If you are looking for true five-star comforts (real luxury), you have to expect to spend about $800 to $1000 per day per person, and you will not find that on any Royal Caribbean ship except in some of the most expensive suites. This is a big, albeit mass-market, ship. For true five-star comfort, you want to be looking at Regent Seven Seas, Oceania, Silversea, and the like. And these are all smaller, non-family-oriented ships.

I once sailed Royal Caribbean and while it was nice, it was not 5 star. Celebrity and HAL are better but also not 5 star.
most luxury cruises are not going to delight in kids. In July, I think I would think Europe, not the steamy Caribbean.

If you are set on true 5* accommodations then RCI is not what ypou want. It will be comfortable and this particular ship and its sister ship the Allure are earning rave ratings for design features. Your kids will probably be blown away by the size and spectacle of this ship however, maybe you as well. It will be warm then in the Caribbean and likely will have a fair number of kids as this is summer vacation time.

I haven't been on this ship so I can't say fir sure about lines or crowds. Bear in mind its a huge ship with capacity for about 4-5 K passengers. However usually these ships are pretty well designed to minimize crowding and lines.

If you want comfortable accommodations and the glitz and glamour of this mega ship then go for it. However if you want a true 5* experience with more refinement then do as Doug suggests.

Have fun. Larry

The Allure & the Oassis each holds 5,400+ passenegers but crew (2,500?). Ship is hugh and won't be crowded inside but embark & disembark will have line ups regardless, unless you are elite or suites.

Ship also features zip lines on the attrium, fake cricket sound piped in at the "Central Park". A Merry-go-round, and the water show are all unique RCL Oassis/Allure features.

5 stars is a very generic term. Some people are starting to use 6 stars to signify "true" luxury. Can I see 7 stars or 8 stars in the horizon?

Some may think Starwood & Hilton as being 5 stras. Others may consider Four Seasons & Ritz Carlton as 5 stars. Yet others may think those hotels are just normal run of the mill and nothing special.

I have heard people rating the NCL ships 5 stars. I certainly wouldn't. Not carnival, not RCL, and definietly mone of the mass market ships.

So, unless we knew what the original poster's definition of 5 stars, it's a bit tough to make suggestions because it would be based on our own interpretation of what 5 stars should be.

Meals on most cruise ships are fine but I wouldn't call them 5 stars either (maybe 2 or 3 stars?) But all of us have seen many poople had rated the food on crusie shisp as 5 stars.

That's my soap box rant for the day.

Wow! After all that I'm seeing stars.

For you, Larry, Sue is always rated at 5+ stars!
And I'll give you 5 stars any day