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Behind the scenes of $100 million Allure of the Seas cruise ship revamp
One of Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ships, Allure of the Seas, is getting ready to welcome passengers on board in Europe this summer with a major $100 million (£77 million) revamp.
At 225,282 gross tonnes, the ship is the seventh largest in the Royal Caribbean fleet and has been what the brand describes as 'newly amplified' in time for the spring and summer season.
The Oasis class ship entered dry dock in the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, in February and is receiving a range of new features ahead of its return to service this month.
The revamp or 'amplification' has been overseen by experienced cruise consultant Stephen Fryers, whose previous projects include Celebrity Silhouette and Wonder of the Seas.
There are 2,300 contractors working on a daily basis across the ship, including electricians, carpenters, painters and plasterers.
Royal Caribbean is bringing many of the popular features from its newer ships onto Allure, which was launched in 2010 and is now 15 years old – so due a makeover.
It is not just old furniture that has gone and new interiors that have come in. Fryers explains that 28,000 bulbs have also been replaced across staterooms with more energy-efficient LED lighting.
Thousands of cracked or worn tiles at Central Park on deck 8 are also being replaced, as is the lawn on the mini golf course on deck 15.
Many of the new features are already popular on other Royal Caribbean ships, so will be familiar to regular passengers.
Here is what to expect from the newly-amplified Allure of the Seas.
New staterooms
An extra 111 cabins are being added to Allure of the Seas, giving it a total of 2,859.
This includes two new 'Ultimate Panoramic Suites' above Allure's bridge.
It may be hard to tell with all the plasterboard on the walls and wires hanging out the ceiling, but these cabins will eventually offer 200-degree ocean views as well as a walk-in wardrobe and living area.
New cabins have also been built where the ship's photo gallery and conference centre were previously located.
The extra cabins will take the ship's capacity from 5,496 to 5,718.
New bars and restaurants
Pesky Parrot, a Caribbean cocktail bar made popular on Utopia of the Seas, is coming to Allure.
The tiki bar will offer a range of fruit-based cocktails made with rum, tequila and gin, alongside frozen drinks.
It replaces the brand's Bionic Bar, where passengers were served drinks by robotic arms.
The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar, currently only on Utopia and Wonder of the Seas, is also being built on Allure.
It will provide comfort food inspired by the southern US states as well as live country music.
Ultimate Abyss
A drop slide is a now must-have on many modern ships – and Allure is getting one.
Ultimate Abyss, already on Harmony, Symphony and Oasis of the Seas, will give adrenaline seekers a 10-deck drop that twists and turns from the Sports Zone on deck 16 to the Boardwalk on Deck 6.
Waterslides
The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, also on Harmony, Symphony and Oasis of the Seas, are now available on Allure.
Rather than having to build the mega-slides onboard, they come ready made and were lifted directly onto the ship by crane.
The new slides on the pool deck are the Cyclone and Typhoon racing waterslides and the SuperCell champagne bowl.
They brighten up the space that previously housed sunbeds.
But there are still places to relax with new cabanas and hot tubs being built overlooking the pool and the sea.
Allure's kids' club Adventure Ocean has been completely demolished, rebuilt and redecorated with a new larger layout that includes more soft play areas, room for art, science and technology workshops, and a hangout space for teens to play video games and watch films.
Allure of the Seas is due to return to service on 11 April when it sails from Barcelona for a four-night cruise.
Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer for Royal Caribbean International, said: 'From the new Icon and Utopia of the Seas to now the more than $100 million transformation of Allure of the Seas, we've upped the ante threefold on the different ways vacationers can get away and make memories with Royal Caribbean.
' Allure will be reimagined with the best of Royal Caribbean and what travellers love. Between new favourites, like the Pesky Parrot tiki bar, and experiences that unlock core memories time and time again, from an incredible pool deck to an unmatched combination of thrills and ways to chill, Allure will have even more of everything that makes it a standout favourite.'
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