Allure To Be Amped

[Ocean Boy]

In today's newsletter from RCI it states that Allure is finally going to be amped and before it heads to the Med next summer. Very unfortunate for those of us who like the ship the way it is. I guess we can say goodbye to its great DL (Crown Lounge) soon and here comes the slides.

[SilkySal]

That's a shame. Sure wish they would keep the Crown Lounge where it is and ditch the purple monster!

[taglovestocruise]

6 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

In today's newsletter from RCI it states that Allure is finally going to be amped and before it heads to the Med next summer. Very unfortunate for those of us who like the ship the way it is. I guess we can say goodbye to its great DL (Crown Lounge) soon and here comes the slides.

$1300 for the 13 night TA in OCT 2025 for a ocean view balcony GTY. . .  We did the TA on Allure several years ago and it was fantastic. 

[RobInMN]

This is not "news" per say, as the Allure Captains and hotel directors have been saying this. Also, the dry dock in March of 2025 is 6 weeks, running from the end of February to the beginning of April. There's been discussion in many threads. Here's one dedicated to the amplification that was last posted to February:

 

This is the first we've seen any official public statement however. I also think this is the first time we've seen the term "Amplified" post-COVID. Previously, I think just "refurbished" was used.

 

We were booked on her 2020 post-Amplification TA. We booked the 2025 TA within a couple hours of it begin released (I believe it was a Wednesday night about 8PM central).

 

Now, the big question is: Will they stick to the original plan? or will they alter it in any way? For instance, the original plan was to replace the Champagne bar with the Bionic bar. The Hotel Manager has already indicated that the Champagne bar is going away (as is Sabor). Since I think we can all agree that the Bionic bar has run it's course, might they do something like Utopia's Pesky Parrot (which is in that same location) instead?

 

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, taglovestocruise said:

$1300 for the 13 night TA in OCT 2025 for a ocean view balcony GTY. . .  We did the TA on Allure several years ago and it was fantastic. 

Great price and plenty of chances to see Mamma Mia on a 13 nighter.

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, RobInMN said:

This is not "news" per say, as the Allure Captains and hotel directors have been saying this. 

 

Ok, sorry if I implied in any way that this was news.🙄 Yes, it has been talked about but this was the first I have seen that it is now scheduled to happen.

 

[GetToLivin]

Do we know for sure they're going to move the Crown Lounge? Such a special space, I'll be sad if it goes 😭

[RobInMN]

1 minute ago, GetToLivin said:

Do we know for sure they're going to move the Crown Lounge? Such a special space, I'll be sad if it goes 😭

Even with the original Amplification announcement, I don't believe they ever said that explicitly, but based on the plans of what they were adding, and the fact that they moved it on Oasis, I think it's safe to say that it's almost guaranteed to be moved to where it is on every other Oasis class ship. Sorry.

That said, there has yet to be any announcement itemizing what they are going to do. We don't know if they are just going to dust off the original plans and implement them, or if they will make any adjustments. In 2019, they were all hot for the Bionic Bar, and Allure was going to get it. Now it's 2024, and the Bionic Bar is very meh. It's constantly babysat by crew and I don't think it generates much revenue anymore. On Utopia they went with the Pesky Parrot instead. The hotel manager on our Allure cruise last Septmeber said that the Champagne Bar was going away (as well as Sabor), but did not specifically say what was going in their place.

[molly361]

I will get to enjoy Sabor's and that nice bar near the Aqua Theatre one more time mid June before she leaves PC and then gets amped up.  Count me as one that likes her the way she is

[RFerrington]

I suspect that the amplification specifics will depend largely on what hardware/equipment had already been pre-purchased and sitting around in storage, waiting to be installed for the past couple of years.  I can’t see them “wasting” hardware/equipment that has already been purchased (purple slide, bionic bar, etc) even if it’s something that they might choose not to do if that decision were being made, today.

[The Fun Researcher]

Blessing and a curse really. I absolutely love what Royal has done with their amped ships so for me it’s more of a win than a loss.

[Southern Dan]

1 hour ago, RFerrington said:

I can’t see them “wasting” hardware/equipment that has already been purchased (purple slide, bionic bar, etc) even if it’s something that they might choose not to do if that decision were being made, today.

I could see them axing the Bionic Bar in favor of the Pesky Parrot perhaps because the former isn't really popular and anything would be better than a prime spot that is wasted.

[Another_Critic]

Thinking about booking the east bound TA to experience the pre-Amp'ed ship.

[The sea calls my name]

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

In today's newsletter from RCI it states that Allure is finally going to be amped and before it heads to the Med next summer. Very unfortunate for those of us who like the ship the way it is. I guess we can say goodbye to its great DL (Crown Lounge) soon and here comes the slides.

We are going on her one more time before they "corrupt" her. I wish RCCL would listen to it loyal cruisers and leave 1 sister in her original beauty .  

[RobInMN]

1 hour ago, RFerrington said:

I suspect that the amplification specifics will depend largely on what hardware/equipment had already been pre-purchased and sitting around in storage, waiting to be installed for the past couple of years.  I can’t see them “wasting” hardware/equipment that has already been purchased (purple slide, bionic bar, etc) even if it’s something that they might choose not to do if that decision were being made, today.

I've wondered the same thing. When Allure's original Amplification was cancelled, I believe that she was less than 5 weeks from starting. I imagine that much of what they were going to install was already on site or near by. How much of that has been stored for the last 4 years, vs. what did they try to liquidate. Certainly, something like the purple slide which was custom would likely have been stored (used for Wonder or Utopia??). But I believe that it was stated somewhere that all A/V was going to be replaced. Like every single TV. That's thousands of essentially off the shelf Samsungs. Have they stored those for the last 4 years or did they liquidate them for cash? Assuming they still do this, do they want to do a fresh install with 5 year old TVs? Lot's of questions.

BTW, those robots could be easily re-sold. They are not custom to RC. They are standard manufacturing robots.

[3yorkies]

4 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

In today's newsletter from RCI it states that Allure is finally going to be amped and before it heads to the Med next summer. Very unfortunate for those of us who like the ship the way it is. I guess we can say goodbye to its great DL (Crown Lounge) soon and here comes the slides.

Agree!  It is the only nice Crown Lounge left in the fleet.   I was hoping they would just leave her alone.  Hate those slides.   And rumor is that Sabor will be removed, which is a favorite too.

[RobInMN]

3 minutes ago, 3yorkies said:

And rumor is that Sabor will be removed, which is a favorite too.

Not so much a "rumor". At the top tier event last September, the Allure Hotel Manager stated as much. She said that she hopes we enjoy it (and the Champagne Bar) while they are still around as they are going to be replaced.

Edited May 31 by RobInMN

[reallyitsmema]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Ok, sorry if I implied in any way that this was news.🙄 Yes, it has been talked about but this was the first I have seen that it is now scheduled to happen.

 

 

Thanks for the information.  I have tried for years to get Royal Caribbean emails but I only get emails related to my bookings.  At least I see posts like this when there is news to share. 🙂 

 

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, RFerrington said:

I suspect that the amplification specifics will depend largely on what hardware/equipment had already been pre-purchased and sitting around in storage, waiting to be installed for the past couple of years.  I can’t see them “wasting” hardware/equipment that has already been purchased (purple slide, bionic bar, etc) even if it’s something that they might choose not to do if that decision were being made, today.

Maybe they can sell the Bionic Bar to a 2nd or 3 tier cruise line to get rid of it.

[soremekun]

I wonder if they'll keep Bionic Bar and Johnny Rockets.

[RFerrington]

4 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Maybe they can sell the Bionic Bar to a 2nd or 3 tier cruise line to get rid of it.

Fingers crossed on that one !

 

😜

[cruiseboy89130]

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Great price and plenty of chances to see Mamma Mia on a 13 nighter.

On Oasis TA - CATS was only shown 3 times.....

[cruiseboy89130]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

Thinking about booking the east bound TA to experience the pre-Amp'ed ship.

Bring warm clothes and plenty of barf bags...

Oasis class in that kind of weather is no fun at all!

Edited May 31 by cruiseboy89130

[Ocean Boy]

19 minutes ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

On Oasis TA - CATS was only shown 3 times.....

Three times too many.

[molly361]

1 hour ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Thanks for the information.  I have tried for years to get Royal Caribbean emails but I only get emails related to my bookings.  At least I see posts like this when there is news to share. 🙂 

 

I get zero emails from Royal