Aboard the Harmony of the Seas from May 29th to June 5th, 2016
One of the biggest cruise ships worldwide with gigantic dimensions - not only in matter of size (362 m long and 60.5 m wide) and number of passengers (5,497), but also in terms of onboard activities. Even though my cruise was the Maiden Voyage, I was still able to find some information and videos on the internet before my journey started.
After arriving in London Heathrow I waited about 20 minutes for the transfer to the ship. Since my colleague was supposed to arrive a couple of hours later, I already checked myself in. Surprisingly this only took a few minutes since a great number of employees were already waiting for us - with their super innovative tablets! They scanned my Set Sail Pass and I was ready to enter the ship.
Discovering the ship - and its advantages!
Full of excitement I just couldn't wait for my colleague - I HAD TO explore the ship right away. I must admit, I felt a little bit sorry...but just a little. Like Alice in Wonderland I put one foot in front of the other and the impressions were truly overwhelming. The cruise line didn't only think big, they also turned dreams into reality. Crazy!
So I was wandering along the Royal Promenade, which is comparible to a shopping mall in a cozy small town. To the right the Bionic Bar, where robots mix your drinks, some restaurants with people comfortable sitting in front of them, nipping on their ice cold cocktails. And over there: an oldtimer right in the middle of the promenade! Followed by an Irish Pub and a few stores. With a floating bar I go 3 decks up, where I suddenly find myself in the middle of Central Park! There you can find even more cafes and restaurants with an open air style - so no roof! 12,000 real plants, bird chirps and benches create a perfect illusion that make you forget you are still on a cruise ship. If you'd like to you may book a balcony cabin with Central Park view, just saying!
Finally my colleague arrived and I was more than happy to repeat this excursion once more. And there was even more to discover, for example 2 Flow Riders, that allow you to show off your surf skills onboard, 3 adventurous water slides, a 10 decks large water slide at the back of the ship, a mini golf court and so much more!
Food...
Besides the awesome onboard activities, Royal Caribbean is popular for the delicious food. In the mornings and afternoons we ate in one of the many cafes and restaurants. In the evening we had a table at the main restaurant during the first table time. The meals really were of good quality and our waiter was super friendly and observant. He knew all our requests before we even said a word and we were allowed to order as much as we wanted of all courses to make sure we tried everything. All in all our expecations regarding the food and service were exceeded.
At the end of our journey we tried the specialty restaurant Wonderland paying an extra charge of 45 USD per person. We were enchanted by at least 10 courses, which took us on a tatsy journey through the elements as wind, ice, fire, sea and earth. Spectacular!
...& entertainment!
After dinner we were ready for the diverse entertaining shows - and they were SO good! On our first evening we admired a show on the ice rink. We were highly impressed by the way the artists pirouetted in high speed in the air and how harmoniously they expressed their story by their moves, the music and their expressions. As you know: a highlight seldom comes alone. So the next night we watched the original Broadway musical Grease, which was presented not only with songs but also with dialogues (not granted on a cruise ship!). Our next stop was the premiere of the water show Fine Line. The artists plunged off from high above into the deepest fresh water pool on sea and balanced the rope on top of the audience. Best about all shows? They are included in your cruise fare so you won't have to pay an extra fee! We recommend to make a reservation online before your journey starts!
This ship offers so many highlights that the ordinary facilities become a minor matter. But of course there is a generous and modern spa and sports area, a beautiful furnished buffet restaurant, diverse pools, a casino and table tennis. Furthermore you may look forward to art auctions, silent partys in the club and live music in different sections of the ship.
I fully recommend this ship, when you are looking for a fun filled vacation with lots of activitites and action. Especially younger guests and families with children will enjoy their stay since boredom is non existant on the Harmony of the Seas. If you decide to book a cruise and later on you are longing for some silence, there are areas that will help you out, like the solarium with its awesome view. Since there are so many areas with even more activities I not only once felt being one of 5000 guests during my stay. When you are primary looking for silence and relaxation, you might want to book a different ship though.
All in all this trip was a whole new adventure with many memorable impressions. I would definitely go on another cruise with the Harmony of the Seas. Or next time maybe I'll try the Symphony of the Seas!