Harmony Of The Seas - Maiden Voyage - Live Blog

[Trixie21]

Can I ask if your surf and stream Internet improved throughout the cruise - I remember you saying at the beginning it wasn't very good. On anthem and ovation the Internet was better than I have at home - really fast.

 

 

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[BourkeBlogs]

Can I ask if your surf and stream Internet improved throughout the cruise - I remember you saying at the beginning it wasn't very good. On anthem and ovation the Internet was better than I have at home - really fast.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

Hi, it did actually, the first 4 days were terrible and I had to speak to the Internet people everyday. It dropped out all the time and the first room video I uploaded took around 18 hours due to all the drop outs.

 

The last 3 days was good, download of about 4mb and upload of around 2mb. The other videos I uploaded, even though they were similar file sizes as the room one only took around 30 minutes to upload.

 

Thus did refund 50% of the cost of the first 4 days Internet due to the issues. Fortunately though on the 3 nighter I had no reason to ever speak to them as it was so reliable.

[alaska_planner]

Funnily enough we were just talking about how people must be feeling who are due to board today after all the media attention.

 

It's not that bad, the biggest issue in our view was not that there were items outstanding it was the fact that this was never communicated in advance exactly how much work was still to do and the number of contractors onboard.

 

It was never sold as a shakedown or preview cruise but as an inaugural / short break. At no time was it advertised it was uncompleted and the price per night is in line with any 7 night cruise. A number of staff also said passengers should not have been onboard and that lessons should have bee learnt from Quantum.

 

One of the main features of the ship, the aqua theatre had remained closed throughout the cruise.

 

Service has been slow, we have had some really bad cold meals, queues have been big but on the flip side we have had some great meals especially in the speciality restaurants and have received great service from our stateroom attendants and some of the restaurant staff.

 

"it's not that bad"? really? as you mentioned, you don't have kids with you...

missing glass on the top deck is so beyond anything that's acceptable..

i saw the pictures of how the area was roped off (and one of the panels wasn't even roped off until later).....

there are many kids (my grandson included) who would be through those barriers before you even realized what was happening...

i know if i was on the ship in that condition, i wouldn't be able to take him up on deck at all.....too much of a chance that he'd get away for even a split second....

i'm really amazed royal's insurers permitted them to take passengers on board with glass panels missing from the open deck....an obvious safety hazard with children on board..

Edited May 29, 2016 by alaska_planner

[Trixie21]

Hi, it did actually, the first 4 days were terrible and I had to speak to the Internet people everyday. It dropped out all the time and the first room video I uploaded took around 18 hours due to all the drop outs.

 

The last 3 days was good, download of about 4mb and upload of around 2mb. The other videos I uploaded, even though they were similar file sizes as the room one only took around 30 minutes to upload.

 

Thus did refund 50% of the cost of the first 4 days Internet due to the issues. Fortunately though on the 3 nighter I had no reason to ever speak to them as it was so reliable.

 

 

Excellent - thank you. I have a 4 device surf & stream package purchased so am glad I haven't wasted my money.

 

 

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[moqui_girl]

Hi, it did actually, the first 4 days were terrible and I had to speak to the Internet people everyday. It dropped out all the time and the first room video I uploaded took around 18 hours due to all the drop outs.

 

The last 3 days was good, download of about 4mb and upload of around 2mb. The other videos I uploaded, even though they were similar file sizes as the room one only took around 30 minutes to upload.

 

Thus did refund 50% of the cost of the first 4 days Internet due to the issues. Fortunately though on the 3 nighter I had no reason to ever speak to them as it was so reliable.

 

 

I can confirm the same. First day of the 3 nighter was awful. Dropped out every time my phone went into standby. I complained and was told that this is the service that is provided - I questioned it and asked for a partial refund but was (more or less) told tough. The rest of the cruise it was spot on and didn't drop out once. I periscoped and face-timed regularly and it was great.

 

 

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[mj]

Want to say thank you for taking the time to post your comments, compasses, videos, and picture. Thanks for taking the time to share.

[Trainman-2]

And a big thank you from me!

 

Great live report!

 

 

Trainman-2

[Suzez]

All 3 water slides open this morning

 

Hallelujah, about time too

[roalina]

May 29, 2016

Hi

Does anyone know if there is an Adults only pool? Also, do you have to pay for the food places in Central Park?

 

Thanks!

Robbie and Tom, Las Vegas

[Clarea]

May 29, 2016

Hi

Does anyone know if there is an Adults only pool? Also, do you have to pay for the food places in Central Park?

 

Thanks!

Robbie and Tom, Las Vegas

Park Cafe is free in Central park, the others are extra cost.

 

Without a pool in the Solarium, there is no adult pool. However, the hot tubs in the Solarium would be for age 16 and over.

[Us&6cats]

Any pictures of Boardwalk balcony room 11313? What do those balconies have on them?

[Us&6cats]

Has anyone else heard that a pool would be put in the Solarium by September? I read it in a comment many pages back.

[Clarea]

Has anyone else heard that a pool would be put in the Solarium by September? I read it in a comment many pages back.

That comment about a pool was a joke.

[Ashland]

Any pictures of Boardwalk balcony room 11313? What do those balconies have on them?

 

Two chairs and a small table.

[moqui_girl]

Any pictures of Boardwalk balcony room 11313? What do those balconies have on them?

 

 

As confirmed by another poster you get a table and 2 chairs. However the table is higher than we normally have experienced on a balcony and would have been suitable to use as a dining table, which I thought was great!

 

 

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[mirp]

I also want to thank you. I'm on Harmony now and as mentioned on the thread the voom and surf package is more expensive onboard than it was by prepaying so I've saved a bit of money.

[BourkeBlogs]

Day 4 full blog post updated:

 

http://www.bourkeblogs.com/day-4-royal-caribbean-harmony-of-the-seas-inaugural-sailing/

 

I'm also aiming to get day 5 completed in the next few hours

[IrishLassie]

Loving your review & your pictures & video's are great. Thanks so much for posting.

 

One question, I watched your video of the Boardwalk & was wondering if you have a "picture" looking at the "slide" at the back of the ship. I want to show my son, & that looked so great in the video. If not, no problem. :)

[Paulette3028]

Day 4 full blog post updated:

 

http://www.bourkeblogs.com/day-4-royal-caribbean-harmony-of-the-seas-inaugural-sailing/

 

I'm also aiming to get day 5 completed in the next few hours

 

I have not read every post through this thread....I am trying to catch as much as I can. What disturbs me is when I read that hairs came in your bread basket....it doesn't matter how small the hair was or that it was not IN the bread.....better care in the galley should be going on.

 

From reading various threads it is clear that many construction workers are on board....and it would further disturb me that they were working and dri nking beer. Of course they could be 'off shift' but to the cruiser nearby, they should not be seen drinking beer.

Edited May 30, 2016 by Paulette3028

[BourkeBlogs]

Loving your review & your pictures & video's are great. Thanks so much for posting.

 

 

 

One question, I watched your video of the Boardwalk & was wondering if you have a "picture" looking at the "slide" at the back of the ship. I want to show my son, & that looked so great in the video. If not, no problem. :)

 

 

 

Thanks, here are some pictures of the slide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited May 30, 2016 by CruisenovicesUK

[BourkeBlogs]

Day 5, full blog

 

http://www.bourkeblogs.com/day-5-royal-caribbean-harmony-of-the-seas-inaugural-sailing/

[IrishLassie]

Thanks, here are some pictures of the slide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Perfect, THANK YOU so much. :D

[jlb91454]

Just wanted to say THANK YOU for sharing this with us. I still would like to go on the Harmony.........hopefully in 2018

[Baowen]

Just off the Harmony! Great ship . One small thing I would like to mention is that the fridge in my stateroom kept a bottle of champagne very cold. Not like on other ships where it's barely above room temp.

[Horshamflyer]

An article in today's The Mail made it sound like the cruise from hell. Now, I don't know how much The Mail embellishes their stories, but the photos they published made the ship look really bad. One woman claimed that 90% of the children's areas were not operational. There was a photo of what looked to be a couple hundred unopened boxes stacked to the ceiling in a public venue. And people claimed that safety glass on the top deck wasn't installed. Another passenger said the cruise was sold as an inaugural cruise, but RCI now claims it was never advertised as such, but only as a shakedown cruise.

 

Another passenger claimed that they were offered £204 per cabin (They booked 5 cabins), as on board credit. She claimed that they weren't happy with that since they had an all inclusive cruise and could never spend that amount on board.

 

At least she's been offered some form of compensation. We've had nothing back from RCCL despite calls to MIA & Uk Guest relations. We had no hot water and sometimes no water. We booked a suite and still weren't allowed to book the suite restaurant. Having returned home I've now found out we should've been allowed in.I've been on first cruises before and the ships have been great,just the odd niggle but there was a lot more to finish off on the Harmony.