You would be hard pressed to take part in everything on offer on the 5,479-passenger Harmony of the Seas in a week. The sheer number of entertainment offerings, both day and night, is bewildering; it's a bit like being at a massive floating theme park, with everything from simulated surfing to ziplines, an ice rink, rock climbing walls and a 10-story dry slide.
Harmony of the Seas
Pros
One of the largest cruise ships in the world offers plenty of choice
Cons
Can feel crowded and busy, despite clever design to combat congestion
Bottom Line
Fantastic ship for families and those looking for great entertainment and activities
About
| Passengers | 5,479 |
| Crew | 2,100 |
| Passenger to Crew | 2.61:1 |
| Launched | 2016 |
| Shore Excursions | 369 |
Harmony of the Seas Overview
Harmony of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean's hugely popular Oasis class of ships, the largest cruise ships afloat. The ship is almost a carbon copy of its fleetmate, which pioneered a "neighborhood" concept, with activities grouped into different areas on the ship. So, you have the buzzy, amusement park-style Boardwalk; the serenity of Central Park, with its real trees and plants; the Pool and Sports Zone for outdoor activities, including a large kids splash park; and the Royal Promenade for indoor shopping and entertainment.
The sheer size of Harmony of the Seas is astounding; it's easy to forget you're on a ship, especially when you're hanging out on the Royal Promenade, which feels more like a Vegas hotel than a cruise ship. It also means you're less likely to feel the waves, a big plus for those prone to seasickness.
What Harmony of the Seas excels in is variety, whether you're talking cabins, entertainment or dining. Even cabins in the ship's lowest category are thoughtfully designed and comfortable, with space for relaxing and plenty of storage. Likewise, the entertainment onboard, whether small scale, like an acoustic guitarist, or larger than life, like the production of "Grease," is simply outstanding. The ship's restaurants offer everything from low-key grab-and-go meals to multicourse, hourslong culinary extravaganzas, though be prepared for a variety of quality with the extra-cost venues generally being much better.
You'll find lots of space for kids of all ages, fun and entertaining programming and the facilities -- for our money -- are the best at sea. Parents can spend time playing with their kids all day and then feel comfortable heading off on date night knowing their children are in good hands.
If you're happy sharing your cruise vacation with 6,779 other passengers (at full capacity), of all ages and with a lot of families, then Harmony of the Seas is about as good as it gets in terms of activities, entertainment and fun at sea -- throw yourself in, and you'll be kept busy all week.
Inclusions
Included with your cruise fare:
- Main dining room, the buffet and select other eateries
- All theater shows (including the AquaTheater and Ice Shows); the comedy club and Jazz on 4
- Use of the FlowRiders, Ultimate Abyss, Perfect Storm, zipline, water park, climbing walls, mini-golf and other outside activities including riding on the Boardwalk Carousel
- Most daily activities unless noted below
- Use of the gym, but not most classes
- Gratuities, only if you booked your cruise in Australia and New Zealand in AU and NZ dollars
Not included with your cruise fare:
- Gratuities ($14.50 per person, per day or $17.50 per person, per day for those staying in suites
- Automatic beverage and spa tips (18 percent for both)
- All drinks beyond water, tea (including iced tea), coffee and select juices in the buffet
- Spa treatments
- Shore excursions
- Wi-Fi
- Activities including, but not limited to, Skee-Ball, Whack-A-Mole and arcade games
- Photos and artwork
Top Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas Itineraries
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Harmony of the Seas7 Night Western Caribbean & Perfect DayPort Canaveral , Perfect Day at CocoCay, Cozumel, Roatan, Costa Maya, Port CanaveralNow -
Harmony of the Seas7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect DayPort Canaveral , Perfect Day at CocoCay, San Juan, St. Maarten, Port CanaveralNow
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Harmony of the Seas7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect DayPort Canaveral , Perfect Day at CocoCay, San Juan, St. Kitts , Port CanaveralNow
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Harmony of the Seas7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect DayPort Canaveral , Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, St. Kitts , Port CanaveralNow
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Harmony of the Seas12 Night Spanish Transalantic CruisePort Canaveral , Malaga, BarcelonaNow
Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas Dress Code
Daytime: Anything goes, though cover-ups or shirts and shoes are required for indoor dining -- and indoor spaces, in general.
Evening: "Resort casual," which for women means dresses or skirts, capris or slacks and blouses. For men, khakis or dress pants paired with button-down or collared shirts work. Formalwear options for women include evening gowns, cocktail dresses or fancy blouses with slacks. Men generally go with dress shirts, ties, jackets and slacks, full suits or even tuxedos.
Not permitted: Cutoff jeans, shorts and swimwear are not permitted in the main dining room.
For more information, visit Cruise Line Dress Codes: Royal Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas Awards
Cruisers’ Choice Awards
2019 Best Overall
2019 Best for Cabins
2019 Best for Dining
2019 Best for Embarkation
2019 Best for Entertainment
2019 Best for Fitness & Recreation
2019 Best for Public Rooms
2019 Best for Shore Excursions
2019 Best for Value
2019 Best for First Timers
2018 Best Overall
2018 Best for Cabins
2018 Best for Dining
2018 Best for Embarkation
2018 Best for Entertainment
2018 Best for Fitness & Recreation
2018 Best for Public Rooms
2018 Best for Service
2018 Best for Shore Excursions
2018 Best for Value
2018 Best for Families
2018 Best for First Timers
2017 Best for Cabins
2017 Best for Embarkation
2017 Best for Entertainment
2017 Best for Families
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Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas Member Reviews
Solo1959
Sail Date: Sep 2019
Harmony of the Seas was too big, crowded, and crazy for my tastes....Read More
pepster1
Sail Date: Dec 2019
We chose this cruise specifically for the ship, Harmony of the Seas.
We made the mistake of choosing a cabin that was on the 14th deck, in the very back, just 4 cabins from the very aft end....Read More
ilockwh
Sail Date: Sep 2019
My wife and I sailed on the Harmony of the Seas for the third time, embarking in Port Canaveral and sailing to the Eastern Caribbean on September 15, 2019....Read More
Hunterlee
Sail Date: Jul 2019
We booked our Harmony of the Seas trip while on Oasis. We had both our children and their families with us. Grandchildren ranged from 5 to 18, and all 11 of us had a ball....Read More
Royal Caribbean International Fleet
