Day 1
I arrived at Corfu and saw the Oceania Allura, I was completely stunned how beautiful she looked. All the staff are so attentive and friendly on the ship and greeted me straight away with a cool flannel and offer of refreshments.
My suite was a concierge balcony which is so roomy and the welcome bottle of prosecco was most definitely a nice touch to share on my private balcony preparing me for the luxury experience I have most certainly had on board.
I prebooked my included speciality restaurants and the first night was Pollo Grill, a classic steak house, with a great choice of complimentary wines or beer which were offered to me at dinner and lunch. The food was delicious; I had the goat’s cheese and beetroot starter followed by lamb steak that was cooked to perfection.
I was starting to think I could eat my way round the ship and be in absolute heaven, so off to the gym for me. The onboard gym has all the equipment needed and was immaculate, I lost my EarPods under one of the treadmills and the staff kindly retrieved them for me. I also took part in the included fitness classes, and they were fantastic! They were all hosted by Penelope who is brilliant and knows how to get the best from a workout with slight adjustments.
Day 2
I woke early to cruise into Kotor, Montenegro and oh my what a wonderful way to enjoy my breakfast. Loads of choice, with coffee and juice refilled often. We docked in the extremely convenient, enviable position of being right in the heart of Kotor, Montenegro, making it perfect to explore on foot and return to the ship for a delicious lunch of fresh tuna and another hop off to keep exploring the beautiful historic town. I absolutely loved Kotor; it was beautiful.
After a full-packed day, the Aquamar Spa was calling and it did not disappoint. Steam rooms and saunas, the most wonderful plunge pool and whirlpools, all with fantastic ocean views. I had the most incredible view of us leaving Kotor whilst I lazed in the whirlpool.
It was then time to get ready to enjoy my reservation at Toscana, the Italian restaurant. The menu had so many of my favourite dishes that I had to have two starters followed by Fillet Mignon, which was delicious. Only problem is my son now says I have lost my title of best lasagna he has eaten to Toscana. I then had to end the night dancing at the fantastic pool party hosted by the very talented entertainment staff.
Day 3
After a restful sleep in my extremely comfortable bed, we woke up in Dubrovnik. I was eager to get breakfast quickly and head out to join the included shuttle bus that took us right into the heart of this incredible city, which was even more stunning than I had imagined.
I am a massive Game of Thrones fan, so I quickly got to the old town and walked the two-kilometre stone walls that surround the city. The views are out of this world and was an experience I will never forget. I enjoyed a cool down by taking a dip in the sea by a small harbour, sharing the sea with a gorgeous Newfoundland fur baby that was enjoying the cool down as much as me.
It was then back to the spa for me, where I found my happy place. I love a spa, but this is on another level; the sea views combined with the luxury, and it was surprisingly private. I managed to get one of the very large circular luxury daybed loungers to reflect on another fantastic day.
It was then time to get ready for my reservation at Red Ginger, the Asian restaurant. We were offered a beautiful chopstick selection to choose from, and the waiter amazed me with a magic napkin that expands when water is added. Oh, wow, delicious again! I really enjoyed the food. I had Malaysian spring rolls and belly pork cooked with pineapple followed by a matcha ice cream that I was encouraged to try, and I am so grateful I did.
Entertainment was a comedian Mike Doyle, who gave us a good giggle, and I was then ready for that lovely bed again, which had received its nightly turn-down service with a chocolate on the pillow and a daily programme to inform me what was in store for us tomorrow. I could get used to this incredible way to holiday.
Day 4
Next stop was Bari Italy; I chose to join a pilates class that was so good and built up an appetite for another lovely buffet breakfast. We joined the short journey on the included shuttle bus into Bari. We headed into the old town and enjoyed the street markets that had some very beautiful homemade gifts. The clown in me couldn’t resist a Gavin and Stacey moment of saying that I thought we were going to Barry in Wales. I should probably leave the comedy to Mike Doyle.
Bari was dangerous for shopping, lots of high street retail and some gorgeous boutique Italian shops. When in Italy I was convinced I needed to eat pizza, and it was so good. When back on the ship, it was time to head back to my happy place, the incredible spa, a dip in the plunge pool and a sunbathe.
After a busy day it was time for another restaurant reservation; we headed to Jaques, the French speciality restaurant. I ordered foie gras and rack of lamb with potato gratin, which was delicious and followed by a chocolate mousse and cheese board to share. Absolutely stunning. I honestly could not choose my favourite restaurant as they are all superb. We watched a wonderful performance to conclude dinner by the extremely talented pianist and singer Tetiana.
Day 5
A day at sea, the perfect time to eat breakfast at the Grand Dining Room, I can see why it is called Grand with its beautiful huge chandeliers and incredible views of the ocean. Its location is at the front of the ship, and it was so beautiful inside. It is a wonderful treat to receive a table service breakfast from the incredible staff. I chose smoked salmon eggs benedict, and it was stunning with incredible service that graciously informed me that this is what luxury looks like.
A final trip to the gym, and I headed down to ask at reservations if there is any space to join the master cookery class that is included. Unfortunately, it was fully booked, but I took a sneak peek, and it looked great fun. I would recommend booking in advance as it was very popular. I then headed to the library which is a perfect quiet spot to enjoy a book, puzzle or a board game. I spotted Monopoly, which is our family favourite.
Then, a must-do trip to the Creperie for a cooked-to-order banoffee waffle. And then back to… you guessed it, my happy place to enjoy my last day. My son enjoyed another game of organised padel ball, and it was a really great way to meet other guests. We also enjoyed the 18-hole mini golf, and I had a go at the table tennis located on the sun deck.
We did not have a reservation that evening but knew exactly where we were heading; The Grand Dining Room. We got seated in the most incredible position at the very front of the ship to enjoy the stunning sunset. My photo will not do the justice it so deserves, but I will always remember my last evening feeling so blessed to witness the incredible colours the sun performed over the ocean whilst I got to enjoy even more delicious food. I devoured arancini balls followed by a cooked-to-perfection sirloin steak and a selection of cheese with my choice of crackers.
Day 6
The hardest day was saying goodbye to one of the most wonderful holidays I have ever had as we arrived in Piraeus, Athens. We headed down for our last breakfast, and I really could not resist having an extremely random choice of my favourites: smoked salmon with cream cheese, the stunning fresh pineapple and a mini full English with coffee refilled regularly.
The staff very kindly allowed me a sneaky last-minute peek at the executive suites on deck 11; they are even more roomy than my suite and offer a more exclusive experience to enjoy.
The organisation for disembarkation was incredible, and clear instructions made it so simple to get to the organised transport. I am delighted to have experienced the Oceania Allura and wow wow wow it really has been more than I could have imagined. The itinerary I was so blessed to do was an incredible way to visit four countries in five days. The staff are amazing, the food is stunning, the ship is beautiful, and its facilities are incredible.
I would absolutely love to share my experience with you. If you are considering booking a luxury cruise, I can certainly recommend the fabulous Oceania Allura. It has been an incredible way to explore this wonderful world and to be able to travel to so many places effortlessly without packing and unpacking numerous times, and to have continuous staff who enjoy getting to know your preferences whilst delivering exceptional food and service.
I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to enjoy and share this incredible holiday experience with you on the stunning Oceania Allura, and I thank you for reading. Please pop in to see me at Miles Morgan Travel in Ross On Wye, give me a call on 01989 477 021 or email me at [email protected], and I will happily share my experience.
