Towering over 150 feet above sea level, the Ultimate Abyss on Harmony of the Seas launches thrill seekers into a serpentine of twists and turns on the world's biggest ship. Guests climb to the slide's glass platform, taking in the view from the top of the tallest slide at sea. From there, sliders launch into 216 feet of tunnels, whizzing past multi-sensory effects and blast onto the Boardwalk 10 decks below.

We love to explore the various staterooms on Royal Caribbean cruise ships and today we have a look at the Two Bedroom AquaTheater Suite stateroom on Harmony of the Seas.

This category A1 room was photographed by Frank Battiston during his stay in stateroom 8330.

Category A1 staterooms on Harmony of the Seas measure 823 square feet with an additional 772 square feet of space on the balcony.

Guests staying in this room are eligible for the Star Class benefits of the Royal Suite Class.  This includes

• Exclusive Access to Royal Genie Service
• All Day Access to Coastal Kitchen
• Complimentary Specialty Restaurants
• Complimentary Ultimate Beverage Package (for guests 21 years or older)
• Complimentary Royal Replenish Package (for guests under 21 years old)
• Complimentary Gratuities
• Complimentary VOOM - The Fastest Internet at Sea
• And more

There are two bathrooms in this suite, with the master bathroom featuring a tub.

There is also a large dining area and living room.

Of course, the compelling reason to book a room like this is the balcony.  Not only is the balcony quite large, it offers views of the ocean, Boardwalk neighborhood and the AquaTheater.

Harmony of the Seas is the most energy-efficient and technologically advanced cruise ship ever built. Equipped with next-generation technologies, from a multi-stream exhaust gas cleaning system (scrubbers) to an air lubrication system that allows the ship to float on air, with millions of tiny bubbles created under the hull to reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency. Harmony of the Seas raises the bar on environmental stewardship technology.

Embark on a journey that recounts the imagined history of Marvin Columbus, Christopher’s fictional, down-on-his-luck, distant cousin. An original Royal Caribbean production, the story recounts Marvin’s banishment from his family’s kingdom, and his madcap voyage of discovery in the hopes of claiming his own place in history. Unforeseen romance and a “happily ever after” are on the map as Marvin crashes into his Caribbean destiny.

Winding along walkways and climbing up two living walls, the 12,000 plants and trees are undeniably the stars of Harmony of the Seas’ Central Park. But hidden below is an intricate system of irrigation, fertilization, lighting and drainage that keeps the foliage green and beautiful. In partnership with the park’s horticulturalists, a team of engineers maintains the steel decks that house the plants, and the lighting and speaker systems that create the unmatched tropical ambiance at the heart of the world’s largest cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean is working with Boldt to provide glow-in-the-dark decking for two of its Oasis class ships, including the cruise lines fourth Oasis class ship.

Royal Caribbean and Boldt have a contract in place to provide Bolideck Glow, which offers energy efficiency savings by reducing lighting requirements. When used outside, it can also harvest energy, storing solar energy generated by day that can be converted into exterior lighting at night. It could also bring safety benefits, Bolidt points out, by illuminating escape routes and signage, as the luminous material ensures decking areas remain highly visible in the dark.

Bolideck Glow will be added to Harmony of the Seas before the end of 2017, as well as on the fourth Oasis class cruise ship, which is scheduled for delivery in 2018. In both cases, the product will be installed in a 350m2 area to add the ‘wow’ factor for cruisers at the top of the 10-deck Ultimate Abyss slide, which will also be used in the dark.

"RCI’s request for a glow in the dark material has coincided with our development of Bolideck® Glow," adds Jacco Van Overbeek, Director, Maritime Division, Bolidt. "This demonstrates how our long-term customers look to us for new decking solutions, while our continuous development program means we are ready to respond. It’s perfect timing, and highlights how we can help designers to convert the wishes of owners into new concepts and innovative features."

Adventurous activities abound on Harmony of the Seas and guests can also put their minds to the test while getting some thrills at the same time at Escape the Rubicon, the ship’s Puzzle Break escape room. Competitors work together to find hidden clues and solve a series of high-tech riddles to unravel the mystery of the Rubicon. With only 60 minutes on the clock, the excitement builds with each tick as it counts down!

On Harmony of the Seas, incredible feats are performed by soaring aerialists, tight-rope walkers and agile divers during spectacular shows in the AquaTheater. But behind the scenes there is an entire team of specialists that make it all run seamlessly. From rigging specialists to certified Scuba divers and intricate equipment like hydraulic lifts and underwater trap doors, what happens behind the scenes is as fascinating as what’s on stage.

Get an exclusive look into the kitchen at Jamie’s Italian. See how handmade pasta takes shape on Harmony of the Seas!

It seems like Royal Caribbean designed Harmony of the Seas to have everything in spades, including bars and lounges.  A ship as large as Harmony of the Seas offers guests many choices in where to enjoy their favorite beer or cocktail.  There are lots of great spots all over the ship to try, but we wanted to share a list of our favorites.

When considering our favorite bars and lounges on Harmony of the Seas, we placed importance on the bar decor, special offerings and general ambiance that resonated well after the drinks ended. We present our list of the top 5 Harmony of the Seas bars and lounges for your reading amusement.

5. Schooner Bar

A staple of any Royal Caribbean ship is the Schooner Bar. Over the years, the Schooner Bar has become a popular spot for guests to enjoy drinks, listen to music and convene for various events. On Harmony of the Seas, this tradition continues along with an Oasis class touch.

What we like about the Schooner Bar on Harmony of the Seas is the various activities that occur each day and night, including trivia and piano music.  Additionally, part of the Schooner Bar overlooks the Royal Promenade, which is great for people watching.

4. Trellis Bar

The Trellis Bar is located in the Central Park neighborhood and what makes this bar a great spot for a drink is the ambiance of its surroundings.  Central Park is a lush, open air part of the ship where guests will likely spend time exploring and enjoying the natural beauty of the flora found throughout the area. The Trellis Bar is situated near the middle of Central Park, which means you will be surrounded by the park while enjoying a drink.

Royal Caribbean updated the look of the Trellis Bar a bit on Harmony of the Seas, relative to her sister ships, and the new look adds to the atmosphere of the drink experience.

The best part of enjoying a drink at the Trellis Bar is in the evenings, when Central Park becomes even more beautiful with the exquisite lighting that activates after dark. In addition, guests can hear live music being played in Central Park, which makes the Trellis Bar our favorite spot for drinks any evening of the cruise.

3. Boot & Bonnet Pub

Live music and drinks seem to go together so well, and the Boot & Bonnet Pub in the Royal Promenade is a great choice for enjoying music you can sing along to, while sipping your favorite drink.

The Pub is always a good spot for meeting with friends for drinks, and Royal Caribbean did a great job making the Pub look like an authentic English bar experience.  Most evenings, there is a guitarist present who will play popular bar songs, and after a couple of drinks, you are likely to join in the singing fun.

2. Boleros

Speaking of live music, Boleros is one of the best places on Harmony of the Seas to enjoy great live music, especially if you want to get up and dance.

Boleros sports a Latin-themed motif, with bright colors, lots of seating and a stage where bands play terrific salsa, merengue and more. Boleros on Harmony of the Seas is rather large, which means ample seating around the lounge, near the bar or in the many comfortable chairs.

There is something about Latin music that just appeals to everyone. Maybe it is the smooth melodies or the intoxicating will to dance, but Boleros is always full and always a good spot for an evening drink while you enjoy the band play.

1. Bionic Bar

Regardless of if you actually get a drink here, the Bionic Bar is an experience to itself onboard Harmony of the Seas. Two robot bartenders can make two drinks per minute, delivered in plastic cups via four conveyor belts.  This is an undeniably cool experience and something that is just as fun to watch happen as it is to enjoy a drink.

Built by Makr Shakr, 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. Guests walk up to tablets, where they can place orders for drinks, choosing from classic cocktails, signature drinks like Mnemonic Madness (a rum, pineapple juice and Midori concoction) or test the robot bartenders’ skills with their own creations.

Certainly the nearby Rising Tide Bar is quite intriguing too, but the Bionic Bar regularly has a crowd that convene to enjoy the spectacle of the robot bartenders doing their thing.