Allure of the Seas is the original — the second Oasis-class ship, launched in 2010, and the one that taught Royal Caribbean how to operate a true mega-ship. Fifteen years and one significant amplification later, she has moved from Florida to Galveston, where she now serves a Texas-and-Midwest market that historically had to fly to a cruise. Operating in mid-January on the standard Western Caribbean rotation, with cabin categories well-suited to traveling families with three children in the 5-to-13 age range, she remains one of the best family-cruise values in the world.
Cabins
We booked a Boardwalk Balcony on Deck 9 — our favorite cabin category in the Royal fleet. The balcony overlooks the Boardwalk neighborhood with the AquaTheater at the aft, which means free seats for the high-diving show every other night. The cabin itself, refreshed in the 2020 amplification, is a proper 182-square-foot family setup with a king, sofa bed, and Pullman bunk. Two adults and three children fit, just barely, but we wished we had booked a connecting cabin. Plumbing was fine; sound insulation was average; the carpets are due for replacement.
The new Star Class suite tier was added in the amplification but represents a tiny fraction of inventory. Most travelers will be in standard balconies, and they're fine.
Food
The main dining room is the standard Royal experience, identical in every meaningful way across the Oasis class. We ate there three of seven nights and were satisfied without being moved. The dining team in the upper level was unusually warm; the food was exactly what you'd expect.
Specialty dining was the highlight. Chops Grille for the formal night (predictably excellent), Giovanni's Italian Kitchen (one of Royal's better Italian rooms), Sabor (good Mexican that suits the Western itinerary), and 150 Central Park (the best meal of the week, full stop — six courses, $69 per person, worth every dollar).
The Solarium Bistro adult-only lunch was a daily refuge from the family chaos elsewhere. The food is honestly better than the Windjammer buffet, with no children, and a quiet view.
Entertainment
Allure carries Mamma Mia! as her headline production and the show is a genuine treat — a full Broadway version, well-staged, with a strong cast on our sailing. We saw it twice. The AquaTheater "Pirates of the Caribbean: A New Adventure" show is the best of the AquaTheater repertoire across the fleet. The ice show is competent.
The Boardwalk neighborhood — with the carousel, the AquaTheater, and the Boardwalk Doughnut Shop — is a real destination, not just a passageway. Our 5-year-old rode the carousel a dozen times.
Adventure Ocean (kids club) was excellent across all three age groups. The teen Living Room was busy and well-staffed.
Value
This is the trump card. A Boardwalk Balcony for our family of five (two adults, three children) on a January sailing booked four months ahead came in at $4,890 all in. That's $140/night per person on a mega-ship, including taxes and gratuities. The Galveston home port also saved us flights for five — adding another $2,000+ in real savings.
If you compare the same week on Wonder of the Seas out of Port Canaveral, you're looking at approximately $7,500 for the cruise plus the Florida flights. Allure delivers a near-identical experience for half the all-in cost.
For a sense of how the Oasis class has evolved at the high end, see our take on Symphony of the Seas in the Eastern Caribbean; for a Cunard alternative on a different model entirely, see our Queen Anne Mediterranean review.
Galveston Specifics
Houston/Galveston cruise traffic has tripled in the last decade. Port parking is now $20/night and books out for peak weekends; book before you sail. The drive from Houston Hobby Airport is 60 minutes if you leave before 7am, 90+ at peak. Have a backup plan.
Cozumel is the standout port — book an independent snorkel boat from Marriott or El Cid Marina rather than the ship excursion and save 50%. Roatán is excellent for the West Bay Beach day. Costa Maya is the weakest port on the route; a beach day from the ship is fine.
Overall
Allure is not new and is not pretending to be. What she is: an extremely well-run, comfortably broken-in mega-ship at a price that no newer Royal ship comes close to matching, departing from a port that opens the entire central United States to mega-ship cruising without a flight.
Who It's For
Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Midwest families looking for a true mega-ship vacation without flying; anyone who values raw value over the latest hardware; first-time cruisers who want the spectacle without paying for the brand-new flagship.
Who It's Not For
Travelers who insist on the newest hardware (book Icon or Wonder); anyone bothered by tired carpet and slightly dated interiors; passengers seeking a smaller-ship experience.
Editorial Cross-References
For the broader fleet context and itinerary calendar, see our Royal Caribbean cruise line page. For broader planning context, see our cabin upgrade strategies guide.
