The largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas has finished an 18-day drydock revitalization just in time to begin her European cruise season.

The drydock refurbishment added some new features to the ship, including new restaurants.

• Izumi Hibachi & Sushi - Japanese cuisine and sushi
• Sabor Taqueria & Tequila Bar - Mexican dishes
• Coastal Kitchen - California inspired cuisine exclusively for suite guests

Royal Caribbean also added 10 new suites onboard Allure of the Seas. In total, there are two Royal Suites, six Grand Suites and two Royal Family Suites.

Also new for suite guests is a Suite Lounge, where suite guests can go to relax onboard the ship just for them.  There's also a new Sun Deck that gives suite guests a reserved spot to catch some rays.

For all guests, there will be new merchandise locations to checkout on, including Kate Spade New York and Michael Kors shops.  Over in Central Park, there's a new luxury timepiece shop, Regalia in the Park.

Through October 2015, Allure of the Seas will be homeported in Barcelona, Spain and offer cruises in the Mediterranean.  In November 2015, Allure of the Seas will return home to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to resume Caribbean cruises.

Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas will have its upcoming drydock session take place at Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain.

Cruise Industry News reports that the dry dock work will provide ship-repair, revitalization, upgrading and related marine services for Allure of the Seas, as well as other future work on the fleet.

Royal Caribbean first started working with Navantia back in 2011, when when Navantia won the bid to refurb Splendour of the Seas. Since then, the yard has worked on ships across Royal Caribbean’s brands.

The agreement runs through 2016 and includes the current drydocking of Explorer of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas this May, as well as other ships.

Tip of the hat to Cruise Industry News for getting the information first.

Based on some updates to Royal Caribbean's web site, it looks like guests can look forward to some exciting new changes to Allure of the Seas when she goes in for her scheduled drydock refurbishment later this year.

Among the changes coming to the ship, the Broadway musical Chicago will be replaced by Mamma Mia, the Broadway musical based on the music of ABBA.    Mamma Mia is also being shown on Quantum of the Seas currently but there's speculation the show will be removed from Quantum of the Seas when she goes to Asia.

In addition, the hit Mexican restaurant Sabor Taqueria & Tequila Bar will be added to Allure of the Seas as part of her preperations for Dynamic Dining.  A similar addition was made last year to sister ship Oasis of the Seas.

These and other changes are expected when Allure of the Seas goes in to drydock in April/May 2015.  

Royal Caribbean has delayed the introduction of Dynamic Dining to its two largest cruise ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

There's no new date when Dynamic Dining will be activitated, but Royal Caribbean did indicate it will occur "later this year".

In the meantime, both ships will continue to serve traditional dining experiences in the early and late dining seating.

Royal Caribbean had announced in August Dynamic Dining would expand to Oasis of the Seas and during a recent refurbishment, the ship's main dining room was re-arranged to create the Dynamic Dining restaurants.

Then in October, Allure of the Seas was included in the Dynamic Dining lot as well.

Dynamic Dining is the new twist on traditional cruise ship dining.  Instead of a main dining room with fixed dining times, smaller restaurants are spread all over the cruise ship to offer more choice in ambiance and cuisine.  Some restaurants will be complimentary while others will have a cover charge to dine there.

Hurricane Gonzalo has forced Royal Caribbean to change the itinerary of the largest cruise ship in the world, Allure of the Seas.

Allure of the Seas will modify its itinerary for its western Caribbean sailing.  She will now visit Falmouth, Jamaica on October 15 and Cozumel on October 17.

The storm has already forced Royal Caribbean to change the itinerary of Jewel of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas.

Forecasters expect the hurricane to strengthen from its current Category 1 status and move toward Bermuda later this week.

The largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, will be converted over to Dynamic Dining.

Dynamic Dining is the new twist on traditional cruise ship dining.  Instead of a main dining room with fixed dining times, smaller restaurants are spread all over the cruise ship to offer more choice in ambiance and cuisine.  Some restaurants will be complimentary while others will have a cover charge to dine there.

Earlier this year Royal Caribbean announced sister ship Oasis of the Seas would be converted to Dynamic Dining and it was widely speculated Allure of the Seas would follow suit. 

SEE DYNAMIC DINING CHANGES COMING TO OASIS OF THE SEAS

Royal Caribbean's web site is now reflecting the change coming to Allure of the Seas, although the content there appears to have been copy and pasted from the Oasis of the Seas description.

Allure of the Seas is scheduled to go into drydock in May 2015 and will then offer Mediterannean cruises from May 2015 to October 2015.

One of our blog readers, Danielle Perry, just returned from a week-long cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas and we have a photo report to share with all of you.

Enjoy!

We love timelapse videos and this great video was taken on Allure of the Seas by Ken Slusser that was shot from deck 10 port while the ship was departing Labadee.

There's a great fade to darkness while the Aqua Theater comes to life.  Enjoy!