Royal Caribbean’s Newest and Largest Ship Sets Sail
By Steve Cosgrove
This was a quick cruise review of the Harmony of the Seas as it was a two-night inaugural sailing. First of all, the ship is huge. Massive, in fact. The other ships in port look tiny compared to this floating city. After a quick check-in, I made my way to my suite. Normally the rooms are not available until 1 pm but because I was in a suite I was allowed to drop my luggage, and I made my way to the Windjammer Café for lunch. In a word, WOW. This is one of the most extensive buffets I have ever seen, with a wide assortment of salads, burgers, pasta, shrimp, and steak. My favorite? The paella. Hands down. I have never seen such an intricate dish on the embarkation buffet. It actually rivals a good Las Vegas buffet. Downtown – not the strip.
Once I had my fill of the café and did some damage to the dessert cart, I was headed back to my room through the ship. Did I mention it was huge? I stopped off at the spa and made my reservation for a massage the following day since I have no plans to disembark in Nassau. I have seen it dozens of times, and I have priorities. I would also suggest making any alternative dining reservations at this point if you have not already. You can choose from Chops Steak House, Jamie’s Italian Restaurant (run by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver), Vintages for excellent wine tasting, the Park Cafe for snacks during the day and more. Most alternative dining is going to run you $40 or so per person, but the experience is similar to a $100+ meal back home. Got a birthday or anniversary to celebrate while on the cruise? Then take your pick and make reservations online before you board. These places will book up and have a waiting list if you wait too long.
One of my favorite areas was Central Park. It is a park Located in the center section of deck 8, and this is the area the inside balcony cabins overlook if they are not overlooking the back area where the Aqua show takes place by the rock climbing walls.
Central Park is loaded with plants. So many that the ship has a full-time landscaper on the ship to tend to them. I was astonished at the greenery on a ship – it was gorgeous. If you are planning on taking kids, this is the cruise ship for them, with two rock walls. The Adventure Ocean Club inhabits the first quarter of the ship, in fact. Adventure Ocean is included in your cruise fare. Kids fit into one of three groups here: Aquanauts (3 to 5 years old), Explorers (6-8) or Voyagers (9-11). All children must be fully potty-trained. Visit the club on the first day of your cruise to make sure your child is registered and to learn about all the facilities. All participants must be registered.
Aquanauts slide down the venue’s bright plastic slide, play group games and participate in face painting or story time. Explorers might take part in a pirate parade or play age-appropriate games on the ship’s Xboxes, while Voyagers participate in talent or sports contests, play board or Xbox games or simply chill and chat on beanbags or cushioned stools. Children in all groups can visit the Adventure Science area, where staff works with them on cool experiments. Alternatively, they can get creative in the Imagination Studio, stocked with arts and crafts supplies. A small theater is also available for all ages; here, kids — and their parents, if they choose to join — can watch movies, including those from DreamWorks, as well as puppet shows. Activities at Adventure Science, Imagination Studio and the theater are scheduled and organized; children will join group leaders to do experiments or spend time crafting.
Youth clubs are open all day when Harmony of the Seas is in port, allowing parents to drop off their children while they visit the city. Staff will take kids for lunch and dinner at the Windjammer Marketplace, where they can dine on kid favorites like pizza, chicken nuggets, hot dogs and fries. On sea days, parents are responsible for making sure their kids have meals; clubs close for lunch. On some evenings, staff will take kids to the Windjammer for dinner, but double-check; it’s not offered every evening.
Your kids can have breakfast with their favorite DreamWorks movie characters, like Shrek, Puss in Boots or Fiona, at the DreamWorks Character Breakfast, which takes place a couple of times during a weeklong cruise in the ship’s main dining room. Reservations are required. The breakfast costs $49 per cabin.
One final note: Caffeine addicts will be pleased to learn that there is, in fact, a Starbucks.