cwtom Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I'm sailing on Allure in September, and have been reading reviews off various websites. Starting to get a tad worried as there are often criticism about lack of seating for shows, complaints of long line-ups, disorganization of crew handling guests who have made prior reservations, etc. I understand some comments may be taken from inexperienced cruisers, or those who are just used to more low-key ships (think Celebrity or Princess). I am not a huge fan of large crowds, but really wanted to try an Oasis-class ship this time around. Have been on Freedom, Adventurer, and Majesty in the past. Also been on NCL Epic (will never do that again). Wondering if anyone can share their experience with me, as I have grown to really respect the opinions and thoughts of cruisers on this forum! TIA! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 The only time I've really heard of crowds is during holiday sailings, although it could be more crowded right now because it's summer so more third and fourth berths are filled. I wouldn't expect the same crowds on a September cruise if they are in fact as bad as some are saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Having been on Oasis and Allure, I have always felt the ship manages the crowds extremely well. The only instance I really noticed a large crowd was in Windjammer for breakfast. It's smaller than WJ on other ships, but plenty of good alternatives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 As with all things relating to crowds, my recommendation is to get to the theater early and get the seats you want. If you wait until the last minute...yes, you are likely to run into crowds and have to wrangle for a seat but arriving early usually alleviates such concerns. The worst time for crowds is immediately after the muster drill, IMO. If you are not in a hurry to get on an elevator then I suggest finding somewhere to sit and wait out the crowds. IF you ARE in a hurry to get an elevator you had better be ready to run when the drill is concluded. I agree with Matt. For the most part, the big ships do an excellent job of handling the large volume of cruisers on these ships. Allure is my favorite ship. I think you will love the variety of entertainment and activities. Not sure where your cabin is located but a little secret (this is true for most ships, BTW). The forward elevators are always less busy than the aft elevators. If your cabin is in the aft then it wouldn't make sense to go out of your way to go to the forward elevators unless you just love walking...but if your room is located somewhere amidships, oftentimes using the forward elevators can save you significant time and frustration. I absolutely LOVE walking down the Promenade so going forward to use those elevators is a good excuse for strolling down the Promenade to see what's happenin ! Don't let some negative reviews concern you. Do as much pre-planning as you can stand and then be prepared to go with the flow and everything will be fine. These O class ships are amazing. Floski 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dejagatkins Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 We were on the Oasis in April the theater waiters even had time to serve us a drink at our seat,before the performance. I was impressed! But we get there early to pick our seats. Getting there last minute would not have been the same experience I assume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monorailmedic Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I'd say the only time I really felt it on Allure was at the elevators. They have a ton of them, and they move quickly, but I think I know why. The ship has so many decks (tall ones, too), that I didn't find myself using the stairs nearly as frequently as I have on other ships. I'm not a crowd person, but it really wasn't something I'd be concerned with, personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBC Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 A little off the topic, but I would be curious to hear about your experience on Epic. I have never cruised with NCL, only have been on Disney but are going on Freedom in February. When we were deciding on this cruise, NCL Epic was in the mix as a possibility, but RC seemed to get higher marks so we went with RC. Cost wise they were very similar. Thanks for your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L454S Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 You will have to plan ahead a little by making reservations for the different shows and events around the ship. On a rainy sea day, any ship can feel crowded, Allure is the same. When people can't spread out like they want, the promenade and other such areas do get overwhelmed. We did enjoy our 12 nights on the Allure, it was fun. Having said that, we prefer the smaller(Radiance class)ships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwtom Posted July 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 A little off the topic, but I would be curious to hear about your experience on Epic. I have never cruised with NCL, only have been on Disney but are going on Freedom in February. When we were deciding on this cruise, NCL Epic was in the mix as a possibility, but RC seemed to get higher marks so we went with RC. Cost wise they were very similar. Thanks for your time. My husband and I went with another couple - pre children. It was brand new at that time and we mainly chose it for that reason. Brand spanking new. Having been on other RC cruises prior to that, I was not impressed right off the bat. Entertainment and activities were lacking, and I often found myself in my stateroom watching tv. Not how I wanted to be spending the cruise! I also found the split with the toilet and sink area extremely odd. I have been on Freedom and think it was a way better choice on your part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwtom Posted July 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 As with all things relating to crowds, my recommendation is to get to the theater early and get the seats you want. If you wait until the last minute...yes, you are likely to run into crowds and have to wrangle for a seat but arriving early usually alleviates such concerns. The worst time for crowds is immediately after the muster drill, IMO. If you are not in a hurry to get on an elevator then I suggest finding somewhere to sit and wait out the crowds. IF you ARE in a hurry to get an elevator you had better be ready to run when the drill is concluded. I agree with Matt. For the most part, the big ships do an excellent job of handling the large volume of cruisers on these ships. Allure is my favorite ship. I think you will love the variety of entertainment and activities. Not sure where your cabin is located but a little secret (this is true for most ships, BTW). The forward elevators are always less busy than the aft elevators. If your cabin is in the aft then it wouldn't make sense to go out of your way to go to the forward elevators unless you just love walking...but if your room is located somewhere amidships, oftentimes using the forward elevators can save you significant time and frustration. I absolutely LOVE walking down the Promenade so going forward to use those elevators is a good excuse for strolling down the Promenade to see what's happenin ! Don't let some negative reviews concern you. Do as much pre-planning as you can stand and then be prepared to go with the flow and everything will be fine. These O class ships are amazing. We are in a balcony ocean view stateroom on deck 14, aft. Don't think my 4 year old will want to make the trek up to the foreword elevators! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwtom Posted July 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 You will have to plan ahead a little by making reservations for the different shows and events around the ship. On a rainy sea day, any ship can feel crowded, Allure is the same. When people can't spread out like they want, the promenade and other such areas do get overwhelmed. We did enjoy our 12 nights on the Allure, it was fun. Having said that, we prefer the smaller(Radiance class)ships. I already made all the reservations so hopefully it works out. How early should I get there for seats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip A. Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 My family and I cruised on Oasis last week. It was a reported 6,500 guests. It only felt crowded when we were waiting in line to board, and after we boarded we experienced long lines at the Windjammer. Also the first night, and formal nights there was a small wait for our my time dining reservations. Outside of that we never felt crowded. From our experience it's all about planning. Reserve the shows that you want to see, this prevents waiting. Get there about 10 to 15 minutes early. And if you have my time dining get something before 7:30pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L454S Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 I already made all the reservations so hopefully it works out. How early should I get there for seats? 15 minutes at least for theater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakeDownCruise Posted July 24, 2016 Report Share Posted July 24, 2016 Cwtom, Echoing some folks already, I sailed on Allure in April 2016 with my family of four and I found it less crowded then some other ships I have been on. It sounds like you are a planner as am I. Make all of those reservations and get to the shows at least 15 minutes early with your reservations so you get good seats too. If you are organized I find everythnig rolls along smoothly from one activity that you want to do to the next. Some folks don't want to plan and that's fine for them but those are often the folks that end up getting frustrated as they think they can just do whatever they want to do and just walk in at show time of a main event. Often you still can in this situation but for popular activities you are setting yourself up for some possible disappointment. Also as a plug to this fine blog, research about the Oasis ships on this website. I typically strategically avoid crowds and lines even if the lines might be only minimal. If I'm on the Disney Fantasy I ride the AquaDuck right when I board as much as I want with no wait and then avoid it on sea days. With Allure, we only went to WindJammer a few times off of the high peak times and it was fine. Maybe don't go to WindJammer the first afternoon because it can be a zoo, instead go to Central Park Cafe or another location. We had a great pool afternoon with my 4 and 6 yo on a port day and the same pool that had 100 people in it the day before while at sea was completely empty when we hung out there. The fact that you are going in September should also make this a breeze for you. Have fun! Kids Club is great too! One of my favorite activities on the ship was a family selfie contest where you had 30 minutes to run around the ship getting as as many selfies as you could off of their list. Alas we did not win...but I will be ready next time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted July 25, 2016 Report Share Posted July 25, 2016 On most websites and boards they suggest at least 45 minutes prior to the show, restaurant, etc., that you want to go to. I have read hundreds of reviews that state if you wait to 15 to 30 minutes before the show you will stand in a long line to get in. I agree with WAAAY TOOO about the forward elevators, I always book a forward cabin for the reason that the elevators are always available. After the muster drill if I am not too far from Guest Relations I usually make a fast trip there if I have questions, concerns, bookings, so I don't have to wait in line. Guest Relations is a total ZOO on the first day. I waited over 45 minutes in line to talk to someone, never again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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