We did the Mediterranean Cruise followed by the transatlantic back to Fort Lauderdale in October/November. In defense of the ship, it is a beautiful ship and has so much to offer the cruiser whether a family or just a couple. On the other hand, it was way too crowded with 5500 guest and 2400 crew. If you don't make reservations in advance, you stand in very long lines for hours after getting on the ship only to find out shows are no longer available. Even in the "Anytime dining" if you didn't have a reservation, you were moved to the end of the line behind those who did. I totally disagree with that concept. Another complaint is about standing in line for 45 minutes, even with a reservation, to get a good seat at the shows, only to be forced to take a backseat to "Diamond guest" who have not stood in line for very long. It should be first come, first served. The public areas during special events such as the parades and the Halloween Party/parade was just sheer madness because there were so many people trying to gather in such a small area. I saw pushing and shoving to get a spot to stand. After two hours standing in wait, we finally gave up and went back to our room because of the tightness of the crowd. That was very disappointing. Also, a lot of the venues that should be included in the price of the cruise had additional fees attached. In summary, if you plan to cruise on the Allure of the Seas, be prepared to stand in long lines for everything and be sure to bring your purse along.