Review: Harmony of the Seas

Known as the world's biggest cruise ship, The Harmony of the Seas has a lot to offer for cruisers of all ages.  There are 3 water slides (The Perfect Storm), an ice skating rink, 2 rock walls, two flow riders, a 10 story dry slide (The Abyss!), 3 pools, a splash area for the little ones, a sports court, the adults-only Solarium, a zipline, broadway quality shows, live music everywhere, a HUGE spa and state-of-the-art fitness center, great shopping, fantastic specialty dining options, and...I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

The ship includes seven neighborhoods: peaceful outdoor space Central Park; bustling amusement park style Boardwalk; the Royal Promenade for shopping, dining, drinking and dancing; Entertainment Place, for comedy, jazz and production shows; Youth Place, for the kids; Vitality Sea Spa and Fitness Center, for working out and getting pampered; and Pool and Sports Zone, for playing, swimming and being active.  Sometimes you forget you're even on a ship, which can be a good or bad thing depending on one's preferences.  The neighborhood plan is designed to improve flow and reduce traffic, and it does for the most part.  With almost 6,000 othee cruises on the ship you are bound to run into a crowd here and there.  ​

The variety on this ship is astounding.  There are all kinds of activities going on all day, and tons of different food & drink options are available.  You can grab a hot dog and a beer on the boardwalk, hit the buffet in Windjammer, or sit down to a nice meal in the main dining room(s) or at a high end specialty restaurant.  Oh, and STARBUCKS!  Everything I ate on board was very good, and I am not usually a big fan of the food on Royal Caribbean.

I feel I need to point out the negatives, so I'm going to get picky here.  I love that there are 2 closet spaces (one on each side of the bed) but the hangers in them tend to rock back and forth and make noise.  Since they're right next to the bed, that can be annoying.  Speaking of the bed, holy moly was mine hard as a rock.  I like a firm bed but this was extreme.  I also would like to see a better beer selection on board, and if you are going to call Sabor a tequila bar, there should be a variety of tequila.  And in the sports bar, On Air, it seems like the 14 television screens should be showing a variety of games.  I'm not a sports fan, but my travel companions were very dismayed by this.


Having mentioned those few things, I would absolutely sail on this ship again, and with excitement.  This ship is perfect for families, and especially a family reunion.  There is something for everyone.  As a couple with no children, I would likely book while school is in session and hang out in the Solarium and Central Park a lot.  


Please let me know if you have any questions!