Another great Eastern Caribbean cruise on Harmony!!

Item: Harmony of the Seas
Rating: 4.5
Author: mbr101358

Harmony of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

mbr101358

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 2

Helpful Votes: 26

Overall rating:

4.5 out of 5

7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: April 21, 2018

Ship: Harmony of the Seas

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 6664

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 2 years ago

Review summary

This was the first leg of our BTB and we had family with us, then we enjoy our recovery cruise on the second leg. It's always fun to watch new cruisers react to everything the Harmony has to offer. I enjoy cigars and I would like them to allow smoking on deck 16, right above the current location but in open air. We look forward to our next cruise on the Allure and we may squeeze in the Symphony this Dec. Love RCL!

Embarkation

5 out of 5

This was the first leg of our BTB cruise. The boarding process is very smooth and we were aboard within 15 minutes of arrival

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

We had dinner in the main dinning. I found the food quality to be less than previous cruises, although the other 7 family members thought it was good. Our wait staff was newly promoted to a head waiter and he struggled to stay on top of his game. Overall it was a good experience.

Solarium Bistro

5 out of 5

We love having breakfast and lunch here. The views are great and it never seems as hectic as the Windjammer.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

I spent most of my time pool side. However, other family members did every activity offered and they loved it. This is what I love about cruising, you can fill your day with activities or simply hang pool side.

Diamond Club

3 out of 5

We enjoyed the diamond club when it was deck 12. They have since crammed it in down on deck four. It's way too small and as a diamond plus member we rarely use it do to its size. The staff is always the best, it's just too small.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Central Park

5 out of 5

There's nothing like enjoying a glass of wine while listening to classical guitar music! CP is absolutely stunning at night!!

Center Ice Rink

5 out of 5

This is my wife's favorite show and it never disappoints!!

Service and Staff

4 out of 5

This would have been a five star except for the dining staff, it wasn't for lack of effort they were just in over their heads. Our room steward Edwin was exceptional. It was also cool reconnecting with him from a previous cruise. Mohamed was top notch in the Diamond lounge, it was also fun reconnecting with him from previous cruises. There's something special when you hear your name called out to be greeted from staff friends we have met over the years.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

We love Oasis class and we really love the Harmony, she's a beauty!! I'm an early morning person, and to see the amount of cleaning that goes on around the clock is amazing. Further more their attitudes are always upbeat and warm. Great job keeping the ship spotless!

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Ship tip

One of our favorite things to do is enjoy the sail away from deck 14, forward left. There's a great glass bottom deck that faces the condos as you leave the port, we find it the best location to enjoy the sail away!

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida

5 out of 5

We typically arrive a few days early and enjoy some pre-cruise fun. We usually stay at Pier 66, however the reviews have been poor due to renovations occurring from last years hurricane. We stayed at Embassy on 17th, it was a nice stay but the grounds were a little small compared to Pier 66. Ft Ldrdl is an easy town to get around!!

Thumbs Up 8

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

4 out of 5

One of our fav ports and they're doing an amazing job post Irma. We took a cab ride to Maho beach to catch the planes landing then hung out at the beach across from the ship. Very enjoyable day!!

Thumbs Up 11

San Juan, Puerto Rico

4 out of 5

We walked OSJ and had a leisure afternoon. Found a descent lunch spot and had an original Pina Colada from the original bar (Barrachina) it started in.

Thumbs Up 25

Labadee (Cruise Line Private Island)

5 out of 5

Labadee is our fav lazy beach port. Very easy to get around and the weather was fantastic!! Some people complain about the vendors, we've never had a problem and we look forward to returning.

Thumbs Up 8