I was so much looking forward to this cruise to celebrate 3 occasions that aligned on the same day for the first time in 60 years. My birthday, Easter, and the maiden voyage of the biggest ship in the world. Sadly I couldn't enjoy my first night in Barcelona and had to spend the whole first day in the hospital because of an accident, and we almost missed the cruise if not continuosly insisting to the nurses who don't speak English to get us a doctor and discharge us quickly. It was very frustrating and stressful but we finally made it to the port in the afternoon of the sailing day and I went straight to bed in my cabin after staying 2 days without sleep.
We missed exploring Barcelona, and although I'm grateful we didn't miss the cruise because of the accident, I left back home with a bittersweet taste and a longing to come back and and make it up. This is why I'm looking forward to the upcoming transatlantic cruise on Harmony.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Barcelona cruise port was descent, and because we arrived late it was almost empty and the check-in was very quick. I still wanted to try the online check-in through the app but it wasn't possible, which left me disappointed, especially after the effort in taking our pictures at home.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Like all Royal Caribbean ships, and Oasis class ships in particular, food options were plenty and more than we could ask for. Quality is excellent as usual.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Because it was still almost Winter we didn't spend much time outdoors, but I tried The Abyss and I almost flipped while sliding and could have hurt myself if not quickly stopping myself midway. I got stuck inside the slide and had to push myself forward to exit!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
This was the pre opening maiden voyage of Symphony of The Seas, yet all shows where running normally and we didn't miss a thing. We even got to see the Hairspray musical with Nick Weir and get a behind-the-scene look at how it was being made and rehearsed, yet still see the complete show.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
I don't recall seeing much kids on this cruise and not sure if children programs were running, but the ship does cater to them with plenty of activities.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The ship wasn't sailing at full capacity so it didn't feel crowded and the crew gave us more attention. Top class service always.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This was the maiden voyage so everything was brand new and clean. I remembered this quote from the movie Titanic: "I can still smell the fresh paint. The china had never been used. The sheets had never been slept in." This is exactly how Symphony was on this cruise!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I booked a balcony cabin for this cruise and was very much looking forward to it. It was the maiden voyage so everything was brand new and clean. The sheets were never used and the wood smelled fresh. Just like the Titanic!
Nice city, close to the port and very enjoyable to walk into. We were still reeling from the accident in Barcelona so that left a heavy toll on our time there.
We booked a Royal Caribbean excursion to go see the Vatican City, as the port was industrial and far from anything interesting. The Vatican was crowded as it was around the Easter week, but it's probably crowded all year. Just remember not to buy from bigger shops, you will find the same quality cheaper on the street.
Glad you enjoyed your cruise! Sorry you had an accident that added stress, but at least you had the perfect place to recover. Hopefully your next visit will start more smoothly.⛴
Thanks profile. I'm not a native English speaker myself, but where I came from English is one of the main and obligatory subjects student learn at school, so I expected all other foreign countries do the same. Looks like that's not the case.
Sorry to hear about your accident. Glad that you were still able to cruise. Not sure why you would expect people to speak English fluently in Spain. Just like they shouldn't expect people to speak Spanish in Canada. Found that comment odd.
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