Overall, I highly recommend Harmony of the Seas if you are looking for a fun dynamic cruise! I would say that Royal Caribbean is the mid point between Carnival & Disney (which is more focused on children and less on the service) and the higher end cruise lines like Princess and Celebrity (which are very focused on service but might not have that many activities.)
Embarkation
5 out of 5
For a ship of this size (6000+ passengers), I was expecting massive lines and chaos. I was very impressed how organized and stress free the process was! From exiting the taxi to getting on the ship took maybe 15 minutes. The staff were well informed, friendly, and really made the process easy.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
In comparison to the other cruise experiences I had, the food/dining experience was about the same. The appetizers and entrees were good, but nothing extraordinary. However, this cruise really took desserts to the next level! I'm usually not a huge dessert person, but I found myself looking forward to the dessert menu every meal.
Windjammer Marketplace
3 out of 5
The buffet really didn't live up to the hype. The breakfast menu was the same day to day, and they lacked some basic breakfast items that other cruises have always offered. The veggies were overcooked (brownish string beans), and more variety would have be preferred.
The hand washing station before entering the buffet is a really nice touch.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Fitness center was way too small for a ship of this size. We went at 7AM one morning to find every machine taken.
The ultimate abyss was very underwhelming for all the hype around it. It really was just a dark slide down. Not sure why they didn't make the slide clear as it would make it so much more thrilling with the ocean right in front of your eyes as you drop down.
The rock climbing walls were a great workout and lots of fun. The water slides were great too!
Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center
1 out of 5
Why is the steam room and sauna not free like every other ship has it? If my 300 dollar cruise can offer that, why would a 2000 cruise make me pay an additional 200 bucks to use the sauna and steam rooms?
Entertainment
5 out of 5
If I had one thing to say about this trip, it would be how mind-blown I was by the quality of the shows and entertainment. Each and every show I went to was eye-opening and simply fantastic. From big productions like The Fine Line, the ice skating show, Columbus the Musical to smaller game shows like the marriage show and battle of the sexes, I can only say Harmony of the Seas knows how to do its entertainment. Shout out to Bobby and Jerry for the planning!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Royal Caribbean knows how to provide good service. With almost 8000 people on the ship, not a single staff member looked overwhelmed or stressed. There was always a smile, and you can tell that they genuinely enjoyed doing their jobs. Hearing about their stories and where they came from is always fascinating.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
To say the ship is stunning is an understatement. You gotta see it yourself!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Spacious room with ample closet space and drawers. The bathroom and shower was modern and spacious compared to previous ships I've been on.
Ship tip
Be ready to walk, the ship is big and elevators can take a while and will get very crowded. If you are only going a couple floors up or down, just take the stairs if you can.
Not much to do on this island besides buy drinks and sit on the beach. We did the Labadee Traditions tour which was a nice touch and the Dragon's Breath zip line. The zip line was fun with fantastic views, but charging almost $100 for 30 seconds of zip lining is a bit steep.
This was definitely my favorite port, but I took off one star for the ship docking further away from the mainland. Most of the excursions (Mayan ruins, cenotes, secret river) started on the mainland, which is about a 40 minute ferry ride away. Not entirely sure why the ship docks at Cozumel now, but it would have been much better if the time spent waiting and taking the ferry could have been eliminated. Many people also got super sea sick on the bumpy ferry ride.
Always a bit sad to leave the ship, but everything was super organized and smooth. We booked an excursion that took us to the airport, and that really made things super easy. We got off the ship, grabbed our bags, left everything on the coach bus as we enjoyed the Everglades, and then got dropped off right at the airport.
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