sparklymermaid

Today was formal night, and we were to have our first dinner in MDR. We went to the cabin to change in to fancy dress and found a friend on the bed!

 

 

 

 

 

After we had changed it was already 19:45, and when we got down to American Icon (the dining room for MTD on deck three) the line was out to the elevators. They worked pretty quickly however, so we were sitting down at about 20:05.

 

I did see this little notice when we got to the front of the line. It seems like Wine & Dine package is still being sold. Or maybe they just forgot to remove it.

 

 

The waiter and assistant waiter were friendly, and had no trouble finding the wine we had put away from yesterday at Chops. They also gave us a Royal Cheese-platter when we sat down, although I don’t know why. :D 

So loving the photos :). How about photos of you in formal dress. My husband and I are on Allure in October but have opted for not doing formal this time, but i love seeing outfits.

I love your truthful descriptions too.

Keep them coming.

This is going to be a trip report over our cruise on Allure of the Seas in the Mediterranean between 16th an 23rd of August.

 

For all who might not want to read, but want to see pretty pictures, I have uploaded them to Flickr, so please go ahead and look at those.

 

This link is for all the cabin photos: Cabin

This link is for all menus (food and drink) that I took pictures of: Menus

This is for all other photos: Cruise

 

We were in Junior Suite 9642, on the aft starboard hump. We had the royal replenish package, and we purchased internet for one device for the duration of the cruise.

 

For those of you that don’t mind reading about us, the people on this trip are me (Sussi) and my husband Niklas. We are both in our early thirties with no kids. We’re from Stockholm, Sweden, so please excuse any faulty spelling or weird turns of phrase.

 

I also wrote most this on my iPad while we were on the trip to make sure I didn’t forget anything. However, the keyboard is not perfect. I’ve gone over this in Word on my computer before posting it here, but there still might be some mistakes here and there. I'm also editing as I go along, hopefully to make it more amusing to read, so I won't be able to post everything at once.

 

We spent one day in Barcelona before the cruise, and stayed for one night after the cruise. I will talk a bit about what we did between our departure from home and when we embarked, but it will be relatively short, so we’ll soon get to the good stuff. :)

 

So, are you ready? Ok then, here we go.

Thank you for a wonderful review and photos :) Well done :)

Reading about the Colosseum, even with jump the line it says you can stand in line for up to two hours for a security check. Has anyone had to do this?

Also are the sites in Florence, Rome and Naples very strict with bag sizes going through security?

I will be bringing my own but what will be in the room and bathrooms. I have read conflicting remarks. Do they supply shampoo, conditioner and body wash? Are there ice buckets in the rooms?:

I think your Norwegian Jade cruise arrives on Monday the 2nd of May, 2016.

 

That will be a holiday in Spain as the 1st of May falls on a Sunday this year.

 

That means that taxi fares will be the highest fare, just like a Sunday as well.

 

Just getting in a taxi will charge at a minimum

 

Port fee 4.20

T3 base fare 2.30

4 km at 5.60

Time for trip 2.20

Total 14.30

 

and 1 euro for each bag.

 

The port bus would cost you 2.50 each and then a taxi up la Rambla would be:

Might have to walk a little to taxi rank at maybe 2 to 5 minutes as no taxi right at the bus. Really not worth it for 1 or 2 passengers.

 

T3 2.30

2 km 2.80

time 1.80

Total 6.90 minimum

and 1 euro for each bag.

Thank you for feed bag everyone :)

Hi, I have checked trip advisor and cruise critic. Is it better to prebook the taxi, and if so which company? There are a lot of negative remarks. Also I cannot quite grab if it is supposed to be a standard cost from the airport to any hotel.:):confused:

Those fees are high! I don't understand how that is. Each time I have traveled to Spain(twice) and Portugal(once) we got the best rate through the ATMS. Fees were $1-2 through their national banks and shockingly Citibank charged $4. We have used airport ATMS as well. Using a debit card incurred the same cost.

Hi,

The Canadian dollar is at an all time low, our exchange is awful. We have many Americans here is Canada now as your dollar buys a lot..

Our Canadian dollar is horrible. 500 euros today would cost me $730 Canadian

:(

If you are a party of two, and they seat you at 5:30, then you can probably get out of the MDR in an hour if you tell the waiter your time contraint. If they can't seat you at 5:30pm, then I'd go to WJ.

Thank you :)

I have Mama Mia booked for our first night, which starts at 6.45pm. I also was using My Time Dining for 5.30pm. Every time I try to choose 5.30 it tells there is a conflict as dining shows as two hours. I have tried contacting RC but still no response. Does anyone know if we show up at 5.30 we can say we are in a hurry, or should we eat at WJ, Johnny Rockets or?? The specialized restaurants are the same conflict.:confused:

I have my time dining as that was all that showed on my cruise planner. I have reserved times. Does anyone know if the menus are the same for all dining venues?

With room service on a large ship, is the food hot when it arrives, for example scrambled eggs?

We are not on the ship for the food but I am interested in hearing views.

uploading these wasn't bad, used my iPad and photo bucket and a lot of copy/paste to do it. all in all between the two days, maybe 45 minutes.

 

the trip review may take awhile. but it was great. some ports better than others, wasn't a fan of marseilles but I think that was mostly because of the tour we were on and much was closed on bastille day. i should have the mod's change my title to a review and start posting the day by day with pics. bout to start up the last 3 college classes for my degree so i won't have much time after next week.

 

maybe i'll start up a word doc and do it little by little over the next year or so lol

LOL...I don't blame you wanting to take a year to write your review. I just love reading peoples views. I love hearing how long to takes to walk from the ship to wherever etc:)

Glad you had a good time :)

And because everyone keeps asking about Allure disembarkation process see these last few pictures. It's a big boat, it uses 2 terminals in BCN since that seems to be where the majority of people get on/off at. The Rome embarkation definitely seemed to be much easier on them with amount of people. FYI, they'll use the forward gangways for departing people and the aft ones for those who are just there for a port call in both ports. Disembark was EXTREMELY easy and efficient. We opted for Tag 41 as it was about the latest you could get off since we had a few more days in BCN post cruise and couldn't check in to the hotel until later. Even still, we were called about 0845 and were in a cab no later than 915.

 

 

 

This was great and I am sure time consuming. Thank you again. Now..how was your trip. what did you do on shore, IF you have time :)

I realize it depends on the tour company and to the extent of the tour but any advise on the average for a tip? Here in Canada we tip between 15-20%

We are going in a week and a half. We booked option 1 - taste of Sorrento and Pompeii. We booked the one that uses a smaller vehicle and less people on the tour. When I get back I can let you know how it was.

Thank you. Looking forward to your review. Hope you have wonderful time :)

My husband and I will be in Naples for the day (7 AM - 8 PM) while on a Mediterranean cruise this summer. I have been to Capri before and loved it and would like to go to Pompeii this time. I thought that we would add an extra stop before visiting Pompeii. There are two tours that we are looking at and I was wondering if anyone could provide some input.

 

 

We would prefer to book an excursion with the cruise line rather than a DIY one for this port.

 

 

 

1) Taste of Sorrento & Pompeii - 8 hours

Delight in the sights and flavors of Italy's Coast of Sorrento at a rural farmhouse, then explore the ill-fated history of the ancient citizens of Pompeii. Relax in a Sorrento farmhouse, learn about cheese and olive oil production, then taste fresh mozzarella and salami. Roam freely around picturesque Sorrento, peeking in gift shops or enjoying lunch in a trattoria on your own. Tour archeological ruins of Pompeii in a historical exploration that will amaze you.

Highlights:

• Farmhouse Tasting: Savor a selection of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and Italian meats while relaxing in Sorrento.

• Sorrento: Spend 1-1/2 hours exploring the breathtaking seaside village, shopping for souvenirs, or dining beachside on Italian cuisine.

• Pompeii: Visit the site of tragic destruction in the ancient town buried by ash and lava from Mount Vesuvius.

2) Amalfi Drive & Pompeii - 9 hours 30 minutes

Delight in breathtaking oceanfront scenery as you drive along the Amalfi Coast and enjoy a tasty Italian lunch before scouring ancient archaeological ruins in Pompeii. Travel along winding roads, admiring dazzling turquoise waters en route to Amalfi. Stroll cobblestone streets and see the outside of the Cathedral of St. Andrew before relaxing with lunch. Explore Pompeii's sprawling excavations, seeing artifacts and ruins from the 79 AD Mount Vesuvius eruption.

Highlights:

• Amalfi Coast: Take in spectacular coastal views while winding along cliffs, azure waters, and picturesque vertical towns.

• Amalfi Village: Wander the charming seaside square, seeing the 11th century Cathedral of St. Andrew and enjoying a delightful lunch.

• Pompeii: Walk among Roman mansions, baths, porticoes, mosaic floors, and lavish temples in the forum of the ruined city.

Hi, have you been on your cruise? If so which tour did you Choose? :)

ENTERTAINMENT:

OCEAN ARIA - Exhilarating, top notch, really cool to see the high divers

MAMMA MIA - Even though I'd already seen it 4 times, the RCCL performance was as good as any Broadway show

MARK WALLACE (COMEDIAN) - Good show, not obnoxious or R-rated at all. Overall a good show. Liked how he incorporated the audience into his act.

TENORS of ROCK - Did not see

BLUE PLANET - Dancers, singers, acrobats, all in all a very good variety show

ICE GAMES Ice Show - I always marvel on how well these skaters are in a small rink and a moving ship. Excellent Show!!

All the above required an RSVP( and YES they scan your Sea pass card as you enter to make sure) Ocean Aria and Mamma Mia were the only ones that were SRO only.

DRINKS/SHOPPING. The 21% VAT brings the cost of a bottle of beer to about $8, and a Baileys on the Rocks cost me $11!. Shopping was the typical stuff you would see on a RCCL ship [Wait until Sat, when everything is discounted]

DEBARKATION - VERY WELL ORGANIZED!! Even though we used the express service, they was no long queue to get off. Bags looked like they were coming out for the luggage carousels at the right time. The ALLURE is so big it uses 2 terminals so be sure you know where your bags are coming out of.

Remember that this is a dual boarding itinerary, with 2/3 leaving in Barcelona and 1/3 leaves in Rome.

PASSENGER MIX. - A lot form the UK, Germany, and the Far East as well as the US. Best behaved children I have witnessed in a LONG time. Polite, no pushing, shoving screaming and running up and down the hallways.

That's all I can think of; Now for the questions......

Do you mean everything is discounted on Saturday, eg Michael Kors, Coach etc?.

We did the Capri on your own package. We had intended to try and go to the blue grotto. However because of sea and land conditions the blue grotto was closed.

 

We were essentially walked from the port to the ferry by a guide (Giovanni). On the way across he met with everyone and offered a one-hour tour of the island. He was who told us the blue grotto was closed. He also explained that in order to see the blue grotto you will generally wait two hours and then have three minutes in the cave. He recommended the one hour tour in its place at a cost of $22 US.

 

We ended up being a little skeptical (My GF and I are 40 and 39 respectively) that this was a simple upsell. However it was clear at the ferry docking the blue grotto was indeed closed and so we decided for an hour we would risk it. I am glad we did. We both enjoyed this one hour excursion.

 

Additionally Giovanni sold the train tickets that transported you to the top of Capri. He sold them at face value and while the line seemed massively long was only about a 20-30 minute wait. Probably closer to 20 but we were not paying close attention.

 

Giovanni also made a recommendation for lunch. Al Capri' Don Alfonso Caffe. This restaurant is to the left of the exit of the train about 10-15 store fronts down the road at the exit. It has views overlooking the town and port. Several folks did eat there and said the food was good but a little on the expensive side.

 

We actually did not know its exact location when we exited and while we happened to walk in the right direction we ended up having lunch at Isidoro. Which is also to the left but closer to the train station. They have seating on three floors. I did not see the view from the terrace as it was full at the time of our seating. Possibly views of the port and town as well. Instead we took a two person balcony table and had a really nice lunch. We had a bottle of wine, individual apps, and individual pizza's (all very good) and enjoyed our view of the bustling street below. All in with wine and a few bottles of water we paid about $50 euros each. Wine was between $30 and $35 euros.

 

After this we were able to walk the streets a bit. And then elected to take the pedestrian steps down to the port to meet back up with our scheduled ferry departure.

 

We loved this excursion. We tend to enjoy taking our time and would prefer to miss something entirely than be rushed when viewing or visiting something we want to see. This excursion offered the perfect balance of going with the crowd and free time to explore.

 

No doubt you could do this without RCI but I can tell you we were glad to have Giovanni to help us think through our day at the outset.

 

Other days we did do on our own (La Spezia, went to Pisa, and Rome, went to the coliseum). But I am the money guy and in our relationship and found that I was happy with the value I got in return for this excursion.

 

Whatever you decided to do I hope you have a great time.

Thank you fro replying. We are a young couple in the 60's. I am still procrastinating, Capri or Pompeii. I am not good at organizing groups and I am paranoid we do not get back to the ship on time .

Thank you for replying. I am still procrastinating. We are a young sixties couple..LOL. I am not a leader who can organize. Its also hard knowing whether to see Capri or Pompeii? The fear of being late back to ship haunts me too.

Wonderful shots, colour is terrific. Keep them coming :)

Thank you. I have scanned the Cruise Compasses and they can be downloaded from http://thepotters.org/blog/download/western-med-compass/

Yeah..Cheers!!! Great, thank you for spending time doing this. Very gratefull.:):):)

User A&L Ont is working on a review now that will include the compasses. It's from the Rome-embarkation, but the entertainment will be the same.

 

I've attached the menu in this post. They should be in the same order in the Excel-sheet as they are from the Barcelona-embarkation.

 

[ATTACH]354716[/ATTACH]

Thank you for your time. 😀😀

Sussi,

 

You´re Excel sheet is listing the US menus. There are slightly different from the menus used in Europe like there´s no Fisherman´s Plate (lobster) and the Shrimp Gyoza turns into a Chicken Gyoza.

 

Goldensax,

 

You will find all MDR menus in my review including photos of the dishes we had. If you use google translate even my writing might make some sense (text is in German).

 

Sorry but the Compasses are 6 pages for each day and I don´t see any sense to make photos or scans of those as the print is really fine and hard to read on a photo. If you do have any specific questions I´m happy to look it up and answer them.

 

steamboats

Thank you. 😃

Thank you everyone :)

Has anyone booked a RCI tour for Naples?