All Aboard the Sea Monster: Allure of the Seas

Cabin fever is a term you definitely won’t hear aboard the Allure of the Seas. The world’s largest cruise ship takes cruising to another level and that’s not just because there are so many different floors, neighbourhoods and amenities.

At 225, 282 tonnes, she’s a beast. And that’s the beauty of it. The 6400 passengers could get lost between more than twenty places to eat, two rock climbing walls, a jogging track, ten hot tubs, the pools, a two-storey shopping centre and the basketball court.

And we did get lost. On a seven night Caribbean cruise, more than once we managed to end up in Central Park (home to more than 12,000 living plants) when we wanted to be on the Boardwalk or at the Theatre instead of the Dining Room.

You won’t stay lost for long – LCD screens stationed along the decks provide interactive maps and directions. The screens also show up-to-date restaurant capacity so you can pick and choose where to eat without having to trek from bow to stern to find a table.

Wondering what to eat? Every passenger has a seat in the main dining room for dinner, but there’s other options too. Book into a specialty restaurant like Giovanni’s Table for Italian, grab casual burgers at Jonny Rockets (where the staff literally perform a song and dance), go for Mexican at Rita’s Cantina, squeeze in a degustation at the Chef’s Table or stop by the Windjammer Cafe for a quick buffet dinner. During the day there’s the bagel bar at Park Café, decorate-your-own-cupcake classes at the Cupcake Cupboard, free hot dogs and donuts on the Boardwalk and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.