Cheapo dad’s trip report on Allure of the Seas sailing December 14, 2014

[harryfat1]

Right in the middle!

 

Loved all your pictures in this review, brought back good memories of our cruises and gave me ideas on how to shoot a few pics next time. I found the Mini setting on my camera, somehow had overlooked it before, so thanks for that!

 

Glad you like the pictures. I stole some of my ideas from other cruisers so it’s free game from whatever ideas I have posted.

 

The minis are fun. Works best when you are higher and have a set of repeating items, like cars or seats. Or do it with any train tracks seen from above as our brain’s eyes are used to seeing model trains and it’s easy to fool the eyes that way.

 

You can also get a free phone app that takes miniature pictures so don’t even need a camera.

[harryfat1]

Still following your great review Harry. Especially liked the audience of elephants :). Hopefully you can answer a quick question for me, since you did not buy the soda or drink packages, what liquids are available free of charge and where, and especially outside of dining times. A friend of mine will be sailing on Allure in the near future, and she and her family are more inclined to drink water than pop. Is water readily available for free?

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for the kind words. Glad you are still following along.

 

You can get free drinks from many places that are opened throughout the ship. Maybe it’s easier if you see the scan page.

 

 

 

 

We like to go the café in the RP because they are opened 24 hours a day. If you remember from my previous pictures, we stopped by there frequently for afternoon snacks – they have free water/ice tea/coffee as well as pastries to eat.

 

 

Or across the way on the same deck, you can go to Sorrento’s for free pizza and water as well.

 

Here is also another water place on Boardwalk – outside of the donut place.

 

 

Or the Wipeout Café on deck 15. They have burgers and fries there as well as free ice cream/yogurt from the machine. You can get water up there as well.

 

You can always just walk into windjammer and grab a glass of whatever they have and walk out. They have drinks in the tray all poured for you. Grab and go. You see they have water/lemonade/strawberry kiwi/ice tea

 

 

 

 

Hope this helps. If not, come back with questions.

Edited February 3, 2015 by harryfat1

[harryfat1]

Harry,

 

I have spent waaaay too long today reading your review to the detriment of lots of other things ( including continuing with my own review). I have no plans ( rather unfortunately ) to either sail this ship or itinerary and I am following along purely for the entertainment value. You are an absolute hoot and from your pictures it looks like you and your family had a really great time. I look forward to reading the rest of it later.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for the compliment.

 

I just took a sneak peek at your review – very nice pictures, I will look at them when I am done on my end as I have friends going to Europe in 2015.

 

So let me get this straight - you took a cruise in June 2014, which is about 8 months ago from tomorrow and you are still writing your cruise review?

 

Boy, you have a very good memory. There is no way I will remember much of anything from 8 months ago. I don’t feel bad now in taking one month to write this War & Peace tome. I have 7 more months to go if I follow your pace of writing.:p

 

So what are you saying – reading my posts are equal to eating bacon or potato chips? Bad for you but you can’t stop once you start? From now on, I will be known at the "blah blah bacon dude".

 

Have fun with the rest of your cruise review. That’s the good (and bad) thing about the Internet – whatever we write will be here days/weeks/months/years later to be read. So go finish your review and come back and by then we will have switched places and I will be reading your info instead.

[harryfat1]

Way to keep the romance alive, Harry! Keep poking! :p

 

Hehe, no picture uploads from any poking…:p

 

If you think about it, the designer of the shirt move the anchor to the back for men but front & center for the ladies. What you think they want to emphasize?

[Disney Sheep]

Thanks for the quick reply Harry - I refered my friend to your review, so I am sure this will answer her concerns. From her perspective she would probably be just as happy with strategically located water fountains, but since we had the soda packages, and the soda machines had not only soda, but Minute Maid Lemonade and Dasani flavoured beverages, we simply looked for a machine. That said we also enjoyed tea (mostly) and occasionally coffee at Cafe Promenade, the Solarium Bistro and Windjammer, but I can see why my friend would still be looking for clarification on drinks when I told her I was sure that she could fill her water bottle with boiling water! Perhaps I was not all that helpful :).

 

Did you notice any water/drinking fountains around the ship? Just curious.

 

And I am sure that my friend will find your review of the Allure to be very helpful. Many thanks again.

[cruisemeister8]

Thanks for the picture chronology of the Let You Entertain Me show. We missed that one. Maybe I was guilty of thinking it was a kiddie show. Or maybe I was packing on the last day. No. Scratch that. Packing is put off until the last possible minute, usually about 15 minutes before the bags are due in the hall. Just throw it in! It's dirty anyway, and we're only going home.

 

Anyway, it looked like a cute bonus water show with characters added. I'm sorry we missed it. It reminded me of how the bonus Dragon ice show was almost better than the regular ice show. Well, there's always next time. Don't you feel bad for the performing characters, though? Dancing around in a giant plush suit cannot be easy. In December is one thing. But imagine how Alex must feel in the middle of a Caribbean July!

 

I know this is coming to an end soon. It's been fun. But I'm looking forward to reading all the way to the end. After all, you haven't packed up or departed yet! Plus, you said there would be more on your day post cruise. I'm guessing you're going to keep posting pictures until you arrive back at your own front door. LOL!

[harryfat1]

Thanks for the quick reply Harry - I refered my friend to your review, so I am sure this will answer her concerns. From her perspective she would probably be just as happy with strategically located water fountains, but since we had the soda packages, and the soda machines had not only soda, but Minute Maid Lemonade and Dasani flavoured beverages, we simply looked for a machine. That said we also enjoyed tea (mostly) and occasionally coffee at Cafe Promenade, the Solarium Bistro and Windjammer, but I can see why my friend would still be looking for clarification on drinks when I told her I was sure that she could fill her water bottle with boiling water! Perhaps I was not all that helpful :).

 

Did you notice any water/drinking fountains around the ship? Just curious.

 

And I am sure that my friend will find your review of the Allure to be very helpful. Many thanks again.

 

If your friend only wants hot boiling water, think the best place to go is Café Promenade at RP. Unlike other cruise ships where they have 24 hour drinks/ice cream up at the buffet area, the Allure has places that opens and closes at various hours. Unless you bring the daily planner with you and constantly refer to it to see what place is open at which time (say 4 PM), it might be just easier to always head over the café as they are 24 hours a day (not counting day 7 at late night when they are closed at 4 AM and not opened on day 8 morning when people depart).

 

Another way to do it is think neighborhoods. If you are in CP during the day, go to the Park Café. If you are in Boardwalk, use the water area by donut place. If at RP, use the café there and if at Solarium, use that one. If by flow rider at day, try wipeout cafe. But as you get close to night time, they are all closed and windjammer stop serving after 9 PM so you need dot go to RP for any drinks later in the evening.

 

The only water fountain looking thing I saw was at CP. Don’t know if it’s both for washing hands and drinking water or not.

 

[harryfat1]

Thanks for the picture chronology of the Let You Entertain Me show. We missed that one. Maybe I was guilty of thinking it was a kiddie show. Or maybe I was packing on the last day. No. Scratch that. Packing is put off until the last possible minute, usually about 15 minutes before the bags are due in the hall. Just throw it in! It's dirty anyway, and we're only going home.

 

Anyway, it looked like a cute bonus water show with characters added. I'm sorry we missed it. It reminded me of how the bonus Dragon ice show was almost better than the regular ice show. Well, there's always next time. Don't you feel bad for the performing characters, though? Dancing around in a giant plush suit cannot be easy. In December is one thing. But imagine how Alex must feel in the middle of a Caribbean July!

 

I know this is coming to an end soon. It's been fun. But I'm looking forward to reading all the way to the end. After all, you haven't packed up or departed yet! Plus, you said there would be more on your day post cruise. I'm guessing you're going to keep posting pictures until you arrive back at your own front door. LOL!

 

Glad you enjoyed the picture show. It’s a fun show – brings the Madagascar characters together with the Ocean Aria performers.

 

I also enjoyed having conversations with you and everyone else as it makes this more of a dialogue and sharing info/experiences instead of me talking to myself and laughing at the urinal wall joke.

 

We stayed one more night post cruise so we combined the 1 days’ worth of clean clothes into one suitcase and dirty one in the other 3 suitcases.

 

As the old saying goes, it ain’t over until the fat lady sings. She may be humming in the back stages but she’s not out just yet. Once you see this picture on day 9, then it’s over as we would have arrived back in San Francisco. I started this as day 0 from the airport and that’s where I will end it as then it'll be a full circle.

 

[harryfat1]

OK, so with the “Let you entertain me” show all done, one place we wanted to go and see/play at is the shuffle board area right behind the aqua theater. Well, just our luck that they close the area during the shows so we can’t get to it and we never made it back

 

 

Since we couldn’t go to the area, we went down the stairs behind the theater to the back of deck 5 and looked at the water

 

 

 

 

Came back up to the aqua theater after a little visit on deck 5 and the place is totally empty

 

[harryfat1]

Lots of people eating at JR for lunch.

 

 

On the Oasis, they have the balloon man that everybody wants to pretend to be the mirror opposite in flying away. For the Allure, they have creepy guy that doesn’t look very friendly. My wife volunteered to take a picture for the photo collection

 

 

Band playing Dixieland jazz now

 

 

 

Another person doing zipline above

 

[harryfat1]

Artwork on top of the work in progress horses for the carousel

 

 

The creepy floating hands – great for Halloween

 

 

 

Family having fun with the various types of mirrors

 

 

Last picture of the boardwalk before going back into the RP

 

[harryfat1]

Day 7 also means it’s day to visit the crazy aunt. In theory the best time to buy the pictures is day 6 as there’s no line but many people, ourselves included, wait until da7 7 to decide on which pictures to buy. Of course, there will be a line at the photo area all day long.

 

 

Unless you have the magic “gold card”, then lines mean nothing to you. While at the photo area, I overheard conversation of an elderly couple with a RCI concierge in Chinese and she told them they do not need to stand in line with the rest of the people. He handed her the pictures they wanted to buy and took out the magic gold card and the concierge went to the back of the cash register line and rang up their order and they went off on their merry way while the rest of peasants stood in long lines. Again, nice to have money. We didn’t want to be in the long line and figure we will come back later in the day.

 

 

People relaxing at the RP

 

 

[alaska_planner]

GREAT report so far - i've only just started, and at my 45 second rate, it will take me a few months to catch up.

But so far i'm enjoying every second of it - the bean counting especially (former Coopers & Lybrand CPA here - the name of the firm indicating just how long again that bean counting of mine was :rolleyes: )

[WendyJoseph924]

If tips are allowed, tip often and tip well. The ship's crew, particularly the servers, don't get paid much. If tipping is not allowed, tip anyway. I used to work on a cruise ship. We bunk military style, four to a closet, and many of us are supporting families.

[harryfat1]

GREAT report so far - i've only just started, and at my 45 second rate, it will take me a few months to catch up.

But so far i'm enjoying every second of it - the bean counting especially (former Coopers & Lybrand CPA here - the name of the firm indicating just how long again that bean counting of mine was :rolleyes: )

 

Welcome. No “PW” in the name yet, eh? (sorry, folks, shop talk)

 

Looking at your screen name, just double checking that you are reading the correct thread – you know this is not an Alaska planning session, right? Although I did write up in detail on our Ketchikan and Juneau port experience on the port boards, but that was many years ago. Don’t think the Caribbean crowd wants to hear about Alaskan ports.

 

As a fellow CPA, I am sure you can appreciate the semantic of people saying “Great review so far”. The last 2 words always intrigue me. That’s what corporate America says to you on your annual performance review when they say “ you are doing a good job, so far. But anytime you make a big mistake, we will fire your ass out of here so fast you don’t even know what hit you”.

 

So when people say, “great review so far”, what exactly happens when the review start to suck, say by day 4 when you run out of family members to compare? Do they come back and say “Dude, I take back on what I said back on day 2 of your review being great. By day 5, you are being repetitive and no new jokes and way too much blah blah crap. I think your review now sucks.” Do people come back and revise their comments after they say “so far”?

 

Similar concept of "What good joke have you told me lately in this blah blah report?" or "You are only as funny as your last joke", so far...

 

One of those Andy Rooney “have you ever wonder” moments…

 

At any rate, I digress. Thank you for the kind words. Read at your own pace. Unlike any super bowl party, the buffet of info is always here, months after the fact…

Edited February 4, 2015 by harryfat1
Don't know how to type with my toes yet, still learning

[harryfat1]

If tips are allowed, tip often and tip well. The ship's crew, particularly the servers, don't get paid much. If tipping is not allowed, tip anyway. I used to work on a cruise ship. We bunk military style, four to a closet, and many of us are supporting families.

 

Thanks for the info. Yeah, we all know the harsh conditions and long hours of the cruise workers.

 

I think the line gets blurred nowadays with the mandatory $12/pp/day tips, it’s not always known whom that covers as you are no longer giving people a cash envelope at end of day 7 like the old cruising days.

 

Most people don’t tip after every meal at the buffet or breakfast/lunch at the MDR when being served by different sets of wait staff – thinking part of that $12 covers the tip for those meals. Room service is more of a gray area.

[harryfat1]

Onward with day 7 pics

 

Artwork on the tree above Starbucks

 

 

 

Holiday decors

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

Time for lunch at MDR today – as before, both mini buffet/salad bar in the middle as well as the regular menu items to order. Note the long line to get in from the back of the picture as well as another photographer taking picture of the MDR in the back

 

 

 

Seafood Gratin

 

 

Chicken & pork chop from the mini buffet area

 

 

Custom made tossed salad

 

 

This came from the menu order

 

[harryfat1]

Nice waitress took picture of us at lunch

 

 

 

 

For dessert, we ordered one of everything and have it in the middle of the table and shared it family style

 

 

Outside of the MDR when there is no line. Huge waiting area

 

 

Artwork outside of the MDR

 

[harryfat1]

The Schooner Bar always has some sort of trivia type event there every time we walk by. Note where the guy in orange shorts is putting his right hand? Make sure you squirt enough Purell on your hands after you shake his hand, if you know what I mean...

 

 

It’s our turn to visit the crazy aunt. Remember for RCI, just check your pictures online at the kiosk to see all the pictures. They also have them in the binders based on columns/binder number listed on your card, but the entire set should be with the soft copy. Not all pictures got printed. We wanted couple pictures not in hard copy so we “ordered” them online at the kiosk to be ready to be picked up after dinner that night. When you come back, go back to your binder and the special pictures will be there. We didn’t know, we stood in line at the “special order” section and then was told to check the binder. So go there first.

 

 

 

To the right is the Photo area (called Focus) - note the line of people there on day 7? To the left is the Schooner Bar. Right between the to orange columns in the middle is the Rising Tide Bar (which we will go to later on). Straight and down one flight of staircase is the Royal Promenade

 

 

I always liked these signs on the Royal ships. The bottom is this deck's detailed plan and the top is where you are in relation to the whole ship

 

[harryfat1]

Rising Tide Bar up on the highest level at CP. When its that high up, it becomes a big water fountain

 

 

Whoa, Nelly! What we have here? Whole bunch of people standing around the kiosk ready to attack the merchandise. That could only mean one thing – Yes, confirmed by looking at the daily calendar, at 3 PM, there’s another designer watch sale and everyone is ready to visit their favorite uncle in prison once again! Get out of the way of homicidal shoppers that are ready to jump on the big sale.

 

You can see the excitement on people's faces and their body language telling you that they are anxious to visit their favorite uncle in prison to make sure he is eating well.

 

Another Andy Rooney minute – have you ever wonder with all the people that pounce on these watch sales on cruises, there should be no one ever being late for any events or have pier runners on any given cruise? Meaning everyone buy these expensive fancy watches that is accurate within 0.1 second of the official time, the people wearing them should know exactly what time it is at any given moment and therefore is never be late for any dinners at MDR or be late coming back from tours or be pier runners. I imagine those people must have the cheaper $19.99 watch sets sold couple days given to them from cheapo uncle Bob from previous cruises instead of these higher end ones…

 

 

Any rate, I digress. Fan stair case down from Photo place

 

 

Rising Tide Bar coming back down

 

 

 

Another family taking a ride on the bar

 

[alaska_planner]

Welcome. No “PW” in the name yet, eh? (sorry, folks, shop talk)

 

Looking at your screen name, just double checking that you are reading the correct thread – you know this is not an Alaska planning session, right? Although I did write up in detail on our Ketchikan and Juneau port experience on the port boards, but that was many years ago. Don’t think the Caribbean crowd wants to hear about Alaskan ports.

 

As a fellow CPA, I am sure you can appreciate the semantic of people saying “Great review so far”. The last 2 words always intrigue me. That’s what corporate America says to you on your annual performance review when they say “ you are doing a good job, so far. But anytime you make a big mistake, we will fire your ass out of here so fast you don’t even know what hit you”.

 

So when people say, “great review so far”, what exactly happens when the review start to suck, say by day 4 when you run out of family members to compare? Do they come back and say “Dude, I take back on what I said back on day 2 of your review being great. By day 5, you are being repetitive and no new jokes and way too much blah blah crap. I think your review now sucks.” Do people come back and revise their comments after they say “so far”?

 

Similar concept of "What good joke have you told me lately in this blah blah report?" or "You are only as funny as your last joke", so far...

 

One of those Andy Rooney “have you ever wonder” moments…

 

At any rate, I digress. Thank you for the kind words. Read at your own pace. Unlike any super bowl party, the buffet of info is always here, months after the fact…

 

first off, just saw a typo in what i wrote - "long ago" not again...geez..

and yes, no PW in the name...(really really long ago)..

 

as for 'so far'....hmmmm...interesting...must be the CPA in me...

as in - i'm only going to attest to your quality within the limits of what i've audited thus far.

i can't say "great report" - as that would be a lie. I haven't read the whole report yet. And you know that CPAs never lie (enron notwithstanding).

So it's, great report, so far. :)

 

what else?

 

oh yes, alaska. yes, i know. Allure, not Alaska. Both start with A, but there ends the resemblance.

 

yes, i'm going to alaska this year, but i was on the allure 2 years ago. Loved it.

But not why i started reading your report. Your title caught my eye and your first post caught my interest.

 

However, i don't know that i believe your CPA claim. You're far too funny.

Edited February 4, 2015 by alaska_planner

[travellink]

I starting reading your review on day one but was interrupted by sailing on the Allure Jan11-18. Had to catch up when I returned and it brought back memories of our sailing. Excellent review so far. I think you would make a great comedy writer or maybe a stand up comedian , hey maybe on a cruise ship? No, keep the day job and keep on cruising so we can be entertained for free with your witty reviews. Thanks and happy sailing!

[harryfat1]

first off, just saw a typo in what i wrote - "long ago" not again...geez..

and yes, no PW in the name...(really really long ago)..

 

as for 'so far'....hmmmm...interesting...must be the CPA in me...

as in - i'm only going to attest to your quality within the limits of what i've audited thus far.

i can't say "great report" - as that would be a lie. I haven't read the whole report yet. And you know that CPAs never lie (enron notwithstanding).

So it's, great report, so far. :)

 

what else?

 

oh yes, alaska. yes, i know. Allure, not Alaska. Both start with A, but there ends the resemblance.

 

yes, i'm going to alaska this year, but i was on the allure 2 years ago. Loved it.

But not why i started reading your report. Your title caught my eye and your first post caught my interest.

 

However, i don't know that i believe your CPA claim. You're far too funny.

 

You sound like you are on the audit side - I am from the tax side, which explains why we are funnier.:p

 

Go ahead and audit my first 2 days of the trip report and then issue your interim report based on the quarterly earnings/opinions. Keep doing so for every trip 2 days until the end and then you can issue an unqualified opinion on the entire trip report for me to file the 10K (ignore us, folks, accounting geek attempt at humor).

 

Of course I am a bean counter, not like it’s a glamour profession like acting/doctor/firemen for me to pretend I am part of them. Think we are 2 steps above serial killers as the least desired occupation.

 

Have fun in Alaska. Been there twice. Great scenery.

[harryfat1]

I starting reading your review on day one but was interrupted by sailing on the Allure Jan11-18. Had to catch up when I returned and it brought back memories of our sailing. Excellent review so far. I think you would make a great comedy writer or maybe a stand up comedian , hey maybe on a cruise ship? No, keep the day job and keep on cruising so we can be entertained for free with your witty reviews. Thanks and happy sailing!

 

Welcome back.

 

Now I feel embarrassed. I cruised before you did in December. Started this trip report before you cruised in early January and after you have come back from the cruise, I am still talking about my cruise and uploading Christmas tree pictures.

 

About the only person that is behind my pace is back on post 800, my BFFT (best friend for today) as she is 8 months behind (everyone scrolls back to post #800 to check and then click on her link to tell her to hurry it up with her review). :p

 

Thank you for the kind words. I am actually going to the comedy clubs on Wednesday nights on amateur night to practice my stand-up comedy routine – I invite all the accounting people over and I spend all my time talking about debits and credits and retained earnings and tax codes. All kinds of fun stuff that guarantees to bringing the house down…

 

So next time you cruise on RCI and see my name on the comedy club billing, you can say, hey, I remember that weirdo from cruise critics. He takes pictures of urinals…