Allure of the Seas: Embarkation

I’ve never been so glad to wake up in Miami! Today I get to board the Allure of the Seas and join my sisters in celebrating their birthdays.

Hotel Morning

My alarm was set for 8 but I was up a little more than an hour before that thanks to mother nature. I felt like death warmed over until that first cup of Dark Magic coffee coursed through my veins. Then I took time to actually check out the hotel room. I like the separate living space.

Unfortunately I never had the chance to test the TV.

The bed was very comfortable but I was so tired probably wouldn’t have noticed if it wasn’t.

The bedroom window had a view of the pool and hot tub.

It was a smaller bathroom but functional.

After a shower and more coffee I was human again. Around 8:30 am I went to the dining room and had the continental breakfast since in 3 hours I’d be having lunch onboard.

It wasn’t crowded and I seated myself at a table for two and ordered. This is not the breakfast of champions but it will do.

In retrospect it would have been cheaper to just get eggs and turkey sausage.

I did the safety briefing videos in the app so just have to visit the showroom for the last check-in. Afterwards I went back to the room and started gathering my things. Talked to my brother and he asked when I was leaving for the port — oh, in 10 minutes.

I was scrambling to get it all together and leave when planned. Once I was all packed I checked out in the Hilton App before heading downstairs to fetch a Lyft. I had checked the app earlier this morning and saw it was just a couple of minutes wait for one and knew it would be quick.

Embarkation Morning

The driver arrived within two minutes of requesting a ride. It was a nice trip to the port and $38 before tip/fees. (yet there was a small fuel fee).

Once at the port, we headed to terminal 18 and a porter was waiting to take my checked bag. After tipping him and thanking my driver I headed to the check in door. I walked right through in the line for 11 am – 11:30 check-in and only a couple of people ahead of me for negative covid test check.

Then I headed to the ship check-in where she checked all documents and told me to keep my boarding pass out. The rest could be put away. After that I went up the escalators to the waiting room. They were very organized with areas for key, suites and then the remainder of the huge room for the rest of us.

We were seated in order of arrival and that’s how we boarded once it started about 10:55 am. I was on board within 10 minutes.

My sisters were waiting for me and we happily hugged. On the way to their cabin I stopped by my muster station (B1) on four in the theater to complete it. Then we went to their cabin to drop my carryon. The birthday decorations stilled looked great!

They shared their consecutive cruiser letter with me (for research purposes 🙂 ).

Embarkation Lunch

We went up to 15 and visited while they had a cigarette. Then it was time to go to our lunch reservation at Chops. My sisters had made all our dining and entertainment reservations earlier while waiting to get cleared to reboard as back to back.

We just had water to drink at Chops and then ordered.

I started with cream of mushroom soup.

The flavor was great but it wasn’t creamy enough. This was followed by the shrimp cocktail which was great!

Then I had Caesar salad with filet mignon.

This was the best steak I’d had at chops in many years. Even though I was already full I had the warm chocolate cake.

It wasn’t very warm but tasty. I did get a picture of my sister’s lemon meringue pie. The topping is so high I accidentally cut it off at the top of the photo.

Wonderful start to the cruise!

Embarkation Afternoon

Cabins were ready at 1 pm so we went straight there after I picked up my carryon (and a delayed birthday gift from my sister) and I unpacked that before taking a nap. It looks just like the stock photo I used in an earlier post.

Here’s a view the other way.

It was a very nice inside cabin. Here’s the bathroom.

My nap was interrupted by an in cabin announcement by the captain for people to do their muster. I checked outside and my checked bag was there so got that unpacked.

Shortly after my cabin steward came by and introduced himself.

I let him know I want a daily compass. He said room service had come by but saw my do not disturb so didn’t deliver. I think it was my diamond gift drink. I also asked for distilled water.

My cookies and ordered bottled water were in the cabin when I boarded.

I went to my sisters and took T her photo album from our teens that was in my stuff when I was going through photos for packing. She gave me her birthday gift for me and I gave her mine for hers.

Embarkation Evening

Then we all got ready for dinner. I am meeting them at 150 Central Park for dinner at 6pm.

150 Central Park

We met up in front of the restaurant and were seated at a table with couch and two chairs for seating. I tried the couch but am too short to feel comfortable there while eating.

Our waiter asked for our drink order. T declined and I ordered a urban garden martini and he took off before M could order her drink!

He did come back and we got it ordered. I used my diamond drinks for hers and the two I had during dinner. Then we ordered and he brought out the delicious bread.

It was SOOO good.

Then our first appetizer came. I started with the velouté soup.

It was okay but I wouldn’t order it again. This was followed by the beet salad which I knew I liked.

It looked so good Sister T ordered one then. She had scallops for first appetizer.

There was quite a wait for our entrees but they finally came out. I had the lobster thermidor again.

M had beef tenderloin.

T had the halibut.

The lobster thermidor was mostly mushrooms unfortunately but did taste good. I won’t order it again here. For dessert I had the chocolate peanut tart and loved it just as much as my Oasis cruise.

T had the hazelnut passion fruit bar with mango sorbet.

Aqua Show

Then we parted ways while I finished my coffee and met up at the aqua theater for our 8:15 show. We were in the splash zone in regular seats.

The show was fantastic. The aerialists were entertaining.

They didn’t have a high wire walker like I saw on Oasis or as many super high dives (just two) but loved the whole thing.

They were going to the casino for a bit before bed and I headed to Sorrento’s bar to get a ginger ale with my last diamond drink for my cabin. At my cabin door I found a diamond pin.