Cruise Spotlight
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Allure of the Seas vs Dream
The Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas was built in 2010. It was renovated in 2025. Allure of the Seas underwent a $100 million renovation in 2025 where they added water slides, a dry slide, new restaurants, and bars. It's 1 year older than the Dream, which was built in 2011 and renovated in 2024. Disney Dream's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Deco styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Sorcerer Mickey painting the name on the stern.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Allure of the Seas is considered an extra large size ship. Coming in at 1,187 feet long and 215 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.3 football fields, as wide as 4.1 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 16-story building. Compared to the Disney Dream, the Allure of the Seas is 73% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
The Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas holds more than double the amount of people as the Dream based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Allure of the Seas has less space per person compared to the Dream.
The Allure of the Seas uses a neighborhood layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.
| Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Oasis | Dream |
| Gross Tonnage | 225,282 | 130,000 |
| Length | 1,187 | 1,115 |
| Beam/Width | 215 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 16 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,484 | 2,500 |
| Crew | 2,200 | 1,458 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.5 | 1.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 52 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Allure of the Seas has twenty-two different dining options like Dog House, Starbucks, and 150 Central Park. Of those options, fifteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other thirteen options have an additional fee.
The Dream has twelve fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Enchanted Garden, Palo, and Remy. six of these restaurants are complementary and the other four have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Allure of the Seas might be a better choice. It has more than double the amount of dining options than the Dream.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Dream might be a better choice then the Allure of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 22 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 15 | 6 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 13 | 4 |
| % of Included Options | 41% | 60% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Allure of the Seas and the Dream below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas has a total of 4 pools and 6 hot tubs.
Disney Dream has fewer pools than the Allure of the Seas and fewer hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Allure of the Seas.| Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Allure of the Seas, 82% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Dream, only 77% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Aquatheater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carousel | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✗ |
| Character experiences | ✗ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ice Skating | ✓ | ✗ |
| Laser Tag | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Movie Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thrill Slide | ✓ | ✗ |
| Virtual Sports Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water Coaster | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Zip Line | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Disney, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $6.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $12 - $36 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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