Last weekend Tracee and I had the privilege to sail on a Pre-Inaugural Cruise to Nowhere on Royal Caribbean’s newest ship,
Allure of the Seas. {You may be asking, what’s a cruise to nowhere? Well, it’s a 2 day quick sail out to sea and back, stopping nowhere.} She is brand new and let me tell you, she is the definition of fabulous. She will take her first passenger sailing in December, but we got a sneak peek at all she has to offer.
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| Sarah and Tracee at On-Air |
With endorsements from Oprah,
The Today Show with Hoda and Kathie Lee, as well as the filming of
Jack and Jill, Allure of the Seas is all the talk. Allure of the Seas made
Oprah’s Ultimate Favorite Things 2010 list. On her show Friday, Oprah named Allure of the Seas as her favorite cruise and gave everyone in the audience a free cruise. Friday morning,
The Today Show with Hoda and Kathie Lee was filmed live onboard Allure of the Seas. Tracee was lucky enough to get a photo with Hoda. Tracee reported that Hoda was a lovely and gracious woman. The film,
Jack and Jill is currently being filmed on the Allure as well. Katie Holmes and Adam Sandler co-star in this holiday movie that will hit theaters next Fall. Suri was onboard with her mom, and we spotted them on the Boardwalk one afternoon.
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| Tracee with Hoda from The Today Show |
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| Katie Holmes and Suri on the Boardwalk |
So just what does the Allure of the Seas have to offer? Everything! It is the largest cruise ship in the world offering you the most at sea. During our 48 hour whirlwind experience on Allure of the Seas we were wowed by everything. Our Superior Ocean View Stateroom was well appointed and our balcony offered breathtaking views! We saw a beautiful sunset on the last night.
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| Our Stateroom |
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| Our Balcony |
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| iPod docking station to charge and play |
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| Sunset from our balcony. Miami in the background. |
We strolled through Central Park and heard birds chirping during the day. With gorgeous live plants, it was tranquil and inviting. At night we listened to crickets and heard live musicians singing in the park while we shopped and enjoyed the crisp evening air. We watched a DreamWorks parade, had gourmet cupcakes, and shopped till we dropped on the Royal Promenade. On the Boardwalk we enjoyed hot dogs from the Boardwalk Dog House (featuring Coney Island, German, Sicilian dogs, and more), a cool treat from the Ice Cream Parlor, great shopping in the Star Pier, delicious Mexican fare at Rita’s Cantina, and a sneak peek of Oceanaria at the AquaTheater. In the Amber Theater we were entertained by CHICAGO: The Musical. We laughed at the Comedy Club. And finally, we enjoyed a little down time in the Solarium, a haven for rest and relaxtion.
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| Starbucks on the Royal Promenade |
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| The Cupcake Cupboard on the Royal Promenade |
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| Chops Grill in Central Park |
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| The Solarium |
Entertainment
Allure of the Seas offers hit Broadway shows complimentary with your cruise. They also have unique productions with awesome sets, songs, and dancing to entertain you. In addition they have a Comedy Club, Live Jazz Club, Ice Skating Show and AquaTheater for your nightly entertainment.
We got to see the premier of Chicago, the musical. It was amazing, and the actors were fabulous. Such talent. Blue Planet is also another cool show onboard Allure of the Seas. It is an aerial acrobatic show from Royal Caribbean Productions. Oceanaria, an AquaTheater show, is simply stunning. We got to see a sneak peek of this water show combining gymnastics and diving. There are some US Olympic divers and swimmers that perform in Oceanaria.
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| The AquaTheater |
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| Oceanaria in the AquaTheater |
The DreamWorks Experience
Find your favorite characters onboard Allure of the Seas. DreamWorks Animation has partnered with Royal Caribbean to bring characters from Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and more, onboard Allure of the Seas. With live shows, 3D movies and parades through the Royal Promenade your kids will love seeing their favorite characters. There is an Ice Show to “How to Train Your Dragon”.
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| DreamWorks Animation - Shrek |
Dining
There is no shortage of delicious dining options. With over 20 dining choices you can experience it all. Pizzerias, Cafes, Italian Cuisine, Specialty Steak House, Wine and Tapas, Burgers and Shakes, Hot Dogs, Mexican Fare, Donuts, Ice Cream, Cupcakes, Brazilian Steakhouse, Asian, Buffet, Healthy Snacks, Room Service and more can all be found onboard Allure of the Seas.
Shopping
In Central Park you will find Romero Britto’s signature artwork displayed and on sale in the Britto Art Gallery. Also, there is a Coach store. On the Royal Promenade there is a Guess Accessories Boutique, Prince + Green (apparel and accessories by Betsey Johnson, Calypso, Kenneth Cole, Ed Hardy and Marc Jacobs), Regalia (fine jewelry), Solera (beauty and perfume), Willow (unique apparel and gifts), and The Shop (featuring Royal Caribbean memorabilia). On the Boardwalk, Star Pier has trendy teen clothing and accessories by Roxy, Quicksilver, and Lucky Brand. Also, they have a cute shop for little ones called Pinwheels that is connected to Candy Beach, the ultimate sweets shop.
Allure of the Seas has Destinations' stamp of approval! We can't wait to send you on this amazing ship so you can experience it for yourself! Hurry, we still have limited space on the Spring Break Sailing March 20th. Call us this week! 479-582-1900.
For a full album of photos
click here and enjoy!
