I took a friend on her very first Royal Caribbean cruise, and while she has cruised before, this was her first mega-ship experience.

Your first Royal Caribbean cruise is one you will (most likely) never forget.

My first Royal Caribbean cruise was back in 2006 on Enchantment of the Seas. I was very young, but the memories I made on this cruise and the others I went on growing up will stay with me forever.

Recently, one of my good friends, Kate, was able to join me on her first Royal Caribbean cruise. We chose a cruise on Harmony of the Seas, an Oasis Class ship built in 2016, for a seven-night Western Caribbean voyage out of Galveston, Texas. 

You learn a lot when embarking on a new cruise line. Kate has cruised in the past, including sailings on Norwegian Cruise Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, but she was intrigued to see how her experience on Royal Caribbean would compare to these other cruise lines.

Here are Kate’s honest thoughts and opinions about her first Royal Caribbean cruise.

Prior expectations and cruise preparation

As soon as we booked our cruise, Kate dived into researching everything about Harmony of the Seas.

“Watching Royal Caribbean Blog’s ship tour video was very helpful before the trip. They had the most thorough video I could find on YouTube, and I watched it several times,” Kate said. “It heightened my excitement about the trip since I knew exactly what to look forward to. Plus, it made it less overwhelming when I boarded the ship since I knew what to expect onboard.”

Although Kate was excited to experience all of the amenities of a large cruise ship, she was worried that having so many passengers onboard would create big crowds or long lines, which could detract from the experience.

“To my pleasant surprise, I rarely encountered large crowds on the ship! The most crowded places were for the shows or popular events, but if you arrived early, you could still get a good seat.”

As for packing, Kate decided to start packing a week in advance. “I didn’t end up wearing everything I brought, so in hindsight, I could’ve packed fewer clothes,” she said. “It was most helpful to pack various clothes to fit all the activities on the ship, from activewear for rock climbing to formal wear for dinner. I recommend thinking about how to layer, mix, and match your clothes when onboard.”

Check-in was easy

A great surprise to Kate was how easy the check-in process was at the Galveston cruise terminal.

For context, our check-in time was at 11:30 a.m.

“Once we dropped off our large luggage, we went to the check-in area where we didn’t have to wait in any line to be checked in. I was so shocked by the quick and easy process that it almost felt like we were missing a step,” Kate explained. “It was so lovely to get through the check-in so quickly that we could get right on the ship and enjoy our vacation.”

Read more: Harmony of the Seas review: What this cruise ship is like in 2024

An interior cabin was better than anticipated

Since we wanted to book the cheapest cabin for our cruise, we decided on an interior guarantee cabin. This type of cabin offers no natural sunlight because there are no windows. Shortly after booking, we were assigned a cabin on deck 10 towards the back of the ship.

“This cruise was my first time experiencing an interior cabin, so I wasn’t sure what it would be like," Kate said. "Although my first impression of the cabin was that it was small, I found throughout the week that we didn’t spend much time in it, so the space worked well for what we used it for, which was just getting ready and sleeping at night."

“The biggest perk of our interior cabin was that it was very easy to sleep in since it stayed dark until you decided to turn on the light. Thankfully, I didn’t hear much outside noise while in the cabin, which I worried about because of the many passengers and kids onboard. Also, since our cabin was toward the aft of the ship, I didn’t feel much of a sway, which was nice.”

Kate’s least favorite part of the cabin was the small bathroom. “The only thing I struggled with in the cabin was how small the bathroom was. I would frequently bump my elbows on the walls while getting ready. There also wasn’t a lot of bathroom counter space, which made it challenging to get ready.”

Another interesting comment Kate made was how she felt it was a lot of work to find spots onboard to see the ocean. 

“Especially staying in an interior cabin, I felt like I had to continuously try to find places to watch the waves go by. At times, it was easy to forget that we were at sea since there were primarily interior spaces within the large ship.” Kate's favorite place to watch the ocean was in the Solarium.

Overall, Kate would consider an interior cabin again since her experience was better than she anticipated.

Cabin review: I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas for $463 a night. Take a look inside my 172-square-foot cabin

The food is great, even for vegetarians

One aspect of the cruise Kate was looking forward to was the food.

“I love trying new restaurants, but my options can be limited as a vegetarian. I was both looking forward to the cuisine onboard and nervous about whether they would have enough options for me,” Kate said.

“I was very impressed with the quality and variety of the complimentary food. I was also impressed with the Main Dining Room for many reasons! They had a vegan option for each course every night, so I knew there would always be something I could eat. I found the quality of the food to be exceptional. Each dish was tasty and came out hot. With a party of two people, our three-course dinner usually took around an hour which was nice so we had time to experience more evening entertainment.”

Kate liked the new themed menu every night. “Having variety and trying different foods was nice,” she said. “Plus, it’s a great way to try new foods because if I didn’t like something I ordered, the staff would be happy to bring something else out for me. The staff would bring me additional servings if I asked for them, which was a fun treat to have so much flexibility without the fear of running up a bill.”

During our seven-night cruise, we ate at two specialty restaurants: Jamie’s Italian and Johnny Rockets. Kate said she was quite satisfied with the vegetarian options at these venues, especially the Aubergine Parmigiana and Truffle Tagliatelle at Jamie's Italian.

Read more: Vegetarian and Vegan Guide to Royal Caribbean

“Jamies’s Italian was definitely my favorite meal of the week. Every dish was superb. However, you could find plenty of quality food throughout the week without the specialty dining. I loved the salad bar at the buffet because I was able to get exactly what I wanted.”

Kate’s only feedback would be to have labels on the signs at the buffet to easily identify which dishes are meat-free. 

Impressive entertainment

Another aspect of the cruise Kate loved was the entertainment offered on Harmony of the Seas. She greatly enjoyed the live music that was performed throughout the night, like the piano music in the Schooner Bar and the jazz bands in Dazzles.

In addition to the traditional theater entertainment, Kate was impressed by the unique entertainment options such as the ice skating and aqua shows.

“I had never seen performances like these on land, so it was even more impressive that they could perform on the sea. I was truly in awe when I left those shows because of how unique and talented the performances were,” Kate said.

Attentive service

With so many passengers on the ship, Kate was initially worried that the service from staff would not be as attentive and personal as she would like it to be.

“The staff definitely exceeded my expectations with how personal they made the experience,” Kate said. “I was highly impressed that not only did we get to meet our stateroom attendant on embarkation day, but he also greeted us by name every time we passed him in the hallway.”

Kate was also wowed by how knowledgeable every bartender was onboard. “They always knew precisely what drink I requested and made it quickly without hesitation. I even had one of the best Amaretto Sours on the ship - my favorite!”

Some aspects of the cruise could’ve been better

Not everything on a cruise is perfect, and Kate did have a few things she pointed out that could’ve been better.

First, Kate was surprised that the Solarium isn’t really adults-only like it claims to be.

“Although I understand it was a family-friendly cruise, it was frustrating that the adults-only rule wasn’t enforced,” Kate commented. “It took away from the relaxing retreat that the space is designed to be. It also would have been nice to have a pool in the Solarium to relax in since the regular pools were so packed with kids that you were constantly being kicked and splashed on. I was also surprised that the hot tubs often were allowed to be over-capacity.”

Harmony of the Seas is actually the only Royal Caribbean ship without a pool inside the Solarium. Instead, there is a mister that guests can use to cool down.

Next, Kate wished there were more water stations around the ship.

“I understand they don’t want you to fill water bottles at the stations for sanitary reasons. I don’t want to have to carry a water bottle everywhere. However, I found it hard to find water stations where I’d often have to travel several decks to find water. Sometimes, I would have to wait in line at a bar just to get a glass of water, which was inconvenient. Plus, I felt bad for slowing down the bartenders.”

Next, Kate and I encountered a few issues with the Royal Caribbean app while on our cruise.

“I admired how much information you could find on the Royal Caribbean app. However, I found that it would take a lot of time to load every time I opened the app. This can be frustrating, especially with how often I wanted to reference it. I also found it inconsistent in which activities were being offered each day. I usually needed to exit and reload the app to ensure I saw all the activities. I would definitely appreciate some updates for the app.”

Lastly, we had an unexpected event occur while on our cruise. Our seven-day cruise had planned stops in Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Cozumel, Mexico. Unfortunately, we were not able to dock in Costa Maya due to poor weather, so we only had two port stops and the rest were sea days. Kate had planned excursions in every port.

“The tour company canceled the excursion I was booked to go on in Honduras a week before the trip, which was a bummer. But, I appreciated that Royal Caribbean gave me a discount to book another excursion, which is what I ended up doing. The other excursion I had booked in Costa Maya was automatically refunded on the day we couldn’t make it into port.”

Read more: I went on Harmony of the Seas and these are the 7 mistakes I saw people make

Visiting new countries was a highlight

Kate’s favorite part of the cruise was getting to visit and experience different countries and cultures.

“I went horseback riding in Honduras and explored ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico. I booked both excursions through the cruise line, which I highly recommend doing,” Kate said. “Both excursions were well organized and ran smoothly. It put me at ease to know we would be picked up and dropped off by the ship, and Royal Caribbean had vetted the excursions. The tour guides who led my excursions were very friendly and knowledgeable. Plus, I felt safe in the countries since I was with the tour group.”

Another aspect Kate loves about cruising is that it’s very flexible when traveling with a group and it’s easy to plan.

“Due to the various activities and excursions, you can find something interesting for everyone! It’s easy to go off alone to experience what interests you but then come back together with your group for dinner or whatever else. The other aspect I love so much is that all the logistics are taken care of for you, so you can enjoy it! I love planning, but knowing that everything will be taken care of for you is a nice break for me.”

Would Kate cruise with Royal Caribbean again?

So, did Kate like her cruise on Harmony of the Seas and would she consider another cruise on Royal Caribbean?

“I would definitely cruise on Royal Caribbean again! Overall, I had a fantastic experience and a great vacation. There were a wide variety of excursions to see the world, and they were well done. I greatly enjoyed the quality food and unique entertainment onboard. I had a great customer experience with all of the staff. I trust that Royal Caribbean would provide another solid experience if I booked another trip with them.”

“Personally, I would prefer a more inclusive price model, like Virgin Voyages or Regent Seven Seas. This would allow me to access all the food and experiences without considering additional costs on vacation. I would especially prefer that all the food be included so you don’t have to consider prices and payment while on vacation.”

Kate’s last quote is one that I also agree with. “If you’re looking for a trustworthy cruise line with a large variety of experiences, I would definitely recommend Royal Caribbean!”

While I was on a week-long spring break retreat, I noticed a few mistakes people were making. These mistakes can happen to first-time cruisers as well as experienced cruisers like myself.

I sailed on Harmony of the Seas, which is one of Royal Caribbean's biggest ships in the fleet.

From not making reservations for the production shows to showing up late for events, these mistakes can be easily avoided with some planning and preparation.

By telling you what I saw, I hope you will learn what not to do on your upcoming cruise. I hope my advice will help you have a more enjoyable vacation!

1. Not making show reservations as early as you can

Cruisers sailing on an Icon, Quantum, or Oasis Class ship need to remember to make show reservations before they set sail. These shows are typically the Broadway productions (like Grease on Harmony of the Seas), comedy acts, and various shows in Studio B, the AquaTheater, and Two70.

Reservations can be made on the Cruise Planner website before the cruise begins. You can wait to make reservations when onboard, but it’s recommended that you do it online rather than waiting to do it on the ship. You will most likely find that many guests make reservations before getting onboard, so if you wait, a show that you want to see may already be full.

Making reservations early ensures you will see the show you want, and it doesn't cost you anything! By making reservations early, you can select the date and time that works for your schedule. If you wait, you may be stuck with a show reservation that is too late or too early for your liking.

According to the Royal Caribbean website, reservations open on the Cruise Planner “on the first day of the month before the sailing.” So if your cruise is on June 15, reservations will open on May 1.

There was one show my friend and I were not able to make reservations for on the Cruise Planner. Luckily, when we got onboard on embarkation day, I checked the Royal Caribbean app and was able to quickly snag two seats that opened up for the comedy show on the second day of the cruise.

We were happy that we made reservations as soon as we could for all the other shows because at every show we went to, there was always a line of people waiting in the standby area to get inside the venue.

If you find yourself with no reservation, it’s advised to get to the standby line 30-45 minutes before the show. It’s common for some people who secured a reservation to change their minds and not show up. The earlier you are in the standby line, the more likely you will get in to see the show.

Read more: The 20 worst cruise mistakes that will ruin your cruise vacation

2. Not getting to shows or activities early enough

Speaking of long lines, another lesson I learned while on Harmony of the Seas is to get to shows and activities early to avoid crowds.

Not every event on Harmony of the Seas required a reservation. All of the main shows I mentioned earlier required a reservation (excluding one at the AquaTheater), but many of the daily activities were a free-for-all.

For example, there was one night when we wanted to go to the Finish That Lyric game show. My friend and I grabbed a drink and headed over to where the event was taking place a few minutes before the show started, but we were shocked to see that people were crowding outside of the venue. People could hardly get inside to see the game show, and once you were inside, it was impossible to find a seat.

This instance happened a few times where small venues would host popular events and it would become crowded rather quickly. If you want to attend an event and have a decent seat, I would recommend you get to the venue at least 20-30 minutes before it starts.

Read more: Harmony of the Seas review: What this cruise ship is like in 2024

3. Trying to do everything on the first day

Harmony of the Seas is a giant ship with so much to do, including the Ultimate Abyss, FlowRider, zipline, and more. Because our particular sailing had lots of people (we were sailing at nearly full capacity), there was often a line for these activities.

I noticed on the first day of the cruise, the line for the Ultimate Abyss was so long that it was wrapped around the FlowRider. I couldn't believe how many people were standing out in the hot sun waiting to go down the slide. My friend and I decided to do the slide on one of the sea days, and when we went, there wasn't a line! I think this was because we went at a random time of the day, around 2 p.m.

You don’t have to do everything on the first day of your cruise. You will have plenty of time to do everything the ship has to offer, especially if you are on a long cruise. On short cruises, though, you will probably feel the pressure to do everything on day one.

A tip I would recommend to cruisers is to try to do some of the free activities while docked in port. This means people will be off the ship and there will be fewer lines. Do keep in mind that many of the activities have different hours on sea days versus port days. On port days, the activities are usually open for only a few hours. In this instance, I would recommend doing these activities at times of the day when people are busy eating, like lunch or dinner time.

Also, to get an idea of what times activities are offered before embarking on your cruise, you can look at the daily compasses we have on our website. By planning ahead, you won’t have to miss out on experiencing all the fun activities onboard.

4. Not reserving a dining time for My Time Dining

When booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have the option between Traditional Dining or My Time Dining.

Personally, I always choose Traditional Dining because I enjoy sitting at the same table every night and being served by the same waitstaff. I love the ease of being able to walk in and go to my assigned table without ever having to wait to be seated.

When you select My Time Dining, you eat dinner in the Main Dining Room whenever you want; on Harmony of the Seas, it's from 6:30 to 9 p.m. You can choose to make a dinner reservation ahead of time or show up at the Main Dining Room and wait to be seated.

There are two lines for My Time Dining each evening: those with a reservation and those without. The line for no reservations was super long every night on my cruise! I overheard someone say they had to wait for an hour because the line went all the way through the Main Dining Room lobby and up the nearby staircase.

To avoid the chaos of the My Time Dining non-reservation line, I recommend making dinner reservations as soon as you can, whether before or during your cruise. This does somewhat defeat the purpose of being able to eat whenever you want, but if you want to avoid the long lines every night, making a reservation is much easier and could save you waiting a long time in line.

5. Only eating at the included dining venues

One of my favorite parts of cruising is enjoying all the food onboard. On Harmony of the Seas, there are so many places to try, but not all of them are included in your cruise fare.

While I normally like all the complimentary food, such as Sorrentos and Park Cafe, my two favorite meals during my cruise were at specialty restaurants.

On the first night of the cruise, we chose to eat at Jamie’s Italian for dinner. Because I am a Diamond Plus loyalty member, I was able to use the BOGO specialty dinner offer - this can only be used on the first or second night of the cruise.

The food at Jamie’s Italian was amazing and high quality. My favorite dishes were the arancini, truffle tagliatelle, and the chocolate brownie with caramel gelato.

During one of our sea days, my friend and I enjoyed Johnny Rockets for lunch. To eat here, it cost $15 per person. I haven’t eaten at Johnny Rockets for many years, so I thought it was fun to try something different. The food tasted great and I loved the BBQ chicken bacon melt, cheesy french fries, and super sundae.

While it's totally fine to eat at just the included venues during your cruise, I recommend you try at least one of the specialty restaurants for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I don't think you will be disappointed!

Read more: I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas for $463 a night. Take a look inside my 172-square-foot cabin

6. Not following the rules

On the last day of the cruise, my friend and I were seated in the Royal Theater waiting for the late-night comedy show to start. As we were waiting, I saw two odd things occur. First, I saw two people in the front row get out their vape and blow big clouds in the air. They weren't even trying to hide it! Then a few moments later, a young woman ran up on stage and yelled something to the crowd. She was clearly intoxicated. Very quickly, a security guard took her off the stage.

This story is a reminder to all to follow the rules that are in place!

You are allowed to smoke and vape in designated areas on the ship, but certainly not in indoor venues like the theater. Don’t try to sneak in your cigarettes or vapes, even on your private balcony.

Also, know your limits when it comes to alcohol. While Royal Caribbean doesn’t restrict the number of drinks you can have, don’t go overboard and think you can do whatever you want, like run on stage!

Read more: Things that can get you kicked off a cruise ship in an instant

7. Trying to make an early flight after the cruise

If you flew to your cruise port, it’s recommended that you do not book your flight home any earlier than noon.

Of course, this varies where the airport is in relation to the cruise port. For example, you could probably get away with booking an earlier flight if you cruised from Port Everglades because the Fort Lauderdale airport is a quick 10-minute drive from the port. However, if you are cruising out of Galveston, as I did for Harmony of the Seas, it’s important to know that the Houston airports are much farther away from the port.

My flight was at noon on disembarkation day, so I got off the ship at 8 a.m. and was in the Lyft by 8:30 a.m. After an hour-long drive, I made it to the HOU airport in time for my flight.

My friend had an even later flight, so she opted to purchase the Royal Caribbean shuttle from Galveston to the IAH airport. This cost her $45, which was cheaper to purchase than a Lyft/Uber because it's an hour and a half drive. For context, my hour-long Lyft ride was around $90 with a tip. I was not able to purchase the shuttle to HOU because my flight was technically too early (at 11:50 a.m.).

On the bus, my friend overheard a family panic about potentially not making it to the airport on time for their flight at noon. The bus didn't leave the port until 9 a.m., and by the time they got to the airport, it was around 10:30 a.m. If there was a long line to check bags, or there was another delay, I am not sure if they would've made their flight!

To avoid extra stress on disembarkation day, try to book a later flight option. You can never be guaranteed what time you will be cleared to disembark the ship. Sometimes catching a Lyft or Uber can take longer than expected, too.

If you only have an early flight option, there are a few things you can do to get off the ship at the earliest possible time. If you choose a self-assist departure, you can carry off all your luggage yourself and not have to wait for your bags. You can get the earliest departure time as well, which on Harmony of the Seas was 8 a.m. If you are doing the regular departure, you can request the first time slot to get off the ship by doing so in the app or visiting Guest Services before disembarkation day.

A Royal Caribbean crew member recently shared what it's like to do a high dive on a cruise ship, and it looked scarier than when watching from the seats.

Crew members often share their unique day-to-day lives on social media, and this woman shocked the Internet with her daredevil antics.

Ginni van Katwijk, a Dutch cliff diver, recently shared a video to Instagram of a shocking high-dive.

She lives and works on the Oasis Class Harmony of the Seas, and has been with Royal Caribbean for 11 years.

Harmony of the Seas is currently the world’s fourth-largest cruise ship, although she held first place when she was first launched in 2015.

The ship carries over 5,000 passengers and crew members.

About 20 of these crew members are performers at the ship's AquaTheater, which is seen in the viral video.

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships feature an AquaTheater uniquely designed to combine a pool, diving boards, a high wire, and technology for a stunning show space.

Read more: Harmony of the Seas review: What this cruise ship is like in 2024

Harmony of the Seas has a sensational aerial, synchronized swimming, dancing, diving, and slackline show called “The Fine Line,” in which Katwijk performs.

The show combines talented crew members, lights, music, and acrobatics to dazzle guests in the AquaTheater.

However, Katwijk's recent performance on social media went above and beyond (literally).

Katwijk was visibly nervous before she dove off the 55 feet platform

Katwijk shared a video of her record-breaking high dive, leaping 55 feet (16.8 meters) down into the water.

She posted the video to her Instagram feed under the username @adventures_with_ginni.

In it, she shows an angle of her perspective of the dive, pointing out the pool’s features from above.

The AquaTheater’s diving tower includes two springboards and two higher platforms, reaching 32.8 feet (10 meters).

From these high platforms, a dive into the pool marks a total of 55 feet.

She marks a point in the left third of the pool where she is attempting to land—a place that looks tiny from her high vantage point.

Guests can be seen walking the deck and sitting nearby.

As her hands begin to shake with nerves, Katwijk says “Just like normal, we got this. Easy peasy."

Then, she stretches her arms high and leaps, doing a couple of flips as she dives down into the water.

Katwijk elegantly lands feet-first in the spot she pointed out earlier, with a loud splat confirming her landing. 

The video also catches a round of applause and cheers from the deck as guests witness her performance.

Commenters expressed anxiety and shock, applauding her bravery

The video was posted on March 30th, 2024, and already has upwards of 40 million views.

Many commenters also jumped in to share their opinion.

“That should be illegal,” user @queendawkins commented.

@waiyi_chan echoed this perspective: “How is this allowed?”

“The landing sounds like a shotgun!” @therealmotzemog commented on the loud noise of her dive into the pool.

In addition to being shocked at Katwijk’s high dive, users also couldn’t believe that this was taking place on a cruise ship.

In addition to the shocking height of the dive, being on a cruise ship poses extra challenges due to the possibility of wind and waves.

“WHY IS THIS ON A CRUISE SHIP?” @lotsasmiles wrote.

Plenty of users expressed that they would never be able to complete a dive this high, with lots of comments reading “no thank you."

‘You’d have to pay me to do this.’

Many commenters seemed concerned that this dive would be offered as an option for guests, but Katwijk made it clear that this experience was only for trained professionals, aka the AquaTheater performers.

“Currently, guests are not allowed to swim in this pool at all—it’s just for shows and for the performers to train and warm up in,” she wrote in a previous Instagram post.

Read more: Trying out the free activities on Harmony of the Seas

The AquaTheater pools are the deepest at sea 

Harmony of the Seas is no stranger to these exciting high dives.

In 2017, Cesilie Carlton, an American high-diver on the ship, posted a video on Instagram performing the 55-foot high dive from the same high platform.

Carlton's video was filmed by fellow performer Sydney Brown and showed a similar dive from the platform.

The AquaTheater on Harmony of the Seas is uniquely designed for exciting aqua shows. 

Quests are not allowed to use the AquaTheater pool, as it is only used for shows and performer warm-ups.

As part of the shows, Oasis Class ships boast the deepest pools at sea. The pool’s depth can be adjusted to a depth of almost 18 feet (5.5 meters).

In a previous Instagram post about the pool, Katwijk shared that the pool has a mechanism underneath that takes up 3 feet, leaving 14 feet for divers to land in.

"YES," she wrote, "We touch the bottom every time when we come from the high dive!" 

The AquaTheater is the most technologically advanced aspect of the Oasis Class

Royal Caribbean's unique AquaTheater shows may look effortless, but there's a lot of work behind the scenes to fit everything together.

The divers, stage managers, swimmers, and tech crew must all communicate clearly and trust one another to perfect their timing and performer safety.

So that performers can hear stage manager instructions at all times, there is an underwater speaker in the Aquatheater pool.

Read more: Crew member shows what it's like to sail on an empty cruise ship with no passengers

In addition to these vocal cues, there is a lights system at the diving boards that behaves like traffic lights, letting divers know when they're clear to go.

The performance looks simple at its completion, but it takes a lot of moving parts for the show to go on.

“No one just has an epiphany and wakes up and says, ‘Let's build the AquaTheater,’” said Richard Fain, former Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. 

“It’s very much an iterative process and evolutionary. You learn from doing it on other ships, and each time you learn more, and you use that.”

Spring break is a popular time to take a cruise, so I decided to book a seven-night spring break cruise on Harmony of the Seas out of Galveston, Texas.

I invited my friend to join me on this Western Caribbean sailing, and we had an absolute blast on this fun-filled ship. While we were excited to visit Mexico and Honduras, Harmony of the Seas is a destination in and of itself that we were excited to explore.

This is what sailing on Harmony of the Seas is like in 2024.

Harmony of the Seas overview

Debuting in 2016, Harmony of the Seas is the third Oasis Class cruise ship. In fact, she is currently the fourth biggest cruise ship in the world behind Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas.

Harmony of the Seas is so big that it’s split into seven neighborhoods, including:

• Central Park
• Boardwalk
• Royal Promenade
• Pool and Sports Zone
• Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center
• Entertainment Place
• Youth Zone

6,687 guests can sail on Harmony of the Seas, and for my particular sailing, there were 6,565 guests onboard - meaning the ship was practically fully occupied! Of the 6,565 guests on my sailing, there were 2,200 children (34%).

There were lots of new cruisers and multi-generational families on this spring break sailing. Also, the overwhelming majority of passengers on our cruise were from Texas. My friend and I were one of the very few people from the Midwest on this sailing. Our accent was a dead giveaway!

Embarking and disembarking from Galveston

This was my second time cruising out of Galveston, Texas, so I had an idea of what to expect this time around. 

Because I don't live near Texas, I had to fly in the day before the cruise. When cruising out of Galveston, many cruisers will fly into Houston since that is the closest major city. There are two airports you can fly into: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). I recommend flying into HOU because this airport is closer to Galveston, but IAH is also an option if you are set on flying on a certain airline or the airfare is a better price.

After flying into HOU, I decided to stay at a hotel in League City. Hotels in Galveston are quite expensive so I chose not to stay there, although it would’ve been convenient for embarkation day. 

I stayed in Houston near the airport for my last cruise out of Galveston. I think this is a good option for those who fly in late because it’s nice to have a short ride to your hotel after flying all day.

On embarkation day, my friend and I requested a Lyft to the Galveston port. The ride was 40 minutes and cost $36.19, including a tip.

The entire embarkation and disembarkation process was seamless. Embarking the ship took only 10-15 minutes and we were on the ship in no time! This was quite different from my last experience in Galveston, but that’s because there was a Coast Guard inspection.

On the last day of the cruise, I scheduled a Lyft ride for the next morning from the Galveston port to the HOU airport. My ride was right on time and picked me up at the front of the terminal building. This ride was an hour long and cost $88.74, including a tip. 

Read more: I cruised Royal Caribbean from Galveston for the first time. Here's what a cruise from Texas is like.

Interior guarantee cabin

Because sailing during spring break is more expensive than other sailings, my friend and I decided to stay in the cheapest cabin available: an interior guarantee.

Soon after booking the cruise, we were assigned cabin 10673 on deck 10. At first glance, this cabin appeared to be satisfactory, but I saw our cabin was located above the music venue Dazzles. I was initially worried because I imagined we would hear thumping music all night long.

Luckily, however, we never heard any music in our cabin! Cabin 10673 was located on the starboard and aft of the ship, meaning it was slightly towards the back of the ship. I hardly ever felt ship movement so I was happy about that.

The cabin was 172 square feet in size and included a large closet, a vanity with drawers, a chair, a king bed split into two beds, and a bathroom. 

We encountered a few things that could’ve been improved upon (like the slow shower drain and the inoperable USB ports on the vanity), but overall, the cabin was in great condition and it was a cozy place to call home for the week.

You can read more about my cabin on Harmony of the Seas here.

Read more: I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas for $463 a night. Take a look inside my 172-square-foot cabin

Dining on Harmony of the Seas

Harmony of the Seas offers 20 places to eat! I found that there were plenty of options to grab a snack or enjoy a three-course meal. I also thought the quality of the food was excellent, especially at the specialty dining venues.

On the first night of the cruise, I utilized my Diamond Plus BOGO offer which allowed me to purchase one specialty restaurant dinner and receive complimentary dining for a second guest. This offer can only be used on the first or second night of the cruise, so my friend and I decided to start the cruise off right with dinner at Jamie’s Italian. 

My favorite dishes were the truffle arancini, ultimate garlic buns, truffle tagliatelle, and the chocolate brownie with salted caramel gelato.

For the rest of our dinners, we ate in the Main Dining Room. The Main Dining Room on Harmony of the Seas is spread out between three decks with different names - we were on deck three in the American Icon Grill. 

Here are the themed menus we enjoyed for dinner each night:

• A Taste of France
• A Taste of Italy
• A Taste of the Caribbean
• A Taste of Asia
• Royal Night
• Bon Voyage

Because I have cruised with Royal Caribbean many times, I knew what menus to expect. However, there was a surprise menu that I had not seen before: The Asian menu! Our waiter told us that instead of the Taste of Mexico menu, Harmony of the Seas was testing the Taste of Asia menu. They’ve only been using this menu for about a month or so, but they are testing it because they received many comments from Texan passengers on previous sailings that they’d rather have different food than Mexican since that is what they normally have at home.

I was very happy and excited to try some new food in the Main Dining Room. I really enjoyed the appetizer and main dish I had (spring rolls and kung pao chicken) although the desserts weren’t my cup of tea. I hope to have this menu again soon!

Every night, dinner was incredibly fast - faster than other ships I have recently been on. For the two of us, dinner was normally only an hour long. And our food was always hot which I was pleased about. This hasn’t always been the case on other Royal Caribbean cruises.

On one of our sea days, we wanted to try Johnny Rockets for lunch. This is a specialty restaurant that costs $15 per person. We felt the cost was reasonable for what we got, which was an appetizer, entree, and dessert.

I haven’t had Johnny Rockets food in a very long time, so I loved coming here to see what they had to offer. I really liked my BBQ chicken bacon melt and the super sundae was super yummy!

Speaking of Johnny Rockets, my friend and I often indulged ourselves with a nightly milkshake from here. I was able to use my Diamond Plus drink vouchers for these milkshakes. This was a popular late-night dessert option among many cruisers because it was normally busy with people until it closed at 10 p.m. 

Read more: Top 10 Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas hidden secrets

Entertainment and activities

I don’t think anyone can be bored on an Oasis Class ship when there is so much to do every day of your cruise. During the day, you can participate in several activities and events, and then in the evening, you can watch top-notch entertainment. 

Almost every night of the cruise, there was a themed party of some sort in the Royal Promenade. Some of these I have seen on other Royal Caribbean cruises, but some were new to me, like the Totally Awesome 90’s Party, the Caribbean Dance Party, and the 50s and 60s Rock n Roll Dance Party. I attended all of these parties and I thought they were all extremely similar, just different styles of music. I liked people-watching and seeing everyone have a fun time dancing!

There was also a Royal Roundup Country Party in Studio B, which was essentially a line dance party, that I had never seen on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It makes sense they had this because so many people on this cruise were from Texas. Yeehaw!

On Harmony of the Seas, there are two shows in the Royal Theatre, two shows in the AquaTheatre, and two shows in Studio B. These include:

• Grease: The Hit Broadway Musical
• Columbus…The Musical! Return to the Caribbean
• The Fine Line
• Big Daddy’s Hideaway Heist
• 1887: A Journey in Time
• iSkate

Both shows in the Royal Theatre, Grease and Columbus, were fabulous! The last time I was on Harmony of the Seas back in 2022, I remember being wowed by Grease so I was eager to see it again. I admired the singers, dancers, costumes, and music the entire 90-minute show. 

I have never seen Columbus…The Musical! before, so I truly did not know what to expect. The musical is described as the following: “Royal Caribbean’s Original Production tells the tale of Christopher’s luckless distant cousin, Marvin. Banished from his father’s kingdom, Marvin sets sail on a madcap voyage of discovery in the hopes of claiming his own place in history. Unforeseen romance and a happily ever after story are on the map as Marvin Columbus crashes into his Caribbean destiny.”

Needless to say, I went to the show with an open mind. After watching the musical, my first thought was how cute the storyline was. I anticipated the songs in the musical were going to be originals based on the plot, but I liked that the music was a mix of old and new songs we hear on the radio. I also liked the plot twist at the end, but I won’t spoil it for those who are going to see it soon!

My favorite shows to see on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships are the ones in the AquaTheatre. The Fine Line was the first show we saw, and this was described as having “high-flying feats, mind-blowing stunts, and physically demanding acrobatics that are brought to life by the world’s best extreme sports athletes.” I didn’t follow a storyline for this show, but I was just amazed by the talented divers, synchronized swimmers, and dancers.

On the last day of our cruise around 1 p.m., my friend and I were hanging out when an unexpected announcement was made that a second aqua show was going to be offered at the AquaTheatre: Big Daddy’s Hideaway Heist. We were both pleasantly surprised that there was another show we got to see, so we planned on getting to the theatre extra early to secure a spot. 

This show wasn't advertised in the Cruise Compass or on the app, so I thought that was strange. Maybe this was because they didn't know if the weather would cooperate to put on the show? Either way, you would only know about the show happening if you were listening to the ship announcements.

We decided to go to the first show at 3:30 p.m., and it was super busy. We were thankful we got there early and got a good spot. The show was entertaining to watch and it was a plot that I could actually follow!

During this sailing, we were not able to see 1887: A Journey in Time due to a cast member injury. This was a bummer, as my friend and I were looking forward to seeing this show. 

We were able to see iSkate, which centers around the cast performing alongside their favorite tunes.

There was also a pair of comedians performing in The Attic Comedy Club. It was hard to get a reservation for these shows since it was such a small venue, but we were able to snag two seats on the second night of the cruise.

In addition to seeing the shows, we took advantage of the many fun activities offered on Harmony of the Seas. These include:

• The Ultimate Abyss
• Three waterslides
• FlowRider
• Zipline
• Carousel
• Rock climbing
• Ice skating

Another thing to note was that apparently there was an escape room onboard in The Puzzle Break near Adventure Ocean. However, I never saw it advertised, so I believe it is closed for the time being.

Read more: Trying out the free activities on Harmony of the Seas

Ports of call

Our seven-day cruise had planned stops in Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Cozumel, Mexico. However, something completely unexpected happened during our cruise - our stop in Costa Maya was canceled last minute.

My friend had woken up early to get ready for her excursion in Costa Maya when she heard the ship announcement. The captain informed everyone that we were not able to dock in Costa Maya due to high swells. This was definitely a bummer because my friend was excited about her excursion to swim with the dolphins. We did not dock somewhere else and we had another sea day instead.

My friend was refunded for her excursion and everyone received a port and air tax credit of $17.12 on our onboard accounts.

Our first port stop was Roatan, Honduras. I noticed that there is now a new pool and bar area right as you get off the ship. 

There was a sign that read, “Free beach chair and pool with a purchase at the pool bar.” It didn't appear super busy, so this could be a new option for people who don't want to venture far from the ship but still say they did something in Roatan.

In Cozumel, my friend and I did an excursion together called, “Legacy of the Maya: Ruins and Chocolate Tasting.” I have not done an excursion in Cozumel in a long time so it was fun to explore new parts of the island I have never been to before. My favorite part of the excursion was the chocolate samples we got to try. It was also cool to learn more about the Mayan history of the area.

Overall thoughts

My friend and I had lots of fun together during our spring break cruise on Harmony of the Seas. 

While there were a few unexpected instances that occurred, like Costa Maya being canceled, our ship departing Galveston an hour and a half late, and the musical being stopped in the middle due to a technical issue, we still enjoyed our time onboard.

Harmony of the Seas is one of my favorite Royal Caribbean ships because of the many things you can do onboard. The staff onboard was excellent, the ship was in great condition, and the entertainment was superb.

I just returned from a spring break cruise onboard the beautiful Harmony of the Seas. During this sailing, we departed from Galveston, Texas, and visited destinations in the Western Caribbean.

My friend joined me on this cruise, and we wanted to stay in the cheapest cabin available. The cheapest option was an interior guarantee, which is usually the case when looking for a cabin on a cruise. This is normally the cheapest option because you cannot select the location of your cabin on the ship - the cruise line assigns you an open cabin.

The cost of our interior guarantee cabin came out to be $3,243.88 for the two of us, and this included prepaid gratuities. In other words, it cost $463 per night, or $232 per person, per night during our seven-night voyage.

Keep in mind that we did book this cruise rather last minute (two months ahead of the sail date) and it was during spring break, so the cost was much higher than the other sailings offered. We were both available to sail only during this certain week, otherwise, if we had sailed a week or so after our sailing, we could’ve saved hundreds of dollars.

Soon after booking this cruise, we were assigned cabin 10673 on deck 10, which is an interior cabin located toward the aft of the ship. When glancing at the floor plans of Harmony of the Seas online, it appeared that this cabin was in an ideal location because it wasn't too far in the aft or forward of the ship. However, once I discovered our cabin was above Dazzles on deck 9, I was slightly worried about the noise we would hear.

Dazzles is a multi-level venue on Harmony of the Seas with music groups performing live each evening. Although our cabin was located above the venue, I was worried about not being able to sleep at night due to the thumping of the music.

Other than this small worry of mine, I had a feeling our cabin would be just fine for our trip!

Something I noticed once onboard was that the cabins are color-coded on the map and on each cabin door. Our cabin was located in the yellow area of the ship, or the starboard and aft side of the ship. This was something I had never noticed before on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. It was helpful to reference when walking around because we always knew what side of the ship we had to go to get back to our cabin.

My first impression of the 172-square-foot cabin was that it was modern with dark accents. I also felt the cabin was smaller than the recent interior cabin I had on Odyssey of the Seas, but I think this is because of the different layout.

It appeared that a key was needed to power the cabin’s lights and air conditioning. There was already a spare key in the slot on the first day and we never removed it during our voyage.

The cabin’s lights were controlled by a switch near the bathroom. The bathroom light switch was below the main cabin switch, and this often confused my friend and I because we would forget which light switch controlled what! The bathroom light would glow blue when it was switched on, so that was one way we could tell the difference.

The beds were separated based on the request I made prior to the cruise. Our cabin also included a chair, vanity, closet, TV, and bathroom. I thought there was a great amount of storage for our clothes.

Every night of my cruise, I slept well in the bed. I thought it was very comfortable and plush. And if you were wondering, our cabin was not noisy! I never heard music from Dazzles in our cabin, which was a relief.

On both sides of the bed was a small nightstand. My nightstand had the cabin’s phone, which I put on the ground because I wanted to use the top shelf for my own items. There was also a light above each of our beds that could be turned on and off with a small button.

Only one side of the bed had an outlet (my friend’s side). I had an extra long phone charger, so I was able to connect my phone using the vanity’s outlets and still have it charging next to me while I slept. I wish both sides of the bed had an outlet!

Next to my friend’s bed was a small chair and a full-length mirror. On the recent cruises where I’ve sailed in an interior guarantee cabin (like Adventure of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas), there is usually a couch instead of a chair. I am glad we had somewhere to sit other than the bed, but I think a couch would’ve been more spacious and something we both would’ve used.

The vanity had multiple charging outlets and drawers to store our belongings. The vanity included three US outlets, one European outlet, and two USB outlets. Unfortunately, the USB outlets did not work in our cabin, so we never used them.

There were five drawers on the vanity, and one of them stored the hair dryer, room service menu, and other cruise documents that were meant to stay in the cabin. The largest drawer housed the cabin’s mini cooler, which we used to keep our water cold throughout the cruise.

Above the drawers was a large flat-screen TV. This TV was not able to move or swivel, which I was surprised about because that meant we couldn't see what was on the TV unless we were sitting on the chair or standing in front of it. If we were in bed, it was hard to see what was on the TV, especially my bed that was on the same side as the TV.

Next to the vanity was a closet. There were essentially two sides to the closet - one with shelves (including a safe) and the other with just hangers.

The closet was large and could fit a lot, but I wish there were more hangers because I would’ve hung up more of my clothes. We only had 12 hangers to share between the two of us. In hindsight, we should’ve asked our cabin steward for more hangers!

Across from the closet was the bathroom. The bathroom was very similar to the other interior cabins I have stayed in - there was a toilet, sink, some shelves, and a shower.

While I usually have no complaints about the cabin bathroom, I will say that I wish there was another towel rack! We had one, but I think having one more would’ve been nice. 

Also, our shower’s drain wasn't super fast, so every time one of us would shower, a large puddle of water would form below the toilet and near the shower. This isn’t a huge deal, but since we had to use lots of towels to clean up the floor, having another towel rack would’ve been great for hanging up our many used towels.

The bathroom had a built-in nightlight so you could use the bathroom in the middle of the night without turning the main lights on. This was handy!

There were a few areas in the cabin that reflected its age (even though Harmony of the Seas is only eight years old and completed a dry dock in 2021). The headboard and wall near the TV had some dripping stains. We tried to clean them off but they didn't come off so they must've been there for a while! 

There was also a stain on the vanity chair. 

Other than these things, the cabin was in good condition.

If I had the choice, I would certainly stay in this cabin again. I would also recommend it to others who are considering a cruise on Harmony of the Seas. We spent most of our day exploring the ship anyway, so we only spent time in the cabin for sleeping, relaxing, or changing outfits for the day.

Of course, there are a few small things that I wish were different about the cabin, especially the slow shower drain and inoperable USB ports. 

Overall, it was a great home away from home for our seven-night cruise to the Western Caribbean! 

Big Royal Caribbean ships may seem similar, but there are a lot of differences you should know about.

Among the six Oasis Class cruise ships, Harmony of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are popular choices that offer so much to do onboard.

Harmony was built after Allure, and she represents the evolution of the Oasis Class. Having sailed on both ships, it becomes clear quite early there are lots of changes between the two ships.

While the layout and overall feel of the ships are similar, there are noticeable changes between the two ships that could change your decision of which to book.

Here are the key differences between them both.

Ship size

Harmony of the Seas is slightly bigger than Allure of the Seas in order to market the ship as the "biggest cruise ship in the world" when she debuted in May 2016.

That isn't to say it's a big difference, as Harmony is a few feet longer and has a bit more gross tonnage.

Here's a look at each ship's size:

Dining

You will find complimentary dining restaurants that are included in your cruise fare, along with the choice of specialty dining restaurants that cost extra.

The core dining experience is the same on both ships, with the Main Dining Room offering traditional and My Time Dining for dinner.  It's also open for breakfast every day and lunch on sea days.

The Main Dining Room on Allure of the Seas looks like it's split up among three restaurants (it even has a different name based on which deck you're on), but it's the same menu across all three areas.

The Windjammer buffet is open every day for all three meals, although the venue on Harmony is a bit wider to help with crowds.

If you're staying in a suite, there is a complimentary restaurant exclusively for you at Coastal Kitchen.  This is available on both ships.

The specialty restaurant choices are where you'll notice the biggest difference among the two ships.  There are different restaurant choices you can eat at on both.

Here are the differences among the specialty restaurants on Harmony and Allure:

The biggest difference is Samba Grill on Allure or Wonderland on Harmony.

In terms of bars, there are minor differences between the two ships.

Cabins

The cabin selection on both Harmony and Allure should be just about the same.

You will find plenty of inside, oceanview, balcony, and suite cabins across either ship. 

Being that both are an Oasis Class ship, these vessels have balcony cabins that face inwards instead of the ocean. The Central Park and Boardwalk balcony cabins are an interesting alternative to ocean balconies, and you can book them on either ship.

If you're a solo traveler, only Harmony of the Seas has cabins specifically designed (and priced) for you.  There are 12 Studio Ocean View cabins and 3 Studio Interior rooms.

Read more: Guide to Royal Caribbean's Single and Studio staterooms

You may also notice the cabin aesthetic is different between the ships.  Harmony of the Seas is newer and adopted a new look for cabins that was first introduced with Quantum of the Seas in 2014.

Inside cabin on Harmony of the Seas

Inside cabin on Allure of the Seas

The rooms on Harmony generally have more storage space, darker woods, and a more modern feel to the cabin.

You'll also find USB outlets in a room on Harmony.

Entertainment

An area you'll notice differences between the two ships are the featured shows onboard.

Royal Caribbean has a well-deserved reputation for its entertainment, and nearly every ship has different shows onboard.

Both ships feature a Broadway show, along with original Royal Caribbean productions.

Royal Theater

• Allure
  • Mamma Mia
  • Blue Planet
• Harmony
  • Grease
  • Columbus, The Musical

AquaTheater

• Allure
  • Oceanaria
• Harmony
  • Hideaway Heist
  • The Fine Line

Studio B

• Allure
  • Blades! Ice Spectacular
• Harmony
  • 1887: A Journey in Time
  • iSkate

You will notice that there is an extra show in Studio B and AquaTheater on Harmony, which is nice to have additional variety. 

Activities

You won't have any shortage of things to do on any Oasis Class ship. These ships were designed to offer more than you can experience in just a week.

One big difference between the Allure and Harmony is only Harmony of the Seas has waterslides.  Harmony was built with the slides, while Allure has yet to have them added.

The Perfect Storm slides are comprised of two racer slides and one champagne bowl slide. The slides descend three decks through a series of twists and turns over the ship’s tree-lined Central Park neighborhood 10 decks below.

Speaking of slides, Harmony of the Seas has the Ultimate Abyss dry slide, which is a 10-story slide that descends from the Sports Deck down to the Boardwalk. Allure does not have an Ultimate Abyss slide.

Both the water slides and Ultimate Abyss are complimentary.

For younger kids, there are different splash areas on both ships. 

Harmony of the Seas has Splashaway Bay where kids can play among the water slides, water cannons, fountains, pools and whirlpools.

Allure of the Seas has the H2O Zone, which was the precursor to Splashaway Bay. It has water geysers, a small whirlpool, and hot tubs.

Harmony of the Seas has a dedicated escape room onboard, which has an extra cost. Allure of the Seas does not have an escape room. The goal of an escape room is for the guests to work together to find clues needed to solve various puzzles in 60 minutes or less.

Both ships have twin Flowrider surf simulators, twin climbing walls, a zip line, outdoor mini-golf and a basketball court.

While both ships have pools and hot tubs, there is one significant difference between Allure and Harmony in the adults-only area.

The Solarium on Harmony of the Seas does not have a pool. Instead, it has a walk-through mister meant to cool people off.  Allure of the Seas has a pool in its Solarium.

Bottom line

As the only "un-upgraded" Oasis Class ship, Allure of the Seas sometimes gets overlooked because it doesn't have waterslides or some of the newer dining venues.

If you have children that absolutely need waterslides, then the choice between the two is obvious. Otherwise, you're balancing the virtues of each ship.

The different Broadway shows may sway you in one direction, or you may feel strongly about a certain specialty restaurant. 

The most notable difference are the lack of slides on Allure of the Seas.

Depending on when you are looking to cruise, the home port and itineraries may be different too.

MrBeast, YouTube's most acclaimed entertainment star, boarded Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas for an afternoon of fun.

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has amassed 159 million subscribers and over 27,131,438,600 total views. In terms of popularity, only two YouTube channels have more subscribers, and both are brand channels: T-Series and Cocomelon. 

In fact, he is the second YouTube creator in the site's history to surpass 100 million followers. Even his Instagram account is popular, with over 38 million followers. 

In a recent video, he boarded Harmony of the Seas to see what the $1 billion ship has to offer and how it compares to other ships, including a boat that he paid a single dollar for.  

Since published on June 10, the video has gotten over 71 million views! 

Just how popular is MrBeast? 

MrBeast is not just a content creator. He is also a philanthropist who has founded and co-founded numerous different organizations, included the Arbor Day Foundation, which has raised over $23 million dollars. 

In terms of his viewership, about 112 million people watched the Super Bowl LVII. During the average month, MrBeast harbors roughly 41 million views. 

Tim Kasser, a psychologist who studies materialism, conducted a study to prove that if MrBeast were to advertise for any given company or brand, it could cost about half as much as a traditional commercial while reaching a larger audience. 

As of June 2023, his most watched video is titled "$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!" Since it was posted on November 24, 2021, the video has gained over 438 million views. 

That, of course, is nowhere close to the most watched YouTube video of all time, Baby Shark Dance, which has been watched over 12 billion times in the six years since being posted to the social media site. 

Harmony of the Seas

While not the largest cruise ship in the world, Harmony of the Seas currently ranks number third, following Symphony and Wonder of the Seas. 

When Icon of the Seas launches in January 2024, her position will be bumped down to fourth. 

The ship, which measures an astonishing 226,963 gross registered tons, was launched in 2016. Currently, she is sailing from Miami, Florida. In November, she will be repositioned to Galveston, Texas, where she will make 4, 6, 7, and 8-night Western Caribbean cruises through at least April 2025. 

Harmony of the Seas is an Oasis Class ship, meaning that she is part of one of the most unique classes of ships in the world and is divided into seven different neighborhoods for guests to explore: 

• Royal Promenade 
• Central Park
• Boardwalk 
• Pool and Sports Zone
• Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center
• Youth Zone
• Entertainment Place

Likewise, she offers passengers numerous different dining -- both complimentary and specialty -- and entertainment options, such as the infamous AquaTheater performances, Wonderland, Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, and headliner acts in the Royal Theater. 

Additionally, there are countless activities for guests to enjoy -- think water slides, FlowRider surf simulators, multi-story dry slide, mini-golf, a zip line, and more. It is easy to see why MrBeast wanted to check out this impressive ship. 

In short, there is something for everyone onboard, and there is no possible way that you could be bored while on a Harmony of the Seas cruise. 

MrBeast's maritime adventure 

MrBeast's YouTube video begins by showcasing yachts of various price points, including one that he paid $1 for. 

According to the yacht's previous owner, the storage costs were racking up, and he was spending $18,000 per year to storage it. Shortly after the purchase was made, the ship began to sink! They jumped off the vessel moments before it was submerged under the water. 

After the $1 yacht, he goes on to explore ships worth $1 million, $10 million, $25 million, $50 million, and $300 million dollars. The final ship on the agenda was Harmony of the Seas, which cost a little over $1 billion dollars to build!

"You cannot fathom how massive this ship is," said MrBeast, speaking about the size of Harmony. 

"It is literally a floating city...This boat has waterslides, an indoor mall, a basketball court, and tons of other stuff I can't even name!" 

He and his friends break up to explore different neighborhoods, with Chandler and Nolan heading to the Pool and Sports Zone first. 

After being amazed by the water slides and live music on the pool deck, the duo headed over to play a round of mini-golf.

Next, Chris appears on the Boardwalk: "So I went down a slide [referring to the Ultimate Abyss], and now I'm teleported into like a different world. And you have a carousel?!" 

Not only did he charter the ship for himself and his friends, but he ended the video by bringing 400 of his subscribers onboard to partake in the fun, whether that be hanging out on the pool deck, exploring the Boardwalk, playing games in the arcade, climbing the rock wall, eating at Wonderland, and more. 

Plus, every single subscriber onboard at the time was gifted with a free three-night cruise on Icon of the Seas. 

If they all thought Harmony was impressive, they will be blown away by everything that the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas will offer, including the record-breaking Category 6 Water Park, AquaDome, brand-new dining concepts, and much, much more. 

The Atlantic hurricane season has been quiet thus far, but it's claimed an itinerary change for at least one cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas cruise ship has changed itineraries to avoid the path of Tropical Storm Fiona.

Guests booked on Harmony of the Seas have been advised they will change from an Eastern Caribbean itinerary to a Western Caribbean itinerary.

In an email to guests, Royal Caribbean said the change was made, "to maintain a safe and comfortable journey."

Instead of sailing to St. Thomas and St. Maarten, Harmony of the Seas will go to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.

This change affects the September 18, 2022 sailing of Harmony of the Seas only.

The ship will still visit Perfect Day at CocoCay as scheduled.

Tropical Storm Fiona is now very near the Leeward Islands and is forecasted to move westward across the U.S. and British Virgin Islands on Saturday and Puerto Rico late Saturday and Saturday night.

The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Fiona's center is approaching Guadeloupe and tropical storm conditions (winds 39 mph or higher), heavy rain and strong waves are expected in the Leeward Islands.

Fiona is then forecasted to strengthen after moving across Hispaniola early next week and could impact the Turks and Caicos islands as well as southeastern Bahamas.

Cruiser reaction

Whenever cruise lines need to change an itinerary due to weather, there's plenty of thoughts on the impact from the guest perspective. 

Thomas Beaulieu wrote on Facebook, "That's still a great itinerary. You will get more than your money's worth if you bought the beverage package. 5 out 7 days you get full use of the package all day and night! Cheers."

Chris Blahut, wrote "Can’t do anything about the weather. Better to be safe than sorry."

Ragene Warner Pinson was disappointed, but understood the need for the change, "What a bummer. I understand why but that’s still a bummer. St Thomas and Saint Martin are so much better than the Mexico ports and my personal opinion."

Quiet hurricane season so far

At the risk of jinxing our collective luck, so far hurricanes have not been a major factor so far in 2022 in the Atlantic.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs between June and November, and there's been only three named storms before September. 

There were no named storms in the Atlantic during August, the first time that had happened since 1997.

For what it's worth, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued an updated forecast in early August for the rest of the season, which still called for an above-normal level of activity.

NOAA thinks there will be 14 to 20 named storms, with six to 10 turning into hurricanes. Three to five of those could strengthen into major hurricanes — Category 3 or stronger — with winds of at least 111 m.p.h.

It appears the collision of Harmony of the Seas was due to the harbor pilot.

Thursday morning Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas collided with a dock at the port of Falmouth, Jamaica.

No injuries were sustained to either crew or passengers. The collision is said to have caused mostly cosmetic damage to the vessel, including dents and paint scrapes.

The damage was caused when Harmony of the Seas struck a concrete mooring pylon while docking at the port. The incident occurred around 7 a.m. local time, Thursday morning. 

“There were no injuries to guests or crew and only minor cosmetic damage to the ship’s stern. The sailing will continue as scheduled,” stated Royal Caribbean about the incident. 

According to the Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, the collision by Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, at the Falmouth port was caused by Pilot error. 

The Jamaica Gleaner quoted Bartlett saying, “the good news is that nobody got hurt and the damage was minimal to the vessel and it was able to continue its journey unfazed and really unaffected.”

Video of Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas crashing into the dock in Falmouth, Jamaica this morning. pic.twitter.com/cbFULNPe2w

— Ben Bearup (@TheAviationBeat) May 27, 2022

Bartlett is also said to have stated that the collision with the dock occurred when the Pilot was badly directed while steering the ship in to be docked in Falmouth. 

The port did sustain some damage from the incident. The Tourism Minister stated, “we are repairing the damaged areas at the port now. The divers are there now recovering the broken elements and we should be back in full order for the ships that come next week.”

Who is the harbor pilot?

A harbor pilot is someone who guides ships and vessels through congested waters of a port or harbor.

You may have seen a pilot boat when your cruise departed or entered a port, usually during sailaway is when they are most commonly spotted.

Harbor pilots have detailed knowledge and experience in the waterways that they help direct vessels through. At almost every port, a harbor pilot will be brought aboard a cruise ship to help direct the large ship into place at the dock. Harbor Pilots are considered to be experts on the particular port that they manage.

Harbor Pilots work for the port that they help direct ships into, while a ship’s Captain works for the cruise line.

While Jamaican regulations may differ, the Florida Harbor Pilots association says when a pilot is onboard a ship, it's their responsibility to guide the ship when docking or departing.

"Harbor pilots are responsible for the safety of the vessel which they are navigating, and also with the protection of the state waters, harbors, ports, environment, life and property, including effects that ships transiting a harbor may have on other ships moored at the docks and any impact on port facilities."

No significant damage to Harmony of the Seas

If you have an upcoming cruise on Harmony of the Seas, this week's incident will have no impact on your sailing.

Royal Caribbean described the damage as, "cosmetic", and not to expect any impact to sailings.

This is somewhat similar to when another vessel drifted into Mariner of the Seas while docked in Freeport. Just like Harmony, the incident looked worse than it was in terms of the visuals.

Another week of Royal Caribbean cruise news to catch up on, and we have the latest morsels of updates you should be aware of over the past few days.

Not every piece of Royal Caribbean news is significant enough for its own article, so this weekly wrap-up has the happenings we've noticed.

You can always email anything you spot to [email protected].

Here's a look at this week's goings-on.

Harmony of the Seas backs into Falmouth pier

The Harmony of the Seas had a small incident on Thursday when she backed into the pier during the docking procedure in Falmouth, Jamaica.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader BobNoxiousUSA shared photos from onboard the ship.

In a statement by Royal Caribbean, the ship incurred very minor damage of no consequence as a result of the incident, "During arrival into Falmouth, Jamaica, Harmony of the Seas made contact with an extension part of the dock."

"There were no injuries to guests or crew and only minor cosmetic damage to the ship’s stern. The sailing will continue as scheduled."

Global crew member recruitment drive

Royal Caribbean is actively working to hire as many new crew members as they can, given the staff shortages noted by people that have been on cruises recently.

The company has been holding job fairs in Europe since April to get more crew members, which have taken them to countries such as Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia and more.

In addition, Royal Caribbean Group signed a deal in Trinidad and Tobago to hire more crew. The goal is to hire 2,000 people from the islands to work on Royal Caribbean Group ships.

Royal Caribbean Group partners with company for zero carbon shipping

Royal Caribbean Group signed a new deal to provide zero carbon technologies and solutions.

Earlier this week, Royal Caribbean Group and Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for zero carbon shipping, which is part of the company's overall Destination Net Zero goal to reduce net zero emissions by 2050.

The Moller Center explores viable de-carbonization pathways; facilitates the development and implementation of new energy technologies; builds confidence in new concepts and their supply chains; and defines and matures viable strategic pathways to the required systemic change. 

"Collective action is imperative as we deploy our Destination Net Zero strategy to decarbonize our business and catalyze innovation for our industry," said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO.

"By joining the Center Royal Caribbean Group aligns itself with a network of like-minded companies with an unrelenting drive to find solutions for a sustainable future."

This is a long-term strategic collaboration between the two companies