Harmony of the Seas
Posted on 01/28/2017The Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas is now available for you to book a seven-night cruise.
"It is the biggest ship out there right now," said Travels By Donna agent Cecilia, who went on a travel agents-only cruise with fellow agent Kathy in November.
It has 18 decks and weighs 226,000 tons. It has a passenger capacity of 5,200 and has a crew of almost 3,000.
Kathy and Cecilia were on the eighth deck, which had a balcony overlooking the inside arcade.
Because the ship is so big, getting lost would be very easy to do, Kathy said.
"They said it was full, but it's so big that it didn't seem crowded," Kathy said.
Cecilia said a great help are the interactive boards situated on each floor next to the elevators. The touch screen allows passengers to find their rooms, restaurants, public restrooms, spa areas, pools, anything.
Kathy did say once you book the cruise, she recommends that you make reservations for the shows. There are a couple of shows per night, so you'll have options for shows.
They saw "Grease" and "The Fine Line." Both loved "The Fine Line," which is sort of like Cirque du Soleil's "O," the water show.
Activities included a zip-line, simulated surfing, rock climbing walls, an ice skating rink, miniature golf, running track, a gym, four pools, three water slides and an outdoor movie theater.
So what did the two agents do?
"We did as much as we could, but we were only on the ship two days," Cecilia said.
Keep in mind that the Harmony of the Seas is doing seven night sailings only, out of Fort Lauderdale. It is a more expensive cruise option because it's new,
has the longer itinerary and lots of amenities.
Its two sister ships, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas also sail out of Florida -- Allure out of Fort Lauderdale and Oasis out of Cape Canaveral.
Is Harmony of the Seas a good option for those of you with children?
Cecilia says yes.
"100 percent," she said. "There are specialty rooms separated by age. There is something for every age from babies to teens."
What about older people?
There is an adults-only area with a cafe, which are quieter, she said.
Love to eat?
There are 20 dining options!
Some are not free, including Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Italian, Michael Schwartz's Michael's Genuine Pub, a Japanese teppan yaki, a steakhouse, Johnny Rocket's and Starbucks.
Cecilia said "there's a restaurant called Wonderland, as in 'Alice in Wonderland,' that is wonderful. The chefs create all these inventive dishes."
Naturally, there are the buffets, which she said are "wonderful; absolutely wonderful."
She said she has never seen East Indian cuisine offered on a cruise buffet before. There is also vegan fare on board. And she said the pizza was "killer."
Want to relax?
There are spas and a wellness center called the Vitality Spa where one can have facials, Botox treatments, take yoga and tai chi classes -- all for a fee, of course. There's even spa treatments for teens.
For some quiet time, look for the library, a room to play cards and various coffee shops.
Have a family member who uses a wheelchair?
Not to worry. Almost every part of the ship is accessible, Cecilia said, from rooms to hallways, dining areas and theaters.
So if you're ready to take a cruise on a brand-new, huge ship, give Kathy or Cecilia a call. They can book the cruise for you. And if you book in advance, they can set up a payment schedule for you.
Get ready to cruise!