If you get bored on Allure of the Seas, that is entirely on you. This is a ship built around doing things: you can surf a FlowRider, climb a rock wall, ride a zip line nine decks above the Boardwalk and still be back in time for an open-air diving show at the AquaTheater, all included in your fare. The genius is that the seven neighbourhoods spread the crowds, so even at capacity the queues for the headline activities stay reasonable if you time them well.
Entertainment is a real strength too. The AquaTheater show is the signature, with acrobatics and high dives you simply won't see on smaller ships, backed up by a full ice show in Studio B and a Broadway-scale production in the main theatre. Add the hand-carved carousel, one of the best kids' clubs at sea and the moving Rising Tide bar, and you have a ship that genuinely works for toddlers, teens and grandparents on the same week. My only caution: the very best shows need booking, and the marquee activities draw a crowd on sea days.
- Reserve the AquaTheater, ice show and main-theatre production as soon as booking opens: the good nights fill fast
- Hit the FlowRider and zip line early in the morning or during port stops to skip the sea-day queues
- Sea days are busiest on the pool deck; the adults-only Solarium is the calm alternative
- Watch the AquaTheater from a Boardwalk-facing balcony if you have one: a free front-row seat
- Grab a drink on the Rising Tide bar for the slow ride between the Promenade and Central Park