Allure of the Seas

Big Ship With Cargo for the Whole Family

Sharon Sweeney Keech

Is there a more thankless job than planning a family vacation? You're caught between the wishes of those who believe a vacation should consist of nice scenery, a chaise lounge, and a good book and those who believe that it isn't a vacation if you're not touring new places, seeking adventure and packing action into every minute.
Make it more complex and try planning a trip for a multi-generational or extended family. Grandma can't walk too far and your sister-in-law has an infant. Your teenage niece and 'tween nephew are not going to be happy hanging out all day with your four and six-year-olds. The solution is simple – Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship The Allure of the Seas.
If you're familiar with cruising as a vacation, you are probably aware that the competition among cruise lines centers around which company has the biggest ship with the most activities. Sorry, other cruise lines…Royal Caribbean wins this round. With capacity for 6,000 passengers and a crew of 2,300, the only other vessel that can compete is Allure of the Sea's sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, also a Royal Caribbean ship.
So what will you find on this floating resort? Well, you can stroll through the trees and grass in the park in the center of the ship until you get to a full-sized carousel. In the mood for some water sports? Take the elevator up to the 16th deck to visit any of the 11 pools. If you have the kids with you, head to the H2O Zone where you'll find wading pools, current pools, and a giant colorful octopus spraying water from its tentacles. If you managed to get away for some quiet time, there's an adults-only pool. Let the teens head to one of the two FlowRider surf simulators, where they can practice their surfing skills, or to the Sports Pool, where they'll find water team sports or lap swimming.
Tired of swimming? Play the nine-hole miniature golf course, basketball, volleyball or soccer on the Sports Deck. Or take a quick aerial tour of the ship by a zipline suspended over nine decks that will transport you 82 feet across the ship.
If that's not enough activity for you, try one of the two climbing walls, the ice skating rink, or the fitness center, bigger than my local YMCA, with 158 exercise machines. Of course, you're going to need some time to relax after all that activity, so head to the Vitality Spa for a massage, a facial, or a sauna. While you're at the Spa, why not get a makeover? Complete salon services including haircuts and color are available, but the Spa goes a step further with teeth whitening, botox and restyline treatments, and acupuncture.
So where are the kids while you're visiting the Spa? They're being cared for by the Adventure Ocean staff in one of the most beautiful child care facilities ever constructed. Divided by age (infants-36 mos., ages 3-5, ages 6-8 and ages 9-11) each group has its own room. All age groups share an art room where kids can play with supplies provided by Crayola, a science lab where a staff member helps them cook up some splashy experiments, and the Adventure Ocean Theater where kids put on shows, watch movies, and participate in interactive puppet and stage shows.
Teen-only spaces help young people find each other so they can hang out in The Living Room, a lounge space or dance at Fuel, the teen disco, which is open well into the night.
And where will you be while you're teen is dancing the night away? You could see Chicago: The Musical, visit a jazz club, laugh the night away at the comedy club, or bust a few moves yourself at the nightclub. But you'll want to keep the kids nearby for the entertainment, that features Dreamworks characters, including a parade featuring Shrek and Madagascar stars, ice shows, 3-D movies, and water shows.
Could there be more? Yes, and there is. There are 26 dining options onboard that range from fast food to fine dining. There's shopping, there's art to view all over the ship, there are classes, sports competitions, arcades, Wii tournaments, festivals, dance parties…oh! did I mention that they actually dock the ship in a port and you can leave the ship to visit a Caribbean island?
But who would want to leave such a place? If you love an action-packed vacation, you're going to have to get up early and go to bed late to try everything on this ship. If you're more the lounge-chair type, you'll have no trouble finding a quiet corner to read, nap and dream. Best of all, if you're the vacation planner in your family, you won't hear any complaints.
For more information, photos of the ship and pricing for cruises, visit www.royalcaribbean.com/allure.

© Baltimore’s Child Inc. January 2011