Disney sheep go rogue - an allure-ing trip report - with a dcl lessons learned perspe

[Scraptographer]

Loving your TR, we are on the Oasis next March.

Looking forward to reading how it all ends, 6K people getting off the ship at once!

Thanks for reading along. The disembarkation process on the Allure was a lot longer than we expected based on all of the trip reports I had read, but even with the delays and our relatively early flight time, we were always confident that we would make our flight, as the line was moving, just not very fast!

 

[Lisa Lisa]

I've enjoyed your TR tremendously. Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm sorry if this has been asked, but does RCCL have a program equivalent to DCL's onboard airline check-in? We've participated for all 4 of our DCL cruises and love it.

 

[Scraptographer]

I've enjoyed your TR tremendously. Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm sorry if this has been asked, but does RCCL have a program equivalent to DCL's onboard airline check-in? We've participated for all 4 of our DCL cruises and love it.

Glad to see that you are still reading along. I have another couple of posts in my wrap up, and I am slowly going back and putting photos in, so there is a little more to come.

We have no experience with either DCL or RCCL wrt on board check in as Air Canada is never one of the participating airlines, however I remember reading about something called Luggage Valet in the Cruise Compass, which I believe is an equivalent program to DCL.

Hope that helps.

 

[Scraptographer]

Now that our cruise is over and done with, and that even includes this trip review (almost), I realize that I have spent a lot of time engaging in retrospective analysis - which in my line of work we would call an after action report or AAR, but in reality is simply me re-living our trip . And more specifically, even though I told my family in advance that we were not to expect Disney and not to compare, I have to admit that I sometimes treated our mealtime discussions like 'hotwashes' i.e. the part of an AAR where everyone gets to chime in about what went right and what could be done better etc, which sometimes resulted in comparisons to their cruising experience, which is well, Disney. I will attempt to briefly summarize.

If I look back at our goals and objectives for this trip (see, that's AAR talk), we had three main goals as we always do on vacation: to enjoy family time together, to enjoy family activities together and to explore strange new worlds and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one... wait, that last bit was Star Trek - oops, my geek side is showing . Ok, goal number three really is to explore new places, which is kind of like the Star Trek concept, just without the dancing green aliens .

- Analysis of outcomes:

With respect to enjoying family activities together and enjoying family time together, we did indeed manage to do both as much as we have on Disney, but we had to make it a priority, since there was so much to do and see on the Allure that the kids could have been off doing their own thing with other teenagers for the entire trip. In fact, there were occasions where we almost had to make appointments with the kids in order to ensure that we saw them!! DH and I joked that it is a good thing we really like each other since we spent so much time with just the two of us on this trip - and I can live with that . Fortunately through good communication and a lot of give and take, we all got to enjoy this trip and to spend lots of family quality time together. Objectives achieved.

As for the objective of 'exploring new places', the itinerary of Labadee, Haiti, Falmouth, Jamaica and Cozumel, Mexico, worked well for our family. These may not have been the most exciting ports ever from our perspective, but at least they were new to us. We really enjoyed Labadee, perhaps because it was just such a fun, relaxing beach day - and there were several beaches to choose from. Unfortunately we did not really explore Falmouth and Cozumel, partly because of DH's cold/flu. The kids have already identified things they want to do 'next time', should we go back to these ports, which is a positive sign. And DH has commented that due to his cold/flu, he feels like he 'owes' us another cruise! We immediately started to argue against this ... and then the three of us paused, looked at each other and replied: We'll take it!!, before bursting out in giggles.

 

[Scraptographer]

Analysis of performance:

- What do I remember most from our Allure cruise?

As with any trip we go on, I usually make a free flow list of journaling almost before the trip is over (i.e. on my ipad while waiting for the flight home /on the flight home), it usually starts as a 'top ten' of things I want to remember most from our trip and expands from there. And on this trip, the same as on all of our Disney cruises, it is the family interactions, the silly things everyone says, the goofing around on a daily basis - and there was lots of that everyday. So from that perspective, this was a good trip.

- What was supposed to happen?

The main concerns with the Allure OTS before our trip were that the crowds would be too big, everything would cost extra or alternatively, all of the good stuff would have an additional charge (I.e. Being nickel and dimed), we would miss the Disney service or the Disney 'magic', there would be inappropriate activities/entertainment (think Casino, Belly Flop contest, Sexiest Man contest) etc, and that the ship would feel like a shopping mall.

- What did happen?

Yes there were a whole lot of people on this ship. However, crowds were never really an issue for us on this trip, that said I have already indicated that we have some serious crowd avoidance skills.

With respect to our fellow passengers as individuals, the overall atmosphere on the cruise seemed to be very family friendly and in general, people were downright relaxed and laid back. Our kids really really enjoyed the fact that there were so many teenagers, more so than they had experienced in the Teen Clubs on Disney. Realistically with 6000+ passengers you could expect a certain percentage would be teenagers, and add in the fact that it was winter break for schools in Ontario (Canada) and that definitely improved the odds, but I do think that the sporty active lifestyle on the larger RCCL ships appeals to that family demographic.

When it came to activities that had an additional cost, at no time did I feel that anything was subpar and that as a result I 'had' to pay extra in order to be able to enjoy our cruise. I did recognize that the Allure offered lots of options, some of which had an additional charge. As an example, DD and I really enjoyed our cupcake decorating class - yes, it cost us $22 each for this activity. Realistically we have never been given the option to take a cupcake decorating class on Disney for free or at an additional charge. Just saying.

On another side note, although 'all the soda you can drink' costs extra on RCCL, the difference in the cost of the cruise price more than covered this minor expense. Further, although I did not address it because I did not use it, RCCL has an alcoholic drinks package you can purchase as well, which (depending on how much you choose to enjoy it) can save you money on RCCL. I do not believe that DCL offers a similar package.

Did we miss the Disney service or the Disney 'magic'? I would have to say that we did notice a difference in the attitude towards service provided. But I would not say that we 'missed' it per se. Realistically the service on the Allure was great and we had no complaints, but they did not approach providing service the same way that DCL does. As an example, on DCL, dinner is a production, on RCCL, dinner is a meal. We were however well and pleasantly fed on both ships.

Despite the fact that there is a Casino, a Belly Flop contest and a World's Sexiest Man contest on the Allure, they had no affect on the enjoyment of our cruise. As a matter of fact we missed both of the contests because we were busy having fun elsewhere, and we only found the Casino by accident... Sort of.

Although I have clearly indicated that the Allure reminded us of parts of the West Edmonton Mall in Canada, realistically, the West Ed mall really is like a resort in some ways (water park, skating rink, mini golf, amusement park, the Santa Maria - yes, a full sized replica of Christopher Columbus' ship is in the mall - , themed eating/drinking areas I.e. the New Orleans French quarter etc, and lots of upscale shops, as well as the hotel. So yes, the Allure did remind us of a very specific mall . And interestingly enough, one of DH and my favourite things to do was to visit the Cafe Promenade for tea and treats, where we could people watch. It was just fun to see the practises for the Flash Mob, the kids clubs occasionally parading through, the character meet and greets, the Beyoncé dance classes, the 'tour groups' etc. It was kind of like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, you never knew what you were gonna get .


- What are some sustains (I.e. What do we want to do again next time?)

We really enjoyed the variety offered in entertainment. Next time we would definitely check out the shows again. We enjoyed all of them, although as can be expected, some more than others. Ideally we would get to travel on a different ship and see different shows.

We also look forward to enjoying the hot tub time, especially at night in the Solarium. And the Flowrider will definitely be on our list for next time as well. I will practise my yoga push ups and work on mastering the boogie board .

And of course the pool deck, the Solarium and Cafe Promenade are definitely on our 'do again' list.


- What can be done to improve the next time?

Since there was so much to do on the Allure and we were 'out and about' most of the time, we rarely used our balcony this cruise, next time I would plan to spend some quality time relaxing out there, perhaps with a room service breakfast - hot meal (as my first course ).

Even though Windjammer was great for us, I would also like to try out some of the other breakfast options, such as the Park Cafe and the Solarium Cafe and even Johnny Rockets. In other words try something different for the sake of trying something different, since I really had no complaints with the Windjammer.

And as another next time option, now that I know what the menu options are in the main dining room, I would consider trying out an upcharge restaurant such as the Samba Grille or Chops on a night when I am not crazy about the main menu - there are times when the menu does not interest me on DCL too, but since neither Palo nor Remy's gourmet concept appeal to me I don't consider that I really have an option on DCL like I do on the Allure.

Try Sail Away from the pool deck or from secret deck 11 or 12, since I could still see the Dreamworks show, but I would also see more of the port.

Finally, next time those darn Madagascar penguins will be mine for a family photo op!

- What do I look forward to on a 'next' DCL cruise?

On a DCL cruise, we like to enjoy our dining experience, and that includes the rotational dining service and the 'production' that is dinner. We also look forward to interacting with our dining team, should we be fortunate enough to get a really great team.

Our goal will also be to enjoy the Disney entertainment offerings, from the Disney shows to the Disney movies to the Disney character interactions, since realistically this is the area that Disney does best.

We also look forward to a return to the 'intimacy' of the Cove Cafe - especially since on DCL, a greater percentage of the adults are occupied with their young kids, which means less people in the adult pool area relaxing .


Summary - I can honestly say that as a family we had a great time on our cruise.
Did we have a better time than on a Disney Caribbean cruise? Maybe.
Did we have our best vacation ever? Hmmm, probably not, but it was still enjoyable and equal to or better than our past vacations that have not included historical monuments .

Personally, our Disney cruise to the Med probably rates as the kids and my favorite trip ever, while our Disney cruise to the Baltics was probably DH's favorite family trip, but our enjoyment of both of these trips had as much to do with itinerary as it did with Disney. I honestly think that this past trip on the Allure would probably rate high up on the list of favourites for the kids as well. Perhaps that is all part of the progression of the kids now being teenagers and getting to enjoy their independence on this trip - and the Allure definitely catered to that.


Recommendations - don't rule RCCL or other cruise lines out just because they aren't Disney. Options are a good thing. Don't expect Disney. Be open to a new adventure.

As I have read while doing my own research, if you only want Disney, then only cruise DCL and be prepared to pay the prices that DCL can command. If you want great itineraries at reasonable prices and/or a sporty active cruise vacation, give RCCL a chance.

 

[twindaddy]

Thanks again for the great Trip Report!

If you want to do walk off disembarkation, do you have to request it in advance, or do you just go?

Do you remember what time the Windjammer opens on the last day?

thanks!

 

[Lisa Lisa]

Great trip report! I enjoyed it all and found the trip summary particularly helpful. Thanks for sharing your experiences and insight!

 

[Scraptographer]

Despite our original misgivings about stepping outside of our comfort zone and trying RCCL, we really enjoyed our trip on the Allure of the Seas. Interestingly enough, although we were not particularly inspired by the itinerary (except that these were ports we had not previously visited), we really enjoyed Labadee - but in many ways, the ship was the destination.

Overall, on this past March break RCCL trip, we did not spend any more money on board than we would have on DCL, nor did we feel 'nickel and dimed'. We were well fed and enjoyed lots of gluten free options. We enjoyed all of the activities available to us, including the Flowrider and the pool deck, and we really enjoyed the variety of entertainment options as well as the superior pool deck. I will admit that not being on DCL did take a little getting used to because we were out of our comfort zone as we are creatures of habit.

In the big picture though, it wasn't a better experience, but it was not a worse experience than DCL, just a different experience. And options are a good thing .

So, the big question remains, what will we sail next and will we sail RCCL again?

When given a choice of an amazing itinerary on DCL such as the 2015 Copenhagen to Dover cruise with Iceland for a reasonable cost, then we would choose DCL in a heartbeat. In fact we did. We booked two inside cabins on opening day for $9500 total - that includes the 10% off one room that we got as we were able to transfer an OBB. Yes, this 11 night cruise is more expensive than our 12 night Med cruise last summer, but we have two cabins for this trip .

We did cost compare with a 12 night Iceland cruise on RCCL, and without catching any sales etc, two inside cabins would cost us approx $8900. RCCL may be less expensive, but we were ok with paying a 'Disney premium' (roughly 10-15% depending on how you factor in the extra RCCL day) in this case. Hopefully we will get an amazing serving team with our rotational dining, photos with 'Icelandic Mickey and company' and our full compliment of Disney music, movies and characters . That said, if we had not been able to book on opening day, I highly doubt that I could have justified some of the prices Disney was able to charge later on based on supply and demand!

 

[Scraptographer]

When given the option of a standard Disney Caribbean cruise or an Oasis class Caribbean cruise for next March break, both kids immediately chose RCCL, for the separate cabin with their own beds, and for the potential for lots of other teenagers and for all of the other interesting activities available. When given a choice with respect to itinerary for next March break, both kids have voted to go back to Labadee since they really enjoyed the Aqua Park (i.e. the water toy area) and perhaps the option to drive the Seadoos since they will both have their drivers licenses by then, as well as for Columbus Beach in general. DD would also like to try an excursion to Dunn's River Falls in Jamaica since another teenager came back to the Teen Club raving about his excursion there. And honestly since DH got sick, we did not really get to enjoy these ports as much as we would have liked. This would probably mean sailing on the Oasis vice the Allure, so as a bonus, we would also have different entertainment options. And with the recent BOGOHO sale that RCCL had recently, we managed to book two connecting balcony cabins on the Oasis for approximately 4.2K plus tips and whatever soda packages we decide we 'need'.

I can also honestly say that I recently recommended to an active sporty friend with two teenaged daughters who is interested in cruising, that she check out a 7 night cruise on RCCL such as the Freedom or Oasis class ships rather than Disney. First, although they enjoy Disney, they are not Disney fanatics, and second, financially, the current cost of a 3 or 4 night DCL cruise during their spring break would have been their limit, instead they can probably enjoy a 7 night RCCL cruise for that. I did recommend however that they make sure they hold out for a sale and then keep watching prices since RCCL does honour price drops, right up until final payment - and after final payment, they will allow you to switch cabin categories if a higher category becomes less expensive than what you have already paid. As well, since my friend's family is very physically active, I believe that the RCCL ships would give them more options that would suit them. On the other hand, I steered a co-worker with really young kids who can also travel 'in the off season' towards a Disney cruise.

While I am quite happy that we have a Disney cruise planned for summer 2015, the fact that we enjoyed our cruise on a cruise line other than Disney is quite 'freeing' somehow. I have even been researching a Princess cruise around the British Isles for someday, and that someday might not have to wait until the kids are no longer travelling with us . It really is all about the options now .

 

[Scraptographer]

Thanks again for the great Trip Report!

If you want to do walk off disembarkation, do you have to request it in advance, or do you just go?

Do you remember what time the Windjammer opens on the last day?

thanks!

Hi there again. According to my Cruise Compass, for Express Walk Off, you simply keep your luggage in your cabin on the final night (instead of putting it in the corridor) and then you carry your luggage off between 6:45 - 7:30 am after the ship is cleared for customs the next morning.

Hope that helps.

 

[Scraptographer]

Great trip report! I enjoyed it all and found the trip summary particularly helpful. Thanks for sharing your experiences and insight!

Many thanks for reading along - still! In some ways it feels like I have been writing a thesis!! At this point, unless someone has a question, I am done with writing the report per se, however I do hope to go back and add some pictures in for illustration purposes , I just have to get some help from my 'teen tech team' occasionally once they finish end of year exams soon!

 

[greedyhenry]

Thank you for taking the time to write this. It was super helpful!

 

[Floridagram]

I just found this trip report and found it to be very enjoyable over the last couple of days! I hope you do come back and update it with some pictures! Thanks for spending the time to do this. I hope to do this the Oasis or Allure one day.

 

[tweis]

Thanks for taking the time to write this report!! I haven't finished it yet but I definitely will be because we just took advantage of RCL'S reduced deposit offer and booked Allure for May 2016! I'm so excited and I know your report will be so helpful.

 

[disneykins]

Just found this thread from link on CC. We're doing the Allure for March break this year so cant wait to read your take from a Disney perspective. We are also Disney nuts that did DCL for our kids when they were younger but have trouble justifying the cost any more.
Tony