April is seemingly the month for ship upgrades, as Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas arrived in dry dock for a major refit.
One of three cruise ships set to get a Royal Amplification, new venues and changes are going to be added.
After completing a transatlantic crossing in March, Harmony entered the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain a few days ago.
Here's what's happening to the ship today, and what we can expect from the six-week drydock.
Major work already underway
Upgrade work did not waste any time, as Harmony of the Seas is undergoing major work already.
I walked to an area near the shipyard to observe the ship getting work done on nearly all areas, including the top decks.
Different teams are focused on parts and working in tandem.
The most visible work is at the very front of the ship, above the bridge. This is where the new Ultimate Panoramic Suites will be added.
These spacious suites do not have balconies, but they have floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows.
In addition, cranes are lifting large pieces of equipment and replacement structures to higher decks.
A new Caribbean-inspired pool deck will replace the old deck, along with the addition of the Lime & Coconut. These are tropical bars that evoke more of a Caribbean feel than the previous generic pool bars.
At the back of the ship, other teams are deployed working near the Aquatheater.
Remember, not all work done to cruise ships in dry dock are upgrades. In many cases, routine maintenance work is taking place to keep the ship operating nominally.
New restaurants, bars, and experiences coming to Harmony
The most notable changes coming to Harmony of the Seas will take place inside the vessel.
New bars & dining venues coming to the ship include Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, El Loco Fresh and Samba Grill Brazilian Steakhouse.
A number of new staterooms are being added to the ship, such as 28 cabins on deck 6, 11 and 14. The new ships replace venues such as Vitality Cafe, Wonderland, and the conference center.
The Pesky Parrot will replace the Bionic Bar, which is a welcome change by many cruisers.
The Bionic Bar was intriguing when it first debuted in 2014, but it hasn't aged well. The Pesky Parrot is a fun new bar idea that combines a Tiki bar with Caribbean feel. It was first added to Utopia of the Seas.
Another big change will take place on deck 4 with the removal of the Crown Lounge and Attic (comedy club). These spaces are being replaced with an expanded non-smoking casino.
Don't worry, the Crown Lounge will be relocated to partially replace the teen club in the Living Room.
Will Harmony of the Seas get a pool?
One of the unanswered questions about Harmony's upgrades is will it finally get a pool in the adults-only Solarium?
Harmony is the only cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet without a pool in the Solarium, and it's because at the time, the cruise line experimented with a water mister as a way to add more seating but allow guests to cool off.
It's largely been panned by cruisers as a mistake, because even a small pool is more enjoyable. When Symphony of the Seas debuted a few short years after Harmony, Symphony had a pool in its Solarium area.
Royal Caribbean has not specifically announced a pool will be added, so we'll have to wait and see.
Returning to service in May
Harmony of the Seas will resume cruises in late May with a European cruise season.
The 7-night cruises will sail from Barcelona, Spain to destinations in the Western Mediterranean until late July.
In August, Harmony will transition back to Florida, where she will offer primarily 7-night cruises from Port Canaveral.
One of four cruise ships getting work done this month
Royal Caribbean will have a number of ships in drydock in April, with Harmony one of them.
Four ships will be in dry dock, with three getting major upgrades.
The Royal Amplification program is an initiative to breath new life into aging cruise ships. It aims to bring newer concepts and proven winners to older cruise ships so they can better compare to newer ones.
Ovation of the Seas previously started work this year, with Liberty of the Seas scheduled to start work soon.
