Allure of the Seas is a game-changer for the cruise industry. Allure shares the title of world’s largest passenger ship with her sister ship Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas. Indeed, the two ships are a third again larger than their nearest competitor. When they enter or exit the harbor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, their homeport, they tower over the high rise condominiums at the mouth of the harbor.
But, these ships impressive size is not what is important about these ships, it is what Royal Caribbean has done with all that space. There are more than 20 dining venues on Allure ranging from a hot dog stand to a fine dining restaurant where a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America has been given the freedom to develop the venue. In between, are all sorts of varieties of restaurant - - Italian family style, Brazilian churrascaria, American steakhouse, Asian cuisine, Mexican, healthy fare, hamburgers, pizza, to give just a few examples. There is also a monumental main dining room.
Similarly, there are numerous entertainment options including a production of the Broadway hit Chicago, ice show spectaculars, aqua shows, ice skating spectaculars, 3-D movies, live jazz, and live comedy.
One could go about the varieties of swimming pools and spots facilities; the spa offerings, the bars and lounges and in the accommodations. Royal Caribbean has really attempted to provide something for every taste.
On top of this, all of the various options are executed professionally. This is true not just of the chefs in the fine dining establishments and the cast in the main theater but throughout the ship.
To illustrate, the concern I hear most often about the Oasis-class ships is that they carry between 5,400 to over 6,000 guests, depending on cabin occupancy. However, the people flow is managed so that there are rarely lines and getting on and off the ships is faster than on nearly any other ship.
The reason Allure is a game-changer for the industry is that she will change what people expect from a cruise ship. With her sister ship and also NCL’s Norwegian Epic, a very sizeable number of people each week are experiencing a new level variety and quality in cruising. This will eventually reach a critical mass that will compel the rest of the industry to enhance their offerings to remain competitive.
Each ship has its own personality, largely derived from the officers and crew. On Allure, I found the spirit contagious. There was such confidence and pride in the ship, her features and what she could achieve. It was exciting just be there.
Since sailing on Allure, I have wondered at times whether this was just my impression. However, I recently attended a talk by William Miller to the World Ship Society in New York. Mr. Miller is one of the deans of ocean liner and cruise ship historians and has written numerous books on the subject. His topic that evening was on some of the great ships of the past. But, he began his talk by praising Allure of the Seas in enthusiastic terms. I felt quite vindicated.
Beyondships’ profile of Allure of the Seas is at http://www.beyondships.com/RCI-ALOS-Profile.html. The extensive commentary and photo tour of the ship begins at http://www.beyondships.com/RCI-ALOS-tour-0.html
But, these ships impressive size is not what is important about these ships, it is what Royal Caribbean has done with all that space. There are more than 20 dining venues on Allure ranging from a hot dog stand to a fine dining restaurant where a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America has been given the freedom to develop the venue. In between, are all sorts of varieties of restaurant - - Italian family style, Brazilian churrascaria, American steakhouse, Asian cuisine, Mexican, healthy fare, hamburgers, pizza, to give just a few examples. There is also a monumental main dining room.
Similarly, there are numerous entertainment options including a production of the Broadway hit Chicago, ice show spectaculars, aqua shows, ice skating spectaculars, 3-D movies, live jazz, and live comedy.
One could go about the varieties of swimming pools and spots facilities; the spa offerings, the bars and lounges and in the accommodations. Royal Caribbean has really attempted to provide something for every taste.
On top of this, all of the various options are executed professionally. This is true not just of the chefs in the fine dining establishments and the cast in the main theater but throughout the ship.
To illustrate, the concern I hear most often about the Oasis-class ships is that they carry between 5,400 to over 6,000 guests, depending on cabin occupancy. However, the people flow is managed so that there are rarely lines and getting on and off the ships is faster than on nearly any other ship.
The reason Allure is a game-changer for the industry is that she will change what people expect from a cruise ship. With her sister ship and also NCL’s Norwegian Epic, a very sizeable number of people each week are experiencing a new level variety and quality in cruising. This will eventually reach a critical mass that will compel the rest of the industry to enhance their offerings to remain competitive.
Each ship has its own personality, largely derived from the officers and crew. On Allure, I found the spirit contagious. There was such confidence and pride in the ship, her features and what she could achieve. It was exciting just be there.
Since sailing on Allure, I have wondered at times whether this was just my impression. However, I recently attended a talk by William Miller to the World Ship Society in New York. Mr. Miller is one of the deans of ocean liner and cruise ship historians and has written numerous books on the subject. His topic that evening was on some of the great ships of the past. But, he began his talk by praising Allure of the Seas in enthusiastic terms. I felt quite vindicated.
Beyondships’ profile of Allure of the Seas is at http://www.beyondships.com/RCI-ALOS-Profile.html. The extensive commentary and photo tour of the ship begins at http://www.beyondships.com/RCI-ALOS-tour-0.html
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