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 withCarnival, 6 times withRoyal Caribbean, 2 times withNorwegian and 1 time withPrincess.
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!
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)
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!
Morning We slept in a bit (8:30AM) and woke up to more choppy seas but they were not near as bad as the cruise outbound. We met the boys at the Windjammer around 9AM and it was surprisingly not that busy. It was a typical sea day crowd but we ventured to the back and the crowds were much smaller. The food was typical and we were not impressed but it worked for a quick breakfast.
We then went to the Royal Promenade for the "T-Shirt" sale at the shops. TIP- This used to be a 2/$20 sale and now it is 2/$35... Be prepared. We all got a Royal Caribbean port shirt and $70 later we were in business. It was during the sale that Chris found "Tornado Tana", the Cruise Director, and we were able to get the coveted CD picture with the family in fact. Thank you Tana.
It's a tradition! And it hasn't failed since cruise #4!!!
After we met and talked with Tana a bit, we went to the Duck and Dog Pub in the Royal Promenade and participated in the Sports Trivia. This was, once again, well attended and a larger venue would have been better but we survived. TIP- The SPORTS trivia questions were very "European" and featured a LOT of soccer and not-as-common sports. Luke and Chris did extremely well and tied with a neighboring table of adults. These adults were nice enough to give Luke the medal instead of the highlighters. Luke was SO excited he (mainly Chris) won and we continued our success of bringing home a trophy/medal. Way to go BOYS!
Luke LOVED winning his medal for sports trivia!
After the sports trivia we had to make another stop at Cafe Promenade as Luke had not had his daily pizza and brownie fix. We stopped by right around noon and it was not crowded at all. We also ran by the Windjammer around 12:30PM to see what lunch menu items were offered but none of us were impressed.
Luke... making sure he got some pizza! This was his 1st trip of 5 for the day!
Afternoon We knew we wanted to catch the Ice Show at 1PM so we got there early to get seats in Studio B. TIP- The RCCL Ice Show is NOT TO BE MISSED. It is offered on Voyager class ships and above with Studio B Ice Rinks. It is usually ONLY OFFERED ON 1 night and 1 sea day. Be sure to get there early to be sure to get a seat because once it is full, they close the doors to audience members.
Studio B... It is SO GORGEOUS! And on Voyager class and above! Be sure to check it out!
Hello from the ICE SHOW!
The Ice Show was absolutely INCREDIBLE and the cast was phenomenal. The storyline that went with the beautiful ice skating was excellent. Even Luke LOVED IT!
These skaters were ATHLETES! They did a remarkable job and the show was just incredible!
After the Ice Show we went back to the room to get into swimsuits so the kids could enjoy the Main Pool and Hot Tub Area. Chris and I knew the Solarium would be jam packed so we opted to go to the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 15 to read a book while still watching the kids in the hot tub. TIP- This is such a HIDDEN GEM on most RCCL ships. It offers some of the best views on the ship and has a BAR. How could you go wrong?
This was the LEAST full of kids we EVER saw the main hot tub area. I am not sure if this is just the "new norm" but the amount of kids in the main pool and hot tub area were ASTONISHING at times. We didn't think it was a busy time for kids but we were WRONG... 956 "junior cruisers" is just too many!
A view of the Adventure of the Seas Main Pool deck from the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 15!
The kids enjoyed swim time for about 2 hours and then change and joined us in the Viking Crown Lounge, making a pit stop at Cafe Promenade of course. I am so glad they are at the age that they can go and change and grab snacks on their own. It made for a very enjoyable and relaxing cruise overall.
The kids enjoying themselves as they're walking back from changing!
We stayed in the Viking Crown Lounge until early evening when we went back to the room to pack our suitcases for debarkation. This is always my LEAST favorite time of the cruise but all good things must come to an end. I threw the suitcases together and then we went back out to try and catch some of the live entertainment in the Royal Promenade before going to the Farewell Show in the Main Theater.
I've gotta get just one more look of this gorgeous wake view... I'll see you again in July!
And yet another beautiful sunset... We were SO LUCKY on this cruise to have a stunning painted sky every single night of our voyage! Thank you Jesus, it's gorgeous!
Evening We enjoyed the Farewell Show and then went to our last meal in the Sapphire Dining Room which was Italian Night. We were all looking forward to this so much as we LOVE pasta. The food was once again done very well, but the service could use a little improvement. It took us about 90-100 minutes from start to finish, which is fairly slow for the last night of a cruise.
The Farewell Show in the Main Theater was sort of a "catch all" of the various shows and performers from the week!
The Italian Night (new menu) in the Main Dining Room!
I LOVE Royal Caribbean with the GIANT Texas flag on the ships that sail from Galveston! They really know how to speak to their audience!
After dinner we roamed around the ship enjoying the smooth seas and eventually called it a night around 10:30PM. It was the end of an AMAZING week aboard the Adventure of the Seas and we are ALREADY planning our next cruise with the kids!
Adventures in the Sun February 23, 2023 Cozumel, Mexico
Our most visited cruise port and even after 16 visits, it is still a favorite!
Morning For the first time of the cruise, we woke up to an alarm going off at 7AM. Unfortunately, I did not sleep well due to a UIL nightmare so it was a rough night. We all got up and got ready and then made our way to the Windjammer for our breakfast. It was not at all crowded at 7:30AM ship time and we were done and back in the room getting ready to get off the ship shortly after 8AM. (Keep in mind that passengers were allowed to get off all night so this was probably a factor in it being less crowded. A typical Cozumel arrival is 8AM so plan for it to be MUCH busier).
Hello Carnival Dream... Nice of you to join us!
Hello Thursday!
We got all of our stuff ready for a beach day and then made our way to Deck 1 to get off the ship. It didn't take much time to make our way to the back of the International Cruise Terminal to the taxi stand. We were at Playa Mia Beach and checking into our day reservation within 20 minutes. TIP- Cozumel offers FLAT RATE taxi fees from the International, Puerta Maya and Downtown cruise terminals. Be sure to tell your taxi driver where you are headed and ask for the quote before you get in the taxi. We have NEVER had an issue and it has always been very easy and cheap. Our taxi to Playa Mia was $17 each way... Don't forget to tip your driver.
We love walking the pier at Cozumel!
We are ready for a GREAT day in Cozumel!
Hello from our "tiny taxi". There's never a dull moment in a Cozumel taxi!
Once we arrived at Playa Mia, we signed into our beach reservation and then made our way to lounge chairs for the day. Unfortunately, due to the high winds, the resort was not allowing beach umbrellas so we opted to sit towards the back of the beachy sand area near an awning in hopes of the shade covering.
It's Finally BEACH day!
We were all so excited to get here!
I am in my HAPPY PLACE!
Playa Mia is an all inclusive resort on the southeast side of Cozumel island and offers lounge chairs, a very large and somewhat smooth beach access as well as numerous other amenities such as ocean inflatables, a large pool and a massive waterpark with 2 waterslides and a kiddie area. This is probably the most "Family Friendly" resort we have been to in Cozumel. However, I would not say it was my favorite as it was very "family and kid" populated. As per the usual with these "all inclusive" resorts, the cocktails were watered down and not that good.
The Pool area of Playa Mia.
We loaded the kids up with sunscreen and they were on their way. They tried out the ocean bicycles and then spent over an hour on the inflatables. Chris and I enjoyed watching them in the shade with a cocktail in hand.
They are ready for the Ocean Bicycle.
Chris is reading and enjoying the shade!
The LOVED the inflatables!
More inflatable fun!
Afternoon We spent the morning in the ocean and then decided to get in the pool while we waited for our lunch. TIP- Order your lunch early at any of these resorts as there are many passengers from all cruise lines. We have found ordering around 11AM helps ensure good delivery timing and allows you a more relaxed afternoon instead of feeling rushed due to late arriving food. We ordered a wide variety of food and all enjoyed the quesadilla the most. But like I mentioned above, the food left much to be desired.
POOL TIME!
The kids liked the pool area a lot!
Sibling fun!
My not-so-little mini- me and I at Playa Mia!
We enjoyed our lunch and then Luke and Chris did the water bicycle while Natalie and I enjoyed the serenity of the shaded lounge chairs. Shortly after that the kids spent the rest of their time on the ocean inflatables. Playa Mia made an announcement at 2PM local time (1PM ship time) for all Adventure of the Seas passengers to start closing out their tabs. This was the first we have experienced this type of reminder and I think it is very helpful.
Chris's face when Luke asks him to do the Ocean Bike! Chris- That means I will have to do the bulk of the pedaling!
The boys lasted about 20 minutes on the Ocean Bike!
But they had a LOT of fun!
Chris sure did a LOT of the pedaling but it was FUN!
WE LOVE BEACH DAYS!
Goodbye Cozumel, you have been good to us!
We were in the taxi and back at the International Terminal by 2:30PM local time. Since we had gotten off the night before, we did not do a lot of souvenir shopping so we were back on Adventure of the Seas shortly before 3PM local time (2PM ship time).
A picture perfect view of your ship from the International Cruise Terminal. TIP- This is right behind the COZUMEL sign on the north side of the terminal near Senor Frogs.
We tried to have the kids do some swimming in this area but it was a little too rocky for their liking. They were also really tired from a day of playing at Playa Mia and some minor sunburns!
Hello Adventure... We're BACK!
Once back on board, Chris and the kids went to take showers and naps while I went to enjoy the Solarium before the majority of the passengers got back on board. The Solarium was not crowded at all and in fact, I was in the hot tub all by myself for almost 30 minutes. TIP- We have also notice the hot tubs and whirlpools are MUCH hotter and overall better maintained on port days as well. We highly recommend enjoying these type of ship facilities on a port day, especially if you have been to said port before.
Shortly before sail-away time at 5PM, I went back to the room and showered and got ready for the evening. We went back to Deck 4 outside promenade to try and spot pier runners but it seemed as if all of the Adventure of the Seas passengers were already back on board. (This was completely different from our Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze experiences just a few months prior. Royal Caribbean truly is a different clientele). The Adventure of the Seas set sail for Galveston, TX at 4:58PM.
Evening After waiting to watch pier runners without any luck, we went down to Schooner Bar for Pre-Dinner Trivia. I didn't expect to do well but Chris knew many of the answers and ended up winning in a Tie-Breaker at the end. We all got a medal keychain. (Overall, I was a little disappointed in the SWAG offered by Royal Caribbean for trivia games). Then we went to catch another EPIC sunset on Deck 4.
Another GORGEOUS sunset aboard the Adventure of the Seas!
God sure does paint a pretty picture!
This was such a PERFECT sunset!
Silly times on board!
The Norwegian Bliss sailing back to Miami! Will this be our next ship??? Alaska 2024, maybe!
Absolutely no filter needed!
We tried to go to the Family Gameshow "60 seconds or less" in the Imperial Lounge before dinner. This was a great option for kids of all ages but it was TERRIBLY managed and ran by the cruise director's staff. There was a challenge to do in 60 seconds and kids could come up and try to get selected to play. The crew wasn't really choosing who would play but rather allowing kids to run and cut in front of others just to get to play. Within 4-5 rounds of Luke waiting and raising his hand to play and not being chosen, he was completely done and wanted no part of it. Sadly we heard parents telling kids "Just run them over and get up there so you can play". I could get on a whole separate soapbox about how kids these days behave and how we, as a society, are raising the future leaders of our country. It is actually appalling.
We then went to Mexican Night in the Sapphire Dining Room. We arrived early and were seated early but the service was still SUPER slow. I had told Royal Caribbean we were celebrating the kids birthdays upon booking and it seemed this was the night they would recognize their birthdays. TIP- You can specify just about any celebration and Royal Caribbean (and most cruise lines) will recognize the birthday or other celebration with a cake or dessert of some kind in the main dining room completely free of charge. Little did I know that the kids did not want to be sang to and get a dessert. I had mentioned it to Luke when the waiter reminded me at the entrance and Luke wanted no part of it. So much so that when the waiter asked who had a birthday, I randomly said "Me". So the wait staff brought me a cake and sang to me at the conclusion of our dinner. The coconut cake they brought was SUPERB and I enjoyed it a lot.
After dinner we went to the "Can't Stop the Rock" show in the Main Theater. This was a pretty good cruise ship show and Natalie especially enjoyed it. Luke, on the other hand, took a nap. He was wiped out from a day in the sun. After the show, we went back to the cabin as Luke was just so tired. Chris and I LOVE the 70s Inferno that Royal Caribbean offers so we put the kids to bed and then went back out to the dance party in the Royal Promenade. TIP- Bring a wig and 70s clothes. This event is NOT to be missed and is SO MUCH FUN! Chris and I danced the night away and then got a few cocktails before heading back to the room for the night shortly after midnight.
This boy was tired... A sunburnt!
Just a small taste of the Disco Inferno! It is SO MUCH FUN!
It was a great day in our "home away from home" Caribbean port! We LOVED the crystal clear blue waters and a gorgeous day at the beach!
Up next... Our final day aboard the Adventure of the Seas!
