This was a family & friends cruise. Royal Caribbean was chosen based on my long time positive cruise experience with it. The ship was chosen since it's a newer ship and in the same class as the Oasis and Allure. Previous cruises on Oasis and Allure were good. Overall the Harmony cruise was good but there were was an issue that required a top level manager's involvement to rectify it. Once he interceded, the issue was resolved. I had a boardwalk room which was nice. The Aqua Theater was visible and the shows could be viewed from the balcony. The elevator situation on this ship was totally unacceptable. There was ALWAYS a wait for an elevator. I never experienced this on any other ship. The wait was long and when the elevators stopped they were always filled and so the wait would continue. It was normal for 3 or 4 elevators to be packed before you could actually squeeze into one. The food was less than desirable. The cruise was good and ship nice. But I really don't think it met the RC standard that I've come to know and enjoy Read Less

Embarkation went smoothly. Took a cab from hotel to Port Everglades. The ship was fantastic. It was clean, lots of things to do, food was great and service was excellent. Cabin was always clean and comfortable in size. We dined at the Main Dining Room for breakfast and dinner. The food for dinner was excellent. Breakfast was just OK for me. We did buffet and a la carte. Wish they would change the food selection. Everyday, It was consistently the same for 7 days. I can't praise enough for the service my family and I got from this cruise ship. Everyone was friendly, attentive and passionate about their job. Special mention to Christian Reyes, our cabin stewart who made sure that we had enough towels everyday even without asking. Our cabin was always clean. Another outstanding crew are Joseph Perez, waiter at the main dining room and his assistant, Kumar. Joseph is from the Philippines and Kumar is from India. Every night, this team would serve us as if we were royalty. Service is that good. In fact, we are planning our next cruise because of these two. The Ports and Shore excursions were fun and beautiful. Went to Pearl Island in Nassau. We did snorkeling and had an amazing time. The food included was good and the beach was gorgeous. When we got there, there were not much people yet but in the afternoon, people started showing up. But, the place was big enough for people to still enjoy. There were kayaks, paddle boat, etc. to use for free. Snorkeling is additional charge if you didn't book the shore excursion with snorkeling. It costs only $15 per person with equipment included. Totally worth doing it. At St. Thomas, we went to Magen's Bay. Absolutely beautiful but there were lots of people and there were no umbrellas available We took a taxi to Magen's Bay. Plenty of taxi available at the port. It was very organized. It costs us $10 per person to Magen's Bay. At St. Kitts, we went on a land tour excursion with Grey Thenford. He was phenomenal. He took us around the city. Went to Romney Manor and Caribelle Batik. It was gorgeous. The garden at the manor had tropical plants from around the world. Then, he took us to the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site. It was breathtaking. At sea, there were plenty of things to do. Our family went ziplining, watched shows, went to the arcade, rode the carousel, went for the Abyss and water slides. The cruise ship had mini golf and splash bay for the little kids. Everyone had a great time. Not a dull moment. Disembarkation was fast. To avoid the crowd, we left the ship around 8:00am. Had breakfast at Windjammer at 6:30am. At this time, there were plenty of seats available. We did the valet luggage service of Delta and it was convenient. But, if you leave the cruise ship early, you will still be able to get your luggage fast. It was done in an organized manner. We travelled with children ages 14, 11, 8, 5. They all had a great time. I definitely would recommend this ship to everyone. We had a special and wonderful time with this ship. This is my third time cruising and my first with Royal. Read Less

This was my third cruise with Royal Caribbean. Each has gotten progressively worse and cost more each time. Excursions: The port of calls were short (approx 3 - 6 hours in port). If you debark the ship make sure you bring your sea pass and photo ID. Once on the pier it is like herding cats. In our first port, there were three tours assembled at the same time and no one knew where to go. Be prepared, if you do decide to take an excursion everything is extra. For example if you take the safari/beach excursion ($115 per person), and want to use their beach chairs and umbrella, it will cost you $10 for each chair and $10 for the umbrella (by the way you are only there for 45 minutes). If you go on the ship sponsored shopping tour in St Thomas, you pay the $8/person bus fare to go to/from town. For the Blue Lagoon beach excursion ($115 per person) swimming out to the float is additional. Dining: Breakfast and lunch in the windjammer is first come first serve. When you and your partner go, ensure one saves a table while the other gets their food. The hot food is cold and the pastries and bread are hard. Dinner is great, though. You eat a lot (too much actually) and it tastes great. Make sure you book your diner time immediately when you arrive to ensure you get a seat. We ate at 7:30 but if you have to make a change the staff is very flexible. Just ask. Embarkation: no problems. Just make sure you have a photo ID and your passport. Everyone is helpful. Entertainment: The shows were the highlight of the cruise. Make sure you sign up the first day for all your shows. You have to have reservations to get in. Again, arrive early. It is first come first serve seating. Onboard experience: Crowded. Lots of kids. The elevators are packed. A trick: the pool is located on deck 15 so if you are going down, go up to the next level and then take the elevator down. Less people and you will be one of the first ones on. The wait staff is friendly but will try to get you to buy a beverage card. Everything is additional. Also, men, dont be surprised if young ladies get preferential treatment by the staff. Overall, I was a disappointed. Read Less

It's been a year since our last cruise and MY things have changed! The Embarkation process was so different. Our passports were scanned first, then we went through security and got our Sign & Sail passes AFTER we boarded. It was pretty easy and pretty cool! No more clunky machines. IPads now scan your entire room onto the ship. Easy peasy! Now, I normally don't write reviews but I heard a lot of negative stuff about this ship and must state "A Cruise is what you make of it." Our staterooms were spotless and our attendant (Jaya) was incredibly kind and helpful. We were on deck 1 and frankly found no difference between staying on 1 or staying on 10. With our kids, we don't want them with balcony access so this was perfect. The ship itself could use some TLC but the parties here were more fun than any ship we've been on! DJ Devine was great as was Jess the Cruise Director. There was more dancing on this ship than I have ever seen before and even my sons danced. The buffet was limited to common foods but that was okay because Cucina Capitano, JiJi's Asian, the sushi place and those damn fish tacos gave us PLENTY DELICIOUS FOOD TO EAT (yes, I ate 22 fish tacos this week and I don't care if you judge me LOL!) Also, get the spaghetti in Cucina. It is to die for!!! Also, pizza was awesome (and I'm from Brooklyn.) Grand Turk had the most beautiful beach I've ever been to (Pillory Beach) and Saint Kitts had incredible scenery (Cockleshell Beach was a big party.) We did the Fort in San Juan and had a spectacular time on their garden trail. It's kind of hidden but well worth the adventure. Huge iguanas, blue lizards and hermit crabs all overlooking stunning scenery. We took taxis everywhere and it was so easy, so cheap and very safe. Alchemy Bar (Katarina and Miro) had great drinks. Red Frog Pub had fun games for my kids. Also, great camp! MY KIDS HATE CRUISE CAMP! All 3 went and all 3 came back happy. Casino bar also makes great martinis and I won - twice!!! Family Comedy was fun and so were the Hasbro Game Show and the Dr. Seuss Breakfast. They really should advertise the breakfast more because it was great. There were very few downsides - family pool was really tiny and there were only 2 hot tubs but the slides were fun! We also enjoyed the ropes course and sports deck. Gym was hot but the equipment was hi-tech. I hiked through the Grand Canyon while sailing the Caribbean. Really cool! Pool side movies with popcorn and warm towels were a surprise fave of everyone. Black Panther, Avengers Infinity War, Ready Player One...such a nice way to end the evening for my kids. One negative thing...the decks by the pools were SO SLIPPERY. I watched so many kids and adults fall. I think the flip flops made it worse. The staff everywhere was super helpful to our entire family. My kids felt very comfortable on this ship and it was the first time I let them do stuff on their own. Also, ice cream. Lots and lots and lots of ice cream. I think my kids ate 40000000 cones. This was definitely our favorite Carnival experience and will definitely be back! Read Less

Third cruise with Royal. Was a bit concerned with the size of the ship at first. You never know how things would go with over 6000 people. The staff however did an exceptional job. I traveled with my spouse, teen son and two sets of parents/grandparent. All found things to do and all had a great time. With the ship being the size it was, I would recommend the following especially if you are used to the flow of a smaller ship (guess every ship is small compared to this one...lol): 1. Reserve everything you can ahead of time as they get booked up quickly. From excursions to dining and entertainment. If you can book ahead, do so! 2. For more popular activities, try to go first thing in the AM - Flow Rider, Abyss and Zip Line. 3. Lots to do so pace yourself. 4. Take the stairs when you can. There can be a long wait for the elevators at times. Overall dining experience was great with lots of options. Opted to try the larger ship next year, Symphony of the Seas. Larger by a whole 2 inches!!! Read Less

I had previously been on the Allure of the Seas ship twice, before I heading on Harmony. I felt excited to go on another cruise that was very similar to Allure, since that experience was amazing. I have two kids, one 14 years old and the other 11. They were excited to explore what activities the ship had to offer, for example the Ultimate Abyss, which was an adult version of the slides at McDonald’s, the fantastic water slides, and even the pizza at Sorrento’s. The shows were very well put together and it was never boring to watch. The Central Park was very beautiful and it was great for taking pictures. The food was very good it had many different cuisines from different countries. The service was amazing the waiters were very nice and generous. Also when I checked in and out it was very fast and smooth. I personally think that the cruise was very fun and exciting, I am very sure I will be coming back in 2019 on Symphony of the seas. Read Less

The ship was very impressive. Overall the cruising behemoth was more than expected. The Promenade was very nice except for the (watch an merchandise booths).They were cheap looking and needed to be more elegant and luxurious. The Sports section was amazing with a wide variety of sports for all guests( ping pong, basketball, surfing, zip line, mini golf, etc). The shows and entertainment were plenty and a wide variety offered. The Central Park was beautiful and the landscaping was immaculate . The food it’s good overall. Plenty of quantity but the quality was just ok. I was expecting a lot more high end food quality and food presentation. The service was outstanding. Our cabin attendant (Jean da Silva) was extremely courteous and friendly. The main dining room servers ( Mark Gutierrez and assistant John Bordador) were excellent in every respect and went above and beyond to serve us during dinner all 7 days of the cruise. The pool area was very clean but a bit crowded during cruising days but with plenty of available lounge chairs and towels and bar service. The Solarium area was also very nice But it needs a pool to cool off. The complementary Windjammer and Solarium Bistro were good overall but needed better quality food and better breakfast options like an omelet station. The main dining room breakfast was good overall . Lobster night was exceptional. The lobsters were perfectly broiled. Sorrentos Gad good overall pizza to snack on and Park Cafe Gad good sandwiches ( particularly the roast beef sandwich) and great fresh Salads. The cabins were excellent and well appointed and clean. The shore excursion to St Thomas was disappointing . The island is rather delapilated still after toast years hurricanes. Overall we had a very good experience in this Cruise trip. Read Less

Must start with that we have had an incredibly nice experience! and memory that we value for life! But there are some things/changes that could be better. The bed was very hard. My husband has back problems due to an old break in the back and the bed made this worse. Had luckily with painkillers, the sun beds were good offloaders. But it ruined a good part of the trip. The information on various excursions, activities in the boat and various information could be better illuminated. A lot we didn't get with us, even though we read "the newspaper" (which was something we looked forward to at night) every night. In fact, many of the clocks sold at the best price are a lot cheaper in Norway. The sun beds were good to lie in when you got hold of one. Were "towels" that basked in most things. Could go several hours before the owners came to let themselves. Then I mean, of course not that they were in the pool, but found themselves other streder on the boat. It was stated that the beds could only be held in 30min, but this was absolutely not followed up, either by the staff or guests! In the evenings, the restrooms could quickly be rotated and it could float some rubbish. The restaurant at Plan 16 was fantastic on food and had a few for everyone. But it could quickly become too full and you had to stand but plate in hand to wait for others to finish! When you got set up, the food was cold. Was a lot of chaos. Could have been more places where you could get you bread food with the toppings that you could take with you. So you didn't need to occupy a table. But we had and many great adventures!!!! Our dear Lugar Renholderske was helping give the trip that little extra! He learned English so he could wish us good day/afternoon/evening etc in our native language. He was nice, gave 110% and made such a mood that you hoped you'd meet him in the hallway when you left/arrived at the stateroom! 99% of the staff were nice and delightful people as one could see that loved their job. And they did it in a fantastic way! Escape room was amazing! You have to cooperate with people one does not know and solve puzzles! A little difficult when everything takes place in English but a 10 ' is in experience and Gjenomført entertainment value! Read Less

We were looking for a family friendly cruise line for our young family. First and last cruise for young family We took our 5, 3 and 1 year old on the Carnival Freedom 7-day cruise to key west, FLA, Freeport Bahamas and Nassau Bahamas. We did lots of research on shops and were looking for a vacation that would be conducive for our young family. We chose this ship because the Carnival website advertised good kids programs for kids and especially because of the baby splash pad area they advertised for this specific First I’ll start with a few positives before getting to why overall, my expectations for a family friendly vacation were not met. 1. Excellent food 2. Camp Ocean was very organized and had competent staff . When we arrived we were told that there was no water area for under 2s. Carnival does not allow non-potty trained babies in any water area. In addition to no baby water area or splash pad there was no kid pool or even a designated kid area. The three small pools on the lido deck were always packed with adults who were drinking and engaging in adult behavior, not an environment suitable for kids. Furthermore on the lido deck there is always very loud adult music playing. In the kids area, Camp Ocean, located on the very top deck of the ship, almost impossible to get a stroller to, my one year old was only allowed to play from 8:00-10:00am. Like most one year olds this time was during her morning nap. The kids The schedule The entire cruise ship schedule is not suited to kids or families. There are LGBT mixers and adult comedy shows. In all 7 days there were three “family friendly” activities, a Build a Bear Workshop (which you had to pay extra for) a movie, Peter Rabbit (PG) and the Seuss a Palooza Parade which was run by a staff member who appeared to never have worked with children before. My three and five year old were wildly unimpressed with the “parade” which involved about 100 kids walking from one area of the ship to another waving bells and other noise makers. The Dr Seuss characters, advertised on all promotional materials, were present for about 20 min total. Changing table There was one baby changing station on the entire lido deck. Food The food places were closed from 2:30-6:00 leaving young families like us out of luck For after nap snacks and early dinner times. There were also almost kid friendly options on the buffet. They had a pizza place and a deli open almost always but they were very often so crowded we opted to not stand in more lines with our children going wild. On the buffet they had melon, pineapple, apples and bananas for fruit and almost no other kids food options for picky toddlers. There are a number of adult only sections of the ship, including the very front called the Serenity deck. Being at the very front of the boat, there were many children anxious to see it but they were not permitted to enter. Putt-putt was a good family activity but it closed at 5:00, right before our kids bedtime when our family would have gotten the most use out of it. There was essentially nothing for my one year old to do on Carnival Freedom. We spent our days taking turns walking her around and letting her go up and down the stairs Excursions Our two excursions in the Bahamas were marketed entirely to families. On both of them we had to walk over a mile to get there and wait in lines for over an hour. Once we arrived at the beaches, they were so crowded we had to wAit in more lines to secure a shaded area for the kids. All in all, this did not meet my expectations for a family friendly vacation. I feel as though Carnivals explicit marketing to young families is false advertising. Next time we will pay the extra for a Disney Cruise or opt for a family centered resort. Read Less

Chose the cruise because of all of the activities BUT if you are going to relax forget it! You need reservations for everything shows, skating, aqua theatre, dinner....everything. Show spots are gone and you can’t see the show. Same with ice skating. Not enough reservations available for number of people who want to go. It is the story of this cruise ...there are many features you will never get to use due to crowds. Some food was also less than stellar. Instant mashed potatoes...really? Yuk! And a can of coke $4.15 unless you order it from room service after 6pm. Then it is $4.15 PLUS a service charge of $7.99 so more than $12.00 a can! I felt overcharged on many things on this cruise! Internet was faster than most ships but had to sign on daily with the password they give you. And many times internet would flick off and on. Internet runs about $97 if you book before the cruise and that is only for one device. Service was good on board. Lines for anything that did not require a reservation including elevators. I think I would go back to smaller ships. Royal Caribbean seams to be making many changes and most costing more money to the passenger. But going on a big ship to be able to enjoy the amenities doesn’t work if you can’t provide the services advertised. Bring your credit card is my recommendation because you will really need it! Read Less