Category: Royal Caribbean

The 21 Best Things on the Biggest Cruise Ship in the World

11/27/2019

Symphony of the Seas carries more than 6,000 passengers as the largest cruise ship in the world.

By John Roberts
Symphony of the Seas was launched in 2018 as Royal Caribbean's newest version of its series of "the biggest cruise ships the world."
Royal Caribbean has held the title for many years, since it launched Oasis of the Seas, the stunning mega-ship that forever changed the game for mass-market cruising. Symphony of the Seas is the cruise line's innovative evolution of its Oasis Class, which also includes Allure of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas.
I sailed on Symphony of the Seas for a one-week cruise out of Miami to the Caribbean, with stops at St. Maarten, San Juan and Royal Caribbean's private island destination Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Here are 21 of the best things about Symphony of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship.

AquaTheater is a venue for shows day and night. We were thrilled by "Hiro."

The AquaTheater
This is the venue for the acrobatic water show and platform-diving spectacle set at the back of the ship on Deck 6 in the Boardwalk neighborhood. We watched a dazzling and energetic show called "Hiro" during our cruise. Other activities also take place here, including live music at nights. We enjoyed the rock show by popular cover band Phoenix.

The Boardwalk
The outdoor space includes restaurants, the aforementioned AquaTheater and even a carousel that will transport you back to the carnivals of your youth. The Ultimate Abyss ride that starts on Deck 16 slides all the way down 10 decks to empty out on the Boardwalk. You also have access to the ship's two rock-climbing walls from here.
Playmaker's Sports Bar and Arcade, Johnny Rocket's diner, Dog House hot dog stand, Sugar Beach candy store and a carousel ride are also located in this neighborhood.

Central Park is carved out of the middle of the ship creating a relaxing area with fresh air and live plants.

Central Park
This is a revolutionary outdoor space found midship on Deck 8. The neighborhood is filled with thousands of live plants as well as dining venues like Jamieâ€™s Italian, Vintages wine bar, Chops Grille and Park Cafe.

Royal Promenade
The heart of the ship, most passengers will pass through this neighborhood frequently throughout the day, whether to enjoy live music, a parade or shopping at the boutiques. The lively Copper and Kettle British-style pub and Boleros lounge are great places for music, dancing and drinks. And you can find a quick bite at Sorrento's pizza shop or Cafe Promenade. Coffee drinkers flock to the big Starbucks located here.

The Ultimate Abyss ride starts way up top on Deck 16 ...

And sends riders out screaming on to the Boardwalk 10 decks below.

The Ultimate Abyss
This super-fast dry slide is over in about 20 seconds as you race from Deck 16 down to Deck 6 on the Boardwalk. It's a blast.

Symphony of the Seas Full Ship Tour (click video)

Jamie's Italian
Large portions of a great variety of Italian favorites, this specialty restaurant (cover charge) located in the Central Park neighborhood is open for lunches and dinners. The bread, pastas, charcuterie and decadent brownie are our recommendations.

Wonderland restaurant on Symphony of the Seas

Wonderland is part meal, part performance that focuses on molecular gastronomy and the story of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Wonderland
This specialty dining option stands out because it so interesting. The venue, vibe and sense of whimsy that surrounds your meal make it an event. It's worth a try for a romantic meal, even if you had never before considered molecular gastronomy your kind of thing.

Playmakers Sports Bar on Symphony of the Seas

The sports bar and arcade is a large venue serving comfort food, craft beers and cocktails and showing all the games.

Best Sports Bar at Sea
Playmaker's Sport Bar on the Boardwalk features dozens of TVs showing all the games. Plus, the menu offers craft beers and great pub grub (the burger is fantastic) and desserts. There are table games throughout the space and an arcade next door.

The Zipline
The ship has a short zipline course that gives you a thrilling ride across the top of the open Boardwalk.

Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas at Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas

Thrill seekers will love the variety of tall and fast waterslides.

Visit Perfect Day at CocoCay
This is easily the best cruise line private island for families and travelers looking for lots of activities to mix in with a beach day. Perfect Day at CocoCay features 13 waterslides, restaurants, bars, live music, beaches, zipline course, the Up Up and Away helium balloon ride, beach club, cabanas, overwater bungalows and sports activities and excursions.

Puzzle Break Escape Room
Symphony of the Seas offered the Escape the Rubicon game on our sailing. For this game, you collaborate with other players to solve puzzles during the 60-minute time frame in order to escape a submarine in distress.

Symphony of the Seas pool deck and waterslides

The pool deck on Symphony of the Seas is filled with ways to enjoy the sunshine in the Caribbean.

Cool Waterslides Right Onboard
The Perfect Storm attraction on the ship is a set of waterslides. There is a pair of side-by-side racer slides and a large Champagne bowl-style slide that swirls you more gently through the course. Both offering a thrilling way to cool off in the Caribbean.

The FlowRider rides are also included in your fare, and you can boogie board or surf while fellow cruisers cheer you on.

FlowRiders
A Royal Caribbean favorite, Symphony of the Seas features a pair of FlowRider surfing simulators at the back of the ship on Deck 16. You can boogie board or surf on these wave generators.

Hairspray main show on Symphony of the Seas

The musical takes place in the main Royal Theater.

Hairspray
This fun musical is a centerpiece of the entertainment program on the ship. The show, which was a Tony-award winning musical on Broadway, takes place in the Royale Theater and requires reservations.

Ice Skating Rink
Studio B is the venue for several live shows and other events, including the skating show "1977." The venue is hosts open skating times for passengers to strap on the skates for a few turns around the ice.

Solarium Pool Area
This adults-only covered pool and lounge area is a great option for those looking to avoid the intense sun or ample crowds at the main lido deck pool areas.

Big Hot Tubs with a View
The huge cantilevered tubs on each side of the ship on Deck 15 offer nice spots for a soak, usually with plenty of space in these out-of-the-way locations. The hot tubs also feature large flat-screen TVs showing sports programming.

Climbing Walls
Symphony of the Seas offers two climbing walls at the back of the Boardwalk on Deck 6. Climb to the top and you get impressive views out to sea.

Sports Court
We saw teens and others flock to the large sport court each day to join in pickup basketball games or scheduled times for events like soccer or pickleball.

El Loco Fresh Mexican restaurant on Symphony of the Seas

El Loco Fresh was our go-to breakfast place. You can get omelets, fresh fruit, parfaits and burritos.

El Loco Fresh
This was a favorite spot for a fast-casual breakfast or lunch or quick healthy snack anytime. The eatery offers Mexican fare, and it is the lone spot on the ship near the buffet to get a made-to-order omelet. Breakfasts also feature fresh fruit like berries, kiwi and pineapple, as well as breakfast burritos and delicious muffins.

Fitness Center
The gym on Symphony of the Seas is favorite of mine because it offers nearly everything you can find in the standard commercial land-based gym. I got in a daily workout here and had regular runs on the nearly half-mile long dedicated walking/jogging track on Deck 5 that encircles the ship.

Symphony of the Seas is quite a bit larger that the ships that I typically find most enjoyable. It carries in excess of 6,000 passengers. But there also are a number of places to easily escape the crowds, and this ship is ideal for group travel with friends and family, perhaps if you are all together to celebrate a birthday or other special event. Families traveling with kids also will be happy for all the activities that can keep the group happy.

Thanks for reading,
JR

Symphony of the Seas Balcony Cabin Tour (click video)

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Our Epic Year of Cruising. What We Learned. How It Can Help You.

12/19/2017

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UnCruise Adventures Safari Voyager in Panama

In 2017, we reconnected with UnCruise Adventures and went exploring in Panama and Costa Rica on Safari Voyager.

By John Roberts

I can easily say that 2017 provided our most diverse year of travel, as well as being our most adventurous. We went to a variety of new destinations in more and more exotic lands that took us out of our comfort zones. In total, we sailed on 12 cruises and saw some amazing things. Here is a recap -- with a look at what you might like about these types of cruises.

It was fantastic to explore Tunisia with Viking Ocean Cruises. Viking Sky was one of the first cruise ships to return to this lovely country in North Africa.

Viking Sky in the Med: This cruise in late February and early March took us to the Mediterranean and several new destinations, including Tunisia, which had recently begun welcoming back cruise ships after most lines took the port off their itineraries because of threats of terror attacks.

Read About Our Trip: Traveling to Tunisia and Seeing More on Viking Sky

Why You'll Like It: Viking Sky is one of Viking Ocean Cruises' new ships, and the luxury vessel offers a relaxing experience. The ship carries just 930 passengers, and the trip focuses on cultural and food experiences. Onboard, you'll love the spacious public areas and cabins, as well as the excellent service. My favorite part of this ship is the LivNordic Spa, a heavenly retreat that all passengers can experience for no extra fee.

We sure had a blast on a spectacular Caribbean cruise with 16 friends and family members.

Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas in the Caribbean: In April, we joined more than a dozen friends and family for a birthday cruise. Yes, a few of us were celebrating milestones (I hit 50), and we enjoyed nine days sailing in the sun, visiting Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, and Labadee (Haiti).

Why You'll Like It: Navigator of the Seas is a big ship that's full of all kinds of restaurants and activities. It's the ideal type of cruise for a larger group. The ship offers something for everyone: bars, pools, a gym, multiple restaurants, productions shows, live music and dancing. So, if you get bored, that's your own fault. The ship is big enough to allow everyone to get together for games and dinners and also have enough space for when members of your group prefer to have a bit of time to themselves.

The Tropicana night club in Havana, Cuba

You just know that we were going to see a colorful show at the Tropicana during our first visit to Cuba.

Norwegian Sky Cruise to Havana: This was our first trip to Cuba, and we joined Norwegian Cruise Line on its first visit there. The historic sailing brought us to Havana for two days and one night, and we had an amazing time exploring the city and getting a chance to meet with the residents and even experience a little night life at The Tropicana.

Read About Our Trip: Cruising to Havana on Norwegian Sky

Why You'll Like It: This is the ideal way to visit Cuba. All the logistics are taken care of through Norwegian Sky. The ship offers nice accommodations, good food, and guided excursions in Havana. This makes it a hassle-free experience, which is nice, especially if it's your first trip to Cuba. Norwegian Sky also includes your drinks (alcohol, wine, soda) in the fare.

Paris and all the towns along the Rhone in France proved to be as wonderful as we expected. And a Tauck river cruise was the perfect way to explore all of it.

Tauck MS Emerald on the Rhone River in France: This trip gave us our first visit to lovely Paris and so many fascinating spots along the Rhone River. We loved learning how to play petanque, trying wines and exploring villages and towns like Viviers, Lyon, Arles and Avignon. The best part for me was interacting with friendly crew onboard MS Emerald, savoring cold beers on the sun deck and biking and running along the river paths when we stopped in ports.

Read About Our Trip: Five Ways to Stay Active on a Tauck Cruise in France

Why You'll Like It: This is an upscale luxury cruise experience, and foodies will love the culinary and wine experience. Service is outstanding, and the crew is so friendly. The crew show toward the end of the cruise is a riot, with fun games and dancing that delighted the passengers. Excursions are included and led by outstanding guides who work incredibly hard to make everyone happy. This is a great way to pack in the best of Paris and the Provence region of France.

Nassau Bahamas Paradise Island and Atlantis

Just another hot day in the Bahamas. I went for a jog from the cruise ship pier, across the bridge and over to Atlantis.

Carnival Victory to the Bahamas: This was a three-day getaway in June to enjoy the sun and sands. The Bahamas is a quick trip from the cruise port in Miami, and we enjoyed a day in Nassau and two sea days sailing there and back. Trivia contests, pool time, dancing and eating filled my time on the ship. In Nassau, I took a run over to Paradise Island to work off my pizza and desserts and enjoyed some time at Junkanoo Beach.

Why You'll Like It: This is a classic short and economical cruise for families and friends who want a quick getaway. Carnival offers fun deck parties and other activities. Guy's Burger Joint is a wonderful dining venue on Carnival Victory.

I took a run to Fort Zachary Taylor and found a small secluded beach area in Key West.

Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas to Key West and Bahamas: Well, as long as we're here! As soon as I got off Carnival Victory, I walked my suitcase down the pier in Miami Cruise Port and got onboard Enchantment of the Seas. Yes, an easy back-to-back on a pair of mass-market cruise ships. And back to Nassau, Bahamas, too. Plus, we stopped at the private island destination Coco Cay and the funky town of Key West, Fla., on a four-day cruise.

Why You'll Like It: Enchantment of the Seas features multiple restaurants, a good kids program and outdoors activities centered around the big pool, rock climbing wall and Jump Zone trampoline attraction. This ship is a bit older and lacks any whiz-bang amenities and activities that you might find on newer ships, such as water slides and ziplines. But it has all you need to bring a family onboard for a nice Caribbean vacation. Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean's very own private beach, is also a fun destination with tons to do.

Parga, a tiny island in Greece, proved to be a delightful discovery. We spent the day swimming and relaxing, with Seabourn Encore always in sight.

Seabourn Encore in the Mediterranean: We sailed on the luxury ship to wonderful Med destinations, like the tiny Greek island of Parga, the Italian fishing village of Brindisi and the ports of Primosten and Dubrovnik in always-gorgeous Croatia.

Read About Our Trip: Five Small Med Cruise Ports on Our Seabourn Cruise

Why You'll Like It: You're going to love the luxurious surroundings and top-notch food and service on Seabourn Encore, which also features a sports marina that opens when the ships anchors in a destination. You can go kayaking or paddleboarding as part of your daily adventures.

I was all alone and set up my camera on a timer to capture my bliss as I reached the most incredible view high in the Austrian alps on just one of my hikes with Backroads and AmaWaterways.

AmaWaterways and Backroads Hiking on the Danube: A year earlier, I tried the cycling tours that Backroads and AmaWaterways have created. This time, I did their Danube River hiking adventure, which took me high into the Austrian alps and deep into forests in Bavaria in Germany. We sailed on my favorite river, enjoying the luxury and comfort of the AmaStella cruise ship -- stopping in historic ports in Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.

Why You'll Like It: This is a great trip that offers a mix of comfort and challenges. Choose longer hikes or an easier route. You can even take a day off and enjoy the daily excursion with the rest of the cruise passengers who are not part of your Backroads hiking group. You can set the pace on this type of fully flexible vacation as you sail on a luxury river ship.

Scenic Cruises and Trek Travel on the Danube River

We met many new friends this year, with whom we shared plenty of adventures -- and a few beers.

Scenic Biking Cruise with Trek Travel: It was back to the Danube and back on the bikes. This time, I tried the partnership of Scenic and Trek Travel as they ramp up their biking river cruises. The ultra-luxury Scenic Amber was our home as we sailed from Nuremberg to Budapest, with stops at Kelheim, Vienna and Durnstein along the way.

Read About Our Trip: A Danube River Biking Cruise with Trek Travel

Why You'll Like It: This is an intense challenge for serious bikers. I pedaled with 16 other avid cyclists, and the daily rides were exciting and exhausting. Of course, you can set your own pace, but Trek Travel trips attract people who really enjoy their rides and live for cycling. Make sure you are comfortable riding in traffic and up and down fairly steep hills (e-assist bikes are available to book for this trip).

Our expedition with UnCruise Adventures meant plenty of days like this, where we had stunning islands and beaches nearly to ourselves.

UnCruise Adventures in Panama and Costa Rica: We love sailing with this top adventure line on its expeditions. This time, we explored the Panama Canal, with remote islands and an indigenous community on the way to Costa Rica, where we got off the ship and did even more snorkeling, hiking and creature spotting. We saw so many monkeys, birds, whales and fish.

Read About Our Trip: Back to Nature: Panama and Costa Rica with UnCruiseâ€‹

Why You'll Like It: If you enjoy nature and the outdoors, UnCruise Adventures' expeditions are perfect for you. The ship sails with about 60 people, and expert guides and naturalists set up exciting daily adventures that get you out into the wilds with fellow cruisers who all have adventurous spirits just like you. These trips are dreams for fitness enthusiasts, photography buffs and nature lovers. This ship is not luxurious, but the food is outstanding -- and many of the meals are inspired by the destinations you visit.

Avalon Waterways river cruise in Cambodia

Our visit to the village of Wat Hanchey in Cambodia was a highlight of the year, as we received a traditional water blessing from Buddhist monks.

Avalon Waterways Mekong River Cruise: This one is extra special. We headed to Cambodia and Vietnam for the first time. Colleen and I visited these jewels of Southeast Asia with her brother, Ryan, and his wife, Kelly. We started in Siem Reap and spent two days checking out the temples, including Angkor Wat, before joining the ship for a week of sailing on the Mekong all the way to Ho Chi Minh City. This was an eye-opening voyage and amazing introduction to such a culturally rich and historic part of the world. We can't wait to return.

Why You'll Like It: The small luxury ship Avalon Siem Reap offers creature comforts as you sail in the rugged and remote regions, visiting the small fishing and crafting villages of the Mekong River. The ship is luxurious and has a capacity of just 36 passengers who quickly bond to form one big family. Expert local guides lead the way in Cambodia and Vietnam, and you explore temples, take part in special ceremonies, witness music and dances -- often taking part in these lively activities. We really savored all the chances to try new foods from the region, like pho and fish and noodle soups. We even tried tasty candies, fried insects and snake wine, too.

You never get tired of walking the decks on Windstar Cruises' Wind Surf, especially to bask in the breezes and gaze up at the moonlit sky.

Windstar Cruises Voyage in Morocco and the Canary Islands: Two new destinations for me, and on a different kind of cruise ship, too. Windstar Cruises' Wind Surf brought us to the beautiful North African kingdom of Morocco and the ecologically diverse Spanish archipelago, the Canary Islands. Wind Surf is a luxury sailing yacht and features tall masts, crisp white sails, open teak decks and incredible food and service. The adventures included explorations of historic cities like Agadir and Rabat in Morocco, as well as the moon-like surface on Lanzarote and mountain peaks shrouded in mist on La Gomera.

Read About Our Trip: Windstar Cruises Offers Classic Sailing Voyage

Why You'll Like It: This is classic sailing at its best. The ship is spacious and comfortable. The pace onboard during sailing is slow and relaxed, with not much to do. Most people entertained themselves playing games, reading or chatting with each other over cocktails. The live music and gourmet meals are a highlight. The stars of the voyage are the itineraries, though, and Windstar puts together an amazing program with guides scoping out unique experiences in ports that aren't able to be visited by the masses sailing on larger cruise ships.

As you can see, this recaps quite a year with a number of outstanding cruise lines that offer amazing adventures. We can't wait to see what the next year brings. Which cruise would you choose?

Thanks for reading, and happy sailing!
JR

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An Ideal Day at Royal Caribbean's Cruise Port in Labadee, Haiti

4/25/2017

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By John Roberts

The long zipline looks like it would be a blast. It's waaaaaay up there, and the people screaming overhead are moving fast as they take a minute-long ride on Dragon's Breath, the world's longest zipline over water.

I just can't get past that price tag of $109, though. Plus, you have to commit more than an hour of time getting instructions, strapping into gear and taking a test run on a short practice line.

Maybe someday, but this time I have other plans for my visit to Labadee. Royal Caribbean's private cruise port has been purpose built on a gorgeous peninsula on the northern coast of Haiti, and we aim to take full advantage of a sunny day and a chance to relax and play in the warm waters.

The resort area is large and offers several beach areas. So passengers can come ashore and spread out in their own space quite easily. This isn't always the case in some cruise lines' private port destinations, but Labadee is well-designed and offers tons to do when you visit.

Royal Caribbean Labadee cabana at Nellie's Beach

Our cabana area offered access right to the beach and water.

We rented a beach cabana for our party of six. Our Royal Caribbean overwater beach cabana on Labadee cost $495 and put us in a nice spot on Nellie's Beach to enjoy our day.

We enjoy the sun but also need to frequently escape into the shade for a break. The cabana gave us lovely views of the cove, and we had a comfy space to drop our beach bags, snorkel gear, cameras and other items while we explored the rest of the resort. We needed an accessible overwater beach cabanas on Labadee because we were traveling with a family member who needed a wheelchair. Passengers can get a beach wheelchair to use on a first-come availability basis, and the fat-wheeled devices work well and can be pushed on the sand.

Our group loved the cushioned lounge chairs in the cabana, and our steward set us up with the included cooler full of ice and bottles of water. The cabana stewards and many other staffers on the resort are Haitian, and it was nice to chat with our new friend who was eager to tell us about his country and was helpful in getting us a bucket of beers or any other items we might have needed.

It was a nice treat to have such attentive service and a comfortable and secure place as we ran into and out of the warm waters all day. Our Labadee beach cabana also included two floating mats that were fantastic for a little bit of relaxing while on the water. We also snorkeled and saw others kayaking in the cove at Nellie's Beach.

Dragon's Breath zipline on Labadee, Haiti

Other top activities around Labadee include:

Snorkeling -- Bring your own gear and hop in the water at numerous areas around the resort. We didn't see much at our snorkel spot (a few fish), but we didn't venture too far from the cove. For a good snorkel spot on Labadee, try Adrenaline Beach. Royal Caribbean ships also offer snorkeling excursions (fee) and take you out to places that might have good coral and fish to explore. The ships also sell snorkel gear if you didn't bring your own.

Arawak Aqua Park -- For $20 an hour you can splash around in the play area, which has a trampolines, slides, balance beams and a floating rock to climb up and slide down.

Columbus Cove -- The beach area adjacent to Arawak Aqua Park and next to the Dragon's Splash water slide (for $24 slide all day on this 300-foot-long attraction) features water sports rental equipment like parasailing and jet skis.

Dragon's Breath zipline and Dragon's Tail roller coaster -- The zipline ($109) starts out 500 feet high and drops you 2,600 feet away. You can reach speeds of 50 mph, and five lines run at a time, filling the sky with screaming riders racing high above Adrenaline Beach. The roller coaster (for $36, ride all day) is a single-car ride that rockets you down the hillside with twists and turns, reaching 30 mph during a four-minute journey.

Shopping -- A marketplace is filled with Haitian vendors eager to bargain with you as you look to grab a souvenir from your trip. The cash-only businesses accept U.S. dollars, and you can buy art, hats, handbags and colorful scarves.

After our morning swimming and exploring the rest of the resort, we ventured over to lunch at the pavilion. The designated lunch spot on Labadee serves barbecue, buffet style. The ship staffers come ashore and set up the spread, which includes hot dogs, burgers, chicken and ribs. You also get fresh fruit, pastries and sides like cole slaw, beans, rice and salad. It's pretty good, especially the chicken and ribs.

The best part is the convenience. After a nice lunch during which acrobats come around and put on a vibrant show (they pass the hat for well-earned tips), we grabbed a couple Labadoozies to sip as we headed back to our cabana for more swimming. A Labadoozie is the signature cocktail of Labadee and is made with pineapple, orange and papaya juice, coconut cream and as our bartender said "rum, rum and more rum."

My first Labadoozie!

The port of Labadee is one of the best private cruise destinations we have stopped at because it offers a mix of hilly walking areas in jungle settings with several strips of beach as well as all kinds of activities to suit your mood. This way, you can have any type of day ashore that you want: relaxing, extremely active or a little of both.

Maybe next time I'll try that mega zipline. You just might have to fill me up with a few Labadoozies before I agree to it, though.

Thanks for reading and always travel happy!
JR

Royal Caribbean's Labadee cruise port zipline

Would you ride the Dragon's Breath zipline at Labadee, Haiti?

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The 21 Best Things on the Biggest Cruise Ship in the World

Symphony of the Seas Full Ship Tour (click video)

Symphony of the Seas Balcony Cabin Tour (click video)

Our Epic Year of Cruising. What We Learned. How It Can Help You.

An Ideal Day at Royal Caribbean's Cruise Port in Labadee, Haiti

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