Allure Of The Seas

The 2010-built Allure of the Seas cruise ship is the 2nd Oasis-class Royal Caribbean liner, with sisterships Oasis OTS (2009) and the bigger (currently world's largest passenger ships) - Harmony OTS (2016), Symphony OTS (2018), Wonder OTS (2022) and Utopia OTS (2024).

The vessel (IMO number 9383948) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311020700) and registered in Nassau.

History - construction and ownership

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) is a US passenger shipping company, trademarked travel brand and subsidiary owned by Royal Caribbean Group (RCG/shipowner). RCI was established in 1968 and currently has over 1/5 of the worldwide cruise market. RCI also has RCG's largest fleet by both vessel number and GT tonnage (ship sizes and capacities).

All RCI liners have names ending with "of the Seas".

The 5500-passenger ship Allure OTS is among the world's top-largest and has a unique personality. Scattered throughout the mass of steel, glass, wood and trees are changes, such as new retail options (a Guess store), restaurants (a hot dog stand), shows ("Chicago") and a recognizable green ogre, donkey and penguins culled from the Dream Works films. The cruise line also added 3D viewing facilities to its movie offerings, iPod docks in each stateroom and passenger kiosks from which cruisers might print boarding passes and keep tabs on escalating onboard bills.

A total of 24 elevators (12x forward + 12x aft) provide access all the way to deck 16, while decks 17 and 18 are accessed by 6 lifts.

Decks and Cabins

Allure Of The Seas staterooms (2745 total, in 39 grades) include 176 Suites, 1319 Balcony, 176 Oceanview, 505 Inside, also 475 Boardwalk-Central Park Balcony, 78 Boardwalk-Central Park Interior, 18 Promenade View, 716 adjoining. Most cabins are sized 150-180 ft2 / 14-17 m2. Most cabin balconies are sized 55 ft2 / 5 m2. The largest is the Royal Loft Suite (1530 ft2 / 142 m2 plus 850 ft2 / 79 m2 terrace with Jacuzzi). Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 46.

The boat has 17 decks, of which 16 are passenger-accessible and 11 with cabins.

The new Royal Suite Class booking category (suite accommodations only) provides Allure's highest paying passengers with the ultimate all-inclusive cruise experience of Royal Caribbean, marked by Coastal Kitchen exclusive access, 24-hour personal butler service, included gratuities, all-inclusive drinks, free Internet and thermal suite unlimited access.

During drydock 2020, to the ship was added the UPS cabin category (Ultimate Panoramic Suite) with 2 such staterooms located forward on Deck 14 (portside and starboard, both adjacent to/above the Navigation Bridge).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Allure OTS' guests won't be disappointed if they choose to eat in the free restaurants: the service, quality and variety are exceptional, especially in the main dining rooms. During drydock 2015, American Icon Grill replaced Adagio Dining Room. This 3056-seat restaurant offers a la carte menus with open-seating breakfasts and lunches, "Brasserie 30" menu, and two assigned dinner seatings, as well as Private Dining Room.

The 58-seat Cafe Promenade (menu) is a 24-hour eatery at the Royal Promenade (Deck 5) serving cookies, brownies, small sandwiches, mini-croissants, beverages. Cafe Promenade is also one of the several spots to grab free premium brand coffee.

Follows the complete list of Allure of the Seas restaurants and food bars.

• American Icon Grill (3056-seat, a la carte restaurant; offers an open seating breakfast, lunch, "Brasserie 30" menu; with two assigned dinner seatings and Private Dining area.)
• The Grande (offers DreamWorks-themed breakfast, two fixed dinner seatings and "My Time Dining")
• Johnny Rockets (128-seat fast food restaurant, complimentary)
• Sabor (Mexican a la carte restaurant, reservation-only, with Playground kids area)
• 150 Central Park (76-seat specialty restaurant, dinner only)
• Windjammer Marketplace buffet restaurant (719-seat, offers Early Breakfast at 6:30 a.m., Breakfast between 7-11:30 am, Lunch 11.30-3:30 pm, and Dinner 6.30-9 pm)
• Giovanni's Italian Kitchen (96-seat specialty restaurant, reservations recommended)
• Chops Grille (steakhouse/seafood)
• Samba Grill (dinner-only Brazilian steakhouse)
• Sorrento's (66-seat Italian restaurant)
• Izumi (73-seat Asian/Japanese restaurant)
• The Silk (Asian cuisine)
• Solarium Bistro (128-seat, healthy dining)
• WipeOut Cafe (56-seat fast food bar)
• Boardwalk Dog House (complimentary)
• Boardwalk Donuts Shop (complimentary)
• Coastal Kitchen (55-seat, Suite passengers only restaurant)
• El Loco Fresh (56-seat fast food bar) offers made-to-order tacos, burritos, quesadillas, salads, salsas.

Portside BBQ (menu) is a new a la carte priced barbeque restaurant (on Pool Deck 15) serving authentic American favorites (smoked marbled brisket, beef ribs, pulled pork, chicken, turkey legs), traditional sides (including Homesteader Cornbread, Homemade Mac-and-Cheese, fries and coleslaw), homemade desserts.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The Allure cruise ship boasts with the DreamWorks Experience - a themed programming in partnership with the Walt Disney Company. This new entertainment program is aimed at families and offers movie-themed DreamWorks activities on select RCI ships within the fleet. The list of special activities includes characters meet and greets (of course, plus photo ops). The characters available for meetings and greetings on the Allure include Po (Kung Fu Panda), Puss, Shrek, Fiona (Shrek series), Gloria, Alex, King Julien (All Hail King Julien series), penguins (The Penguins of Madagascar series). Character Breakfast is offered in the dining room; 3D DreamWorks movie screenings are featured in the Amber Theater; Themed games are provided by the Adventure Ocean youth program.

Follows the complete list of Allure of the Seas lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Amber Theater (2160-seat, features four grand productions per cruise with dance, acrobatics, comedy and game shows)
• AquaTheatre (3-deck, 735-seat, with a deep pool)
• Blaze Comedy Club (193-seat nightclub)
• Studio B Lounge (indoor ice-skating rink; also serves as a spot for ice shows, cooking demos, game parties)
• Parkside Gallery; Britto Gallery and Shop; SeaTrek Shop (diving equipment), Central Park Library, Picture This (photo studio), Breeze Shop
• Music Hall (222-seats) is a 2-deck high dancing lounge with live band music, large dance floor, intimate seating.
• Boleros Latin Bar and Lounge (90-seat)
• Dazzles Disco Club and Lounge (222-seat)
• Crown Lounge (fka Diamond Club Lounge & Bar for past guests only/36-seat); Concierge Club and Lounge (121-seat, past guests only); Card Room (72-seat); Suite Lounge (features Coastal Kitchen)
• Jazz on 4 Bar & Club (aka Golden Room/now functions as a non-smoking Casino Room with 40x slot machines, 1x blackjack table, 1x 3-card poker table); Hall of Odds (gambling); Bow and Stern English Pub (capacity 128-seat); Champagne Bar (66-seat); Rising Tide Bar (32-seat moving cocktail bar); On Air Club (113-seat sports bar); Sabor Bar (60-seat); Cups and Scoops (60-seat Ice Cream bar); Vintages (73-seat Wine Bar); Trellis Bar; Park Cafe (100-seat deli bar); Pool Bar; Sand Bar; Sky Bar; WipeOut Bar; Mast Bar
• Casino Royale
• Prince and Greene complex (shops)
• Carousel (with 20 handcrafted wooden figures)
• Cafe Promenade (58-seat, 24-hour; serves snacks and drinks, as well as Starbucks specialty coffee)
• Cupcake Cupboard Shop (10-seat bakery)
• "The Lime and Coconut" (2-deck bar lounge)
• Royal Promenade Boutiques (perfumes, jewelry, duty-free alcohol, general store, logo/souvenirs)
• Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center (2-deck wellness complex)
• Solarium (indoor/outdoor lounge) includes Solarium Bistro, pool bar, adults-only pool (with sundeck/sunbathing area), Solarium Bar, 11 Jacuzzies (2 cantilevered), a total of 5 swimming pools
• Royal Escape Room (adventure gaming/team building exercises) is dedicated to "Mission Control: Apollo 18" (puzzle game themed after 1973's Apollo 18 moon mission).
• Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade (large TVs, tabletop games, arcade games, gaming tournaments, a VIP room/Owner's Box, bar food, draught beers)
• The Back Deck (teen-only sundeck); Fuel Disco (teenagers club lounge); Royal Babies and Tots Nursery; Adventure Ocean (indoor kids complex); Adventure Science Lab; Imagination Studio; Workshop (family venue); Kids Avenue
• Splashaway Bay is a family- and children-dedicated outdoor playground/aqua park with 3 waterslides (for kids), Splash Pad (for toddlers), water-play attractions (cannons, fountains, pools), 2 drench buckets
• Sports Court (golf simulator, table tennis, basketball court); Jogging Track; two Rock-climbing Walls (each 43ft/13m high); Oasis Dunes Golf Course; two Flowriders (surf simulators); Zip Line (9 decks high, 82ft/25m across).
• The Perfect Storm is a 3-deck high waterslide complex (deck 18 entry, down to deck 15 exit /Beach Pool) which consists of the spiraling race-slides "Cyclone", "Typhoon" and "Supercell".

Ultimate Abyss is a 10-deck high waterslide (deck 16 entry, down to deck 6 exit /AquaTheater pool). Ultimate Abyss is the tallest slide at sea (height 150 ft / 46 m, length 216 ft / 66 m, water speed 9 mph / 14 kph). Ultimate Abyss is a spiraling waterslide with 2 separate cylinders (symmetric to each other, each tube is 2,6 ft / 0,8 m in diameter) made of stainless steel and colored in purple. This is a vertical drop slide located in the Sports Zone's pool (aft-ship location). The experience starts with a walk across a plank into the jaws of an anglerfish and boarding one of the specially-designed mats. Slide mats are colored in black, each with an opening for the feet and a strap to hold on to. Follows the vertical drop (27-degree) some 92 ft / 28 m down to the Boardwalk. The average sliding time (from the top to the bottom) is 12-13 sec. The slide also features around 300 LED lights, special sound effects and various graffiti artworks.

Central Park is an outdoor relaxation zone (within the ship's interior) with 20000+ live plants. Central Park's huge garden features multi-deck-high metal columns and green walls (covered in vines and ferns), several pathways, recordings of various species (birds, insects, animals) played, live seasonal plants (flowers, shrubs, trees). Signage boards provide detailed info on all Central Park's trees and plants.

"Small wonders" are called a total of 42x telescope-like devices (positioned throughout the ship) displaying tiny 3D art pieces. Ask Guest Services staff for assistance to find them.

There's a secret fore-located/bow-facing sundeck on Deck 14, accessed from the forward lifts by walking through the hallways. The large sundeck is flanked by two "bridge wings" (jetting off the ship's both sides/bow starboard and portside). Both bridge wings are open-air and with great seaviews but are also often very windy.

There are two "secret balconies" positioned close to the aft elevators on Deck 9. Both balconies are small (each is furnished with a table and two chairs), overlook Central Park and are some of the best points to view the entire neighborhood.

Aft on Deck 6/Boardwalk there is a stern-facing viewing area accessed via a path that circles around the AquaTheater. This "secret area" offers great views of the ship’s wake (trace on the water surface), also provides great views of the entire neighborhood and has a shuffleboard.

By the Jogging Track (aft on Deck 5/Promenade) there are several small seating areas fitted with all-weather Adirondack chairs (positioned near the railings).

Itineraries

Allure of the Seas itinerary program is based on 7-day Caribbean cruises leaving roundtrip from homeports in Florida USA (Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral). In 2015, Allure OTS was deployed in Europe (for the first time) for 7-day Western Mediterranean cruises leaving roundtrip from homeports Civitavecchia-Rome (Italy) and Barcelona (Spain). On repositioning, the ship offers Transatlantic crossings between Europe and Florida.

Starting November 10, 2022, Allure OTS was homeported in Galveston Texas.

Starting October 30, 2023, Allure OTS has regularly scheduled 3-4-night short breaks (out of Port Canaveral/Orlando to The Bahamas' Nassau and CocoCay Island) which made it the first Oasis-class liner to offer Caribbean mini-cruises. In July 2024, Allure OTS again changes homeport and starts turnaround operations out of Miami - operating the same Bahamian short break itineraries to Nassau and CocoCay.

Allure is Royal Caribbean's 2nd Oasis-class liner - with sisterships Oasis, Harmony, Symphony and Wonder. Until Harmony's inauguration in 2016, Allure and Oasis were the world's biggest cruise vessels. Still, Allure was the bigger one - just 50 mm (nearly 2 inches) longer compared to Oasis. The hulls of both vessels were named in May 2008, following an online competition for proposing the best ship name.

Allure OTS is one of the few vessels named by a cartoon movie character. Her godmother is Princess Fiona, from the movie Shrek. The ceremony took place on the 28th of November, 2010 at Port Everglades near Fort Lauderdale. After the naming ceremony, Allure set sail on her maiden voyage, on the 1st of December 2010, to both the East and the West Caribbean.

The ship has telescoping funnels to be able to sail across under bridges. Royal Caribbean Oasis-class ships are the first cruise vessels to get a DNV Green Passport. This is a key element for the Clean Ship Design certificate. The certificate is not compulsory, but it shows the environmental commitment of the operator. The hulls of Allure and Oasis ships have a special non-toxic covering that minimizes friction and saves fuel.

On November 4, 2016, world's 3 largest passenger liners (Harmony, Allure and Oasis) convened off Florida's coast. The unique event was live-streamed officially by RCI, starting at approx 5 pm EST. The meeting at open sea coincided with the Harmony's arrival at Port Everglades (her US homeport), finishing a 13-night Transatlantic repositioning cruise from Barcelona to Florida (Oct 23 - Nov 5). The following aerial photo shows an Oasis-class vessel (as looked from above).

The liner's namesake is the Oceania Cruises' ship Allura (2025-built).

Allure OTS refurbishment 2020 review (Royal Amplified)

The ship's Royal Amplified drydock refurb in 2020 was originally scheduled for March 13 - May 9, but was postponed (due to the global health crisis/COVID pandemic) as all seaports (and shipyards) in Spain remained closed in March-April. Allure OTS' drydock 2020 was postponed and revised, with all the staterooms and venue upgrades paused and delayed until RCI's financial situation improves.

The revised drydocking project was estimated at ~EUR 16 million (~USD 17,5 M), including mainly hull and machinery maintenance works. By the original 58-day drydocking project (budgeted USD 165 million / EUR 148 million) at Navantia Shipyard (in Cadiz Spain) were planned to be added new venues and staterooms, and many existing venues and onboard spaces to be extensively upgraded-redesigned and enhanced.

Aft on Deck 16 (entrance point) was installed the 10-story high waterslide "Ultimate Abyss".

Pool Deck (deck 15) was completely renovated-redesigned, also receiving "The Lime and Coconut" - 2-level poolside bar offering beverages (including cocktails), live DJ programming and outdoor music performances. Swimming pools' sunbathing areas received more shaded seating (daybeds, hammocks, swing seats, casitas / small wooden cabins). The Solarium (adults-only complex) was refreshed and two new whirlpools were added. "The Perfect Storm" (3 waterslides complex) has its entrance level on Deck 15.

On Deck 15, H2O Zone was completely redesigned to "Splashaway Bay" (outdoor playground/aqua park) with Splash Pad (for toddlers), 3 mini-waterslides, water attractions (cannons, fountains, pools) and two drench buckets. Also on Deck 15 was added "Portside BBQ" (a la carte restaurant for traditional American barbecue cuisine) and "El Loco Fresh" (food bar for made-to-order tacos, burritos, quesadillas, salads, salsas).

On Deck 14 was added Royal Escape Room (adventure gaming/team-building exercises). Replacing the Card Room, the new room is dedicated to "Mission Control: Apollo 18" (puzzle game themed after 1973's Apollo 18 moon mission). Forward on Deck 14 were added new staterooms (inside and panoramic oceanview). Forward on Deck 14, Adventure Ocean (kids complex) was completely refurbished-redesigned and enhanced with themed by activities rooms, including Play Place (indoor playground with climbable structures), The Workshop (science-technology fun and crafts-arts room), Arena (physical and interactive games), Hangout (teen-only lounge with gaming consoles, movies, music, outdoor sundeck), AO Babies (room for babies and toddlers), AO Junior (dedicated to kids 3-5 yo).

On Deck 6 (Boardwalk neighborhood) was added "Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade" featuring 80x large TVs and new activities (tabletop games, popular arcade games, gaming tournaments). The new sports bar has a VIP room (Owner's Box) and serves bar food and draught beers. Also on Deck 6 (aft) is now the Ultimate Abyss waterslide's landing area. Also on Deck 6 was added "Sugar Beach" (selling ice cream and 220+ types of candies) and "Beach Shop" (poolwear).

On Deck 5, the retail shopping complex was redesigned and new brand shops were added.

The new "Spotlight Karaoke" (bar lounge introduced on Oasis OTS) features a stage for singalongs and music trivia games, plus 2 private rooms (for parties) and themed nights.

Also new on Allure OTS are the Quantum-Class venues "Music Hall" (2-deck high dancing lounge with live band music, large dance floor, intimate seating) and "Bionic Bar by Makr Shakr" (served by 2 robotic bartenders). "Clash for the Crystal City" is a new laser tag game played at Studio B's Ice Rink (deck 3).

The list of new dining venues also includes "Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar" (fleet's first reimagined Giovanni's / family restaurant with an upgraded menu, hand-tossed pizzas, charcuterie/meat station, enhanced wine menu),

Allure OTS' 30-day drydocking was completed in mid-November 2020. The project was conducted by Palfinger Marine (1932-founded, Salzburg Austria-based company manufacturing deck equipment, ship-offshore cranes, winches, davit systems for lifeboats). The jobs were conducted at Navantia Shipyard (Cadiz Spain) and involved 23 Palfenger technicians. The ship's all 18 lifeboats and 20 winches were serviced. Each lifeboat has max capacity 370 people.

Allure OTS refurbishment 2015 review

The list of deckplan changes after ship's 18-day drydock refurbishment (May 2015, done in Cadiz Spain) includes:

• Implemented was the RCI’s new Dynamic Dining concept (3 new restaurants were added replacing the 3-tiered Adagio Dining Room. Their names are American Icon Grill, The Grande, and Silk (located respectively on decks 3, 4 and 5).
• The new evening show was added to the Amber Theater’s show program. The “Chicago” musical was replaced by the ABBA’s “Mamma Mia” musical.
• (on deck 16) new restaurants and bars were added. These are the Sabor Taqueria (Mexican restaurant) and the Sabor Tequila Bar, replacing respectively, the Rita’s Cantina and the Boardwalk Bar.
  Boardwalk Bar was redesigned and renamed to “Sabor Bar” (60 seats).
• (on deck 16) Izumi restaurant was removed to deck 4 (in the Windjammer area). The reimagined Izumi (Hibachi & Sushi) was upgraded with a Teppanyaki menu.
• (on deck 17) Viking Crown Lounge (171 seats) was replaced by Suite Lounge and Coastal Kitchen (suite guests only restaurant).
• (on deck 17 new cabin categories) were introduced, including 10 Suites (6x Grand, 2x Royal, 2x Royal Family).
• The Pinnacle Lounge (55 seats, suites-only) was transformed into OL-Owner Loft Suite. Pinnacle Chapel (wedding chapel) was transformed into GL-Grand Loft Suite.
• (on decks 5 and 8 /shopping arcade) new designer boutiques were added – Coach, Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors.
• The Izumi Hibachi & Sushi restaurant was upgraded with a complete Teppanyaki menu.

Allure OTS ship facts

• Width: 198 ft (60,5 m), waterline width 154 ft (47 m)
• Draught: 31 ft (9,3 m)
• Depth (below the waterline): 74 ft (22,6 m)
• above the water line-height: 236 ft (72 m)
• Deadweight Tonnage 19750 tons
• Engines/power: three Wartsila diesel (type 12V46D, power output 13860 kW each), plus three Wartsila diesel (type 16V46D, power output 18480 kW each)
• Diesel-electric propulsion: three ABB thrusters (type Azipod XO, power output 20,5 MW each), plus four Wartsila bow thrusters (type CT3500, power output 5,5 MW each)
• All Royal Caribbean Oasis-class ships are the world's first cruise vessels with a DNV Green Passport. This is a key element for the Clean Ship Design certificate. The certificate is not compulsory, but it shows the environmental commitment of the operator line Royal Caribbean International. Another interesting feature is that their hulls have a special non-toxic covering that minimizes friction and saves fuel.
• The vessel contains 3300 ml (5300 km) of cables, which is roughly the width of the USA.
• 110,000 ice cubes are used daily.
• Central Park has 56 trees and bamboos, 62 vine plants, 12,500 plants.
• AquaTheater's pool is 18 ft (5,5 m) deep and is one of the biggest pools at sea.
• 2130 tons of freshwater are used onboard in 24 hours.
• The Allure ship has around 7000 artworks.

The ship is served by 20 chefs, 222 cooks, 102 culinary crew (sanitation/cleaning).

Bread and pastries are all fresh-made onboard. The bakery machine makes 4000 rolls per hour.

Weekly consumption statistics: potatoes (18000 pounds / 8170 kg), chicken (16000 pounds / 7260 kg), beef (15600 pounds / 7080 kg), fresh vegetables (62000 pounds / 28120 kg), fresh fruit (45000 pounds / 20400 kg), eggs (86400), beer (10200 bottles), water (3500 bottles), wine (2225 bottles), ice cream (8000 gallons / 30283 L), pizza (18000 slices).

In September 2018, RCCL trademarked the Oasis-Class ships smokestack area (located top-deck midship). The design features a crown-shaped bottom section with 2 slanted funnels above. In October 2018 was trademarked ship's oblong-shaped stern. The design features AquaTheater Suites (with balconies), Ultimate Abyss (2 cascading waterslides) and RCCL's logo.

Royal Caribbean's DreamWorks Experience

The Allure cruise ship offers its guests the DreamWorks Experience. This is a themed programming via a partnership between Royal Caribbean International and Amblin Partners (DreamWorks SKG's owner company). Universal Pictures is the distributor of the DreamWorks movie productions through its subsidiary company Touchstone Pictures.

This new entertainment program is geared toward families and offers DreamWorks movies-themed onboard activities on select ships within the RCI fleet. The list of such activities includes:

• DreamWorks characters meetings and greetings (plus photo ops). The list of characters available for meet & greets on the Allure ship features Po (“Kung Fu Panda” movie), Shrek, Fiona, Puss (“Shrek” series), Alex, Gloria, King Julien, penguins (“The Penguins of Madagascar” series, “All Hail King Julien” series).
• Character Breakfast (in the dining room restaurant)
• 3D DreamWorks movie screenings (in the Royal Theater), including first-run movies which premiere on the ship, are on the same day they go in land-based theatres
• DreamWorks TV channel in cabins
• Themed activities and games by the ship’s “Adventure Ocean” (onboard youth program) include animation workshops, story time, themed dance parties, character story-based adventure games, regular character visits to kids facilities, meet-and-greets.
• The Royal Caribbean’s “DreamWorks ships” list also includes Anthem, Freedom, Harmony, Liberty, Mariner, Oasis, Ovation, Quantum, Voyager.