We are real fans of the Royal Caribbean and will be back for our next sailing soon. Spend the extra money on a suite if you can afford it and the water view is wonderful. We were in an Aqua suite which was extra special because of the very large balcony.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
As a suites guest, we receive expedited onboarding which we love. This cruise we kicked off with a special meal at the Italian restaurant whereas last time was a couples massage. It is a great way to spend time while waiting on your cabin, especially when you forget to pack your day items in a carry-on bag so swimming is out!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The Coastal dining room food was equivalent to the Allure of the Seas main dining room from October 2017. We were told that RC is testing their new menu on the Harmony and would expand to their other ships. This means that the lower food quality we experienced in the Harmony MDR will become their new normal which is no good. We at at Chops which was ok but really no better than Coastal. We had lunch at the Italian restaurant and it was incredible. Mostly, we ate breakfast in Central Park at the cafe which was quick, peaceful and good.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
The Harmony was much quieter at night than the Allure with most retiring by 10 p.m. My guess is because the slides draw more families with young children. The adult pool was fun with daily contests. We also enjoyed the daily trivia and bingos. A bowling alley and indoor movie theatre might be a good future enhancement. There is always a lot to do on a Royal cruise.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The crew was excellent although in comparison to the Allure, I would give the Allure the win. Our waiter in the Coastal Kitchen was very special and we returned to him daily. Our room attendant did a good job of keeping us clean and of course left some great animals in his wake which we loved.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ship tip
We joined a Facebook group all sailing on the same date. As time passed, discussions began about us getting together for a bar crawl, a meet and great, Trivia, a night out, hitting a show together etc. It really added a huge value to our trip as we made a ton of new friends who still keep in touch. Whereever we went, we would see someone we knew. Great if you are a social kind of person!
The island is still in terrible shape after Hurricane Irma. The people's spirits shone brightly despite it all. I was happy to visit to help spend a bit and help the economy but so sad to see the devastation they must live in daily so a mixed emotion.
We took the bus tour of old and new San Juan plus a short jaunt outside the city areas. It was extremely interesting to hear their history and see the impact of the related stories. The cities themselves seem to have recovered very well to date but the outskirts have a lot of work remaining.
Really loved Labadee. We did the zip line and the jet skiis. As suite owners, we were shuttled to a private beach which was everything I had imagined of a Caribbean beach. The water was clear except where there is seaweed. We snorkeled and swam and ate and drank and most importantly, finally relaxed after 2 previous days at port. We prefer having a sea day intermixed with our port days so you can relax every other but this was not the case for our Harmony trip.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
