Harmony of the seas just had so much diversity of things to do, with incredible entertainment and food. This is a perfect ship for a family, and it’s hard to imagine not having a great time.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Embarkation was definitely very busy. It took at least half an hour for the Uber driver to reach the terminal upon arriving in the port of Miami. We also had to wait for a while inside the terminal before we boarded. Overall, it was a smooth experience, just crowded.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The specialty options on Oasis class ships are always incredible. We tried them all, from the incredible fried cheesecake at 150 Central Park, to the weird whimsy of Wonderland. All of the specialty dining was very good.
We did also spend one meal in the main dining room, and our entire party of 6 felt very underwhelmed.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
This was the first ship I’d been on that had water slides, and I rode each of them probably a dozen times. It’s hard to match the amount and quality of onboard activities as an oasis class ship has. I do not think it’s possible to be bored on Harmony of the Seas.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
In my opinion, the oasis class ships biggest strength is the sheer number and uniqueness of the venues on board. For entertainment alone, there’s the royal theater which housed the wonderfully performed Grease, and the fun show Columbus; the aquatheater which had both the Fine Line and Hideaway Heist; Studio B, which had both iSkate and 1887; and The Attic, a small comedy club. The diversity of entertainment onboard is unmatched, and all of it was top notch. I love when cruise ships have full Broadway productions and Harmony didn’t disappoint in any of their productions. If you love performing arts, you will love Harmony of the Seas.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
The service and staff were incredible. My problem is not with the individuals, but with the company’s penny pinching. Royal is doing better than they’ve ever been before and they’re still trying to cut more corners. Specifically they reduced turndown service from twice a day to once a day so they could reduce staff and assign more staterooms to an attendant. When you’re traveling with a party of six, having twice daily turndown is actually really important. It means you have a usable couch during the day. It means when your couch is tucked away you actually have room to move around your cabin. The cost cutting Royal has been doing lately really bothers me, and this one example bothered all of us every single day.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
I adore the design of oasis class ships. The ship seemed well maintained, and very clean. My only complaints with the changes made to Harmony are the removal of the pool in the solarium, the removal of the fountain under the rising tide bar, and the removal of the horse sculpting figures outside the carousel. Getting rid of all three of these just felt like objective regressions compared to allure, and just done to save a bit of money. Fortunately, it seems like they have walked back these decisions on later oasis class ships.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I thought this was such a cool cabin. I loved the uniqueness of it being an interior facing window room. I loved having a little sitting area by the window, and felt it was the same size as the balcony I’d had on allure.
I thought the design was very modern and a much needed refresh over Allure. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay in this cabin again.
Ship tip
Don’t panic about doing everything. There’s a lot. But you’re on vacation. Don’t forget to let yourself enjoy the cruise and relax.
We did a powerboat around the island that stopped at snorkeling spots, and finally a beautiful beach. St Maarten was very stunning, and the water was so perfectly blue.
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