Only have 2 nights on Allure of the Seas! Tell me your "must do/must see/must EAT"

[jloves2cruise]

My husband and I have just booked the two-night sailing on Allure of the Seas, leaving on November 6th. We both love cruising, have been on lots of cruises in the past, but haven't gotten to sail in several years, and have never been on a mega ship! We are very excited! With only an "epic weekend" (as we're calling it), we want to make sure we get the most out of what Allure has to offer! We are in our thirties, and this is our first vacation alone since having our child (who is three now...so we're ready to paaarrrrrtttty)!

Please let me know what we should put on our list to see, do, eat and drink!

Any Allure tips, tricks, and insights would be much appreciated! :)

 

Thank you!

[Clarea]

Park Cafe for lunch.

[garnetpalmetto]

Sabor is definitely a must eat. Great Mexican offerings here. Split the dinner tasting menu between the two of you and you'll leave full of tasty food.

[Desertbelle]

Must see Central Park at night, and eat at 150 Central Park for dinner. The Park Café for lunch, for sure!

 

I guess I am a Central Park fan.:D

[Desertbelle]

I forgot to mention the Cucumber Basil Martini at 150 Central Park. So yummy, plan on having two of them!!

[Gordo]

Loved our meals at Chops and 150 Central Park. And the service was fantastic. We also enjoyed lunch at the Park Cafe and breakfast at Johnny Rockets.

 

The show at the Aqua Theater was really cool.

 

This was out first time on Allure and absolutely loved it. Enjoy!!

[cb at sea]

2 days...not enough time!!!

[Clarea]

Have a drink on the Rising Tide Bar.

[Anita Latte]

I've sailed Allure only once...but it was a TA and we did have 9 Sea Days in a row.

 

Whenever I sail a ship, I like to pick out the most unique aspects of the ship and be sure to experience those. Based on my own experience, if I were to only have 2 nights on Allure, I would:

 

1. Be sure to walk the jogging track. It's one of the only dedicated jogging tracks that I am aware of...especially on a lower deck. It is unique. This will not take long at all...but for me, it would be a must do to walk around the entire ship on the track. Maybe pause to admire the wake of the ship...the jogging track has one of the best views of it.

 

2. See Central Park at night. You can walk through during the day, but try to plan to sit and have a drink at night. It's a lovely atmosphere. If there is musical entertainment one night...that would be a good time. It's like a concert in a park...and you can't get that on any other ship. You might choose to eat outside at Giovanni's, I think? during some entertainment? That would be closer to the staged area, IIRC.

 

3. YES on the Rising Tide Bar. It's just fun.

 

4. If the Broadway show is playing...I would see that. Chicago ended with our sailing. Learning about the care that they take to make the production on board be a true Broadway production and not some dumb-ed down cruise ship version...I adore live theater/shows/concerts/productions, so I wouldn't miss whatever was showing, if it were showing on my cruise. I think it changed to Mamma Mia?

 

5. The AquaTheater is unique. That show is also entertaining if you can appreciate what the performers are doing. When I see such productions, I often question how people PRACTICE such things? The show I saw was quite a feat of production with the stage that raises and lowers in the pool so that the entrance/exit of the performers is constantly evolving and changing. I also greatly admired the sheer strength demonstrated by many of the performers, so if that were playing, I would try to see that as well.

 

6. Honestly, I would go for a hot dog over Park Cafe for lunch. *shrug* Just me...but I don't often eat such things and when I do, I generally associate the experience with something like a ball park, etc., and well, the Broadway area of Allure fits...and the dogs are really good! (if you like that sort of thing). You can take the dogs wherever you want...or find a fun sit on the Boardwalk. The Park Cafe was always so very busy during lunch on our cruise...

 

7. Breakfast at Johnny Rockets was complementary for our cruise, not sure if that is still the case. If it is, I would aim for that...and try to get there earlier...it is a smaller venue (the outside was too cold for service on our TA), and once that little place fills up... We tried to eat there a few times and every time, we couldn't get in.

 

8. Now that I've sailed the Enchantment...I would say that a "must drink" for me would be a Coconut Mojito in Boleros. See when/if there is live music (there was a few times on our cruise) or plan to hit it later if a DJ is playing...and hit it then to have that drink and some dancing OR just grab the drink and go somewhere else.

 

9. If you are into Comedy...depending on what other shows are on your cruise...then I might grab a Mojito and then go to the comedy club? That's a nice, small venue, which is very unexpected on such a large ship. If that isn't your thing...skip it.

 

10. If you are up for the upcharges of the specialty dining...then I would definitely go for that! We had great service in the MDR, BUT...the Mexican restaurant on the Boardwalk is unique (and very sharable! HUGE portions). We ate at Chops and Giovannis for lunch too, which were excellent. I would repeat that lunch because eating lunch in Central Park at such a place was lovely, but the dinner at Chops, while super tasty and good, is not unique, so I might do that on a different ship if I only had 2 nights.

 

11. For personal reasons, we did not eat at the dinner place in the Solarium. It is complementary during the day...but at dinner, it turned into an upcharge place. That place isn't duplicated on other ships.

 

12. OH!!! You MUST eat the Florentines from that Solarium Cafe. They are a dessert offering...only offered at lunch. They are a kind of crunchy, salty almond thing dipped in dark chocolate...SO GOOD. (We usually ate lunch in this cafe...it's nice to eat outside here).

 

That's all I can think of right now...

 

Like I said, I would be picking what was most unique for a "2-day bucket list" BUT...keep yourself open to experiencing whatever seems the best for you at the time. THAT is usually the best vacation...and realize that there is NO WAY that you can hit everything in 2 nights...I didn't hit everything in 12 nights...

 

Just sayin'.

[Club Disney Chandler]

I've sailed Allure only once...but it was a TA and we did have 9 Sea Days in a row.

 

 

 

Whenever I sail a ship, I like to pick out the most unique aspects of the ship and be sure to experience those. Based on my own experience, if I were to only have 2 nights on Allure, I would:

 

 

 

1. Be sure to walk the jogging track. It's one of the only dedicated jogging tracks that I am aware of...especially on a lower deck. It is unique. This will not take long at all...but for me, it would be a must do to walk around the entire ship on the track. Maybe pause to admire the wake of the ship...the jogging track has one of the best views of it.

 

 

 

2. See Central Park at night. You can walk through during the day, but try to plan to sit and have a drink at night. It's a lovely atmosphere. If there is musical entertainment one night...that would be a good time. It's like a concert in a park...and you can't get that on any other ship. You might choose to eat outside at Giovanni's, I think? during some entertainment? That would be closer to the staged area, IIRC.

 

 

 

3. YES on the Rising Tide Bar. It's just fun.

 

 

 

4. If the Broadway show is playing...I would see that. Chicago ended with our sailing. Learning about the care that they take to make the production on board be a true Broadway production and not some dumb-ed down cruise ship version...I adore live theater/shows/concerts/productions, so I wouldn't miss whatever was showing, if it were showing on my cruise. I think it changed to Mamma Mia?

 

 

 

5. The AquaTheater is unique. That show is also entertaining if you can appreciate what the performers are doing. When I see such productions, I often question how people PRACTICE such things? The show I saw was quite a feat of production with the stage that raises and lowers in the pool so that the entrance/exit of the performers is constantly evolving and changing. I also greatly admired the sheer strength demonstrated by many of the performers, so if that were playing, I would try to see that as well.

 

 

 

6. Honestly, I would go for a hot dog over Park Cafe for lunch. *shrug* Just me...but I don't often eat such things and when I do, I generally associate the experience with something like a ball park, etc., and well, the Broadway area of Allure fits...and the dogs are really good! (if you like that sort of thing). You can take the dogs wherever you want...or find a fun sit on the Boardwalk. The Park Cafe was always so very busy during lunch on our cruise...

 

 

 

7. Breakfast at Johnny Rockets was complementary for our cruise, not sure if that is still the case. If it is, I would aim for that...and try to get there earlier...it is a smaller venue (the outside was too cold for service on our TA), and once that little place fills up... We tried to eat there a few times and every time, we couldn't get in.

 

 

 

8. Now that I've sailed the Enchantment...I would say that a "must drink" for me would be a Coconut Mojito in Boleros. See when/if there is live music (there was a few times on our cruise) or plan to hit it later if a DJ is playing...and hit it then to have that drink and some dancing OR just grab the drink and go somewhere else.

 

 

 

9. If you are into Comedy...depending on what other shows are on your cruise...then I might grab a Mojito and then go to the comedy club? That's a nice, small venue, which is very unexpected on such a large ship. If that isn't your thing...skip it.

 

 

 

10. If you are up for the upcharges of the specialty dining...then I would definitely go for that! We had great service in the MDR, BUT...the Mexican restaurant on the Boardwalk is unique (and very sharable! HUGE portions). We ate at Chops and Giovannis for lunch too, which were excellent. I would repeat that lunch because eating lunch in Central Park at such a place was lovely, but the dinner at Chops, while super tasty and good, is not unique, so I might do that on a different ship if I only had 2 nights.

 

 

 

11. For personal reasons, we did not eat at the dinner place in the Solarium. It is complementary during the day...but at dinner, it turned into an upcharge place. That place isn't duplicated on other ships.

 

 

 

12. OH!!! You MUST eat the Florentines from that Solarium Cafe. They are a dessert offering...only offered at lunch. They are a kind of crunchy, salty almond thing dipped in dark chocolate...SO GOOD. (We usually ate lunch in this cafe...it's nice to eat outside here).

 

 

 

That's all I can think of right now...

 

 

 

Like I said, I would be picking what was most unique for a "2-day bucket list" BUT...keep yourself open to experiencing whatever seems the best for you at the time. THAT is usually the best vacation...and realize that there is NO WAY that you can hit everything in 2 nights...I didn't hit everything in 12 nights...

 

 

 

Just sayin'.

 

 

I just want to say what a pleasure it was to read this. I think I could talk cruises with you all day! I have no idea if or when I'll ever go on Allure but you sure made me want to. I wish you many happy cruises.

[BearAndPrincess]

If you want to splash out

I would recommend the Chef Table

its $85 but has wine matched is an 8 course tasting menu and central 150 with Wine is $75 and is a only a 6 course tasting menu

and doesn't have the Chef describing each dish and the wine match

 

don't be afraid to ask for discount they were offering them on our trip

[jloves2cruise]

These suggestions are awesome! Thank you so very much for helping us make our "epic weekend" all the more epic!!

[ckergald]

Some items I haven't seen already mentioned

• Zip Line
  
• Flowrider
  
• Rockwall climbing
  
• Ice Skating
  
• cantileavered whirlpool
  

[wolfcathorse]

We did the 2 night on Oasis last year. Still don't like big ships. Tried Park Cafe for lunch (whatever the name is of the cafe in Central Park) on boarding day and the line was a 20 minute wait and the food wasn't that good. Long lines to do the zip line too. Since you've already paid for food with your cruise fare, why not eat it? Save the specialty restaurants for the longer voyages. Almost impossible to get a seat on the Rising Tide bar but we waited it out. Waste of time waiting.

 

So must do's, if you don't mind waiting in line is the zip line and Rising Tide bar. Also have a ride on the carousel, there wasn't a line for that.

[Bookish Angel]

I spent hours checking out the art all over the ship. I climbed a lot of stairs to do so and enjoyed every minute of it.

 

I am not a foodie so can't help you there. I like fresh, simple, often meat-free foods so I ate a lot of salad at Park Cafe.

 

The large hot tubs are unique and a great way to relax and ease muscles especialy if you always use the stairs as I do.

 

The Central Park area of the ship is lovely, especially at night with the twinkly lights and low volume music. It's a nice place to sit with a fruity drink.

 

Allure is a wonderful ship. You will have a great time.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Bookish Angel

[N41EF]

First, what Anita said above.

 

Mama Mia is the musical onboard now, we really enjoyed it, including my daughter who is a theatre snob. Go see it, you'll be singing along.

 

The running track/ walking track is a quicker way to get fwd to aft or vice versa. go down out aft, then in for dinner. Disney Fantasy and Dream have a similar setup.

 

The Mexican place on the Boardwalk is kind of a mexi-fusion place. It was good, but I miss Rita's Cantina.

 

Zip Line and flow riders if you are sporty enough.

 

It's a beautiful ship, we spent hours just walking around and looking at the artwork on all of the stair landings. You do take the stairs don't you?

[jloves2cruise]

Yes, with all the food and drinks we plan on enjoying, we will absolutely be taking the stairs! Sounds like we'll be able to combine art and exercise!! :)

 

Thank you again, for all of these great suggestions! We think this will be a great chance to determine whether we like the mega ships or not!

[SunnyDeb]

I've been on the ship twice for the 7 night and am booked again in Feb. There are plenty of things still left to do.

 

My top 3 for you are: Rasul ( couples spa treatment in a private room with just the two of you...you're welcome [emoji6]), Chef's Table, and ride the carousel.

 

You are going to love Allure!

 

 

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