Barbie cruise: A world of pink on a voyage around the Caribbean

By
Sarah Gordon

PUBLISHED:

11:02 EST, 3 November 2013

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UPDATED:

11:02 EST, 3 November 2013

Her blonde curls bounce as she clip-clops along the corridor in her sparkling heels, and her pink dress – a waterfall of ruffles and frills – swishes around her.

No, this is not Barbie – this is six-year-old Tia, Barbie’s biggest fan.

Barbie Cruise

Think pink: Royal Caribbean’s Barbie Premium Cruise is a little girls’ dream

And she is wearing all her finery for the Barbie Teacups and Tiaras party.

I thought I was playing my part by wearing a candy-coloured floral dress, but I have been eclipsed by a gaggle of hyperactive girls aged five to 11, whose parents have paid extra so that they can enjoy the Barbie Premium Experience aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas.

Each one clutches a Barbie, carefully dressed in her own cruise wear – meaning that yes, even the dolls are better turned out than I am. And they have invited either mummy or daddy for afternoon tea.

Just ten minutes ago the girls were running all over the place, but now hostess Elira is instructing them on the required etiquette. ‘A Barbie girl always serves her guests first,’ she explains as she pours pink lemonade and places platters of gooey pink cakes in front of us.

This is the first activity on our Caribbean cruise, but it is not my first encounter with the ship’s signature colour. When I boarded this huge vessel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, I thought a blancmange had exploded inside my stateroom.

‘Barbie girls on board,’ warned a sign on the door. Inside, a satin pillowcase and cerise blanket adorned the bed, and a doll was placed on the sofa.

It was time to grab my Barbie beach bag and go exploring.

Barbie Cruise

In a Barbie world: The cruise covers just about every Barbie concept you can imagine

Allure is officially the biggest cruise ship in the world. Her 17 decks are a maze of different zones – one area looks like a beach resort, the Royal Parade is a cobbled street lined with boutiques, and Central Park is a lush oasis where cafes serve salads and fresh juices.

But my favourite place has to be the pool deck, where squealing children run in and out of fountains, learn to surf on a special simulator and even zip- line across the centre of the ship, while their parents watch from sun loungers.

Apart from the Barbie-fest, there are lots of other activities on offer, including events for dads and lads, and fascinating stop-offs, including Jamaica and Cozumel in Mexico.

But back with the Barbie gang, I am focused on the tea party, a cupcake workshop, a Barbie dress-design class and a fashion show to round off the week.

As it turns out, my services aren’t needed for the grand event on our last day – someone said something about my being too large for the outfits in the dressing-up box. I blame the pink cupcakes.