Royal Caribbean International (RCI) Allure of the Seas joined her sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, last month at Port Everglades. Allure is more than 1,100 feet long, 215 feet wide and sixteen passenger decks high. The size of Allure may sound daunting but as she is also one of the most accessible ships, people with disabilities and slow walkers needing scooters and wheelchairs will have an easy time navigating around on Allure disabled cruises.
We toured Allure in November and had the opportunity to view first hand her accessible features. Allure offers 46 Royal Caribbean handicap rooms. The Allure disabled cruises’ staterooms include wider stateroom and bathroom doorways, five-foot turning radius areas, lowered closet rods, lowered safe, lowered vanity and open bed frames. The bathrooms in Royal Caribbean handicap rooms have a roll-in shower, grab bars, raised toilet, fold-down shower bench, hand-held shower head and lowered sink. Accessible staterooms are distributed throughout the decks, ensuring ample choices for location and category. Additionally, of the 46 accessible Royal Caribbean handicap rooms, 33 have balconies; eight with Central Park or Boardwalk views.
There are 24 dining and bar venues onboard Allure disabled cruises; all of them offer wheelchair seating. Boleros, the Latin-themed bar/club, also has a lower bar counter for people in wheelchairs to enjoy their specialty mojitos or caipirinas at the bar. Viewing space in lounges and theatres, including the ice rink, are configured for wheelchairs, as are playing tables in the Casino. The specially hand-crafted Carousel also has a ramp to enable passengers in wheelchairs to take a ride. The Miniature Golf Course, Basketball Court, Jogging Track, Video Arcade, Youth and Teen Center are all wheelchair accessible as well. As on every RCI vessel, at least one pool and one whirlpool have lifts.
Royal Caribbean offers early boarding and boarding and departure assistance for people with disabilities. Allure’s gangways are wide enough to accommodate most wheelchairs and scooters. Allure also offers an accessible route to the tendering platform.
On Allure disabled cruises, the staff effectively accommodates guests with physical challenges relating to hearing, vision, breathing problems and other limitations. Like all vessels in the Royal Caribbean International fleet, the Allure is outfitted for the visually impaired. Menus, daily activity schedules and ship directories are available in both Braille and large print. Braille signage, including stateroom numbers and elevator information is a standard RCI feature. Your fingertips can even identify which deck you are on via Braille deck numbers on the staircases. The ship provides a 4 x 4 relief box for companion animals.
State-of-the art, advanced technologies for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing are available in Royal Caribbean handicap rooms and public rooms. These features include portable room kits featuring a visual and tactile alert system for door knocking, telephone ringing alarm clock and smoke detector; amplified telephones; assistive listening systems in the Opal Theater and Studio B. If you are traveling with oxygen, the Allure welcomes all types onboard. The line requests that you alert the line in advance of the quantity and type, and the method of delivery.
As a preferred supplier for Royal Caribbean International, Special Needs Group is proud to help support the goal of a complete vacation experience for persons with disabilities. Royal Caribbean does not provide wheelchairs or scooters for their guests. To learn more about Allure disabled cruises and accessibility, call Royal Caribbean’s Accessibility Department at 866 592-7225 or email special_needs@rccl.com. For wheelchair rentals, scooter rentals or other special needs equipment rentals, contact Special Needs Group at (800) 513-4515.