We were curious to try Allure of the Seas, an Oasis Class Ship currently home-porting in Galveston. The new terminal was impressive, as was the face-recognition check-in process. At no time did I feel crowded on this large ship, which was fully booked. The usual boarding day congestion and elevator delays were to be expected, as on just about any other cruise ship. Even though the cruise was sold out, the Allure didn't feel like hordes of people were everywhere... RCCL designed the ship well.

Specialty Dining Package - the Restaurants were good with 5 to choose from on Allure. Book Izumi Hibachi ASAP as soon as you get on board... dinner reservations go fast. Most of the specialty restaurants are in the Central Park area, which is a beautiful area with a small bar and live music often being played. At times the cuisine was a too heavy or rich, but overall good. We tried the main dining room for lunch on a sea day... excellent. The Windjammer is always what it is, LOL, efficient, crowded, and good overall.

The Key - With a sold-out cruise on an Oasis Class ship, the Key came in handy for check-in and departure... and included WiFi. The welcome aboard lunch and departure breakfast were excellent... a nice way to start vacation onboard and debark from the ship. If you take advantage of the features the Key offers, it can be be well worth it. Read more