November 19-21, 2010

My husband and I had the opportunity to cruise on the new Allure of the Seas with Royal Caribbean. This was a two night cruise from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, out to sea and back to port. It was the inaugural sailing and offered to select agencies, Royal Caribbean staff and press. Filming of the motion picture “Jack and Jill” starring Adam Sandler, Katie Holmes and Al Pacino was taking place while we were onboard. It was a very exciting cruise!

The Allure of the Seas is the largest ship at sea. It is 225,282 tons, will carry up to 5400 passengers and 2384 staff. It is one huge ship! Looking at these facts prior to the trip we were a little overwhelmed by the size and number of people. Once onboard we realized how well Royal Caribbean has this figured out. They built a city at sea with a neighborhood concept which breaks the ship up into seven distinct neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are Central Park, Boardwalk, Pool & Sports Zone, Royal Promenade, Entertainment Place and Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center. The Allure also has information centers (similar to an Ipad with a touch screen) at each elevator giving you directions to different dining, entertainment and activity areas on the ship. The information centers also tell you how full each restaurant is. We found this very helpful and I am sure guests will as well.

There are 25 different dining choices onboard the Allure, 14 of which are complimentary. We really enjoyed the selection that the Allure offered. Some of the unique complimentary options are specialty hog dogs and brats at Boardwalk Dog House, My Family Time Dining allowing parents to stay behind and have dinner after their kids do – the kids are picked up by staff of Adventure Ocean about 1 hour into dinner and Boardwalk Donuts offering donuts, pastries and specialty coffees. Clients can easily cruise on this ship with out additional dining costs however if they are looking to try something new and different they can opt to pay a small surcharge for some of the other options. A few that we enjoyed were Starbucks, Mexican cuisine at Rita’s Catinas, cupcakes at the Cupcake Cupboard and tapas at Vintages Wine Bar. I think the Allure will surprise guests with the number of dining options, wide variety of options and how good the food is!

Just like with dining the Allure doesn’t disappoint when it comes to entertainment and activities. At the stern of this ship is the amazing AquaTheatre offering entertainment during the day and at night. Studio B offers ice shows at Sea! When we were onboard it was themed after the movie, How to Train your Dragon. We loved it and families will

too! At the Boardwalk you will find a full-sized Carousel and the Zip Line which is suspended 9 decks above you! At the Pool and Sports Zone the Allure offers Flow Rider which is a surf simulator, Allure Dunes Mini Golf, and H2O Zone for family fun, which also has an area for toddlers and infants. There are endless activities onboard; some others include a Sports Court, Table Tennis, Rock Climbing Walls, the Beach Pool, Card Room and Library. During the evening hours you will stay busy at the Casino Royale, Comedy Live, On Air Club, themed Street Parties on the Royal Promenade and the many different dining venues and bars. Another option for the evening is to head over to the Amber Theatre which offers three shows. Guests can choose from Chicago: The Musical, Blue Planet and Headliner Show. We went to Chicago: The Musical and I loved it! It was more amazing then the movie in my opinion and a great way to start the evening!

The Allure offers a lot of shopping options for those of us that love to shop. Some of the unique options are the Candy Shop offering more then 72 varieties of bulk candy. Pets at Sea which allows you to make your own stuffed animal pet and Pinwheels which offers childrens clothing and toys.

The Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center is on Deck 6. The Spa has 29 treatment rooms with a full list of options to choose from. The Fitness Center offers new classes to choose from, I think clients will enjoy the variety.

Royal Caribbean specializes in the family cruise experience. Onboard the Allure is the Adventure Ocean & Youth Zone. The youth program is for kids ages 3-11 and there is a separate teen program for kids ages 12-17. With in these two programs the kids are broken down into 5 different groups based on age. With in the area is an Ocean Theatre, Science Lab, Arcade and a nightclub called Fuel. The Allure also offers a Royal Babies and Royal Tots Nursery for children 6 to 36 months. Parents have day and night drop-off options and there is an extra charge for this. There are specific times during the day that are complimentary and offer free-time play for the kids.

There are 37 different categories of cabins on the Allure. They are broken down into Interior, Outside, Balcony, Balcony Suite and Loft Suite. This offers a wide variety of options depending on the type of cabin the clients are interested in, the number in their party and their budget. There are 17 decks on the Allure and we were on Deck 14. We had a Balcony Stateroom which was called a Central Park View Stateroom with Balcony. This actually faced the interior of the ship vs. out to Sea. It looked out over Central Park which is really beautiful; a street full of foliage, dining and shops. I wouldn’t suggest being on Deck 14 as we would hear the noise of the pool chairs one deck above us each morning. I would imagine this is pretty typical as they set up the pool area each morning.

We did tour a lot of the cabins and I liked how Royal Caribbean offers so many different family options with multiple baths, layout options and beds offering larger families to get just one cabin.

We had such a great time on the new Allure. I would highly suggest this to families as well as couples looking for a high energy experience with a lot of options. This is one ship we will go on again! I wouldn’t hesitate to say it is the best of its type at Sea!

 Islands Routes has tour desks in all of the Sandals and Beaches properties as well as the Grand Pineapple locations; however, guests staying anywhere on the islands (or cruise passengers visiting the islands) can book tours with Island Routes.

 The resort boasts vibrantCaribbeancolors with a unique tropical flair.  The guest accommodations are in one, two and three-storey buildings, each replicating classic Caribbean architecture.  The resort is moderately priced and will host singles, couples, families and small groups.  The atmosphere here is quiet, casual, relaxed, laidback and unhurried.

 There are 180 rooms in 5 categories.  All rooms have air-conditioning, king, double or queen size beds, ceiling fans, hair dryers, telephones, iron and ironing board, private bath or shower, safe, cable television, and coffee/tea makers.  Some rooms have private balconies or patios and others have communal verandahs.

 There are 5 restaurants and 3 bars at this resort. Nightly entertainment is provided along with a wide variety of land and water sports.  There are two freshwater pools, one of which is a quiet pool reserved for adults only.

 Much of this resort is situated on a hill which can make walking difficult for some.  The oceanview rooms are located on the hillside and are the largest rooms on resort.  I would not recommend this resort for anyone that has mobility issues.  The walkways are at times uneven and getting up to the hillside can be a challenge.  There are no elevators on property.

 There are 373 Rooms and Suites in 25 categories in this beautiful 27 acre resort.  Accommodations range from one-storey buildings with patios to Honeymoon Rondavals with private plunge pools to exotic Mediterranean Honeymoon Penthouse One-Bedroom Suites and Luxury Ocean Villas with private pools!

 The resort is broken down into two distinct sections:  the Caribbean Grove (the original resort) and the newMediterraneanVillage.

 All accommodations in the Caribbean Grove have air-conditioning, king-size mahogany four-poster beds, ceiling fans, amenity kits, hair dryers, private bath and shower, safe, clock radios, cable television, coffee/tea maker, iron and ironing board.

 Accommodations in the Mediterranean Village offer Concierge Service with air-conditioning, king-size mahogany four-poster beds, ceiling fan, amenity kits, hairdryer, telephone, private bath and shower, safe, CD clock radio, cable television, coffee/tea maker, iron and ironing board.  These suites have Italian floor tiles, large flat-screen televisions, custom designed mahogany furniture with leather trunks and fabrics fromTurkey,ItalyandIndia.  The bathrooms feature Italian Giallo marble, custom his and her washbasins, the latest Kohler Purist bath and shower fixtures, whirlpools and overhead walk-in rain showers.

 There are 11 restaurants and 7 bars throughout the resort.  Theme nights, weekly events and nightly entertainment is also provided.  There are six freshwater pools and six whirlpools including two swim-up pool bars.  This resort also offers volleyball, aerobics, table tennis, day/night tennis, darts, bocce ball, pool tables, snorkeling, aqua cycle, hobie cats, sunfish sailing, kayaks, pedaloes, wind surfing and scuba diving. 

 This resort is fairly large in size and may require a lot of walking from one area to another.  Guests with limited mobility would probably be more comfortable in theMediterraneanVillageas it is more compact and elevators are available.

• Make sure you have extra battery packs and memory cards for your camera!
• Don’t wait until you get to the airport to say goodbye to all the new friends you’ve made. With everyone busy finding their luggage and looking for the right gate, we were scattered to the four winds before we knew it. Make sure to get information to stay in touch while you’re still on the boat.
• Take comfortable walking shoes. Also, take comfy “lounging” shoes for when you’re on the boat.
• If you like ice cream, you’ll love ice cream in Holland.
• Holland is full of friendly, helpful people who live in a clean, green world and are very proud of their land and their heritage.
• Although our cruise ship is small compared to many of larger ships we saw in Amsterdam harbor, this boat can get into the smaller canals and go places the big guys can’t. That’s really what makes this waterway cruise so special. And I think it makes it a more comfy-cozy sort of trip.

It was a great time and a great trip, and if I have an opportunity to go again, I hope to meet you there!

I will come away with many fond memories of this wonderful week in the Netherlands:

• The crew, their quick response to our needs and wants, their patience with us, their sense of humor, how quickly they got a sense of our different personalities. They all came out to wave at us as we pulled away in the motorcoach, bound for the airport. Tot ziens, all of you! Hope to see you again!
• The variety of food and the fun of figuring out what we would be served tomorrow judging by today’s menu. For instance, fresh red and yellow peppers in our salad one day; roasted pepper soup the next. And all of it delicious.
• The early morning hours up in the lounge or out on the deck, drinking that marvelous coffee and enjoying the spring sunshine.
• The colors of the tulip fields. The unending varieties of the tulips at Keukenhof. Are you sure that’s a tulip?
• The ubiquitous bikes and bike trails. The Dutch really have the right idea about staying fit and enjoying life!
• All the many people on board from all different parts of the country. I will long remember my friends from the state of Washington, the duck-hunting guys and their wives from Iowa, the lovely 83-year-old woman and her daughter who were so much fun, and many more.
• The beautiful towns and villages we passed through, many with their unique architecture and designs on their doors and windows.
• Windmills everywhere, old and new. Many times the newer wind turbines lined up along the canal while the more traditional windmills could be seen out in the fields.

• I LOVED being able to unpack and make the cabin my “home” for the duration of the cruise vs. a typical tour where you stay in multiple hotels and don’t have a true “home” base.
• Participating in as many evening walking tours that I wished to.
• Being able to pick and choose the excursions I wanted to join in vs. having it automatically built into the cruise package.
• The option to explore independently, but at the same time being a part of a mini community (there were 100+ passengers on the trip) where I was guaranteed to run into my fellow passengers while investigating new villages and cities.
• Having all meals, except the first lunch upon arrival, included in the cruise, as well as tipping to our tour manager and cruise personnel.
• I appreciated the smiling and helpful staff of the Salvinia who were always helpful.  I now know why Henk has used the Salvinia for so long.  Not only is the ship “simply perfect” for our passengers and the cruise, but the staff is top-notch.
• Surprising highlights at every turn of the cruise.  I must admit that the Organ recital at the Martinikerk (Groningen and Friesland excursion), the Orchid Farm (Overijssel, Northeast Polder, and Friesland excursion), and the Frisian folklore group performance in Franeker didn’t sound interesting to me at all.  Guess what?  I was totally wrong on all three scores.  I am so glad the two sites were included on the excursions I joined and that my good friend Barb talked me into participating when the folklore group came on board or I would have missed out on three amazing experiences.
• Cruising the waterways was a highlight in itself.  You never knew exactly what you’d see and the scenery was spectacular.

The cruise and Amsterdam pre-tour through images

And now for one of the greatest “shows” put on by Mother Nature, with a great deal of help from many, many willing hands. We are here at the Keukenhof National Flower Exhibition, a 72-acre park with floral landscapes in every conceivable color and color combination. It is a treasure trove of a place for all ages, because the winding paths and the ponds with fountains and the patches of tulips wending into the distance beckon in every direction. If only I had power-driven wheels on my shoes so I could take in the whole park!

And now here we are for the grand finale—the Captain’s Dinner. I didn’t know how they would top it considering all the wonderful dinners we’ve had all week long, but they did. It was a great feeling to give our crew a big round of applause for the A-1 treatment we received from each and every one of them.

The beauty of the Keukenhof National Flower Exhibition

Alkmaar is a great place for shopping, and many of us took advantage of our time to put a serious dent in our financial situation. Back on the boat, it was a relaxing afternoon as we sailed into Amsterdam harbor. It was very clear that we had left the countryside behind. After yet another sumptuous dinner, some of us took an evening canal boat ride through part of the city. Evening rides are fun—the canal bridges are lined with lights and many of the larger churches and buildings are spotlighted. We enjoyed the cruise down the canals where many of the older buildings exist and have been made into apartments. So we did a lot of “window peeking” to see that some residents had left the original large chandeliers and ornamental patterns on the ceilings, while others had gone wild with huge splashes of color.