This was our 5th cruise overall. All of previous cruises have been on Disney. We decided to take a longer cruise this time (previous cruises were each 3 nts) and try a "Mega-ship" for the amenities and activities. For our family of four (my husband, myself and our two kids- a teen and young adult) RCCL's Allure of the Seas did not disappoint.

Embarkation and Disembarkation- Embarkation was smooth. Our appt time was noon and the whole process took about 45 minutes. Disembarkation was easy as well--we chose to keep our luggage and use Express departure. Although the line on the ship seemed long to disembark, it moved constantly and we were off the ship in ten minutes. We also used a new mobile app for Customs and got to use a special line which had zero wait.

Ship- The Allure is amazing. It truly feels like a floating city; you forget you are on a ship. When you are on the Royal Promenade, it feels as if you are strolling through a shopping mall. A favorite area was Central Park. Located on Deck 8, it was always a quiet and calm area with beautiful trees and other live plants and foliage. The piped in sounds of birds and crickets at night were a neat touch. The Boardwalk was fun and bright and the Carousel added to the "boardwalk" feel. The Solarium (pool area for 16+) was also a very nice area; although it was very crowded and hard to find a lounger. The Solarium only has one tiny pool which was packed so we didn't use it. Same for the regular pools. Also, we did find it odd that a mega-ship like Allure does not have any water slides. Read more