Watchinherskip's 30th Anniversary Cruise

**Watchinherskip** · 13-09-2011, 02:07 PM

Well hello "old" friends and hello to you new ones too.

It has been exactly 1 month since our anniversary cruise and I am coming to terms with separation anxiety! We took a seven day cruise on the largest cruise liner in the world...the Allure of the Seas. We have sailed with RCC several times but this boat takes the cake. It was just beautiful! I guess I will have to upload some pictures in the near future.

For now I thought it would be cool to post the video of DW and I on our excursion in St. Maarten. This is our second time doing a similar excursion. On our 20th anniversary, we took the America's Cup Challenge racing NZL 10 and NZL 12 (America's cup trial boats) in Nassau. This time we competed in the 12 meter challenge. IT ROCKED. As with the last time, two competing sailing teams are picked by "team captains". It is sort of like picking teams for kickball or something. Teams were picked then a coin flip determined which boat we would race; KC II Canada 2 or (Ta Da) Dennis Connor's Stars and Strips US 55 that won back the cup from the Aussies. So which boat did the Skips get? That is right....Canada 2

There was an actual Canadian who wanted to swap with someone so she could go on her country's boat. Oh and most of the Stars and Stripes team were Brits..go figure

Long story short...watch the video...camera work by my dear wife...God bless her (Gets a little art nouveau!

). Her main job was to be bar wench...have to fight scurvy and dehydration don't you know?

So hope this isn't a violation of terms...or if it is Mods feel free to do your thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_JQNi8tIbc

Cheers

Dan

**Slowhand** · 13-09-2011, 03:58 PM

Thanks for sharing Dan, it seems like a good time was had by all.

So how did your cruise compare with DCL?

**uscwest** · 13-09-2011, 05:23 PM

Dan this is great. Looks like you were zooming right along. Thanks for sharing.

**Watchinherskip** · 13-09-2011, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by Slowhand

Thanks for sharing Dan, it seems like a good time was had by all.

So how did your cruise compare with DCL?

Oh, don't know, never cruised on DCL..

(ouch that hurts me). I can only compare it to other RCCL and Carnival. The ship is just fantastic. 225 K tons, over 1200 ft long, eight neighborhoods. Really nice. Guess the main difference with sailing these days is the add on retaurants. Guess that is where the lines make their real money, that and the drinks. We ate in the complementary ones only. The food was pretty good, but I think (as well as my wife) that they used to do a better job with the food quality and variety. One man's opinion. Guess DCL has the rotating dining plan right? A different experience each night.

The Allure is a fantastic vessel. I thought I would hate the "fun days" at sea but I actually DID. The Solarium had like 5 spas/whirlpools tons of seating and a complimentary eatery that served health concious foods for breakfast and lunch (became a pay as you go Brazilian Steak house at night).

I would say the accomdations (room and common areas) were better than any vessel we have sailed.

**foreverducky** · 13-09-2011, 11:19 PM

Looks like a fun time!

That water was so beautiful.

**Slowhand** · 14-09-2011, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by Watchinherskip

Oh, don't know, never cruised on DCL..

(ouch that hurts me). I can only compare it to other RCCL and Carnival. The ship is just fantastic. 225 K tons, over 1200 ft long, eight neighborhoods. Really nice. Guess the main difference with sailing these days is the add on retaurants. Guess that is where the lines make their real money, that and the drinks. We ate in the complementary ones only. The food was pretty good, but I think (as well as my wife) that they used to do a better job with the food quality and variety. One man's opinion. Guess DCL has the rotating dining plan right? A different experience each night.

The Allure is a fantastic vessel. I thought I would hate the "fun days" at sea but I actually DID. The Solarium had like 5 spas/whirlpools tons of seating and a complimentary eatery that served health concious foods for breakfast and lunch (became a pay as you go Brazilian Steak house at night).

I would say the accomdations (room and common areas) were better than any vessel we have sailed.

Ooopps, I thought that you had been on a DCL cruise before.

Yep, they do rotational dining on the DCL ships which is great, and ALL meals are complimentary, apart from you having to pay a small subsidy to dine at Palo`s if that takes your fancy..it`s well worth it though.

Now you MUST do a DCL cruise so that you can compare.

**Watchinherskip** · 14-09-2011, 07:23 PM

No, never been but have seen it in the shipyard right here in Portsmouth over the years. Always wanted to try that line. Kind of toying with the idea now. I would love to be able to make a comparison!!

**Watchinherskip** · 10-11-2011, 05:01 PM

When uploading some pics to another post, I came across a couple of pics from the cruise, thought it wouldn't hurt to get a feel for the Allure of the Seas.

The first one is from the 12 meter challenge, the second is from the Rising Tide Bar...think of the whole bar being a huge elevator. You get on the bar at one floor and it goes up through the ship. Pretty cool!