(Live Blog)Cruising And Grooving Live, from Allure of the Seas!!! May 15-22-2016

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Hello all

 

My Name is Kathy

 

I am going to attempt to do my First ever live Blog here, so bare with me. 😬

I am very Excited to be going on a Oasis Class Ship, for the very First time.

Little Cruising history. This will be my 6th Cruise, and my 3rd on a Royal Caribbean Ship.(Only a C&A Gold Member)

It was 2007 the last time I took a Royal Caribbean Cruise. I tried out a few other Cruise lines, between then, and now, and they were just ok.

When my Husband and I started looking at Cruise's for this year, I knew, it HAD to be Royal Caribbean, or nothing.

My Husband is retired Army, and runs a message Military Travel Board. Every other year the Members get together, for a Cruise.

We are hosts for this Space Available Travel Group. We have 8 other members in our Group.

 

Along with doing the live Blog here, I will also be Periscoping (Live Streaming Video) from the Ship.

 

My Periscope name is CruisingKat

 

Https://www.periscope.tv/cruisingkat

 

Here is the info on Periscope if you want to see what it is.

 

https://www.periscope.tv/#share

 

I look forward to sharing my Adventure with you here, with the Live Blog, and on Periscope

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Here is the Itinerary for this Cruise!!! 😊

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

PTZtv (Port Everglades Cam)

http://www.ptztv.com

will be Zooming in for Sail Away!!! Very Excited to show my Home made Signs, and Excitment for this Cruise, and this Awesome Site!!! I will have others joining myself, and my Husband, on our Balcony for Sail Away!!!!

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

I have my Carry on Ready, and Luggage tags on all my Bags!!!! 3 Days to go!!!!!!

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Hello my Name is Kathy, I am a Cruise Addict!!!! 😛

[SeaSetter]

Can't wait to sail with you through the Periscopes, blogs & reviews  :)

 

Love your carryon bag!

[dejagatkins]

Love the carry on bag!! 

[Floski]

Kat - I sure hope y'all have a wonderful time!!  

I'll be looking forward to your Peri-casts (I'll have to turn on that annoyingly loud whistle notification now!).

 

As a former Airman, thank you both for your service to our country!

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

In Aprox, 2 Days, 16 Hours, will be Sailing Away from Port Everglades, on Allure of the Seas!!!!

[Matt]

Loving this live blog and you have not even left yet!

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

I am All packed!!!!!! This is what went into my Honda Accord. My husband was worried I would not be able to get it all in my car, HA, proved him wrong!!!!

I am a Navy Veteran, THIS GIRL, knows how to Pack!! And yes I am traveling heavy!!!! I like Choices!!! lol!!!

We are leaving at 6:30am in the morning, when my husband gets off his graveyard shift job, so I will be doing all the driving. It's about five hours. We should get to Ft Lauderdale, between 12:00-12:30

 

We are staying at the Hyatt 17th St. convention hotel, I will actually start Pericoping tomorrow night, I am meeting friends that we are cruising with us, at Duffys, in Fort Lauderdale.

 

Here is Link to follow me on Periscope

 

https://www.periscope.tv/cruisingkat

 

Thank You all for Following along here, and on Periscope.

 

😊

[SeaSetter]

I also like choices and take exactly the same amount of luggage. 1 suitcase each for my DH & I, 1 for our shoes, a garment bag, and a carry on. He thinks I take too much so I love your picture to be able to show him  :P

 

Have a safe drive & thanks for letting us all follow along.

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Ok Little Later than previously Stated, but We are on

Our way to Ft Lauderdale!!!!!

Thank You all for your Kind Worfs, and Support.

I am very excited for this Cruise, and very happy to share

My Adventure, and you will see my enthusiasm for my

Cruise. This will be the Largest Ship, I have ever been

On.

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Ah Yes!!!!!!

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

😠I am HERE!!!!!!!!!!!! Hubby is getting the rest of his sleep, from working Graveyard Shift Friday night/this morning. I am relaxing from the Drive, so will scope later this afternoon/early evening.

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

If I was not already excited enough for my Cruise tomorrow!!!! Among the friends I will be Meeting at Duffy's here in Ft. Lauderdale tonight, I also get to meet, Mrs Pink Boa herself, Emmy, and her Husband Rick!!! They just got off Oasis of the Seas today, with BugsyCruiser(Chris)

 

Pictures to Follow!!!!!! â¤ï¸â˜ºï¸âš“ï¸

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

So I went to Duffy's here in Ft Lauderdale, and met with some Friends. I got to meet Emmy and Rick that just got off Oasis today!!!

They are a wonderful Couple!!! I was absolutely thrilled, as I love Emmys enthusiasm for Cruising!!

 

Make sure to watch the port Everglades Cam tomorrow, they will be zooming in on my Balcony. If someone can capture a screen shot, that would be Great as well.

 

I did a periscope, it was a little bit of a mess in my opinion, lol. I think I was really nervous!!! I will try to get better on the ship!!!

 

Thank You all for following.

[SeaSetter]

I was able to watch your scope late last night and wished I had caught it live, you & Emmy were having so much fun - I loved it!

 

Will be watching you sail away and get a screenshot, have a great time  :D

[Matt]

I did a periscope, it was a little bit of a mess in my opinion, lol. I think I was really nervous!!! I will try to get better on the ship!!!

Keep at it! The more practice, the better it gets!

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Hi all,

 

Review of my First Day on Allure.

Started off with waking up in the Hotel, at 6am.

I had a wake up call set for 7am. We got breakfast

At the Hyatt. It was ok. I think I was not able to eat

Very much because of my Excitment about getting on

allure today.

We Board the Hotel Shuttle promptly at 9:45am, and

The Shuttle headed for the port, at 10:00am.

When we arrived at the port, around 10:15am, it was a

very smooth Process outside.

The Porters took our Checked Bags, and I tipped him

Accordingly for having 4 Checked bags. I think I gave

Him $7.00 I would like to think, because I did that, my

Baggage was taken care of. (If it actually was, I will never

Know, but nothing got smashed or broken in my Luggage)

and I did receive it in my Cabin before 4pm(more on that later)

We entered the Terminal we checked in, and got our Sea Pass

Card. We received a letter at check in. We were told. It would

Be 1:00 before we were allowed to board. Thankfully

We were able to board at 12:15.

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Hi all,

 

Review of my First Day on Allure.

Started off with waking up in the Hotel, at 6am.

I had a wake up call set for 7am. We got breakfast

At the Hyatt. It was ok. I think I was not able to eat

Very much because of my Excitment about getting on

allure today.

We Board the Hotel Shuttle promptly at 9:45am, and

The Shuttle headed for the port, at 10:00am.

When we arrived at the port, around 10:15am, it was a

very smooth Process outside.

The Porters took our Checked Bags, and I tipped him

Accordingly for having 4 Checked bags. I think I gave

Him $7.00 I would like to think, because I did that, my

Baggage was taken care of. (If it actually was, I will never

Know, but nothing got smashed or broken in my Luggage)

and I did receive it in my Cabin before 4pm(more on that later)

We entered the Terminal we checked in, and got our Sea Pass

Card. We received a letter at check in. We were told. It would

Be 1:00 before we were allowed to board. Thankfully

We were able to board at 12:15.

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Part Two

 

First Day of Allure. When we finally get on the Ship,

It was a little bit of a Crowded mess trying to get around.

Many people headed straight for the elevators, so I

Avoided that at all Cost. We were told, because of the cleaning,

we would not be able to enter our cabins until 2 PM. So

we found an area at the champagne bar, just to sit down,

and cool our heals a little bit. At 2 PM we finally get in our cabin,

I am was happy to drop off my carry-on bags and my signs,

as trying to carry two bags, and two signs, on a crowded ship

was very cumbersome.

From the Cabin it was time to find some lunch. With all the reviews,

and watching Periscope's, from other members of Royal Caribbean blog

recommendations, I avoided the Windjammer like a plague!!!

We headed up to the solarium bistro, and found it to be not so crowded.

I had my selection of different things I enjoyed this seafood pilaf, a salad,

and a bean medley. I wanted to head back up to my cabin, to see if my bags

were there, and try to get a little unpacking done,before the Muster drill, as the time I knew it was supposed to be at 3:30. The time 3:30 came and went. I heard over the announcement system at the Muster drill would start in 30 minutes, this was at 4 o'clock.

I was thinking to myself, surely they will not take off from the port until after the Muster drill, Boy was I wrong!!! I was sitting in the silk dining room watching the presetation of what to do in a emergency, and watching Billy's periscope from the jetty rocks, I don't see Allure moving as of yet on his scope, I'm thinking to myself, I hope they finish this Muster Drill soon, so I can get up to my cabin for sail away, so I can wave to Port Everglades cam, Billy, and Emmy, from my Balcony. As I'm sitting at a table in the dining room, I see the ship moving, and my heart sinks!!!

That is when I realize there is no way I'm gonna be able to get up to my cabin by the time Allure passes the point where the cam is, along with Billy, and Emmy.

When I finally do get up to my cabin, I have a total meltdown!!! We are long gone from the Jettys!!!

I try not to get too emotional, as I know I am on a cruise, but I was so disappointed, that I had put so much effort with being able to say hi to my new friends I had made on the Blog.com from Allure of the Seas. I spend MANY previous Sundays watching Billy's periscopes of Allure going out, and it was finally MY TURN!!! All those previous sailings went out without a hitch, why did mine have to be boggled?

So sitting there in my cabin, with Dissapoint at what just happened, Matt Came on with his daily Periscope, and thank you very much for your kind words Matt, and everyone, trying to get me to calm down, and I did it help me feeling sad.

Now, I know, I'm definitely going to have to join in a group cruise, sometime next year, I'm not sure which one I will try to get on, but I am going to try to get on one of them. Because you are all wonderful people.

 

(Sorry, when I am posting the pictures to the live blog, they are turning out to be sideways) 😕

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Last Part Three First Day on Allure of the seas.

 

It was about 5:30, so we started getting ready for dinner in the MDR.

Our Dinner seating time was 6:00pm.

It was very good, we have a female waitress, she is very nice. I forgot where she's from at the moment, but I will find out tomorrow. I chose for a starter, shrimp cocktail, for the main course, I really wanted a slow roasted prime rib. I also had a baked potato. For the desert, I had a blueberry and peach, crumbled dessert, with vanilla ice cream on top. After dinner, we headed to the boardwalk/promenade deck, where I proceeded to periscope some of that as a rising tide bar was just coming down. That is so cool to me,

that there's a bar that goes up-and-down, while you are there with your friends/Family having Cocktails!!!

 

I FINALLY... Had my first Drink on the Ship after Dinner. I took Matt's recommendation, and had the lava flow. It was very yummy!!!

I am now relaxing in my cabin, as I feel like I've had a long day since I did not sleep very well last night from the excitement of my cruise today.

I think my husband Dirk, is somewhere downstairs looking for his drinking buddy, that can be very dangerous, we shall see.

 

I look forward to a fun day at sea tomorrow many activities planned, the meet and mingle, a slot pull, and then a cabin crawl. I will look and see on the cruise compass, what other activities I can join in During the Day.

I do have a show booked tomorrow night, I will have to look at my schedule to see what it is.

 

Thank you again for following me, here and on periscope.

[Cruising With JT]

Thank you for blogging and sharing your first day Kat! Glad to see you are having a great time...and no more worries about the sail-away, you are going to have a fantastic time!

[EmersonNZ]

Loving the Blog. Sounds like you had a great first day apart from the sailaway.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Thanks, Kat.  I am so glad that you're doing this "old school" blog.  I do not "scope" so this is my only way to follow along with you.  I am sorry about your sail-away.  I know how hard you worked on your beautiful sign and how much you were looking forward to being on deck.  As the others have said...just put it out of your mind.  It was still a beautiful day and you are on a cruise !!

 

I read on CC that the decks were completely empty when the ship sailed away. Some were even speculating that the ship was empty !  ...so you were part of an exciting conspiracy theory.  Glad it wasn't true (not that it could have been !).

 

BTW, when did they do the lifeboat drill ??

[Matt]

Love the lava flow!

[dejagatkins]

Love the lava flow!

What's in the lava flow?

[SeaSetter]

Hi Kathy,

 

I was ready and waiting to get a screenshot of you from the PTZtv cam but all I got was a ghost ship. So sorry you had to miss sail away, I would have felt & done the same. Happily you will have many more sail-aways in the future so save those signs  :)

 

I hesitated in posting these 2 ghost ship screenshots I took while trying to find you on the webcam, but look closely in the second one you were there in spirit! (wish I'd taken a larger screenshot)

 

 

[Floski]

When we left Port Canaveral, I took Matt's advice and we went up on the helo pad.  Pretty cool!

[Matt]

What's in the lava flow?

Here is a good overview of the lava flow: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2015/09/27/royal-caribbean-classic-lava-flow

[Matt]

When we left Port Canaveral, I took Matt's advice and we went up on the helo pad.  Pretty cool!

Love going there, especially if you do not have a balcony

[dejagatkins]

Here is a good overview of the lava flow: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2015/09/27/royal-caribbean-classic-lava-flow

Thanks! We just got off a cruise and never saw a drink of the day advertised. Where would that have been seen?

[CruisingKat(Kathy)]

Day 2 Allure of the Seas.

 

I had a great Day today. I woke up at 7:00 am. My first stop of the Day was Starbucks!!!! Next I headed up to the Sports deck to do some Periscoping, of the pools, and the Flow Rider. I absolutely loved watching the people on the flow rider, it's so fascinating to me, to see people learn how to surf, with the flow rider. I could scope that for many hours!!! 😉

At 9:30am, I attended the meet and mingle. We had 135 people signe up, and about 70 came, that was pretty good. At 11:00 was the Slot pull. Each person put in $15, and we each got three spins on a slot machine. Any winnings would be divided equally between all of the people that participated.

We ended up winning back half the amount that we put in which was not too bad, I did not expect when anything actually. I have not really ever had much luck in a casino, but I also do not have a lot of experience either.

I Finally got to meet Celisse who is my Fellow Roll Call Friend, and Periscoper.

After those two events, it was time for lunch. On previous periscopes I have heard all about the park café roast beef sandwich, so I knew that's what I wanted to try for lunch today. I think it was Michael Poole, that first recommended the roast beef sandwich to me, and I have to agree, that it was one of the best roast beef sandwiches I've ever had!!!

After lunch I do a little bit more Periscoping from Central Park, then it was time for the cabin crawl.

I thought this would be a good opportunity to periscope be cabin tour of the rooms of different types of cabins. It was a little challenging however for me to periscope, as I had a hard time being focused as far as what information I needed to say about the cabins, it was very distracting because there was a lot of people in the cabin crawl. The largest cabin on the tour was supposed to be a royal family suite, however the couple that signed up their cabin for the royal family suite decided to pull out and did not answer the door, or they were not in their Cabin. when we came to do the cabin tour. I think out of all of the cabins that were on the tour today, the most impressive was the Aqua Suite on the aft of the Ship, as Nick pointed out, it is a Sky Class Suite.

The last cabin on the tour, was a Junior suite, handicap accessible cabin. I unfortunately was having some technical issues with Periscope freezing and lagging with the location of that Cabin. I am hoping there was enough there see you could get an idea of what the room looked like.

This evening was Formal night. It was a lot of fun to see everyone dressed up, as I love dressing up as well when given the opportunity. After dinner, we previously reserved to see the oceanAria Show.

If you go on Allure, I would highly suggest you reserve, and see the show, it was wonderful!!!! Sorry that I could not Scope this show, there is regulations with the copyright laws that her prohibit any video recording of the show, even though I have seen some periscoper's scope the shows, from their aqua Suite balconies I did not want to break the rules, as there was a gentleman walking, around making sure anybody in the audience below was not video recording the show.

It was a couple that was sitting next to us that was pushing their luck with video recording the show.

Tomorrow we are in port at Labadee Haiti.

I plan on being up early to try to catch the sunrise, as well as Allure pulling into the port.

I will have to look at my data useage, to see if I can periscope from the beaches on Haiti. I will be bringing my snorkel gear, and I have reserved one of the clamshell loungers for myself my husband Dirk.

 

Thank you again everyone for following me along here, and periscope, as I appreciate the support very much. I enjoy sharing my experience on Allure, with all of you. 😊

[Cruising With JT]

Here is a good overview of the lava flow: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2015/09/27/royal-caribbean-classic-lava-flow

 

Okay, I am so getting a lava flow on my next cruise!

[Cruising With JT]

Thanks for sharing your Day 2 with us Kat, love the pics and all the scopes and tours you did today! woohoo Enjoy Labadeeeeeeeeee tomorrow!!

[Cruising With JT]

Hi Kathy,

 

I was ready and waiting to get a screenshot of you from the PTZtv cam but all I got was a ghost ship. So sorry you had to miss sail away, I would have felt & done the same. Happily you will have many more sail-aways in the future so save those signs  :)

 

I hesitated in posting these 2 ghost ship screenshots I took while trying to find you on the webcam, but look closely in the second one you were there in spirit! (wish I'd taken a larger screenshot)

 

 

 

The second pic is awesome, I see you Kat! :)

[Matt]

Thanks! We just got off a cruise and never saw a drink of the day advertised. Where would that have been seen?

Any bar with a blender can make it.

[Matt]

Kat,

 

Love OceanAria.  It is a great show and some of the "tricks" are really impressive beyond simply diving from some spectacular heights.

[dejagatkins]

Any bar with a blender can make it.

Yes, I what I was asking is where did you see Drink of the Day advertised? Never noticed it mentioned on our recent cruise on the Oasis.