You might think Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean‘s second Oasis-class ship, is merely a carbon copy of Oasis of the Seas, but that’s no longer true.

The first-in-class Oasis of the Seas set a megaship precedent in 2009 with its seven-neighborhood concept, a dizzying number of bars and restaurants, and groundbreaking entertainment such as a high-diving acrobatics show. The cruise line had no need to make changes when it launched ship number two, so Allure originally was an identical twin.

But more than a decade later, Allure of the Seas is hardly a copy. While Oasis got upgraded in 2019, Allure has yet to receive a second major refurbishment. (It was postponed due to the pandemic and is now scheduled for 2025.)

In truth, it’s looking a bit shabby, but more importantly, it still has some holdovers from its earlier days — venues that I thought were gone forever but which I discovered passengers still have a bit more time to enjoy.

In this review, I’ll cover the good and not-so-good parts of cruising Allure of the Seas.

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Allure of the Seas overview

Allure of the Seas, the second of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships, debuted in 2010. Back then, at 225,282 gross registered tons, it was just a smidge larger than Oasis of the Seas, making it the biggest cruise ship in the world — a title it held briefly until it was outdone by subsequent vessels in its class.

There’s a lot to do on the 5,492-passenger ship, which offers a plethora of activities, multiple food and drink options and a stellar kids club. For those reasons, Allure of the Seas appeals to families — particularly those with young children. It also attracts multigenerational families, friend groups and couples.

Oasis-class ships are divided into seven neighborhoods. Below is a brief overview of Allure of the Seas’ major sectors.

Boardwalk

The Boardwalk on Deck 6 is themed around a day at the shore. Food options hit the mark with Johnny Rockets burgers, fries and milkshakes, as well as separate venues for hot dogs, candy, ice cream and doughnuts.

Anyone seeking a carnival-style experience can ride the free carousel, hit up the arcade or check out a high-diving acrobatics show at the wake-facing AquaTheater, flanked by two rock-climbing walls on Deck 10. Look up to glimpse passengers winging their way down the zipline above.

The only unfortunate aspect of this area is that there are few sea views. They’re blocked by inward-facing balconies, which the line pioneered in 2009.

Central Park

Central Park feels like an actual park, just on a cruise ship. It’s home to more than 17,000 live plants, which are cared for by a team of resident gardeners.

The green space, which takes up a large chunk of Deck 8, is flanked by shops like a Coach store and the ship’s photography studio, as well as Chops Grille steakhouse, 150 Central Park restaurant, grab-and-go Park Cafe, Italian eatery Giovanni’s Table, Vintages wine bar and the Chandon bar, which serves delicious spritzers.

Central Park is a lovely space to stroll, grab a bite or sit and enjoy the greenery, but it’s often excessively hot with little shade, despite all the plants. Like the Boardwalk, it’s open to the sky, but the several decks of inward-facing balcony cabins that rise up around it don’t allow for any sea views.

Entertainment Place

If nightlife is what you seek, you’re sure to enjoy Entertainment Place on Deck 4. Clustered together are Comedy Live, a club offering live comedy shows; Studio B ice rink, where passengers can take in ice-skating performances or sign up to strap on a pair of skates themselves; and the Blaze nightclub, which has an inferno theme.

A former jazz club, Jazz on 4, is no longer there; it remains on the deck plans even though it has been converted into a small nonsmoking casino, making it one of several defunct onboard locations that an eagle-eyed cruiser might notice if they look closely. Heading aft, the Hall of Odds leads to the art gallery and Casino Royale, the ship’s main casino space.

Pool and Sports Zone

The ship has four pools — Main Pool, graded-entry Beach Pool, family-friendly H2O Zone Pool and Sports Pool, which hosts lap swimming, water polo and badminton — in its Pool and Sports Zone on Deck 15. The area also encompasses six hot tubs, two FlowRider surf simulators that also allow boogie boarding, a miniature golf course and a zipline, as well as a sports court and Ping-Pong tables.

This neighborhood also has several bars and the Wipe Out Cafe, which now houses El Loco Fresh, a complimentary Mexican restaurant. The Windjammer buffet is also located near the pools.

Royal Promenade

One of the ship’s major hubs, the Royal Promenade is reminiscent of a shopping mall and runs nearly the length of Deck 5. Here you’ll find the guest services desk, the Champagne Bar, the Globe and Atlas Pub, a stand-alone Starbucks, future cruise and shore excursion desks, several shops, a karaoke lounge and Latin music-themed Boleros nightclub.

One neat attraction is the Rising Tide Bar, which slowly rises and descends between the Royal Promenade and Central Park on Deck 8 at regular intervals while passengers sip cocktails.

Craving pizza? Some of the best at sea is in this neighborhood at Sorrento’s, and Cafe Promenade serves up free light bites along with both free and for-fee coffee drinks. (Note that if you have the basic beverage package, you can get free specialty Starbucks coffees there. If you go to Starbucks, your package won’t cover it.)

Hang around the Royal Promenade long enough, and you’ll likely catch a parade or a party, complete with a balloon drop.

Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center

Allure of the Seas’ spa and fitness area on Deck 6 is impressive. It offers a full battery of added-cost spa treatments (massages, facials, IV treatments, cellulite reduction, acupuncture), salon and barber services (haircuts, manicures and pedicures) and a thermal suite.

The space also includes a sizable fitness center with for-fee classes and personal training, along with equipment that’s free to use. These include LifeFitness cardio machines, weight machines, free weights, yoga mats, kettlebells and exercise balls. One deck below, a jogging track wraps around the entirety of Deck 5 (2.4 laps equal 1 mile).

Keep the healthy choices going with a visit to the Vitality Spa Cafe, which has a menu full of lighter fare, such as salads, sandwiches and smoothies.

Youth Zone

Adventure Ocean, Royal Caribbean’s stellar kids club, has a vast space on Allure of the Seas. It offers separate areas for Royal Babies and Tots (6 months to 2 years), Aquanauts (3 to 5 years), Explorers (6 to 8 years) and Voyagers (9 to 11 years) on Deck 14 forward. There are also dedicated spaces for arts and crafts, science experiments and parent-child playtime (for the youngest cruisers).

On Deck 15 aft, tweens and teens have their own areas, separate from the younger kids. The Living Room offers a chill lounge space for ages 12 to 17. It’s supervised but less structured with a “come and go as you please” policy, whereas younger children must be signed in and out of Adventure Ocean by a parent or guardian.

Fuel nightclub hosts dance parties and other supervised nighttime events for tweens and teens. The ship also has two pay-to-play arcades — one near The Living Room and one on the Boardwalk.

What I loved about Allure of the Seas

Sabor Taqueria

Sabor Taqueria, which Royal Caribbean introduced on select ships in 2015 as Sabor Modern Mexican, is one of my favorite restaurants at sea. It was so popular that it eventually was added to Oasis-class vessels. It served excellent Mexican fare for an added cost, but despite its popularity, Royal Caribbean phased it out.

I thought it was gone forever but was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon the Copper Cap Saloon on Deck 6, which still serves food from the Sabor menu.

I was so ecstatic that I ate there twice during my voyage. I thoroughly enjoyed the tortilla soup, quesadillas, burritos and fish tempura tacos. The house-made guacamole, which every table automatically receives, is also a huge winner. There is a cover charge, but if you have a dining package, it’s free. Drinks cost extra if you don’t have a beverage package.

I was super sad to learn that, when the ship undergoes its refurbishment in 2025, the saloon will be replaced with Playmakers sports bar, complete with the venue’s standard pub grub menu. Personally, the last thing I want is more fried food. That means the only remaining ship with Sabor will be Harmony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean, consider this my official plea for Playmakers to serve food from the Sabor menu on Allure.

Sure, complimentary Mexican fare is available at the former Wipe Out Cafe on Deck 15 (now called El Loco Fresh). However, the rubbery meat and counter service-style atmosphere there are severely subpar next to Sabor.

New Schooner Bar menu

As part of Royal Caribbean’s never-ending quest to improve its products, the line has launched a brand-new drinks menu at the nautically themed Schooner Bar. Although the menu will roll out fleetwide, it debuted during my Allure of the Seas sailing.

Fans of the wildly popular Lavender Daquiri will be thrilled to know it’s the only cocktail that made the cut from the bar’s former menu. However, they might just discover another favorite after trying some of the new concoctions. These include a Toasted Marshmallow Old Fashioned (my personal favorite), garnished with torched mini-marshmallows; a Peanut Butter Tropic, made with peanut butter whiskey, pineapple juice, bitters and lemon juice; and a Desert Pear Margarita, which includes tequila, desert pear syrup and lime juice.

A nearly constant celebration

I have never experienced more theme parties on a ship than I have on Allure of the Seas. If you enjoy dressing up and participating in quirky themes, be sure to pack attire appropriate for the ’70s. On my voyage, we also had Caribbean and country nights, as well as a White Night and Royal Caribbean’s staple nightclub experience, Red. (Oddly, Red fell on the same night as the country theme.)

In addition to theme parties, the schedule was packed with Royal Promenade celebrations, silent disco parties and other shenanigans that involved dancing and socializing until late. For a street festival vibe, check out the Fiesta Balloon Drop, which covers passengers in colorful balloons and confetti.

What I didn’t love about Allure of the Seas

Dated elements

It’s a good thing Allure of the Seas is slated for a dry dock. At times, the nostalgic feel held over from original iterations of the Oasis class crosses the line into outdated or confusing.

My cabin had no USB ports or standard outlets anywhere near the beds. An ancient combo alarm clock and iPod/iPhone dock (complete with obsolete FireWire charging ports) adorned the vanity; while I appreciated having a clock in the room, it was useless for charging more modern devices. Additionally, several of my room’s metal fixtures — wall panels and bedside reading lamps — showed signs of rust.

In other areas of the ship, ghosts of amenities past haunt the deck plans. Looking for Jazz on 4, which is still found on paper maps and directional ship models? You won’t find it because it was converted to a nonsmoking casino years ago.

And you won’t find Sabor listed as such; it’s now found in the Copper Cap Saloon. If you’re wondering why you don’t see complimentary Mexican restaurant El Loco Fresh listed or why you can’t seem to locate anything called the Trellis Bar in Central Park, it’s because the former took over the Wipe Out Cafe, and the latter was replaced with Chandon, a spritzer bar.

And, finally, I couldn’t help but notice an empty storefront along the Boardwalk, windows covered with paper. It lacked a sign, but upon closer inspection, a nearly translucent braille sign near the door indicated it used to be Pets at Sea, a Build-A-Bear-style build-your-own-stuffed-animal store that dates back to when the ship began sailing. The venue was tentatively scheduled to be removed during the next refurbishment, but it looks like it has already been shut down. Oddly, it doesn’t appear on the outdated deck plans.

Trouble with bookings via the app

I have mixed feelings about cruise mobile apps in general, often finding them glitchy at best and nonfunctional at worst. Historically, I’ve had little trouble with Royal Caribbean’s app, but I found it frustrating to make reservations for shows on Allure of the Seas.

When I tried to secure spots for me and a friend traveling in the same group, it said there was availability and took me through the reservation process. When I got to the end and submitted the request, it told me there was no room left. I shut down the app and tried again with the same results.

In the end, I had to call guest services, and they added the booking manually. It was an issue more than once during the voyage — so much so that I resorted to calling guest services first rather than fussing with the app.

Rising Tide Bar fountain

The Rising Tide Bar levitates between decks 5 and 8. When it leaves its base on the Royal Promenade, a fountain rains down from underneath it, complete with colored lights and dancing water jets. The effect makes it seem like the spray is pushing up the bar. It’s a neat idea, but the fountain is absurdly loud and only adds to the already deafening cacophony in the space.

It’s so loud that it often makes it difficult to hear the entertainment staff members who lead trivia at the nearby Schooner Bar. On my sailing, a drink tasting there had to be postponed for 20 minutes until the fountain could be shut off because nobody could hear the bartender talking. I would love to see the fountain permanently disabled during the upcoming renovation.

Allure of the Seas cabins and suites

In addition to standard inside (140 to 260 square feet each), ocean-view (179-271 square feet each) and balcony cabins (182-271 square feet each with 50-80-square-foot balconies), Allure of the Seas’ accommodations include some specialty options that are worth mentioning.

First is the virtual balcony cabin, which is an inside cabin with a floor-to-ceiling LED wall that features a digital balcony view via a live feed to make you feel like you’re sailing in the real thing.