Sunday, March 31, 2024

Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas: Overview and What to Do

harmony cruise ship

Follows the complete list of Harmony of the Seas lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults. The boat has 17 decks, of which 16 are passenger-accessible and 12 with cabins. Following an initial series of Mediterranean Sea itineraries, the ship was repositioned to Fort Lauderdale for 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean roundtrip itineraries. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience.

harmony cruise ship

Specifications of American Harmony

A barbecue feast awaited us, along with beach loungers, steel-drum entertainment, and all the paddles and water toys from the ship. Later, we wandered down the beach to find a young yacht crowd, groups of friends who have rented their boats, all knee-deep in their mojitos. The Love and Harmony Cruise was developed for persons to enjoy the Caribbean culture, food, Jamaica’s ‘80s and ‘90s music and sporting activities which take place on the Norwegian Pearl ship.

How much does it cost to go on Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas?

In general, specialty dining offers food and cooking styles not available elsewhere on the ship for guests that choose to indulge in them. A complimentary restaurant is included with your cruise fare and you pay nothing extra to eat there. You may enjoy as much food as you like from these locations, and no limit on how many times you can visit. There is at least one complimentary option open at anytime during the day or night, with often quite a number of great choices. A common concern of new cruisers is the fear of a ship of this size feeling and/or getting crowded. While it might seem like a ship that has over five thousand passengers is bound to be consistently crowded, the reality is it rarely gets to a point like that.

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He previously has served as Captain on the Royal Caribbean ships Nordic Prince (currently MV Ocean Star Pacific), Sun Viking (aka SS Oriental Dragon), Sovereign, Monarch, Splendour, Voyager, Explorer, Adventure, Navigator and Mariner. Harmony OTS is Royal Caribbean's 3rd Oasis-class liner - with sisterships Symphony, Wonder, Oasis and Allure. Still, Harmony is "the biggest of them all", being just 2,15 m (7 ft) longer. Royal Caribbean planned Harmony's cost per berth to be lower compared to Allure and Oasis. The following dining venues are complimentary - Park Cafe, Windjammer Marketplace (buffet), Main Dining Room, Solarium Bistro, Cafe Promenade, Sorrento's Pizza, Boardwalk Dog House, Mini Bites, Coastal Kitchen (for suite passengers only).

Bars and Lounges

On October 11, 2018, vessel's lower bow (hull section) was moved/wheeled out from Fabrication Building No.4 to shipyard's Assembly Launchways. Vessel's launch (float-out) was on November 20, 2018, and 4 weeks ahead of schedule. After the float-out, the boat was berthed in shipyard’s East Outfitting Basin to receive its upper deck blocks and outfitting. On June 7, 2019, the vessel under its own power moved to the outfitting pier for final touches.

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Back on board, the creature comforts of the Sakara included plenty of outdoor space to connect with the ocean, a small infinity pool, a full-service spa and a large, elegant dining room and terrace. The Norwegian Pearl started sailing on April 13 to explore the waters of the Caribbean Sea for the 2024 iteration of the Love and Harmony Cruise. The musical experience upon the sea is booked out a year in advance and will have on board over 2,300 fans of reggae, dancehall, and soca. All ACL cruise ships are US-flagged and built by the company-owned Chesapeake Shipbuilding Yard in Salisbury (Maryland USA).

All accommodations are Balcony cabins, with floor-ceiling sliding doors opening onto a private step-out veranda. The ship's first drydock was a month-long project (April 2021) at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz Spain. The docking was for routine maintenance works (done to cruise ships usually every 5 years) to keep them properly maintained. Harmony OTS's 2021 drydock included mainly technical works (propellers, fin stabilizers, bottom valves, hull painting) and classification inspection. The new Harmony of the Seas ship is a novelty mixture of Oasis-class deck layout and Quantum-class innovations.

There is usually ample opportunity to experience these signature activities once or many times. The shows headline the great entertainment on Harmony of the Seas, which have a Las Vegas feel to them. The shows are included in your cruise fare and there different shows to cater to many tastes. You will find Broadway shows, ice skating, water shows and a whole lot more offered onboard. Among the largest and most celebrated cruise ships in the world, Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas is one of the best known cruise ship in the world.

The main theater has their Broadway Musical “Grease” performing on three different days. The Headliner performers were a comedian, a musician and a magician. Owner’s suites offer outdoor and indoor dining areas, a dry bar, living area, master bedroom and other luxury spaces. As the name suggests, royal family suites are big enough for the entire family, with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, large balconies, dining areas and more. The presidential family suites are even bigger, at nearly double the size and with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Interior staterooms are more stylish and roomy than what you might find on other, older ships.

While masks are optional for passengers onboard, the crew is still required to wear them, even the lifeguards at the pool. Slowly but surely things are returning to “normal,” which is wonderful to see. I was curious to see not only what’s different since then, but how cruising has progressed since my last sailing just two months ago. For reference sake, I’m writing this blog on day three of a seven night sailing. Grand suites offer extra space, including large balconies, living areas and large bathrooms with tubs and double vanities. Fun fact is that this RCI ship has a namesake - the 2011-launched "COSCO Harmony".

Your guide to knowing what is going on and when is the Cruise Compass. Every Royal Caribbean ship offers a daily Cruise Compass, which is part newspaper and part TV Guide. It documents everything happening during that day, and it is a must-read for any guest onboard.

The cruise line did not want guests getting lost onboard, so they put a lot of effort in making these behemoths surprisingly easy to get around. Their goal was to avoid Harmony of the Seas earning a reputation of being super big and super crowded. The dress code on the Harmony of the Seas is casual for the most part. During the day, anything goes, though cover-ups or shirts and shoes are required for indoor dining -- and indoor spaces, in general. The dinner dress code calls for "Resort casual," which for women means dresses or skirts, capris or slacks and blouses. For men, khakis or dress pants paired with button-down or collared shirts work.

Royal Caribbean wanted to wow its guest with the breadth of activities on Harmony of the Seas, which include some options that are exclusive to Royal Caribbean. Guests will find plenty of traditional cruise activities on Harmony of the Seas, such as trivia, bingo, enrichment classes and more. Most activities are complimentary to enjoy, but a few do carry an extra cost to them. Our recommendation for quickly knowing the layout of the ship is to walk around and explore Harmony of the Seas as early in the cruise as you can. There is a lot to see and do on Harmony of the Seas, and walking around the ship will quickly provide a good understanding of where things are relative to each other, plus there is a lot of great things to discover.

Later in the week, the aqua theater will host the 70’s Disco Inferno dance party. The updated mask policy read that masks are optional for vaccinated guests onboard and also in the terminal, unless required by local regulation. There’s nothing keeping you from sticking to all your fitness goals while you’re on a Harmony of the Seas cruise. This ship has a fully outfitted fitness center that’s stacked with all the latest fitness tech. Before the casino opens, attend a class with the professional dealers and learn, step by step, how to play some of the casino’s most popular games, including blackjack, roulette, three card poker, Texas Hold ‘Em and dice. The Vitality Spa provides spa treatments that include all your favorites, like massages, wraps and facials.

Formalwear options for women include evening gowns, cocktail dresses or fancy blouses with slacks. Men generally go with dress shirts, ties, jackets and slacks, full suits or even tuxedos. Carnival Corporation rerouted itineraries for 12 ships across seven brands for voyages scheduled to sail through the Red Sea through May. Instead of sailing through the Suez Canal, Anthem of the Seas will sail without any passengers around Africa. A rise of attacks since October 2023 on commercial ships in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden by the Houthis has greatly impacted tourism in the area.

Harmony of the Seas: What it's like onboard right now

harmony cruise ship

When going up to the pools, be sure to stop by the towel station to pick up as many towels you may need during your time there. Complimentary pool towels are provided for guests near the main pool and can be returned when convenient. It is important to know that if you sail on an Oasis Class ship, you can pre-book entertainment via the Cruise Planner site.

Decks and Cabins

harmony cruise ship

Harmony has bigger cabins than Allure and Oasis in some categories, and windowless interior cabins outfitted with Virtual Balconies, offering a real-time view of the outdoors (first debuted in 2014 on Navigator of the Seas). Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. ACL's American Harmony ship has 6 passenger decks (accessible via two elevators) and a total of 102 staterooms.

Itineraries

harmony cruise ship

In mid-July 2019, the new riverboat successfully passed sea trials and received USCG Certification. The inaugural cruise (8-day maiden voyage) is scheduled for August 17 out of New Orleans (roundtrip Mississippi itinerary). Harmony of the Seas can feel like a floating city with all the activities onboard. The ship bustles with planned events, swimming pools, sports, shows and plenty more.

Sails To

Watch a hyperlapse tour of the world's largest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, now sailing out of Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale. Even though it’s only been three days, the cruise has been fantastic. Besides the Chops breakfast that wasn’t up to par, everything else has been outstanding. (In Chops defense, we had lunch there today and the food and service was great). We have been lucky enough to find two of our favorite bar staff from previous ships.

Pools

A few clicks later and you should be able to reserve your entertainment. Cutoff jeans, shorts and swimwear are not permitted in the main dining room.

Harmony of the Seas Guide & Review

Some of the shows have the option to book reservations in advance via Royal Caribbean's site. There is no cost to do this, and we recommend booking any entertainment you can in advance to avoid lines at show time. There is no shortage of activities, shows and events happening on Harmony of the Seas.

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The two racer water slides intertwine and offer a fast-paced plunge down. Since these are racer slides, you can see if you can beat the person in the other slide to the bottom. Keep in mind that reservations for entertainment is usually available for booking days in advance of your cruise.

The ship is split into seven neighborhoods and features a range of some of Royal Caribbean’s favorite venues and attractions. If you’re looking for a Royal Caribbean cruise that will provide all the bells, whistles and fun that you expect from modern cruising, Harmony of the Seas will still deliver. Follows a list of fun facts about the Harmony OTS - world's largest-ever passenger ship. Additional amenities include Complimentary 24-hour Room-Service, Supervised Youth program Voyagers (from 9 to 11 years), Explorers (6 to 8 yr), Aquanauts (3-5yr), Royal babies and tots (from 6 months to 3 years), Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry.

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At this point, you may be wondering just how big the Harmony of the Seas is. The answer is an impressive 1,188 feet long (almost 4 soccer pitches!), which is only slightly smaller than the newer Symphony of the Seas. While cruises in the Middle East do not constitute a major region for sailings, it's certainly impacting many lines and people's vacations. After departing from San Juan, the Sakara reached the Puerto Rican island of Culebra in a few hours, just 20 miles off the coast.

Among the new technologies on the Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas are the RFID wristbands or "WOWbands" - an optional choice to replace the SeaPass cards, allowing passengers to do purchases onboard and to access their cabins. Typically, wristbands are offered complimentary to all passengers. Junior Suite and above guests still receive the wristbands for free.

The price for any of these rooms will depend on factors, such as time of year, demand for rooms on the particular sailing, and how many guests in each room. You can refer to our guide to choosing a stateroom for more information on the basics, although there are some special room types worth discussing. Royal Caribbean offers many choices of staterooms on Harmony of the Seas, with a blend of traditional cabin categories, as well as a few alternatives.

A total of 6 tugboats were needed to get it out of the STX dock and into the Loire River estuary. Three pilots who have trained on a cruise ship simulator in Nantes France helped the ship's Captain (Gus Andersen) in the maneuvers needed to guide the vessel out of St Nazaire estuary. Sea trials are standard for all new ships for assessing vessel's seaworthiness and performance (engines, machinery, systems). Harmony of the Seas features a multi-deck water slide area that is a first for Royal Caribbean. It is also the first Oasis-class ship with robot bartenders serving drinks in the Bionic Bar, a concept that debuted in 2014 on Quantum of the Seas.

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