Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

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Every year, cruise ships are getting bigger & bigger.

2019 was the year of the mass production of cruise ships, liners that will satisfy the requirements of even the most demanding travelers.

After reading this article, I will start planning your cruise trip.

What is Royal Caribbean International?

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) is an American-Norwegian company founded in 1968 by several Norwegian shipping companies under the name Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL).

In 1997, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) acquired the Greek company Celebrity Cruises.

The parent company was renamed Royal Caribbean International (RCI), and together they formed the cruise holding company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Now it unites three cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.

The Azamara Club Cruises brand was sold in January 2021. Hodding also owns shares in TUI Cruises.

The holding includes 48 liners and 60,000 employees.

It ranks first in the world in terms of cash flow and passenger capacity (122,829 beds) with a market share of 24.5%. And 2nd place after Carnival Cruise Lines in terms of the number of ships and passenger turnover (41.8%).

The Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

Unlike its two predecessors in the class, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, built in Turku (Finland), Harmony of the Seas was built in 32 months at the STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire (France).

June 19, 2015 the liner was ready.

 On May 12th, 2016 Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas left the shipyard heading for Southampton, from where the first inaugural cruise took place on May 22.

According to some media reports, the ship was not fully prepared for full-fledged guest service.

Wealth of entertainment program of the ship:

The engineers of the liner did a great job of ensuring that tourists would not be bored during the cruise.

There are a variety of entertainment options to choose from. And many of these attractions are one-of-a-kind – no other cruise ship offers such a diverse range of activities:

  • The highest slide on the sea
  • Ultra-realistic surf simulators
  • 2 climbing walls, 43 feet high each!
  • Zip Line Bungee System: descent from a height of nine decks with a feeling of complete freedom of flight;
  • Full-size basketball arena;
  • a real ice rink;
  • 3 High water slides.

If you want to truly relax, then a ship offers you a full range of relevant procedures:

a SPA complex with thermal water and various programs;
Full fitness center with yoga and Tai Chi classes;
An amazing green area replicating New York’s Central Park, with real trees and flowers, restaurants, and shops;
An open alley for walking, where there are many cafes, attractions, and amusements of a very different nature.

The cost of cruises is quite high for a standard-class liner, but it’s worth it.

The ship is so huge that it is almost impossible to see it completely and visit all the shows in a week-long trip.

Free evening shows (Main Theater Royal, Aqua Theatre, and Ice Rink) require advance booking online (available 3 weeks prior to cruise start) or via “My Account” on board. If this is not done, then there may not be enough places.

The following shows are always pre-booked:

  • Ice show “1887: A Journey in Time”
  • Broadway musical “Grease”
  • Showtime’s headliner (two of them: Tenors of Rock and Vocal & Acrobatic Couple) in the main theater
  • The Fine Line in the Water Theater
  • Standup Comedy Show is a conversational comedy show that requires a good knowledge of English to understand.

Guests are served by 2,394 crew members from 77 countries.

All active entertainment – water slides, climbing wall, FlowRider surf simulator, zip line, skating rink, golf, table tennis, and carousel – are free.

The Award of The Royal Caribbean Harmony Cruise Liner

The most authoritative guide, Berlitz (only its “stars” are officially recognized in the cruise industry), awarded the liner four stars.

Based on the results of the audit, the experts awarded it 1474 points out of a possible 2000.

Harmony of the Seas has repeatedly won prizes in various categories on the CruiseCritic website based on passenger reviews.

According to the results of a sanitation check by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Organization), the liner received 93 points out of a possible 100.

And the first repair (renovation) was carried out in April 2021.

The Royal Caribbean Harmony Rooms Overview

In total, there are 16 types on board.

This is what the inside of the cabin looks like.

Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas
Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

 

 

 

Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

 

Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

76 interior cabins in category J are equipped with virtual balconies.

The picture is broadcast in real time by two cameras on both sides.

Cabin with category C1 balcony overlooking Central Park

The advantage of such a cabin is that there is no wind on the balcony, even in cold weather. And of course, it is interesting to observe the passengers. External sounds do not interfere; the park is quiet in the evenings.

By the way, there is only one European standard socket, so it is advisable to take an adapter with you. If you forget, it’s okay; you can ask at the reception.

All cabins have interactive TVs; you can see your bill, booked shows, a list of all services on board, and their opening hours. Very comfortably.

Wardrobes are not very spacious, but there are a lot of hangers. By default, there are no bathrobes in the cabin. You have to tell your steward, and he will bring them.

In the minibar, there is only paid water, Coca-Cola, and Sprite.

Royal Caribbean: Harmony in Numbers

On board:

  • 25 restaurants, including 8 a la carte (extra charge),
  • 37 bars
  • 23 water zones, including three pools, ten hot tubs, a water park, water slides, and two FlowRider surf machines
  • 2 climbing walls
  • 1 ice rink
  • 1 Carousel
  • Escape the Rubicon Virtual Game Zone
  • Spa center with treatment rooms, sauna, and hammam
  • Mini golf
  • Central Park indoor garden with 12,000 plants
  • Playground for various sports: basketball, tennis, volleyball
  • Gym
  • Treadmill
  • Shop arcade.
  • Library, board games room
  • Theaters: Royal Theater, Aquatheater, Studio B, Comedy Club, Jazz Club
  • Casino
  • Disco
  • kids clubs
  • There is Wi-Fi in all areas of the vessel.
Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas
Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

Interesting numbers:

  • 16 feet is the depth of the pool in AquaTheater.
  • 4,100 tons of drinking water are produced every 24 hours.
  • 1,700 tons of water are consumed every day.
  • 2,150 tons of water are needed to fill the pools.
  • 11,250 works of art are placed on the ship.
  • Refrigerator for products with an area of 21527 sq ft.
  • Fuel and energy consumption are 20% lower than Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.
  • Electricity generated on board could power a city of 100,000 inhabitants.
  • Injection of air bubbles underwater reduces friction and fuel consumption.


During construction, which took 33 months, the following were used:

  • 10 million operating hours
  • 60,000 tons of steel
  • 2485 miles of cable
  • 100,000 light points
  • 645834 square feet of carpet
  • 500 tons of paint

Here, too, everything is in electronic form, unlike other ships on which I have sailed.

Everything is different on other ships where photos of guests taken by professional photographers during the day are printed out and posted for public viewing in the hope that they will be purchased for 20-30 dollars apiece.

There are monitors on which you can see only photos related to you and your group.

A face recognition system is used that links each photo taken to one or more groups of vacationers, and viewing the preview of this photo is available only to them. The future is already here.

But that’s not all. One of the features of the ship is the Bionic Bar – a bar where cocktails are made not by people, but by robots.

Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas
Making Waves: The Truth Behind the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

What Happened to Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas? Accidents

The first accident occurred on May 26, 2022.

Harmony of the Seas, because of the captain’s fault, went into a dock extension in Falmouth, Jamaica, on May 26, 2022. The dock was repaired and is now fully operational for ships next week.

The collision occurred in the early morning as the ship was maneuvering into the space, the vessel’s aft collided with a concrete mooring pylon, which collapsed into the water.

Later on January 3, 2023, during the 7-day “Western Caribbean and Perfect Day New Year’s Cruise,” a huge wave hit the ship. As a result, it caused flooding.

It happened because the ship was taking a sharp turn as an evasive maneuver to avoid colliding with a small vessel—an empty Cuban refugee raft.

No injuries or serious damage were reported. The ship remained seaworthy and continued the voyage.


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ABOUT ME

I’m Jeff – I’m like a human GPS, but instead of giving you directions, I give you the inside scoop on how to have the time of your life on your next holiday.

As a born & raised Floridian, I know my home state like the back of my hand.

From the excitement of Orlando’s theme parks to the natural beauty of the Everglades, I’ve explored it all.

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But Florida is just the beginning of my adventures.

I’ve traveled across the US, from the red rocks of Sedona to the lively streets of New York City.

Overseas, I’ve marveled at the Eiffel Tower in Paris and tasted gelato in the piazzas of Rome.

My most unforgettable trip was a safari in Kenya.

Seeing elephants, lions and zebras in their natural habitat was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I even wrote a Book!

So come along for the ride and let me help curate your next epic getaway!

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