Our First Cruise Experience on Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas

Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share with you our amazing cruise vacation on Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas. This was our first time cruising and we were blown away by how much fun it was. This ship had so much to do for kids and adults, and the destinations were beautiful. We stopped in Playa Costa Maya, Roatan Honduras, and Cozumel. Here are some of the highlights of our trip and some tips for anyone who is thinking of cruising on this ship.

Things we loved about the ship

There were so many activities and things to see and do on the ship for both kids and adults! 

Below are a few of the key things we enjoyed.

For Kids: There were so many things to keep the kids entertained on the ship. They loved the pools, the sports deck, the kids club, the 10-story slide, the multiple arcades, and the milkshakes. They also enjoyed watching the movies on the big screen and playing mini golf.

The Boardwalk: The Boardwalk has some hidden gems that are worth checking out. There is a hot dog stand that has different types of hot dogs for free (they also had a gluten free bun!). There is a carousel that is fun for kids and adults. There is a candy store that has some delicious treats for a small fee. And there is a rock climbing wall that is free and challenging.

For the family: We had a great time watching the family-friendly shows on the ship. We loved Grease and 1887 Ice Show, and the headliner was also amazing. We didn’t attend the Aqua show, but we heard we really missed out by not going. The shows were very professional and entertaining.

For Adults: We appreciated having some adult-only areas on the ship, like the pool, the hot tub, and the restaurant. We also enjoyed the 4 PM wine tastings every day (for an extra cost). The sommelier was very knowledgeable and friendly. We also had fun at the casino (there is a small non-smoking casino as well), the bars, and the spa and fitness center. The spa was very relaxing and the fitness center had a great view of the ocean.  

The Solarium Bistro is a great alternative to the Windjammer for breakfast and lunch. It is less crowded, more relaxing, and has healthier options. We enjoyed the fresh fruit, salads, soups, and grilled meats. They also have a bar and a coffee station.

Food: We had the Refreshment Package for all 4 of us and it was perfect! The main dining was unbelievable. I’m gluten-free and they accommodated us at every meal with different options for all the courses, including dessert. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. There were also more than enough options throughout the ship included in the meal plan, like the buffet, the pizza place(with an amazing gluten free pizza!), the cafe, and the ice cream station. The refreshment package included, coffee, bottled water, soda, mocktails, unlimited Milkshakes at Johnny Rockets and fresh pressed juice in the Spa/Fitness center.

Our cabin: We had a balcony on deck 10 (10-196) and it was great, enough space and storage for all 4 of us, and we packed a lot 😉. Also, make sure to buy these hooks! https://amzn.to/41O42zU The walls are all magnetic and these were amazing. They held everything from bathing suits, towels and accessories. (I may make a commission on this link and others below, not totally sure? It’s my first post 😂)

Things we are so happy we did

• Bought the VIP Internet package. This was an extra cost per person per day, but it was well worth it for us. We got to board the ship early and have a special welcome lunch. They also took care of all our bags and delivered them to our room. We also had special access to the shows, the internet, and the early breakfast and special accommodations for exiting the ship. This made our trip very stress-free and convenient.

• Specialty dining at Wonderland and 150 Central Park. Wonderland was a whimsical and creative dining experience that the kids loved. The food was very unique and tasty. 150 Central Park was a romantic and elegant date night for us. The food was exquisite and the service was outstanding.

• Found the 4 PM wine tastings. These were $30 and they were so fun. The sommelier was amazing and we learned a lot about wine. We also met some nice people and had a good time chatting with them.

• Excursions with Royal Caribbean. In Playa Costa Maya, we did the Exclusive Air Conditioned Mayan Ruins tour. This was pricier per person, but worth it for us. We liked the smaller group, the more attention to details, and the free water, soda, and beer. The ruins were very impressive and the guide was very informative. In Roatan, we did the Maya Key Private Island. This included a great lunch, you were able to rent snorkeling gear it was very safe and fun, and the beach/pool was gorgeous and relaxing. The island was also an animal rescue so there were animals all throughout the island for you to see and read about. In Cozumel, we did the Open Air Bus Tour, with beach break and Tequila tasting.  Our guide was very knowledgeable of the area and made sure we were all in the right place in town.

Things I’m sooo happy we brought with us! 

Sweaters, socks and tennis shoes 🙂 it could get chilly at night and during the shows! The fitness center and walking track were really great too! So bring your tennis shoes.

Magnetic hooks! These were amazing. We used them to hang bathing suits, towels and our key passes.  

Towels for the excursions! These worked well, dried quickly and repelled the sand!  (They were on deal when I bought them) You we’re able to take beach towels from the ship, but if you didn’t return them they charged you $25 and I don’t trust my kids or husband 🙂

Wrinkle Release. You can’t bring a steamer so this is essential 

Things I wish I knew/did sooner

There are always some things that you learn after a cruise that would have been helpful to know beforehand. Here are some of the things we wish we knew sooner before sailing on Harmony of the Seas.

• You are able to bring 1 750ML bottle of wine/champagne on board with you per adult in your room. If you open this in your room, you can bring the open bottle to dinner! We did not do the adult drink package so this would have saved some money.

I wish I booked the blow dry package at the spa:) the spa wasn’t that much more than what you would pay off the ship (at home) and it would’ve been nice to not have to worry. 

• Cozumel, we did enjoy our tour very much and would recommend it. But if you are looking for just a beach day, we met quite a few people who booked an off the ship excursion at Paradise Beach. Everyone said it was amazing and was just a short taxi ride from the Port.

• Theme nights, I knew there were 2 formal nights but there were themes for each night and I love a good reason to shop! Some of the themes were white night, red night, 70s night, etc. You can find out the themes on the Cruise Compass or on the Royal Caribbean app. It was fun to see people dress up and join the party.

• Reserve things as soon as possible in the app! Things sell out quickly.

• On the first day, stop in at the excursion booth, it appeared there were new excursions added to the list that were not originally in the app.

Hope you enjoyed reading about our cruise vacation on Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. We would love to hear from you. Happy cruising! If you need some help with a cruise or other vacation we used @roths_around_the_world (instagram) and she was great!

Random things I’m glad I brought:

Motion patches. Thankfully none of us experienced any motion sickness, but my husband and I used this the first day 

Fake rings to not worry about mine: 

Magnetic clips! We used these to keep the blinds closet and to clip a washcloth over the bathroom light: 

Lanyards.  you need your Sea Pass for Everything! General ones: Fancy ones: The kids, husbands uses the first ones and myself and the girls used the fancy ones 

Surge Protector do extra plugs!