Video: Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas art reveal

In:
29 Sep 2016

The Harmony of the Seas exhibit “The Wonder of Our World, The World We Live In,” presents over 3,000 pieces from artists spanning 60 countries. Led by curatorial director Mariangela Capuzzo at ICArt, the collection explores wonder from four perspectives— people, places, what we do and what inspires us —through an array of media. Many of the works were created specifically for Harmony of the Seas and designed to bring joy to all who sail.

Royal Caribbean creates Ultimate Abyss slide in Miami mall to promote Harmony of the Seas' arrival

In:
27 Sep 2016

If you are in the Miami area (or can be), then head over to the Aventura Mall to see Royal Caribbean's latest creation that previews one of the big thrills on its newest ship, Harmony of the Seas.

Guests in the mall can see a miniature replica of the thrilling slide found on the aft of Royal Caribbean's newest ship.  The slide is a limited-time marketing idea that aims to inform Floridians of Harmony of the Seas' imminent arrival in the area, as well as showcase one of the most impressive features of the ship.

Thanks to Erik Clauson aka Cruiseboy for providing these photos!

8 ways Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas is different from other Oasis-class ships

In:
26 Sep 2016

Despite the fact Harmony of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's third Oasis-class cruise ship, she offers a number of different experiences that distinguish her from her sister ships.  While Royal Caribbean may build many ships within a class of vessels, they are not, "more of the same," when it comes to what these ships offer.

Harmony of the Seas is the newest Oasis-class ship and offers a lot of fun activities for guests to enjoy.  Here is our list of the top eight ways Harmony of the Seas is different from Allure of the Seas or Oasis of the Seas.

1. Art

Nearly every Royal Caribbean ship is different from each other in the art work featured all over the ship. Harmony of the Seas has thousands of art pieces that Royal Caribbean has added for guests to see as they explore the ship.

The art found onboard Harmony of the Seas consists of a $6.5 million art collection of more than 3,000 works. Inspired by the theme “The Wonder of Our World, The World We Live In”, artists from around the world – more than 60 countries, from Argentina and Australia to Greece and Morocco – created unique pieces to intrigue Royal Caribbean guests and crew, alike.

Once you get onboard Harmony of the Seas, be sure to explore the ship to discover the many pieces of art.  You will find art all over the ship, from the stairways to the restaurants, staterooms and even out on the decks.

2. Starbucks

If you have cruised on Allure of the Seas or Oasis of the Seas, you will know the go-to spot for a caffeine fix is Starbucks on the Royal Promenade.  However, if you want a latte, frappuccino or macchiato on Harmony of the Seas, you will have to look elsewhere.

Royal Caribbean decided to move Starbucks to the Boardwalk neighborhood, just outside the Carousel.

In addition to the new location, the Starbucks on Harmony of the Seas is more of a real store, with seating inside and bright, colorful designs all around.

Ordering your drinks at this Starbucks is very similar to ordering at any Starbucks location. The barista takes your order, as well as your payment. You then step to the preparation area and pick up your Starbucks drink when it is ready.

3. Water slides

One of the largest and noticeable differences to Harmony of the Seas is this Oasis-class ship offers a number of water slides for family fun throughout your cruise.

Copyright, Simon Brooke-Webb Photography

Harmony of the Seas features three water slides: Cyclone, Typhoon (the yellow and blue slides) and Supercell.

Cyclone and Typhoon racer slides twist and turn, while Supercell slide is a "champagne bowl" slide, which has clear sections so guests can see those riding the slide. Guests exit Supercell in the Beach Pool.

In short, these new slides are not only something unique to Harmony of the Seas, but a really fun spot for everyone in your family to take a wet, wild ride!

4. Ultimate Abyss

Speaking of slides, there is one more slide on Harmony of the Seas that involves no water, but does offer a really big thrill.

The Ultimate Abyss is a 10-story dry slide on the aft of the ship that is 150 feet above sea level.  Guests descend down one of two side-by-side slides that will accelerate down 10 decks at a speed of 9 miles per hour.

Unlike the water slides, guests are handed a black mat with an opening for one's feet.  All that someone has to do to ride is sit down, lean back, and while holding onto a strap, wait for their turn to go. Screaming optional.

5. New restaurant choices

Oasis-class ships are known for their many dining options, and there are two restaurants on Harmony of the Seas that are not available on Oasis-class ships.

Jamie's Italian is a specialty restaurant created by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver that offers rustic Italian dishes made from seasonal ingredients and tried and true recipes.  It is located in Central Park and replaces Giovanni's Table, which is available on the other Oasis-class ships.

In addition, Wonderland is available to guests on Harmony of the Seas. Wonderland is an imaginative take on specialty dining, where the experience is just as important as the food offered.

Wonderland debuted on Quantum-class ships first, but the Wonderland on Harmony of the Seas is actually the first two-story Wonderland restaurant.  It is only natural for the Wonderland on an Oasis-class ship be larger than any other!

6. Grease

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas made big news when the cruise line added the first Broadway show at sea back in 2009, and Harmony of the Seas continues that tradition with the hit Broadway classic, Grease.

The all-new stage production, specially adapted by Royal Caribbean Productions, boasts a soundtrack of crowd favorites such as “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” “Born to Hand-Jive,” “Beauty School Dropout” and more.

Not only is Grease an entertaining and fun show to watch, it is a great example of the first class entertainment Royal Caribbean is known for.

7. Lots more new entertainment

Speaking of shows, Royal Caribbean did not just "copy and paste" its entertainment line-up from other Oasis-class ships for Harmony of the Seas.  A number of brand new productions are available on Harmony of the Seas that are shown throughout the ship and a brand-new experience for all guests.

In addition to Grease, there is a lot more wonderful entertainment to enjoy. Here are some of our favorites

Columbus, The Musical!: An original Royal Caribbean production created in the spirit of “Spamalot” and “Something Rotten,” the story recounts the imagined history of Marvin Columbus, Christopher’s fictional, down on his luck, distant cousin. A breathtaking and revolutionary set design, transporting the audience across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, will awe the entire family and adults will thoroughly enjoy the smart, nuanced humor.

The Fine Line: A journey from extreme to extraordinary, The Fine Line is the AquaTheater redefined with high-flying feats, mind blowing stunts and physically demanding acrobatics brought to life by the world’s best extreme-sport athletes.  Designed as a 360° immersive entertainment show, revelers will be wishing for eyes in the back of their head to take in all the action happening around them.

1887: An original Royal Caribbean production about love and adventure that begins in Paris on February 14, 1887 at the height of the career of Jules Verne, renowned author of timeless adventure novels such as “Journey to the Center of the Earth” (1864), “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” (1870), and “Around the World in Eighty Days” (1873).

Puzzle Break Escape the Rubicon: A 60-minute escape room game, where guests must work together to solve a puzzle from the hidden clues in the room that will eventually unravel the mystery of the Rubicon.

Totally Awesome 90s: Harmony of the Seas debuts the evolution of Royal Caribbean’s much-loved Promenade 70s Party as the clock is pushed forward to the 90s. Guests can party it up in a new era when soundtracks are dominated by teen pop, dance-pop and the growing popularity of hip hop. A live DJ spinning favorite 90s hits, live pop-up performances and crazy neon track suits set the stage to transport party goers back to this totally awesome decade.

8. Bionic Bar

Harmony of the Seas is the first Oasis-class ship to offer the same robotic bar that made headlines on the Quantum-class of ships, the Bionic Bar.

The idea is simple: guests place orders via tablets and then can watch the robot bartenders start mixing the cocktails. Bionic Bar combines two big trends, robotics and mixology.

The single armed robot will get the ice, mints and lemon and then squeeze and shake them to make your drink. Eventually, there wont be a limit on what the drinks the robots can make. The customization is what Royal Caribbean is aiming for.

Royal Caribbean planning a photo opportunity with all three Oasis-class cruise ships

In:
20 Sep 2016

A really big photo is being planned by Royal Caribbean that involves all three of its Oasis-class cruise ships in one place very soon.

Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley confirmed that the company will take photos of the three ships together in coordination with Harmony of the Seas' arrival in the United States in a few short weeks.

"We're trying to arrange all three Oasis-class to be next to each other, off the coast of Florida on November the 4th in the afternoon," Bayley said at an event aboard Allure of the Seas earlier today.

The plan is for Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas to appear together on November 4, 2016.  Royal Caribbean will also invite guests up to the helipad for additional photo opportunities.

Royal Caribbean held a similar event back in 2010, when Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas met at sea.

Video: Meet Royal Caribbean Program Manager Denise Key-Tielebein

In:
20 Sep 2016

From the time a new ship is just an idea on paper, the Program Manager acts as the project’s Captain, steering the construction throughout all of its milestones. Meet Denise Key-Tielebein, Program Manager for the Oasis class of ships and learn about her interesting journey from the US Army to Royal Caribbean.

Why you should be excited about Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas arrival in the United States

In:
19 Sep 2016

In less than two months, Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas will be arriving at her new home port of Port Everglades, Florida, and it will mark her debut in the United States.

Harmony of the Seas is not only the largest cruise ship in the world, but also marks a significant moment for many Royal Caribbean fans because this brand new cruise ship offers so many enticing options.

In anticipation of Harmony of the Seas' arrival, we are counting down the top reasons you ought to be excited to welcome Harmony of the Seas "home".

5. Slides!

For guests that enjoy thrills on their cruise, Harmony of the Seas offers some brand new slide experiences that are not only new to the Oasis-class of ships, but offer a lot of fun for the entire family.

Harmony of the Seas features three water slides: Cyclone, Typhoon and Supercell. Cyclone and Typhoon racer slides twist and turn, while Supercell slide is a "champagne bowl" slide, which has clear sections so guests can see those riding the slide. Guests exit Supercell in the Beach Pool.

There is also a slide exclusive to Harmony of the Seas, known as The Ultimate Abyss.  This dry slide is 10 stories high and located on the aft of the ship, making it the tallest slide at sea.

The Ultimate Abyss is more than 150 feet above sea level and offers side-by-side slides that send guests down 10 decks at a rate of 9 miles per hour. Once at the top of the slide on deck 16, you will be handed a black mat with an opening to place your feet. You then sit down, lean back, and while holding onto a strap, wait for the "Go" sign to turn green.  Screaming is optional.

4. New shows

Royal Caribbean has a reputation in the cruise industry for offering terrific shows on its ships, and Harmony of the Seas has an array of new productions that are must-see once onboard.

Harmony of the Seas features an all-new stage production that has been specially adapted by Royal Caribbean of Grease. The show, which features hit songs such as “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” “Born to Hand-Jive,” “Beauty School Dropout," is available to see on Harmony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean also created a number of original productions, including its own musical, "Columbus - The Musical".  This new show was created in the spirit of “Spamalot” and “Something Rotten" and tells the tale of Christopher’s luckless distant cousin, Marvin, on a madcap voyage to the Caribbean.

Want more? Guests will find many more shows and events onboard Harmony of the Seas, including new original productions in the AquaTheater, ice skating rink and Royal Theater. And there is still more, including a 90's dance party on the Royal Promenade, escape room experience and the DreamWorks Experience.  In short, there is lots to see and do on Harmony of the Seas.

3. New specialty restaurants

Harmony of the Seas may be the third Oasis-class ship Royal Caribbean has built, but it has some brand new dining experiences that are not found on her sister ships.

Guests dining on Harmony of the Seas can sample the classic Italian creations of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver at Jamie's Italian, which offers rustic Italian dishes made from seasonal ingredients and tried and true recipes. 

If you want a little bit of adventure with dinner, Wonderland will capture your imagination (and your taste buds). Wonderland is an imaginative take on specialty dining, where the experience is just as important as the food offered. While Wonderland is on a few other Quantum-class ships, on Harmony of the Seas, this is the first two-story Wonderland restaurant in the fleet.

In addition to these two remarkable restaurants, Harmony of the Seas is filled with a vast array of complimentary and specialty dining choices.  Oasis-class ships were designed with dining in mind, and guests on Harmony of the Seas will find a smorgasbord of dining choices!

2. Reimagined aqua park for kids

Families that love to spend lots of time by the pool are going to love the improved aqua park on Harmony of the Seas known as Splashaway Bay.  This bigger, better kids aqua park features slides, water cannons, waterfalls and more.

Royal Caribbean designed this area to be a new "aquatic adventure park," for kids and toddlers with sea creature water cannons, winding slides, a gigantic drench bucket and a multi-platform jungle-gym to keep everyone entertained for hours.

Splashaway Bay is another big difference between Harmony of the Seas and the previous Oasis-class ships, and offers an industry-leading spot onboard for families to have a lot of fun exploring (and getting soaked).

1. Biggest ship in the world

At the end of the day, Harmony of the Seas is going to be an exciting moment because she is the largest cruise ship in the world and that alone signifies a big change (no pun intended).

In addition to the key features highlighted in this post, there is lots more to see and do to the point you will have to return a few more times to be able to "do it all."

Royal Caribbean designed its Oasis-class ships to be a floating hub of dining, entertainment and activities, and Harmony of the Seas is included in that mold of amazing cruise ships.

What are you most excited about to experience on Harmony of the Seas? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Photos: Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas billboards in Miami

In:
14 Sep 2016

Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas is nearing her arrival to the South Florida area later this year, and Royal Caribbean has posted billboards around Miami to advertise the world's largest cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Victor Sacal shared these photos from around Miami, and we wanted to give our readers a "taste" of the excitement this new ship is bringing.

Royal Caribbean crew member dies and four others injured during lifeboat drill on Harmony of the Seas

In:
13 Sep 2016

One crew member died and four other crew members were injured on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas earlier today.

During a lifeboat drill that was conducted in Marseilles, France, an accident occurred when a lifeboat, with five people on board, broke free from the vessel and fell. 

Royal Caribbean confirmed the injury totals via social media.

Local news in France are reporting the accident occurred this morning when the boat detached from the fifth deck while it had five people on board.

Harmony of the Seas is cruising the Mediterranean and departed Rome on September 8.

Royal Caribbean launches search for Godmother to Harmony of the Seas

In:
08 Sep 2016

Royal Caribbean is looking for the right person to be godmother to its newest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas.

Harmony of the Seas will make her debut in the U.S. In November when she arrives in Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and to celebrate the cruise line has partnered with South Florida ABC affiliate Local 10 to find a woman who is inspiring the next generation to dream big and think differently.

South Florida residents are encouraged to visit www.local10.com/godmother and nominate a mentor, educator or teacher whose passion for education and a better tomorrow inspires students to make a positive impact on the world. The winner will not only be honored as godmother of Harmony of the Seas during the ship’s official naming ceremony on November 10, 2016, but a $25,000 grant will also be awarded to her school or non-profit organization to fund education initiatives that will further her mission to inspire South Florida’s youth.

In addition, the godmother will have the opportunity to host a “field trip” for those whose lives she has influenced to be her guests at the Harmony of the Seas naming ceremony, and will set sail later that evening with three guests on a two-night pre-inaugural cruise.

She will also receive a future seven-night cruise for two onboard the ship.

The contest is open to volunteers, full- and part-time employees at of a school or educational organization in Miami-Dade County, Broward County or Palm Beach County. Self-nominations are also accepted. Nominees must be legal residents of Florida and 21 years of age or older at time of nomination and nominators must be 13 years of age or older as of date of entry. Official Rules can be read by visiting www.local10.com/godmother. The Entry Period for nominations ends on September 23, 2016.

“Royal Caribbean’s legacy is built on a dream that began in a small trailer on Biscayne Boulevard,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “That’s why when we thought about the godmother for Harmony of the Seas, a ship that is not just the world’s largest, but the ultimate expression of our history and future, we knew that we wanted to pay tribute to our roots and community with this designation. Who better to welcome Harmony home than an outstanding woman who is inspiring the dreamers and innovators of South Florida’s next generation.”

A maritime tradition and honor historically reserved for heads of state, politicians and celebrities, godmothers not only break a bottle to christen a ship, but also serve as guiding spirits to its guests and crew. Royal Caribbean looks to capture the essence of the role by choosing women whose life lessons and achievements illustrate the kind of courage, dedication and determination that are an inspiration to all. For more information on the maritime tradition of ship godmothers, visit www.royalhometownhero.com.

Video: Royal Caribbean Serves Up Mexican Favorites at Sabor on Harmony of the Seas

In:
30 Aug 2016

Sabor's classic Mexican dishes are crafted with modern twists onboard Harmony of the Seas. The taqueria and tequila bar offers guests the vibrant flavors of Mexico, including tasty guacamole freshly made tableside, signature margaritas and other traditional cuisine in a festive atmosphere.

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