Allure 9/22/13: A Story Review w/drama, humor, Pics & Video

[4evercruiser]

Just came across your review and really enjoying it. My hubby and I are getting ready to sail on Oasis for the 1st time very soon. I have spent the last 9 months researching as much as I can on anything and everything Oasis(or Allure, since they ARE sister ships), like reading reviews, spending hours and hours on CC, and watching youtube videos. I've become obsessed:D

 

Like others have mentioned, I also never pay a corkage fee for any of the wine I bring on board. I always consume them in my cabin, usually on my balcony. There is nothing better than enjoying a glass of wine on the balcony, listening to my favorite music and feeling the night sea breeze.

 

Can't wait to read more of your review:)

[Cindy]

I don’t think DD and I were the intended subjects of this photo LMAO! (you should see the pictures my husband took when I wasn’t looking!)

 

 

 

Oh my!:eek: Somehow I missed the background before. I'm not sure how!:rolleyes:

[VegasChic]

Hello!!

 

Just a quick update, I'm currently working on Day 4 - Jamaica. I've narrowed down the pictures of this day to about 80 will start posting sometime tomorrow. I have several photo shoots this weekend!! Sorry this is taking longer than calculated. Plus I'm also working on the Video Montage for the finale!!

 

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!

[VegasChic]

BTW,

 

To all those I have not responded to, THANK YOU for all your kind words and compliments!!

 

I am overwhelmed with gratitude!!

[justforkicks]

Fabulous!

[Ocean Boy]

I am looking forward to Jamaica. I love it there but have not been back for a while as that is the only place on Western itineraries that I really want to return to so I tend to always book Eastern or Southern.

[LBumb]

great job

[beej]

Just found this, this morning, and it is wonderful. Seems like several peeps sailing on the Nov 3 sailing are here, and we all appreciate you review. The pics are fab, as are you and your daughter. Background, not so much, LOL.

 

Can't wait for the next chapter.

[VegasChic]

Day 4 had arrived and I was so thrilled to finally be in Jamaica I woke up early and got dressed in my Jamaican themed dress. I have wanted to go to Jamaica ever since I saw the movie cocktail with Tom Cruise. Originally, I wanted to go to Nine Mile for the Bob Marley experience as I’m a huge Bob Marley fanatic but the two hour commute there and back was totally uninspiring. I still clueless about what I was going to do today but one thing was for certain I was getting off the ship and I was going to do something! While DH went to go get coffee I looked through the excursion list one more time to find something and still nothing appealed to me. I kept having illusions of the movie especially the part when Tom Cruise and Elizabeth are making out in a secluded lagoon under the waterfall. I quickly snapped out of it when DD woke up and said that she didn’t want to get off the ship today and wanted to go to the pool!! I said “sure you and daddy are staying on the ship and he’ll take you to the pool!!” A few minutes later DH walked in all excited and not only brought us the usual breakfast from the Park Café, but also said he booked an excursion for the three of us, “We were going to Ocho Rios and Montego Bay and we have to get off the ship now!” Okay great so much for a day to myself! We chugged down our breakfast and headed out.

 

It was another gorgeous day, nothing but blue skies and sunshine, aaaahhhhh! We exited the ship and headed toward the excursion meet up area. It was a mad house but we found our tour immediately and within 5 minutes we were led to our van. I would say it was a 20 passenger van, we sat at the back as we were one of the last ones to get on, it work out perfectly though.

 

Our tour guide was a delightful, very sweet lady. She told us a lot about their culture and passed around some laminated sheets of information (pictured below). One of my favorite things she told us which I already knew was what their colors stand for. Yellow is for the Sun, Green is for the Land and Black is for the People. She told us that the word “Irie” means “everything is great” and everyone uses the term “yeah mon!” She went on to tell us about the schools and that contrary to belief, Marijuana is completely illegal and that Bob Marley was trying to get it legalized but was denied.

 

After an hour or less we arrived at Dunn’s River Falls around noon and to my surprise the parking lot was pretty empty. Neither of us were planning to do the falls and I never quite knew what to expect but whatever images I had in my head in past were so off. Our tour guide rounded us up and gave us all wrist bands to enter the park she also told us to be back at 1:30 (the latest). She took us directly to an area to rent water shoes if you didn’t bring your own. I also saw them renting them at the port shopping area in Falmouth. I wondered off and started exploring the area and taking pictures (I was in heaven). The place is gorgeous, I could have stayed there all day!! I noticed more and more people arriving and I was lucky to get some pictures of the falls before it got congested with people.

 

The goal was to get some nice pictures I can use for my patio remodel. I have a goal to paint the entire interior of my house white and to decorate my walls with pictures from my travels. I’ve already started remodeling the entire house! Ok so on with the pictures….

 

 

 

 

 

 

[VegasChic]

 

 

 

 

 

[VegasChic]

 

 

 

 

[VegasChic]

 

 

Heading down to the start of the falls climb...

 

 

 

 

 

More coming in a few....

[VegasChic]

When we reached the bottom of the stairway, we stumbled across this beyond beautiful beach....

 

I could of stayed here all day

 

 

 

 

 

 

My husband took this photo, it would have been a much nicer picture if he wouldn't have cut off the top.

[VegasChic]

We are all beach bums, totally love the ocean...

 

 

 

 

 

 

The water is so clear here, breathtaking - I couldn't get enough!

 

[MrFunInTheSun]

Wow!! Your pictures are simply amazing. I'm finally catching back up with your review from when you first started. They are so clear, I feel like I was there with you. Thanks again for sharing! Making me more excited to board Lady Allure next month!

[VegasChic]

DH and I drank like 5 Red Stripe's each!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My daughter collected rocks on the beach, they were confiscated by security on the port and said they were not allowed, they were pretty rude about it!! My daughter cried!!

 

[VegasChic]

I probably should have posted these first, but I took them on my way out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Montego Bay, next...

[VegasChic]

Wow!! Your pictures are simply amazing. I'm finally catching back up with your review from when you first started. They are so clear, I feel like I was there with you. Thanks again for sharing! Making me more excited to board Lady Allure next month!

 

Thank you, that is really nice to hear!!! I'm extremely critical of my own pictures, I look at the master's and one day hope to be there with them (specifically, Peter Lik :eek:). I see you're an expert at live reviews?? Will you be doing one on Allure? I barely had time to take pictures on this ship - so much to do!

[Kesstral]

My favorite lenses are the Canon 70-200 F2.8 L

 

OMG that lens makes me drool. I've been wanting that one for a long time but it's been out of my price range (had to choose between vacation and lens). I did pick up a 28-75 F2.8 Tamron for good price since I desperately needed to replace my 28-105 F3.5-4.5 that I had been shooting with since I did on-mountain photography in Whistler over 10 years ago (film with an Elan II). Once I get a better lens selection then I can upgrade my 30D :P

[VegasChic]

I looked at the time and it was about 1:20 so we started to head back. I was worried we were the last ones to get back and started to walk quickly, we had to pass through the shopping area to get to the parking lot. Wish I could have taken pictures but I was in such a hurry, I didn’t want to waste time taking picture. Even though they did hassle you they were nice about it. One man gave me and DD a necklace with no obligation to buy anything. Of course I ended up buying something, a turtle that DD wanted. Meanwhile, DH was at another shop and he ended up purchasing two little statue’s male and female. They had our names carved into them and told him if placed together in the bedroom it’s supposed to mean that we will last forever as a couple. We jetted out of there and ran into the guide in the parking lot. She escorted us back to the bus where several passengers were waiting. I was relieved we weren't the last ones. I hate for people to have to wait for me!

 

My husband purchased 5 more beers from another guy who was hanging around selling bottled water and gave a few out to some other passengers. We talked with the driver and I told him I wanted to go back with DH and visit Negril alone. He gave us his business card and told us to call him when we returned he would give us a private tour. An hour later we were still waiting on the last couple which means less time in Montego Bay (so annoyed!! Where the hell are they??? I thought). The driver was about to leave them and decided to go back to look for them one last time. Well he found them alright sitting down eating jerk chicken. They came on the bus and said they didn’t understand as they only speak French (they were from St. Maarten). They started to eat the rest of their food on the bus and everyone was starving. The driver turned on the radio and blared Bob Marley, I was in heaven and having such an awesome time.

 

The drive to Montego Bay was long; it was in the opposite direction from where we were so we had to drive back past the port. I fell asleep for awhile it was the beer that got me!

 

 

 

When we arrived, the guide escorted us all directly into a restaurant to be seated (lunch was not included!) We were seated and ordered lunch, I had a Pina Colada (it was decent). I ordered Jerk Chicken and DH ordered Fried Chicken (not much of a selection!) The chicken was VERY DRY. I cannot tell you the name of this place as I mentioned I was taken by surprise when they escorted us in that I didn’t catch the name.

 

 

The restaurant was an open air terrace like place overlooking the beach.

 

 

DD said she wanted to go to the beach, luckily I stuck her bathing suit in my backpack. After I changed her, DD and I walked over to the beach. There were only a few people out there and I asked if I can have a beach chair as they were all put up. The islander told me they were $6. I sat down and snapped a few pictures while DD played in the water. DH stayed behind at the restaurant talking with another couple on our tour that had a 8 month baby with them.

 

Another islander passed by selling some bracelets, I went ahead and purchased two! One that said “Olivia” and another that said “O – V – E” stands for all our initials. I always said if I had one more child I would have to name him/her something with an “L” to complete the word “LOVE.”

 

 

[VegasChic]

 

 

 

 

I'm a little obsessed with the ocean, as you can see....

 

 

[VegasChic]

After awhile, we headed back to the bus, DD was soaked and I didn't have a towel. There was a small shop next to the restaurant so I went in and purchased a towel for $12 they tried to convince me to buy other stuff, but I just wanted to go. Once on the bus our seats were gone and there were new passengers??? Apparently, the new passengers were left behind by their tour. So we took different seats and one of the new passengers started talking really loud about all her experiences on the ship and about her ungrateful children. She would not stop talking and very loud. My husband requested the driver turn up the music, again he blared Bob Marley, there were many laughs on the way back to the ship. I took out my ipad and attempted to read my book however, I couldn't focus.

 

We arrived at the port and tipped the driver and guide $20 each. The woman who missed her ride and was talking the whole time didn't tip anything! I was not too satisfied with this tour as we paid $119 per adult and $89 per child. I could have completely skipped Montego Bay altogether. It was too much and not enough time not to mention we lost an hour waiting for the couple at Dunns River Falls. The port was pretty empty and it was 6:00 pm as much as I wanted to shop I only had 30 minutes so I decided to just get on the ship.

 

 

 

 

Back on the ship, we headed to the wipe out bar for sail-away. DD wanted Ice Cream but everything was closed. The flow riders were closed but the crew were practicing and I took a few pictures! One of them splashed me and wet my camera then gave me a smirk! I almost threw my camera at him (sorry, it’s the CRAZY, HOT TEMPERED, Latin New Yorker in me!)

 

 

 

 

[VegasChic]

 

 

 

[beautifullady]

Great pics when in June? I will be on the 22-29 sailing.

[VegasChic]

Great pics when in June? I will be on the 22-29 sailing.

 

Hi, thank you for the compliment! Are you referring to the breakaway? If so, I haven't booked yet I will be booking it in January! Can't decide which date I'm thinking early June!