Angie Vognild has a love for cruising, with her first cruise at just one year old on the Big Red Boat. Since then, she has traveled to nearly 40 countries and been on over 40 cruises. Her favorite cruises were to the Holy Land on Odyssey of the Seas in 2022 and Japan on Spectrum of the Seas in 2019.
I was lucky enough to cruise on the inaugural sailing of Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, Utopia of the Seas. While onboard this weekend cruise, I got to experience everything this sixth Oasis Class ship has to offer, including the beautiful staterooms.
Back in early November, my fellow Royal Caribbean Blog co-worker and I booked a guarantee balcony for $2,223 for three nights. This included prepaid gratuities for two people. Approaching the sail date, Royal Caribbean assigned us cabin 10198, a balcony on deck 10, midship.
This oceanview balcony has a larger balcony than a standard balcony onboard. For context, I stayed in a standard oceanview balcony during a preview cruise on Utopia of the Seas the week prior, and the balcony was 50 square feet. In this cabin (appropriately named an “oceanview with large balcony”), the balcony is 80 square feet. The extra 30 square feet is seen in how long the balcony is.
The living area of the cabin totaled 191 square feet.
Walking into the cabin for the first time, I was in awe of how pretty it was. There were accents of blue throughout the cabin, from the carpet and the blinds to the headboard and pillows. Even all the doors in the hallway are blue.
The first thing you see when walking into the cabin is the light switch and slot where you place your Seapass card to generate power. Without a card in this slot, there will be no electricity or air conditioning in the cabin. On this sailing, there was already a card there. Oftentimes, I use an old Seapass card to put in this slot, but I didn't need to do that on this cruise.
On the opposite side is a full-length mirror that is near the vanity area. The vanity is quite spacious and includes many outlets, including two European outlets, one USB outlet, one USB-C outlet, and three standard U.S. outlets. The chair is also comfortable, as I found myself sitting in it while using my laptop or looking at the Cruise Compass.
Attached to the vanity is a large dresser. There are five drawers, including one on top of the mini cooler. The drawers were deep enough to place my packing cubes.
I hardly ever used the mini cooler, but it’s always handy to have one just in case!
I thought the wall above the dresser felt empty. I wish there was a floating shelf or a piece of artwork here. To make use of this space, I used magnetic hooks to hang up some cruise paperwork so it didn't clutter up the vanity.
Across from the vanity and dresser were the couch and closets. This couch can be transformed into a double sofa bed, making the cabin able to fit four people.
On both sides of the couch was a closet. One closet was wide open and contained 20 hangers to hang up long outfits like dresses and jumpsuits. This closet can even store your suitcase, backpack, and other luggage.
The second closet had five shelves along with a safe to store valuables. There was also a small area to hang up a few long outfits. Below this closet were two large drawers. I used one of these drawers for my shoes.
I really appreciated having two large closets on this new cruise ship. While on Icon of the Seas, I was surprised at how small the closet area was. There was enough space for me since I was traveling alone, but with more than one person, I think the storage would've been lacking. On Utopia of the Seas, you won't have to worry about running out of storage space, as there was plenty for the two of us. Having two closets is a game-changer!
Next to the balcony was the “bedroom.” The king bed can be split into two twin beds (as seen below).
Each of us had a small nightstand next to the bed. On top of both nightstands was a light that had a U.S. charging outlet and a USB outlet. This was perfect for charging my phone and watch while I was sleeping, and I could easily see what time it was by checking my phone. Each nightstand had two shelves for additional items that you would need close to you while in bed.
On one nightstand was the cabin’s phone which took up the majority of the top shelf. This was easy to move to one of the bottom shelves. On this side of the bed, there's a light switch that controls all of the lights in the cabin.
Across from the bed was a large flatscreen TV. The one time I turned on the TV, I noticed there was not an option to stream videos from my phone to the TV. I wish it had this option like on my recent Odyssey of the Seas cruise.
Below the TV were five built-in hooks to hang up various items, like hats or bags. I’ve never seen these hooks on other cruise ships before, and I thought they were an interesting design choice. I like having more options to hang up things, but the hooks are lower on the ground, which may not be as helpful for those who cannot bend over easily.
The balcony had two chairs and a small table. The balcony was very spacious and I could tell the difference in the size between a regular balcony cabin and this “large balcony.” This is the perfect place to sit, relax, and watch the ship sail away from port.
Lastly, the most exciting part of this cabin tour, the bathroom. I felt that there was enough storage in the bathroom for two people. There were three shelves by the toilet, a shelf below the sink, two towel racks, and two hooks on the door for hanging cosmetic organizers.
The shower had only one shelf inside, though I wish there were more. While this shower doesn't have the new design as the showers on Icon of the Seas, I didn't mind because I thought this shower was just as spacious. I could even put my elbows out and not bump the sides of the shower.
Something else I liked about the bathroom was the blue floral backsplash. It really tied in with the blue theme of the cabin.
There is a built-in nightlight in the bathroom so you can easily navigate to the bathroom in the middle of the night when it is dark inside the cabin.
Overall, I would recommend this oceanview balcony on Utopia of the Seas. It was spacious, well-designed, and perfect for two travelers. The cabin may feel cramped with more than two people, but it can certainly work.
I believe this oceanview with a large balcony cabin is extremely similar to the traditional oceanview balcony cabin, so either option would be a good choice. Truly, the only difference is that extra 30 square feet on the balcony, which isn't a drastic change.
Eating all the delicious food is one of my favorite parts of cruising, and I was excited to get on Independence of the Seas to try it all out.
Independence of the Seas has a variety of quick casual and specialty restaurants onboard for guests to enjoy. While there aren't as many options as the larger Oasis and Icon Class ships, I thought this Freedom Class ship offered a solid selection.
After Independence of the Seas was revamped in 2018, newer features were added, like The Perfect Storm waterslides, FlowRider, an escape room, and more. In addition, new restaurants were added, including Playmakers, Izumi, and Fish and Ships.
Below is a summary of the dining venues on Independence of the Seas.
Complimentary dining:
Specialty restaurants and for-charge options:
Here’s everything my mom and I ate while on our five-day cruise onboard Independence of the Seas, along with our thoughts on each dish.
Night one: Welcome Aboard
The “Welcome Aboard” menu features mainly American cuisine. The chef’s recommendations include the crispy crab cake, southern fried chicken, and key lime pie.
For the starter, I ordered the spinach and artichoke dip while my mom got the escargot and crispy crab cake. The crab cake is her favorite Royal Caribbean appetizer, and it did not disappoint.
My mom commented that she wished there was more garlic in the escargot and she would've liked it to be served warmer. I also found that the spinach and artichoke dip wasn't as warm as I would've liked.
For the main course, I got the Southern fried chicken while my mom got the slow-roasted prime rib. The chicken came with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. The chicken was moist, and the honey dipping sauce complemented the flavor.
My mom liked her medium-well prime rib, which came with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
For dessert, I got the key lime pie while my mom got the Boston cream pie.
We also shared the no-sugar-added dark chocolate custard. My mom is diabetic, so she felt obligated to try the no-sugar-added desserts.
I always enjoy the key lime pie; it was delicious on Independence. My mom thought the Boston cream pie was OK but nothing to get excited about. We thought the custard was pretty good, especially for being a no-sugar-added dessert, but it would've been even better with some more whipped cream on top.
Night two: A Taste of Italy
Italian night is one of my favorite menus on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The chef’s recommendations for this menu included minestrone, lasagna, and tiramisu.
I ordered the parmesan arancini for a starter while my mom got the garden salad and minestrone. I liked the arancini, but I wished it had more romesco (tomato) sauce.
My mom was surprised at how much flavor the minestrone soup had, so she was happy. She also thought the salad was light and crispy.
Since we had eaten a lot of great food while at Perfect Day at CocoCay, we decided to share the chicken parmesan for our main course. We agreed that the crispy chicken parmesan was good but the spaghetti was not outstanding.
I loved the dessert selections on this menu, so I got the tiramisu and lemon curd tartlet.
My mom also got the lemon curd tartlet as well as the no-sugar-added coffee pot de creme.
They were all very good, but the lemon tartlet was the winner for us!
Night four: A Taste of Mexico
The chef's recommendations for this menu were the roasted poblano soup, chili-lime-crusted salmon, and tres leches.
For our starters, we got the grilled sweet corn cakes, tortilla soup, and escargot. The corn cakes are something I would never think to eat while on land, so I liked trying something new.
My mom thought the tomato-based soup had a nice flavor. She also thought the escargot was better because it had more of a garlic flavor, but it still wasn't as hot as she would've preferred.
I was boring (because I am not a Mexican food fan) and got the grilled chicken breast. This was served with roasted potatoes and vegetables. I was afraid the food would be lackluster, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it.
I also ordered the mac n cheese from the kid's menu because it sounded too good not to try! Yum!
Mom got the pulled pork enchilada based on our waiter’s recommendation. She thought it was very good and just spicy enough without being too overpowering.
I enjoyed my dessert selection, which was the tres leches with layers of creamy sponge cake.
Mom got the no-sugar-added coconut layer cake. This came with whipped cream and a raspberry sauce, but she was glad she also ordered the no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream to eat with it since the cake was a little dry. She wished the cake had more raspberry sauce.
Every night in the Main Dining Room, we were served a bread basket before the starter. I always had a cheese bun - my favorite!
Day five: Breakfast
On our last sea day, my mom and I had breakfast in the Main Dining Room. Like dinners, this is a sit-down service. On our cruise, breakfast in the Main Dining Room was offered every day, but they served later on sea days. We prioritized coming here for breakfast because it was something different than the Windjammer.
I ordered the ham and cheese omelet along with a fruit cup. My omelet also came with a hashbrown potato and white toast. I thought the omelet tasted the same as the one I would've got in the Windjammer, but I still thought it tasted good.
Mom ordered the market vegetable breakfast bowl, which had two eggs served on top of a bowl of vegetables, cheese, and potatoes.
The whole meal was great, in my opinion. Mom really enjoyed her breakfast bowl and was glad to try something new. In addition to the nice breakfast, we had great conversations with the two tables on both sides of us.
Day five: Lunch
The last meal we had in the Main Dining Room was lunch. On this cruise, lunch in the Main Dining Room was only served on sea days from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
I ordered the mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. I loved these mozzarella sticks, and I think they're better than the ones at Perfect Day at CocoCay!
For the main course, I got the grilled beef quesadilla while my mom got the seafood sandwich. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the quesadilla, but I was happy with how good it tasted. I was impressed!
Mom enjoyed her seafood sandwich, which included fried shrimp, cod, calamari, coleslaw, tartar sauce, and pickles.
For dessert, we both got the white chocolate mousse, which was garnished with raspberry coulis and ladyfingers. This dessert was amazing and one of our favorites from the entire cruise. I wish they served this at dinner too!
I highly recommend trying the Main Dining Room for lunch at least once during your cruise.
Breakfasts
What we got at the Windjammer for breakfast was similar each morning we ate there.
I would usually order a custom omelet and then grab a hashbrown round along with some cranberry bread.
Mom would usually get bacon, eggs (either scrambled or overhard), fruit, and cranberry bread. She also gets lots of coffee!
One morning, she tried the avocado toast and bran muffin. She really liked the bran muffins but she found that the avocado toast was bland.
Night three: Dinner
This night was formal night. We normally eat in the Main Dining Room for formal night, but since we wanted to go to Grease (it was showing during our regular dining time), we decided to go to the Windjammer.
The theme in the Windjammer was “Savor La France” and was described as having, “croque madame, coq au vin, chicken cordon bleu, and french desserts.” Most of the food offered in the Windjammer was also served in the Main Dining Room since it was “A Taste of France” night.
The Windjammer was not super busy, so we were happy to grab a table near the window and watch the sunset while we ate dinner.
Related: Caribbean cruise outfits for women
I definitely wanted to try the chicken cordon blue, so I got that along with some potatoes, green beans, and quiche Lorraine.
My mom also got chicken cordon bleu, as well as green beans, pineapple, quiche, and a Caesar salad. We agreed that everything tasted fine but not exceptional, which is to be expected at a buffet.
A fun dessert option this night was a crepe bar! I got a crepe with chocolate and strawberries while my mom got one with just strawberries. She also noticed there were no-sugar-added desserts in the Windjammer like there are in the Main Dining Room.
In addition to the crepe, I tried the apple cobbler which I thought was OK. It just tastes better in the dining room, in my opinion!
We were only planning on eating at Giovanni’s Table once, but it was so good that we came twice! Lunch was $22.99 per person while dinner was $54.99 per person.
Day three: Lunch
We started the meal with a bread basket along with oil and cheese for dipping.
For the "primi," I selected the minestrone while mom had the Caprese salad and crispy calamari. I thought the minestrone was delicious and much better than the Main Dining Room minestrone.
The Caprese salad, which included heirloom tomatoes, creamy truffled burrata, pesto, and basil, was very good, but we wished there was more pesto.
As for the calamari, my mom loved it! The calamari was huge, probably five times the size of what you’d find in the Main Dining Room. The huge, meaty chunks had a light and crispy coating and were served with tomato sauce, lemon, and garlic aioli. The calamari was out of this world and she couldn't stop talking about how good it was (even to this day)!
Both of us got the seared filet mignon for an entree. This was served with a wine sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, and broccolini. Our waiter challenged us to compare this filet to the one at Chops Grille. He guaranteed it would be better, and we certainly agreed.
The filet was cooked to perfection and was so tender. The mashed potatoes were beautifully presented and tasted great. I thought the broccolini was fine, so I ate more of the meat and potatoes.
In addition to the filet, we selected two pastas to share: tagliatelle carbonara and gnocchi gorgonzola. We both agreed the gnocchi was better than the carbonara. The carbonara was satisfactory but it needed more flavor.
The gnocchi was tossed in a creamy sauce and had spinach and parmesan cheese. It was the best gnocchi I’ve had in a long time!
Now for the best part of the meal. I was excited to get the tiramisu, which had layers of espresso, Kahlua-soaked ladyfingers, and sweet mascarpone cream. It was so much better than the Main Dining Room tiramisu, and it was huge!
Mom wasn't sure what to order, so she tried the lemon and tutti frutti ricotta cream cannoli. She thought it was dull and would never order it again.
She wanted to try something else so she ordered the "Assorted Italian Ice Cream." We both loved this dessert, as it had layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry Italian ice cream with delicious toppings, including chocolate chunks, strawberries, and pistachios.
Night five: Dinner
Our waiter convinced us to come back to Giovanni’s Table for dinner on the last night of the cruise. He offered us a BOGO offer, so we couldn't say no!
The dinner menu is extremely similar to the lunch menu with only a few small changes. The eggplant parmesan was an appetizer during dinner while it was a main course option on the lunch menu. Also, the beef carpaccio was a new appetizer option during dinner, and the Ossobucco (veal) was a new main entree option during dinner.
I ended up having almost the same meal at dinner as I had for lunch, but I tried a new pasta and main course.
Read more: 7 reasons to eat at specialty restaurants instead of the Main Dining Room on your cruise
For the appetizer, I had the minestrone soup again while my mom got the calamari again (it was still amazing).
She did try the beef carpaccio too. This thinly-sliced beef tenderloin was tender and flavorful, so she really enjoyed it.
Mom got the filet mignon once again while I tried the chicken piccata. The chicken was served with gnocchi, spinach, and cherry tomatoes. I would recommend it, but I think the filet mignon was better.
We were happy we tried a new pasta this time, the wild mushroom risotto. We also got the gnocchi gorgonzola again because it was that tasty! Comparing the two, the gnocchi was still our favorite.
I got the tiramisu for dessert again and I absolutely loved it. Mom also got the tiramisu and she could hardly eat it after our big meal. Nonetheless, it was still so delectable!
This complimentary dining venue is available only on Independence of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas. I had never eaten here before, so I was excited to see what it was like!
Everything here is included, except for the $12 “Fried Lobster Tail Basket and Chips.” There is a selection of:
We chose to eat here once we got onboard during embarkation day because we wanted to avoid the busy Windjammer. There was no line at Fish and Ships, so we made the right decision. I ordered the chicken tenders while my mom got the fish sandwich and shrimp. We also shared a creme brulee dessert.
The tenders were so tiny that they shouldn't been called chicken nuggets! They were served with honey mustard and fries. Overall, I thought it was a yummy snack, but definitely not filling unless I went back for more.
Mom’s fish was breaded, fried, and tasty when dipped in the tartar sauce. The coasting was very thick.
I wish more Royal Caribbean ships had this dining venue because having more quick casual, complimentary dining options is ideal, especially on the pool deck.
I usually like Sorrento's on a Royal Caribbean cruise. On this cruise, however, I wasn't impressed. Every time I stopped by, there weren't many pizza options and if there were any available slices, they looked dry like they had been sitting out for a long time.
I tried a slice of pepperoni and cheese pizza when I wanted a snack. I thought the pizza was mediocre so I didn’t go out of my way to get it again.
While we didn't have an actual meal at Johnny Rockets, I went there twice to get a milkshake.
I appreciate that I can use my Diamond Plus drink vouchers on these milkshakes. The first time I got the Oreo milkshake and the second time I got the strawberry one. I loved both of them, but if I had to pick one, I would pick the Oreo shake as being the best.
Mom tried the vanilla shake, which she found to be refreshing.
Since my mom and I are Diamond Plus cruisers, we would sometimes stop by the Crown Lounge for a snack. This lounge was never busy because there were only about 125 Diamond cruisers on our sailing.
For breakfast one morning, we wanted to see what the options were. I had a fruit bowl and chocolate croissant while mom tried the bran muffin, fruit plate, and yogurt parfait. She also got a latte at the coffee machine.
We stopped by the Crown Lounge before dinner one night so we could try some appetizers, like chocolate-covered strawberries and chicken wings.
The Diamond Lounge on the Independence of the Seas has such a beautiful view, making anything you eat there just a little better.
On the last sea day, my mom wanted to order room service. Room service continental breakfast is free every day of the cruise. She selected an arrival time of 9-9:30 a.m. At 8:50 a.m., she got a call to our stateroom to verify that she was awake and ready to receive her food. Within five minutes, the food was delivered.
She ordered an English muffin, fruit, two pots of coffee, and chocolate milk (for me). She expected the English muffin to be cold but to her surprise, it was still warm because it was wrapped in a napkin. The coffee also arrived hot, which she appreciated.
During our time at Perfect Day at CocoCay, we had some great food!
We spent our day at the adults-only Hideaway Beach. This new area of the island features a pizza venue called Slice of Paradise as well as a Snack Shack that offers unique dishes.
Mom and I got lunch at Snack Shack, which consisted of the crispy chicken sandwich for me while mom got the coconut shrimp. I made sure to order my chicken sandwich with the secret ingredient: mozzarella sticks! It was quite tasty.
Mom loved the coconut shrimp because they were large, hot, and crispy. She definitely got her money’s worth because she got 18 of them throughout the day! She had been looking forward to the Hideaway Beach coconut shrimp the entire cruise.
Mom also decided to try ceviche for the first time since this is only offered at Hideaway Beach. She found it to be spicy and sour. After one bite, she knew she didn't want anymore!
We split a funnel cake for our dessert. We loved the crispy texture with the powdered sugar dusting on top. Every visit to CocoCay, we look forward to having a funnel cake.
Before we left to go back to the ship, I wanted to try a slice of pizza. I got the barbeque chicken pizza and thought it was OK. I felt that it tasted similar to the pizza you would find at Sorrento’s, which is nothing to rave about.
More Royal Caribbean dining information:
Are you packing for a Caribbean cruise and not sure what outfits to bring? Are you looking for some cruise outfit inspiration?
Well, I just returned from a five-night Caribbean cruise on Independence of the Seas with my mom, and we are here to show you the outfits we wore during our voyage. Our cruise visited Perfect Day at CocoCay and Cozumel, Mexico.
Of course, you can wear whatever you want on a cruise (within reason). While there is a dress code on a Royal Caribbean cruise, it isn't strictly enforced. Gone are the days of dressing up in your finest ball gown and fanciest tuxedo, though you can still do this if you want. You will often find that people dress casually rather than formally.
My mom and I are certainly no fashion icons, but if we can help make your packing easier by giving you ideas of what to wear, then that is our goal. If you are a woman searching for some cruise outfit ideas, you’ve come to the right place.
Please note that I’ve linked items on Amazon, which contain an affiliate link. This affiliate link costs you nothing extra, but Royal Caribbean Blog makes a small commission if you purchase it. You can shop more on the Royal Caribbean Blog Amazon Storefront.
On embarkation day, I tend to wear something not too dressy, but also something not too casual like what I wear in my day-to-day (which is usually t-shirts).
I chose to wear a white top with some navy high-waisted shorts. These shorts are actually ones that my grandma wore when she was young. I am also wearing a cross-body bag from Amazon. I love this bag for many reasons, but mainly because I can keep valuables, like my passport and phone, close to me.
My mom wore a casual outfit as well, including a navy top and capris, a light jacket, and tennis shoes. You wouldn't think you’d need a jacket when cruising to the Caribbean, but it is always smart to bring at least one because indoor venues tend to get chilly.
Many cruisers who are vacationing with family and friends like to wear matching t-shirts on embarkation day. This is something I have never partaken in, but it’s a fun way for large groups of family or friends to celebrate the beginning of their vacation.
It's always smart to pack an additional outfit in your carry-on luggage on embarkation day. There have been times when I couldn't change clothes before dinner because my large suitcase hadn't arrived at my cabin yet. On this cruise, we didn't have to worry because our luggage arrived hours before our early dining time.
Getting dressed up for dinner during a Royal Caribbean cruise is one of my favorite parts of cruising. Because I work from home, I rarely get the opportunity to dress up, so when I cruise, I take advantage of it.
For three of our dinners, we ate in the Main Dining Room. Every night of the cruise, there was a dress code in the Main Dining Room, including casual, dress to impress (formal), and Caribbean.
On our particular cruise, the dress code was very casual, even in the Main Dining Room. Personally, I wear a dress or jumpsuit every night, and that is acceptable for all of these dress codes. On formal night, I like to wear my nicest outfit.
Honestly, formal night varies quite a bit, so you can get away with almost anything.
Read more: What to wear to dinner on your Royal Caribbean cruise
On the first night of our cruise in the Main Dining Room, I chose a black floral dress from H&M while my mom sported a dressy black top from Anne Klein with coral pants from Costco.
On night two in the Main Dining Room, I wore a pink ruffle dress from Amazon. My mom wore a burgundy dress from 32 Degrees.
Night three was formal night, and while we decided to dress up, we actually had dinner in the Windjammer buffet. We did this because we didn't want to miss the musical Grease that was showing during our normal dining time.
I wore a blue jumpsuit from Charming Charlie while my mom wore a long black dress, also from Charming Charlie. What a coincidence!
Night four was back in the Main Dining Room. I opted to wear a long green dress from Old Navy while my mom wore a green floral dress from Ross Dress for Less.
On the last night of our cruise, we ate at the specialty restaurant Giovanni’s Table. Specialty restaurants have a different dress code from the Main Dining Room, which is usually smart casual and formal. In my experience, I’ve noticed specialty restaurants are not strict about what you wear. Just try not to wear t-shirts and swimming suits in these venues.
I opted to wear a tropical dress from H&M while my mom wore a red sleeveless top from Express and black faux leather pants from H&M. She wore these pants because they have a stretchy waist, which is essential when you are eating at a specialty restaurant!
Our first port of call was Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in The Bahamas. My mom and I decided to splurge on a day pass to the new adults-only area on the island called Hideaway Beach, so this is where we spent our “perfect” day.
This is the swimming suit I wore while on the island. I love this swimming suit because it covers my arms and I don’t have to worry about them getting sunburnt. I also wore high-waisted shorts from Old Navy when getting on the island and coming back to the ship. My mom wore a swimming suit as well, though she barely got in the water. On top of her swimming suit, she wore an Aztec-style dress as a coverup.
Our next (and last) port of call was Cozumel, Mexico. Since we did not have an excursion planned, we decided to walk around the pier area and do some shopping. There are lots of shopping opportunities close to the pier.
This is the romper I wore while out and about in Cozumel. This romper is one of my favorite cruise outfits, though I wish it had pockets. As for shoes, I am wearing my favorite black Birkenstock sandals. These shoes can be dressed up or down, and the material is waterproof and so comfortable. My mom decided to wear a neon athleisure top with some jean shorts from Old Navy and closed-toe shoes from Clarks.
When we weren't docked in port, my mom and I wore casual outfits during our sea days.
I chose to wear a black top from Old Navy along with some high-waisted shorts from Costco. My mom wore a white top along with lightweight, elastic-waisted pants. This is another pair of pants my grandma (her mom) used to wear. We are leaning into the vintage style, especially since high-waisted shorts are back in style.
For this cruise, I packed three pairs of shoes: Birkenstocks, dressy sandals, and tennis shoes. My mom brought five pairs, including various heels and flats, as well as tennis shoes.
Read more: What to wear on a cruise that works for all dress codes
If you’re curious about how much we packed, it greatly varied between me and my mom.
Since this was a five-day cruise, I felt I could get away with just a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. I was able to successfully pack everything I wanted in just these two items, mainly thanks to packing cubes.
My mom on the other hand packed a 50-pound suitcase and a carry-on suitcase. No matter if it’s a 3-night cruise or a 12-night cruise, she will pack a large suitcase!
She packed around 70 pieces of clothing (including 15 pairs of socks!) while I packed about 25 total. While I wore most of what I packed, my mom found that she could’ve easily packed ⅓ less of what she brought. She admitted that she changed her outfits several times because she felt compelled to wear most of the items she packed!
She also noted that she packed too many dressy tops, jackets, and t-shirts. She only packed three dresses, and she ended up wearing all of them rather than dressy tops and pants. Of the seven jackets she packed, she only wore three or four. I only packed one sweater and one jacket, and that was all I needed.
When it comes to packing, it’s important to minimize the amount of clothes you pack that get easily wrinkled. Remember: Irons and steamers are not allowed onboard.
You should also pack for comfort, especially shoes and pants. You will find that you walk a lot when you are on a cruise (especially on large ships) so comfortable, broke-in shoes are a must. You don't want blisters on your cruise.
Once again, we are not fashion consultants, but hopefully this blog can give you an idea of what cruise outfits to pack for your vacation!
While on Independence of the Seas for a five-night Western Caribbean and Perfect Day cruise, I stayed in the cheapest cabin available.
Normally when I cruise, I choose to stay in cheaper cabins. My reasoning is that I only need a place to sleep, store my belongings, and get ready for the day. I don’t feel the need to spend more money to stay in a cabin I don't spend much time in!
For this particular cruise, my mom and I chose an interior guarantee cabin. These types of cabins are “guaranteed” because Royal Caribbean selects the interior cabin's location on the ship. Luckily, shortly after booking, we were assigned a cabin towards the aft of the ship. I much prefer having aft cabins because you tend to feel more movement when situated in a forward cabin.
Booking this cruise about a month before the sail date, we ended up paying $2,075 for the two of us. This included pre-paid gratuities.
We were assigned cabin 6447, on deck 6. Our cabin was just one deck above the Royal Promenade, but we were far enough away that we never heard noise from this busy area of the ship.
Cabin 6447 wasn’t located on one side of the ship (starboard or port) and was considered midship. This meant to get to our cabin, we had to go through a separate hallway.
We quickly discovered there was a door we could use that was three cabins down from us that would lead us near the elevator and stairs. We used this door every time we left or came back to our cabin because it was much more convenient than going down the two hallways.
Also, being in this separate hallway away from most of the other cabins, we found that there was little to no hall noise (except for our neighbors who had a loud baby). We were afraid we would hear people coming in and out of the public door near our cabin, but it was never noisy.
Walking into the cabin for the first time, I was instantly struck by how light everything was. I was expecting the cabin to be similar to the ones on Adventure of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas, but I liked that it felt more modern with lighter colors.
The bed was separated into two per my request before the cruise. Each of us had a large nightstand next to our bed, and we had a small light above our heads. There was a switch in the middle of us that controlled all the lights in the cabin.
After reading a Royal Caribbean Blog article about questions to ask your cabin steward, my mom wanted to request a few things from our cabin steward. She requested:
My mom requested a new bed configuration because she wanted her bed (on the right) to be pushed against the wall. That way both of us could sleep against a wall. This made the twin bed feel wider, too. I really liked how this configuration created a larger walkway between our beds!
The extra pillows and mattress topper made a huge difference in the quality of sleep my mom got while on our cruise. She had never requested a mattress topper on previous cruises, so I think she will start doing this on future cruises.
Our cabin had a nicely sized couch and a glass table in front of it. We sparingly used this couch, but it was great to have another place to sit if we wanted the option.
There was a light near the couch, but it didn't work. I guess it is nice for decoration!
Across from the couch was the vanity and closet area. This included the TV, outlets, mini cooler, safe, and many drawers. The three large drawers were great for storing our clothes. There was another small drawer behind the chair, but we didn't use it.
The flat-screen TV was able to extend outward and swivel so my mom could watch TV while lying in bed or sitting on the couch.
The vanity had three outlets: Two three-prong outlets and one European outlet. I packed my adapter and I was super thankful I packed it so we could utilize the European outlet.
Next to the closet were two handles that opened up more storage spaces. The bottom drawer held the hair dryer. This drawer was small and couldn't hold much, so we didn't use it. The top drawer included three shelves - one was for the cabin’s safe. These shelves were perfect for our miscellaneous things, like hats, bags, sunscreen, medicine, etc.
Below these shelves was the mini cooler that we used to keep our water bottles cold throughout the cruise.
The closet was large and had three built-in shelves for clothes. There were only 10 hangers for the two of us (and we packed a lot of clothes), so we requested more hangers from our cabin steward. This was much appreciated!
There was someone who complained on the cruise's Facebook group about their air conditioning not working in their cabin, but ours worked great!
Next up, the bathroom. At first glance, the bathroom was updated nicely and offered lots of storage, but we did run into a few problems.
First, our toilet wouldn’t flush twice during our cruise. We had to call our cabin steward to let him know that we tried flushing numerous times with no success. He even told us other cabins around us were having similar problems. Once we reported the issue, it was fixed within an hour.
Also, the heat in the shower was quite confusing. I would turn the handle towards the heat and it would take at least five minutes to get warm. Sometimes, it would be warm and then get cold and then warm again without touching the handle. My mom and I had difficulties trying to get the knob at just the right spot so we could consistently get warm water. When it was warm, it was a pleasant shower experience.
Lastly, a small thing to point out, every time my mom and I wanted to use some toilet paper, the toilet paper would fall off the holder! We realized that we had to place our thumb on the holder so the toilet paper wouldn't fly off.
On newer Royal Caribbean ships, there is a built-in nightlight in the bathroom so when the cabin is pitch black, you can still navigate to the bathroom. However, our cabin on Independence of the Seas did not have this. We did pack a nightlight to use in our cabin and that helped tremendously.
Overall, my mom and I had a comfortable stay in our cozy cabin. Although we had some bathroom issues, this did not ruin our vacation by any means. We never felt the ship moving, and our cabin’s location proved to be ideal since it was located near the Royal Promenade and other lower-deck activities.
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.
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.”
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
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.
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.
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.
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!”
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
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.”
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!
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
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
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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.
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:
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!
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.
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.
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:
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
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:
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:
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
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.
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!
If you’re planning to sail on Icon of the Seas, you might be wondering if there are certain cabins to avoid booking. After all, you’re spending hard-earned time and money to take a cruise vacation!
Icon of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s biggest ship, and the biggest in the world. Measuring 250,800 gross tons, Icon of the Seas can hold up to 7,600 guests at maximum capacity. The ship is nearly 1,200 feet long and towers 20 decks above the sea. This massive cruise ship is so big that Royal Caribbean split it into eight distinct neighborhoods for guests to explore, relax, dine, and more.
There are 2,805 staterooms onboard Icon of the Seas for guests to book, meaning you have many options for securing your cabin. This ship has 28 different types of cabins, including infinite balconies, which are new to Royal Caribbean International.
Icon of the Seas has:
While Icon of the Seas has the most modern cabins in all of Royal Caribbean’s fleet, there are definitely cabins onboard you’ll want to avoid booking. Not every cabin is the same, even within the same category!
Some of these cabins are in poor locations on the ship, making them prone to noise, while others are simply not worth your money. A little research can go a long way when it comes to booking your cabin on this new ship.
Here are the cabins we recommend you avoid booking on Icon of the Seas.
Icon of the Seas has seven pools, nine whirlpools, and six waterslides spread out between multiple decks. Many of these pools, as well as tons of lounge chairs, are found on decks 15-17 in a neighborhood called Chill Island.
Although having a cabin close to Chill Island might seem like a good idea, being directly below the pool deck can be noisy.
You will hear the crew members shuffling chairs around the pool deck very early in the morning. In addition, the crew stack the pool deck chairs at the end of each day. Therefore, this area can be very noisy in the early morning and late at night. The cabins directly under the pool deck can be found on deck 14.
Cabins to avoid:
Since there is no adults-only Solarium onboard Icon of the Seas, The Hideaway has been designated as the new adult hangout spot. This neighborhood features plush daybeds, its own aft-facing bar, and an infinity pool overlooking the ship’s wake.
The location of The Hideaway is perfect for adults looking to enjoy their sea day. However, the adults-only pool is quite noisy. In my experience, I found that during sea days, a DJ would play upbeat music throughout most of the day. The Hideaway turned into a big party when the music was blasting!
I would avoid booking any cabins at the aft of the ship on deck 14 since these are located below The Hideaway. Additionally, these aft cabins are directly under the Windjammer. While this won’t keep you up late into the evening, you can expect heavy foot traffic and noise coming from the buffet in the early morning.
Cabins to avoid:
Read more: I tried the $350 in-pool daybed rental on Icon of the Seas. It was pricey, but you get a prime spot
One of the most exciting additions to Icon of the Seas is a new neighborhood called the AquaDome. This versatile space is home to dazzling entertainment and high-diving aqua shows. While the entertainment is fantastic, you will likely find noise from the productions that carry from the venue.
There are forward cabins on decks 12 and 14 that you might want to avoid if you don’t want to hear the thumping bass from the music playing in the AquaDome. Luckily, the shows are only performed a handful of times so you wouldn’t have noise for the entire duration of your cruise. But, you might find music playing here during rehearsals too.
Cabins to avoid:
One of Royal Caribbean’s newest neighborhoods is Surfside, located on deck seven. This is designed to be the go-to spot for families with small children where kids can play all day and adults can relax with a drink in hand.
Surfside has Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay, which is essentially a small waterpark for children, and adults can swim in the nearby Water’s Edge Pool. This area is undoubtedly noisy during the day while families are having fun (aka squeals and laughter).
There are oceanview balconies on deck seven that face the ocean, although their proximity to Surfside is sure to be noisier than the sound of the sea. These cabins are also above Adventure Ocean and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade - two noisy venues.
Surfside features inward-facing balconies that overlook the neighborhood. Unless you have kids, you might want to avoid booking a balcony in Surfside, especially on the lower decks between decks nine, ten, and eleven. You will likely hear noise from the pool area, even if you have an oceanview balcony facing the sea.
Cabins to avoid:
Located on deck eight is Central Park on Icon of the Seas. This neighborhood is filled with real greenery with an open-air concept. There are bars and restaurants that line Central Park, including Park Café, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, Lou’s Jazz N’ Blues, Chops Grille, retail stores, and more.
Balconies in Central Park are generally good choices for balconies because this area is busy without being too noisy. However, if there is a parade in the Royal Promenade or a pool party on the top deck, this area can get noisy.
During the inaugural sailing on Icon of the Seas, I actually stayed in cabin 10225 on deck 10. This stateroom was classified as a Spacious Infinite Central Park View Balcony. While I appreciated trying out an infinite balcony, I was disappointed to see how obstructed my cabin was.
Because my cabin was located right above The Pearl, my view was partially obstructed. My cabin was not labeled as obstructed online. I would argue that this should be considered an obstructed cabin, so I would encourage potential cruisers to avoid booking these cabins on deck 10.
Cabins to avoid:
Although Surfside and Central Park are lined with balconies facing inward, you can also book interior cabins that provide a view of the neighborhoods. These cabins are classified as Surfside Family Interiors on deck eight and Central Park Interiors on deck nine.
If you’re going to book an interior cabin, there are probably better locations onboard to consider. These interior view cabins are located in two busy areas onboard Icon of the Seas. While the natural light might be a positive, these cabins will likely be noisy. In addition, most of the cabins have blocked views, such as the ones located directly above Park Café in Central Park and the ones above Surfside Bites in Surfside.
Cabins to avoid:
Most guests prefer to avoid cabins on the lowest decks of a cruise ship because many activities and venues are located on the higher decks. Oftentimes, however, cabins on lower decks can be cheaper than ones on higher decks.
Icon of the Seas has some lower-deck areas you’ll definitely want to avoid if you’re a light sleeper. One of these venues is the Music Hall, which spans across decks three and four.
Music Hall is home to various late-night parties with live music playing throughout the evening. There are cabins located directly outside of Music Hall, which is sure to be noisy. If you plan to stay up late, this might not be an issue. However, light sleepers or those who want to head to bed early won’t appreciate the music blasting from here.
Cabins to avoid:
If you’re someone who is prone to motion sickness, it’s important to choose a cabin centrally located where you won’t feel the ship moving too much. Although Icon of the Seas has the latest and greatest technology for stabilization, you can still encounter rough waves.
As a rule of thumb, the cabins located at the front of a cruise ship will have the most motion. You’ll be able to feel the ship sway up and down during rough weather if you’re at the front of the ship.
Because of this, it’s best to avoid cabins at the very front of the ship. This is not to say that everyone will feel sick in these forward cabins. However, those who are prone to seasickness should prioritize cabins located midship.
Many of the new infinite cabins onboard Icon of the Seas are located midship, so you could consider this type of cabin if you want to feel less motion. And a bonus: these cabins are 25% bigger than regular cabins!
The elevators can often be a source of noise on a cruise ship, especially as people come and go. Cabins that are located near the elevator are generally busy spots with heavy foot traffic as well. Some cruisers have found that booking a cabin too close to the elevators cultivates a noisy environment.
One thing to note is that Icon of the Seas has destination elevators located in a rotunda-style design.
Those who are light sleepers will want to reconsider booking a cabin too close to the elevators on Icon of the Seas. Even if you can book a cabin that is located just a few doors down from the elevators will cut down on the noise you hear while cruising!
