Allure of the Seas....the good, the bad and the AMAZING

[fairweather]

Loved your review. Your parents obviously got into the spirit of things and had a great time. You two are sweethearts for taking them along and giving them a 45th anniversary you will all remember for years to come.

 

I just have to get a pix with those Dreamworks Penguins.

[CyberTag]

Loved your review! We are booked on the Allure June 2014 through RCCL and are so excited! I'm thinking of switching our booking to a TA or an online agency, but worried about getting charged if we have to cancel before final payment or make changes to our reservation. I am one who watches for price drops and know some agencies charge each time you make a change. Your perks are making me rethink this! Thank you so much for posting your review!

[TheDyesolKid]

Flying in from the West Coast we always fly in a day early to be safe. We arrived around 9 PM the day for before we sailed.

 

Good move. :cool:

[Prairie_Gal]

Great review! And awesome pics! Really. I like photography too, and the quality of the low light photos is really amazing.

 

I'm glad you were able to enjoy this cruise with your parents. Memories are so special.

[maureencruiser]

I'm glad to see that after feeling up your Mom, your Dad kept his hands safely tucked behind him during this photo! :D

[lilybob]

Great review! Loved the pictures. Glad all of you had a good time:)

[The BarCarres]

Just returned from Alaska on my first Holland America cruise....... definitely a different experience then the mega ship Allure but I still had a fabulous time. Alaska was amazing with perfect weather. The customer service on HAL was on par with RC but the desserts are definitely better on RC.

 

Love this review - we were on the Allure in 2012 and loved the size. I was also afraid of too many people but it really never seemed to be a factor.

 

Did you sail out of Vancouver to Alaska. Our news station always has the videos of all the ships arriving back in the harbour. Saw a few shots of HAL ships coming in over the last few days -- probably saw you sailing in. Can hardly wait to sail back into Vancouver next year.

[kimala]

Thanks for the review and the many wonderful pictures. Has made me more excited for our cruise in Oct.

 

...Hubby and I will be sailing with you...I noticed your Diamond. This will be our first cruise as diamond...Looking forward to free cocktail hour.

[KerryJTaylor]

Hi

 

Loving your review and pics! We sail on Allure in 13 weeks!! Beside ourselves with excitement!! Can I ask when you visited Nassau did you just walk to Atlantis or did you take a trip?

[kristinp36]

Hi

 

Loving your review and pics! We sail on Allure in 13 weeks!! Beside ourselves with excitement!! Can I ask when you visited Nassau did you just walk to Atlantis or did you take a trip?

 

Thank you..... We took a

[kristinp36]

We took a water taxi over then there was a walk to the actual building

[LBeeE]

Is the Promenade on Allure completely outside? If so, is there air conditioning? What do you do when it is raining?

Edited June 10, 2013 by LBeeE

[Clarea]

Is the Promenade on Allure completely outside? If so, is there air conditioning? What do you do when it is raining?

The Royal Promenade is completely inside, and air conditioned. There is also outdoor part of deck 5 that goes around the ship, is not air conditioned, but this is covered by the deck above. Central Park and Boardwalk are completely outside, not air conditioned, and everything gets wet when it rains.

Edited June 10, 2013 by clarea

[kristinp36]

The Royal Promenade is completely inside, and air conditioned. There is also outdoor part of deck 5 that goes around the ship, is not air conditioned, but this is covered by the deck above. Central Park and Boardwalk are completely outside, not air conditioned, and everything gets wet when it rains.

 

Correct.....thanks for responding

 

 

 

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

[canadiancruiser13]

The sun is starting to rise so I high-tail it to the SunDeck. This was one of the best sunrises I have ever seen. It was like the sky was on fire. The orange hue of the sky reflected on the water and burned through the various layers of clouds. AMAZING.

 

 

 

 

Amazing Sun Rise's. ( This is one of the things I enjoy doing when we are cruising.) I'm enjoying your review so far.

 

I'm just jealous that we can't be on the Allure right now - but will have to wait until October this year til we board her.

[emeltee]

Hi Kristin -

 

I haven't had time to read through your review, so I don't know if you've talked about your camera, yet. Once I get some time, I want to go through your review. The pictures look amazing from what I've seen so far. (Since I'm taking Princess, I'm not on the RCI boards, so I missed your review - have you linked to it at the Alaska boards?)

 

You responded to one of my camera post on the the camera/photography board regarding lenses for FF cameras. I believe we have the same camera (5DMIII.)

 

How did your particular lenses work for you? DH & I are bringing a

28-105

100-400 (renting)

possibly a wide angle (renting)

 

My brother (who also has the same camera) is bringing his 28-105.

 

We might rent one more telephoto lens maybe a 70-200 or 70-300 with an extender, so that we both can have access to a telephoto lens at the same time. I'm thinking that we can get by with either one or no extra wide-angle.

 

Did your lenses work for you? I'm trying to gather some more info before deciding which extra lenses to rent.

[kristinp36]

Hi Kristin -

 

I haven't had time to read through your review, so I don't know if you've talked about your camera, yet. Once I get some time, I want to go through your review. The pictures look amazing from what I've seen so far. (Since I'm taking Princess, I'm not on the RCI boards, so I missed your review - have you linked to it at the Alaska boards?)

 

You responded to one of my camera post on the the camera/photography board regarding lenses for FF cameras. I believe we have the same camera (5DMIII.)

 

How did your particular lenses work for you? DH & I are bringing a

28-105

100-400 (renting)

possibly a wide angle (renting)

 

My brother (who also has the same camera) is bringing his 28-105.

 

We might rent one more telephoto lens maybe a 70-200 or 70-300 with an extender, so that we both can have access to a telephoto lens at the same time. I'm thinking that we can get by with either one or no extra wide-angle.

 

Did your lenses work for you? I'm trying to gather some more info before deciding which extra lenses to rent.

 

HI!

 

When I went on the Allure I was still using a Canon 50d which is a crop-sensor. For lens I used a Canon 24-70L and a Tokina 11-16.

 

Were you curious about lens for Alaska or a different cruise?

 

I just returned from Alaska 3 weeks ago where I used the Mark 5d III. I took a Canon 24-70 L, a 16-35 L and I rented a 100-400 L. I rarely used the 16-35 but used the 24-70 mainly around town, on my float plane excursion and on board the ship. I used the 100-400 L on an excursion into Tracy Arm and when sailing into Glacier Bay.

 

I am slowly editing photos while I have time.....I took A LOT of pictures in Alaska. I have edited days 1 and 2 so far. I will be doing a review once they all edited.

[swim13]

Nice pictures, especially the sunrise in the beginning! Your mom is awesome, I love how she did the zip-line!

[emeltee]

HI!

 

When I went on the Allure I was still using a Canon 50d which is a crop-sensor. For lens I used a Canon 24-70L and a Tokina 11-16.

 

Were you curious about lens for Alaska or a different cruise?

 

I just returned from Alaska 3 weeks ago where I used the Mark 5d III. I took a Canon 24-70 L, a 16-35 L and I rented a 100-400 L. I rarely used the 16-35 but used the 24-70 mainly around town, on my float plane excursion and on board the ship. I used the 100-400 L on an excursion into Tracy Arm and when sailing into Glacier Bay.

 

I am slowly editing photos while I have time.....I took A LOT of pictures in Alaska. I have edited days 1 and 2 so far. I will be doing a review once they all edited.

 

LOL - I didn't realize that this was a review for a different cruise! I thought it was for Alaska! I only saw pictures of the ship and just assumed (well, you know what they say about assuming...)

 

In any case, do you think you would have missed the 16-35? I'm wondering if our 24-105 will be good enough.

 

PS I hope you don't mind me asking you here. I would have tried to send you a message, but I can't figure out if these boards allow private messages...

[kristinp36]

 

In any case, do you think you would have missed the 16-35? I'm wondering if our 24-105 will be good enough.

 

PS I hope you don't mind me asking you here. I would have tried to send you a message, but I can't figure out if these boards allow private messages...

 

With a FF camera I do not think I would have missed the 16-35 if I had not taken it. I think it depends on what excursions you have planned. If anything I wanted more reach then the 400 I had.

[njmomof2]

Loved your review! We are booked on the Allure June 2014 through RCCL and are so excited! I'm thinking of switching our booking to a TA or an online agency, but worried about getting charged if we have to cancel before final payment or make changes to our reservation. I am one who watches for price drops and know some agencies charge each time you make a change. Your perks are making me rethink this! Thank you so much for posting your review!

 

You need to remember that you have a specific period of time after booking a cruise to transfer to a TA. I believe it's 60 days so if that has past, you will not be able to transfer.

 

Always be sure to ask any agent their policies regarding price drops and changes/cancellations. You have a right to ask and have this information up front before making a decision.

[beachesnwine]

I stumbled on your review from your signature line (5 years after you posted this review!) but still wanted to say how great it is - we are going to be on the Allure this spring and it really got us excited! Thank you! You have inspired me to be thorough in my pictures!

[Biker19]

[BillOh]

I stumbled on your review from your signature line (5 years after you posted this review!) but still wanted to say how great it is - we are going to be on the Allure this spring and it really got us excited! Thank you! You have inspired me to be thorough in my pictures!

 

 

Enjoy Allure, it is still one of my favorites. I re-read this review until I saws the OP mention Chicago. In case you didn't know, that is not the current show. I need to get back to Alure to see Mama Mia, but heading to symphony yet, which I wasn't hurt to bad when they made Hairspray the show as I missed it on Oasis.