Welcome to the first Cruise Ship Crayz blog series. In our first series learn all about Oasis class cruise ships. First up, Allure of the Seas!
The Allure of the Seas, no one word can describe this beauty of a ship. Since 2010 Allure has held the title of the largest passenger ship afloat and she will hold that title until April of 2016 when her larger sister, Harmony of the Seas debuts.
Fast Facts about Allure of the Seas:
Allure is an astonishing 225,252 Gross Registered Tons (GRT)
She holds up to 6,410 guests and she is home to a 2,384 multinational crew.
Allure has 24 Passenger Elevators, making getting around a whole lot easier.
16 restaurants in total.
8 Complementary
8 Specialty.
Allure houses 2,752 staterooms 1,972 of which are balcony
7 neighborhoods.
There is something for everyone on Allure of the Seas, making her the perfect ship for families. The neighborhoods are the best example of the extent of activities Allure has onboard. Now, what exactly is a neighborhood on a cruise ship? Cruise ship neighborhoods are areas of the ship that have similarly themed venues in one place, these were introduced onboard the Oasis class ships in 2009.
Royal Promenade On Allure you will find the Royal Promenade, which is on many Royal Caribbean ships, this really is the hub of the ship filled with retail stores, restaurants, cafes, etc. Here you will find yourself amongst the first ever Starbucks at Sea kiosk, the On Air Club, Boleros, the Logo store, Solera, Port Merchants, Kate Spade, Bow and Stern Pub, Sorrento's, Michael Kors, Cafe Promenade (where the free coffee is), Regalla, Guest Services, the Champagne Bar and the most impressive bar at sea The Rising Tide Bar. The Rising Tide Bar takes guests on a three-deck voyage from the Royal Promenade to Central park, Yes it’s an elevating bar!
Boardwalk: The Boardwalk is an Atlantic City Style boardwalk complete with a carousel, Aquatheater, Boardwalk Dog House, shopping, Rita’s Cantina, and Johnny Rockets. This is the perfect place for kids. Here you can catch the best and only diving shows at seas! The Boardwalk is the perfect place to spend an afternoon with the kids!
Central Park: Central Park is, in my opinion, the best area on any cruise ship on the ocean. A few great things about this area is that it’s only on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class of ships, which means Oasis, Allure, Harmony and Oasis 4 are the only ships that can give you bragging rights about your cruise. Central Park has about 12,000 species of plants, small insects and reptiles and some higher ends stores as well. Some stores and restaurants you will come across in Central Park on Allure is Coach, Britto Gallery, Giovanni's Table, Chops Grill and 150 Central Park. String bands are usually playing at night under the glass canopies.
Entertainment Place: What better place to spend the night than in a place called, Entertainment Place? This part of the ship is located on deck four forward. Here you will find Comedy Live, Blaze (after hours nightclub), Jazz on 4, Studio B (the ice rink) and the Amber Theater. Comedy Live features comedians throughout the voyage, Jazz on 4 you will find Jazz bands, Studio B features open ice skating and ice shows, and the Amber Theater features the Abba hit, Mama Mia!
Vitality Spa and Fitness Center: The name of this neighborhood says it all. The Vitality Spa and Fitness center is the largest yet on Royal Caribbean Ships. In this neighborhood you can access the Spa, the Fitness Center, the running track, beauty salon, Vitality Cafe, relation rooms, 29 treatment rooms and a special spa for kids and teens called YSPA.
Pool and Sports Zone: Perhaps the most popular neighborhood on the Oasis class of ships is the Pool and Sports Zone. Located on the 15th and 16th deck, starting with the front of the ship you will find the adults only solarium. Within the solarium is a small pool, whirlpools the most comfortable outdoor seating on the ship, the Solarium Bar and Solarium Bistro all with a view of the horizon. Next you will find two cantilevered whirlpools on either side of the ship (more like 4 because there are two in each), you will find three pools on deck 15 (main pool, beach pool, and the sports pool) as well as the H20 Zone, which is a small water park for small children. The far back of the ship is where all the action is, numerous activities such as two surf simulators (Flow riders), a basketball court, mini golf course, ping-pong tables, and a zip line spanning 82 feet 9 decks above the Boardwalk.
Youth Zone: Located within the Pool and Sports Zone is the Youth Zone. With a ship as large as the Allure a kids club was simply not enough. In the Youth Zone in the front of the ship on deck 14 you will find; Adventure Ocean, which consists of three different age groups, the nursery, a kids arcade and more. Toward the back of the ship, you will find a teens-only area which includes beloved favorites such as Fuel Disco, The Living Room, and a teen's Arcade.
Each neighborhood has a specific age group in mind, making the Oasis class of cruise ships some of the most family-friendly cruise ships. Cruising on an Oasis class is a must for all cruisers, they are engineering marvels. Yes, you have seen pictures and you think you know how amazing it is but when you see on in person all you can say is WOW.
Learn even more about the Oasis class cruise ships with the Oasis class blog series!
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