Harmony of the Seas Review

Beautiful high end floating resort but not a cruise ship

Review for the Western Mediterranean Cruise on Harmony of the Seas
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TheBird83
10+ Cruises • Age 40s

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Sail Date: Aug 2016
Cabin: Interior Stateroom with Virtual Balcony

I will preface this review by stating that the ship is beautiful, the service was excellent, and the food onboard was probably the best I have ever seen on Royal Caribbean (We have cruised with RCL 10+ times). There were a lot of "wow" factors about the ship but there was one aspect of the ship that was a source of major disappointment for me - I'll start with that first and save the good stuff for last.

Unfortunately, unless you are staying in a suite, there are absolutely zero lounges with views of the water. The lounges are spacious, but you will only have views of the Promenade, Central Park, or the Boardwalk. You can only get sea views if you go up to the sport / pool decks as well as the Windjammer and Main Dinning Room. If you are a Diamond member they do have a lounge which we nicknamed the Diamond Closet. Don't get me wrong, it is spacious but again, no windows and it is tucked away on Deck 4. If you are like me and like to grab a cup of coffee, cocktail, or just relax in a lounge and watch the sea go by, avoid this class of ship. Also as there are embarkations in Rome and Barcelona, there really is no Day 1 of the voyage so it just does not feel as special. It is almost as if you are checking into a hotel and does not have the exciting Day 1 feeling that you see on other RCL ships.

Now for the good. Boarding the ship was a breeze. I was extremely pleased at how quick it was to board the ship. One word of advise, please utilize the pre-cruise planner to prebook shows, dinning venues, and shore excursions. I personally dislike have to preplan everything but it does make a big difference for this particular ship. Due to the size of the ship, you can save yourself a lot of time waiting in lines to book shows, excursions, and dinning options by doing this before you get onboard (the only downside is they do offer dinning specials when booking onboard).

Cabin Review

Interior Stateroom with Virtual Balcony

Cabin J

Spacious and great use of space, but avoid this or other connecting staterooms because you can easily hear your neighbors through the connecting door.

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