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Why no Solarium pool on the harmony?


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2 hours ago, Zambia-Zaire said:

I suspect when Harmony ever goes to dry-dock, a pool would be added in the Solarium. The Solarium w/o a pool, turned out to be a major miscalculation on the designers part.

I hope you're right. Given all that  I can only assume would be involved to not only build the pool but adding the water and filtration system needed to set in place, i can't imagine it being possible not only from a financial standpoint but an engineering as well.    But then again with the new slides and they are adding with "Amped" it may well be a reality. 

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3 hours ago, Tigerlaw said:

Just curious if there was ever any explanation given as to why they took out the pool from the solarium area on the harmony given the other Oasis class ships all had a adults-only pool?

I seem to recall an early @twangster thread discussing weight and balance concerns when Harmony was on the drawing board. But I might be remembering incorrectly.

Hopefully he will add some comments.

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39 minutes ago, Todd W said:

I hope you're right. Given all that  I can only assume would be involved to not only build the pool but adding the water and filtration system needed to set in place, i can't imagine it being possible not only from a financial standpoint but an engineering as well.    But then again with the new slides and they are adding with "Amped" it may well be a reality. 

I think the Solarium does have worldpools/hot tubes; so, i would imagine they could tap into that filtration system. The issue they may face, if it really an issue at all, is finding a suitable location, center, that would allow for the depth of a pool; as well as; structure integrity & support, for that amount of weight...again, not sure that's a real issue.

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14 hours ago, Floski said:

Well, I didn't know that before I booked...

 

Not a game-changer, but disappointing.  I assumed that it being an Oasis class, that the pool in the solarium was a given.

Wish I had known as well.. Certainly not a game changer but I really enjoy those adults only pools... 

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AL is getting her drydock done in March/April next year so should be same for HM. Getting given Oasis in Europe and revamping her after the Europe season feels like a slap in the face after Harmony and Symphony in their inaugural years. Same when Freedom was there in 2017 instead of Oasis Class, what was that about? I digress...

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7 hours ago, Joe01 said:

AL is getting her drydock done in March/April next year so should be same for HM. Getting given Oasis in Europe and revamping her after the Europe season feels like a slap in the face after Harmony and Symphony in their inaugural years. Same when Freedom was there in 2017 instead of Oasis Class, what was that about? I digress...

Likely the only time the ship yard had room for her.  Very few ship yards have a dry dock for OA class.  Every five years they MUST perform a dry dock to obtain a new insurance certificate under the umbrella of Lloyds of London.  Blame the UK company that guides the maritime insurance they need.  

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16 hours ago, twangster said:

Likely the only time the ship yard had room for her.  Very few ship yards have a dry dock for OA class.  Every five years they MUST perform a dry dock to obtain a new insurance certificate under the umbrella of Lloyds of London.  Blame the UK company that guides the maritime insurance they need.  

I get that, but who would book an unrefurbed 10 year old Oasis after having the brand new flagship on that itinerary the year before? I've done the Med cruise on Allure, Harmony and Symphony but didn't bother considering going back to Oasis this year for one second.

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18 minutes ago, Joe01 said:

I get that, but who would book an unrefurbed 10 year old Oasis after having the brand new flagship on that itinerary the year before? I've done the Med cruise on Allure, Harmony and Symphony but didn't bother considering going back to Oasis this year for one second.

For every experienced cruiser that visits forums and keeps track of refurbishment dates, there's hundreds, maybe thousands, more customers getting ready to sign up for their very first cruise.  Most won't even think to ask whether a newer ship exists or has done a similar route before.  As long as the ships sail full, Royal will keep sending ships on that route.

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1 hour ago, Joe01 said:

I get that, but who would book an unrefurbed 10 year old Oasis after having the brand new flagship on that itinerary the year before? I've done the Med cruise on Allure, Harmony and Symphony but didn't bother considering going back to Oasis this year for one second.

So any ship but a brand new ship is a slap in the face?   Whose face is being slapped?   I just sailed Oasis on a Western Caribbean that she had been doing for 8 years.  It was an awesome cruise.  My face wasn’t slapped.  I’m sailing the TA to bring her to Europe.  Face not slapped.  Oasis is a beauty.  

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14 minutes ago, twangster said:

 So any ship but a brand new ship is a slap in the face?   Whose face is being slapped?   I just sailed Oasis on a Western Caribbean that she had been doing for 8 years.  It was an awesome cruise.  My face wasn’t slapped.  I’m sailing the TA to bring her to Europe.  Face not slapped.  Oasis is a beauty.  

I've got no opposition to doing Oasis after her revamp, but I am annoyed at the revamp being done after the Europe season. The youngest RCI ship in Europe this year is 10 years old which isn't new any more - why is it unreasonable to want 1 new ship in the region? In the States, you have Anthem, Ovation, Harmony and Symphony.

Unfortunately, RCL's Europe selection is pitiful this year so back to the Caribbean. I don't like to fly so would have preferred to stay in Europe again if they'd had a better selection on offer.

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1 hour ago, Joe01 said:

I get that, but who would book an unrefurbed 10 year old Oasis after having the brand new flagship on that itinerary the year before? I've done the Med cruise on Allure, Harmony and Symphony but didn't bother considering going back to Oasis this year for one second.

I get what you saying; that may be true for some % of cruisers. However, like Atlantix2000, there are a huge number of people wanting to cruise the Medit, whether they have cruise on the newer Oasis class ships or not, 1st timers or not, or never cruise on that class of ship...it still an opportunity to cruise the Medit, on an Oasis class, that may fit their schedule, during that particular window. The ship does not have all the bells & whistle that Harmony & Symphony; but, what choice do they have...Royal is maximizing their port of call & ships. No ship goes to dry dock during the peak season unless it an absolute necessity...and given the popularity of the Oasis class in Europe, Royal knows there is a market out there, even for a 10yr old ship, whom have yet to get it's bells & whistle. Besides...Harmony & symphony are made for the largest cruise market in the world...so if an Oasis class was going to sail the Medit, it always was going to be Oasis OTS or Allure OTS, either before or after dry dock. They are not moving their prize & joy back to Europe, over the Largest Cruise Market in the World.     

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1 hour ago, Joe01 said:

I've got no opposition to doing Oasis after her revamp, but I am annoyed at the revamp being done after the Europe season. The youngest RCI ship in Europe this year is 10 years old which isn't new any more - why is it unreasonable to want 1 new ship in the region? In the States, you have Anthem, Ovation, Harmony and Symphony.

Unfortunately, RCL's Europe selection is pitiful this year so back to the Caribbean. I don't like to fly so would have preferred to stay in Europe again if they'd had a better selection on offer.

By all means sail those brand new ships that the competition is sailing in Europe.  Remind me again which those are?  

Pitiful?   I appreciate we all have different needs but ‘Pitiful’ is an exaggeration in my opinion but I respect we can have different views  

Newly refreshed Indy sailed Europe   Brand New Symphony sailed Europe   We need a big ship yard in the Americas.   Problem solved   Easy flight over the pond. Hopefully Freeport can expand.   

 

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7 hours ago, Joe01 said:

I get that, but who would book an unrefurbed 10 year old Oasis after having the brand new flagship on that itinerary the year before? I've done the Med cruise on Allure, Harmony and Symphony but didn't bother considering going back to Oasis this year for one second.

I would but for me it's a finance issue.  We are likely able to sail Europe this summer because we are doing vision, an older cheaper ship.  I booked Allure for this spring break as my first Oasis class because it was way cheaper than symphony and Harmony.  I have yet to get slides, but have sailed freedom twice because it was affordable.  I'm thankful that Royal has some ships I can afford.  But I get your point is money is no object, you want the bells and whistles and hopefully royal spreads them out for you.  Jane

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1 hour ago, mom2mybugs said:

 I would but for me it's a finance issue.  We are likely able to sail Europe this summer because we are doing vision, an older cheaper ship.  I booked Allure for this spring break as my first Oasis class because it was way cheaper than symphony and Harmony.  I have yet to get slides, but have sailed freedom twice because it was affordable.  I'm thankful that Royal has some ships I can afford.  But I get your point is money is no object, you want the bells and whistles and hopefully royal spreads them out for you.  Jane

You'll get a good itinerary out of Vision at least.

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16 hours ago, Joe01 said:

I get that, but who would book an unrefurbed 10 year old Oasis after having the brand new flagship on that itinerary the year before? I've done the Med cruise on Allure, Harmony and Symphony but didn't bother considering going back to Oasis this year for one second.

You are right that Oasis is 10 years old, but she did receive a refurbishment 5 years ago https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2014/10/14/royal-caribbean-launches-newly-refurbished-oasis-of-the-seas

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2 hours ago, Matt said:

You are right that Oasis is 10 years old, but she did receive a refurbishment 5 years ago https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2014/10/14/royal-caribbean-launches-newly-refurbished-oasis-of-the-seas

5 years is a significant period of time.

Anyway, I'm going to end this debate since it's off-topic for the OP's thread.

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  • 6 months later...
On 3/1/2019 at 9:52 AM, Matt said:

I don't know if there was ever an official explanation, but I always assumed it was a test to try something different.

Matt, I dont think the misters do the cool off thing.any info if they may put the pool back in the Solarium?

 

On 3/1/2019 at 9:52 AM, Matt said:

I don't know if there was ever an official explanation, but I always assumed it was a test to try something different.

 

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  • 3 years later...
2 hours ago, Leslieal said:

I am very disappointed there doesn’t seem to be an adult only pool on Harmony already have my reservation but if I had known ahead of booking it I would have booked a different ship

At this point, the deck plans, reviews, video tours, and countless blog posts about Harmony have been available for years.  If an adult only pool is important to you, then you need to do a tiny amount of research before you spend your money!

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I've always known about the missing pool in the solarium, but some folks we met on Wonder this month claimed they recently sailed on Harmony and they now reserve one of the pools on the pool deck for adults only... any truth or confirmation of this?

We definitely plan on sailing Harmony eventually regardless, but I'm just curious if there is any truth to this...

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On 3/1/2019 at 12:17 PM, Todd W said:

I hope you're right. Given all that  I can only assume would be involved to not only build the pool but adding the water and filtration system needed to set in place, i can't imagine it being possible not only from a financial standpoint but an engineering as well.    But then again with the new slides and they are adding with "Amped" it may well be a reality. 

They can build one that's up a level like on Wonder. No worrying about moving what's below. Just a big bowl up a few stairs.

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On 1/25/2023 at 12:07 AM, Atlantix2000 said:

At this point, the deck plans, reviews, video tours, and countless blog posts about Harmony have been available for years.  If an adult only pool is important to you, then you need to do a tiny amount of research before you spend your money!

It never occurred to me that an Oasis class ship wouldn’t have a solarium/adults only pool. I’ve sailed Oasis, Allure and Symphony.  I learn something new here all the time but it never would have occurred to me to check the deck plans and I don’t watch ship videos/blogs. 

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Harmony was the first Oasis class with waterslides.  Waterslides represent a massive amount of weight installed high on a ship. 

Putting heavy things high up complicates the weight and balance of a ship.  They use lighter materials on higher decks.  More aluminum and less steel for example.  

The lack of a pool on Harmony in the solarium was thought to be a design trade-off allowing the extra weight on high decks for the water slides and a hot tub on the suite sun deck.  Oasis and Allure don't have a hot tub on the suite sun deck.  Since Harmony was the first in class with water slides and a suite sundeck hot tub they tried it but at the cost of a solarium "pool" as a trade off.  

The irony to me is that the solarium pools on Oasis and Allure are wading pools.  You can't swim freely in these pools, all you can do is sit in cold water.  I don't see the allure of sitting in water especially knowing it's full of people who have been sweating in the sun and hardly anyone uses those showers to rinse off before going in the pool.  They aren't large pools so basically human soup. 

I guess Royal miscalculated how much people love human soup.  They probably should have nixxed the hot tub on the suite sun deck and made some other weight trade off to retain a solarium pool.  

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On 1/26/2023 at 6:24 AM, twangster said:

Harmony was the first Oasis class with waterslides.  Waterslides represent a massive amount of weight installed high on a ship. 

Putting heavy things high up complicates the weight and balance of a ship.  They use lighter materials on higher decks.  More aluminum and less steel for example.  

The lack of a pool on Harmony in the solarium was thought to be a design trade-off allowing the extra weight on high decks for the water slides and a hot tub on the suite sun deck.  Oasis and Allure don't have a hot tub on the suite sun deck.  Since Harmony was the first in class with water slides and a suite sundeck hot tub they tried it but at the cost of a solarium "pool" as a trade off.  

The irony to me is that the solarium pools on Oasis and Allure are wading pools.  You can't swim freely in these pools, all you can do is sit in cold water.  I don't see the allure of sitting in water especially knowing it's full of people who have been sweating in the sun and hardly anyone uses those showers to rinse off before going in the pool.  They aren't large pools so basically human soup. 

I guess Royal miscalculated how much people love human soup.  They probably should have nixxed the hot tub on the suite sun deck and made some other weight trade off to retain a solarium pool.  

You should try some human stew one day.   Yummmmm

A little chunkier than your average soup.  And biscuits!

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