I just finished a week on the Allure with a group of 4 adults (age 31-38) with no kids. We are seasoned cruisers, with 2 of us Diamond members and 2 Diamond Plus. We live in South FL, so no hotels or flights. This cruise was all about the ship for us, since we've been to these ports many times in the past.

We made sure to make reservations for all the shows online before we got to the boat. This saved us a lot of time on the first day, when everyone else waited in line to get reservations. We also reserved 2 specialty restaurants ahead of time to make sure they were not full. A few other tips for first time cruisers..bring your own water and soda. Even if you have to stop in a taxi at a gas station on the way to the port, you'll save a lot of money this way. As long as it is non-alcoholic, you can bring it on board.

Embarkation was very smooth. We arrived around 11am and were on the ship eating by 11:30. We skipped the Windjammer during the day, as it is overcrowded most of the time. We headed straight for Park Cafe. They have delicious salads, panini's, and the best roast beef sandwich (I ate one 5 out of 7 days onboard!). We walked around the ship, exploring Central Park, Boardwalk, and the Promenade. We hit the zip line to avoid the long lines on the sea days. It was a fun experience, but it's over too quick! Don't forget to look down at the Boardwalk ? Read more