Harmony of the Seas had our attention as soon as we heard it was the newest and largest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet. It truly is a dream cruise experience.
Why Go
We went with our whole extended family with ages ranging from toddlers to grandparents, so as you can imagine it’s hard to please everybody. But this cruise totally did! There are so many different activities onboard, keeping you busy from the minute you board until you step off. I mean where else could you get scuba certified in the morning and be ice skating by the afternoon? You can find any sort of adventure from water slides to zip lines.
The Ultimate Abyss is actually the very tallest slide at sea, sending you flying down 10 stories partially over the edge of the boat. My kids had an absolute blast on this one, but don’t worry there’s some smaller slide options too for the more faint of heart. Some other great adventures on board are the rockwall, FlowRider and the Escape Room. The zipline is also a pretty unique experience and is included in your cruise fare!
Sticking to the more typical cruise activities is totally an option too, with live shows, a great arcade, mini golf, and poolside movie nights. There’s truly so much to do that it’s hard to fit it all in.
Here we are and I haven’t even got to talking about food yet, which is one of the best parts of cruising. We loved that Harmony of the Seas offered both the traditional cruise food experiences but great laid back options as well. Meaning we could get dressed up and take family photos on some nights, and kick back at Johnny Rockets on others. This is the kind of vacation where you can truly get the best of both worlds.
What to Do
It is hard to even begin to tell someone what all they should do while aboard Harmony of the Seas. The pool deck is always the center of our trips. You just cannot go wrong with lounging in the sun, grabbing a cocktail, and letting the kids do their thing. There’s a kid’s aqua park, multiple whirlpools, and a whole adults only area. If you’re a night owl, the pool parties are a great place to dance and let loose. Plus, they bring out a late night buffet to keep you going. While you’re at it stop in at the Bionic Bar and have a robot mix your favorite cocktail (or virgin drinks!).
Aside from the pool, one of our favorite activities was the surf simulation, FlowRider. Our family had our fair share of falls, but that was just part of the fun. The shows were pretty amazing too, definitely do not miss out on the Aquatheatre productions. There’s so much to do and so many new things to experience together, just don’t forget to slow down and appreciate the sunsets and being out on the open ocean on such an amazing boat.
Family Accommodations
Like most cruise lines Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas allows up to 4 people per room. If you have a larger family the most affordable thing to do is book two adjoining rooms which allows you to sleep up to 8 guests (4 in each room). This is typically what our family does and it works out great! The Harmony of the Seas also has a few Family Rooms that sleep up to 6, but you need to call to make your reservation in one of these staterooms.
Something unique about sailing on the Harmony of the Seas is that along with the more familiar stateroom options such as interior, oceanview and balcony. Families can also choose to stay in one of the staterooms that overlooks the Boardwalk or Central Park areas onboard the ship.
Special Amenities for Kids
There is no shortage of fun things for kids to do onboard the Harmony of the Seas as this massive ship is jam-packed with excited activities. Parents and kids alike love the included kids club onboard Adventure Ocean. Here kids are separated into groups by age. Aquanauts for the 3 to 5 year olds, the Explorers program for 6 to 8 year olds, and the Voyagers for 9 to12 year olds. There is also a super fun 10-story slide on the back of the ship known as the Ultimate Abyss that I recommend riding both during the day and again at night. Two Flowriders, an escape room, carousel, ice skating rink, rock climbing wall, three high-speed water slides, mini golf, a sports court and so much more!
Where to Eat
It wouldn’t be a cruise without a plethora of incredible dining options and that is certainly what awaits you onboard the Harmony of the Seas. Kids love the grab & go options at the Dog House, Sorrento’s Pizza, and Park Cafe which are all included in your cruise package. Or you can upgrade to include the premium dining and enjoy well known brands like Jamie’s (Oliver) Italian restaurant or Johnny Rockets.
Tip: Johnny Rockets serves a delicious hot breakfast including an omelet station in the morning and it is not a premium experience at that time so very few people known about it. Of course the buffets are always a great choice with the kids, too!
Amber Mamian is a family travel expert and mother of 5 kids through both birth and adoption (ages 3, 10, 11, 12 and 14). Her travel writing has been featured in Lonely Planet, Huffington Post, Yahoo, TWIST Travel Magazine, and the TODAY Parenting Team blog. You can also follow her family’s adventures on her website, Global Munchkins.