"Jagvar" (Jagvar)
01/29/2016 at 13:27 • Filed to: None
6
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"Jagvar" (Jagvar)
01/29/2016 at 13:27 • Filed to: None | 6
| 13 |
Last week, I took my first vacation in months. Having gone on a couple of cruises before, I opted to take a trip on the largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas . So I got out before the winter storm for a 7-night cruise to Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. Here are a few impressions.
This is the Allure. At 1,187 feet long, she was difficult to get in frame. Fully loaded, she carries 6,300 passengers and 2,300 crew. We had close to 8,000 on board, which is no surprise given it’s the busy season. I wouldn’t call her a pretty ship (the Normandie was a pretty ship; the cruise ships today all look like condos to me), but she definitely makes an impression, especially when moored next to literally anything else.
On Day 1, you enter the ship on Deck 5 in the Royal Promenade. Yes, the ship is so large that it has a street inside it. The two-story, brick-paved boulevard is flanked by shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs, and even includes this replica Mercedes 540K. Pretty nifty.
Looking down from the aft deck, you can see into the boardwalk on Deck 6. They went for a “Coney Island” feel on the boardwalk, with cotton candy machines, an ice cream parlor, and a fully-functioning carousel. My favorite was the hot dog vendor, which I may have visited on four separate occasions. The smokehouse franks go great with Bahama Mamas.
Deck 8: Central Park. There is a massive, open-air park in the middle of the ship, complete with trees, climbing vines, flower beds, and little bistros and wine bars. Throughout the week, I often forgot I was on a ship, and such was the case every time I strolled through here.
The staff really went above and beyond. My cabin steward left me towel animals on three separate occasions. My favorite was the elephant. The sunglasses were a nice touch.
The ports of call were fantastic. I’d been to Nassau before, but never to St. Thomas (Paradise Point pictured here) or St. Maarten. I wasn’t permitted to take pictures on the beach in St. Maarten because it was clothing-optional, but the ocean was so blue I could scarcely tell where it met the sky. I even ran into a couple of the ship’s entertainers there, which wasn’t as awkward as you might think.
All in all, I’d rate the Allure 9/10, only because the restaurants were fairly hit-or-miss. The steakhouse, called Chops, had the best food on the ship. The Solarium Bistro, the most disappointing. If you like cruises, or even if you’ve never cruised before, I’d recommend the Allure. There was so much to do that it was impossible to get bored, even on days at sea. I’ve been really happy with Royal Caribbean, and this one is their crown jewel.
EL_ULY
> Jagvar
01/29/2016 at 13:30 |
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Floating Hotel with mall is floating :]
MonkeePuzzle
> Jagvar
01/29/2016 at 13:35 |
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no shoes, PERFECT for a cruise. obviously not much of a change in your life though :P
pjhusa
> Jagvar
01/29/2016 at 13:46 |
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I’m glad that you didn’t:
A) contract serious virus
B) vomit your guts out
C) poo your guts out
D) fall terminally ill
E) die
The world would be depressing with one less person willing to own a Phaeton.
Vicente Esteve
> Jagvar
01/29/2016 at 13:50 |
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Went to that same ship as well, I adored it. Can’t wait to go to Quantum of the Seas.
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Jagvar
> pjhusa
01/29/2016 at 13:51 |
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In reality, that doesn’t happen on 99.9% of cruises, the same way that 99.9% of people who go swimming don’t get eaten by sharks. In the quest for ratings, the media has occasionally been known to exaggerate things a tad. ;)
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Jagvar
> Vicente Esteve
01/29/2016 at 13:52 |
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Nice! What were your ports of call?
CAR_IS_MI
> Jagvar
01/29/2016 at 14:22 |
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Hey I think thats the boat I am going on this summer, or one of the sister ships.
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Jagvar
> CAR_IS_MI
01/29/2016 at 14:32 |
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You’ll enjoy it! Her sister-ship Oasis sails from the same port.
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Vicente Esteve
> Jagvar
01/29/2016 at 14:47 |
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Haiti, Jamaica and Cozumel IIRC.
wantafuncar
> Jagvar
01/29/2016 at 17:21 |
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Great post - looks like a blast.
We went on the Oasis of the Seas in 2015, and it was spectacular. I think that is the sister ship to this ship.
From everything I’ve experienced, heard, read, etc... the ship makes all the difference and Royal Carribean is supposedly top notch. Hard for me to say for sure, as that was my only cruise.
ranwhenparked
> pjhusa
01/29/2016 at 19:54 |
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Norovirus can happen pretty much anywhere. The summer camp I worked at in college had it one year. Not something you want on a vacation, but it really isn’t that big of a deal.
John Norris (AngryDrifter)
> Jagvar
01/29/2016 at 20:09 |
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What about the Flowrider?
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Jagvar
> John Norris (AngryDrifter)
01/29/2016 at 21:46 |
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I watched a few brave souls do it, but I never made it on the flowrider myself.