Size does matter on Allure of the Seas!

The UK is in the icy grip of deep mid-winter, with no end in sight. So the prospect of a week’s indulgence on the brand new Royal Caribbean ‘Oasis class’ cruise ship ‘Allure of the Seas’ was an offer too good to refuse!

When it comes to ships size does matter, and Allure Of the Seas is no exception being the world’s largest liner, albeit by 50 mm.

When we arrived at the harbour in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, seeing the pristine cruise ship in all it’s glory was quite a sight. Well, it’s not every day you get to sail on a 1187 ft long cruise ship with 16 passenger decks standing 208 feet above sea level. It certainly had the ‘wow’ factor!

Stepping on board Allure was mind-blowing, the sheer scale of the ship almost made me lose my balance. But fortunately we were greeting by a fleet of very friendly staff who helped us find our feet.

With 21 swimming pools, 17 bars, cafes and restaurants, night clubs, theatres and venues, a casino, an impressive range of water sports, a shopping mall, state-of-the-art gym and spa, and even an on-board park there is literally something for everybody.

And even though being on board felt like being in a luxurious city centre, you could still sneak away and enjoy peace and quiet in the Caribbean sunshine.

I eventually found my cabin using the nifty interactive maps dotted around the ship, and was delighted to find that the ‘cabins’ were more like chic mini-apartments. Many have balconies providing a sea view, or a view of the inside of the ship, which in my case was Central Park (and yes, it really is an actual park with over 12,000 trees, plants and even recorded birdsong).

The ship is so big that you don’t really feel the sea beneath. In fact, you could spend the entire week on board and not see the ocean. Although that would defeat the object!

So on such a large ship with everything you need on tap, where do you start? My self-styled orientation session involved a quiet, stylish cocktail bar tucked away in Central Park. And I started with a Pina Colada.

The beauty of Allure is that there is so much on offer, you can experience any kind of holiday you want. I opted for some serious lounging in the opulent solarium on the top deck. There is nothing finer than lying in the sunshine on the bow of a cruise liner, sipping chilled champagne, staring out across the ocean alone with your thoughts.

But should you fancy fine dining followed by Chicago: The Musical, or exciting casino action before spending your winnings in the ship’s shopping mall, Allure can also cater for this.

And if it’s a family holiday you’re after, then the kids will have a blast! Allure of the Seas is a floating Pleasure Island. You can easily keep the youngsters occupied with a wide range of water sports including surfing, scuba diving and body boarding. There are ice shows, aqua theatres, playgrounds, basketball courts, table tennis… basically anything and everything goes! Allure also has daily Dreamworks parades that guarantee super-manic fun for all the family.

Of course you can’t talk about cruises and not mention the abundance of food on offer. From hearty Mexican grub at Rita’s Cantina on the Boardwalk area, to more elegant dining experiences like the sophisticated 150 Central Park, run by Food & Wine’s 2006 Best Student Chef Molly Brandt – the choice is mind-boggling. And if you have a taste for the grandiose, the Adagio Dining Room is a spectacular 1920’s styled three-story restaurant. In fact Adagio’s is the largest restaurant in the world, which is something to tell the grandkids!

Most of the dining options are included in the overall price, although the speciality restaurants cost an additional $35.00 per guest. Cruise-savvy passengers tend to make reservations before their trip, and it pays to make bookings online in advance.

After days of eating vast amounts of delicious food, I figured I’d be catching up to Allure in terms of size. So I rolled my way to the trendy Vitality At Sea Spa & Fitness Centre for some high-octane exercise classes. Well, actually I treated myself to one of the cruise signature treatments, the unbelievably gorgeous Thai Herbal Poultice Massage. Treatments carry additional costs, and it is advisable to book in advance to guarantee a place.

In all honesty, I’d accepted the fact that one week onboard Allure equals one dress size gained. So what if I gained a few pounds? It’s a small price to pay for living the high life!

All in all it took less than a day to get into the swing of things on board. And after a week of eating well, sunbathing, watching quality Broadway shows, stumbling into jazz bars, crooning in the X-Factor-esque karaoke bar, dancing the night away in Dazzles nightclub, sunbathing, relaxing and generally being pampered, all memories of winter simply melted away. And the memories will be enough to keep me warm through the UK deep freeze.

Allure of the Seas. God bless her, and all who sail in her! 

Need to know

Eight nights on board Allure of the Seas Stay & Cruise start from £1,239 per person with Virgin Holiday Cruises.

Price includes one night at the Westin Beach Resort, Fort Lauderdale before boarding Allure of the Seas for seven nights, with stops at Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico.

Prices are per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis, with direct flights with Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow.

Please note that these prices include all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change.

Visit www.virginholidaycruises.co.uk or call 0871 781 9893 to book.