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Harmony of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
7 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: January 27, 2019
Ship: Harmony of the Seas
Cabin type: Oceanview
Traveled as: Singles/Friends
Reviewed: 5 years ago
Review summary
I would not do this cruise again primarily because it takes forever to get around the ship, it is mob scene central all the time, getting reservations for things not so easy, food only so-so. Destinations not interesting. The most important thing for me, however, is the fact that the internet service offered doesn't really work (and is very expensive) and communications to home by phone are virtually impossible. I felt like it was back to stone tablets and chisels. Be prepared to be nickel and dimed to death. I hate that gratuities are added to the final bill. If you want a certain amount of gratuity for the staff, build it into the fare or else allow travelers to decide on the gratuity they will leave. Charging $4 for even a glass of seltzer is terrible. Most of the cruise lines should adopt the Viking Cruise model of having many more items included. I most likely will not take a large cruise again. Lovely ship and excellent staff.Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Running Track
This is a "track" painted on hard concrete. I did roughly 5 miles on it one day and it took my shin splints and calf muscles 3 days to lose their soreness. Track should have a cushioned surface.
Port Shopping
Fun shopping. Good Haitian crafts at Labadee. Good T-shirts in Jamaica and Cozumel.
Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center
Aside from treadmills, ellipticals, weights and bicycles, any other equipment could only be utilized by paying for a class. Here we go again - nickel and dimed to death. I utilize TRX equipment routinely in my home workouts and could not use them on the ship.
Art Gallery
Good, but should be showcasing a wider range of affordable art works by up and coming artists.
Entertainment
Rock Climbing Wall
This is a dangerous venue and not well maintained. The hand holds are very slick due to an accumulation of Purell hand sanitizer and humidity. Many handholds are loose and turn. When I commented on this, I was told that they can't be tightened because the bolts are stripped. Hello? Even harnessed one can be injured by this and the attitude was that nothing could be done about it. With that the case, I abandoned my plan to ride the zip line. I would be suspect of the same lax attitude toward maintenance.
Arcade
It is very expensive when everything you play for only a minute or two costs $2. Some machines did not function.
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
Be prepared to enjoy a mob scene
Ports of call
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
Labadee (Cruise Line Private Island)
Disembarkation
5 Comments
nekocrouton 5 years ago