attendant was very helpful.
Cabin Review
Large Interior Stateroom
Cabin was small, but big enough for the two of us. Surprisingly, I didn't mind having an interior room since we spent so much of our time off the ship. Usually I was just there to sleep and I didn't need a window.
Port Reviews
Barcelona
Barcelona is spectacular. We spent two days there prior to cruising and it wasn't enough. The Sagrada Familia and Park Guell were the highlights. If you go to the Sagrada try to get tickets to go up into one of the towers.
Palma de Mallorca (Majorca)
Bellver Castle and the cathedral were unexpected surprises for us. The castle offers a great view of Palma and the cathedral has amazing stained glass and other architectural features. The beach at Cala Major is a long walk from the port, but do-able.