Oceania Allura

Allura’s 600 staterooms and suites fall into seven categories. All feature either a queen-size Tranquility Bed that can be converted to two twins or a king-size Tranquility Bed that cannot (in the Owner’s, Vista and Oceania suites), as well as a separate sitting area and a spacious marble bathroom with a walk-in rainforest shower. The contemporary décor is timelessly elegant and features refined shades of ivory, taupe and gray, as well as leather headboards and subtly patterned fabrics and wallcoverings. There’s also a refrigerated mini-bar restocked daily with soda and complimentary still and sparkling water.

The smallest staterooms on Allura are the 240-square-foot French Veranda Staterooms, which are all located on deck 7 and are similar in layout to Verandah Staterooms but without a private outdoor balcony.

The majority (73 percent) of Allura’s staterooms are 291-square-foot Veranda Staterooms, which feature a private balcony with two chairs and a small table. The ship also has 291-square-foot Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms, which come with added perks such as unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace’s whirlpools and the private Concierge Lounge. 

The next level up is the 440-square-foot Penthouse Suite, which features a walk-in closet, a larger bathroom with dual vanities, and additional in-room dining options (guests can order from all four specialty restaurants, for example), plus butler service and access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace. 

Allura’s three top suite categories come with additional upgraded amenities and privileges:

The Oceania Suite (1,000 to 1,200 square feet) provides guests with a spacious living and dining area, a separate bedroom with a king-size bed, a marble bathroom with a generous shower and separate soaking tub, and a private study and guest bathroom. 

The Vista Suite (1,450 to 1,850 square feet) also features a spacious living room and dining room with a wraparound veranda, plus a king-bedded sleeping suite with a walk-in closet and an incredible shower with a sea view. 

The Owner’s Suite (2,200 to 2,400 square feet) is the top accommodation. Allura has three, all of which span the ship’s aft (on decks 8, 9, and 10). With the look and feel of a sophisticated penthouse apartment, they feature a sunlit foyer, two private terraces, a living and dining area with a private bar, and a bedroom suite with a king-size bed, wood-paneled walk-in closet, and opulent bathroom with a massive shower and freestanding soaking tub.

The ship, unlike Vista and the four oldest Oceania vessels, has no solo cabins, but discounted single supplements are offered on some sailings.

There are seven accessible staterooms on Allura. All are 291-square-foot Veranda Staterooms (six of them are Concierge Level Verandas with Aquamar Spa Terrace access and other privileges), located on decks 7, 8 and 9. They feature a wider entry door (although it is not automatic) as well as ample turning space for wheelchairs, a wider door leading to a bathroom with a zero-entry roll-in shower with a built-in shower seat, a lower-height sink and strategically placed grab bars. There’s also pull-down storage rods in the closet and a wheelchair ramp that allows access to the balcony.

It’s always a welcome amenity when all onboard restaurants are included in a ship’s cruise fare, and in the case of Allura, that means a choice of 11 complimentary dining venues. 

The largest is Allura’s Grand Dining Room, which has an extensive menu that changes nightly as well as an elaborate sea-day buffet Brunch once per cruise that features a staggering array of raw oysters, king crab legs, patés en croute, eggs Benedict, made-to-order omelets, carved meats, savory cheeses, and a dessert assortment that’s impossible resist.

Other anytime options are Terrace Café, which offers buffet selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Waves Grill, which serves casual breakfast and lunch favorites. Don’t miss Baristas and the Bakery, which specialize in coffees and freshly made pastries and quiches. The deck 14 space, with its panoramic windows and comfy seating, also features a new Creperie for crepes and ice cream, making it an inviting spot to read or converse while treating yourself to a sweet treat and ocean views.

A stellar addition to both Vista and Allura is Aquamar Kitchen, a health-focused poolside eatery featuring flavorful freshly made dishes for breakfast and lunch. Options include protein-centric bowls, avocado toast variations, smoothies, burgers and wraps. A great option is the compose-your-own salad, allowing guests to choose from a wide selection of ingredients and dressings to match their taste preferences.

Something else not to miss is the 12-inch thin-crust pies served at the new Pizzeria at Waves. They’re available from 6:30pm to 9:00pm and feature the perfect combination of crispy crust and melted cheese — with options that include a classic margherita, a flavorful veggie pie and assorted meat toppings — that make an ideal casual dinner after a hectic day ashore.

Reservations are required for Allura’s four specialty restaurants — Jacques, Red Ginger, Toscana and Polo Grill — which tend to book up quickly. 

Jacques is a must-try for anyone who craves classic French dishes — and these are created with the culinary finesse of its namesake, Chef Jacques Pepin, Oceania’s first Executive Culinary Director. Appetizers include a decadent Goat Cheese Soufflé, a sublime Lump Crab Salad and melt-in-your-mouth Poached Scallop Gnocchi, while entrees such as Lobster Thermador, Dover Sole, Duck with Grand Marnier Orange Sauce and Veal Medallion with Morel Sauce will leave little room for dessert — so just sit a while sipping more wine and then enjoy one.

Guest favorite, Red Ginger, has had its pan-Asian menu refreshed with 12 Nikkei dishes, which is a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines. Highlights include Avocado Lobster Salad, Spicy Duck & Watermelon Salad, Peruvian-style Beef Short Ribs, Soft Shell Crab Tempura Bao Buns and Yuzu Cheesecake. 

Allura’s two other specialty eateries are Toscana, which features Italian classics such as White Bean and Sweet Sausage Soup, Fried Calamari, Mushroom Risotto and Osso Buco alla Milanese, and Polo Grill, serving steakhouse favorites that include Blackened Crab Cake, Oysters Rockefeller, Surf & Turf and prime cuts of steak such as Filet Mignon and New York Strip.

While Allura may not have a dozen-plus bars and lounges like much larger megaships, the quality of its four main social spaces make each an enviable spot to enjoy a favorite wine, cocktail or distilled and aged spirit. These distinctive bars and lounges each provide a sophisticated backdrop for sipping, conversing, listening to music or dancing.

The largest and buzziest, located forward on deck 14, is Horizons, which features floor-to-ceiling windows offering 180-degree ocean views. The space has a circular bar with comfortable seating as well as an array of stylish furniture groupings surrounding a dance floor, where guests can show off their moves until well past midnight. 

The most central spot to socialize is Martinis, a chic bar located on deck 6 right off of the atrium. As its name suggests, this space specializes in martini cocktails and its extensive menu includes a Classic Collection as well as the Hollywood Collection, martinis inspired by the glory days of cinema such as the Monroe, the Sir Connery, the Lady Hepburn and the Sinatra. Guests can also order wine or other cocktail classics like an Old Fashioned or a Negroni.

But if a barrel-aged Negroni or unique craft cocktails made with smokers, vapor-infused bubbles or special syrups is your preferred libation, you can head to the nearby Founders Bar, a narrow space that is often standing room only, especially post-dinner. 

There’s plenty of seating in the adjacent Grand Lounge, a space infused with luminous tones of bronze, alabaster and onyx where the menu runs the gamut from more than two dozen wines by the glass and a good selection of international beers to classic cocktails, aperitifs, cordials, whiskies and tequilas.

During daytime, Happy Hour and evening on balmy nights, guests can also quench their thirst at the poolside Waves Bar, where wine, beer, margaritas, mojitos and colorful cocktails with names like Tropical Sunset and Raspberry Infusion are on the menu.

The ship’s main entertainment venue is Oceania Allura Lounge, where nightly themed shows, cabaret acts and performances by guest vocalists and musicians take place. Anyone expecting the Broadway-caliber theatrics of larger megaships, however, will likely find these offerings to be somewhat underwhelming. 

During daytime, the Lounge is also where guests can gather to enjoy Oceania’s enrichment program, which focuses on lectures and presentations by experts in the history, art, culture, architecture and geography of the region the ship is cruising.Other entertainment options in Allura’s bars are a string quartet, a piano player/singer and a house band specializing in current and retro pop and rock chart toppers. 

Spa-lovers can indulge in some serious pampering on Allura, where the Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center focuses on holistic wellness with a menu of innovative treatments that range from a Targeted Technology Facial and a Marine Detox Wrap to a Vital Bamboo Massage and a Zero Gravity Wellness Massage. Traditional Chinese acupuncture and personal training sessions are also available and the Vitality Center features the latest fitness equipment for individual workouts and free fitness classes. On the beauty front, there’s a Salon for haircuts, blowouts and manicure/pedicures.

Allura also has a Running Track and a Sports Deck, where activities include pickleball, paddle tennis, shuffleboard, bocce, croquet and a golf putting green.