Allure of the Seas 2026 -The Ship

RCCL’s Allure of the Seas is one of the larger ships with Central Park, Boardwalk, an indoor Promenade, and plenty of sports activities and pools. Colorful slides were available for youngsters, plus basketball courts, a rock-climbing wall, and other sports amenities. Finding lounge chairs wasn’t a problem in the morning, but poolside spots were hard to come by in the afternoons. By then, I sought out air-conditioned comfort inside, or we sat on our balcony.

Aside from a few interesting sightings, we weren’t impressed with the artwork on this ship. We enjoyed seeing the different shirts on the bears in the car by the Promenade Café. Somebody came by to change them each morning.

This dog and the tikis were remarkable. But in the stairwells, none of the art grabbed our attention, unlike on Utopia of the Seas where vibrant colors feed the senses.

I liked to hang out in the adults-only Solarium, especially in the mornings before it got too hot and crowded. You could go outside forward to watch our progress.

We did a free Behind-the-Scenes Tour at Central Park, where one of the horticulturalists explained how they brought in the living plants and how they care for them. Many are the same varieties we see in South Florida.

I did the Backstage Tour as research for my current WIP, which takes place during rehearsals for a musical production in a community theater. If I got the info right, these actors rehearse for four weeks from 10 am to 6 pm each day for six days a week. This happens in Florida where all the costumes and scenery are stored. There’s one understudy each for the three female leads in Mama Mia, and one for the male leads. We walked through the narrow corridors rather quickly and then got to stand on the immense stage.

Late afternoons found my friend, Ann Meier, and I in the Crown Lounge for Diamond members and above. They had the best appetizers, and the desserts here were better than in the dining room. We were glad the food line opened at 4:30pm, since we had early dinner seating. After dinner, we might land in one of the bars, watch a show, visit the casino, or sit in the Pesky Parrot with a tropical drink.

Coming Next: The Entertainment