Would appreciate hearing from folks who have cruised on Allure in the last 6 months or so. Particularly interested in recommendations for shore excursions and ship restaurants/entertainment. THANK YOU!!!

Our cruise Forum has not been very busy. You will probably find more possibilities of that in cruisecritic.com reviews of the ship and ports of call. You can also join and post the question there.

Hi-
We've been on the Allure a number of times, including this past May. The shows are really wonderful--better than Oasis or Harmony. Mamma Mia was joyous and lively with, of course, fabulous music. Be sure to sign up for all the shows in advance online, to ensure you get in to see them.

We haven't done excursions recently, so I can't comment. There's truly so much to do in San Juan just by wandering around--the two forts, the shops, cafes, the big fountain on the way to El Morro. Our first trip there, we made the mistake of taking the Bacardi tour; it was a very long bus ride and lots of waiting around. Not worth it.

Labadee is so picturesque, and the water is so calm and clear, it's perfect for swimming. It's huge, so there are many choices for places to sun. The best beach is at the very far end of the resort, near the artisan market.

And the craft shopping is a hoot--you can buy anything from hand-painted magnets to full-sized paintings, clothing, wooden objects, dolls and more. The vendors are assertive, so you need to be prepared. But bargaining is encouraged and we've gotten many great bargains there. Hope this helped a bit. -- Musing About Cruising