The Cruise I Said Wouldn’t Happen - Allure Star Class, September 10-17

[SweetPea]

It's cruise day, it's cruise day! Have fun!!

[Rags1]

7 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

It's cruise day, it's cruise day! Have fun!!

Thank you!  One more hour until we head to the port. 

[Rags1]

On the way!  Took the bridge tour of the shuttle bus

[Lovetocruise2002]

17 hours ago, Rags1 said:

We’re staying at the Holiday Inn Resort Galveston-On the Beach.  The name is much nicer than the building but it’ll do for one night.

If you and and I are anything alike, you're probably thinking, "Get me on that ship asap" 

I'm only kidding, we have our fair share of stays at Holiday Inns too, especially in Fort Lauderdale when it's just one night.

[Rags1]

39 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

If you and and I are anything alike, you're probably thinking, "Get me on that ship asap" 

I'm only kidding, we have our fair share of stays at Holiday Inns too, especially in Fort Lauderdale when it's just one night.

That’s exactly what I was thinking!

[Rags1]

First things first!  We have been reunited with sweet Lusi.  If they let me drive the ship later, this will still be the highlight of my trip!

[Rags1]

Shuttle bus ride was uneventful and took about half hour. Got out at zone 6 and immediately met by two terminal genies and a porter. Put Star Class tags on the bags and we were escorted inside and upstairs to the Suite and Pinnacle waiting area. Through security and check in took about 7 minutes. Note to Miami:  What the hell are those cookies?  There must be Ranger Cookies!  Jay came and snagged us and onboard we went!

[Rags1]

Jay escorted us up to the Suite Lounge until our room was ready. Something different to note in Galveston:  we were in the Suite Lounge at around 1040 and it was packed. Jay explained that because the terminal here is small they begin boarding people the minute they can because otherwise people would be waiting outside in the heat. Had a drink in the lounge and then went to the room about 1110.  We visited with Jay for a bit and then headed to Sabor’s to begin the weight gain journey!  I don’t remember what everyone had but I think it included everything on the menu!

[Rags1]

I forgot this about the suite lounge. The staff was working on that fancy coffee thing. Again.  Still. They were working on it last year when we left!

[Rags1]

More important stuff.  Our revised schedule and the entertainment guide. And, the Magic Star Class Laundry Bag

[WAAAYTOOO]

The laundry bag !  The laundry bag !

[Rags1]

Quick recap of day/night one. Three of us watched sail away from the balcony, two were napping. Then it was time for a long shower before dinner.  One of the great pleasures of this room is the loft shower. It’s wonderful to be under that rain dome while watching the ocean. Dinner was at Coastal Kitchen for “The Sabrina.”  Sorry about the food pics. The one of the steak looks awful. But the filet was WONDERFUL!  Melt in your mouth delicious. I also had the shrimp cocktail and the smoked tomato soup. Both very good. The girls had chicken, branzino and salmon. No complaints about food or service. We were seated at a 6/top next to the bar. If we eat there again I wouldn’t accept that table. It was so noisy that it made  any dinner conversation difficult.  Followed dinner with Mama Mia. Very enjoyable as usual. Then a quiet movie night in the room and some rest!

[Lovetocruise2002]

1 hour ago, Rags1 said:

We were seated at a 6/top next to the bar. If we eat there again I wouldn’t accept that table.

We had a similar table location on Oasis. I did not care for it either.

1 hour ago, Rags1 said:

Followed dinner with Mama Mia.

I found it interesting that they did this show on Night 1. Usually the main Broadway show is saved for later in the sailing, or at least day 2.

[Rags1]

9 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

 

I found it interesting that they did this show on Night 1. Usually the main Broadway show is saved for later in the sailing, or at least day 2.

I thought the same thing. I forgot to add that we have seen this production on Allure 5 times now. We all felt this was the best cast we’ve seen. The two leads have amazing skills!  We all were amused that in the song “Thanks for the Music” Sophia sings of “being the girl with golden hair.”  This Sophie is most definitely a brunette!  We all seem to remember only blondes in the past

[Rags1]

Day 2. Kaitlyn, or Gerard, was up early and off to the gym. I think it’s a small mental deficiency that makes her do that. Then she joined Stacy and I for breakfast in Coastal Kitchen. Hannah and Montana slept in after late night jacuzzi in the balcony. I had Eggs Benedict and sausage. Girls had bowls of healthy nuts and bran and other goat food. I’m not up on how the human digestive system functions but I’m sure our late breakfast will not make it through that entire process before lunch at Chops!  We all passed on the Galley tour. I think Montana and I will do the bridge tour again at 2. Sometime after that it will be ice cream with Lusi time. Remaining plans are dinner at 150 (my least favorite restaurant) and the adult comedy show. 
I’ll also wander around to get some pictures. If there’s anything I can scope out for you let me know. 
 

[Rags1]

They had one minute of silence this morning to remember the victims of 9/11.  Pretty amazing to witness a vibrant cruise ship with 6000 people fall silent. I painted this end zone about 10 years ago for the high school where I worked

[Rags1]

Yes. It's still the best!

[Rags1]

Lunch at Chops. The filet was good but not as good as good as CK

[Rags1]

Arcade. 3p.m. On a sea day!  All the kids must have graduated to the casino

[Lovetocruise2002]

3 hours ago, Rags1 said:

Yes. It's still the best!

I love Chops mushroom soup!!! 

2 minutes ago, Rags1 said:

The filet was good but not as good as good as CK

It never is #teamCK

That’a actually why I always get the lobster at Chops. 

Now I am craving Chops…3 more months lol

[Rags1]

Had to go down to the promenade on an errand. Stopped to listen to a rousing rendition of “When The Saints Go Marching In.”  My errand was to see the internet specialist. My IPHONE would connect but only for short periods and then would drop. I explained all of that to the late 20 something fellow in an officer’s uniform. He then said “Let’s have a look.”  He gently turned my phone around and with 4 swipes of his expert fingers turned on some feature.  Then he turned the phone back to face me….and pointed to the feature while his mouth said “You have to turn THIS on” while his smile and caring eyes were saying “Just go back to your room grandpa, if you can find it, and watch the news.”  

[Rags1]

A few pics of 1740 for @Lovetocruise2002.  

[Rags1]

26 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

That’a actually why I always get the lobster at Chops. 

I’ll have that when we go to dinner there later in the week! It’s not on the menu for lunch

[Rags1]

On 9/10/2023 at 4:18 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

The laundry bag !  The laundry bag !

@WAAAYTOOO after maybe the bathroom, it’s the first thing we use when we get to the suite!

[SMOKEY0202]

3 mths of dreaming and fantasizing of the food from Chops and CK for Lovetocruise.  Doesn't that mean her live blog should be started now......

 

[SweetPea]

49 minutes ago, Rags1 said:

My errand was to see the internet specialist. My IPHONE would connect but only for short periods and then would drop. I explained all of that to the late 20 something fellow in an officer’s uniform. He then said “Let’s have a look.”  He gently turned my phone around and with 4 swipes of his expert fingers turned on some feature.  Then he turned the phone back to face me….and pointed to the feature while his mouth said “You have to turn THIS on” while his smile and caring eyes were saying “Just go back to your room grandpa, if you can find it, and watch the news.”  

Hopefully you explained to the young whippersnapper that your loyal readership appreciates his mad geek squad skills!

 

Does the Allure RLS have a nice second bedroom or like a mini one with a pull out couch?

[Rags1]

5 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

Does the Allure RLS have a nice second bedroom or like a mini one with a pull out couch?

@SweetPea I'll get some pictures but it's a very nice full bedroom with sliding doors to the outside balcony and jacuzzi 

[LandstromCruise]

Love the room. #Goals 

[Lovetocruise2002]

1740 #goals 

Thank you for the pictures.

2 hours ago, SMOKEY0202 said:

3 mths of dreaming and fantasizing of the food from Chops and CK for Lovetocruise.  Doesn't that mean her live blog should be started now......

Nope. Don’t want to jinx it lol

[SweetPea]

22 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

1740 #goals 

Thank you for the pictures.

Nope. Don’t want to jinx it lol

I get this! #Superstition

I never, ever start cruise meet threads. Every time i do, i cancel my cruise. Same if I'm only the second and only other person to join one.

I figured (thanks to you), I'll start my blog on the 20th/21st for a 24th departure. Given my line of work, i am too hung up on weather disturbances and should def know better by now! If our PDCC cruise turns into a Canada/NE itinerary... it will be my fault because i started my blog too early. Clearly. Because, of course. 

[Lovetocruise2002]

1 hour ago, SweetPea said:

I'll start my blog on the 20th/21st for a 24th departure.

Can’t wait! And I get it with the weather worries. Between the weather and the flights, I always have so much anxiety before a cruise. 

[asquared17]

i am staring with awe and a little bit of envy at all that closet space…

[Rags1]

Wrap up of the first sea day. After lunch at Chops we hung out a bit on the suite sun deck. At two Melissa and I went for the bridge tour. Consisted of about 12 people and one dog. It was led by Jay and Federico. As we went through the security screening I simply forgot to inform the poor security guy that this old fossil has aftermarket equipment installed in the form of a pacemaker. When the wand passed over my chest it emitted this high pitched screeching noise similar to the sound emitted by Taylor if the Ranger cookie plate is empty!  When I explained it was fine, my fault, the poor guy couldn’t stop apologizing. I felt so sorry for him. First time I’ve just forgotten-and I hadn’t even had a drink!  It appears it didn’t completely fry the pacemaker since I’m still posting. Taylor and Melissa then spent some sun time on the suite sun deck, Katie went for some nap time and the Nurse relaxed in the suite. I went down to visit with Lusi. And me, the guy who simply isn’t interested in food, couldn’t make it past the Dog House!  I had a regular old hot dog.  The operative word there is old.  I think that dog had been in the steam table since Allure’s last visit to Cadiz. Then a great visit with Lusi and a cupcake sundae. I followed that by a trip around deck 16 to take pictures. As I was headed to the Flowrider area, me, the non foodie guy stopped in for a plate at Loco Fresh!  
Dinner followed at 150 which I’ve already indicated isn’t my favorite. Well last night changed that. It went from my “non favorite” list to my “ain’t going back” list!  For me it was brutal. We were seated at 7:25. We got our drinks 40 minutes later. I stopped looking at the time after that. We barely made the 9:30 comedy show. Our poor server was all over the restaurant.  Seemed to be understaffed. But the food was good and we’re on a cruise so it’s really all good!  I mean none of the food places around the feed store in Morongo Valley serve lobster thermidor so in the end, it was a win. We chuckled at the end because the server asked us to wait just a couple more minutes because they had a cake to celebrate Melissa’s birthday. They brought this beautiful, Lusi made, cake out and wished Melissa the best of birthdays.  The cake said “Happy Birthday TAYLOR”

The youngsters and I went to the adult comedy show.  More on that later. The nurse went back to the suite, and after 5 previous trips in the RL, finally took a relaxing bath in that awesome tub.
 

[Lovetocruise2002]

3 hours ago, Rags1 said:

The operative word there is old.  I think that dog had been in the steam table since Allure’s last visit to Cadiz.

I am dying laughing at this!

3 hours ago, Rags1 said:

They brought this beautiful, Lusi made, cake out and wished Melissa the best of birthdays.  The cake said “Happy Birthday TAYLOR”

Omg? Lol

And when did Allure get El Loco? How did I miss that? 

[asquared17]

15 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

when did Allure get El Loco?

i feel like they got it last fall when they homeported her to galvey but i could be wrong…

[Rags1]

I said I would have more on the comedy show.  The comedians were funny, which I guess is the objective. Mostly material about the Windjammer, toilets and port stops. The first guy began to do a bit about the monkeys on Roatan when a slightly inebriated gal behind us blurted out what her opinion of the monkeys was. It gave the comedian a good five minutes of spontaneous material that was hilarious!  He actually thanked her for setting him up so well!  The guys were Dan Gabriel and Rick D’Ella.  But that wasn’t the best, or maybe the worst of it.  I may or may not have heard somewhere that there is one Star couple this week who may be a little…difficult. They were seated in the front row as we came in to take our seats, also in the front row.  They watched, intently, as we walked by. I said to Mr. Happy “Good evening.”  In a message I may have sent to a Genie I said “My man.  I used to be a cop. These two on the end are criminally unhappy!  Probably haven’t smiled since the 70’s!”  After one of the Genies may have responded I replied “I said hello to the guy in the green shirt when we entered.  He just stared at me like I pissed in his shoes.”  I watched them during the show and I’m not sure they ever cracked a smile. Very sad

[Rags1]

1 minute ago, asquared17 said:

i feel like they got it last fall when they homeported her to galvey but i could be wrong…

Yes I think that’s when it happened.  Just converted the old Wipe Out area.  It’s called Wipe Out Cafe featuring El Loco Fresh.

[Rags1]

Day 3 - at sea. Coffee, Starbucks and pastries delivered at 730. Most of us were lazy today and stayed in bed until about 930. Only Melissa went out for breakfast to the Windjammer and she enjoyed it.  At noon we had lunch in Izumi Sushi with Jay.  It was a wonderful hour or more of catching up on his life and times.  We laughed the entire time. Toward the end of the lunch I asked him several questions that most of you, and those in other Star groups either inquire or complain about.  The things that most experienced Star cruisers want answers to. His answers were:

1.  That’ll never happen.

2.  I don’t agree with that particular policy but there’s nothing I can do about it.

3.  If someone asks for that I’ll do it.

4.  Where the hell did you hear that?

It was over an hour ago.  I forget the questions!

Seriously, I did ask about the Genies views on how it will be when the Allure begins it’s season of 3 and 4 night cruises - which will immediately DOUBLE the amount of guests,  emails and requests the Genie will have to deal with in any given four week period. I’ve been wondering about that since that rotation was announced. You can use your imagination on how they feel

After lunch we all went down to visit with Lusi again.  What a fun person she is!

chilling in the room for a bit now.  The youngsters are out on the balcony in the jacuzzi.  Dinner is at 530 at Giovanni’s followed by MO5AIC.

 

[Lovetocruise2002]

4 minutes ago, Rags1 said:

1.  That’ll never happen.

2.  I don’t agree with that particular policy but there’s nothing I can do about it.

3.  If someone asks for that I’ll do it.

4.  Where the hell did you hear that?

I have asked a long time genie those questions too. Same responses

5 minutes ago, Rags1 said:

be when the Allure begins it’s season of 3 and 4 night cruises - which will immediately DOUBLE the amount of guests,  emails and requests the Genie will have to deal with in any given four week period. I’ve been wondering about that since that rotation was announced. You can use your imagination on how they feel

I know some will want to run

[Rags1]

1 minute ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I know some will want to run

Fact