LIVE: Allure Western 7/1-7/8/12 with SilentBob007 and family

[silentbob007]

We are going on the Allure in May. Have a great cruise and we look forward to reading your review.

 

BTW, love the RCI shirts!! Where did you buy them?

 

The shirts have been in my last few cruises (Voyager and Serenade). Serenade actually had them 2 for 20!

[PathfinderEss]

Love live reports, thanks for taking us along with you.

[LBumb]

will watch sailaway on webcam

[silentbob007]

Central Park meal by cmong, on Flickr

 

 

Getting to the ship

 

After grabbing our free Hyatt Place breakfast, we went back to the room to pack up and get ready to go to the port. At 10:30, I called down to the front desk to request cab big enough to hold 4 bags. They tried to push the shuttle on us, but for $7/pp to go a few miles, it didn’t make sense for the four of us. Check out went quickly, and soon our taxi pulled up. Like last night, it was a standard taxi. Unlike last night, this driver had a full spare in the trunk. My dad and I tried to work the bags while she watched, but it was no use … there was no way all four of our bags were going into the cab’s trunk, and there was not enough space for four of us in the taxi itself with a bag. We told told the taxi sorry and headed back to call another one. By this time, the shuttle driver asked us if we’d go with him. I told him not for $7/pp. He then said he would take us for $20 total as long as we didn’t mind waiting for the rest of the people who had signed up to go 15 minutes later (11 AM). We decided we were done hassling with the taxi and took him up on his offer. We sat in the van for about 15 minutes until 4 more people showed up, and then we were soon getting out and handing bags to the porters in front of the Allure of the Seas.

 

Britto on Central Park by cmong, on Flickr

 

Just like Oasis, she’s a massive, beautiful ship. Once we entered the terminal, we pulled out our Set Sail passes and citizenship documents (ie, passports/birth certificates) and then joined the security line. The security guard was very thorough in comparing our documents to the SetSail pass (make sure those names match!). We then went through the security scanner (I saw several people stopped with wine … did not see anyone taking soft drinks through) and headed to the check-in area. The line for Diamond/D+ check-in for deck 12 was empty, so we headed right up to an agent and checked in. As we were checking in (it was about 11:15 at this point), they started boarding the Allure … suites first, then Pinacle/D+, Diamonds, etc. By the time we were checked in and up to the waiting area, most of the waiting passengers had already boarded. For some insane reason, we were forced to walk all of the way to the back of the terminal, then when I flashed the D+ card, were escorted to where people were boarding the ship. These extra steps were hard on my mother, so I’m not sure why they didn’t check cards right when we got off the escalator instead of looping us all of the way around. The boarding line went fairly quickly, though there was a little backup on the gangway as people kept stopping to take pictures and blocking walkway. Finally … we were on the ship.

 

Boardwalk by cmong, on Flickr

[janetz]

Woohoo, your on. If you get to Bolero's at all can you see if Adriane is bartending there? If so, would you ask him how long he will be on the Allure? We are hopefull he will be on our sailing....Thanks so much :)

[silentbob007]

Once boarded, we took a hard right and grabbed a forward elevator to deck 8 to visit Central Park. We arrived at the Park Café and found it to still be mostly empty. I bypassed the line for the salads and within minutes had a few of the famous roast beef sandwiches and some Doritos. Seating was pretty open, so we took a booth in the back and enjoyed our first meal on the ship.

 

The Living Room by cmong, on Flickr

 

Once the meal was finished we went down to Studio B to work on show reservations. At the entrance, they had a sheet with all of the show times listed so that you could circle when you wanted and be prepared when you got to the reservations desk. They had reservations areas on both sides (crew sitting with iPads) so make sure to the check both lines. We waited for a few minutes and then it was our turn. It took quite while to get the reservations sorted out because I had made what was available even though I didn’t really like the times. Finally we got everything sorted out.

 

Road beef sandwich please by cmong, on Flickr

 

Now that we had eaten and gotten our reservations sorted, we headed back to Central Park to make our dinner reservations for Giovanni’s Table tonight. I got a table for 4 at 6 PM with absolutely no issue at all. From there, we headed up to deck 15 to look at the Flowrider and zip-line and grab some frozen yogurt at the Wipeout Café. By this time, 1 PM rolled around, so then we were off to our cabins.

 

Room 12719 by cmong, on Flickr

 

Once able to drop stuff in our cabins, my dad and niece headed up to do the zip-line. They ended up having to run back to the room to get her guardianship forms that showed that my dad was allowed to sign her waiver. Unfortunately the computer waiver system was down, so they were doing paper waivers (for just today evidently) and giving out wrist bands. Many people were being turned away from the zip-line because they had restricted items … you must have closed toe shoes (biggest obstacle for most) and be wearing no loose jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, etc). You also can’t have anything in your pocket. They were able to ride the zip line with no line at all and soon enough, it was done. We then returned to our cabin to find our bags waiting. Then it was time to unpack and get sorted.

 

Royal Diving? by cmong, on Flickr

 

Right now we are waiting for muster at 4:30. Our station is in the dining room. I’m guessing we might head down earlier than we usually do to make sure we get a seat as my mom can’t stand for that long.

 

Waiver time by cmong, on Flickr

 

After muster … we’ll be out of here! Tonight we have Giovanni’s Table booked at 6 PM as long as a 9:00 PM showing of Chicago. After our 5-6 hours of sleep, I’m guessing that will be our last activity for the night before heading to bed.

 

Tomorrow: Sea Day

[silentbob007]

Hook them up by cmong, on Flickr

 

Zip it by cmong, on Flickr

 

Take a plunge by cmong, on Flickr

 

Away we go by cmong, on Flickr

 

Alluring ziplining by cmong, on Flickr

[Hobbitmomma]

Thank you for your report. I am really enjoying living vicariously through you! We just booked the Western itinerary on the Oasis for August 2013 (we have to wait over a year!!!) and we will be surprising our kids, 12 and 14 by next August, so I love reading all of the trip reports. Bon voyage!

[gvlgolflady]

Glad you made it onboard with no glitches. Your niece is a beautiful young lady. Have a great cruise.

[silentbob007]

Muster done. Wave goodbye to us on the webcam. We are out on the aft of deck 5 under the aquatheater.

[PIGSKIN]

Thank you so much for your live report. I will be on the Allure on december 9th.

Comming in the day before and staying at pier 66.

Love all your photos too---great zip line photos.

[molly361]

Have a great cruise. We will be sailing on her in November!!!!

[gcvt]

You're moving! :D Have a great cruise!

[NEcruisers????]

:)

Muster done. Wave goodbye to us on the webcam. We are out on the aft of deck 5 under the aquatheater.

 

Have a GREAT cruise and we waved back at you ~ all the way from Nebraska!

[linkerbink]

I just watched you pull out on the webcam....it's really neat to think that you are somewhere on that magnificent ship! Have a great cruise, can't wait to hear all about it.

[ATLD]

Have a great time and thank you for the wonderful reporting.

 

Just watched sailaway and I think I saw your orange shirt

[FLACRUISER99]

Have a wonderful trip. I just watched the sail-away on my 42" HDTV.:D

[VegasCrossfire]

We just watched you pull out of port. Waited to hear the horn, but never did hear it.

 

Have a great time - I hope to do the Allure some day soon!:D

[MrFunInTheSun]

This is going to be a fun week. Thank you for sharing your adventures live.

[iloverags2]

Have a great cruise! How did your niece like the zip-lining experience on the ship? Oh, and what is the living room? Is that part of a club, or just within Central Park, where you ate lunch?

[TexDisneyMom]

Thank you for your report! We leave on the Oasis this Saturday and I am enjoying your live review!

[LBumb]

enjoy your first night.

thanks for report.

[animallovers2]

great review so far. watched you sail away. we're sailing on her oct.14. first cruise. I'll have questions for you if thats aLL RIGHT. enjoy your night

[Valerie]

Thanks for sharing your experience on Allure. Enjoy your cruise. Watch your sail away on the webcam.

[poblead]

Subscribing!! We leave on July 29th!!