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Item: Symphony of the Seas
Rating: 4.4
Author: Delmaria

Symphony of the Seas Cruise Review to Transatlantic

Delmaria

Contributor Level: Second Mate

16 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Reviews: 3

Helpful Votes: 58

Overall rating:

4.4 out of 5

14 Night Spanish Transatlantic - Westbound (Barcelona To Ft. Lauderdale)

Sail date: October 29, 2023

Ship: Symphony of the Seas

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 8164

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 2 months ago

Review summary

On the first night, a person went overboard. The staff was able to find him. Amen. I enjoyed myself on this cruise. I met so many people, including the staff. All the staff was wonderful, and I enjoyed talking to them and getting to know them.

Embarkation

2 out of 5

Embarkation was bad. And it’s a long story. In the end, the issue was resolved, and I was able to get on the ship 1 ½ hours after my check-in time. I did contact Royal after the cruise and the issue was addressed and the problem should be resolved for my upcoming cruise. I do like the Port of Barcelona; the gift shop is great for buying little things you need for your cruise that you did not want to pack.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

I had the drink package and the drinks were good. Their signature, Frozen Mudslide, is always one of the best drinks on the ship. The Cozumel Sunrise is also good. The food during the first week was Royal’s standard food. The 2nd week they tested a new menu in the MDR, some were good, some not so good. But overall, the food was good.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

I did not do a lot of onboard activities on this sailing because I was sailing on the cruise after the TA. I did trivia several times and played miniature with a professional miniature Golf player.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

I saw the Love and Marriage Game, The Crazy Quest Game, Balloon Drop, Dancing with the Stripes, (my friend one) and I saw one of the comedians. The 70’s and 80’s parties were a lot of fun. Hiro, the aqua show was amazing! I saw it several times.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Staff at Playmakers and Johnny Rockets: The staff of Johnny Rockets are great! They were kind, polite, and very helpful. Unfortunately, I didn't get their names. One of the staff members saw me on the ship and asked me to come back and have breakfast and I did. I wish I could remember his name. I enjoyed watching them dance for us many times. Waiters: Benzley and Jiawei did a great job with us. (I was at a table of 10 solo cruisers). Anything we asked for or needed they delivered. Both were committed to great service and were friendly. Sibo was not one of my waiters on either cruise, but I saw her every day on the crossing when I entered and left the dining room. I would stop and speak with her. Every day I looked forward to speaking to her when I entered and exited the dining room. She always had a smile on her face and she was very welcoming. The more I spoke with her the more I felt like she was family. I only saw her once on the Caribbean cruise, she was in Park Avenue. As I said bye to the different crew members, I was unable to say bye to her as I did not see her again. :( Stateroom attendant: Julius is the best stateroom attendant I have had on all my cruises. He was attentive and did an excellent job at cleaning my room. I needed a different chair for the balcony and when I mentioned it to him, he told me ‘No problem’ and the next day the chair was switched. He was friendly, helpful, and just an all-around nice person. I wish him well on the Icron of the Seas. Next Cruise Desk Kristen and Christopher - A big thank you for their patience as I was booking cruises and had many questions. Always pilot, helpful, and friendly. The staff at the Playmakers were above and beyond great.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

The ship design is like the other Oasis Class ship designs. If you have been on one then going on another should be easy to navigate.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

My cabin was good. At first, I wasn’t sure about having my bed close to the door and not by the window, but after this cruise, I loved this setup. It’s easier for me to get ready. The room was always cleaned. I chose the late cleaning,, and it was nice to walk into a clean room when I returned to my room in the wee hours of the morning.

Ship tip

I was solo on this cruise and met up with a lot of solo cruisers. We did a lot activities together and now we are planning a reunion cruise for next year. If you are going solo, you are never alone unless you choose to be. The ship is fun with a lot to do.

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