Harmony of the Seas cruise ship review: A guide to Royal Caribbean’s third Oasis Class vessel

At a glance

• Most balcony cabins feature ocean views, but some look out onto the ship’s Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhood.
• Onboard thrills include the Perfect Storm trio of high-speed waterslides and the 150-foot Ultimate Abyss dry slide.
• Harmony of the Seas is one of just two Royal Caribbean ships to feature the huge four-bedroom Villa Suite, which sleeps up to 14 guests.

Harmony of the Seas overview

Harmony of the Seas cabins and suites

Cruisers can choose among 2,755 cabins and suites in categories that include inside windowless, ocean-view, balcony and suites. Several room variations are available within those categories, ranging from the most basic inside cabins for budget-conscious travelers to elevated suites with private whirlpools and exclusive perks.

The decor in all cabins is contemporary in shades of gray and blue. They have a desk/vanity, a flat-screen TV, a small safe, a sofa (or chair in the smallest cabins), a king-size bed that can be separated into two twins (although studio rooms designed for solo travelers have a full-size bed) and a bathroom with a roomy glass-enclosed corner shower.

Special inside windowless options include a Virtual Balcony, a large LED screen featuring a live video from outside that gives the illusion of a balcony, as well as spacious interiors that measure 260 square feet and sleep up to six guests.

Additionally, Royal Caribbean is solo traveler-friendly, and anyone booking a vacation for one can opt for an inside single studio cabin or an ocean-view studio cabin with small round windows.

Ocean-view cabins have a window instead of a balcony and can accommodate up to four guests. Family ocean-view cabins sleep up to six with a king-size bed, pullout sofa and alcove bunk beds.

Some ocean-view balcony cabins can sleep up to four guests (if the sofa has a trundle). Families or larger groups can book it with an adjoining balcony cabin to accommodate up to eight guests (with the bonus of two full bathrooms).

Boardwalk View Balcony and Central Park View Balcony cabins overlook those neighborhoods, providing guests with a view of the action below. However, the rooms lack privacy as they face other balconies across the way, plus noise might be an issue for early-to-bed types or late risers. A good compromise might be a Promenade View, Boardwalk View or Central Park View cabin. These cabins look out over a neighborhood for people-watching, but thicker windows keep out most of the noise.

Finally, Harmony of the Seas suites can accommodate up to 14 guests and feature decor with a more residential feel, including dining tables and sectional sofas, plus upgraded amenities and perks based on the cruise line’s Royal Suite Class tiers (Sea, Sky and Star). These include higher-end bedding and toiletries, special embarkation and disembarkation lounges, free Wi-Fi, plus access to a private sun deck and the Coastal Kitchen restaurant. Top suite categories also include butler services (known as a Royal Genie), crew gratuities and complimentary beverage packages.

The 287-square-foot Junior Suite is the smallest suite category and sleeps up to five guests. It comes with basic Sea-tier perks (access to the Coastal Kitchen restaurant, pillow-topped mattresses and upgraded toiletries). With more living space, a larger balcony, a walk-in closet and a marble bathroom with a shower-tub combo, the suite is popular with families with younger kids.

Traditional one-level layouts are featured in the ship’s Sky Class one- or two-bedroom Grand Suites (371 and 580 square feet) and one-bedroom Owner’s Suite (556 square feet).

Harmony of the Seas is also one of just two Royal Caribbean ships (the other is Symphony of the Seas) to feature the four-bedroom Villa Suite, which is 1,142 square feet and sleeps up to 14 guests. (Liberty of the Seas offers a smaller four-bedroom Villa Suite that measures 736 square feet.)

Another splurge option for a celebratory vacation is the two-bedroom Star Class AquaTheater Suite, which ranges in size from 673 to 823 square feet. It sleeps up to eight and features a spacious balcony (610 to 772 square feet), offering a private perch for enjoying AquaTheater performances.

Harmony of the Seas also offers two-floor loft-style suites with a living area and a second-story sleeping area: the 544-square foot Sky Class Crown Loft Suite and the 722-square-foot Star Loft Suite, a Star Class accommodation. Each has a generously sized balcony and sleeps up to four guests. The ship’s top accommodation is the 1,524-square-foot Royal Loft Suite, which has an 843-square-foot balcony with a private whirlpool and sleeps up to six guests.

Guests seeking accessible accommodations will find that Harmony of the Seas has 46 accessible cabins and suites. These are designed with wider door frames, additional space and special features, such as roll-in showers, plus lower sinks and closet rods to accommodate people using wheelchairs or scooters. These are available in interior, balcony and junior suite categories.

Harmony of the Seas restaurants

Harmony of the Seas is especially appealing to families thanks to its abundance of restaurants included in the cruise fare. The main dining room serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with menus that change daily. Casual buffet-style Windjammer offers a mix of American classics, such as burgers, fries and chicken tenders and international favorites, like Indian curries and Asian stir-fries, to satisfy a variety of cravings.

Six smaller complimentary eateries are convenient spots to grab lunch or a snack wherever you are on the ship. Boardwalk Dog House, centrally located in the Boardwalk neighborhood, serves flavorful hot dogs and bratwursts, while Sorrento’s and Cafe Promenade, both in the Royal Promenade, offer round-the-clock pizza by the slice and pastries plus a small-plate menu, respectively. Park Cafe serves casual deli favorites in Central Park, Solarium Bistro offers healthy Mediterranean cuisine in the adults-only space, and Mini Bites, located near the Sports Court, is a buffet-style eatery with grab-and-go sliders, tacos and pizza.

Suite guests also have exclusive dining privileges at the Coastal Kitchen, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and specializes in cuisine from seaside areas ranging from the Mediterranean to the Pacific Northwest.

Harmony of the Seas bars and lounges

Harmony of the Seas activities

Harmony of the Seas is so visually captivating — it houses a ship-wide, 3,000-piece, $6.5-million contemporary art collection that’s themed “The Wonder of Our World” — that it’s possible to be entertained simply by walking around. Installations throughout the ship include a massive silver “Head” sculpture in the Royal Promenade, vibrant mosaics and murals and a wide array of modern paintings and photographs. But this megaship also offers free attractions and activities for all ages.

Harmony of the Seas itineraries and pricing

Harmony of the Seas for families

Oasis Class ships are extremely family-friendly because their neighborhoods offer something for everyone. In addition, parents can sign up younger cruisers for Adventure Ocean, Royal Caribbean’s free kids club for ages 3 to 12. They’ll enjoy supervised daily activities by age group (ages 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12) that include games, arts and crafts classes and fun science activities.

Teens have their own hangout spaces — The Living Room and Fuel Teen Disco — located on deck 15 near the Sports Court and Arcade. While these areas are supervised, teens are able to come and go as they please.

The Royal Babies and Tots program offers drop-off activity sessions (for a fee) for toddlers ages 6 months to 3 years, supervised by trained youth staff, and late-night (10 p.m. to 1 a.m.) babysitting is available for kids ages 6 to 12 at a cost of $10 per hour per child.

Harmony of the Seas accessibility

In addition to the above-mentioned accessible cabins, the ship has a number of features designed to accommodate guests requiring mobility assistance. All decks are accessible via the ship’s 24 elevators, corridors are wide enough for 180-degree turning in a wheelchair, most doors are automatic and special accessible public restrooms with automatic doors are located throughout the ship (although not all public restrooms are accessible). Guests will also find forward and rear wheelchair seating in the Royal Theater, Studio B and AquaTheater. Additionally, the main pool and a whirlpool on Deck 15 are both equipped with lifts.

Bottom line

For activities, entertainment and dining options, it’s hard to beat a family-friendly Oasis Class ship like Harmony of the Seas. It offers both active thrills and cool places to chill, and this lively, always-buzzing megaship wows with imaginative artwork and captivating stage, high-diving and ice-skating spectacles.

There’s a lot to love about Harmony of the Seas — as long as you don’t mind spending your vacation at sea with more than 6,000 other people. Oasis Class ships are well-designed to manage foot traffic within and between neighborhoods. However, there will inevitably be bottlenecks at peak periods, as well as lines for certain activities and restaurants, so guests need to let “go with the flow” be their mantra.

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