RCI’s Allure of the Seas

The Allure of the Seas is the largest ship ever built, by 3 inches.

It’s the last day of a two night preview cruise aboard the worlds largest cruise ship, the Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s newest entry into the superlative sweepstakes and I’m having coffee in the Park Café. Unseen birds are singing somewhere in the trees and high above, the sky is turning bright with yet another Florida dawn. The setting is Central Park, one of the wow! places aboard this amazing ship.

Before I continue, let me clarify: The Oasis of the Seas, which came out last year, was the world largest cruise ship, and, yes, this is a nearly identical sister ship. However, the Allure measures two inches larger than the Oasis. Maybe it was hot and the ship expanded when they measured, but no matter. At 225,282 gross registered tons and 1,187 feet long (plus two inches), this is one big ship.

But back to Central Park. I get up early, so I have Central Park pretty much to myself as I enjoy a quiet morning in a true park aboard a ship. There are several thousand plants and trees to be found in the park, which is open to the sky high above. Several decks soar above the park, and balconies look out onto the space. In fact, many of the ship’s cabins open onto these large interior spaces rather than looking out on the sea (Boardwalk is another). There are shops, restaurants with outdoor dining, and winding paths that invite strolling. Central Park is my favorite place on the ship.

I was really skeptical about the ship. I hadn’t seen the Oasis last year but I’d heard varying reports. So the Allure repeatedly surprised me. Yes, it’s big, very big, but Royal Caribbean has designed the spaces so that there never seem to be crowds or long lines. On my preview cruise, only about half the full complement of 5,400 passengers was aboard, but those who had sailed on the Oasis last year all raved about the crowd flow and lack of lines.

The experience begins at the port where Royal Caribbean created special facilities for the two Oasis-class ships, which sail out of Ft. Lauderdale on cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. I timed it, and from the curb to my cabin it took just 22 minutes to check in and get on the ship. I’ve been on smaller ships where it took an hour or more. More cruise lines should study this setup.

As befits a ship of this size there are literally dozens of things to experience and enjoy. But here are some highlights that I discovered.

Dining. There are literally more dining choices than you can explore in just one cruise. One that really stood out for me is the breakfast buffet in Solarium Bistro. Dozens of choices for breakfast and many are freshly prepared. One of the surprises was a very good curry soup. You can tell my breakfast choices are eclectic.

For dinner, the Samba Grill serves as a “churrascaria” (a concept imported from Brazil) in the evening with a buffet of salads followed by waiters who bring grilled meats to your table until you tell them to stop. It’s as good as many ashore and I longed to try it again. Actually, on a regular cruise I’d skip the dining room and opt for the specialty restaurants. There’s just about any kind of food imaginable from Mexican to Italian from donuts to bagels to be had. One caution, while many dining experiences are included in the fare, others charge extra supplements.

Entertainment. You can attend a 3-D movie screening in the new theater aboard the Allure. The ship is the first to feature a partnership with Dreamworks Animation. In fact, Princess Fiona of the animated film series Shrek serves as the Allure’s godmother. It’s another first for an innovative company. DreamWorks’ characters are featured in a spectacular parade down the Boardwalk on each cruise. There’s a jazz club, comedy club, and of course, a night club. And while I didn’t personally count them, some said there were more than 20 bars onboard.

Sports. Ok I’ll admit that I didn’t go surfing in either of the FlowRrider surfing simulators, or try out one of the several pools in the Sports Zone, and I didn’t go zip lining or try to spend time in the Sports pool. But I watched enough eager people of all ages do these things to know this area is a huge attraction of each cruise on the Allure. There’s even an adults-only area where things are a little calmer. And if you get bored, there’s ice skating, a huge fitness center, and a spa for pampering. Oh, and I almost forgot the miniature golf course and the zip line.

Kids. The Allure has all the expected kids’ areas and activities for children of all ages, but everything is kicked up a bit on this ship. There is no doubt but that this ship would make a perfect family destination. And the Allure boasts the line’s first nursery for infants and toddlers (six months or older), which is open late into the evening; the staff-to-child ratio is monitored carefully to provide proper care.

Little things mean a lot. There is a large front desk but Royal Caribbean has largely eliminated the need to go there for anything but the most complex needs. The computer kiosks scattered in several locations in the area off the Boardwalk can even print your boarding passes for your flight home and also tell you your account balance onboard. Being able to print out your airline boarding passes free and simply – that’s way cool. Another small but nice touch is the iPod docking station in each cabin. And the cabins have plenty of 110v power outlets at the desk. For those of us who work on cruises that is a real plus.

The Allure of the Seas is one large ship but it is a ship filled with interesting things to see and do. It also takes cruising into a whole new universe. Think of a luxury resort hotel that happens to move. In this world, the attractions on the ship might relegate visiting a port in the Caribbean to just another attraction. On this ship, you can shop and dine aboard more easily than you can ashore.