Friday, August 25, 2023

The Allure of Royal Caribbean- July 2023

Allure of the Seas 
July 2-9, 2023 
Galveston, TX 

Our first MEGA-SHIP experience and it was one for the memory books! 

It's hard to believe that this was my TWENTY-SECOND cruise but here I am... Killing it on the HIGH SEAS! This would be our FOURTH cruise since the restart of cruising after the pandemic and our first ever MEGA-SHIP experience. 

 We have cruised 12 previous times with Carnival, 6 times with Royal Caribbean, 2 times with Norwegian and 1 time with Princess

This blog will contain entries of our day-to-day life aboard the ALLURE of the Seas as well as a highlights from Royal Caribbean's New Main Dining Room menus in each daily post. 

Throughout the blog posts, we will also share the lots of tips, tricks and insiders knowledge about the ALLURE of Royal Caribbean, cruising on a MEGA-SHIP and even life on a cruise ship after the pandemic! 

Check Out our Cruise: 

Day 1- Galveston "Mega-Ship, Tiny Cabin"

Day 2- Sea Day #1 "Down By the Boardwalk"

Day 3- Sea Day #2 "Fireworks in the Royal Promenade

Day 4- Roatan, Honduras "The Best of the Best"

Day 5- Costa Maya, Mexico "Massages in Mayan Style"

Day 6- Cozumel, Mexico "The One Lobster Workaround"

Day 7- Sea Day #3 "Ladies and Gentlemen, We are Experiencing Technical Difficulties"

Day 8- Debarkation "From the Ship to the Horseshoe"


Once again, thank you for following along and support our business! I hope this will help someone planning a cruise on the Allure of the Seas (Or Oasis Class Royal Caribbean Ship) or planning to get back to cruising after the pandemic... Or even a first time cruiser! Feel free to reach out with any questions! 

Up Next... Surprising the kids with a CRUISE out of CALIFORNIA! (Shh... It's a SURPRISE)

Carnival Radiance- February 2024

WE CANNOT WAIT!

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Adventure of the Seas- February 2023




 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 

The Allure of Royal Caribbean- Debarkation

From the Ship to the Horseshoe
July 9, 2023 
Debarkation in Galveston

From complete rest and relaxation to non-stop professional development...
 BRING IT ON! 

Morning
We woke up to an actual alarm as per typical for the debarkation day. We got ready and then went to eat breakfast in the Main Dining Room. The lines to get a table were not actually too long but it seemed like so since so many people were carrying off their own luggage. We were seated fairly quickly and the service was much better than the previous day. 

Once we finished breakfast, they were still calling off self-assist passengers so we went back to the room to gather our stuff and start to head to our holding location until our Group #7 was called. By the time we got back to our room, they were calling our group so we used the stairs and got in line to debark the ship. There was a very long line to get off the ship and we had to wander through that line for about 25 minutes before we actually got off the ship. Once in the terminal, it was a breeze with the new state of the art facial recognition software. TIP- You a passport when cruising if you can as it really helps speed up the process to board and debark. You can use a birth certificate if sailing a "closed loop" and returning to the same port (essentially a round trip cruise). But we have seen the past 3-4 cruises post-Covid that the birth certificate line is about 10x longer than the passport line. 

We got all of our luggage and made our way back to our parking spot in the Port of Galveston North Parking Lot. TIP- This is easily the best parking lot and location of any cruise we have ever sailed. It is a little pricey but WELL WORTH IT. Check it out HERE!

I was attending a String Teacher Workshop in Columbus, Ohio the following week and my flight left Houston in the afternoon. The original plan was to just hangout in Galveston or south Houston and get to the airport VERY early for my 4PM flight. But during the week we realized that I left a few items at the house so we opted to hurry and get off the ship and drive 80 minutes back to our home in The Woodlands and then drive an hour back south to Hobby airport for my flight. This was a LOT of driving but it was the right thing to do. 

Afternoon
Chris dropped me off at Hobby Airport around 2PM for my flight and I enjoyed a Starbucks treat while I waited for my flight. The flight was easy an uneventful. I touched down in Columbus at 7:30PM EST and made my way to Ohio State University for my workshop. It was SUCH a great week and you can read all about that week HERE!


I have arrived and I am ready to learn! 


THE Ohio State University!

The Allure of the Seas was our first MEGA-SHIP experience. We really enjoyed the ship but there were a few things we missed. I think overall, we would like to try Harmony of the Seas when it comes to Galveston in November 2023 but deep down I think we like the Voyager and Freedom class ships much better. In addition, I LOVE Royal Caribbean and consider myself to be "Loyal to Royal" but in all actuality, I will cruise anywhere and anytime. We just go with the best DEALS or VALUE! However, this was EXACTLY the cruise we needed in our lives as we approach our busy season. The down time, rest, relaxation and mental retreat were just what the Doctor Ordered!

What's Next?
This year I will be transitioning from teaching Middle School Orchestra to High School Orchestra within NCISD. All while Natalie will be a freshman in high school and Luke a 6th grader starting Middle School. We are entering what will easily be our busiest times of our lives and there, unfortunately, will not be as much time to travel as years past. BUT... That will NOT stop us from cruising or vacationing. We are planning to take the kids on a cruise over our February "Winter Break". We are planning a SURPRISE (SHHHH) cruise out of CALIFORNIA! Stay tuned for that! 

Once again, we GREATLY appreciate your continued support of our blog. Even just clicking on the blog post links and sharing our posts with friends and family members who may be cruising helps our business! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask! 

Up Next... SURPRISE Baja Cruise out of California! 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Adventure of the Seas- February 2023




 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 


Tuesday, August 22, 2023

The Allure of Royal Caribbean- Sea Day #3

Ladies and Gentlemen, We are Experiencing Technical Difficulties
Saturday, July 8th 
Sea Day #3 

This is always the saddest day of the cruise... It means it is almost over!

Morning 
We both slept much better and we woke up around 8:30AM. We got ready and then went to eat breakfast in the Main Dining Room. This was fairly late for a sea day so there was a line to get a table in the Main Dining Room. TIP- Carnival has REALLY stepped up their game and uses their app to reserve/ request a table and will send you a notification once your table is ready. Then you have 10 minutes to arrive. This eliminates the waiting and lines. I think with the advancements in the use of technology, RCCL could easily do this and for a ship that holds over 6K passengers, it would really cut down on the wait times. 

Oh sweet Saturday... How I love you! 

Our breakfast was good but the service was slower than we expected. TIP- We did order made-to-order omelets, and those take a lot more time, but the service was just not up to par for a Sea Day in our opinion. 


The made to order omelet was SO GOOD... Just not sure it was worth the wait! 

After breakfast we went back to the room so Chris could take his medication before we went to walk a few laps on the Deck 5 Promenade. We walked about 1 lap before Chris began to not feel well. As I have mentioned before, this is just one of the many concerns he has living with T2D and he has one of these "lousy" days about once every 5th day and unfortunately, that meant 2 of those days on this cruise. I let him rest and recuperate while I went to the Sports Deck to try out the Zipline. I still cannot even fathom how a ship can get a ZIPLINE on it's top deck but it was SO COOL. The line was about 10 people deep at 10AM when I did the zipline. TIP- Be sure to wear non-restrictive clothes, closed toe shoes and take off all jewelry and hats. Unfortunately, I was not able to take a picture or video but this was SUCH A COOL EXPERIENCE! I know Natalie would have LOVED it!


I seriously could just sit here all day and stare at God's gorgeous creation! 


But... it's time for me to do the Zipline! 

After my zipline fun, I walked around the Sports Deck and watch several FlowRider wipeouts before making my way back to the Royal Promenade to do a little shopping on board. TIP- The Shops on Allure of the Seas are many and extravagant. They have a Kate Spade store, Michael Kors and Regalia stores just to name a few. The prices at the Kate Spade store were even lower than an outlet store and it is tax and duty free. Unfortunately, I spent most of my spending money in the casino so I walked away without a new Kate Spade purse, which just about killed me! I did get our customary cruise souvenirs like the Coffee Cup and magnets! 

Afternoon
Shortly after 1PM Chris woke up and we met in the Main Dining Room for lunch. The food was good but the service was somehow even slower than breakfast. In fact, it was so slow that we left without our dessert. 

The Sea Day lunch menu (Sea Day #3) 

Tomato Soup- 4.5
It was rich and creamy. 
Mozzarella Sticks- 3.5
These were standard cheese sticks. 


The Lasagna- 4.5
RCCL really knows how to do this right. 

We then spent the next 3-4 hours in the PUB talking to the great bartenders and learning all kinds of things about Royal Caribbean and the life onboard as a crew member. This was one of the best conversations we have ever had with crew members. TIP- Be sure to talk to the crew members you see frequently throughout your cruise. Remember, they are onboard for 7+ months at a time and away from family. Oftentimes, just talking to them helps them relieve some of the depression that comes with being away from your family for so long!  

We made our way to the very top of the Allure of the Seas on the Sun Deck 14 to get a Titanic type picture since the Allure does not allow passengers on the helicopter pad like other Royal ships. It was a very hot and muggy day but we loved getting to see the open ocean! TIP- This is somewhat hidden and if you do not know to look for it, you will miss it. Go to Deck 14 and go INTO THE cabin hallways and then go all the way forward. It is a gorgeous spot to admire God's beautiful creation! 

We then went back to the room to take showers, get ready for dinner and unfortunately, pack our bags as we were getting on the ship the next day. TIP- There are two options for getting off any cruise ship; luggage assistance and self-assist. In recent years, it seems the majority of the passengers choose to do self-assist and wheel off their own luggage. This means there are fewer people choosing to participate in the luggage assistance and for that reason, we have opted to pack our bags early and leave it out the night before (by 10PM). This allows for an easy "walk off" the ship and we can not have to drag all of our stuff with us to breakfast. Every cruise line and ship are different but we find this works best for us. Royal Caribbean also does not require numbers tags for debarkation. They call you based off your muster stations. We packed out bags and left them outside our room around 5:30PM. TIP- We purchased alcohol while on board and it was delivered VERY early at 4:30PM. 

Evening
We then made our way to Vintages for one last evening sipping wine and eating delicate cheese and talking to Roger and other guests. This proved to be my personal absolute favorite thing about this cruise and I was so sad to leave this tradition. 

The larger than normal Tapas Cheese plate. 
There was a very light turnout for the Wine Tasting in the afternoon so they had leftovers! 

We went to dinner early so we could go to the 9PM Ocean Aria show in the Aqua Theater that was postponed from the night before. Our waiter, Oliver, was accommodating and was able to get us in and out in time to get great seats for the Aqua Show


Night #7 Bon Voyage Menu 


The French Onion Soup- 5.0
I love this SO MUCH! 


The Seafood Cake- 4.0
This was good and had lots of fresh seafood chunks! 


The Mediterranean Tapas Plate- 4.0
I am not a humus fan but this was really good. 


Grilled Mediterranean Steak-4.0
This was a good cut of meat and the sauce was great. 

The show started right at 9PM and it was going really well. But at 9:22PM the Cruise Director came over the intercom and said "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are experiencing technical difficulties". Chris and I looked at each other and we knew what this meant. A short time later, they started the show back up again, only to stop again a few minutes later. They eventually had to cancel the rest of the show for the safety of the performers as the seas were beginning to roll yet again. TIP- Be flexible with the Aqua Show (on any Oasis Class ship or higher) as they truly do depend on the weather and the sea conditions. I would encourage you to reserve seats for the very first show of the cruise as well. The show was cancelled with only 3 minutes left in the performance but once again, the safety of the performers is the top priority! 


It was a gorgeous (not so humid) night in the Aqua Theater! 


The acrobatic performers! 


This was SO IMPRESSIVE! 

We ended the night in the Schooner Bar with Iputu and Matthew. We learned about all of the bartender rotations for the next cruise and the Coast Guard inspection that would happen the next day. In fact, the July 9th passengers were told to arrive 3 hours LATER than originally planed due to this inspection. I am so very glad this was the NEXT cruise and not ours! TIP- This happens FREQUENTLY we learned. Remember, a cruise is what you make of it and the key is to be flexible! 


These strawberry mojitos were my jam this cruise... I had to get another one (or two). 

We went to bed a little earlier shortly after midnight as we had a long day ahead of us and I flew to Columbus, OH for a Teacher Workshop and Chris got ready for the 9 hour drive to pick up our kiddos in Lubbock from Gigi and Grandpa! 

This cruise was absolutely incredible and just what we needed as we head into what is sure to be the absolute busiest time of our lives. Thank you Allure of the Seas and Royal Caribbean for another excellent week on the high seas! 

Up Next... Debarkation in Galveston. 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Adventure of the Seas- February 2023




 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 



Monday, August 21, 2023

The Allure of Royal Caribbean- Cozumel, Mexico

 The One Lobster Work-Around
Friday, July 7th 
Cozumel, Mexico 

Welcome Home... It's been too long! 

Morning
After a decent night's sleep, we both woke up around 8:15AM and got ready for our day in Mexico. We opted to go to Johnny Rocket's on the Boardwalk for breakfast. TIP- Johnny Rocket's is an additional charge restaurant; except for breakfast which is FREE. It does not require a reservation and you can walk right in. Be aware there often is a line, though. 


Hello Friday... I love you! 


We are excited to try Johnny Rocket's for BREAKFAST! 


Johnny Rocket's on the Boardwalk!

This was a great experience and we would do it again in a heartbeat; especially on port days. The food and service were exceptional. I had the Bacon and Cheese Lover's Scramble and Chris had the Work's Scramble. The Work's included chili and it was a bit overpowering for Chris but one statement to the waiter and within 3 minutes Chris had a new dish in front of him. I could not believe they were that fast and efficient. We left a very hefty tip! 


I loved this scramble! 


Chris's Works Scramble was a little too "chili heavy"! 

After breakfast we made our way down to the Royal Promenade to get a specialty coffee at Café Promenade. TIP- Reminder, these ARE INCLUDED in your Drink Package on Royal Caribbean. We then went back to the room so Chris could take his medication for the morning before we got off the ship. 


The free coffee (for all passengers) in Café Promenade


The Starbucks Specialty Coffee (included in all DRINK PACKAGES) 


This is SO NEEDED... I am feeling the tiredness! 

We got off the Allure of the Seas right after 9:30AM and made our way through the International Cruise Terminal to look for a local massage spa that a crew member told us about. It was located near the Royal Village tourist area just beyond the International Terminal. This turned out to be a true hidden gem. The massages were very well priced and more professional than those offered in Costa Maya, plus offered a cooler environment as well. We would HIGHLY recommend this if you are in Cozumel and looking for a good massage. 


It was hard to believe but there were ZERO Carnival cruises in port with us! 
There were 2 other ships at the downtown terminal... 


We love COZUMEL and the Allure of the Seas


The Mexican Massage room. 


Time for massage #2. 


We loved this place and WILL BE BACK! 


Right in front of the Royal Village area near the HUGE Shark... You cannot miss it! 

Once done with our massages, we wondered around the Royal Village area to look for souvenirs for our kiddos and parents before heading back towards the ship. This was in the middle of the day heat and that walk was VERY SWEATY and hot! 


This is a GREAT photo op outside of the Royal Village. In 17+ times of coming to Cozumel, we have never made it here! 


I LOVE this souvenir shop in the International Terminal. It is ran by the sweetest family and it has the cheapest gifts that are still high quality! 


Time to get back on this beauty! 


It is all coming to an end... NO! We are loving this cruise!  

Afternoon
Once back onboard we got into our swimsuits and then made our way to the Solarium Pool. As I mentioned on previous blogs, the Allure of the Seas Solarium Pool is very small for the amount of passengers it holds as well as a very oddly shaped pool. We spent the next 2+ hours between the pool and the hot tubs, just enjoying our Drink Package. We went to the shade level of the Solarium on Deck 16 to lay out and dry off right before getting a late lunch.


Vian did such a great job with this towel animal! 


Hello shaded Solarium... You're my favorite! 

We grabbed a late lunch in Park Café around 3PM but we tried to eat very light as we knew Formal Night in the Main Dining Room would be a very heavy meal. After a quick lunch we went back to the room to take showers and naps before the evening activities. 

Around 4:45PM we went to Deck 5 to try and watch the sail-away and look for pier runners but it seemed this was a very responsible crew and all passengers were back on board early and the Allure of the Seas made it departure for Galveston around 4:50PM. TIP- I really do not like the Promenade Deck of the Allure of the Seas and the lack of area to watch sail-aways from the lower deck. I really miss the large are of the Voyager and Freedom class ships. 

Evening
We grabbed another coffee at Café Promenade before going to our nightly pre-dinner spot at Vintages. We talked to Roger and learned so much about red wines on this night. We left Vintages around 6:20PM for the Ocean Aria show in the Aqua Theater


We are ready for Formal Night #2. 
Notice how "relaxed" we are with this "formal" night.
It really is whatever makes you comfortable!

We got there early and were able to get great seats on the aisle. However, as we waited for the show to start and the crowds started to form, we noticed the ship swaying a LOT and sure enough, around 7:07PM, Cruise Director Steve (from Canada) said the show would be delayed for safety. And then around 7:25PM, the show was officially cancelled. During that time of waiting, we saw GIGANTIC amounts of water sway out of the Aqua Theater pool so I am sincerely glad they called the show for the safety of the performers. They would try the show again on the following night and all ticket holders would be guaranteed seats. 


We are ready for the Aqua Show! 


CD Steve (from Canada) confirming that the show will be rescheduled! 

We were pretty bummed about the cancelling of the show but we completely understood the safety of the performers. We went down to the promenade level on Deck 5 to watch the sunset over the aft of the ship. This is always one of my absolute favorite parts of ANY cruise; however, this lack of seating on the Allure of the Seas made this experience not near as good as other cruises. 


Even with the clouds, God sure does paint a pretty picture! 


This view is PERFECT! 


I love this wake view... it doesn't get much better than this! 

We then made our way to dinner in the Main Dining Room a little early since it was Formal Night. Once again we sat at our exquisite table and the service was incredible. It was LOBSTER night in the MDR and the crowds were arriving. TIP- Royal Caribbean had a change in it's dining policy in 2023 and now only allows ONE Lobster per passenger at this Formal Night. If a passenger wants an additional lobster, they have to pay a $16.95/ per lobster fee. This was a bummer as Chris and I LOVE Lobster Night and in the past have ordered two or three. The rest of the menu was fantastic and we were pleased with just one lobster tail. However, we did notice many passengers and tables getting around this new rule. 


Night #6- Formal Night Menu 

We were sitting around 3 different large party tables and many had several kids, even toddlers, at their table. These tables would order 1 lobster PER person. It didn't even matter if the 2 year old (or the 95 year old Grandma) wanted lobster... They were ordering it. In fact we heard this sweet innocent Grandma tell her son "But, I don't like lobster" and he replied "I don't care, you're ordering it". I think Chris and I nearly spit out our drinks trying to not laugh out loud. We watched as this just became the norm for the tables around us. And sure enough, the lobster would get delivered to Grandma and she would just pass it right down to the other adults. We thought this was hilarious and for a brief moment, we were jealous we did not have our kids on board with us. So that is how you get around the "One Lobster" new rule. Just make your toddler order it for you! 

Our dinner was spectacular and we really enjoyed the food and service especially. We were in and out of the Main Dining Room on a FORMAL NIGHT in less than 80 minutes.


Vidalia Onion Tart- 4.0
I do not know why, but I always really enjoy this! 


Escargot- 5.0
LOVE THIS! GET IT... TRUST ME! 


LOBSTER TAIL- 5.0+ 
Too bad I cannot get a 2nd... 


Cheese Tortellini Pasta- 4.0
This was good and rich.
 


Baked Alaska-4.5
This is a true staple of any good cruise! It was light and delicate! 


Strawberry Shortcake- 4.5
This was a new addition to the menu and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
 

 After dinner we went back to the room so Chris could take his medication and then watched a replay of a comedy show before making our way to Studio B for the Battle of the Sexes and quite possibly our favorite entertainment of any cruise... The QUEST

We arrived late for the Battle of the Sexes but it is always a funny show. TIP- Be sure to have a GREAT sense of humor and NOT BE SHY if you plan on volunteering for this show. Then we got ready for the QUEST. TIP- This is an adults only scavenger hunt. The Cruise Director will split everyone into teams and then call out completely RANDOM items to bring to them, These items can be things like: a printed cruise compass, a "flip" phone, money with a specific president on it, and etc. Or they can be completely risque' items like; a jock strap, padded bra, false teeth and so much more.  Be sure to come ready to be offended! We never participate but we think it is hilarious and this round of the Quest was another hilarious night laughing at the stupidity and boldness of other quests! 


It has been a GREAT day aboard the Allure of the Seas! 

We ended the night back in the Schooner Bar and closed it down with Iputu. He is such a great server and we love the atmosphere of this bar. We closed down the Schooner Bar and then went to Sorrento's for some late night pizza. We finally went to bed around 2AM. 

This was a GREAT day spent in our Caribbean "Home-Away-from-Home"- Cozumel, Mexico! We love this island!  

Up Next- Sea Day #3 and our last day aboard the Allure of the Seas!

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Adventure of the Seas- February 2023




 


Carnival Conquest- 2006