Spreading Allure around the fleet

//Spreading Allure around the fleet

Allure of the Seas arrives in Port Everglades.jpgWelcomed by a flotilla of fire tugs shooting gallons of water into the air, and surrounded by circling news helicopters, Allure of the Seas entered harbour at Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the first time today.
Members of crew crowded onto cabin balconies and the railings of the sun deck as the giant vessel, measuring 360 metres (plus an all-important 50mm) long and with a beam of 66 metres, inched along the entry channel and headed towards the berth at the $75 million Terminal 18, which was specially enlarged last year to handle the 6,000 passengers each joining Allure and sister ship Oasis each week.
Among the welcome party on the quayside were dozens of gardeners, eager to start digging in the hundreds of trees and thousands of plants which will go into the ship’s Central Park, ready for inaugural celebrations which start next week, and the maiden voyage on December 1.
Allure and Oasis will sail alternating week-long cruises to the eastern and Western Caribbean, with Oasis turning round at Port Everglades on Saturdays, and Allure on Sundays.
Meanwhile, with their recent spate of new building at an end for now, Royal Caribbean have announced plans to introduce some of the features from Allure onto five older vessels in their fleet.
Radiance of the Seas will gain new specialty restaurants, including the Samba Grill Brazilian Steakhouse and Mexican-themed Rita’s Cantina introduced for the first time on Allure, and the Italian Giovanni’s Table, Park Café deli-style restaurant and the exclusive Chef’s Table first seen on Oasis.
Other enhancements to the ship will include a new Diamond Lounge for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty programme members, as well as the Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, interactive flat-panel televisions in all staterooms, and wi-fi throughout the ship.
Splendour of the Seas will get pretty much the same treatment, plus the creation of some new balcony staterooms, and an updated Windjammer Marketplace buffet restaurant. Dry dock dates have yet to be fixed.
Liberty of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas will go into dry-dock in January and March for work to provide the Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, The Cupcake Cupboard, the Wayfinding navigation system to help guests find their way around the ship, and a giant outdoor video screen in each ship’s main pool area.
In addition, the DreamWorks experience, 3-D movies and complimentary guest service kiosks from Allure of the Seas will be introduced to the ships, and Saturday Night Fever: The Musical will debut on Liberty of the Seas in the main Platinum Theatre.
In early 2011, Oasis of the Seas will be updated with 3D movies in the main theatre, the introduction of DreamWorks characters – all of which are new on Allure. A Starbucks coffee shop will replace Mondo Café on the Royal Promenade.
No sign yet of enhancements for Independence of the Seas which is sailing regularly from Southampton. I’ll have to ask UK managing director Dominic Paul about that when we are together on Allure of the Seas in a few days’ time.
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By | 2017-06-15T16:00:17+00:00 11 November 2010|Cruise News|1 Comment

About the Author:

John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.

One Comment

  1. Bill Fant 11 November 2010 at 8:00 pm - Reply

    Beautiful day to watch the Allure of the Seas enter Port Everglades. Experience it via this 360˚ interactive panoramic photograph: http://www.edgedesign.net/rc/

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