While the first days of Odyssey of the Seas' current Bahamian cruise have been marred by snowy conditions in New Jersey, passengers have made the most of the unusual situation. 

Knowing the wintery conditions they’d face, one guest, Leonard, came fully prepared with everything needed to build a snowman — including Kingsford charcoal for the buttons and latex gloves. 

He wasn't the only stranded passenger to embrace the snow. The creations ranged in size from tiny, table-top snowmen to child-height figures. Either way, the playful snowmen helped keep spirits bright when many were anticipating being halfway to The Bahamas. 

For example, Debra Lunt built a miniature snowman on her cruise cabin's balcony, complete with small eyes and a soft smile. 

"Making the best of it on Deck 7!! Meet Hernando!!" added Kelly Ann.

Ashley Langenfeld also shared a picture of her little snowman, saying, "We’ve been having fun with it! Can’t say I had 'build a snowman on a cruise ship' on my bucket list, but I can now cross that one off!"

Joanne E. Shi, another passenger, posted a photo of her small snowman on Facebook. According to her comment, she's staying on Deck 9. 

Others took a different approach. Rather than braving the frigid temperatures, some passengers relaxed indoors, sipping cocktails in Odyssey's Solarium (or SNOWarium, if you will). 

"I’m on the ship right now, drinks are flowing, and the Solarium is perfect! We should be able to depart later tonight if all goes well with the port," explained Chris Slaight. 

Whichever way the current guests are choosing to make the most of their first full day aboard the ship, one thing's certain: being on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship is better than being at work, school, or home!

Why was Odyssey of the Seas stuck in the New York area overnight?

Winter Storm Hernando disrupted thousands of passengers traveling via air and cruise ship, including Odyssey of the Seas.

The Quantum Class ship's departure was delayed on Sunday, February 22, due to "high winds and rough seas."

As such, the thousands of passengers aboard the 167,704 gross-ton vessel woke up to a winter wonderland, rather than the ocean's vast horizon.  

A cruise ship originally destined for a tropical escape to The Bahamas is instead stuck in New Jersey and covered in snow.

Winter Storm Hernando has wreaked havoc in the travel industry, disrupting thousands of passengers traveling via air and cruise ship. 

One such vessel, Odyssey of the Seas, was stuck in port overnight. As the record-breaking winter storm slammed the New York City area, Odyssey was blanketed in snow across the Hudson. 

The Quantum Class ship was originally supposed to depart Bayonne (Cape Liberty), New Jersey, on Sunday, February 22. However, "high winds and rough seas" forced the cruise line to delay its departure. 

Rather than waking up to the ocean's endless horizon, passengers were surprised by the rare sight of snow-covered decks and gray skies. 

Jerel Donovan and Warren Caesar provided photos of what it's like on the cruise ship that's blanketed in white, fluffy snow.

As of 2:35 p.m. EST on Monday, Feb. 23, Cruise Mapper reveals that Odyssey has yet to depart New Jersey and head south toward The Bahamas. 

Odyssey is supposed to call at Port Canaveral, Florida, on Feb. 24, followed by Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau. 

However, further itinerary changes could be possible depending on when the ship finally sets sail.

While docked in New Jersey, the onboard shops and casino must remain closed due to local laws and regulations. 

MSC Meraviglia was also stuck in the New York City area overnight, remaining docked at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal around noon on Feb. 23. 

Meraviglia's itinerary is similar to Odyssey of the Seas in that she is supposed to call at Port Canaveral, Florida, on the 24th, then visit MSC Cruises' private island in The Bahamas on Wednesday. The final stop on the 7-night itinerary is Nassau. 

Unfortunately, passengers on both ships must wait and watch the storm continue to pound the Northeast until they're able to safely depart. 

Earlier on Monday, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey shared on X that all operations at APM Terminals Elizabeth, Port Newark Container Terminal, Maher Terminals, Port Liberty Bayonne, and New York and Red Hook Barge Terminal were closed due to the severe winter weather.

Over 600,000 homes and businesses have been left without power as the bomb cyclone continues to bring heavy snow and powerful winds to the region, according to The Weather Channel. Hurricane Hunters have even begun flying into the storm to gather data. 

Over 15 inches of snow has accumulated in New York's Central Park so far, marking the city’s heaviest snowstorm in over five years since the pandemic. The last time New York saw higher snowfall totals was during the 17.4-inch storm that lasted from January 31 to February 3, 2021.

Should NYC see another 2.4 inches of snow, Winter Storm Hernando will officially become the city's heaviest snowstorm since January 2016. 

A major winter storm is wreaking havoc across the United States, and one Royal Caribbean ship will not return to its homeport on time.

Odyssey of the Seas was scheduled to return to Bayonne, New Jersey on January 26th but will now take an extra day.

"Due to the major winter storm affecting much of the east and northeast US, and the impacts to land-based travel and port operations, we are delaying our arrival into Bayonne by one day," an email sent to passengers booked on the ship read.

The historic winter storm historic has impacts across nearly 40 states and began on Friday.  It's expected to carry through to Monday.

The New York City area is expecting 8 to 12 inches of snow

Odyssey of the Seas is one of the bigger cruise ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet.  It launched in 2021 and is 167,704 gross tons in size. It's the newest Quantum Class ship in the fleet.

There are two reasons for delaying the ship for a day.

First, it allows the storm to move out of the area and for the port itself to be prepared to handle turnaround day on a ship. 

A cruise terminal requires government officials to handle immigration and customs inspection, longshoremen to offload cargo and luggage, parking assistance, port workers, and more.

Second, this allows anyone traveling into the area more time to make it in.

As of Sunday, more than 16,000 flights have been canceled and thousands more were expected to be canceled over the weekend.

"This will allow for the weather to improve and shore-based operations to recover. For many guests experiencing difficulties getting to Bayonne, we hope this relieves some worry as you'll have an extra day to make it there safely," the email said.

This ship measures 1,138 feet in length and can accommodate 4,198 guests at double occupancy.

New sailing schedule

As a result, Odyssey of the Seas will now sail on Tuesday with a modified itinerary.

Odyssey was scheduled to offer a 12-night Southern Caribbean cruise that visited 

• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
• St. Johns, Antigua
• Bridgetown, Barbados
• Castries, St. Lucia
• Philipsburg, St. Maarten

As a result of the delayed start of the cruise, Odyssey will now skip San Juan, Puerto Rico and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

Both of those days will be replaced with sea days.

The new schedule is as follows:

Compensation

As a result of the last-minute change, Royal Caribbean is offering compensation to guests to make up for it.

Technically, the cruise contract that all guests agree to when they book a cruise guarantees nothing in terms of changes, but the cruise line is offering some money back as a gesture of good will.

All passengers will receive a one day refund of cruise fare paid as onboard credit. Any unused credit at the end of the cruise will be refunded back to the credit card on file.

Royal Caribbean will also reimburse passengers for non-refundable, pre-purchased travel fees incurred, such as a hotel, train ticket, or rental car.  

Plus, one night of a hotel stay up to $250 for one night will be reimbursed.

Airline change fees will also be covered up to $200 USD per guest for Domestic, or up to $400 USD per guest for International flights.

• Any pre-paid internet or beverage packages will be refunded for 1-day’s worth of the price paid
• Any pre-paid Royal Caribbean shore excursions booked for San Juan and Charlotte Amalie will also be refunded

Bonus day

Guests sailing on Odyssey of the Seas for an extra day received letters in their stateroom explaining how the extra day will work and what to expect with disembarkation.

"Our plan is to begin debarking guests at 7:00 AM on Tuesday, January 27th in Bayonne. We kindly ask that you stick to your departure group to ensure a smooth and seamless transition to your onward journey."

Passengers that purchased unlimited drink packages will have them extended at a reduced rate:

• Deluxe Beverage Package: $50 USD per person
• Refreshment Package: $20 USD per person
• Soda Package: $5 USD per person
• VOOM Internet: $15 USD per day
• The Key: $15 USD per day
• Unlimited Dining cannot be extended at this time

Guests can go to Guest Services and ask to not have their package extended.

In addition, gratuities will be extended as well by one more day. 

Royal Caribbean has an automatic gratuity they charge guests for each night of the cruise to cover the hard working crew members. That means every passenger in a standard cabin will be charged an additional $18.50, or $21.00 per person in suites.

Live from Odyssey of the Seas

A Royal Caribbean Blog reader, JohnK6404, is onboard the current Odyssey of the Seas sailing and shared the change in plans from the ship.

"Captain Per came on at 2:00 PM and confirmed we will be extended one FULL day and will not be returning to Bayonne now until Tuesday, 1/27, at 6:00 AM!"

"We are so lucky that we do not have to stress over the return trip. I really feel for all of the folks that are dealing with this mess especially those flying in or out!"

He shared a photo of the ship's progress, showing it turning away from Bayonne.

Second Royal Caribbean ship to change itinerary because of this storm

Odyssey is the second ship to have her plans changed from this storm.

Earlier this week, Harmony of the Seas cut its cruise short and skipped a port visit to Cozumel in order to return to Galveston, Texas.

"We are tracking the development of a major winter storm expected to impact Southeast Texas beginning late Saturday. In order to give you the best chance at a safe and uninterrupted journey home by avoiding the winter weather impacts to local infrastructure and transportation," an email to passengers read.

The result was to cut its sailing short by a day.

Guests had the choice to stay onboard for the extra day or disembark as soon as it returned.

Passengers onboard Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas were told to brace for strong swells as the ship encountered increasingly rough seas during its transatlantic voyage.

The Captain of the 169,300 gross registered ton ship told guests they were going to change directions because of a powerful storm front, which brought 6-7 meter waves and 50-knot winds. He advised passengers to remain seated, as the ship would be changing course and there was a possibility it could list. 

Videos taken from the 14-night transatlantic cruise show powerful waves crashing over the windows of the ship’s lower decks. 

Photo stills from Deborah Sahli

Other images reveal that the Crown & Pub Compass, one of the ship’s popular gathering spots for live music, had suffered significant damage, with alcohol bottles and broken glassware shattered across the floor. 

CruiseMapper shows Odyssey of the Seas' navigational path, including an obvious course diversion resulting from the sudden storm. 

Guests onboard took to Facebook to share their experiences. 

"There's no way we could've avoid[ed] this storm, it's just too big," wrote Michael Ducharme. 

David Naputi added, "You can definitely feel the movement. I’m not the best gauge, but at its worst maybe around a 20-30 degree tilt? (Imagine walking up a [20-degree] slope sideways and then it reverses - [that's] pretty much the intermittent worst of the rocking)." 

Overall, the vibe remains positive, with passengers spending the day indoors gambling or grabbing a drink at Playmakers, indicating the incident wasn't as scary as it might have seemed at first.

"Perfect day for eating and napping! No complaints from me," said Ja Narke.

Still, some guests aren't enjoying the excessive motion, highlighting the importance of coming prepared with seasickness remedies, including over-the-counter medication like Bonine/Dramamine or acupressure bands.

Second transatlantic cruise to be hit with adverse weather

Last week, a powerful squall struck Explorer of the Seas en route to Miami, Florida, injuring several passengers onboard.

The vessel was roughly 750 miles off the coast of Morocco during the incident. Ron Warren, a guest onboard, shared that the ship listed severely for "somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes." Afterward, Explorer was left in shambles, with furniture overturned and glass and merchandise scattered across the floors. 

Guests were ordered to remain in their stateroom while crew accounted for all guests. Medical announcements were also made for passengers who were injured during the list.

The squall delayed Explorer's return to Florida. Due to a medical emergency, the ship was diverted to the Canary Islands, where it also refueled. The vessel is now expected to arrive in Miami on Nov. 17, rather than the 14th as scheduled. 

Odyssey departed from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, on Nov. 3

The Quantum-Ultra Class ship is slated to arrive in New Jersey on Nov. 17 to begin a seasonal stint offering cruises to Florida and The Bahamas. 

This transatlantic repositioning voyage comes as the ship transitions following the conclusion of the European ship's deployment. Odyssey will return to Europe in May, sailing from Civitavecchia to Italy, Greece, and Turkey.

With a packed itinerary, the ship is set to continue providing guests with signature experiences, such as the RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, SeaPlex multi-purpose venue, FlowRider surf simulator, and North Star observation capsule, while sailing to stunning European destinations. 

Passengers onboard Odyssey of the Seas' transatlantic cruise from Italy to Cape Liberty were informed they'd no longer be visiting Valencia, Spain. 

Deadly flash floods caused by heavy downpours in eastern Spain have resulted in at least 205 fatalities, according to the Associated Press. It's the country's deadliest storm in living memory and has been classified as a level two crisis on a scale of three. 

Spain's meteorological agency said a year's worth of rain fell on the region in less than 8 hours. The catastrophic flooding happened with little to no warning, trapping residents in their homes and vehicles. 

By the time an emergency alert was sent out around 8:00pm, many were already overwhelmed by the rising waters. As the water came rushing down the rivers and tributaries toward the Mediterranean Sea, bridges were destroyed, and cars were swept away. 

Valencia's president, Carlos Mazón, has deployed over 500 soldiers, joining the 1,200 from the Military Emergency Unit. An additional 500 soldiers will arrive on Saturday to help rescue victims, clear debris, and provide food and water. 

While the waters have receded, it will take Spain months to recover from the destruction. Many are still without power or running water. CNN reported that Valencia's highways are blocked or only partially useable. Additionally, the train tracks are so badly damaged that rail services will be unavailable for weeks. 

Royal Caribbean emailed booked passengers and travel agents on Friday, Nov. 1, saying flash flooding has made it difficult to navigate the area. 

"We're terribly sorry for the last-minute change - the safety and well-being of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are always our top priority," the notice reads. 

Instead of calling at Valencia, Odyssey of the Seas will visit Palma de Mallorca, Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 6 before resuming its original itinerary, including stops in Cartagena and Malaga, Spain, and Madeira (Funchal), Portugal, followed by six days at sea en route to New Jersey. 

"The Spanish island of Mallorca is waiting for you, with its towering mountains and dramatic cliffs rising over clear, blue water. Its hidden gem is Palma de Mallorca, the island's capital, and largest city, where you'll find quaint historic streets, Gothic castles, and gastronomic delights," the email continues. 

"If you're feeling adventurous, journey through Palma de Mallorca's Drach Caves, home to the largest underground lake in the world. Or hike through the city's historic 15th century royal path to the town of Banyalbufar."

Guests with shore excursions booked in Valencia will receive a refund in the form of an onboard credit on their SeaPass accounts, and they can be used anywhere onboard—from the Bionic Bar to one of Odyssey's specialty restaurants or another tour in Palma de Mallorca.  

Any remaining credits not used during the sailing will be refunded to the card on file up to 14 business days after disembarkation. 

The next Royal Caribbean ship scheduled to call at Valencia is Voyager of the Seas on Nov. 12, followed by Adventure of the Seas on the 25th. After that, Valencia won't see another Royal Caribbean ship until next year, when Brilliance of the Seas visits in April, marking the beginning of the cruise line's European season. 

Read more: I stayed in a windowless cabin onboard Odyssey of the Seas that cost $2,300

Odyssey of the Seas is repositioning to New Jersey

After she arrives in mid-November, the 1,138-foot-long ship will make regular voyages to Florida and The Bahamas. She'll also embark on a few longer sailings to the Southern Caribbean in January. 

Odyssey will return to Europe in May 2025, following a 14-night transatlantic cruise to Italy. The vessel will remain homeported in Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, through October 2025, offering sailings to the Greek Isles. 

As a Quantum Class ship, Odyssey features innovative design and advanced technology, ranging from the SeaPlex, a multi-purpose indoor venue that hosts activities such as bumper cars and roller skating, to the North Star, a glass observation capsule that takes passengers high above the ship for views of the surrounding ocean and ports of call. 

My sailing on Odyssey of the Seas did not disappoint! For this eight-night voyage, my mom and I visited Perfect Day at CocoCay, Aruba, and Curaçao.

I have never been to Aruba and Curaçao, so I was eager to explore both of these new-to-me ports of call. I was also excited to be sailing on Odyssey of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean’s newest ships.

If you’re planning a cruise on Odyssey of the Seas soon, my experience may be helpful for you as you prepare for your cruise on this beautiful ship. Let’s get into it!

Overview of Odyssey of the Seas

With so much hype about Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, like Icon of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, and even Wonder of the Seas, many people forget that Odyssey of the Seas is a new ship as well.

In fact, Odyssey of the Seas’ inaugural sailing was in July of 2021. She was supposed to launch earlier in 2020, but the pandemic postponed these plans.

Odyssey of the Seas is part of the Quantum Ultra Class. Spectrum of the Seas is also a part of this class, launching in 2019. Both of these Quantum Ultra ships are slightly bigger than the ships in the Quantum Class. Odyssey of the Seas’ guest capacity is 5,498 guests. The guest capacity on Quantum Class ships is around 4,900.

Read more: Top 10 Odyssey of the Seas hidden secrets

Embarkation and disembarkation

For this sailing, Odyssey of the Seas sailed roundtrip from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

As a cruising rule of thumb, you should always fly to the port the day before your cruise to allocate time in case of travel cancelations or delays. My mom and I were able to take a direct flight to Fort Lauderdale from our hometown in the Midwest, so that was very slick!

We stayed at the Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport Hotel in Dania Beach. I have stayed at this hotel many times (as well as the connecting hotel, AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Airport), and I couldn't recommend it enough. The location is perfect because you are near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Port Everglades. The hotel is also near the Dania Pointe shopping center and is a great place to grab dinner the night before your cruise.

The next day, we took a Lyft from our hotel to Port Everglades. The ride was 15 minutes and cost $21, including a tip.

Our check-in time was at 2 p.m. It appeared that it was going to storm around that time, so we decided to get to the port earlier (around 1:30 p.m.) to see if they would let us check in early. Luckily, there were no problems with us showing up early and we were onboard Odyssey of the Seas by 1:45 p.m.

Many cruisers want to get on the cruise as early as possible, but a benefit of getting on the ship a little later was that we could go to our cabin right away to drop off our luggage. Oftentimes, your cabin isn’t ready until a few hours after you get onboard and you have to lug around your luggage, but this isn’t the case when you check in late.

At the end of our cruise, we were in no rush to get off because our flight home wasn’t until the next day. Mom and I had a leisurely breakfast in the Windjammer at 8 a.m. and it was very busy. Since it was so crowded, I decided to swing by Café@Two70 afterward to grab an egg burrito and coffee before disembarking. Café@Two70 wasn’t nearly as busy, so I would recommend eating here on embarkation and disembarkation day.

The disembarkation process was quick since we were one of the last people to get off the ship. Finding our big luggage was also easy because everyone else had already claimed their luggage!

Read more: Guide to cruises from Fort Lauderdale

Interior guarantee cabin

I usually cruise in interior cabins, and Odyssey of the Seas was no different.

Booking an inside guarantee was the cheapest cabin option for this cruise, so that is what we went with for our Southern Caribbean sailing.

Not too long after booking the cabin, we were assigned cabin 9225 on deck nine. Luckily, the cabin was located approximately midship, slightly aft. Upon walking into the cabin, we also discovered our cabin had a connecting door to our neighbor, cabin 9227. This was not an issue because our neighbors were quiet and the cabins had good soundproofing.

Our interior cabin was 166 square feet and offered so much storage. From the two large closets and dresser to the cabinets above our beds, we had more than enough places to store all of our clothes and belongings. And since this cruise was eight days, we had a lot of stuff!

We split the king bed into two twin beds so each of us could have our own bed. The beds were comfortable, though I did have to request a new pillow because the ones already there were lumpy (in my opinion). Our stateroom attendant was great about bringing us extra pillows, along with other things we needed.

Since our cabin did not have a window, there were lots of ways we could bring light into the space. There was a lamp on the dresser, a ring light around the vanity, two lights by our beds, and the main lights for the entire cabin. There was even a built-in night light in the bathroom in case we had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Overall, cabin 9225 was an excellent choice for our cruise. The location was convenient because we were in the middle of the ship, meaning we were close to the upper-deck venues as well as the lower ones.

Read more: I stayed in a windowless cabin onboard Odyssey of the Seas that cost $2,300: Here's what my inside stateroom looked like

Dining onboard Odyssey of the Seas

There are many places to eat on Odyssey of the Seas, including classics such as the Windjammer Marketplace, Main Dining Room, and Café Promenade, and specialty restaurants like Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Teppanyaki, and Wonderland.

What’s great about Odyssey of the Seas is the number of included dining venues. I liked being able to go to El Loco Fresh or Solarium Bistro for a snack and Café@Two70 for breakfast or lunch. On older Royal Caribbean ships, you won’t find these options.

For breakfast, we ate at the Windjammer, Main Dining Room, Café@Two70, or the Solarium Bistro.

The Main Dining Room offered brunch on sea days from 8:30 a.m. until noon. I really liked this option because I could sleep in and not feel like I had to get up early to enjoy some breakfast food. The first time we ate here, it took a while to get our food because it was busy, but the second time we visited it was much faster.

The Solarium Bistro is also a great spot to have breakfast. I was able to order a custom omelet, something I didn’t know they offered, so I was happy! This venue was open for breakfast and dinner every day of our cruise and for lunch on sea days.

Every night for dinner, my mom and I ate in the Main Dining Room. We considered splurging on a lunch or dinner in one of the specialty restaurants, but we decided to stick with the included food because we are always satisfied in the Main Dining Room.

Royal Caribbean rotates its dinner menus in the Main Dining Room on every ship. Onboard Odyssey of the Seas, we had these menus:

• Welcome Aboard
• A Taste of Mexico
• A Taste of France
• A Taste of the USA
• A Taste of the Caribbean
• A Taste of Italy
• The Royal Night
• Bon Voyage

My favorite dishes were the chicken cordon bleu and chicken marsala, as well as the warm chocolate cake with ice cream. My mom loved the beef tenderloin, lobster, coconut shrimp, and lemon meringue tart.

We wished our table was located in the main area of the dining room, but instead, our table was assigned to a back room on deck three. Whenever there was a performance or announcement in the dining room, we couldn’t see it because we were so far away.

While our table location wasn’t the best, our waiter Ikomang and assistant waiter Putu were absolutely fabulous! They went above and beyond to give us excellent service!

Read more: Odyssey of the Seas restaurants

Entertainment and activities

With 15 decks to explore, Odyssey of the Seas has so much to do, from skydiving and surfing to bumper cars and rock climbing.

If you are going to sail on Odyssey of the Seas, I would recommend reserving a time to do the North Star and RipCord by iFly on port days when it is free. If you want to do either of these activities during a sea day, it will cost extra (around $50 per person).

When we were docked in Curaçao, I did both of these activities. My mom and I chose to do the North Star in the morning before getting off the ship to explore the city, and then I did the iFly when we were leaving Curaçao - it was beautiful to do during the sunset!

There were many production shows offered throughout the sailing. These included:

• The Book: Seven Chapters, One Adventure: “Powered by our collective imaginations and told in seven extraordinary chapters, this breathtaking journey reminds us that in between the front and back covers of a great book, absolutely anything can happen!”
• Showgirl! Past, Present, Future: “Paying tribute to the past, the present, and the future of this enigmatic and famous performer, this new dance spectacular takes us on a stunning journey that features one of the most iconic of all entertainers, the beautiful Showgirl.”
• The Effectors: “Join Pixel, Reverb, Lume, and Captain Viz as they individually demonstrate their awesome powers and then come together to battle their arch nemesis, Crash, as he tries once again to stop the show and destroy the city of Showville.”

I thoroughly enjoyed all three of these shows! The costumes, choreography, singing, and dancing were all top-notch. I wish they had The Effectors more than one night because I would’ve liked to have seen it again. The Book was offered almost every night of the cruise.

We also saw a late-night comedy show, the band Rookie, a singer, and a magician/illusionist. At night, we would often swing by and listen to Bryan James perform in the Crown & Compass Pub. He was a great performer and truly engaged with the audience!

Something to note is that the VR experience, Zone Zero, was closed the entire cruise. We learned that in the near future, Royal Caribbean will be removing this venue as well as the Skypad, which is currently being used for bean bag toss and stretching classes.

Read more: 20 free things to do Odyssey of the Seas

Ports of call

During our eight-day cruise, we had three ports of call and five sea days. They were nicely spaced out, with Perfect Day at CocoCay being on our second day, then two sea days, our two stops in the Southern Caribbean, and then two sea days back to Fort Lauderdale.

Our first stop was Perfect Day at CocoCay. The weather was cloudy and a little foggy when we arrived, and as the day went on, we had some wind and rain. Despite the weather, we still enjoyed walking around and having lunch on the island at Snack Shack.

We were warned about the high winds we were going to have en route to Aruba, and they were right. Mom heard that there were 15-foot swells! I felt the ship sway more than I have on other ships, but it was never bad enough that I needed to take motion sickness medication. I think having our cabin in the middle of the ship helped with less motion too.

On day five, we arrived in Oranjestad, Aruba. Here, we did the “Aloe Factory, Casibari Rock, Natural Bridge Scenic Drive” excursion. This excursion was about 3.5 hours - the perfect amount of time to get a glimpse of what the island has to offer. My mom and I liked this excursion because we were able to visit the highlights of the island and also drive around to see the beautiful beaches and resorts. I would love to come back someday and visit one of these resorts, like RIU Palace!

The next day, we were docked in Willemstad, Curaçao. My mom had been here before, so she recommended we walk around the city because there is lots of shopping nearby. Within a few minutes, we crossed the bridge and were in the heart of the city. Willemstad is so pretty with all of the colorful buildings, so I enjoyed walking and admiring the views!

Read more: What I liked (and disliked) about my Odyssey of the Seas cruise

Overall thoughts

Everything onboard Odyssey of the Seas felt modern and new, and she is in excellent condition.

I have no complaints about this ship. The only slightly annoying thing was the elevator buttons. I like how they are touchless, but I found that people did not understand how to use them. There were so many times when I would see people lean against the buttons and accidentally push every floor, causing the elevator to stop multiple times.

Our sailing was nearly at full capacity but did not feel crowded. There was a time or two on the pool deck or in the Windjammer when it was super busy, but I was always able to find a place to go for some quiet time, like the Solarium or Crown Lounge.

Odyssey of the Seas is a great ship to consider for your next vacation!

I just returned from an eight-night Southern Caribbean and Perfect Day cruise onboard Odyssey of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean’s newest ships.

Back in August 2023, I booked an interior guarantee cabin because it was the cheapest option for our particular sailing. The total for the two of us (myself and my mom) in this type of cabin was $2,321.

I have sailed on Odyssey of the Seas before. In October 2022, my family cruised for 12 nights to the Holy Land and Greece - it was one of the most memorable cruises I’ve ever taken. During that sailing, my sister and I RoyalUp’d to a Junior Suite.

The suite was absolutely gorgeous! The private balcony, two bathrooms, and added suite benefits made it a luxurious experience, for sure.

Read more: I paid $300 to upgrade my inside cabin to a suite. Take a look at our entry-level suite

Shortly after booking my second cruise on Odyssey of the Seas, I was assigned an interior cabin on deck nine (9225). Upon looking at the deck plans, I was pleasantly surprised to find that our cabin was located midship, slightly aft.

I was so happy to not be assigned a cabin in the very front or very back of the ship because we wouldn't have to worry about motion. We did have a few days of rougher seas and heard other passengers complain about it, but we hardly noticed it in our centrally-located cabin.

I have stayed in many interior guarantee cabins on Royal Caribbean ships, but I had a feeling this cabin on Odyssey of the Seas would be extra modern and up-to-date in regards to having more outlets, a smart TV, and more.

When I arrived at our cabin and opened the door for the first time, I immediately thought, “Wow, look at all of this space!” This was a welcome surprise since my mom always packs way too much stuff! The cabin was 166 square feet.

Another thing I noticed right away was that our cabin had a connecting door to the cabin next to us. My mom was worried when she saw this because she thought we would hear noise from our neighbors. Luckily, that was not the case at all. In fact, we were pleased that we heard very little noise from the hallway and our neighbors. This is a benefit of a newer ship because there is better soundproofing.

Our cabin included two twin beds - I requested to have the bed split up before embarkation day via the form that was sent to my email.

Above our beds were deep cabinets to store some of our belongings. This storage option is great instead of having wasted space above our heads. These drawers measured approximately 14” tall by 42” wide and 18” deep, and you could fit a lot of items up there!

Next to each of the beds was a small nightstand. One of the nightstands had a phone that took up a lot of space, so I moved it to one of the lower shelves. That way, I could actually use the top of the nightstand for things I wanted near me at night.

We each had a light by our heads. On my side of the bed, there was a light switch that could turn on and off all the lights in the stateroom. There was also an outlet if I wanted to charge something, but I did not utilize it because it was too close to my head.

The 43-inch (we guestimated) smart TV was perfectly placed in front of the beds. I really like these smart TVs because you have the option to stream your favorite shows or browse YouTube videos using your personal account. Older Royal Caribbean ships have a flat-screen TV in the cabins, but they usually don't offer this streaming capability. My mom was also pleased they offered 3-4 ESPN channels during popular football games.

Below the TV was another storage area that we did not use. This would be a good place to put skinny items, like books or magazines.

Read more: The forgotten new Royal Caribbean cruise ship: Why Odyssey of the Seas is worth your attention

I loved having two closets on each side of the full-sized coach. The smaller of the two closets was next to my mom’s bed. This closet was shorter than the other closet because there were two shelves below it. There was also a safe in here. I claimed this closet during our trip, and I found there to be plenty of shelves for my clothes.

On the other side of the couch was the second larger closet. This was what we used to put all of our dresses, tops, and sweaters. There were 26 total hangers, and we thought that was an ample amount.

The couch was a lovely feature of the cabin. It was large enough for the two of us to sit on it, though we usually used it as another place to put our stuff. I have stayed in interior cabins where the couch is small and can only fit one person, so I liked having a larger seating area. If you were wondering, our couch could not convert into a bed.

Across from the couch was the vanity and dresser. The dresser had three deep drawers that were 8.5” high. The two smaller drawers (about 6” high) could be used, although there were items already there like the blowdryer and room service menu. There was a lamp on the dresser that couldn't be moved, but it provided nice mood lighting in the evenings. Lastly, we used the mini cooler to store our water and soda.

The vanity had two U.S. outlets, one European outlet, and two USB outlets. I brought my European adapter, but I didn't need to use it because we had enough chargers for all our electronics.

The vanity has a neat ring light that could be used when doing makeup or just bringing more light into the cabin. We liked to use this light at night to give the room a little glow.

Being in an inside cabin that is pitch dark at all times of the way, it was great there were many lighting options. We could choose the ring light above the vanity, the lamp on the dresser, the lights by our beds, or of course, the lights for the entire cabin.

The bathroom in our inside cabin was as modern as the living area. There were a lot of storage areas next to and below the sink. And there were a few hooks to hang up our cosmetic bags and Crown and Anchor robes.

My favorite part of the bathroom was the large shower. I had more than enough space to move around while showering, which I greatly appreciated. The shower included the 2-1 body wash and shampoo, but I always bring my own shampoo and conditioner.

I have stayed in cabins where the bathroom is so tiny that I can barely move. This is not the case on Odyssey of the Seas where the bathrooms are spacious and efficient!

If you are someone who has to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, you will like the night light above the sink. I think this feature is so handy! You will not have to worry about packing a night light when staying in an inside cabin on Odyssey of the Seas.

Read more: Odyssey of the Seas Guide & Review

Overall, I would definitely recommend an interior cabin if you’re looking to cruise on Odyssey of the Seas! In particular, I would recommend cabin 9225 because of its convenient location. 

You were never too far away from all the action around the ship. Being slightly aft, it was an easy five flights of stairs up to the Windjammer and pool deck or the same amount down to the Royal Esplanade.

It's only been two years since Royal Caribbean launched Odyssey of the Seas, yet many seem to forget about this new cruise ship.

Perhaps our perception is clouded by the massive hype around Icon of the Seas, which will be the newest ship debuting for Royal Caribbean in early 2024. This groundbreaking vessel is already making waves in the cruise industry for its unconventional design and unparalleled amenities onboard. 

Not to mention, Royal Caribbean welcomed the brand-new Wonder of the Seas in early 2022, not long after Odyssey of the Seas entered service. This only gave Odyssey of the Seas just a few short months to hold the title as the cruise line’s newest vessel. With delays due to the pandemic, these two cruise ships debuted uncharacteristically close together. 

Odyssey of the Seas is the second ship in the Quantum Ultra-class for Royal Caribbean. The ship is also the final vessel for the Quantum class, which was originally slotted to debut in 2020.

Regardless, you should not write-off Odyssey of the Seas when planning your next cruise. I just sailed on this Quantum Ultra-class ship back in October 2022 for a fabulous 12-night sailing to Israel - and it really blew me away. 

Here are 10 reasons why I think Odyssey of the Seas is absolutely worth your attention. 

Impressive Itineraries

One of the biggest advantages that Odyssey of the Seas has over other new vessels is the impressive itineraries offered. Because the ship spends her summers in Europe sailing from Rome, you can visit some incredibly historic and culture ports. 

Most of the time, if you want to sail on a more unique and port-intensive itinerary, you’ll be looking at sailing on a smaller and older vessel with Royal Caribbean. This is mostly due to size restrictions with Oasis-class ships when it comes to accessibility with ports.

On Odyssey of the Seas, you can sail on itineraries to Israel, Greece, Turkey, Italy, France, Portugal and Spain during the summer European season. 

You won’t find destinations like this onboard Royal Caribbean’s newest (and upcoming) ships, including Icon of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas. Each of these will be sailing to the Bahamas and Caribbean for the foreseeable future. 

In fact, the sole reason we booked our cruise on Odyssey of the Seas was because of the specific itinerary we wanted to sail on. My family and I had been wanting to do a Holy Land itinerary for years, and we were thrilled to see a newer vessel sailing this type of itinerary.

Odyssey of the Seas offered a 12-night itinerary with two overnights in Israel. This gave us three full days to explore the country, which is unusual for an itinerary. Being able to sail on an exciting itinerary onboard a brand-new ship was invaluable!

Quantum Ultra Class

As mentioned, Odyssey of the Seas is considered a Quantum Ultra Class cruise ship, which is a subset of the Quantum Class for Royal Caribbean. Odyssey of the Seas is the second ship in this class, along with Spectrum of the Seas. 

Unless you plan to sail in Asia on Spectrum of the Seas - which you absolutely should, I can personally say that it’s incredible - sailing on Odyssey of the Seas is your best bet to try out this amplified ship class. 

Quantum Ultra Class ships have a few differences compared to the original Quantum Class ships. The most notable difference is the size of the ships, as the Ultra Class ships are slightly longer and taller. 

Another difference is the addition of the SkyPad to the Sports Deck, which is a circular structure that hangs over the side of the ship with a glass floor walkway, featuring views of the ocean below. Although Royal Caribbean is removing the trampolines from SkyPads in the near future, the structure will remain as an activity venue and is still unique to Ultra Class ships. 

You can also find unified dining rooms on Quantum Ultra Class ships, which is an improved design choice from the earlier Quantum Class ships with separated dining rooms. 

Finally, Quantum Ultra Class ships feature an entire dining venue dedicated to the Teppanyaki restaurant. This is in addition to the specialty restaurant, Izumi Sushi, which has become one of the most popular dining venues for Royal Caribbean. This dedicated space will allow for more guests to enjoy the specialty Asian dining onboard. 

Stylish, functional staterooms

When we sailed on Odyssey of the Seas, I was surprisingly impressed with our stateroom’s design and functionality. Prior to this, I had mostly been sailing on Radiance and and Voyager-class ships, which are around 20 years old now. 

Odyssey of the Seas features Royal Suite classes onboard, which allows cruisers to choose between Star Class, Sky Class and Sea Class. These luxurious staterooms can provide lucrative amenities and spacious accommodations onboard and Royal Suites are only available on Royal Caribbean’s newer ships. 

During our Odyssey of the Seas cruise, my sister and I bid on a Junior Suite during the Royal Up process for just $300 each to upgrade from our inside cabin. We were shocked to see our minimal bid accepted, but we were anxious to try out an entry-level suite on one of Royal Caribbean’s newest ships.

Our stateroom was not just beautiful, but very thoughtfully designed. We had two separate bathroom spaces - one with a large bathtub with a walk-in shower and another space with a separate sink and toilet. This is certainly a modern approach to bathroom design and it was much appreciated when we were both getting ready in the morning. 

New dining options

Like most new cruise ships, you’ll experience the best of the best when it comes to dining onboard. With 17 different dining options onboard, including specialty and complementary choices, you’ll be experiencing some of the best cuisine Royal Caribbean has to offer.

One of the most exciting dining options that debuted on Odyssey of the Seas is the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar. While Royal Caribbean has always had Giovanni’s Table, the new and reimagined Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen features a younger, fresher and more contemporary design. The cruise line also expanded to include hand-tossed pizzas on the menu. 

Onboard Odyssey of the Seas, you can also enjoy El Loco Fresh, which is one of Royal Caribbean’s newer complimentary dining options. This quick and casual eatery is located on the pool deck and includes Mexican offerings, such as tacos, quesadillas, burritos and nachos. 

After sailing on many older and smaller ships recently, having so many eateries available onboard truly enhanced our 12-night itinerary. Dining at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen was a highlight for us, as the fresh Italian food tasted excellent. Additionally, I grabbed a quick lunch at El Loco Fresh on many days when we returned to the ship and wanted a little something to eat on the pool deck. 

Resort-style pool deck

Unlike other Quantum Class ships, the cruise line opted to remove the indoor pool feature on Odyssey of the Seas. Instead, you’ll find a resort-style pool approach with two outdoor pools. This is all in addition to the adults-only, enclosed Solarium onboard. 

Odyssey of the Seas' pool deck is vibrant and colorful with Caribbean-infused decor all around. The design of the pool deck is fantastic, as the layout breaks up crowding on the top deck with the two outdoor pools separated by a structure in the middle. 

You can also enjoy the hot tubs on the second level, with an infinity-style design, that overlook the lower pool deck. With additional hot tubs on the bottom pool deck, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a hot tub spot during your cruise. 

Another feature of the resort-style pool deck is the multilevel bar venue called Lime and Coconut. This Caribbean-themed bar offers its signature Lime and Coconut drink - one of my absolute favorites.

We enjoyed happy hour while watching the sunset at Lime and Coconut almost every evening, including the unforgettable sunset over Santorini.

Advanced technology

Odyssey of the Seas is one of the most technologically advanced cruise ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. You can find the technical innovation across the ship, including Odyssey of the Sea’s design, artwork, activities and overall guest experience. 

In fact, Odyssey of the Seas is one of two cruise ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet that features the use of digital keys. This is of the perks that comes with being designated as a “smart ship” for the cruise line. This advancement allows guests to open their stateroom doors by opening the Royal Caribbean app and placing their phone against the key reader on the door. No longer will you need to fumble in your bag to find that SeaPass card that has slowly made its way to the bottom of your purse!

Virtual balconies are also available on Odyssey of the Seas if you are looking for an affordable, but unique, stateroom option. This floor-to-ceiling television screen provides live footage of the cruise ship’s outside views.  

Next-generation SeaPlex

Because Odyssey of the Seas is one of two Quantum Ultra Class ships, the popular SeaPlex space received a major facelift. The ship’s SeaPlex is the largest indoor and outdoor activity center that you’ll find at sea. This versatile space is where you can do things like ride bumper cars, play glow-in-the-dark laser tag or partake in a virtual reality game. 

When Odyssey of the Seas was built, Royal Caribbean reworked the design and layout of the SeaPlex. Pods were removed, along with the addition of large screens and new venues added. Inside the SeaPlex, you’ll find the conveniently located Playmaker’s Sports Bar. Odyssey of the Seas was the first ship to combine the two venues into one convenient area. 

Even better, you’ll find 56 television screens in this area to watch all of your favorite sporting events. 

Awe-inspiring entertainment

Sailing on a newer ship, you can also enjoy such a wide variety of entertainment, including fantastic production shows. Onboard Odyssey of the Seas, there are two main production shows for you to enjoy. These include The Book, located in Two70, and Showgirl: Past, Present and Future.

“The Book: Seven Chapters, One Adventure" is a visually-impressive, highly-technical production located in the outward aft-facing venue called Two70. This show follows the storyline of a librarian who explores different book chapters through music, song and dance. With many different elements and performing styles, The Book is seriously a one-of-a-kind show. I have a hard time describing it other than you simply need to see the show for yourself. 

Showgirl is a flashy production show in the main theater inspired by Las Vegas showgirls. This energetic show features dance styles from all eras of the showgirl-type dance. This upbeat production is a lot of fun to watch.

Another unique venue on Odyssey of the Seas is the Music Hall, where you can find live bands most evenings onboard. It’s probably the closest that you will find to a rock concert onboard a cruise ship!

Endless activities and attractions

Odyssey of the Seas is one of those cruise ships that simply has a little something for everyone when it comes to activities. While you can still enjoy the traditional cruise ship activities, like bingo and trivia, there are other onboard thrills and attractions that are notable. 

For example, the iFly skydiving simulator can be found on Odyssey of the Seas. Although it’s not complimentary, this is one of the few cruise ships in the world where you can partake in a skydiving simulator. 

Additionally, the North Star observation pod is uniquely found on Quantum Class ships. We chose to ride the North Star on our embarkation day while docked in Civitavecchia, Italy. This was my first time riding in the North Star and it was such a fun and unique experience. Rides are complimentary while the ship is docked in port while sea day rides require an additional cost. 

Finally, you can try Zone Zero onboard Odyssey of the Seas. This is an immersive virtual reality experience where you will walk around in the real world while seeing and experience a completely different virtual world. This is something completely unique that you can experience on Odyssey of the Seas. 

Other attractions you can find is the FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, bumper cars, SeaPlex activities and Splashaway Bay aqua park area for kids. 

Odyssey of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's innovative cruise ship, is a spectacular experience that combines cutting-edge technology with luxurious amenities and exciting entertainment to create an unforgettable vacation.

The ship has a rock-climbing wall and basketball court. There is also a casino, several restaurants and bars, and a theater that hosts Broadway-style shows.

What makes this ship stand out is the expansive range of activities it provides its guests. Onboard, you can find a variety of high-end restaurants, bars, clubs, and lounges, as well as live music and entertainment. Furthermore, Odyssey of the Seas offers plenty of exciting sports and leisure opportunities such as rock climbing walls, surf simulator and even a sky diving simulator! 

You can also stay connected with friends and family while onboard through complimentary Wi-Fi access. There are also various retail outlets where you can find souvenirs to take back home or pick up everyday essentials.

If you’re looking for some rest and relaxation then Odyssey of the Seas has plenty to offer here too. Its Vitality Spa encompasses a variety of treatments from massages to facials for those looking for some pampering during their cruise; alternatively you can lounge at one of their tranquil outdoor pools or enjoy time in one of their hot tubs overlooking the sea.

Odyssey of the Seas overview

Odyssey of the Seas debuted in 2021, and her arrival was met with a great deal of enthusiasm as the ship brought with it some really exciting new offerings onboard.

Royal Caribbean designed Odyssey of the Seas with different areas of focus, and unlike other Quantum Class ships, she has some noticeable additions. If you have been on Anthem of the Seas or Ovation of the Seas, you may notice changes the cruise line made to the layout of the ship.

Let's focus on the major areas of the ship to get a better sense of what is onboard:

• Royal Esplanade
• Resort-style pool deck
• Two70
• SeaPlex

If you are concerned about crowds, Royal Caribbean designed the ship with enough to do so that there will be enough going on to draw guests away from always wanting to be in the same area. Odyssey has many of her best things to do in the front or aft of the ship, which helps with crowd management.

As with any cruise ship, it is a good idea to walk around the ship once you get onboard to get a better sense of where everything is located. By exploring the ship early, you can get your bearings and be able to navigate the ship better later on.

What is special about Odyssey of the Seas?

Royal Caribbean differentiated Odyssey of the Seas in a few ways from her sister Quantum Class ships.

First, it has Playmakers Sports Bar and placed it in the SeaPlex. This is the first ship to combine both venues.

Second, Odyssey does not have an indoor pool like other Quantum Class ships. Instead, Royal Caribbean went with a resort style pool approach, meaning there's two outdoor pools in addition to the enclosed Solarium.

In addition, Odyssey has the new Giovanni's Italian Kitchen specialty restaurant concept.

Odyssey of the Seas dining and restaurants

There are 17 different restaurants on Odyssey of the Seas, along with multiple bars and lounges. Royal Caribbean was certain to include many options so guests had plenty of choice and no single venue became too overcrowded.

The variety of dining venues (paid and complimentary) gives passengers a choice of cuisines, cooking styles, and price.

The complimentary dining venues are included with your cruise fare, and you will be able to find plenty of food at no additional cost for every meal and snacks inbetween. In fact, the complimentary dining is quite good, and should not be overlooked because the food included with your cruise fare is cooked fresh every day and covers a great deal of tastes.

Specialty dining has an additional cost to it, and allows guests to opt into dining at these venues if they prefer. Most venues have a cover charge, where each guest pays a flat fee and all the food is included. A couple of venues have an a la carte menu, where you pay for each item individually.

The reason to go to a specialty restaurant is for a cooking style or cuisine not otherwise available on the ship. Specialty dining is a splurge, and is akin to choosing to go to  a restaurant at home instead of having something in your house: there's nothing wrong with the food you have at home, but sometimes it is nice to pay for a meal out.

Specialty dining is not cheap, but there are dining packages you can purchase before the cruise to get a discount on multiple restaurants. 

Here is a list of complimentary and specialty dining options on Odyssey of the Seas:

Complimentary dining

1. Main dining room
2. Windjammer Cafe
3. The Cafe @ Two70
4. Coastal Kitchen (suite guests only)
5. Sorrento's
6. El Loco Fresh
7. Cafe Promenade
8. Solarium Bistro
9. Sprinkles ice cream station

Specialty dining

1. Chef's Table
2. Wonderland
3. Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar
4. Chops Grille
5. Izumi
6. Teppanyaki
7. Starbucks
8. Playmakers
9. Room service
10. Pub

Should you eat at the included restaurants or try a specialty restaurant? It depends on your budget and tastes, but it is nice to mix in a specialty restaurant or two.

Most passengers focus primarily on the complimentary restaurants, such as the Main dining room and Windjammer. The ample snacks and between meal bites at El Loco Fresh and Sorrento's. In short, there is a good variety of food between these venues that will leave you satisfied.

If you are staying in a suite, you should also consider going to Coastal Kitchen, which is only for suite guests and offers a completely different menu from the main dining room. Royal Caribbean fans that cruise a lot in suites swear by how good Coastal Kitchen is, and since it is included with the cost of your suite, you should plan to dine there if you can.

If you would like to dip your toe into specialty dining, consider purchasing a 3-night dining package as a way to get a good deal on a few restaurants. Some of my favorites include Teppanyaki, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, and Playmakers.

Things to do on Odyssey of the Seas

Royal Caribbean offers passengers as much to do on Odyssey of the Seas as any cruise ship, and you will quickly find there are lots of really fun things to try.

In fact, it can feel like a floating city with all the activities to consider. Your best bet to keep track of what is offered and when is to read the daily Cruise Compass. Think of the Cruise Compass as a TV Guide for everything planned that day, including hours for all the activities, dining, shows, and live performances.

A copy of the Cruise Compass will be delivered to your stateroom each evening by your stateroom attendant, and you can also view it on the Royal Caribbean app.

Signature activities

Odyssey of the Seas stands out from other cruise ship with a few notable attractions onboard that are sure to get anyone's attention.

While there are traditional cruise ship activities onboard, such as bingo, trivia, and demonstrations, there are also lots of whiz-bang things to do as well:

• FlowRider surf simulator
• Rock climbing wall
• Ripcord by iFly skydiving simulator
• NorthStar observational pod
• Sky Pad virtual realty bungee experience
• Zone Zero fully immersive virtual reality experience
• SeaPlex activity center
• Bumper cars
• Music Hall
• Splashaway Bay aqua park for kids

Most of these activities are completely free to do on Odyssey of the Seas, although Royal Caribbean does charge for some. 

You can book certain signature activities ahead of time, either before your cruise on the Royal Caribbean cruise planner website, or via the Royal Caribbean app once you are onboard the ship.

Hours for all activities will be published daily in the Cruise Compass.

Something completely different you should try is Zone Zero, which is an immersive virtual reality experience. At a cost of $18.00 per person, you put on a full VR suit and literally walk around a VR world.  That is not to say you sit and explore like a video game; Rather, you physically walk in the real world while seeing a virtual one, where you battle pirates. Incredible stuff.

The North Star is another really fun thing to try out, where the observational pod will take you over 300 feet above sea level to see your ship and whatever is around you. Currently, North Star costs extra if you are on a sea day, but it is complimentary for port day. Schedule it on port days right when they open in the morning or late afternoon before the ship departs to get a free ride at a convenient time.

Ripcord by iFly is another popular activity, where you put on a special suit and enter a wind tunnel to get a sense of what it is like to sky dive. 

North Star, Ripcord, and Zone Zero are all bookable via the Royal Caribbean app, but book them as soon as you can because space is very limited.

The SeaPlex is a hub of activity, where you will find lots of different things to do throughout the day and cruise. Bumper cars, pickleball, soccer, basketball, dancing and more will be available. Check your Cruise Compass for times.

Something else different about the SeaPlex is the fact Playmakers sports bar is located inside. Not only can you have a drink or meal while watching the action in the SeaPlex, there are 56 televisions around the bar to catch your favorite team. It is easily the best Playmakers location on any Royal Caribbean ship.

Shows

There are two main shows on Odyssey of the Seas, with plenty of other performances to check out.

All shows are under an hour in duration, which means the performances are all at a good length to not leave you overwhelmed.

"Showgirl: Past. Present. Future." is a tribute to the dance style Las Vegas showgirls have made famous for decades. It looks at the style of dance from different eras and presents it in a fast-paced original production that has a lot of energy behind it.

You can find Showgirl performed in the Royal Theater.

"The Book: Seven Chapters, One Adventure" is another original production that loosely tells a story of a librarian who explores the chapters of a book through song, dance, and music. It is difficult to describe this show in writing, but it is certainly a visually impressive production with lots of different elements and performing styles intertwined to create an act you have never seen before.

You can find The Book performed in Two70.

You should absolutely book reservations for Showgirl or The Book to ensure you have a spot for it, as seating is very limited (especially in Two70). There is no cost to make show reservations, and you can book it via the Royal Caribbean app once onboard the ship.

Be sure to also allocate time to see the live music on Odyssey of the Seas. Music Hall has a live band most nights, and it is as close as you can get to a rock concert on a cruise ship. 

You will also find live music in other lounges onboard, including Boleros, Schooner Bar, and the Pub. Royal Caribbean puts a lot of pride in their live music onboard, so check out as much as you can.

Pools

Odyssey of the Seas has resort-style pool deck that is not otherwise available on other Quantum Class ships, and it is a great layout.

There are two main pools for all guests on Odyssey of the Seas, along with the adults-only Solarium.

The two pools are separated by a structure in the middle, but it helps break up crowding.  You will find in-pool loungers, and lots of seating all around the pool deck. 

Royal Caribbean integrated the entire pool deck with the Lime and Coconut, which is a multilevel bar venue that evokes a certain level of fun with your pool day. 

On the second pool deck, you will find casitas that you can rent for an additional fee, along with hot tubs that overlook the lower pool deck. There are hot tubs on the lower pool deck too.

Pools will be closed occasionally when they need to be cleaned as well if weather or sea conditions make the pools unsafe for swimming. Otherwise, there is usually a pool and hot tub open for use.

The adults-only (age 16 and over) Solarium is a beautiful space, and it is enclosed which means the temperature is far more manageable on hot summer days.

Kids will find Splashaway Bay a fun place to get as wet as possible without actually jumping in a pool. There are water slides, drench buckets, geysers, and just about every other possible way to get soaked.

Kids programming

If you have children under the age of 18, there is an entire area of the ship reserved just for them at Adventure Ocean.

Odyssey of the Seas features the revamped Adventure Ocean that brings a new focus on activities for kids to do together, along with an infusion of some fun technology.

If you are unfamiliar with Adventure Ocean, programming is divided up into age-appropriate groups:

• AO Junior (ages 3 to 5)
• Hangout (ages 6 to 12)
• Social180 (ages 13 to 17)

Adventure Ocean is complimentary during the day and evening, up until 10pm. After 10pm, there is an hourly cost per child.

Adventure Ocean is open most of the day, but their hours vary depending on if it is a port day or sea day.  On sea days, Adventure Ocean typically opens at 9:00am.  It then closes at noon and re-opens at 2pm and remains open until 5pm.  The evening session then runs from 7pm to 10pm.

In addition, there is a Nursery for toddlers ages 6 to 36 months. The Nursery always has an hourly charge, but is designed for babies and toddlers.

The teen club is known as Social180, and it is like a clubhouse where teens meet before they participate in an activity there or elsewhere on the ship. Often there are teens-only events, such as bumper cars or FlowRider time.

How to plan your Odyssey of the Seas cruise

As with any Royal Caribbean ship, planning ahead of time is very important to ensure you get to do everything you want.

At some point in the future, you will be able to book entertainment and shows ahead of time via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner website. 

For now, you can only book these activities once onboard the ship via the Royal Caribbean app. So be sure to have the app downloaded and ready to go before you get onboard. You can download the Royal Caribbean app from either the iTunes App Store or Google Play Store.

The app is capable of providing a digital SetSail pass once you complete online check-in. Just like a boarding pass for an airline, you can show the pier agents your SetSail Pass via the app and get onboard.

Make sure you complete the online check-in for your cruise as early as possible to get an early check-in time. Royal Caribbean enforces their check-in times (they didn't use to care about arrival times), so getting an early time is important.

Odyssey of the Seas frequently asked questions

Is Odyssey of the Seas the biggest ship?

If you're wondering of Odyssey of the Seas is the biggest cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet or the biggest cruise ship in the world, the answer to both questions is "no".

Odyssey of the Seas is a Quantum Ultra class ship, and she comes in at 347.1m long and 41.1m wide and has a gross registered tonnage of 169,300t. While that is no small ship by any means, she is still smaller than any of the Oasis Class ships.

The biggest cruise ship in the world is Symphony of the Seas (soon to be eclipsed by Wonder of the Seas).

Symphony of the Seas measures 228,081 gross tons and is 1,188 feet 1 inch in length (362.12m).

What is a Quantum Ultra class ship?

When you read about Odyssey of the Seas, you may hear she is a Quantum Ultra class ship and wonder what makes that different from Quantum Class ships.

In practice, the difference between a Quantum and Quantum Ultra Class ship is less noticeable than the difference between other classes of ships. Think of it more like a sub class of the Quantum Class, rather than a completely different categorization of Royal Caribbean vessel.

Odyssey has the same basic layout and signature activities of a Quantum Class ship, such as the North Star, SeaPlex, Ripcord by iFly, a Royal Esplanade and more.

The real difference is when you look at the layout and additions Royal Caribbean has made compared to her older siblings. Odyssey has been reworked a bit, with a unified main dining room, a SeaPlex that features Playmakers sports bar, and a new resort-style pool deck.

Some other changes you will find on a Quantum Ultra class ship include a SkyPad, the indoor pool is now outdoor, a Teppanyaki restaurant, and a slightly larger size.

Read more: All about Royal Caribbean's ship classes

Does Odyssey of the seas have Central Park?

No, the Central Park area is only found on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships.

How many pools are on the Odyssey of the Seas?

There are two main pools on Odyssey of the Seas, and an adults-only Solarium pool.

The main pools have a resort-style theme to it that have in-pool loungers.  Something else different is there are hot tubs on the upper pool deck with a see-through side.

There is a smaller version of Splashaway Bay for kids to enjoy.  While it is not a pool, there are drench buckets, a kids slide, geysers and plenty of ways to cool off.

Does Odyssey of the Seas have laser tag?

No, laser tag is not offered on Odyssey of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean offers laser tag on ships that have a Studio B ice skating rink, so that space can easily be converted over to laser tag when necessary.

Does Odyssey of the Seas have a Bionic Bar?

Yes, there are robot bartenders on Odyssey of the Seas that can serve you drinks.

The Bionic Bar is located on deck 5 next to the shore excursions desk.

Anyone can order a drink from the Bionic Bar, as it can make alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Just go to the one of the nearby tablets and place an order. You have the choice of selecting from pre-defined drink recipes, or creating your own concoctions.  

After submitting your drink order, the robots assemble and serve the drink in the order they came in.

Does Odyssey of the Seas have an escape room?

While there is not a dedicated escape room on Odyssey of the Seas, they still offer an escape room game you can play.

Known as "A Royal Mystery" puzzle challenge, it is a game developed by the same company that creates the escape rooms for Royal Caribbean on other ships.

Held in Two70, this is a complimentary escape room game where teams try to solve a series of puzzles based on clues hidden throughout the room to help solve a whodunit murder case.

Guests participating have a set amount of time to comb over the details provided, as well as clues and puzzles they will discover until they can solve the case.  

Check the Cruise Compass for when A Royal Mystery will be offered.

Where is the Odyssey of the Seas right now?

Odyssey of the Seas is offering roundtrip cruises from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for winter 2022-2023.  There are 6- and 8-night sailings to choose from while the ship sails from Florida.

In summer 2023, Odyssey will transition to offer Mediterranean cruises.

Which restaurants are free on Odyssey of the Seas?

Royal Caribbean provides a number of restaurants that will cost you nothing extra onboard.

• Main dining room
• Windjammer Cafe
• The Cafe @ Two70
• Coastal Kitchen (suite guests only)
• Sorrento's
• El Loco Fresh
• Cafe Promenade
• Solarium Bistro
• Sprinkles ice cream station

In addition, there are specialty restaurants you can dine at that cost extra, but offer cuisines and/or cooking styles not otherwise available onboard.

Read more: Odyssey of the Seas restaurants

Does Odyssey of the Seas have a water slide?

Splashaway Bay does offer kids a water slide, but Odyssey of the Seas does not have the Perfect Storm water slides found on other ships for guests of all ages.

Located on deck 14, there are two slides for kids to enjoy in Splashaway Bay, a small traditional slide and a tube slide. 

No matter how many times I sail on a cruise ship, there's always at least a few takeaways from the experience.

I took my family on a great 8-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas, and it was my first time back on Odyssey since late last year.  Quite a lot has changed in the cruise world since then, and I came back with a few interesting observations from the cruise.

Due to the global health crisis, Odyssey of the Seas' launch was delayed and entering service so close to Wonder of the Seas, Odyssey was quickly overshadowed by all the attention Wonder received. Having had the chance to revisit Odyssey, I found a number of things that stood out about this ship.

Any cruise you go on will have positives and negatives, and some of these are nuances directly related to the ship itself.  This isn't meant to be an all-encompassing review of Odyssey. Rather, just some takeaways from my cruise while they are fresh in my mind.

In an effort to share my experience with our readers, here are the things I liked and disliked about my latest sailing on Odyssey of the Seas.

Likes on Odyssey of the Seas

Dance parties in Two70 & Music Hall

Usually when Royal Caribbean holds a '70s dance party or some other big celebration, they hold it right in the middle of the ship. On Odyssey of the Seas, they moved it to a specific venue and I loved this change.

On other ships, these dance parties are in the Royal Promenade and that means the main thoroughfare of the ship is inundated with music, dancing, and lots of guests. That's fine if you're there to boogie, but it also means other forms of entertainment have to temporarily stop and it also jams up the most convenient (indoor) way to get from one end of the ship to the other.

On Odyssey, these events were held in either Two70 or Music Hall.  This meant those that wanted to dance and be part of the fun could go to these spots and enjoy it.  Plus, both venues were large enough to feel like a party and not some cramped room. The energy you get from partying with a crowd was still there.

The benefit was the Royal Esplanade remained clear and musical acts in the pub or Boleros could continue unabated. Plus, navigating the ship from end-to-end was not impacted.

Best internet at sea

Maybe you heard that Royal Caribbean is rolling out Starlink internet to all the ships in the fleet?

I've tried Starlink on Independence of the Seas and Allure of the Seas so far, and the internet on Odyssey of the Seas performed significantly better than either ship.  Did I mention Odyssey of the Seas is not on Starlink yet?

When I say Odyssey's internet was better, I mean the internet was responsive, fast, and rarely "disappeared" in terms of outages.

Instead of Starlink, Odyssey of the Seas still relies on internet service provided by O3b Networks, which is a subsidiary of SES. Before Royal Caribbean changed every ship's internet service to be called "Voom", this was the internet service that first coined the term Voom.

Of course, Royal Caribbean will eventually switch out Odyssey from O3b to Starlink.

Why did Odyssey's internet perform so much better? I'm not a network engineer so I don't want to pretend I know exactly why.  Part of the reason may be the Quality of Service (QoS), which is a mechanism for controlling network traffic for performance.

In any case, if I was going to do work from a cruise ship, I'd want to be on Odyssey of the Seas for it.

Best looking main dining room

While the actual food served in any restaurant is ultimately what makes it a good choice or not, I can't help but love the look of the main dining room on Odyssey of the Seas.

Spectrum of the Seas was the first cruise ship to adopt this look, but since Spectrum has been in Asia since her launch, I've only had the privilege to sail on Odyssey.

Royal Caribbean cut out the top of the dining room to open it up to the Via, and the overall aesthetic is lovely.

We only ate at the main dining room for Thanksgiving dinner, but I really like how the dining room looks on Odyssey of the Seas.

Effectors: Best show in the fleet?

Could Royal Caribbean's original production, The Effectors, be the best show right now across the fleet?

With all due respect to the Broadway shows, if you want to look at just the shows Royal Caribbean has created, I think Effectors might be my top choice. 

Between the music selections and very impressive technical effects, I think Effectors has the best balance of pizazz and story yet.

While I still want Royal Caribbean to develop shows with a more coherent plot, Effectors has enough of it that it clearly stands out from every other show I've seen.

Of course, I haven't seen Effectors II yet on Wonder of the Seas, so this may change when I sail on Wonder in a few weeks.

SeaPlex is fantastic

Odyssey of the Seas is the fifth Quantum Class ship, and it's clear they nailed the implementation of the SeaPlex on this ship.

First and foremost, the SeaPlex is a lot of fun for guests of all ages.  I like there's a lot of different activities offered here, and not all of it is purely for the under 18 set.

I had a great time on the first day of the cruise playing badminton with my daughter. Later, we got to ride bumper cars and that left a smile on our faces.

Then there's Zone Zero, which is an incredibly impressive virtual reality experience that everyone should do at least once.

Of course, kids love the activities in the SeaPlex and the proof is in how well-attended all the events are. 

During a recent media event, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley joked they invest millions of dollars in new spaces for teens on cruise ships but the teens always end up hanging out in the stairwells.  On Odyssey of the Seas, the teens would at least hold off from going to the staircases until the SeaPlex closed at 11pm.

Best Playmakers in the fleet

Speaking of the SeaPlex, I need to point out how good the Playmakers location is on Odyssey of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean put Playmakers on the second floor of the SeaPlex and it's a home run (a sports reference for a sports bar!).

On most ships, Playmakers is either outdoors or overcrowded from its convenient location mid-ship. The outdoor locations are too hot or humid most time of the year for my taste, and on ships where it is indoors, it gets way too crowded from guest overflow because it's a convenient place to just stop in.

On Odyssey, it's air-conditioned, has lots of space, and a giant screen to catch the game. Even when there's not a game to watch on the screen, you can watch the action below in the SeaPlex.

While I do like the Playmakers locations on Independence and Freedom of the Seas, the Playmakers on Odyssey is the only Playmakers location that is a real destination for me during the cruise.

Cafe @ Two70 is my go-to grab-and-go spot

In terms of menu, Cafe @ Two70 isn't that different from Park Cafe on other ships, but it has just enough difference that I greatly prefer it.

First, it has a full coffee menu that you usually find on Cafe Promenade on other ships.  But unlike Cafe Promenade, Cafe @ Two70 tended to be far less busy.

Plus, Cafe @ Two70 has a great selection of food for breakfast and lunch. Not only are there good options, but they are quick.  This is so helpful on port days where I want to get everyone in my family something to eat, but do so quickly.

The icing on the cake for Cafe @ Two70 is the view you can enjoy while eating. Located adjacent to Two70, I loved taking my coffee and bagel to Two70 and enjoying a view outside.

Dislikes on Odyssey of the Seas

Show schedule

There is no perfect entertainment schedule that will work for everyone's personal schedule, but I didn't understand some of the show scheduling on Odyssey of the Seas.

There were far too many showings of The Book in Two70 and not nearly enough of Effectors.

On our 8-night cruise, it seemed they showed The Book for the first two thirds of the cruise and left Effectors to just the last two nights of the cruise. I know they were swapping out casts on our cruise, so perhaps that factored into that decision. I just wish there was more opportunities to see Effectors.

Elevator logic

Maybe this is just me, but I found the elevators to be the worst in terms of wait times on Odyssey of the Seas compared to any other ship I've been on since the restart in 2021.

There's lots of factors involved with how long you'll wait for an elevator and luck definitely plays a large part.  But I truly was baffled by the "logic" the elevator system used to assign cars.

Besides just waiting a long time for an elevator, there were many times where an empty elevator would zoom past us only to have another nearly full car come to our floor for a stop.

Far from a major problem, I just found it perplexing how inefficient the elevators were on Odyssey.

Read more: Why you should skip the elevator on your cruise

Pub singer and trivia schedule

This last dislike is super small, but I didn't understand why they scheduled trivia inbetween sets of the pub singer.

As a purveyor of pub singing entertainment across Royal Caribbean, I like to think I have a pretty good handle on how this particular form of entertainment is handled and what works well.

On Odyssey, the pub singer would start his first set, and then when it was time for a break, they'd bring a trivia team to conduct a trivia session.  Then the pub singer would resume with his next set.

Frankly, it was jarring in terms of energy. Similar to the Schooner Bar player, the pub singer experience is all about energy from the crowd coming back to the singer. So to go from singing along to trivia felt disjointed and it's not something I've seen on any other ship.