40+ Things to Do on Allure of the Seas with Kids [2024]
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We recently took our first cruise with kids and it was such a fun adventure! We chose to try the Allure of the Seas by Royal Caribbean and everyone had a blast. I was very impressed with the number of things to do on the Allure of the Seas with kids, despite the weather being a bit chilly and windy.
We chose to try a 4-night cruise, stopping at Nassau, Bahamas, and Royal Caribbean’s private island Cococay (highlight of our trip by far!). Here are similar itineraries on the Allure of the Seas via Booking.com.
Allure of the Seas by Royal Caribbean
The Allure of the Seas is a 6,400-passenger capacity cruise ship in the Oasis class of the Royal Caribbean cruise line. The Oasis-class ships were Royal Caribbean International’s largest ships until the 2023 release of the Icon of the Seas and the introduction of the Icon class. This was our first cruise as a family and we put the ship to the test. With multiple days that were too chilly and windy for the pools, we were thrilled with everything to do on Allure of the Seas with kids.
As of 2024, the Allure has not been updated/refurbished yes. This makes it a bit less expensive than her sister ships in the Oasis class. This class is home to the Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and its newest ships, Wonder of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas.
While some people stay away from the Allure of the Seas with kids due to it not being refurbished yet, and lacking huge waterslides, like the Ultimate Abyss, that was a plus for us. Baby J would not have been tall enough for the water slides which would have been hard for him to accept.
Please note hours can vary for activities, but all information for your cruise and each day can be found in the Cruise Compass that is delivered each day to your stateroom. All information is also available via the Royal Caribbean app.
And here it is, my list of 40+ things to do on the Allure of the Seas with kids, organized by ship deck:
Deck 16
- Eat at Windjammer Marketplace. This sprawling buffet offers many kid-friendly options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Honestly, the variety here for kids was far better than the Main Dining Room and much more accessible. Instead of just a bowl of pasta (yes, this was a kids’ meal in the Main Dining Room), you can add fruits, vegetables, and protein to the pasta in the Windjammer.
- Ride the Flowrider Surf Simulator. Flowrider on the Allure of the Seas cruise offers the chance to try bodyboarding or even surfing, right on the boat! The Flowrider is included, or you can pay for private sessions. There is a height requirement of 52 inches to boogie board and 58 inches to stand up. Bleachers are offered to sit back and watch your kids give it a whirl.
Deck 15
- Dance Party on the pool deck
- Visit Challengers Arcade
- Try your hand at table tennis
- Play basketball at the Sports Courts. We noticed lots of teenagers gathering and playing each time we walked by, which looked fun for those older kids.
- Snack on nachos and tacos at the Wipeout Bar included in your cruise
- Play a round of mini golf at Allure Dunes miniature golf course. The course offers balls and golf clubs along with beautiful views, all for free.
- Attend the Sailaway party on the pool deck. The party has a DJ, line dancing, and a party atmosphere to kick off your cruise.
- Get a free soft-serve ice cream by the pool deck. They offer vanilla, chocolate, and vanilla/chocolate swirls on a cone.
- Zipline across the ship 9 decks above the Boardwalk, included in your cruise cost. There are height and weight requirements for the zipline. Riders must be at least 52 inches tall and weigh between 75 and 275 pounds, since my kids do not weigh enough, this was out for us on this trip.
Check Out the Pools
I have to give a huge shout-out to the lifeguards on our ship. They are paying attention and patrolling those pools the entire time they are open, whether there are 50 kids in the pool or zero.
On our trip, a lifeguard jumped in and rescued a kid that I did not even see go under and I was right there watching my kids. The child’s parent was nowhere to be found when she went under and he saved her life, then took her to find her parent.
All pools and hot tubs are found on deck 15 of the ship with many to choose from in varying depths and sizes.
- Kids’ pool
- Whirlpool
- Beach Pool
- Current Pool
- Main pool
- Sport pool
Deck 14
- Family art time at Imagination Studio at Adventure Ocean
- Family Science at the Adventure Ocean Science Lab
- Catch a family movie at Adventure Ocean Theater
- Check out Adventure Ocean Kid’s Club.
Adventure Ocean Kids’ Club
You can register your kids on the first day in person. The groups are divided by age, but not much information was offered as to what activities would be done. Additionally, the staff was not receptive to the safety and staffing questions I had at registration, which felt off.
I have heard mixed reviews on the Kid’s Club. We did try it because the kids wanted to and checked in multiple times while the kids were there. Baby J (age 5) loved it but Little A (age 8) was not a fan as she said it was boring.
Deck 8
- Stroll through Central Park. This open-air feature with living trees and plants is incredible, with there are live flowers and trees in the middle of the cruise ship!
Deck 7
- Rock Climbing Wall. Please note this is weather-dependent and you must be 6 years old to climb, no exceptions.
Boardwalk- Deck 6
- Stop by the Boardwalk Arcade
- Treat yourself at the Candy Shop
- Grab hot dogs at the Boardwalk Dog House
- Grab a souvenir at Pinwheels
- Splurge on ice cream sundaes at Cups & Scoops (costs extra)
- Check out the mini playscape near Aqua Theater and Seafood Shack
- Ride the Carousel. Open most of the day, this free carousel kept my kids busy for almost an hour one day riding over and over.
- Try the donuts in the morning at Boardwalk Donuts. Arrive early for the most options.
Deck 5
- Sing Family Karaoke at On Air
- Anchors Away Parade at the Royal Promenade-get there early for a good seat!
- Grab a slice of pizza at Sorrento’s and eat at their tables while people-watching on the Royal Promenade
- Have family photos taken. Photographers are located along with Royal Promenade each evening with various background options from iconic stair photos to backdrops. I highly recommend grabbing a family photo because why not? It’s free to have them taken and you may take a photo or two that you love and want to purchase. Of note, buy your photos before you leave the ship to ensure you are able to download them.
Deck 4
- Ice skating at Studio B. Reservations are required, along with long pants for skaters.
- Grab popcorn before the shows. For $2.50, you can buy popcorn before shows at the Amber Theater and Studio B. There is a little cart outside in the hallway and the kids got a huge kick out of this.
Decks 3, 4, and 5
Eat in the Main Dining Room. We chose the earlier time for kid-friendly dining. The kids liked the “fancy restaurant” vibes but the food was not the best and we were often waiting 30+ minutes for a bowl of kids’ pasta or dessert and had to leave early to catch a show almost 2 hours after dinner started.
I do think this is an anomaly, as we have loved eating in the Main Dining Room on cruises in the past. Plan accordingly as it takes a long time to eat in the Main Dining Room due to the number of people eating at the same time.
I would give the Main Dining Room another try in the future. On this particular trip, the food was better and fresher at the Windjammer.
Ship-Wide Activities
- Ride the glass elevators in the atrium. We tended to use the stairs due to the long lines for elevators, but if you get the chance to ride them I would recommend it. The kids loved seeing the decorations and were in awe of the all-glass elevators.
- Hide/find ducks. I believe this trend started on the Disney cruise ships and has now crossed to other cruise lines. People hide little toy ducks throughout the ship for others to find and take home. We did not see or hide any ducks on this trip, but maybe next time.
Attend the Shows
You must check out the shows if traveling on the Allure of the Seas with kids. Our kids are 8 and almost 6, and both loved the shows. Offered multiple times each evening, and sometimes during the day, show times accommodate the different dinner seatings.
Blades Ice Skating Show
This 45-minute ice skating show features former competitive ice skaters skating to fun music and offers plenty of laughs and incredible skating tricks. This was my husband’s favorite show and it was exciting and fun for the kids.
Mamma Mia
While there are adult undertones to the show, the kids missed them and loved the music. The show is 2.5 hours long. We stayed until intermission when the kids were ready to head out. Baby J is still singing Mamma Mia!
OceanArea at Aqua Theater
This show is incredible! It features divers, high divers, hand balancing, dance, trampoline athletes in amazing costumes, and even some laughs. Plan to go early in the cruise in case shows are canceled due to weather or rough seas, to allow time to reschedule, if needed.
Blue Planet
This fast-paced musical explores the Earth via the elements with incredible costumes and popular songs spanning multiple decades. If you look closely it’s the same cast as Mamma Mia so each runs for half of the cruise.
Glow in the Dark Puppet show at Adventure Ocean Theater
A great option for little kids.
Allure of the Seas with Kids
Overall, I think the Allure of the Seas is a great cruise ship for families. While it is not as big as the Icon of the Seas, and not refurbished, it offers many kid-friendly activities, even in less desirable weather.
I will be curious to see how the ship is updated after its scheduled refurbishment in 2025. I would cruise Royal Caribbean with the kids again, which I think we may need to do since the kids have been asking non-stop since we disembarked in February!
