Cruising Guide: Allure of the Seas
Twenty-five bars and restaurants, a nice park area, swimming pools, theatres and a street lined with shops. With a population of 6296 it sounds like a small town and it is - yet this one moves and it's on water.
Launched to great acclaim in 2010, Allure of the Seas is still the world's biggest cruise ship and is a destination in itself.
Those 25 bars and restaurants are still a record on any ship and together with the sheer size of Allure might just have been overwhelming. But all of this allure is divided into perfectly manageable pieces; through the middle of the ship ascend nine distinct neighbourhoods each with a different accent on experience and a distinct atmosphere.
Passengers can soak up the seaside town feel at the Boardwalk with its wooden carousel and hotdog stand, do a spot of "city" shopping on the Royal Promenade, catch a 3D movie in the Entertainment Zone, enjoy an alfresco meal, a cup of coffee or just relax with a book on a bench among the 12,000 real trees and plants at Central Park. They might find time for rock climbing, ice skating, getting a bird's eye view of the ship from the flying fox or cooling off in any of Allure's 21 swimming pools and whirlpools.
The ship's Boardwalk has a seaside feel with a wooden carousel and hotdog stand. Picture: Niall McIlroy
Royal Caribbean has introduced virtual ocean views to inside cabins - beaming back live shots into rooms without a view. But Allure has never lacked looks - many inside cabins look out over a neighbourhood - so some people have park views, others the shopping streetscape, or the seaside boardwalk. Nice.
Allure of the Seas cruises from Fort Lauderdale, alternating on week-long western and eastern Caribbean cruises. From April to October it will be in Europe for week-long Med cruises from Barcelona and Civitavecchia (Rome). Travel agents, royalcaribbean.com.au and 1800 754 500.
