I am currently on a cruise on Allure of the Seas. Will answer questions.

This is my first Royal Caribbean cruise. I have taken 7 Carnival cruises. I will try to answer any questions, but I won't reply until tommorrow.

No question...just wanted you to know how jealous I am! Will be aboard in 37 days...don't mess anything up!

31 days for us, so don't eat all of the pizza. Just Kidding enjoy!!!!!!!

This is my first Royal Caribbean cruise. I have taken 7 Carnival cruises. I will try to answer any questions, but I won't reply until tommorrow.

is it possible to eat at any specialty restaurant with Ultimative dinning package on embarkation day?

No question...just wanted you to know how jealous I am! Will be aboard in 37 days...don't mess anything up!

Lol, I'll try not to burn the ship down!

I'm so envious! I have to wait until next March. Are you on the Western itinerary? How do you like the ports? How do you like Royal Caribbean? Tell us everything!!!!

Lol, I'll try not to burn the ship down!

I appreciate that and hope you are having the cruise of your life! Welcome to RCI.

Going in October! Enjoy your cruise! :)

Keep that ship in tip top shape for us since we'll be boarding it on Sunday!!!

Enjoy the cruise!

How is the arcade? Are the machines working or are several of them out of order?

We've had problems on Oasis where more than half the machines don't work.

31 days for us, so don't eat all of the pizza. Just Kidding enjoy!!!!!!!

I can't promise anything about the pizza. I've been hitting Sorrentos pretty hard, lol

How is the arcade? Are the machines working or are several of them out of order? We've had problems on Oasis where more than half the machines don't work.

All of them are working as of the first day of the cruise.

I'm so envious! I have to wait until next March. Are you on the Western itinerary? How do you like the ports? How do you like Royal Caribbean? Tell us everything!!!!

We are on Western Caribbean. At Nassau, we went to blue lagoon island. It was beautiful and we were well taken care of. On a previous cruise with Carnival, we went to Balmoral island. I would recommend Balmoral island over Blue Lagoon, but they are both great. In Cozumel, I did not do an excursion this time because none looked appealing. I did some shopping near the port. Cozumel is a good place to souvenir shop, and I love the people. They are friendly.

I just got back from the Mayan Princess Resort in Roatan. We rode a nicely air conditioned bus 25 mins. to the resort. Drivers are nuts there, but it wasn't too scary. We were greeted with rum punch. Then we found a lounge chair and enjoyed their huge beautiful pool and the ocean. If you are standing in a certain strip of the beach you will be constantly approached by vendors, but they are friendly and easily take a "No, thank you for an answer". Lunch was chicken, salad, vegetables, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. It won't win any awards, but it wasn't bad. There were some interesting shops near the port and I really like the mahogany items they had for sale. I bought some coasters.

There are some things I like better about Carnival and some about Royal Caribbean. Food in the dining room is better than Carnival. Entertainment is 10 times better than Carnival. I like having a coin laundry available on Carnival. There is more of a learning curve on Royal Caribbean. Information is more forthcoming on Carnival. People are more subdued on RC, whereas people are more casual and fun on Carnival. The thing I like the least about Royal Caribbean is the fact that operating hours are very strange for some services, pools, eateries. Ice cream dispenser stations shouldn't close at 6. More free eateries should be open at certain times, etc. I wanted to swim one evening around 7 and no towel stations were open. I have gotten used to all this. you just have to look in your bulletin each day to see how long places are open. I could write a book about all this, but I don't have time. Bottom line, my next cruise will probably be Royal Caribbean, but it was close.

is it possible to eat at any specialty restaurant with Ultimative dinning package on embarkation day?

Sorry, I didn't buy that so I'm not sure.

Have a wonderful time. We go in 320 days so I am very jealous!

How is the arcade? Are the machines working or are several of them out of order?

 

We've had problems on Oasis where more than half the machines don't work.

Just left Allure on 8/12. Only one major arcade game was out of order. We hit most of them, I have the charges on my seapass account to prove it. :(:(

We are on Western Caribbean. At Nassau, we went to blue lagoon island. It was beautiful and we were well taken care of. On a previous cruise with Carnival, we went to Balmoral island. I would recommend Balmoral island over Blue Lagoon, but they are both great. In Cozumel, I did not do an excursion this time because none looked appealing. I did some shopping near the port. Cozumel is a good place to souvenir shop, and I love the people. They are friendly.

 

I just got back from the Mayan Princess Resort in Roatan. We rode a nicely air conditioned bus 25 mins. to the resort. Drivers are nuts there, but it wasn't too scary. We were greeted with rum punch. Then we found a lounge chair and enjoyed their huge beautiful pool and the ocean. If you are standing in a certain strip of the beach you will be constantly approached by vendors, but they are friendly and easily take a "No, thank you for an answer". Lunch was chicken, salad, vegetables, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. It won't win any awards, but it wasn't bad. There were some interesting shops near the port and I really like the mahogany items they had for sale. I bought some coasters.

 

 

There are some things I like better about Carnival and some about Royal Caribbean. Food in the dining room is better than Carnival. Entertainment is 10 times better than Carnival. I like having a coin laundry available on Carnival. There is more of a learning curve on Royal Caribbean. Information is more forthcoming on Carnival. People are more subdued on RC, whereas people are more casual and fun on Carnival. The thing I like the least about Royal Caribbean is the fact that operating hours are very strange for some services, pools, eateries. Ice cream dispenser stations shouldn't close at 6. More free eateries should be open at certain times, etc. I wanted to swim one evening around 7 and no towel stations were open. I have gotten used to all this. you just have to look in your bulletin each day to see how long places are open. I could write a book about all this, but I don't have time. Bottom line, my next cruise will probably be Royal Caribbean, but it was close.

Hey quick note about night swimming. My kids had me out there every night. About amidships on the starboard side just past the kiddie pool across from the bar there was always an open towel station, even at night. Check there tonight.

I am on in a few weeks ,

Who do you have for the headliner show ?

Thanks

I am on in a few weeks ,

Who do you have for the headliner show ?

Thanks

Finis Henderson. He does musical impressions and is very entertaining.

Hey quick note about night swimming. My kids had me out there every night. About amidships on the starboard side just past the kiddie pool across from the bar there was always an open towel station, even at night. Check there tonight.

Thanks. I will do that. I went around to 3 different towel stations and even asked a lifeguard who directed me to a closed towel station, but I could have missed one.

I am on in a few weeks ,

Who do you have for the headliner show ?

Thanks

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We are on Western Caribbean. At Nassau, we went to blue lagoon island. It was beautiful and we were well taken care of. On a previous cruise with Carnival, we went to Balmoral island. I would recommend Balmoral island over Blue Lagoon, but they are both great. In Cozumel, I did not do an excursion this time because none looked appealing. I did some shopping near the port. Cozumel is a good place to souvenir shop, and I love the people. They are friendly.

 

I just got back from the Mayan Princess Resort in Roatan. We rode a nicely air conditioned bus 25 mins. to the resort. Drivers are nuts there, but it wasn't too scary. We were greeted with rum punch. Then we found a lounge chair and enjoyed their huge beautiful pool and the ocean. If you are standing in a certain strip of the beach you will be constantly approached by vendors, but they are friendly and easily take a "No, thank you for an answer". Lunch was chicken, salad, vegetables, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. It won't win any awards, but it wasn't bad. There were some interesting shops near the port and I really like the mahogany items they had for sale. I bought some coasters.

 

 

There are some things I like better about Carnival and some about Royal Caribbean. Food in the dining room is better than Carnival. Entertainment is 10 times better than Carnival. I like having a coin laundry available on Carnival. There is more of a learning curve on Royal Caribbean. Information is more forthcoming on Carnival. People are more subdued on RC, whereas people are more casual and fun on Carnival. The thing I like the least about Royal Caribbean is the fact that operating hours are very strange for some services, pools, eateries. Ice cream dispenser stations shouldn't close at 6. More free eateries should be open at certain times, etc. I wanted to swim one evening around 7 and no towel stations were open. I have gotten used to all this. you just have to look in your bulletin each day to see how long places are open. I could write a book about all this, but I don't have time. Bottom line, my next cruise will probably be Royal Caribbean, but it was close.

Great comments. It's interesting that you find the dining room better on Royal, that's one thing that a majority tend to suggest Carnival does better. I think they are pretty equal, personally. And yeah, the entertainment is so ridiculous on Oasis-class ships that it really does make a big difference. Having a show or something amazing to see almost every night is not a small difference.

Once you sail a ship like Allure, it's REALLY difficult to go back to the smaller ships. :DWe have Allure coming up and also a Celebrity and Carnival cruise. We do them all, but there is no doubt that I prefer Oasis class.

For the towel situation, why not just hold on to a towel? Why do you even need a towel station open? If you need an extra towel, just go out on deck at 8AM, there is lots of towels just laying on chairs.

Finis Henderson. He does musical impressions and is very entertaining.

One of our favorite headliners.:)

I’m currently on Allure too. I’ve found this ship to be very warm, especially in the halls/elevators. Our cabin is warm at night too. Even with the air conditioning turned to the lowest level we still can t get it cool enough.

Just an FYI for those sailing her soon.