World's Largest Cruise Ships: Allure of the Seas in the Largest Cruise Ship of the World

World's Largest Cruise Ships: Allure of the Seas in the Largest Cruise Ship of the World

Taller than Nelson's Column, longer than four football grounds, owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International - MS Allure of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship. Together with her sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, she holds the record for the largest passenger ship ever constructed. The Allure is just 50 millimeters (2.0 in) longer than the Oasis, making her technically the largest despite the fact that both ships have identical superstructures.


MS Allure of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. Together with her sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, she holds the record for the largest passenger ship ever constructed, although Allure is 50 millimeters (2.0 in) longer than Oasis, making her technically the largest despite the fact that both ships have identical superstructures. Designed under the name "Project Genesis", she was ordered from Aker Finnyards in February 2006 and her construction began at the Perno shipyard in Turku, Finland, in February 2008. She was named in May 2008 after a contest was held to name her and her sister. The keel of Allure of the Seas was laid on 2 December 2008, shortly after the shipyard had been acquired by STX Europe.

Technical details

While the design length of Allure of the Seas is the same as that of her sister, 360 metres (1,181 ft), she is actually some 50 millimetres (2 in) longer than the Oasis of the Seas. According to the shipyard, this is not intentional and such small differences in length may occur simply due to the temperature of the steel in a ship as big as this. The gross tonnage of the Allure is 225,282 and her displacement — the actual weight of the ship — is equal to that of Oasis, which is estimated to be around 100,000 metric tons, slightly less than that of an American Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. Her steel hull alone weighs roughly 54,000 tons.

The ship features a two-deck dance hall, a theatre with 1,380 seats, an ice skating rink, 7 distinct "neighborhoods", and 25 dining options, including the first Starbucks coffee shop at sea. Many of the ship's interiors were extensively decorated by muralist Clarissa Parish.

Before beginning service from Port Everglades, Allure was fitted with an 80 kW solar array by BAM Energy Group which powers the shopping district. The system cost US$600,000 and covers an area of 2,000 m2 (21,530 sq ft). It uses Uni-Solar BIPV laminates designed to withstand foot traffic and marine conditions.