Why Allure Works for Me

Oprah loves it. Need I say more?

I'm flying home from the inaugural cruise of Royal Caribbean's behemoth Allure of the Seas right now (Thank you Delta Wifi!). This was my first time on a cruise boat. When I boarded the ship, I had some preconceived prejudices against cruising. I was on the boat, I mean ship, for less than 48 hours. But during this 48 hours,  Royal Caribbean convinced me that the Allure would be a near-perfect home for an incentive trip of about 1200.

Some yuck factors I worried about:

• Obese, sweaty Americans hustling up to nonstop buffets comprised of bad sea food and Lucky Charms. 
• Scummy tile, deck coverings and carpet. 
• Tight spaces, sewer smell and uncomfortable beds. 

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Sometime during day 1:

"Connie, I just forgot I was on a boat!"

I'm sure it was annoying, but about every hour or so I made the Pronouncement.  I forgot several times that first day: dining on braised short rib at Chops Steak House, watching Blue Planet in the 1,300 person Amber Theater, and talking business with Pam in Dazzles Night Club. And then, the next morning the incongruity of an ice skating rink and casino at sea didn't matter any more.

On day two, I woke up around 7:00 a.m. to morning's first light streaming into my stateroom. I dozed until 8:30, and then walked out onto my balcony. I took of my shirt and leaned against the railing. The churned-up water next to the boat was, well, Caribbean blue, and a short distance off,  the rolling ocean turned a darker navy. We were at open sea, and I loved it. I had thoughts of visiting the library, and then spending a day or two on a deck chair discovering what that Stephenie Meyer is all about.

Business meetings and further touring forced me out at 10:00.

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Reasons to book the Allure as a meeting/incentive:

• Clients can pull out of a contract 6-months before an event and get 100% of their money back. 
• RC is anxious to help with marketing. We already have plans to have our owners create a promo video with the captain, crew, and staff of the Allure in June. 
• With 1,200 we can have venues exclusively for our group with custom branding and entertainment and use of our products. 
• RC will set up a custom Corporate Responsibility Service activity for our group at one of our ports of call. 
• Complimentary activities all day and all night long. 
• Guests can hustle up to the buffets or to one of the 20 or so restaurants as often as they'd like. 
• Gigantic spa and fitness center. (Complaint: why all the plastic plants?)
• The ship is clean, smells great, and there is plenty of space for all 7000 or so people on board to find as little or as much privacy as desired. 

Now I just have to convince everyone back at the office!