The www.CRUISE.co.uk team have just came back from the launch of Harmony of the Seas and after a jam packed couple of days, we have some top tips on what you need to do and what you shouldn’t do if you’re planning to sail on this ship!
You’ll come across everything from a bar where you start on one deck and end up on the other to a place where you can sit amongst 10,000 plants to even trying an exploding olive in a restaurant as far away from reality as you can imagine (that’s right, an exploding olive). These are the things that, without a doubt, you need to head straight for and the things you should stop yourself from doing, too…
Do…
…splash out a little for the speciality restaurants. Don’t get us wrong, the restaurants included in your holiday price are more than satisfactory! The main dining room is a classic and the buffet at the Windjammer Marketplace is essential for those lunch times after you’ve been using all your energy on the water slides. But Chops Grille is worth paying that little extra for to get a guaranteed reservation in an American steakhouse that is known for its homemade steak sauce and the first dry-aged steaks at sea (they’re hand selected and aged for almost four weeks to give you that perfect flavor and aroma!)
If you’re not a steak lover, another speciality restaurant you have to give a try is Jamie’s Italian. It’s perfect for everyone from kids to families to vegetarians to pasta lovers (or for the ones who just want to say they’ve tasted the cuisine of the famous chef that is Jamie Oliver). All the ingredients are fresh and seasonal so that you can taste some rustic dishes whilst, of course, having a large choice of their speciality in pasta, Bolognese and risotto. The other restaurants you can pay a little fee to dine in are also Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, Sabor Taqueria, 150 Central Park and Wonderland (and the latter will take you into a world of innovative tastes you’ve never known before!)
Don’t…
…underestimate the ice rink! This isn’t just for having a go on yourself and trying not to slip over (although this is obviously something you need to experience- minus falling over!) Not only does it sometimes turn into a nightclub, you can also sit and watch some fantastic shows from professional ice dancers whilst waiters and waitresses stroll round the aisles taking your drink orders and bringing them to you whilst you sit back and watch someone else do the entertaining. You can even expect a professional bubble-blower! That’s right, you can experience the combination of dramatic music and bubbles (a combination you might never have considered to be a great one until you can witness it).
And of course, you’ll see the elegance of all of the ice dancers as they whizz round the ice gracing us with their routines that tell a story in sparkly extravagant costumes. www.CRUISE.co.uk can assure you you’ll be asking yourself if it’s too late to become a professional ice dancer yourself by the end of it. Plus, it’s right next to the casino and what better place to win some money for some new ice skates…
Do…
…make sure you spend enough time in Central Park! Not only does it have 55 trees and 10,000 different types of plants, it also has some upscale dining options and bars for you to dress a little nicer in to visit. Us at www.CRUISE.co.uk recommend heading to Park Café for breakfast as you can dine al-fresco amongst the greenery with a bagel and a coffee whilst you sense the sea air. Sometimes even some of the DreamWorks characters stroll past so just when you think it’s a couples-only area, it seems that Royal Caribbean have thought of it all!
If you’re willing to pay a little extra for some different dining, you can choose from Jamie’s Italian, Chops Grille and 150 Central Park which is the ship’s most exclusive restaurant- you’ll find multicourse tasting menus and a wine pairing menu, too. A relaxing alternative to the busy and entertaining Boardwalk, this neighbourhood is serene and peaceful: the type of place you would travel miles to go and visit for a lovely quiet getaway. Perk on one of the benches with a hot drink and read your book under a tree whilst you glance up at the trees that stand up to 20ft tall in the ‘town square’. Plus, we all love a good landscape for the background of those selfie stick snaps!
Don’t…
…forget your swimwear! If you haven’t heard already, Harmony holds 23 swimming pools (and if Harmony is like a floating hotel, it beats the pool that sits at the back of any hotels abroad we’ve been to!) Its waterpark feel on-board comes in the form of the Perfect Storm- the trio of water slides that twist and turn above Central Park- not to mention the whirlpools and hot tubs dotted around on different decks which are perfect for the days where the sun is shining as it’s the ideal spot to top up your sun tan whilst relaxing.
There’s two surf simulators on-board too called the FlowRider’s where you can learn to surf from the experts. The kids have a whole neighbourhood for their entertainment and Splashaway Bay is heaven for them on holiday as the gigantic water buckets, fountains and sea creatures are illuminated by the bright multi-colours that make the area stand out as soon as you reach the deck! With Harmony of the Seas, the perfect ship for families, you no longer need to hop on a plane to an exotic destination for that water park that places abroad are notorious for. Instead you get that same aspect on-board this ship, except you can experience it every single day of your holiday if you wish!
Do
….experience the tallest slide at sea: the Ultimate Abyss! And without being too frightened, make sure you listen to the briefing from the experts before you have a go as the slide is quite narrow, so keep your elbows in with your legs straight holding on to the mat that you slip your feet into before. They’ll let you know beforehand to lean back slightly so you don’t hit your head, but not too far because you’ll want to make sure you make the most of the sensory experience inside the slide (various lights and colours so you’re not in complete darkness!)
The record for going down is 12.5 seconds but don’t worry, you’ll slow down right at the bottom on the last twist so there’s no fear of shooting out at the bottom of the Boardwalk neighbourhood. The Abyss is one not to missed- after all, you can walk away saying you’ve been on the tallest slide at sea where you begin on a glass floor where you can look down at the view of the sea from a height, before entering through a big open mouthed anglerfish and descending down to deck 6 (well it’s definitely the quickest way to get down to Johnny Rockets for a hamburger and a milkshake!)
Don’t…
…ignore the Royal Promenade. Whilst you’re trying to get through the never ending list of activities throughout the ship, the main strip of entertainment can be forgotten and only used as your path to get to the next adrenaline filled thing to do. This is where you’ll find your upscale shops for browsing or purchasing and this is where you can arrive at night after your evening meal if you’re opting out of viewing one of those shows! You can choose from the Bionic bar where a robotic arm makes your cocktail for you, the Boot and Bonnet bar which is your traditional English pub (Harmony continues to be a home from home), the Latin-themed Boleros lounge and the On Air karaoke club when you’re feeling confident enough!
There’s even the Rising Tide bar which moves up and down three decks as you sip on the drink of your choice and do some people watching (and where better to do that than on a cruise ship of 6,000 guests, right?) And out for the main feature of art that stands tall and proud in the middle of the Royal Promenade: a five-ton, three-dimensional metallic human head which is a signature smart art piece by a Czech artist. You can also stroll straight through for a show from the Aquatheatre in Boardwalk from here with a cocktail in hand if you wish.
Do…
…step out of your comfort zone! We know that Harmony is perfect for families with areas designed and designated specifically for kids and we know that it still caters for those of you that like to relax with Central Park’s scenery and the luxurious spa facilities, but this is the cruise line that consulted with an actual professor of thrills to make sure the Ultimate Abyss was exciting enough for its adrenaline junkies (we didn’t know that type of professor existed either, don’t worry). So be assured that there is more than enough to do for those of you who want to try lots of new things whilst quite possibly scaring yourself in the process. By now you’ll know enough about the Abyss to want to try it surely!
A brilliant option is the FlowRider’s if you want to learn how to surf without the fear of the sea stopping you; Harmony features two of these surfing simulators with the experts giving you some tips and tricks. Not to mention there’s an ice skating rink to focus on not falling over on and another type of simulator that’ll teach you how to skydive making you feel like you really are drifting through the sky! And if you fancy an even better view of the Boardwalk neighbourhood, why not zip line over it to get to the other side? To really get your heart racing, head to Harmony’s Escape Room where you will have 60 minutes to find your way out of the room following the clues to solve a collection of puzzles. Anyone wanting to tackle some heights could also try their hand at the rock climbing wall with an excellent backdrop of the Aquatheatre behind them…
Don’t…
…miss the Wild Boys! That’s right, the obvious shows you’ll want to attend are Grease at the Royal Theatre and the Aquatheatre’s impressive acrobatics, but the Royal Promenade will feature a performance from the 80’s band, the Wild Boys. So you and all your friends can dance along the promenade with the rest of the guests while you witness a live performance of all the old classics from a lively band on the balcony above you. If it impressed you that much you can head straight to the karaoke club afterwards, only a few steps down from where they perform above Kate Spade and try your hand at performing to the other guests of Harmony.
Do…
…forget about your diet! Come on now, the www.CRUISE.co.uk team did and so can you. You’re on holiday after all and once you come across the delicious menus you’ll see that it’ll be awfully hard not to opt for a starter, main, dessert and many glasses of wine each night. The salted caramel ice cream at Jamie’s is a must to finish your three course meal and the shelves of cup cakes and ice cream at the all you can eat buffet in the Windjammer is just a no-brainer!
Harmony even holds the famous 50’s style American diner, Johnny Rockets! The chocolate and strawberry milkshakes are not to go amiss and the vast array of stacked burgers is one the team raved about. If you feel like burning off a few of the calories, the waiters and waitresses jump up for a dance routine to some music every hour so why not join them! It definitely gives you some entertainment whilst you’re in the queue to get in aswell and the combination of the red leather sofas and tall milkshake glasses get you feeling like you’re really in an actual American diner…you don’t need to travel all the way to America for this, just get on Harmony!
And if you’re still not satisfied with abandoning the healthy diet completely, there’s gym facilities on-board for your guilty moments (but we promise it’ll still be worth it!)
That was your do’s and dont’s for Harmony of the Seas! What are your thoughts?Are you sailing on her? What are you braving first? Are you determined to make sure you experience every nook and cranny of Harmony of the Seas? Let us know!
