Royal Caribbean Harmony of The Seas Review & Tips (2024)

This Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas review and guide explains what to expect on board, the pro’s and con’s of this ship, and how to plan your time on the ship.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Cruising is such an underrated way to travel.

I recently took a western Caribbean cruise on board Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas. It was a wonderful vacation full of great foods, unique ports, and an amazing ship.

The Harmony of the Seas is the second largest cruise ship on the water. With its size, its one of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s most detailed and fun-filled ships.

There are numerous bars, restaurants, and activities on board. This review and guide will help you navigate it all.

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Overview of the Harmony of the Seas

Cruise Line– Royal Caribbean

Class– Oasis

Size– 1,188 Feet Long

Capacity– 7,000

Crew– 2,100

Maiden Voyage– 2016

How to Use this Harmony of the Seas Guide

This guide to the Harmony of the Seas includes an overview of every onboard amenity and activity including the restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and more.

If you are planning a Royal Caribbean cruise and don’t know what ship to pick, use this guide to learn more about the ship and see many pictures of the Harmony of the Seas.

If you are booked on a cruise onboard the Harmony of the Seas, use this guide to learn what to expect and how to plan your days on board.

The Harmony of the Seas is a huge ship with so much to offer. This guide will help narrow down what you need to experience during your vacation.

For more information on my Western Caribbean cruise on the Harmony and the ports I visited, check out my complete guide here.

Harmony of the Seas Staterooms and Suites

Cruise staterooms are notorious for being small. While the basic staterooms on the Harmony of the Seas are small, they are organized in a way that makes them feel bigger.

For a normal stateroom, you can choose between an interior and balcony stateroom. The interior rooms are the smallest and least expensive.

I recommend an interior stateroom for kids or solo cruisers, but the lack of closet space will be cramped for two adults.

While balcony staterooms cost more, they are well worth the price for two adults.

Each room includes a king bed or two twins, a couch, a desk/vanity area, a closet, and a bathroom. A balcony room includes a small outdoor area with a chair.

For a higher price tag and more luxury, there are many great suite options. The most basic suite is a junior suite which is like a balcony stateroom with more floor space.

There are also lofts, two-, and three-bedroom suites.

The suites are a great option for families staying together or luxury travelers. The suites also include premium onboard amenities such as access to the coastal kitchen restaurant, complimentary Wi-Fi, priority boarding, and a dedicated concierge.

Overall, unless you get a top-tier suite, your room on board is not likely to be a highlight of your trip. But for a cruise ship, the Harmony has the best layout and design of any cruise staterooms I’ve been in.

Complimentary Restaurants

This would not be a complete Harmony of the Seas review without mentioning all the great food on board. On any Royal Caribbean cruise, there is both complimentary dining and signature dining. The complimentary dining is fantastic.

You can easily spend a week on a cruise and not spend a penny on additional food. This section describes the complimentary dining options on board the Harmony of the Seas.

If you are interested in signature dining, check out the section below.

Within complimentary dining, there are quick service and sit-down options. The sit-down options offer the best food and great service.

Grab and go options are great for breakfast, lunch, and snacks if you don’t want to spend time waiting on service.

All the below options are included in your cruise fare and at least one option is open all day. For the exact opening times, check your cruise compass each day.

Table Service

Main Dining Room– I have never been disappointed by the main dining room. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner but I recommend visiting for dinner.

Each night, they have a unique menu with appetizer, entrée, and dessert courses. The food is international, with cuisines such as Indian, Caribbean, Italian, and more.  

Coastal Kitchen – The Coastal Kitchen is the complimentary table service restaurant reserved for suite guests only. The food is like the main dining room, but slightly higher quality and more expensive ingredients.

If you are staying in a suite, be sure to check out this option. Otherwise, the main dining room is great, and you aren’t really missing out.

Quick Service

Windjammer– The Windjammer is the classic cruise buffet. It’s open for a casual breakfast, lunch, and dinner option.

For breakfast, find a complete American breakfast, pastries, a salad bar, and rotating international breakfast cuisines.

For lunch and dinner, there are classic stations such as burgers, salad, sandwiches, Indian, Mexican, and a carving station.

There is also an interactive specialty station that changes each day. The specialty station can be anything from Mongolian grill to a fresh-made pasta station.

Park Café– The park café is another option for breakfast and lunch, located in the central park. They serve ready-made sandwiches, soup, and pastries.

Park Café is great for excursion days to get a quick bite and avoid the crowds.

Café Promenade– The café promenade is very similar to the park café but located in the Royal Promenade. They also serve specialty coffee for an added fee.

Solarium Café– The Solarium Café is an adults-only buffet with very similar options to the windjammer.

If you are traveling without kids, the Solarium café is a great option for the classic buffet food without crowds.

Sorrento’s- Sorrento’s is my favorite quick service restaurant on board the Harmony of the Seas. Their wood-fired pizza is the best mid-afternoon or late-night snack.

Vitality Café– The vitality café is a small café in the Vitality spa that serves healthier foods such as smoothies and salads.

Boardwalk Dog House– The Dog House serves gourmet hot dogs on the Boardwalk. It’s a great option for a smaller lunch.

Mini Bites– This poolside restaurant serves great breakfast and lunch options that are minified. One pro tip is to enjoy your meals at mini bites for the same options as the windjammer with much shorter lines and fresher food.

Signature Dining Onboard

One of the top selling points of the Oasis-class ships are all the signature dining options. While signature dining is an added expense, it can enhance your onboard experience.

If you book ahead of time, you can purchase a 3-night dining package at a discounted rate. Since I recommend trying 3 specialty restaurants and spending the other nights in the main dining room, this package is perfect.

Wonderland

Wonderland is one of the most unique dining experiences I’ve ever had. From the moment you enter the restaurant, you are transported to a whimsical land of gourmet food.

The waiter will provide a selection of small appetizers for the table to try. The appetizers feature unique molecular gastronomy with features like reconstructed tomato or ricotta powder.

For the main course, each person can select an entrée. The entrees are more common ingredients and are absolutely delicious.

The desserts are beautiful, but not as tasty as everything else.

Jaimie’s Italian Kitchen

Italian is my favorite cuisine and Jaimie’s doesn’t disappoint. Like the main dining room, you are free to order whatever and however much you want from the menu.

My favorite items are the carbonara, lasagna, and short rib.

Chops Grill

Chops is a luxury steakhouse at sea. There are four courses: appetizers, salad, steak, then dessert. There are also a ton of great side dish options.

All of the steak is fantastic, and they serve all of your favorite cuts such as filet or ribeye.

150 Central Park

This restaurant is the fine dining restaurant onboard. It has a great, upscale environment with a menu to match. I haven’t eaten here before but it’s high on my list for a special occasion.

Izumi Hibachi & Sushi

Izumi is Royal Caribbean’s Japanese restaurant that features teppanyaki and sushi. It’s great food, great experience, and amazing that it exists on a cruise ship.

Sabor

Sabor is one of the more casual options for signature dining. It’s a Mexican restaurant with some of the best tableside guac I’ve ever had, tacos, empanadas, and other casual Mexican cuisine.

Johnny Rockets

Johnny Rockets is the most casual signature dining option. They offer the same Johnny Rockets items you’re used to on land. Their breakfast is complimentary, so be sure to check that out at least once.

Onboard Entertainment

One of the stand-out aspects of Royal Caribbean cruises is the attention to onboard entertainment. On standard cruises, there are nightly headliner shows, activities throughout the day, and fun event at night.

On board the Harmony of the Seas, there is additional entrainment through the feature shows on board, multiple entertainment venues, and added activity areas.

There are multiple options for entertainment at any point in the day. Below, I list the shows and activities you will find on the Harmony of the Seas.

In addition to these permanent options, there are daily activities put on by the cruise director which are outlined in your cruise compass.

Shows

Headliner shows– Each night, Royal hosts a headliner show in the Royal Theater. The shows change with each sailing but can include singers, dancers, magicians, or other performers.

Greece– In addition to the nightly headliner shows, the Harmony of the Seas has other performances throughout the cruise.

One of these shows is a full Broadway production of Greece the musical. If you are a Broadway fan, this one is for you.

Water Show– The water show in the Royal Aqua theater is my favorite show on board. The show reminds me of Circ du Soleil with performers doing high-dives, crazy tricks, and acrobatics.

Ice Show– 1887 is an on-ice show that follows the cast through decades and the universe searching for love. To be honest, I had a hard time following the story line, but loved the ice skating tricks.

Activities

Casino– The Casino covers a third of one floor, with many tables for blackjack, poker, roulette, and other games. There are also many slot machines and classic casino games.

Tip – bring cash to avoid the surcharge for using funds from your sea pass card.

Arcade– The arcade has all your favorite games such as racecar simulators and air hockey. This is a favorite spot for teens, but open for all ages.

Sports Court– There are multiple sports courts on board that can be converted for soccer, basketball, and volleyball.

Putt Putt– The miniature golf course on board is so cute and one of my favorite sea day activities.

Ultimate Abyss– This extreme slide is the tallest slide at sea, spanning from the pool deck to the boardwalk. Be sure to check out this attraction for a rush of adrenaline.

Flowriders – These surf simulators on the pool deck are fun to try and to watch. I highly recommend giving it a try during your cruise.

Bars and Venues

There are many great bars and venues on the Harmony of the Seas. I love visiting the different bars for a before or after dinner drink (or both). With such a variety of options, you could visit a different bar each day!

While the bars sometimes host small activities such as trivia, the venues offer daily entertainment. It varies by venue, but you can expect live music, karaoke, game shows, comedy, and other fun shows.

Bars

Schooner Bar– This is my favorite bar on any Royal Caribbean ship. The schooner bar has a ship theme, a lot of seating, and is a popular venue for trivia.

Boot & Bonnet– The Boot & Bonnet is a English-pub themed bar that often plays American football or other sports on the TV.

Bionic Bar– The bionic bar is a must when you’re on an Oasis class ship. It’s a robot-powered bar where you order drinks on a screen, the robot bartenders mix your drink, then you pick it up with the tap of your sea pass card.

Pool Bars & Mast Bar– Drinks taste better by the pool, that’s a fact. The three bars on the pool deck serve up great tropical cocktails, and the service is super-fast.

Rising Tides Bar– The rising tides bar is yet another Royal Caribbean innovation. The bar is set on a platform that moves up and down between the 5^th and 8^th floor. Be sure to ride this at least once during your trip.

Trellis Bar– The Trellis bar is one of the smallest bars on board, tucked in central park. It’s a great place to grab a quiet drink or socialize with a small group.

Vintages– Vintages is the wine bar on board. They offer tapas, unique wines, and wine tastings. A wine tasting at vintages is a great sea day activity that many don’t take advantage of.

Venues

On Air– On Air is the karaoke bar on board. They offer open karaoke at night and a legends karaoke competition that spans your entire cruise.

Boleros– Boleros is a Latin-themed bar that hosts dancing and night-club events.

Dazzles– Dazzles is a larger venue that hosts large nightly events and musical performances.

The Attic– The Attic is the ships night club. While other venues host club-like events, the Attic is the place to go if you want to dance the night away.

Jazz on 4– As you can guess based on the name, Jazz on 4 is the dedicated jazz club.

Pool Deck

The pool deck on the Harmony of the Seas is perfectly designed for a Caribbean cruise. There are three pools, a splash pad, and three waterslides.

Of the three pools, one is a beach pool with a gradual entry into the water, one is an adults-only sports pool, and one is considered the main pool.

Splashaway bay is a kids-only area that has smaller slides, a play structure, and water features. It’s the perfect area for families with younger cruisers.

This Harmony of the Seas review is meant to explain both the good and bad of cruising. Unfortunately, my biggest complaint of my cruise has to do with the pool deck.

While the layout and features are fantastic, the crew could do a better job managing the space.

There are signs throughout the level explaining that deck chair saving is prohibited, and items will be removed. However, this is not enforced.

We arrived to the pool at 7 am on a pool day to find 90% of the chairs reserved. Some of these reserved chairs sat unused for 3+ hours.

My biggest criticism of the cruise was the staff not enforcing this rule. To make sure you get a pool chair on a sea day, plan to arrive no later than 8 am and do not contribute to the problem by saving a chair and leaving.

Spa and Fitness Center

The Vitality Spa and Fitness Center exceeded all my expectations for a spa and gym on a ship. The spa offers your traditional spa items such as facials, manicures, and massages.

They also offer med-spa items such as Botox, body sculpting, and teeth whitening.

If you want a spa treatment during your cruise, book beforehand or during the first day because it can book up quickly.

The fitness center has cardio machines, weight machines, free weights, and exercise classes. It has everything you would expect as a gym on land.

The busiest time at the gym is early morning on port days and morning and afternoon on sea days. Plan around this if you want to avoid the crowds.

Kids and Teens Areas

I do not have a kid or teen, nor am I a kid or teen. However, Royal Caribbean has great programs for all age groups.

For the younger kids, there is an adventure club which is basically day care. They have different age groups and plan age-appropriate activities throughout the day.

For teens, there is a teen club that hosts fun events, has gaming equipment, and is a great area for your teen to meet others.

Shopping Onboard

The shopping on the Harmony of the Seas far exceeds the shopping on other ships. In addition to the normal gift-shop and duty-free options, the Harmony has various luxury stores with the newest collections and great prices.

Some of the shops on board are:

• Kate spade
• Bulgari
• Cartier
• Omega

Royal Caribbean Standard of Service

In addition to amazing ships, the Royal Caribbean standard of service is what truly sets it apart. Even though the ship holds nearly 7000 passengers, the crew takes the time to get to know everyone personally.

Each room is assigned a cabin attendant who oversees housekeeping and provides anything you may need in your stateroom. Our attendant, Santiago, would check in daily to make sure we were happy without experience.

In the main dining room, you will have the same dining staff every night. By the second night, our dining team had our names memorized, drink orders memorized, and were cracking jokes with us.

Throughout the rest of the ship, all the crew will go above and beyond to make your experience memorable.

No matter what you request, they will do anything in their ability to make it happen for you. Its hard to believe that on a large ship, they can offer service you would expect at a 5-star resort.

Top 5 Tips for the Harmony of the Seas

1. Try different restaurants for lunch each day- there is so much variety so don’t get stuck in a rut
2. Get the drink package if you plan to drink 5 or more drinks a day
3. Try at least one specialty dining restaurant
4. Book spa services, drink packages, and Wi-Fi before your cruise for exclusive deals
5. Bring cash tips to reward exceptional service (and get rewarded with even better service)

Royal caribbean Harmony of the Seas Reviews from Other Travelers

If you’re interested in additional thoughts about the Harmony of the Seas, here are some reviews from other cruisers:

“Despite sailing at full capacity, we rarely felt crowded. I think we deliberately chose to spend our time wherever the multitude of people wouldn’t be. The adults-only solarium was our haven.”

“Our room was beautiful, balcony overlooking Boardwalk. However, it was noisy. Our room steward was the best of all of our dozens of cruises.”

“The food was just fair. On the Formal night, the lobster was undercooked, slimy and stuck in the shell, not edible. But, the wait staff is excellent.”

Cruise Critic

Read more reviews

As you see, there are positives and negatives about the Harmony of the Seas, but it is overall a great ship.

If you follow the Harmony of the Seas tips in this guide, it will help you avoid some of the downfalls and have an amazing vacation.

Summary of this Harmony of the Seas Review

If you’ve made it this far, consider yourself an expert on the Harmony of the Seas. This Harmony of the Seas review set out to explain the good and bad about the ship, describe all the onboard amenities, and help you plan your time on board.

If you take anything away from this guide, remember to take time to explore the ship. It’s easy to get set in a routine but trying new things each day will allow you to make the most out of your trip.

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• Cruise Outfits For Men | What Should Men Wear On A Caribbean Cruise?
• Royal Caribbean Oasis Of The Seas Cruise Ship Review & Guide
• Royal Caribbean Explorer Of The Seas Review & Guide

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