Launch of Royal Caribbean International's newest ship Allure of the Seas. Allure of the Seas leaving Fort Lauderdale.

CALLING ALL CRUISERS! Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser, or merely dreaming of becoming one–well, this is one revolutionary cruise ship worthy of your bucket list!

ESCAPESEEKER "Advance Research Team" (ART) Finding our Way to the Biggest Ship in the World!

My ESCAPESEEKER advance research team and I were recently extended the privilege to participate in the ALLURE OF THE SEAS “Press Preview Sailing”–and oh what an amazing PREVIEW experience it turned out to be.  48 HOURS of non-stop entertainment, dining, activities–emphasis on the root word–“active”, press immersion programs–you name it, we embraced it.  I can best describe our Preview assignment in one phrase, sensory overload! Even the few hours of sleep we managed to get was well, dreamy as we sunk into our cushy, never before slept-in king sized beds enveloped in freshly ironed whiter than white duvets!  I actually heard myself saying out loud as I burrowed into my sheets–“Oh Yeah…how heavenly!”

Maybe it was the  newness of it all that added to the excitement?  Or maybe it was just knowing that I was amongst the first to “test cruise” the largest ship in the universe, or what DreamWorks CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg who was also on board describes as “The Eighth Wonder of the World.”  Whatever it was, I awoke each morning with the eager anticipation of a little kid on  Christmas morning.  There was so much to do, and so little time to do it.  So let me not waste any more time on introductions, and get right to the core of what makes the ALLURE OF THE SEAS bucket list worthy:

SIZE DOES MATTER:  HOW DOES A SEA FARING VESSEL EARN THE DESCRIPTION OF BEING REVOLUTIONARY?

ALLURE OF THE SEAS offers one-of-a-kind entertainment performances (more on that later) culinary concepts, retail venues and technology innovations including interactive electronic boards located on every floor, next to the elevator stations to help guide you to your desired destination and/or event–it functions like a giant iPad–truly innovative and user-friendly! Our team loved using it–especially in the first few hours after boarding when the ship was still feeling overwhelmingly unfamiliar.   ALLURE is an architectural floating marvel–an engineering feat.  Simply stated, it is very much a floating city, complete with “neighborhoods” divided into seven distinct theme areas, which include Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone (from surfing to ice skating, not to mention a zip-line–all proved to be instant favorites with my research team), Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone.

ESCAPESEEKER ZIPPING RIGHT ALONG ON THE ALLURE! (Image by Lisa Hensley)

Allure of the Seas ... Cutaway illustration

There’s a”zone” to meet the needs of everyone in your family.  Frankly, this is not your grandfather’s standard cruise…as a matter of fact, we did not encounter one cranky person on the cruise! (You know the kind of cruisers I’m talking about)  One of my favorite lasting image captured by our photographer on this cruise is that of this “forever young” guest riding the FlowRider, not once, but numerous times.He rode it better than most of the youngsters who lined up after him!  Inspiration, I quickly discovered, can be found all over this incredible ship.

Forever Young!

Here are a few share-worthy facts about the ALLURE OF THE SEAS:

She is 1,187 feet (360 meters) long, (for all you sports fans, that’s 13 feet short of FOUR football fields combined)  208 feet (64 meters) wide; 213 feet (65 meters) high from the water line with a draft of 30 feet.  She spans 16 decks, encompasses 225,282 gross registered tons, carries 5,400 guests at double occupancy, and 2,384 crew comprised from over 80 countries (not likely the cruise of choice for those looking for isolation–but definitely a fit for those looking for a “floating destination), and features 2,700 staterooms!  Yet, the ALLURE still cruises at a pleasant speed of 22 knots!

A STATE OF THE ART, FLOATING ENTERTAINMENT MECCA:  From Broadway to Feature Film Premieres, to Ice and Aqua Shows, the ALLURE has you covered!

Yeah Baby, Vegas has nothing the ALLURE can’t match.  Well, almost.  There’s no Main Street traffic on the ALLURE!  But when it comes to First Class entertainment, the ALLURE gives New York’s Broadway, LA, and yes, even Vegas a run for their money.  Don’t take my word for it.  Even the current on board CHICAGO cast members are the first to admit, that their ALLURE’s Amber Theater Chicago:  The Musical performance is the same as the Broadway show you can expect to see anywhere else on land. Genevieve Nicole, a featured performer who plays the lead character of  Velma Kelly, explains, “I just don’t feel like I’m  on a ship.  It’s fantastic, I love it here and to play this character is a childhood dream.”

ESCAPESEEKER is thrilled to be present when CHICAGO had its first “Sea Premiere”–Here’s a sneak peak, just click on the link below.   Enjoy!

Fame, Fortune and All That Jazz: Chicago Wows Audiences on Allure

Genevieve Nicole, (center) featured performer who plays the lead character of Velma Kelly, explains, “I just don’t feel like I’m on a ship. It’s fantastic, I love it here and to play this character is a childhood dream.”

Across the wide variety of entertainment venues on board (How to Train Your Dragon Ice Show, colorful parades in the Royal Promenade, etc.), nothing was more jaw dropping for our ESCAPESEEKER team than the signature aquatic production, OceanAria performed in the ship’s open-air Aqua Theater.  It is an absolute display of athleticism and flawless grace as high dive thrills is fused with ultra dramatic aerial choreography.  It’s one breathtaking show you must not miss!

At ALLURE's aqua show, OceanAria performers display their magnificent strength!

A PLETHORA OF DINING OPTIONS TO PLEASE EVERY PALATE

ALLURE OF THE SEAS is often described as the “Ship of Entertainment.”  But, the ship could also easily be described as a Dining Dream Destination–a “DDD”–from Brazilian steakhouse Samba Grill, to distinctive dining at the upscale 150 Central Park restaurant, to the best classic Mexican beach bar offering its famous taquerias at Rita’s Cantina, to the Boardwalk’s authentic offering–The Boardwalk Dog House, an outdoor hot dog specialty counter serving traditional hot dogs, wieners, brats, sausages and other delicious linked meats, complete with a variety of toppings to enhance that long bun–these are just a few of the dining options ready and waiting to satisfy your hunger.  And, trust me, after engaging in the many sports activities, or simply  exploring this massive ship–you’ll burn enough calories to justify feeding your insatiable appetite.

STAY TUNED AS WE RETURN WITH THE ENTIRE ESCAPESEEKER FILM CREW TO CAPTURE ALL THE ABOVE AND MORE!

I know you’ll find this hard to believe–but with all that our team had to take in during our 48 hours on board–we only caught a mere sneak peak of the Vitality At Sea Spa and Fitness Center.  How did I allow this to happen?  After all, they don’t call me a Spa Connoisseur for nothing right?  Well, that’s the very reason I postponed experiencing the Vitality At Sea Spa that many have already described as the “crown jewel” of cruise line Spas!  One should never ever feel rushed during such a delightful experience.  And, a mini-Spa treatment just wouldn’t suffice for this professional Spa reviewer.  Even more reason for me to return!  Why not join us in February–when we take to the seas again–this time to film the “Eighth (Floating) Wonder of the World”–The ALLURE OF THE SEAS!

SHIPS AHOY AND HERE’S TO A BRAND NEW YEAR OF SEEKING THE GREATEST DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD!

With Love and Never Ending Blissful Escapes,

Mel aka ESCAPESEEKER