Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas has generated a lot of interest among Royal Caribbean fans and first time cruisers alike, and with a ship this intriguing, there are a lot of concerns and questions people may have.

We decided to list answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related specifically to Symphony of the Seas for everyone's future reference.

When can I reserve shows onboard?

Royal Caribbean has added a lot of great entertainment on Symphony of the Seas. Guests are able to reserve shows on their Symphony of the Seas cruise, although when exactly they become available varies from sailing to sailing. The truth is, there is no rule about when these kinds of activities become available for booking, and every sailing can be different.

Typically, we see entertainment become available to reserve online around 75-60 days prior to the sail date, but your experience may vary.

What makes Symphony different from other Oasis-class ships?

Despite being the fourth Oasis Class cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas has a number of differences from her sister ships.  Here is a list of the most noticeable ones:

• Solarium has a 2,594 square foot art installation
• No Sabor on Boardwalk. Instead, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade occupies entire side of the Boardwalk neighborhood.
• Sugar Beach Candy Shop (candy and ice cream) takes up much of other side of Boardwalk neighborhood.
• Symphony of the Seas features the Ultimate Family Suite stateroom.
• New restaurants
  • El Loco Fresh (Complimentary)
  • Hooked (Specialty)
• Laser tag in Studio B offered on Symphony
• New shows
  • Hairspray Broadway musical
  • Flight (Royal Theater)
  • 1977 (ice skating show)
  • Aquanation (AquaTheater)
  • HiRo (AquaTheater)
• Art work all over the ship

What are the Windjammer hours?

Exact times can change, but here are the Windjammer dining hours we have seen thus far.

• 6:30-7:00am Early bird
• 7:00am - 11:00am Breakfast
• 11:30-3:30 Lunch
• 5:30pm - 9:15pm Dinner

What is the new Royal Caribbean app and how does it work?

Royal Caribbean is developing a new smartphone app, which allows guests to manage multiple aspects of their cruise vacation from the app.

On Symphony of the Seas, guests can perform a variety of functions.  

Here are the important functions the app can perform currently.  Keep in mind that the app is under active development, and new features are forthcoming.

• Access Cruise Planner
• View daily activities
• Conduct mobile check-in
• Real-time folio access
• Expedited Arrival option
• Make plans with guests in other staterooms by linking reservations
• View main dining preferences
• View reservations on personal calendars

There is no cost to use the Royal Caribbean app and you do not need a WiFi package to use the app onboard.  A chat feature between guests is coming soon.

The app is available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.

Does Symphony of the Seas offer WOWbands?

Yes, Symphony of the Seas offer RFID bracelets known as WOWbands.

WOWbands are essentially optional replacements for your SeaPass card. Imagine a bracelet you can wear that allows you to open you stateroom door, charge onboard purchases or check into shows and restaurants.

They are made of silicone and come in a variety of colors: white, yellow, black and blue.

WOWbands use Radio Frequency (RF) technology that can be read by Royal Caribbean's readers that are found at kiosks, tablets and mobile scanners that Royal Caribbean crew operate.

Your WOWband is linked to your SeaPass account and holds all of your information related to your cruise vacation such as your stateroom information, dining reservations and more. 

Guests on Symphony of the Seas can choose to purchase WOWbands for $4.99 each and can be purchased at Guest Services. They are complimentary for suite guests and will be waiting in your suite.

Can I use my Starbucks app/card on Symphony of the Seas?

You can use your Starbucks card at the Starbucks kiosk onboard for paying for drinks and earning rewards, however, you cannot redeem free rewards via the Starbucks app/card.

In addition, none of Royal Caribbean's drink packages work at Starbucks on Symphony of the Seas. Instead, those drink packages can be used for specialty coffee beverages at other locations on Symphony, including Cafe Promenade, Park Cafe, or any specialty restaurant.

Where does Symphony of the Seas dock in PortMiami?

Symphony of the Seas begins and ends her sailingsa tthe brand new Terminal A at PortMiami.  This is a new state-of-the-art cruise terminal that features stunning architecture, and a new boarding experience.

The quickest way to get onboard will be using the Royal Caribbean International app to check-in. You can download the app from  iTunes App Store and Google Play Store now for free. Online check-in remains open until 48 hours prior to departure, so be to complete it before arrival at the terminal in order to skip the check-in counter at the terminal. Then, be sure to save your SetSail Pass on your mobile device or print for all guests in their party. The SetSail Pass is the key to adventure.

If you elect to park at Terminal A, go straight to the garage where agents will receive luggage and review documents. If you are taking a taxi or using a ride sharing service, agents will be waiting at the drop off area.

A reminder to all guests to keep all essential items with them, like travel documentation, SetSail Pass, required identification, the credit card to add to their onboard account, and
any medication they may need.

Did we miss your question? Post it in the comments below and we will try our best to answer it!

Over the weekend, Royal Caribbean released a new update to its smart phone app, which adds a bit of functionality and official support for Majesty of the Seas.

Version 1.11.0 of the new app was released to the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.  According to Royal Caribbean, the app provided official support of Majesty of the Seas, as well as these new features:

• Make plans with guests in other staterooms by linking reservations
• View main dining preferences
• View reservations on personal calendars

Majesty of the Seas was added to the app quietly earlier this month, but this update confirms the change. 

Majesty of the Seas becomes to the tenth ship to be able to use the new app. Each ship has varying feature sets, as the app is still under development.

• Adventure of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Majesty of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas

The new app is being actively developed, which means not all features area available on the app yet.  Moreover, the cruise line is slowly rolling out support for more ships.

Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas was forced to change her itinerary and reroute to Vigo, Spain after a technical issue it encountered required repairs to be made.

Multiple news outlets in Spain are reporting Navigator of the Seas stopped in Vigo on Sunday to conduct repairs. The ship remains in Vigo today as well.

Cruise Hive posted a statement from Royal Caribbean about Navigator of the Seas.

"Navigator of the Seas is making repairs to resolve a technical issue. The ship is fully operational with no impact on its maneuverability or the safety of our guests and  crew. However, because of time needed to make the repair, it was necessary to modify her current itinerary.

Navigator will now call on Vigo, Spain for an overnight stay on Sunday, Oct. 28. It will then sail on to Gran Canaria, Canary Islands on Wednesday, Oct. 31 and Tenerife, Canary Islands on Thursday, Nov 1. The ship will return to Southampton, England on Monday, Nov. 5 as scheduled."

According to crew-center.com, Guests aboard Navigator of the Seas reported an announcement by the ship's Captain that stated one of the stablizers broke and the result was a hole in the hull of the ship.

Happy Sunday! We are so happy that you stopped by and hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Grab a mug of your favorite hot beverage, sit back, and check out the latest in Royal Caribbean news.

Lots of our readers were talking about the confirmation that Anthem of the Seas will move to Southampton in 2020.

Royal Caribbean UK and Ireland managing director Ben Bouldin confimed the rumor after months of speculation that one of the Quantum Class ships would sail from the UK in 2020.

It remains to be seen which ship will replace Anthem of the Seas in Bayonne, New Jersey. 

Royal Caribbean News

• We shared the photos from inside Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal in PortMiami.
• Here is what the new chat feature looks like on Royal Caribbean's smartphone app.
• Royal Caribbean provided guidance on its new smartphone app roll out schedule.
• We posted a new video of the azipod installation on Spectrum of the Seas.
• Royal Caribbean entered the TTG Travel Awards' Hall of Fame.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

First time cruisers on Royal Caribbean might be wondering what pitfalls to avoid, and so we shared some good advice on this week's podcast.

In this week's podcast episode, Matt invited podcast listeners to call in and share their own experiences of making mistakes onboard, as well as other miscalculations they may have seen.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: Why book an inside room on a cruise

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Why you should book an inside stateroom on a cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

CNBC shared a talk with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO Richard Fain.

Travel Weekly profiled Richard Fain and shared how the cruise line is using wind power.

The Jersey Momma posted reviews, tips and advice for an Anthem of the Seas cruise.

Happy Friday to everyone! When the calendar hits Friday, that means we are sharing our readers favorite Royal Caribbean cruise photos!  

Each week we invite our readers to send us their favorite Royal Caribbean photos and we showcase them all right here!

Tyler starts is off with this photo of the pool deck on Freedom of the Seas.

Caroline sent in this photo of Navigator of the Seas docked in Oslo, Norway.

I love a good sunset photo, and Michelle P. caught a beautiful one over Bar Harbor, Maine while on Anthem of the Seas.

Anne W. took this photo of Majesty of the Seas docked in Key West while on her way to a trolley tour.

Here is a photo of Mariner of the Seas departing Singapore, as seen by Ho Hsin Chun.

Here is a great view of the Ultimate Abyss. Photo by Ursula Good.

We have another beautiful photo to share, this one of Radiance of the Seas in Seward, Alaska. Photo by Kath Pfister.

We want to share your Royal Caribbean photos too! Send us your favorite, best, most awesome Royal Caribbean cruise photos by using this form and we will feature them in an upcoming Friday Photos blog post!

The largest and most modern cruise facility in the world welcomed its first guests this morning as Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas docked at Terminal A in PortMiami earlier today.

Photo by James Van Fleet

Terminal A is a brand new, state-of-the-art cruise terminal that was built to be the home of Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas and her sister, Allure of the Seas.  The building was designed by England-based global architecture firm Broadway Malyan. 

As you come into the terminal, there are multiple escalators and stair cases in front of you with the large, golden propellor blades.

Photos by Frank Tift

The gold propellors weigh in at 15,000 lbs. and are 56 ft. tall.

Once at the top of the stairs, the general boarding area is to your right.

Photo by Frank Tift

Back at the bottom of the stairs, to the right is the entry to the suite/Pinnacle area.  An elevator takes you to the third floor, then you go through security before entering the Suite Lounge.

Photos by Frank Tift

As Mariner of the Seas arrived into port early this morning, Nancy Ritter shared these photos with us of the terminal beautifully lit up.

Photos by Nancy Ritter

In addition to housing two of the world’s largest ships, the new LEED certified facility, it has implemented new technologies and waiting areas to enhance the boarding experience of guests.

The 170,000-square-foot terminal is nicknamed the ‘Crown of Miami’ because of its distinct shape. The design evokes the points of the symbolic headgear when viewed from the water; the ‘M’ of Miami when viewed from the east or western approaches; and a sense of waves rising or ships passing when viewed from the terminal side. 

A grand opening ceremony is scheduled for November 2nd, 2018 that will formally open the the new terminal to the public. Symphony of the Seas arrives to Terminal A on November 9, 2018.

Royal Caribbean's Daring Deals Sale offers guests 50% off the second guest, kids sail less, and up to $200 in onboard credit.

Royal Caribbean cruises booked between October 26-31, 2018 on all sailings departing on or after November 26, 2018. Offer excludes China departures.

Offer includes:

• 60% off cruise fare of second guest booked in the same stateroom as first full-fare paying guest.
• 30% off cruise fare for third guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualified guests.
• Up to $200 onboard credit (OBC) when booking a non-refundable rate 6 months or more prior to cruise departure date and up to $100 OBC if booking a sailing less than 6 months prior to cruise departure date.
  • Sailings 5 nights and less:
    • $25 OBC for Interior and Ocean View
    • $50 OBC for Balcony
    • $75 OBC for Suite
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer:
    • $50 OBC for Interior and Ocean View
    • $75 OBC for Balcony
    • $100 OBC for Suite
  • Onboard credit excludes China departures.

BOGO and Deck the Holidays Deals are combinable with Daring Deals, NRBD OBC, promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, Instant Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. Daring Deals is combinable with NRDB OBC, OBC, instant savings, NextCruise offers, restricted discounts (for example, Senior, Resident, Military) but not combinable with Shareholder benefits and Crown and Anchor discounts. All offers are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, Net Rates.

Royal Caribbean's new weekend sale on pre-cruise purchases begins today, with select pre-cruise purchases discounted up to 30% off onboard prices.

The Sale Before You Sail promotion runs between October 26, 2018 - October 29, 2018 and is valid on select sailings November 1, 2018 - April 15, 2019.

The offer is valid on certain shore excursions, drink packages and internet packages.

Royal Caribbean states guests can expect to see:

• Beverage Packages: Up to 30% off onboard prices
  • Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship
  • Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship
  • Refreshment Package: 30% off onboard prices
• Shore Excursions: Save up to 25% on select tours on select sailings. Discount varies by ship.
• Internet: up to 60% off on select sailings
  • Voom Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
  • Voom Surf Voyage 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
• Dining
  • 3 night Dining Package: Save 20% off. Available on select ships.

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Speaking to investors, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO Richard Fain provided guidance on the cruise line's plans for roll out of its new smart phone app across all brands.

"Today, I thought it would to show you just how aggressively we are rolling out these capabilities to our guests. I would emphasize that our guest capabilities represent just one dimension of the program, but it's a highly visible one."

"The guest app, in its current form, includes features such as accelerated check-in, the daily planner, onboard accounts, shore excursions, as well as the ability to book various items such as shore excursions, specialty restaurants and other onboard activities."

"You can see in the slide that we've highlighted three milestones that represent the way we make the app available to our guests. We call them, crawl, walk, run.

The first phase, crawl, refers to testing mode. In crawl, mode, the app is up and running, but we keep it very quiet so we can test it out with a small group of participants. When we are comfortable that the functionality has reached an acceptable level, we shift to the walk stage.

When we get to walk, we allow everyone who wishes to do so to use the app, but we don't aggressively push it. This is roughly equivalent to the beta stage of most apps. It gives us a chance to test it under real-life conditions, but only with a limited group of users.

Lastly, when we get to the run phase, we want as many guests engaged as possible. The app is then available to anyone and we vigorously publicize it, so that as many guests as possible use it. When we get to the run stage, the app has been thoroughly vetted and most of our guests use it and love it.

Our initial priority for the app capabilities has been on easing the process of boarding and disembarking. We've also prioritized other things that our guests most want. Next will come more bells and whistles, such as facial recognition, the ability to easily book your onboard activities before sailing, new chat capabilities, and an innovative digital stateroom key. Again, I want to repeat that this only refers to the capabilities our guests use. A lot of focus has also been on the capabilities on making our employees more efficient and more effective.

Now, one question I am sometimes asked is how we can scale this so quickly out to our fleet. The reason is that over the years, we have built and maintained our fleet to take maximum advantage of technology. As a result, we already have a lot of technology on the ships that can be used to provide some of these capabilities. We need to add more, but this gives a definite leg up."

Royal Caribbean Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty also spoke of the rapid pace the cruise line is taking to get these new technology initiatives online sooner than later, "We are very much trying to accelerate our Excalibur efforts to the point that we can...to have certain capabilities come online a little bit quicker than we had expected them to."