Not so "Just Back" from Allure Trip Report 11/2011

[M&JfromSDL]

Posting this waaaaaay too long after we returned home from our Allure cruise. But I love reading trip reports and scrolling through pictures…living vicariously through other CCers while I am at work. So here goes:

 

Saturday, November 5, 2011

 

Unfortunately I had to work the Saturday before our cruise. The idea of flying from Washington DC to Florida the day of the cruise scared me a bit. I knew if something catastrophic went wrong we wouldn’t have time to hop in the car and drive down.

 

Luckily I found a flight that left from Washington-Dulles, which is a 10 minute drive from my job, departing around 7:59pm. Dulles is pretty inconvenient for us because we live 2 miles from Reagan National. But I digress.

 

We said goodbye to our cats and headed out on vacation.

 

 

 

I (and the bags) arrived at Dulles about an hour and half after my fiance (an hour after I was supposed to be there…ooops!) . We checked in at the kiosk, checked one bag and proceeded into TSA-land aka jail. First flight was on an RJ, uncomfortable albeit quick.

 

We had a short (too short) connection in Charlotte. It involved us knocking people over on the first airplane, running through the terminal and arriving at the next gate out of breath.

 

 

I normally poke fun at people that get crazy stressed at flying, but I was stressed out. Between a busy day at work and not wanting to ruin our vacation I was glad to get in the air to Fort Lauderdale and sip on a cocktail.

 

We arrived in FLL coincidently parked next to the airplane that is in my avatar, N826AW “Arizona.” I’m an airplane dork too.

 

 

A quick $20 (+/-) cab ride and we were at the hotel. I scored a sweet deal at the Hyatt Pier 66 for Saturday night on Priceline. Ended up costing $75 plus tax, title and license. I’ve won pretty good bids on PL only to get the “Priceline” room. But not here. We were a trek from the lobby but the room was nice, had a view of a mega yacht. It served it’s purpose for the night.

 

 

We grabbed a couple cocktails in the lobby bar and headed to bed.

[M&JfromSDL]

Sunday November 6, 2011

We woke up and walked over the bridge to Walgreens to grab some odds and ends. On the way over the bridge we noticed how big Ruby Princess looked. Allure was off in the distance. Given it was farther away you would think it would appear smaller than Ruby. Not so. It looked huge.

 

Now eager to explore this massive thing, we jammed back to the hotel room. Showered and jumped in a cab with a nice Canadian couple attending a wedding aboard the Ruby Princess.

 

As we rounded the corner and approached Allure it was clear we were in for something special.

 

We dropped our bags in the appropriate bin and proceeded inside. Check-in was everything we saw on the TV show. SeaPass issuance and doc checks are rapid. Then it’s upstairs for the waiting game/cattle heard.

 

 

The walk up the gangway was incredible.

 

 

You enter onto the Royal Promenade. We were floored.

 

 

 

 

[M&JfromSDL]

 

Is this a cruise ship? We kept asking. It felt like a shopping mall in a sense. Wide, high ceilings, lined with shops and restaurants. This thing is going to move? Yes.

 

I put our game faces on and headed for what’s important. Food. The Park Café to be specific. It was roast beef sandwich time.

 

Make your own Salad:

 

 

The roast beef sandwich was everything everyone says it is. Lunch was interesting though because the place was packed and people were not in vacation mode yet. I swore a fistfight could have broken out at any point.

 

 

We walked around for a bit while waiting for our room to open up. We stopped off at the Viking Crown Lounge for a drink.

 

[M&JfromSDL]

Sail away was beautiful. The weather was a bit crisp the sunset was gorgeous. The photos speak for themselves.

 

 

[M&JfromSDL]

 

After sail away we attended dinner in the main dining room. We were seated at a table for 4 with a nice couple from New York City.

 

Some more exploration took place, we used the TV in the room to book a couple show & restaurant reservations, then off to bed.

[camptosaurus]

Your kitties are adorable!

 

I'm loving our trip report, I can't wait to see more of your pictures. We will be sailing the Allure in 11 days! :)

[bcwaves]

More please! We don't really care if it's 'late'!!

[emmy]

 

 

 

 

Love these photos of the Port Everglades webcam location and you watching yourselves as the cam follows you at sail away on your phone. Pretty cool!:):D

[Sinppu]

 

We said goodbye to our cats and headed out on vacation.

 

 

 

 

Ooohh I love these two! I love cats but DH is allergic :(

Also loving the review so far, you look really happy!

[hondarr9]

We will be on her this November, so I am curious to see how the weather was that time of year.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[M&JfromSDL]

The weather was a touch cool on our way out of Fort Lauderdale and the first/last days at sea, especially as the sun set. It wasn't terrible though. Our alternative was a cruise out of NYC or Baltimore and I think this was a much better idea.

[hondarr9]

The weather was a touch cool on our way out of Fort Lauderdale and the first/last days at sea, especially as the sun set. It wasn't terrible though. Our alternative was a cruise out of NYC or Baltimore and I think this was a much better idea.

 

Thanks! We were on the he Oasis last August, and it was hot! I think a touch cool will be ok with us. We are from the north anyway.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[BballinQT24]

I'm enjoying your review so far-the pictures make it even better. Looking forward to reading more!

[BillOh]

 

 

 

You have cats, you are a self described "airplane freak" and you watched your own sailaway on your phone, you are the next generation me, born a little early. I'm looking forward to reliving my cruise through yours. I think I'll book for May 13 to go back.

[sailingawaysoon]

Love your review so far!