The Allure of the Seas made her official debut on November 11, 2010 when she sailed into Fort Lauderdale, Florida after her transatlantic voyage from the shipyard in Denmark. It's been one year since the launch of her sister cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas and now Allure of the Seas holds the title of the world's biggest and newest cruise ship. Here's what to expect.
Biggest Cruise Ship in the World
There is speculation as to which of the Royal Caribbean sister ships is actually bigger as Adam Goldstein, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean discusses in his official blog. He confirms that according to laser measurements conducted at the shipyard, Allure of the Seas is actually 50 millimeters (about two inches) longer than the Oasis of the Seas.
The Allure of the Seas weighs in at 225,282 GRT (gross registered tons) carrying 5,400 passengers and 2,384 crew members. There are 16 passenger decks, 24 passenger elevators and 26 different dining options. Even her lifeboats are big, each carrying 370 passengers.
Similar to the Oasis of the Seas, the Allure of the Seas will also have an Aqua Theater, a carousel, an ice rink, four swimming pools,10 whirlpools, two Flowrider surfing simulators, a zipline and around 29,000 square feet dedicated children and teens.
Newest Cruise Ship Features
Although the Allure of the Seas has many features that are similar to her sister, she also has many new features, amenities and entertainment. Here is a short list of what makes the Allure of the Seas different from the Oasis of the Seas (for now).
Starbucks – This is the first Starbucks at sea offering a complete line of Starbucks VIA Ready Brew products between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
Rita's Catalina – A casual Mexican-style restaurant serving fajitas, tacos, tostadas and a wide selection of margaritas.
Boardwalk Dog House – Located in the Boardwalk neighborhood, this counter-style hot dog stand also has seating on the Boardwalk. They serve hot dogs, brats and sausages with a variety of toppings.
Guess Store – The first Guess store at sea will be on the Allure of the Seas. The accessory boutique sells purses, sunglasses, jewellery and watches.
DreamWorks Entertainment – Allure of the Seas is the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to feature entertainment inspired by DreamWorks. Guests can participate in a character breakfasts with Shrek, watch an ice show with characters from How to Train Your Dragon and see 3-D movies in the onboard movie theater.
The Allure of the Seas departs on December 1, 2010 for a special four-day sailing from Fort Lauderdale that includes Labadee. Then, on December 5, 2010, the Allure of the Seas starts her inaugural cruise followed by alternating seven-night Western Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean cruises from her home port of Fort Lauderdale.
Renee Ruggero - Renee is a published travel writer and cruise industry insider with more than 1,000 days on cruise ships, visiting over 50 countries.
