Hidden gems on a cruise ship are some of the highlights of making a good cruise vacation, a great cruise vacation. From the “hump cabins” on S-class Celebrity ships, to the Ben & Jerry’s “Sweet” on the Royal Caribbean Freedom class ships, to the “Volcano” dessert off the kids menu on Princess ships, to the many more secrets cruisers love to unearth when sailing a new ship. It’s like getting a third peanut in the shell, or having two chicken nuggets stuck together that count as one, or ordering a dozen anything and finding the elusive baker’s dozen. It feels like a bonus, and you won! You want to share your secrets, but at the same time, you kind of want to keep it to yourself so the secret stays just that.

The secret I discovered in preparation for our last cruise is one that I’m happy to share, and even though its public knowledge that it exists, people still don’t really know about it. I’m talking about the Prohibition Party aboard Allure of the Seas. Until very recently, it was only available on Allure, however, it does seem to be offered on Oasis now too.

The Prohibition Party is a great concept, and coincides with Chicago, the musical shown on board Allure of the Seas. The party is essentially a 20’s themed bash, held in an undisclosed location one night, complete with alcohol served in tea cups, and a hush hush attitude to make it more fun. You receive a special invite in your stateroom that a Mr. Gold is requesting your presence. That evening, guests line up and your group is personally greeted with a password request and you’re given a pin to recognize you as an honored guest. You’re then escorted through a back door into the club. The club is dimly lit, with drinks served “prohibition style” in tea cups, you know, just in case the party gets busted, you’re just drinking tea! Over the course of the evening, a band plays, guests are invited to dance, pictures are taken with the flapper girls, a horse race complete with gambling takes place, and a little skit is performed pretending to be worried about a bust. Most people get dressed up as best they can to look like they’re dressed for the era. The costumes add to the enjoyment for everyone. As we lined up waiting to enter the club, other guests looked at us questioningly, and perhaps even enviously.

We did look good, what with my all black suit, white tie, and white Panama hat. And we got into the evening, participating in the horse race, sipping interestingly named “teas”, and enjoying the Big Band era music. The night was available to be booked in advance through the cruise planner, and was also somewhat advertised onboard as an activity, but unless you understood what it was, most people probably didn’t even consider going. The ship limits the number of guests that may attend, so the night does feel exclusive, especially as we waited to enter. And it made for some fun photos and memories.

So in the spirit of the Prohibition Party, I implore you to find the cruising secrets that make you smile. What gets your excited? Do you want exclusivity? Bragging rights? A cool story? Whatever it is, find it. I’m sure it’s out there!