Having sailed on the seven day Maiden Voyage of the Oasis of the Seas both my wife and I concluded that a week aboard the 220,282-ton giant is really not enough time to fully enjoy the expansive amenities and activities available on board. In the past, sailing back to back for fourteen days required packing up, disembarking, claiming luggage, an interminable dockside wait until the ship is ready for boarding plus revisiting the whole security process. Not so today. Cruisers desiring to book two consecutive weeks are referred to what the line calls the “back to back desk”. Doing so connects you with a specially trained representative who makes sure the identical cabin and dining arrangements you desire are available on both cruise dates, arranges for your belongings to remain in your stateroom and provides you with access to a specially designated lounge to wait in while your cabin is being refreshed.
Here’s how the system worked at the end of our first week on the Allure. Having returned to the ships permanent berth in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and with the normal disembarkation process well under way, we left our stateroom for a leisurely breakfast in the ships Windjammer Marketplace high above the bustling activity below. Then, as directed the day before, we headed for the ships Schooner Bar which had been designated as the gathering place for all guests sailing back to back (77 of us in total).
Each received a card identifying them us a “Guest in Transit”. We had also been asked to bring with us our Passports, U.S. Customs Declaration and ship’s SeaPass for week one of the voyage. From there we were escorted as a group off the ship via an enclosed ramp and to a waiting area inside its dockside terminal and issued a new SeaPass for our second week. There we waited for all other passengers to disembark. U.S. Immigration requires a certified “0” count of passengers before any boarding for the next cruise can occur. We were informed that historically an average of two passengers are missing at this point. The ship records all those disembarking by way its SeaPass system. Each passenger’s card is inserted in an automatic counter and photo identifier so they know quickly who, if any, is unaccounted for. In our case only one person was missing. It was found that this individual had accidently inserted and reinserted his card causing the system to think he had reboarded. The recorder and photo identifier served as positive proof of what had taken place. With everyone now accounted for the ship was able to certify the required “0” count. Our escort leader then checked and announced that the Immigration lines were now at a minimum and immediately escorted to their area for processing and re-boarding. To the reader this may seem like a drawn out procedure. Actually it worked smoothly and took just an hour and fifteen minutes in total! All of us were then invited to a very special private luncheon in the ships main Adagio dinning room. Now that’s service!
In today’s world of higher air fares and the ever increasing hassle of flying, the cost and inconvenience of getting to its Florida port is spread over two weeks and actually reduces the total cost of the cruise on a per diem basis making the package price even more competitive with land based resorts.
Having satisfied ourselves with the cost effectiveness and convenience of a back to back cruise brings me to a review of the ship itself. The details of its layout and features, as one might expect, replicate those of the Oasis and its seven themed neighborhoods with only a handful, of refinements. Its features are extensively covered in my January 10, 2010 review entitled “Royal Caribbean’s New Oasis of the Seas -Taking cruising to a new level” and found in this Blog. One word, which I rarely use, describes both ships – Magnificent – making it virtually impossible to distinguish between them with two exceptions: all new entertainment aboard the Allure…and a little known fact that the Allure is actually two inches longer than its sister ship’s 1,187 foot length. (You can check out the latter if you scuba dive and have a long enough tape measure. I’ll, however, stick with my secret source who confirms that as a result, the Allure takes over from the Oasis as the world’s largest cruise liner!)
The new shows include a 90 minute performance of the Tony Award winning musical “Chicago” performed in the ships 1,380 seat Amber Theater with parental discretion advised because of its explicit language and adult themes. Two all new Ice Show extravaganzas in Studio B and two all new Aqua Theater performances that combine high diving skills with dramatic aerial choreography. Two separate Headliner shows featured well known entertainers, El Gaucho and Toni Tillman. The company has also formed an alliance with Dream Works Animation that has guests of all ages interacting with the stars from Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon.
A state of the art 3D movie screen has been installed in the Amber Theater for the showing of several recent Dream Works animation films. As if that were not enough, Royal Caribbean’s own Production Team has created a new music, dance and aerial acrobatic show entitled “Blue Planet”. Sets for the show and its cast of 26 performers are fantastic causing a spontaneous standing ovation. It is, in our opinion, the most spectacular presentation we have ever seen aboard a ship. We could not wait to see it a second time during the second week of our voyage. Last but not least, mature adult comedy shows are featured in a special intimate “Comedy Live” theater.
The Allure has also added new restaurants bringing its total dining options to 24 venues to suit just about every taste including the Dog House, a new outdoor hotdog and sausage counter. Adding to the Oasis’ popular added fee restaurants of 150 Central Park, Giovanni’s Table, Chops Grill, Chef’s Table and Izumi are the Samba Grill, a top notch Brazilian steakhouse, which we rated the absolute best, and Rita’s Mexican Fiesta Party.
New shops added to the Royal Promenade include an Art Work Store by the internationally acclaimed artist, Britto, a first at sea Guess accessory boutique and Guest Services Kiosks where guests can view, print or e-mail their SeaPass folio, personal calendar, check their on-board charge account, even check in and print their airline boarding passes. All staterooms on the Allure are equipped with 32”flat screen interactive TV’s, a wireless computer keyboard and an Apple Ipod dock
As a closing thought for those expecting to make a reservation in the near future – expect to pay a premium for the privilege. For example, a standard equivalent balcony stateroom on the Allure costs an additional $300 compared to the very same Caribbean sailing dates on the smaller 137,276 -ton Voyager of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas.
By the way, it was just eleven years ago that the Voyager reigned as the world’s largest cruise liner. It is credited with establishing many of the concepts expanded upon in the building of the Allure and the Oasis including such things as the Royal Promenade, miniature golf and rock wall climbing features.
A dozen new ships, including the Allure, entered service in the fall and winter of 2010 all of which were ordered before the recession. There is no larger ship currently planned within the three year build time required to bring a new ship to the marketplace. Eleven new mega-liners ranging from 114,500 to 141,000 tons, however, are scheduled for delivery to Princess, MCS, Carnival, Disney, Celebrity and Costa by 2013. With the huge number of mega-liners now in service and the many thousands of berths to be filled worldwide each week, the likelihood of anything being built bigger than the Allure and the Oasis in the future is extremely remote. Each, by the way, cost $1.5 Billion to build and equip further reducing the likelihood of anything larger being built. It may be surprising but the two weeks of our cruise the Allure carried a full compliment of guests leaving no unoccupied rooms. There are 5,400 staterooms to be filled each week! Hope you get the opportunity to enjoy these newest carriers of the title of the “world’s largest ships”.
HAPPY CRUISING!
