Harmony Of The Seas - Maiden Voyage - Live Blog

[BourkeBlogs]

After a crazy week at work, I've finally managed to get day 6 full blog post and pictures uploaded.

 

http://www.bourkeblogs.com/day-6-royal-caribbean-harmony-of-the-seas-inaugural-sailing/

 

Day 7 is to come shortly!

[Aarrmuch]

Thank you Mr Bayley

We enjoyed our cruise on the Harmony. Also for our 25% discount off our next cruise which we will use with pleasure. Every little helps especially the unexpected.

Regards

Stephen & Kay

[mdj101]

Please note that this is not 50 and 25% off your next cruise it's a credit worth 50% or 25% of what you paid for these cruises.

 

RCCL are not going to give you 50% off a £5000 cruise if you only paid a few hundred pounds for a 4 night cruise in the first place.

[BourkeBlogs]

Day 7 now fully published.

 

http://www.bourkeblogs.com/day-7-royal-caribbean-harmony-of-the-seas-inaugural-sailing/

[jaspercat]

Day 7 now fully published.

 

http://www.bourkeblogs.com/day-7-royal-caribbean-harmony-of-the-seas-inaugural-sailing/

 

Awesome! Thank you Jamie - have enjoyed your thread here and reading the blog.

[BourkeBlogs]

The final instalment, including our opinions overall, drinks, dining and internet packages:

 

http://www.bourkeblogs.com/day-8-departure-day-royal-caribbean-harmony-of-the-seas-inaugural-sailing/

Edited June 5, 2016 by CruisenovicesUK
corrected link

[Katiedid751]

The final instalment, including our opinions overall, drinks, dining and internet packages:

 

http://www.bourkeblogs.com/day-8-departure-day-royal-caribbean-harmony-of-the-seas-inaugural-sailing/

 

 

 

Thanks so much for sharing your adventures on the newest ship to join the Royal Caribbean fleet! Thoroughly enjoyed your extremely detailed blog posts and videos! you mentioned the Oasis class ships are built for Caribbean sailings, which is so true. I do believe that your negative experience with queues waits at restaurants and bars would be much different had you had a Caribbean itinerary where most folks are outside throughout the day enjoying the pools, hot tubs, flow riders, zip line, rock walls, mini golf, sports zone, Aqua Theater daily activities, etc... My last three cruises have all been on Oasis class ships in the Caribbean, and it is a totally different experience from yours, albeit you suffered immensely as the ship was not prepared for your sailings. I encourage you to not cross the Oasis class of ships off your list and entertain the possibility of a Caribbean cruise in the future. Thanks again for sharing your holiday with us!![emoji4]

 

 

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[BourkeBlogs]

Thanks so much for sharing your adventures on the newest ship to join the Royal Caribbean fleet! Thoroughly enjoyed your extremely detailed blog posts and videos! you mentioned the Oasis class ships are built for Caribbean sailings, which is so true. I do believe that your negative experience with queues waits at restaurants and bars would be much different had you had a Caribbean itinerary where most folks are outside throughout the day enjoying the pools, hot tubs, flow riders, zip line, rock walls, mini golf, sports zone, Aqua Theater daily activities, etc... My last three cruises have all been on Oasis class ships in the Caribbean, and it is a totally different experience from yours, albeit you suffered immensely as the ship was not prepared for your sailings. I encourage you to not cross the Oasis class of ships off your list and entertain the possibility of a Caribbean cruise in the future. Thanks again for sharing your holiday with us!![emoji4]

 

 

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Thanks, you're right it would be vastly different in the Caribbean. The next cruise we do will definitely be in the Caribbean, it's just too cold sailing out of Southampton

[Katiedid751]

Thanks, you're right it would be vastly different in the Caribbean. The next cruise we do will definitely be in the Caribbean, it's just too cold sailing out of Southampton

 

 

 

I highly recommend the Eastern Caribbean itineraries! St. Thomas, USVI, is a must do port with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world!

 

 

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[jules815]

After a crazy week at work, I've finally managed to get day 6 full blog post and pictures uploaded.

 

http://www.bourkeblogs.com/day-6-royal-caribbean-harmony-of-the-seas-inaugural-sailing/

 

Day 7 is to come shortly!

 

I've enjoyed reading your blog. Also, thank you for taking the time to post all the additional info, menus, etc. Well done. :)

[BourkeBlogs]

I highly recommend the Eastern Caribbean itineraries! St. Thomas, USVI, is a must do port with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world!

 

 

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Sounds great. We also need to do an itinerary with St Maarten as I really want to go and get jet blasted on Maho beach. Sad, I know :-)

[BourkeBlogs]

I've enjoyed reading your blog. Also, thank you for taking the time to post all the additional info, menus, etc. Well done. :)

 

 

 

Thanks, my next blog won't be quite as exciting, it will be from a tent at the Isle of Wight festival next weekend.

[Katiedid751]

Sounds great. We also need to do an itinerary with St Maarten as I really want to go and get jet blasted on Maho beach. Sad, I know :-)

 

 

 

Royal's Eastern Caribbean itinerary that I enjoy the most visits the following ports in this order: 1st - Bahamas; 2nd - St. Thomas; and 3rd - St. Maarten ... Followed by 2 days at sea on the way back to Fort Lauderdale. I love the ports and the 2 days at sea at the end of the cruise to totally relax and enjoy the ship before returning back to reality.

 

I did that cruise itinerary in April, so at the end of this month I will be sailing on the Allure again on different itinerary. My next cruise is an Eastern Caribbean visiting Labadee, Haiti ( RC's private part of the island), San Juan Puerto Rico, and St. Maarten. Depending on the time of year you cruise, that itinerary is also an option that includes St. Maarten.

 

 

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[NECruiser83]

Royal's Eastern Caribbean itinerary that I enjoy the most visits the following ports in this order: 1st - Bahamas; 2nd - St. Thomas; and 3rd - St. Maarten ... Followed by 2 days at sea on the way back to Fort Lauderdale. I love the ports and the 2 days at sea at the end of the cruise to totally relax and enjoy the ship before returning back to reality.

 

I did that cruise itinerary in April, so at the end of this month I will be sailing on the Allure again on different itinerary. My next cruise is an Eastern Caribbean visiting Labadee, Haiti ( RC's private part of the island), San Juan Puerto Rico, and St. Maarten. Depending on the time of year you cruise, that itinerary is also an option that includes St. Maarten.

 

 

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I will be on Harmony November 12th, doing eastern caribbean, St Thomas is my favorite, such beautiful views!! We may go to Maho this stop in St Martin, we haven't gone there yet. I too enjoy the last 2 days being sea days. Only a mere 160 days to go for us... 😢

Edited June 5, 2016 by NECruiser83

[NECruiser83]

My next cruise is an Eastern Caribbean visiting Labadee, Haiti ( RC's private part of the island), San Juan Puerto Rico, and St. Maarten. Depending on the time of year you cruise, that itinerary is also an option that includes St. Maarten.

 

 

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Hi, quick question. I have seen this itinerary a few times on a couple of different of ships, but never realized it was a time of year thing that determined it. Do you know what time of year they run this itinerary? I am open to different ships, I want to go to Labadee, but I prefer the eastern caribbean over western. I also have never been to San Juan. I did a western caribbean back in 2004, but we had to skip labadee due to politic issues at that time.

Edited June 5, 2016 by NECruiser83

[Katiedid751]

Hi, quick question. I have seen this itinerary a few times on a couple of different of ships, but never realized it was a time of year thing that determined it. Do you know what time of year they run this itinerary? I am open to different ships, I want to go to Labadee, but I prefer the eastern caribbean over western. I also have never been to San Juan. I did a western caribbean back in 2004, but we had to skip labadee due to politic issues at that time.

 

 

 

For the next year, on RCCL's Oasis class ships they are offering this itinerary from May through September on Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the seas, and there are 2 holiday sailings in December on Harmony of the seas. Thereafter, it appears that Oasis of the Seas will run that itinerary from Port Canaveral beginning in the Fall of 2017.

 

 

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[NECruiser83]

For the next year, on RCCL's Oasis class ships they are offering this itinerary from May through September on Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the seas, and there are 2 holiday sailings in December on Harmony of the seas. Thereafter, it appears that Oasis of the Seas will run that itinerary from Port Canaveral beginning in the Fall of 2017.

 

 

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Wonderful, thank you!

[Katiedid751]

Wonderful, thank you!

 

 

 

My pleasure!

 

 

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[birdlord]

For dinner tonight we were booked into Sabor which is located in the Boardwalk. The downside being its outside with no wall / window in the front so not ideal in cold weather but we took jackets with us.

Both of the starters were very good.

 

 

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Do you remember if they still offered a "tasting" or "sampling" menu option? I remember on Oasis it was enough for two to eat. You can't tell by looking at the menu and I'd be really disappointed if they didn't offer that anymore.

[BourkeBlogs]

Do you remember if they still offered a "tasting" or "sampling" menu option? I remember on Oasis it was enough for two to eat. You can't tell by looking at the menu and I'd be really disappointed if they didn't offer that anymore.

 

 

 

Hi, there was no sampling menu available.

 

That would have been a good idea though as the portions were pretty large

[birdlord]

Hi, there was no sampling menu available.

 

That would have been a good idea though as the portions were pretty large

 

Very disappointing. It really was enough for two and we really enjoyed it last year. We went there for first night dinner instead of the main dining room and it worked out perfectly.

[wendychloecruiser]

Does anyone know the rules of the VAT when on a cruise to the Med area? This cruise went to Vigo and Malaga and ended in Barcelona. On all purchases a 20% VAT was added. I queried this and never received a straight answer. They advised the non EU passengers that they could submit this for a refund but based on personal experience this money is never seen again.

[BourkeBlogs]

Does anyone know the rules of the VAT when on a cruise to the Med area? This cruise went to Vigo and Malaga and ended in Barcelona. On all purchases a 20% VAT was added. I queried this and never received a straight answer. They advised the non EU passengers that they could submit this for a refund but based on personal experience this money is never seen again.

 

 

 

VAT was payable on all purchases and spa treatments.

 

On purchases they said for non EU residents you can fill in a form to claim tax back which you then need to submit at the airport to claim the VAT back

[wendychloecruiser]

VAT was payable on all purchases and spa treatments.

 

On purchases they said for non EU residents you can fill in a form to claim tax back which you then need to submit at the airport to claim the VAT back

 

 

VAT is a British tax so why would we pay it at all? Spain obviously don't pay our tax and we were in Spain. And don't hold your breath getting that VAT back. I have submitted paperwork for a refund multitudes of times and have never received anything back. (I have a CDN and US passport and therefore eligible for the VAT rebate.). I have done several Med cruises out of Southampton and the ships never had added VAT. I just don't get it.

[harz99]

VAT is a British tax so why would we pay it at all? Spain obviously don't pay our tax and we were in Spain. And don't hold your breath getting that VAT back. I have submitted paperwork for a refund multitudes of times and have never received anything back. (I have a CDN and US passport and therefore eligible for the VAT rebate.). I have done several Med cruises out of Southampton and the ships never had added VAT. I just don't get it.

 

Britain isn't the only EU country to levy VAT, or the same tax by its local name in other countries.