Harmony Of The Seas Caribbean Cruise
Harmony of the Seas Caribbean cruise ship has it all. You would need a month to be able to see and do everything that has to offer. There is a vast list of onboard activities available for every age throughout the day and special shows at night. Entertainment is top-notch, and there is something to make everyone happy.
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The Royal Caribbean vessel is massive, with a full capacity of 6,780 guests. Harmony of the Seas is currently the world’s second-largest cruise ship, behind only the giant Symphony of the Seas. Both are part of the popular Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class.
It was not our typical family vacation. My mom and daughter enjoyed the amenities onboard while I worked. We didn’t go for any excursion this time as my daughter was content just staying aboard, more specifically at the kids club!
Embarkation at Port Canaveral was a breeze. Our check-in was at noon, and the Royal Caribbean staff was efficient and well organized. In no time, we were having lunch at the Windjammer restaurant on the Harmony.
The rest of the day, we spent just exploring the ship. It’s impressive! So much to see and do that you better plan ahead to make sure you don’t miss anything that is a must for you and your family.
Cruise Itinerary
The Eastern Caribbean itinerary is beautiful with stops in St. Maarten, San Juan in Puerto Rico and CocoCay island in the Bahamas.
St. Maarten is the smallest island to be shared by 2 countries – France and the Netherlands. I felt safe walking along the boardwalk at the Great Bay strip by myself – it’s a short water taxi ride from the cruise port.
The beach is gorgeous, with calm, clear waters – great for kids. Plenty of bars and restaurants along the boardwalk to choose from, and people were friendly.
In San Juan, we decided not to disembark. Outside on deck 16, I could spot the Castillo San Felipe del Morro and beautiful views from the island.
The day was perfect at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. There is plenty to do… waterpark, splash pad, freshwater pool, water slides, wave pool, jet ski, zip line and you can even go for a helium balloon ride! How awesome is that?
CocoCay looks like paradise with pristine waters and shady palm trees, the beach is STUNNING! Snacks and beach chairs are complimentary.
Arrive early on the island to claim a chair close to the water. Spaces fill up fast. We had a blast at the splash pad and chilling at the beach. Lunch was good – barbecue-style food and tacos. In the afternoon, we returned to the boat, so my daughter could go to the Adventure Ocean club.
Entertainment
Entertainment offered on the cruise was outstanding. Broadway production Grease, Columbus the musical, two ice shows, stand-up comedy, karaoke, parties, water show at the Aqua Theatre, night club, Latin dance, trivia games, arcade, casino, card games, bingo and so much more.
To avoid disappointment, do yourself a favour and make reservations BEFORE getting on the ship. Otherwise, you might end up missing out on some of the shows.
Harmony Of The Seas Cabin
We chose a stateroom with an ocean view balcony on deck 6 midship. The room was equipped with one bathroom, a king-size bed, sofa-bed, safe, TV and mini-bar. With loads of storage, the cabin was comfortable for the three of us. We enjoyed watching the sunset from our balcony. Totally worth it if you ask me.
Located on the same floor is the spa, fitness center and the Boardwalk.
Adventure Ocean Kid's Program
The Adventure Ocean program, aka kids club, must be mentioned with honour. My daughter LOVED it! For her, nothing beats playing in the kid’s club.
Children must be at least 3 years old and fully toilet trained. The areas are divided by age group: 3 to 5; 6 to 8; 9 to 11; and 12 to 14. My daughter was placed in the 3-5-year-old group, the Aquanauts.
While with the Adventure Ocean, Julia did crafts, colouring, storytelling, watched movies, sang songs, played games and built with blocks. All that she likes!
On sea days, the hours were reduced to 9am-12pm in the morning, from 2pm-5pm in the afternoon and 7pm-10pm at night. After that, there is a late-night sitting service available for an additional cost per hour.
Fitness Center & Running Track
Harmony of the Seas has a great fitness club. The classes are packed, and most are complimentary.
There is a great deal of cardio and resistance training machines, but on the other hand, lacks in free weights. Please be mindful and don’t hold the equipment nor dumbbells for long, and everybody will get along just fine.
Exercising in a sparkling clean gym with a breathtaking view is a privilege! How is that for motivation?
I didn’t need to deviate much from my routine. I was able to fit a workout every morning, and right after, I would head to the running track to meet my mom for some cardio overlooking the ocean. It’s surreal. No complaints from us!
Harmony Of The Seas - The Ship
For the adrenaline junkies, this is your cruise! Starting with the terrifying Ultimate Abyss, a 10-story dry slide where you will have a 13 seconds heart pumping descending into a serpentine of twist and turns tunnel until you reach the bottom. Can you tell I am a chicken?
Additionally, it has three water slides that are 5 decks above the ship’s Central Park courtyard and the minimum height requirement to ride is 48″.
Harmony of the Seas has three main pool areas and an adults-only solarium with no pool.
The splash pad is divided into two zones. The small area is only for babies with swim diapers. My daughter had a lot of fun going down the slides in the Splashaway zone and chilling in the whirlpool.
Still looking for more things to do? Don’t worry, Harmony of the Seas Caribbean cruise got you covered with an ice-skating rink, two rock climbing walls, a basketball court, a mini-golf, ping-pong tables, a 3D movie theatre and a flowrider area, which is a surfing simulator.
The Boardwalk neighbourhood is located on deck 6 with a carousel, Aqua Theater, Johnny Rockets restaurant, a fun colourful large climbing structure for kids, a hotdog place, some shops, Starbucks and a bar.
On deck 8 is the Central Park neighbourhood. A lovely outdoor area with beautiful live trees and gardens. Park Cafe is a great spot to grab a coffee and have a bite to eat.
There are few restaurants, an art gallery and two bars. The Tiding Rise bar looks like a capsule, and it moves up and down three floors from the Central Park to the Promenade. Not to be missed!
Last but not least, the Royal Promenade neighbourhood. Where everything happens! On deck 5, there are restaurants, bars, shops, entertainment venues, customer service and more.
It was usually busy and full of life, and where Santa landed from the Tiding Rise bar.
You must check the futuristic Bionic bar where the drinks are made by two robotic arms/bartenders. It’s something out of this world!
Dining Experience
Most mornings, we had breakfast – buffet style – at the main dining restaurant. The selection was excellent. You must try the scrambled eggs, mushrooms and muesli. Heavenly!
For lunch, we went to the Windjammer. The dress code is casual and convenient when you are in the pool and splash pad area. My daughter would help me pick her food and sometimes the restaurant was crowded depending when you go. It didn’t bother us.
We were on “my time” dining and didn’t have a set time for dinner. Most nights, we dressed up and ate at the American Icon grill. I rarely wear makeup, so it was a nice change from my day-to-day. The food was good, and we enjoyed ourselves.
One night we dined at the Chops Grille, courtesy of my amazing travel agent. The restaurant is beautiful, and I’m glad we were dressed appropriately as the ambiance is quite formal.
The meal was exceptional with first-class service. My mom and daughter had the filet mignon while I ordered the ribeye steak, both cooked to perfection. I will definitely be back.
When I was not with my daughter, I was working. I didn’t try any of the activities nor the pools. Still, I had the best time while onboard.
The weather was excellent, and I had the luxury of having a mobile office for the week outside facing the ocean on the fantastic Harmony of the Seas. And for my daughter, she did not want to leave the boat afraid we wouldn’t come back.
Next trip is already booked, and we can’t wait to cruise again!