OVERVIEW
Overview....................................................This Page
Neighborhoods............................................Page One
Pools,and Open Decks.................................Page Two
The Spa, Salon and Fitness Center................Page Three
Shops and Other Public Areas......................Page Four
Children and Teens......................................Page Five
Entertainment...............................................Page Six
Bars and Lounges.........................................Page Seven
Dining.........................................................Page Eight
Exterior Photos............................................Profile Page
Neighborhoods............................................Page One
Pools,and Open Decks.................................Page Two
The Spa, Salon and Fitness Center................Page Three
Shops and Other Public Areas......................Page Four
Children and Teens......................................Page Five
Entertainment...............................................Page Six
Bars and Lounges.........................................Page Seven
Dining.........................................................Page Eight
Exterior Photos............................................Profile Page
ALLURE OF THE SEAS is the second ship in the Oasis class. Entering service in
December 2010, she is a ship of historic significance.
Beginning with Allure’s most apparent attribute, this is a very big ship. She is 225,282
gross tons, 1,187 feet long, 208 feet wide, and towers 213 feet above the water. Like
her sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, she is more than a third again larger in gross tonnage
than Queen Mary 2, Norwegian Epic and RCI’s Freedom class ships, which are the next
largest passenger ships. Furthermore, she looks imposing, dominating the surroundings.
Such a dramatic leap in size is in itself noteworthy.
Allure is not the proverbial pile of condominiums on a barge. Her rather sleek hull is
designed to be energy-efficient. And with six diesel engines supplying 100,000 hp to her
three azipods, Allure was able to obtain a speed of almost 25 knots during her sea trials.
While this does not make her an Atlantic greyhound, it is quite respectable.
Perhaps more impressive is her maneuverability. In addition to the azipods, Allure has
four large 7,500 h.p. bow thrusters, which give her the ability to operate in very
confined spaces. For example, in St. Thomas, she docks at Crown Bay, a berth that the
officers on the much smaller ships describe as “tight.”
The most impressive characteristic about Allure from a nautical viewpoint, however, is
her stability. Allure is both long and wide and sits relatively deep in the water, having a
30 foot draft. These attributes combined with four stabilizers make the ship incredibly
stable. Indeed, during her sea trials, one of the tests Allure had to undergo was to see if
the water tight doors could be closed when the ship was listing five degrees. The ship,
however, stubbornly refused to list the required amount and it was only with the greatest
difficulty that they were able to accomplish the test. In addition, during the inaugural
cruise, Allure passed through several storms, which went unnoticed until one looked
outdoors and saw that the deck was wet.
During her transatlantic crossing prior to her inaugural cruise, Oasis of the Seas was
battered by a storm with hurricane force winds and waves that damaged some of her
lifeboats. This experience led to a number of adjustments to Allure, the most visible of
which is the change in the placement of the ship’s lifeboats. (This move had the side
effect of making it possible to tell the two ships apart from a distance). Allure had no
problems doing her transatlantic crossing from the STX Europe shipyard in Finland
where she was built to her homeport in Port Everglades.
What makes Allure important, however, is neither her size nor her nautical
characteristics. Rather, it is the quality and variety of the onboard experience.
Passengers on cruise ships have traditionally had to compromise. Ever since the days
of Albert Ballin and the great liners at the turn of the 20th Century, the goal of the
passenger ship industry has been to create ships that rival the great shore side hotels.
However, considerations of space and technology have meant that the dining, the
entertainment and the accommodations, rarely met the quality that one could find on
land. Passengers turned a blind eye to these shortcomings because the overall
experience on ships is so good. With Allure, the quality level approaches, if not exceeds,
shore side operations.
Take the ordeal of checking in for example. It is not unusual for cruise ship
passengers to wait on line for an hour or more before reaching the desk where they
check in. With a ship that can accommodate 5,400 guests (double occupancy), one
might reasonably expect to wait several years to check in. Yet, Allure and her sister
average 15 minutes from the time a guest drops off his or her bags and the time they are
on the ship. This is not the average for guests with priority embarkation but for all
guests.
Along the same lines, one might expect that there would be massive overcrowding
in the ship’s theater each evening. RCI’s solution to this is to have several first tier
entertainment venues, each with its own show. Guests are encouraged to make
reservations for the various shows at the beginning of the cruise. In that way, the guests
are able to plan out their cruise and RCI is able to ensure that not everyone shows up at
the same place at the same time. As a result, there is no overcrowding and relatively
few lines.
The variety of the cruise experience offered on Allure is likewise impressive. The
advertisements for Allure tend to have the traditional RCI emphasis on physical activity.
Allure does take the physical aspect of the cruise experience to a new level with more
pools, more rock climbing walls, more surfing simulators and new features such as a zip
line. However, physical activity is only one aspect of the Allure experience.
Allure also has a more sophisticated side. For example, the top-of-the-line restaurant
among Allure’s 26 dining venues is 150 Central Park, an elegant fine dining venue.
Unlike the fine dining venues on other ships, the menu here is not dictated by the line’s
corporate headquarters. Rather, RCI has selected a talented young graduate of the
Culinary Institute of America and given her the freedom to develop the menu.
Moreover, she is onboard and in charge of 150 Central Park’s kitchen. The net result is
an experience not unlike dining at a Manhattan restaurant where a rising star chef is
making his or her reputation.
Another example comes from the area of entertainment. On most ships, the
production shows are essentially collections of song and dance numbers without any real
plot linking them together. Allure does offer such a show but, of course, on a grander
and more spectacular scale. However, it also has a production of Chicago the Musical.
This is not the amateur dramatic society’s version of Chicago but rather a production
developed in conjunction with the people who produced the show on Broadway.
Similarly, the art gallery goes beyond the cruise ship norm by being dedicated to the
work of one established artist - - Romero Britto. Along the same lines, the public areas
of the ship are enriched with some 1,200 works of contemporary art.
Perhaps surprisingly for a 5,400 passenger ship, there are quiet restful places on
Allure. Allure has a split superstructure, which gives her two huge courtyards. The one
at the center of the ship is called Central Park and is landscaped with tropical trees,
shrubs, flowers and vines. In the evening, it is beautifully and softly lit. One can stroll
its walkways or sit at an outdoor table in one of the dining venues and listen to a
classical guitarist or string quartet play.
As noted above. Allure is the second ship in the Oasis class. While there have been a
number of improvements and several new features debuted on Allure, the two ships are
very similar. Why then is Allure so significant ?
First, when Oasis was operating by herself, it was possible to dismiss her as a one-off
curiosity. Now that Allure has joined her, each week, some 12,000 people are having
their expectations changed about what a cruise ship can offer. Over time, this will create
considerable pressure for the other cruise lines to match and surpass this level of
performance.
Second, Allure has the personality of a ship - - that sense of community and
camaraderie that is such a great traditional part of an ocean voyage. This attitude is
reflected in the assertion oft made by her crew that Allure is the world’s largest cruise
ship. Upon completion, it is the shipyard’s practice to measure each ship it builds with
lasers. Allure, it turned out, is 5 centimeters longer than Oasis. Everyone knows that
this is an inconsequential difference but it has flowered into a symbol of Allure’s
superiority.
At this point RCI plans to keep Allure and Oasis in the Caribbean doing alternating
eastern and western itineraries. However, at one time RCI planned to keep its Voyager
class ships just in the Caribbean. Now, they are deployed all over.
December 2010, she is a ship of historic significance.
Beginning with Allure’s most apparent attribute, this is a very big ship. She is 225,282
gross tons, 1,187 feet long, 208 feet wide, and towers 213 feet above the water. Like
her sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, she is more than a third again larger in gross tonnage
than Queen Mary 2, Norwegian Epic and RCI’s Freedom class ships, which are the next
largest passenger ships. Furthermore, she looks imposing, dominating the surroundings.
Such a dramatic leap in size is in itself noteworthy.
Allure is not the proverbial pile of condominiums on a barge. Her rather sleek hull is
designed to be energy-efficient. And with six diesel engines supplying 100,000 hp to her
three azipods, Allure was able to obtain a speed of almost 25 knots during her sea trials.
While this does not make her an Atlantic greyhound, it is quite respectable.
Perhaps more impressive is her maneuverability. In addition to the azipods, Allure has
four large 7,500 h.p. bow thrusters, which give her the ability to operate in very
confined spaces. For example, in St. Thomas, she docks at Crown Bay, a berth that the
officers on the much smaller ships describe as “tight.”
The most impressive characteristic about Allure from a nautical viewpoint, however, is
her stability. Allure is both long and wide and sits relatively deep in the water, having a
30 foot draft. These attributes combined with four stabilizers make the ship incredibly
stable. Indeed, during her sea trials, one of the tests Allure had to undergo was to see if
the water tight doors could be closed when the ship was listing five degrees. The ship,
however, stubbornly refused to list the required amount and it was only with the greatest
difficulty that they were able to accomplish the test. In addition, during the inaugural
cruise, Allure passed through several storms, which went unnoticed until one looked
outdoors and saw that the deck was wet.
During her transatlantic crossing prior to her inaugural cruise, Oasis of the Seas was
battered by a storm with hurricane force winds and waves that damaged some of her
lifeboats. This experience led to a number of adjustments to Allure, the most visible of
which is the change in the placement of the ship’s lifeboats. (This move had the side
effect of making it possible to tell the two ships apart from a distance). Allure had no
problems doing her transatlantic crossing from the STX Europe shipyard in Finland
where she was built to her homeport in Port Everglades.
What makes Allure important, however, is neither her size nor her nautical
characteristics. Rather, it is the quality and variety of the onboard experience.
Passengers on cruise ships have traditionally had to compromise. Ever since the days
of Albert Ballin and the great liners at the turn of the 20th Century, the goal of the
passenger ship industry has been to create ships that rival the great shore side hotels.
However, considerations of space and technology have meant that the dining, the
entertainment and the accommodations, rarely met the quality that one could find on
land. Passengers turned a blind eye to these shortcomings because the overall
experience on ships is so good. With Allure, the quality level approaches, if not exceeds,
shore side operations.
Take the ordeal of checking in for example. It is not unusual for cruise ship
passengers to wait on line for an hour or more before reaching the desk where they
check in. With a ship that can accommodate 5,400 guests (double occupancy), one
might reasonably expect to wait several years to check in. Yet, Allure and her sister
average 15 minutes from the time a guest drops off his or her bags and the time they are
on the ship. This is not the average for guests with priority embarkation but for all
guests.
Along the same lines, one might expect that there would be massive overcrowding
in the ship’s theater each evening. RCI’s solution to this is to have several first tier
entertainment venues, each with its own show. Guests are encouraged to make
reservations for the various shows at the beginning of the cruise. In that way, the guests
are able to plan out their cruise and RCI is able to ensure that not everyone shows up at
the same place at the same time. As a result, there is no overcrowding and relatively
few lines.
The variety of the cruise experience offered on Allure is likewise impressive. The
advertisements for Allure tend to have the traditional RCI emphasis on physical activity.
Allure does take the physical aspect of the cruise experience to a new level with more
pools, more rock climbing walls, more surfing simulators and new features such as a zip
line. However, physical activity is only one aspect of the Allure experience.
Allure also has a more sophisticated side. For example, the top-of-the-line restaurant
among Allure’s 26 dining venues is 150 Central Park, an elegant fine dining venue.
Unlike the fine dining venues on other ships, the menu here is not dictated by the line’s
corporate headquarters. Rather, RCI has selected a talented young graduate of the
Culinary Institute of America and given her the freedom to develop the menu.
Moreover, she is onboard and in charge of 150 Central Park’s kitchen. The net result is
an experience not unlike dining at a Manhattan restaurant where a rising star chef is
making his or her reputation.
Another example comes from the area of entertainment. On most ships, the
production shows are essentially collections of song and dance numbers without any real
plot linking them together. Allure does offer such a show but, of course, on a grander
and more spectacular scale. However, it also has a production of Chicago the Musical.
This is not the amateur dramatic society’s version of Chicago but rather a production
developed in conjunction with the people who produced the show on Broadway.
Similarly, the art gallery goes beyond the cruise ship norm by being dedicated to the
work of one established artist - - Romero Britto. Along the same lines, the public areas
of the ship are enriched with some 1,200 works of contemporary art.
Perhaps surprisingly for a 5,400 passenger ship, there are quiet restful places on
Allure. Allure has a split superstructure, which gives her two huge courtyards. The one
at the center of the ship is called Central Park and is landscaped with tropical trees,
shrubs, flowers and vines. In the evening, it is beautifully and softly lit. One can stroll
its walkways or sit at an outdoor table in one of the dining venues and listen to a
classical guitarist or string quartet play.
As noted above. Allure is the second ship in the Oasis class. While there have been a
number of improvements and several new features debuted on Allure, the two ships are
very similar. Why then is Allure so significant ?
First, when Oasis was operating by herself, it was possible to dismiss her as a one-off
curiosity. Now that Allure has joined her, each week, some 12,000 people are having
their expectations changed about what a cruise ship can offer. Over time, this will create
considerable pressure for the other cruise lines to match and surpass this level of
performance.
Second, Allure has the personality of a ship - - that sense of community and
camaraderie that is such a great traditional part of an ocean voyage. This attitude is
reflected in the assertion oft made by her crew that Allure is the world’s largest cruise
ship. Upon completion, it is the shipyard’s practice to measure each ship it builds with
lasers. Allure, it turned out, is 5 centimeters longer than Oasis. Everyone knows that
this is an inconsequential difference but it has flowered into a symbol of Allure’s
superiority.
At this point RCI plans to keep Allure and Oasis in the Caribbean doing alternating
eastern and western itineraries. However, at one time RCI planned to keep its Voyager
class ships just in the Caribbean. Now, they are deployed all over.
ALLURE
OF THE SEAS
PHOTO TOUR
AND
COMMENTARY
OF THE SEAS
PHOTO TOUR
AND
COMMENTARY
Captain Herman Zini
Hotel Director Raimund Gschaider
Royal Caribbean and sister line Celebrity
Cruises have a tradition of adorning
their vessels with large art collections.
The objective is to both beautify the ships
and to provide something for the guests'
spirit as well.
Like on previous RCI ships, the art
collection on Allure consists primarily
of works by contemporary artists. There
are sculptures, photographs, paintings
and mixed-media creations.
The theme of the collection is "Wonders
of our World Cultures" and it seeks to
celebrate the beauty and singularity
present in different cultures.
Above left: Korean artist Keyshook Geum
has created an installation for the aft
atrium consisting of 34 dresses made of
wires, beads and semiprecious stones
suspended in space.
Above right: Guests traveling in the glass
elevators in the forward atrium can see
the changing patterns of Jacob
Hasimoto's three dimensional landscape
painting of waves.
Left: Allure has 10 internally lit bronze
pedestals for observing Larry Kirkland's
"Small Wonders".
Right: Ecuadorian artist Cecile Chong
was inspired by Chinese art.
Below right: Marina Font (Argentina)
illustrates th female experience, this time
in Scandinavia.
Below left: Spanish artist Gloria Garcia
Larva's "Through the Deep" recalls
organic sea life.
Cruises have a tradition of adorning
their vessels with large art collections.
The objective is to both beautify the ships
and to provide something for the guests'
spirit as well.
Like on previous RCI ships, the art
collection on Allure consists primarily
of works by contemporary artists. There
are sculptures, photographs, paintings
and mixed-media creations.
The theme of the collection is "Wonders
of our World Cultures" and it seeks to
celebrate the beauty and singularity
present in different cultures.
Above left: Korean artist Keyshook Geum
has created an installation for the aft
atrium consisting of 34 dresses made of
wires, beads and semiprecious stones
suspended in space.
Above right: Guests traveling in the glass
elevators in the forward atrium can see
the changing patterns of Jacob
Hasimoto's three dimensional landscape
painting of waves.
Left: Allure has 10 internally lit bronze
pedestals for observing Larry Kirkland's
"Small Wonders".
Right: Ecuadorian artist Cecile Chong
was inspired by Chinese art.
Below right: Marina Font (Argentina)
illustrates th female experience, this time
in Scandinavia.
Below left: Spanish artist Gloria Garcia
Larva's "Through the Deep" recalls
organic sea life.
Above: Allure has mounted
binoculars fore and aft so that guests
can observe other ships and
landmarks in the ports of call.
Below: Ben Twiston-Davies "one
Man Band" entertains on the
Boardwalk.
binoculars fore and aft so that guests
can observe other ships and
landmarks in the ports of call.
Below: Ben Twiston-Davies "one
Man Band" entertains on the
Boardwalk.
Right: The Guest Relations Desk.
A new feature on Allure is kiosks that
guests can use to check on airline
reservations and print boarding passes.
Below: Guests can book future cruises and
inquire about Royal Caribbean's Crown
and Anchor Loyalty Program in Future
Cruise Sales Office.
Below right: Shore excursions can be
booked at a kiosk in the Royal Promenade
on the interactive televisions in the guests'
staterooms.
Cruise ship photo tour - Allure of the Seas - Royal Caribbean - overview page
NEIGHBORHOODS IS NEXT
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE THE TOUR
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE THE TOUR
| Allure of the Seas |
ALLURE OF THE SEAS TOUR OVERVIEW
ALLURE OF THE SEAS TOUR 1
ALLURE OF THE SEAS TOUR 2
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ALLURE OF THE SEAS TOUR 1
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