Pooh8941

Thank you!

and if Sabor is included in the 30 percent OBC, how and when does it appear on your account?

Thanks, Clarea and Molly! Saved me the trouble of canceling.

I just booked and paid for Chops on the first night. Will they allow me to use the coupon and refund me for one person? Or should I cancel the booking and wait until I am on the ship to make reservations and use the coupon?

The Hilton is as good a choice as any. I would recommend sticking with that. It seems to get nicer there every year. For future reference, other very nice beachfront hotels in the same vicinity are W, Atlantic, and Ritz Carlton, all built in the last 10 yrs. Westin (formerly Yankee Trader) and Sonesta (formerly B Ocean, formerly Holiday Inn) were closed and fully renovated and reopened during the same time period in the same

 

 

Then we will stay with the Hilton and feel very comfortable with our choice, given your recommendation. :) you help take a lot of stress out of the planning. Thanks for all the extra information for future trips. We love sailing out of Fort Lauderdale.

Hilton Beach is nice. It was built only a few years ago and has also been renovated recently. I didn't recommend it because you wanted something close to water taxi. I like Seasons 52, but I also like the restaurant in your hotel S3 (AKA Sun, Sand Surf) a lot, as well as Beauty and the Feast a couple of blocks north in the Atlantic Hotel. Unless you are planning to go mall shopping, there is no need to taxi to the mall.

Thank you for for the endorsement of Hilton Beach. And yes, I did want to be close to the water taxi, but booked this hotel because I thought I might be running out of time to get a nice room, which is more important to us than saving a little money, or being on the water taxi route. If you can point me to a better choice I would be more than willing to change. Thank you, too, for the restaurant information. They both sound very good.

Thank you. Also Marriott Residence Inn is taking over the Il Lugano. It's about 7 miles north of the port (so more taxi fare) but it's very nice, close to water taxi and a bunch of restaurants and 2 blocks from beach (Fort Lauderdale). It's great for between cruises because there are washers and dryers in the units.

Thank you for all the ideas. Turns out the Renaissance was full, too, so we booked the Hilton Beach Resort (before reading your last post), with the idea of taking a taxi over to the galleria mall for restaurants in the evening. Is this a good decision? 52 Seasons maybe?

I will check it out. Thank you for replying. You provide an invaluable service.:)

Where do you place your luggage?

We just added a cruise to make a b2b in Jan 2015 and now find our go to hotels are booked (Hilton Marina, Embassy Suites and Doubletree at Subset). We are looking for suggestions of comparable hotels close to the water taxi and restaurants. Thank you for suggestions.

These are really splendid photos--the color and composition are striking. And I love your coverage of the ship and comments. All so very helpful!

I sailed on the 7th inaugural cruise and am currently booked on a b2b Jan 17 and 24 in 14730, one of the new aft grand suites (second leg, standard grand suite first leg.) We are thrilled to be sailing this beautiful ship again.

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.

We are traveling to Port Canaveral for our upcoming cruise and would like to purchase wine before boarding. Are there any wine stores or grocery stores near the Raddison?

Thank you BBL and Mary Lou! I am new to the Celebrity website and apologize for not finding this so obvious information. Yes, I am a non-smoker and am reluctant to book if smoking is allowed on balconies. I'm in the planning stage of a med cruise next year. Thank you both.

This is probably an old question, but I can't seem to find the answer on the Celebrity site. What is the policy on smoking?

then we will do it! Thank you both for all the help.:)

Thank you for the good information. We are thinking about taking a taxi to the entrance to De Palm Pier and getting chairs and an umbrella near the Bugaloe Bar and maybe having lunch there. Is this a good plan? thank you in advance.

Aruba Lisa, we are 2 senior women cruising alone. Would it be safe for us to take a taxi from the cruise ship to Palm Beach? We have always done a ship's catamaran excursion, but that is so expensive, and we would like more flexibility.

Thank you.

Gambee, you have amazed us all. I have never read a review with such universal endorsements from all the readers. And it's certainly the single most comprehensive cruise review of all time. Yet it is more than just a review of the wonderful Allure. I think we have all been seduced by your sweet and vibrant personality, and how giving you are--one little example is the time and effort to type in all the user names of those who posted during your review. You have taken a rather mechanical venue (writing on an internet forum) to new levels. The accolades and interactions on the thread make this review truly unique. I know you will write more wonderful reviews and I hope this will be a springboard for a new career in writing and photography. I think by now you must feel a least 10 feet tall! Enjoy! Thank you!

Gambee, give yourself a day off. Enjoy Thanksgiving with Mom and bf! We will all be here when you come back. :)

Once in a while something comes along like your review that just delights us all. (Not that the others are any less appreciated. I read them every one and am grateful for each one.) This is just to say thank you for the dedication and work this took (is taking). I think this is a good forum for you and I hope, a beginning for an even wider audience. You have charm, personality and spirit; and skill in photography for sure! I left the Allure the day you boarded. Wish I could have met you. Love the relationships in this review and how you take care of them. :-)

I think the South Beach Water Taxi might have ended...I can't find it either. It was a really long ride to spend a short time there. There is another way to get to/from South Beach: www.thesouthbeachshuttle.com

Use code TSBS online to save $5 on a roundtrip.

 

There are a few good restaurants right near the hotel. Check out Texas de Brazil, Truluck, and Capital Grill for more upscale dining and Seasons 52, Jade Palace, or PF Changs for more casual.

Thank you for these tips. We actually wanted the water taxi to South Beach just to be on the water, so I think we will continue to explore Ft Lauderdale by Water Taxi, which makes for a great time. :) Also looking forward to trying out a couple of these restaurants you name. We usually stay at the Hilton Marina, so this location will be new for us. Thanks again.

Hi,

We will be cruising October 28 and staying 2 days early at Galleria One. We will probably want to do one upscale (dressy) restaurant and one casual, within walking distance or short taxi ride and would love to have your recommendations. Also, we had planned on taking the water taxi excursion to Miami but I can't seem to find that option on their website. Do you know if it has been discontinued?

Thank you.