Mini review and advice from our Allure of the Seas cruise Feb 2023

[roseoftx]

First time Royal Caribbean cruiser with previous sailings pre-Covid on Carnival and NCL. 
 

The app

Install the app and learn how to navigate around it. Don’t assume that your cruise will match the cruise compasses floating around.  In our case, the headliner show was on Monday/Thursday although previous sailing were on Sunday/Monday.  The app is the best source of info for the week ahead. 

 

Bag drop off

We arrived just before 11 and there was a fair amount of traffic. There were 2 lanes but only 1 said it turned but the traffic guy kept telling people to get in the other one so we used it.  They switched traffic between the cruise drop off and the passenger drop off but both had porters so don’t worry which way you go. It moved quick. We parked in the North lot and it was very convenient (although more expensive than some but they do regular $20 off promotions). 

 

Boarding 

Check in and boarding was pretty fast. No lines at all. They retook our pictures even though we uploaded during checkin. 

 

Drink cups

If you purchased a drink package, you can pick up the cup as soon as you get on the ship even if you don’t have your sea pass yet. 

 

Solarium for lunch

The solarium was perfect for lunch.  Nice view, not crowded and a good selection although less than Windjammer but good enough. 

 

Sea pass / cabin key

Cabins became available at 1pm. Your sea pass will be found on your door stuck under your cabin number. 

 

Clocks 

When sailing south, we were close to Cozumel on the 2nd key day and if your phone/watch was set to automatically set the time, it moved 1 hour ahead but the ship time stayed on Houston time. A lot of people were up earlier than expected and confused for awhile. You should set to manual time when you first get on the ship and reset back once you get off.  The TV and the app always display ship time. 

 

Electrical  

The light in the bathroom was bright when on and had a dim setting when off. It did not turn completely off. We did not need a night lite in there although we used a small one in the main room plugged into the desk.  

 

The master switch turns off the AC too so leave it on.  It was a switch and did not require a card in it to keep it on like on the Harmony. 

 

There was one outlet under the bed.  We had requested an extension cord and water for a CPAP but didn’t need the cord. Note that RCI doesn’t allow you to bring your extension cords but we did have a plug replicator so we could plug in our charger block in here too. 

 

Picture packages 

If you are going to buy photos, buy the package online before the cruise to save the most. But if you decide to buy more on the ship, they will charge an upgrade fee. We bought the 10 pack and the upgrade fee for 10 more was more than buying the complete package beforehand. 

 

Picture kiosks

In the photo shop, they have kiosks to view the photos online. They also print them all and place in a tower identified on your sea pass. The printed one were easier to compare. The kiosks were good to identify if there were any missing.

 

Ice cream

The soft serve ice cream in the wipeout cafe could get very busy.  It was the only one available although they used to have others based on some videos I watched. 

 

Boarding at ports 

There were small lines to get on the ship in Roatan and Costa Maya but the lines to return to the ship in Cozumel were incredibly long. They wrapped all the way around the shopping mall.  Everyone made it on the ship but there was a lot of anxiety and people were trying to cut into line and apparently some kind of fight which was crazy since they weren’t going to leave anyone that was in line. 

 

Elevators 

There are only 2 sets of elevators in the front and back with one set of 8 on the port side and another on starboard.  They can get very busy at key times like meals, port arrival and after shows. You occasionally saw people getting on going on one headed the opposite direction and coming back just to get a spot. 

 

The elevators periodically had a mind of their own where only one key pad would work or reset before reaching the desired floor. But they did a reasonable job considering how many people were on the ship. 

 

There is no midship elevators which means that rooms midship had a longer walk to reach places on the promenade or Central Park.  Our cabin was near the aft elevators which was great for accessing windjammer, boardwalk and the aqua theater. We booked for next year near the front elevator which provide quick access to Solarium, spa and fitness and shows. 

 

Deck 7

The aft elevator bay on deck 7 does not go across from port to starboard (there is a cutout  for the Boardwalk sign. If your cabin was on that floor, you learned pretty quick to use the right set of elevators. Sometimes you could get turned around and get on the wrong one and have to go up or down one floor to get to the right side (as opposed to waiting for an elevator on both sides)

 

Departure was quick. We did bag assist which meant leaving out the night before. We signed up early in the app and were in the first group after self assist and were off the ship just after 8:30 ahead of our schedule time. They give you a tag for your carry on and were checking and holding back some people trying to leave early.  Face recognition passport control was quick and bags were ready. 

[boogity]

Thank you for your review.  

[minnie00]

I am curious how the weather was during sailaway, the ports, and the return home. We haven't sailed in the Gulf before. thanks !

[cruiselvr04]

I was on last weeks sailing too.

 

The weather was cool the first sea day and downright cold on the last sea day.  It got down into the upper 50’s with up to 30 mph winds.  Everyone was inside the last day, the upper decks were closed due to wind.  
 

In the ports the weather was great.  Warm but not too hot.  The ocean water temp was fine that far south.  
 

Mid December to mid March is winter in Texas.  It was 30 this a.m. in Dallas and will be 70 Monday.  Cold is usually short lived but unpredictable.  If cruising from Galveston ( or sometimes Florida) at this time of the year take jeans/pants and jackets or sweatshirts.  The Caribbean is always warm.  ( It rained in Costa Maya last week but we weren’t cold.)

[roseoftx]

2 hours ago, minnie00 said:

I am curious how the weather was during sailaway, the ports, and the return home. We haven't sailed in the Gulf before. thanks !

A lot depends on when you sail. This time of year, the weather is all over the place and is controlled by the jet stream. This year has seen more colder days over all.  When we left on the 5th it was on the 60s and while not swimming weather, it was very pleasant.  The next day it had started warming up and people were out and about on deck. On the 2nd sea day, people were hanging out by the pool and by the time we reached Roatan, it was in the 80s  It stayed nice until we left Cozumel for the way home and then for the last sea day we were in the 50s with 60 mile per hour winds.  Once you get to late March/April, Houston/Galveston area is going to be in the 70s and 80s and it will be a bit warmer as you go south but for this itinerary, will get into the high 80s.

Edited February 17, 2023 by roseoftx

[ctnecruisers]

We are sailing on Allure this Sunday. Thank you for the review. Lots of useful info. 

[roseoftx]

Full review available on the review site https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=696196

[minnie00]

On 2/17/2023 at 3:48 PM, roseoftx said:

A lot depends on when you sail. This time of year, the weather is all over the place and is controlled by the jet stream. This year has seen more colder days over all.  When we left on the 5th it was on the 60s and while not swimming weather, it was very pleasant.  The next day it had started warming up and people were out and about on deck. On the 2nd sea day, people were hanging out by the pool and by the time we reached Roatan, it was in the 80s  It stayed nice until we left Cozumel for the way home and then for the last sea day we were in the 50s with 60 mile per hour winds.  Once you get to late March/April, Houston/Galveston area is going to be in the 70s and 80s and it will be a bit warmer as you go south but for this itinerary, will get into the high 80s.

We sail on March 5th ….so we will plan for the colder days. We live in Phoenix so are wimpy when it comes to cold lol

[roseoftx]

On 2/18/2023 at 10:15 PM, minnie00 said:

We sail on March 5th ….so we will plan for the colder days. We live in Phoenix so are wimpy when it comes to cold lol

Houston is looking to be warming up by then.  60s for low, low 80s for highs so that should make the whole cruise warmer than February. 

[minnie00]

20 hours ago, roseoftx said:

Houston is looking to be warming up by then.  60s for low, low 80s for highs so that should make the whole cruise warmer than February. 

Yeah !

[Travllvr619]

On 2/18/2023 at 9:15 PM, minnie00 said:

We sail on March 5th ….so we will plan for the colder days. We live in Phoenix so are wimpy when it comes to cold lol

Same here! When I hear 60 I run to get my parka LOL. We sail in September so we will hopefully have some hot weather, just not Az hot.

[roseoftx]

September in Galveston will be still very warm, does not start noticeable cool off until October

 

Edited March 17, 2023 by roseoftx