Just off the Allure - a few quick tips

[garnetpalmetto]

I was not aware that I would need to make reservations for shows, until after I had booked this cruise, since this is our first "mega" ship. 1) Where can I find a schedule of events so I don't end up choosing the wrong show schedule? I have called RC and they can not give me that information. 2) Since My Time dining is on my reservation do I need to choose those times also for EACH night after choosing my show times? Trying to stay positive about his cruise, but it does look like much more planning is involved on such a large ship. I have cruised many times before and love the leisure of it all, hope that will be the case on the Allure also.

Thanks for any info you can pass on.

 

Depending on how far out you are from your sail date, you should be able to see the schedule/available shows on the Entertainment portion of your Cruise Planner. Keep in mind that you don't *have* to have reservations for shows - typically if you're in the standby line for shows you'll be able to get in. The only show I'd highly recommend reservations for due to the size of the venue is the comedy show. Unfortunately, I can't answer your MTD question since we never use it. DW and I prefer traditional dining.

Edited November 18, 2015 by garnetpalmetto

[chukabird]

Thanks that really helps. I'm reading too much obviously and stressing, we have convinced relatives to go with us, "since cruising is so laid back". I also prefer traditional dining, but was concerned about show times. MTD was the only option available when booking as far out as we did.

[Cruise a holic]

I was not aware that I would need to make reservations for shows, until after I had booked this cruise, since this is our first "mega" ship. 1) Where can I find a schedule of events so I don't end up choosing the wrong show schedule? I have called RC and they can not give me that information. 2) Since My Time dining is on my reservation do I need to choose those times also for EACH night after choosing my show times? Trying to stay positive about his cruise, but it does look like much more planning is involved on such a large ship. I have cruised many times before and love the leisure of it all, hope that will be the case on the Allure also.

Thanks for any info you can pass on.

 

On your reservation, look at the cruise planner- click on it- If you follow the prompts you can make reservations. I would also suggest easiest to call and have a rep map out for you. As other posters stated you can wait on line about 20 min before a show you might want to see, you probably will get in, but your seats might not be the best. I now call and let them do the work with me. I have fixed dining- early- but if a show doesn't work for my dining time, make that the days we dine in specialty restaurants. We like to dine in two to three each cruise.

 

You will love the ship but best to do your homework before. If you do not show up to the show because you decided to do something else- no biggie- then go to a walk in show if no reservations are available. Last time I was on the Allure they also had a box office so you can reserve seats on board- but it could be crowded.

[cruise_blog]

I was not aware that I would need to make reservations for shows, until after I had booked this cruise, since this is our first "mega" ship. 1) Where can I find a schedule of events so I don't end up choosing the wrong show schedule? I have called RC and they can not give me that information. 2) Since My Time dining is on my reservation do I need to choose those times also for EACH night after choosing my show times? Trying to stay positive about his cruise, but it does look like much more planning is involved on such a large ship. I have cruised many times before and love the leisure of it all, hope that will be the case on the Allure also.

Thanks for any info you can pass on.

 

Just off the Allure where we did three B2B's. Two of them were booked to full capacity. We had reservations for shows and MTD, but found out that we didn't -really- need them. For the shows, as others have said, you almost always will be able to get in via the standby line if you are there 10-15 minutes before the show starts. They perform all of the shows multiple times during the cruise so you have multiple chances to see them. Even the comedy venue--yes, it is small, but they have the same comedians for the entire trip, and the comedy routines seemed to go twice almost every night. So if you miss the comedy show at the beginning of the cruise, you can catch it at the end.

 

If you don't make your reservations ahead of time (as it seemed most people don't), they will have a table set up near the beginning of the cruise where you can book show times if you like. If you miss the booking table, you can also book them via the guest services counter, the diamond or suite concierge (if you have access to them), and some shows you can even book from the TV in your room. So our experience was that we found we didn't really need to worry about booking shows ahead of time. If you happen to do it--great, you know you are in. If not--no biggie.

 

As for MTD, we had similar experience. We had reservations for some nights, but even on the nights where we didn't, the longest we waited was maybe 15 minutes. The MTD non-reservation line seemed the longest at about 7:15 - 7:30, and again at about 8:15-8:30. Other than that we typically walked right in. On a couple nights when it was crowded, they were walking MTD people up to deck 4 and deck 5 for available tables as well so they were very good at making sure you got a table in a reasonable time.

 

So basically, what I observed regarding reservations was that the Allure staff really seemed to take into account that many people would -not- make reservations and they had a lot of back-up measures to make sure that nearly everyone got to experience the shows and the dining.

[m*u*g*]

Windjammer, never stepped foot in there once during our med cruise and ate just fine.

 

Was actually a better cruise by not going in there.

 

We had to walk past a couple of times going to the pool and there was always a line to get in. Really?

[Hawaiifrank]

However if you wear clothes in the warm weather more then twice, without cleaning them, you will see people sit else where lol! so bring clean clothes please! they do have laundry service on board of course. I line dry swim suites, but the humidity isn't good for other items.

Enjoy

 

I didn't mean I wore the SAME clothes every night. :eek: I meant the same type of outfit: slacks and a button-down, or maybe a collared pullover, shirt on casual night. On a back-to-back, I would probably try to get a second wearing from some.

 

It's only $4.50 per shirt for a clean and press and on longer cruises I do that.

[Who Cares?]

So, in essence, if you have to pay 20% tax (quite high it seems) then you would essentially be paying 38% more than the base price of the package

(20% tax +18% gratuity)?

 

Why would you not be assessed the tax if you paid for it beforehand?

 

$20, not 20%.

[Cruise a holic]

I didn't mean I wore the SAME clothes every night. :eek: I meant the same type of outfit: slacks and a button-down, or maybe a collared pullover, shirt on casual night. On a back-to-back, I would probably try to get a second wearing from some.

 

It's only $4.50 per shirt for a clean and press and on longer cruises I do that.

Of course I was kidding hence LOL However have been next to people on board who do not clean their clothes and still use moth balls! Not great dinner companions!

Enjoy your cruises

[travelbuddies]

What kind of fan did you bring? I am accustomed to a ceiling fan.....

 

Barb

 

I would also like to know about the fan. Thanks

[MikeACY]

I was not aware that I would need to make reservations for shows, until after I had booked this cruise, since this is our first "mega" ship. 1) Where can I find a schedule of events so I don't end up choosing the wrong show schedule? I have called RC and they can not give me that information. 2) Since My Time dining is on my reservation do I need to choose those times also for EACH night after choosing my show times? Trying to stay positive about his cruise, but it does look like much more planning is involved on such a large ship. I have cruised many times before and love the leisure of it all, hope that will be the case on the Allure also.

Thanks for any info you can pass on.

 

 

Looks like u pretty much have your answer from others on this wonderful board...here is my two cents worth...lol

 

I too thought it was a pain in the butt..this being our first mega ship cruise, but in the end I found it was worth it.

First I made a chart depicting the days and the times we were on the Islands/Ports. I did this for each day of the cruise.

From there I wrote down the shows that were available. We also had MTD but decided to make reservations for each night for the 4 of us.

On sea days I booked MDT reservations for 6pm-8pm then added a show after this time.

On Port days I looked at what time the ship was scheduled to leave the port and booked dinner, then the show times. For example..if we left St. Thomas at 7pm, I booked an 8 o'clock dinner, then a show after 9:30. When we left St. Maarten at 5, I reserved dinner at 6:30 and a show after 9.

You will find that the later in port you are, the later the shows are. A comedy show that was at 8:00 on a sea day will be available at 10 on a late port day. RCCL did a good job making shows available at different times depending on our time in port.

Just remember to keep checking your "Calendar" on the RCCL web page. As I stated in a previous post, RCCL changed one of my show times without telling me and it was right in the middle of dinner.

As I said, it is a pain, but I was more relaxed on the cruise knowing we had reservations for our dinners and shows. U can email me at MikeACY@verizon.net for more info if you need it.

Mike

[fun_one]

What kind of fan did you bring? I am accustomed to a ceiling fan.....

 

Barb

 

I originally bought a little mini 5" fan that I thought would work but a friend of mine who always travels with a fan said that would not be enough. So she went out and bought me a 10" fan (I know it sounds huge but...) that was fairly slim and it worked out just GREAT! I could not have lived without it. You could either plug it in or use the batteries but with the extra plugs in the rooms now, it was not a problem to leave it plugged in. The fan didn't take up much room in my bag and it really worked out well. I am not sure why the ships don't seem to cool the rooms enough though. I could barely feel cool air coming out of the vent located way above the closet area.

[fun_one]

We've never cruised before so forgive this question but...isn't there a "manager" or someone that is making sure people are served? It sounds like you could get better service at a Denny's/Waffle House!

 

It is funny because we decided to go to Johnny Rockets for breakfast one day and sat at a table for almost 10 minutes and never could get anyone to take our order. One person came over after about 5 minutes and said he'd send someone over but they never showed up. Then when we got up to leave, the "host" looked at us funny and asked if anyone ever came over and we said "no" so we just left. I am not sure if we'll try that again since there are so many other options to eat.

[pharaoh]

It is funny because we decided to go to Johnny Rockets for breakfast one day and sat at a table for almost 10 minutes and never could get anyone to take our order. One person came over after about 5 minutes and said he'd send someone over but they never showed up. Then when we got up to leave, the "host" looked at us funny and asked if anyone ever came over and we said "no" so we just left. I am not sure if we'll try that again since there are so many other options to eat.

 

 

Same thing happened to us at JR on this sailing. We were there for lunch. They seated us outside and it was about 15 minutes before they brought the fries and rings, and another 10 minutes until they actually took our orders. There were plenty of waiters walking past the area and we asked several times for some help and they kept saying they would send someone, and we'd never see them again.

 

We ended up staying but we're never going back.

[MrsPete]

if it is acceptable to wear dress slacks and a collared shirt (for the guys) and dressy capris and top (gals) on formal night in the MDR? I really never paid too much attention to what others wore in the dining room.

You won't be asked to leave, but you will be at the bottom of the dress code barrel. In spite of the vocal folks on this board who promote the come-anyway-you-please, most people onboard do make some attempt at dressing nicely, especially for formal night dinners.

 

I'd especially re-think the capris. They're probably the least flattering article of clothing ever devised, making even tall, willowy women appear short and dumpy.

We tried the MDR could not even get a waiter to take our order and table next to us waited over 30 minute 3 of 8 orders were wrong and one person never got their food!

I've never heard anything like this.

Did you go to the head waiter at the door? What response did you receive?

Thanks that really helps. I'm reading too much obviously and stressing, we have convinced relatives to go with us, "since cruising is so laid back". I also prefer traditional dining, but was concerned about show times. MTD was the only option available when booking as far out as we did.

I think boarding is hectic (I wouldn't go so far as to say stressful) in that getting "all your stuff" labeled and sending it off with the porters takes some effort, and going through the line and having your ship ID made is tedious ... and disembarkation is also a lot of waiting ... but except for those things, cruising is "laid back".

As for MTD, we had similar experience. We had reservations for some nights, but even on the nights where we didn't, the longest we waited was maybe 15 minutes. The MTD non-reservation line seemed the longest at about 7:15 - 7:30, and again at about 8:15-8:30. Other than that we typically walked right in. On a couple nights when it was crowded, they were walking MTD people up to deck 4 and deck 5 for available tables as well so they were very good at making sure you got a table in a reasonable time.

Our experience has been similar -- we've never waited more than 10-15 minutes, and we never make reservations; we just show up. We love MTD and don't see why anyone locks himself or herself into a set time any more.

Edited November 20, 2015 by MrsPete

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

On Oasis in May, service was very good. The head waiter was excellent, but the assistant was subpar.

 

Regarding the drink packages mentioned earlier, so if I prepay online for the package, we wont be charged the tax? But the package will be overall more expensive once onboard?

Edited November 20, 2015 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[Clarea]

On Oasis in May, service was very good. The head waiter was excellent, but the assistant was subpar.

 

Regarding the drink packages mentioned earlier, so if I prepay online for the package, we wont be charged the tax? But the package will be overall more expensive once onboard?

Unless this tax thing is a very new policy, the price for the package should be identical, pre-cruise and onboard.

[KiwiFunCruiser]

Thanks for your tips.

[abisha]

Thanks for the tips. Do you or anyone else know where the best option is for breakfast (good service, less crowded, etc.)?

[Clarea]

Thanks for the tips. Do you or anyone else know where the best option is for breakfast (good service, less crowded, etc.)?

Johnny Rockets if you want eggs made to order. Park Cafe is also a good choice if you can live with egg/muggin sandwiches, oatmeal, bagels, wraps, etc.

[riekl]

What kind of fan did you bring? I am accustomed to a ceiling fan.....

 

Barb

 

I HIGHLY recommend this fan :

 

http://www.amazon.com/O2-Cool-Portable-Emergency-Charger/dp/B0018EGJNE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1448059936&sr=8-2&keywords=camping+fan+magnetic

 

Battery operated (a full set of D's will last all week but it does take 8 of the suckers), and MAGNETIC ! It clings right to the ceiling in your cabin and poof ceiling fan! I originally bought it to go camping with my son on scouting outings but man do i love it on a cruise ship!!

[swwake]

I was on this same sailing and agree with everything the OP says.

 

Thanks for the tips. Do you or anyone else know where the best option is for breakfast (good service, less crowded, etc.)?

Try Wipe Out Cafe. Rarely a line. All the typical buffet options, including pastries, oatmeal, eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit, plus made-to-order omelets. The only problem is finding an open bar if you want soda or a cocktail.

 

Also, I have the Cruise Compasses from this Eastern itinerary scanned. If you'd like a copy, please email me at swwake at icloud dot com.

[garnetpalmetto]

Bob talked up the eggs made to order in Johnny Rockets but I found them disappointing. DW and I both ordered them and got a scoop of powdered egg (still in the little ice cream scoop ball shape). Highly unappetizing and hardly "made to order."

[Clarea]

Bob talked up the eggs made to order in Johnny Rockets but I found them disappointing. DW and I both ordered them and got a scoop of powdered egg (still in the little ice cream scoop ball shape). Highly unappetizing and hardly "made to order."

That sounds like the scrambled eggs, which I never had.

 

However, I've had omelettes and fried eggs there and they were fine. Enjoyed the potatoes too.

Edited November 21, 2015 by clarea

[Johnamac123]

....

[Who Cares?]

You won't be asked to leave, but you will be at the bottom of the dress code barrel. In spite of the vocal folks on this board who promote the come-anyway-you-please, most people onboard do make some attempt at dressing nicely, especially for formal night dinners.

 

As long as people follows the rules, I don't think many here give as hoot as to what other people think, especially if someone is so aloof as to considers others as "bottom of the barrel". Seems some here though give some or a lot of importance as to what other strangers think for some weird reason. :confused:

Edited November 21, 2015 by Who Cares?