I chose this cruise because it was a time my family could come (9 people in 3 cabins) and Ft Lauderdale was convenient to get to for all. I had heard the Allure was a great ship but I was a bit disappointed that there were no water slides and that RCL no longer had the Dreamworks characters or any substitution. Also, there was no parade on this cruise though they were rehearsing one for the future. Still, everyone had loads of fun with the activities on board.
We landed in Ft Lauderdale on the day before (which we usually do) and got on board at 11:15 AM. There were plenty of people to help us learn about the ship and there even was a talk about the ship on embarkation day- though it could have been better. Our luggage was delivered on time though we went to the dining room in shorts and our "special" family t-shirts.
The ship is due for changes (retrofitting) and it needs it. There were places where it was showing it's age. Also, as stated before, there were no water slides which almost all ships now seem to have. The service was excellent throughout. We had some issues (like a toilet that stopped working) that were resolved quickly. There were many venues and choices of entertainment and fun that were easy to get into- even without a reservation- and the quality of the entertainment throughout the ship was excellent- especially the orchestra. My wife got sick while on board and had to see the doctor. They took good care of her, allowed her to access movies and room service without charge and even gave us something special at the end of the cruise.
The cabin was roomy for an inside cabin, has adequate storage space and provides a window to look out onto the Promenade. Depending where you are, you can see certain parts of any activity. For most of the day, you do not hear very much noise. However, if you are a light sleeper, have small children who get to bed early or you go to bed before 11, this may not be for you. Noise is heard from the Promenade during party activities, Boleros and even On Air. It did not affect most of my family but it can be heard. The Allure needs refurbishing at this time as the furniture shows wear. The shower is very small.
There was no problem getting on the ship. It was very crowded getting off but it went smoothly. We were disappointed that there were no free shuttles to the airport but now learned that we can rent a car at the pier, take a free shuttle to the car rental place then drop it at the airport at no extra charge.
It was a general overview that could have had another stop or 2 instead of a shopping stop of 30 minutes
We had been here before and did not get off the ship but wish more things would be free. My daughter-in-law had to run back to the ship at the end of the day because there were not enough trams to accommodate the people and their time should not have been pushed back to the last hour.