Allure of the Seas hosts 'Puss in Boots' premiere

This item was written by Fran Golden, a cruise expert and Trip Coach for Budget Travel magazine. Golden is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.

Passengers on the 5,400-passenger Allure of the Seas this week got a special treat, a sneak peek at Dreamworks Animation's Puss in Boots in 3-D. A lucky few even caught glimpses of the animated movie's voiceover stars, Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, aboard the world's largest cruise ship.

Based on a popular character from the Shrek movies, Puss in Boots opens nationally on Oct. 28. But the Royal Caribbean ship hosted the official red carpet premiere before embarking from Fort Lauderdale on its current weeklong Caribbean sailing.

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The actors and other movie dignitaries – including costumed versions of Puss (Banderas) and co-star Kitty Softpaws (Hayek) – walked the carpet on the ship's top deck, past a bevvy of reporters and cameras and some screaming fans, and despite some rain.

"This is the greatest ship in the world, and we couldn't be any more excited to have the world premiere here," Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg told reporters.

On stage in the ship's main theater, Hayek said the fact the movie was debuting on a ship "was pretty funny since we are cats and normally don't like water."

The PG-rated movie depicts "the notorious fighter, lover and outlaw" Puss long before he met Shrek, setting off on an adventure with Kitty and mastermind Humpty Dumpty.

The stars, Katzenberg and the movie's director, Chris Miller, donned 3-D glasses like the rest of the audience for the premier, but departed Allure before the sailing.

The movie was being shown three times on the current Allure cruise, and will open on Allure, Liberty, Freedom and Oasis next week, the same day it opens in land-based theaters. The four ships are equipped with 3-D technology.

As part of Royal Caribbean's agreement with Dreamworks, Shrek, Fiona and other characters also regularly appear shipboard including in parades and shows.