Entertainment on the Allure of the Seas

Years ago, there was just one nightly entertainment option on a cruise ship: you would either eat dinner and see your show in the main theater afterwards, or see the show first and eat dinner later.  These days, there is so much more flexibility in dining…and now on most of the newer mega-ships, there is now flexibility in your entertainment as well.

On my recent Allure of the Seas cruise, numerous shows were offered in multiple venues at all different times: the theater, the ice rink studio, the Royal Promenade, and most uniquely, the Aqua Theater.  The variety was also diverse, from Broadway-style productions, to acrobatic feats, to Dreamworks-influenced (and kid-friendly) shows, adult-only comedy acts, and more.

The only “drawback” is that you have to do some advance planning and make reservations for some shows ahead of time (but no additional costs are involved!).  For example, on our cruise, the Broadway musical Chicago was offered on 3 different nights, and we had to choose a night that worked around our dining, other shows we wanted to see, and the hours that our children were in Adventure Ocean or the Nursery.  And since we only booked our cruise a few weeks prior to the actual sailing, most of the shows showed up as full when we accessed our pre-cruise planner online.

But we shouldn’t have worried!  We found that we were easily able to get reservations to all the shows we wanted, at the times we wanted, once we were onboard.  And it turns out, having the shows pre-reserved worked out just fine, and prevented overly large crowds.  Can you imagine if all 6000 people onboard showed up to watch Chicago on the same night?!  (Note: you can still just show up to a show time if you'd like.  Reservations are released 15 minutes prior to showtime, and stand-by folks are admitted on a space-available basis.)

So without further ado, I’d like to highlight some of the shows we saw during our sailing.  Unfortunately, there were a few we just never made it to, because we were busy having fun in other parts of the ship!

OceanAria – we opted to see this show on the first night of the cruise.  It’s held outdoors in the AquaTheater.  We brought all 4 kids to the show with us, even though the showtime was 9pm.  (We find that the first night is usually best for staying up late, thanks to the adrenaline burst of being in a new and fun environment!)  Seating in the front few rows is considered the "splash zone", but we were lucky enough to be a few rows behind that.  Towels are provided, just in case!

---

The AquaTheater is an amphitheater found at the end of the Boardwalk neighborhood, at the aft of the ship.  It features the deepest pool at sea (almost 18 feet!); not only is it the deepest, but the floor of the pool can be raised and lowered, allowing for amazing stunts by high divers, followed almost immediately by acrobats showing their stuff in ankle-deep water.  (During the day, the AquaTheater pool may be open for swimming, or covered by a stage for other shows.)

---

The performance consisted of aerial and acrobatic stunts, synchronized swimming, divers, and more, all set to a musical score.  It even kept the attention of our 2 year old for the entire 45 minute show.  The entire family rated this a “must-see” for the Allure!

Chicago – this is the same Broadway musical that you’ve probably heard of (or at least seen the movie with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger).  Somehow, I’d never seen this show or movie (even though I like Broadway musicals!).  We really loved this performance – the singing and dancing were really top-notch, and we've been singing the songs ever since.  If you like Broadway musicals, then this is a “must-see” as well!  

Note: due to some of the content, it’s only recommended for guests over the age of 13.  However, our 10 year old is a musical theater and singing fanatic, and she really wanted to see it as well.  Most of the inappropriate content went over her head…but she REALLY enjoyed the show overall, stating it was one of her favorite parts of the whole cruise experience!  

---

Comedy Live – this comedy show is offered 2-3 times per night for every night of the cruise.  But you only need to reserve it once: it is the same comedians and same show every time.  (Since the venue is very small and intimate, there needs to be several offerings in order to accommodate everyone!)  Note that the show is only appropriate for adults, and no one under 18 is admitted.  For us, it was the perfect excuse for a “date night” without the kids, and it provided some good laughter as well.  Another thumbs-up!

---

Blue Planet – this fits into the category of cruise ship/variety/singing/acrobatic show…but taken up a few notches.  The musical selections are varied, ranging from soothing instrumental backgrounds for a cirque-du-soleil-ish aerial performance to a high-energy trampoline and acrobatic number set to a Red Hot Chili Peppers song.  It was definitely unique, and got a thumbs up from both our 3 year old and our 10 year old!

We had reservations for the “Ice Games!” ice show, as well as the Headliner Show (The Unexpected Boys: a musical tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons), but we just couldn’t break away from other onboard fun to make it to see them!  However, we were able to see the How to Train Your Dragon Family Ice Show (no reservations required), which the whole family enjoyed.  I don't think it's necessary to have seen the Dreamworks film, "How to Train Your Dragon", because the set, costumes, and ice stunts are entertaining in themselves.  However, our family happens to really enjoy that movie; in fact, we were able to see the film in 3D in the theater earlier in the cruise!

Other shows included: a variety of 3D movies, The Love & Marriage Game Show, Outdoor Movies in the AquaTheater, Move It! Move It! Dreamworks parade, and Let You Entertain Me! Aqua Show.  In addition to all of these “shows”, there were also nightly music venues for Jazz, Latin music, Rock n Roll, Dance music, a piano bar, and of course, Karaoke.  There were even family-friendly versions of these venues at earlier hours: Family Karaoke, Family Dance Party, you get the idea.  Combine this with an 18,000 square foot casino and multiple bars and lounges, and there's plenty to keep you having fun all night!  

There's certainly no shortage of entertainment available on the Allure of the Seas; your only trouble will be finding the time to do it all!