After our trip on Oasis of the Seas in June, we booked the Allure trip immediately. We could not wait to get back on board! Getting on board from Ft. Lauderdale was a breeze. We live in Florida, so we used the Park n' Go which was super convenient. We arrived at the terminal at 11 am, and there were no lines. It was easy peasy getting on board. Once on board with our carry-on bags, we went directly to the restaurant concierge to make reservations for the specialty restaurants, arranged around our pre-booked shows. From there it is lunch in the Solarium and drinks while waiting for the room to be ready at 1 pm. There we met our lovely stateroom attendant Ophelia, who will keep our room ready, clean, and comfortable. We dined in Chops Grille, enjoying the Branzino, lamb, and filet. In 150 Central Park, the mushroom soup is to die for, and the market vegetables with lentil curry was a vegetarian pleasure, but the filet mignon was divine with the Bordelaise sauce. The itinerary for this cruise was awesome: Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts. I am not a big fan of Nassau, which is just a shopping port in my opinion. We didn't spend on excursions here, preferring to just buy rum. St. Thomas is still recovering from Hurricane Irma but the shops are all open. I recommend doing the ship's excursions rather than being subject to the "taxi mafia" as the locals call them. A trip to Magen's Bay was $100 for a couple by the time you pay the fare to and from and the entry $5 each at the park. The best island was St. Kitts. It was stunning in every way, the port is nice, the island gorgeous, the beach refreshing. Our taxi driver gave a bit of history and culture with our ride, and the drive to Cockleshell Beach was spectacular. Beautiful vistas on every side! We love the Oasis class ships and enjoy all the specialty dining options, the soothing thermal suite and spa, and the Solarium "adults only" area. We travel for relaxation, entertainment, and indulgence. These ships provide endless opportunity for us. I would recommend the balcony suites between the elevators for quick access to both ends of the ship. And be sure to enjoy the Solarium hot tubs with a night cap before calling it a day.
The rooms have a decent-sized bathroom, not room for two at one time. There was plenty of storage and hooks for hanging wet suits and towels. The bed was soft and plush, and the black out curtains kept any light from waking us too early. We had a sofa, small coffee table, and makeup/workstation with chair. The balcony table and chairs were roomy enough to enjoy breakfast or cocktails on. I like the size of these rooms for 2 people. More people or children and you would be bumping into each other.
You have to take a taxi bus unless you are fit enough to walk to the town, and you have to take one to go to the beaches. It was pricey, and these guys are called the "taxi mafia" by locals on the island because of their monopoly on tourist traffic. The best bet is to take an excursion with your ship in my opinionl
This island gem made the trip worth it. What a great island, beautiful, friendly, and convenient to and from the beach by taxi bus. $6 per person, each way. $24 for a great day. Beer was $3, and frozen cocktails were $7 at Cockleshell Beach.
We felt we could have skipped this island and spent more time elsewhere. It was too cool to go to the beach (November) and it was a gloomy overcast day.