Odyssey of the Seas Review
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First time cruising Odyssey of the Seas, but we've cruised with Royal Caribbean many times. We went through all of the necessary pre-cruise Covid protocols...I used the 'at home' Covid test allowed by RCCL (links to it are on their website.) We uploaded our vaccine cards and photos and passports into the RCCL app. (That saved a lot of time!) We left out of Fort Lauderdale. Embarkation was smooth and painless. The ship was huge, sparkling clean, so bright and lively and exciting. Stateroom was originally an inside stateroom, but we did "Royal Up" and got a balcony. (I don't recommend doing Royal Up, btw--I think it's far better to choose your own cabin then take whatever you get. You may end up somewhere noisy.) Having said that, my room was beautiful--clean, cool, comfortable, and spacious.
We sailed to Cozumel and Costa Maya, as well as Cocoa Cay. I did not get off the ship the whole time....I went on this cruise to enjoy the ship and disconnect. So I can't comment on the ports, but they looked lovely from the ship---perfect weather and bright blue water--etc.
The ship was laid out wonderfully and had so much to do. You MUST do Zone Zero...it may sound like a child's thing to do, but it's for the whole family. It truly is a thrilling thing to take part in and you need to try it. We are in our fifties and just loved it, and went with a couple that were in their seventies. Make reservations for Zone Zero immediately upon boarding. They fill up fast.
Cabin Review
Ocean View Balcony
We booked an inside room, but then used "Royal Up" at the last minute to upgrade to a balcony room. This was a mistake. When you Royal Up, you don't get to pick your stateroom. I had chosen a room surrounded by cabins on the 11th floor. With the Royal Up upgrade, they put me on the sixth floor directly above the Royal Theater. The room was LOVELY--let me make that clear. Spacious, clean, very up-to-date. Nothing worn or tired here. The bed was so very comfortable. Our attendant was wonderful and professional. So I DO recommend the room. But CHOOSE YOUR OWN LOCATION. Every single night, something went on in the Royal Theater once the shows were over...from 10 pm to 11ish pm, there was nonstop CRASHING down there. It was simply not possible to go to bed until they finished whatever they were doing. It honestly sounded like machines slamming into each other over and over for ninety minutes. If we had stayed on the eleventh floor as planned, that would not have been an issue.
But to be clear--the room was lovely. The air-conditioning was really good--I turned it way down and the room stayed cool. I spent almost not time on the balcony, so that's a lesson learned. It was tiny and hot, and when you have the sliding glass door open, the air conditioning shuts off automatically. So your room gets hot if you prop open the door to hear the ocean or go in and out. Consequently, I almost never had the door open.
So--a mixed bag. Great room, terrible location.
Port Reviews
Cozumel
We wanted a quick getaway on Royal Caribbean, and this ship fit our itinerary. We ended up visiting Cozumel. We purchased a shore excursion through RCCL to visit some ancient ruins. They met us at the dock (there were about 20 of us), and put us on a bus. We rode through town out to the ruins and stayed there about 45 minutes to an hour. A guide told us all about the town as we rode through it, and then told us all about the ruins and the customs and culture of the people who lived there. It was very interesting--but very hot and buggy, which is to be expected, just prepare yourself. Dress lightly and bring bug spray and a hat and sunglasses. After the tour we returned to port and looked through the shops at the pier. They were okay--typical stuff to buy, and some of the owners were pushy. There was a bar right there and it got LOUD, but we didn't visit. We didn't eat or drink anything off ship. It was an okay visit, but we don't especially want to return.