Harmony LIVE, March 11th - 18th. Come Sail Away!!!

[Russ Lomas]

Sorry to hijack Andrew but I'm curious to know what ship and cabin this is taken from. It looks nice.

That photo was taken when I stayed in the Panoramic Family cabin (1804) on the Freedom two weeks ago. It is a beautiful cabin in a great location and I would definitely book it again.

[#55worktoplay]

That photo was taken when I stayed in the Panoramic Family cabin (1804) on the Freedom two weeks ago. It is a beautiful cabin in a great location and I would definitely book it again.

 

Thanks Russ I will make a note of that one, looks lovely.

[A&L_Ont]

How many boards do you carry with you on your cruise now Andrew? I thought I was overdoing it taking 2 boards on our March cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

I took 2 and left the shuv-it with channels at home. If could I'd take the three of them I would, but Lisa would say it's too much. Congrats on your best of the best win. Well done.

 

Hi Andrew!! First, I am just finally finding time to catch up on your review. Only 40 pages left! But I always enjoy your detailed and hilarious reviews.

 

Secondly, bridges terrify me to no end. You might know from mentioning it on my scopes that I am the biggest chicken in the world and everything terrifies me, but driving over bridges is probably the worst. If I'm alone, I clutch the wheel and have to look straight ahead without daring a glance on either side. If I'm with someone, I make them be silent during the duration of the drive over. I'm the legit worst.

 

My best friend lives in Tampa and I would visit her often while I was living in Miami. There are many terrible things about that drive from miami to Tampa and back, but the worst part was having to take the Sunshine Skyway bridge. TALK ABOUT TERRIFYING. It's very pretty but it's VERY TALL AND VERY NARROW AND IT HAS A HISTORY of course which you already detailed.

 

Living in Orlando now, I'm glad I don't need to use that bridge to get to visit my friend in Tampa anymore. Whew!

 

Lastly, are you on the Sept 30 Harmony sailing? I am on the sailing directly after you. Would love to say hello to you and your family and have a hand off on boarding day if possible. [emoji847]

 

 

 

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Either heights agree with you or they don't, and I know where you stand in this matter. At least you don't need to go over that bridge anymore to see your friend. Thanks for following along on our cruise adventure.

 

Since you are on the ship the week after us I might hide something for you to find. That would be a lot of fun.

 

 

 

 

 

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[A&L_Ont]

great pics

 

 

Thanks LBumb.

 

Andrew - Thanks again for an excellent review. I'm still a little dumbfounded that Royal didn't do something, anything, to compensate you for your issues, other than a couple of trays of potato chips and some cupcakes. You handled the situation in a very reasonable manner...better than I would have. If one of my most valued customers had the experience that you had, and discussed it with me in the manner that you did (without demanding to turn this ship around this instant :D), I would have found SOME way to show that I was sorry. Some OBC, a bottle of wine...something. The fact that they didn't even make a token gesture is disappointing. Although you didn't ask for anything, and it sounds like you weren't expecting anything, I would have done something in their shoes. Maybe Corporate will eventually address this.

 

 

The thing is, the cupcakes came from a friend that works on Allure which was totally separate from what happened on Harmony. I'd say the chips were to butter me up.

 

Tomorrow I'm writing corporate to let them know about their pier side issue. I was hoping they would have followed up from the post cruise survey but they haven't yet. Tomorrow we will have been home for 1.5 weeks so it is time that I let them know, or do nothing. In this case they need to know about their failures. It would have thought that they would have made a token gesture as well.

 

I will keep those following posted if anything comes from my letter.

 

 

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[Brandon B]

Hi Andrew,

 

Thank you for a great review (I read all of it, and checked out the scopes)! :D:D

 

I have a few Suite questions if you could please answer :-)

 

My family and I will be on Harmony in mid May (Eastern itinerary) in a Royal Family Suite (Sky Class?). We are familiar with the ‘old’ Suite services but now it’s all changed (Star, Sky, Sea) ... :-) so I have a few questions I was hoping you could answer:

 

 

• On embarkation day If we arrive early around 10:45am or so, do they let suite guests on the ship any earlier than normal?...and you said no special Suite Baggage drop area correct?
  

 

 

• Is there a special Suite entry area to the terminal?
  

 

 

• If the Sea Pass cards are now found in the cabin (after 1:00pm), can you get access to the suite lounge/Coastal Kitchen before 1:00p.m. without the sea pass cards on embarkation day?
  

 

 

• As a “regular” suite guest can you still get into shows without reservations?
  

 

 

• Are reservations required for the Coastal Kitchen for dinner?
  

 

 

• Are alcoholic beverages (beer and wine) complimentary in the suite lounge during the day?
  

 

 

• Do they still do the ‘officer’s brunch’ and Bridge tours for suite guests?
  

 

 

• Any other special tips to you can think of maximize the suite experience...it’s a substantial added expense (as you know) so was hoping not to miss any special opportunities :-)
  

 

Thank you so much for your time and patience:)

 

-Brandon

[STANMELB]

Hi Andrew,

 

Thank you for the detailed review.

 

On the Oasis they have a function with the Senior Officers in the Suite Lounge the 1st sea day at 11:30 AM. Do they also have the same function on the Harmony? We are sailing in a CLS 4-22-17.

 

If so, what is the time and place of the function?

 

Met your friend Prez on the Oasis earlier this month.

 

Thank you

 

John

[A&L_Ont]

Hi Andrew,

 

Thank you for the detailed review.

 

On the Oasis they have a function with the Senior Officers in the Suite Lounge the 1st sea day at 11:30 AM. Do they also have the same function on the Harmony? We are sailing in a CLS 4-22-17.

 

If so, what is the time and place of the function?

 

Met your friend Prez on the Oasis earlier this month.

 

Thank you

 

John

 

We have been on Harmony two times and I have not seen this as it was on Allure and Oasis. The Captain did make the helipad sailaway though, which was a first for me.

[A&L_Ont]

Hi Andrew,

 

Thank you for a great review (I read all of it, and checked out the scopes)! :D:D

 

I have a few Suite questions if you could please answer :-)

 

My family and I will be on Harmony in mid May (Eastern itinerary) in a Royal Family Suite (Sky Class?). We are familiar with the ‘old’ Suite services but now it’s all changed (Star, Sky, Sea) ... :-) so I have a few questions I was hoping you could answer:

 

• On embarkation day If we arrive early around 10:45am or so, do they let suite guests on the ship any earlier than normal?...and you said no special Suite Baggage drop area correct?
  

• Is there a special Suite entry area to the terminal?
  

• If the Sea Pass cards are now found in the cabin (after 1:00pm), can you get access to the suite lounge/Coastal Kitchen before 1:00p.m. without the sea pass cards on embarkation day?
  

• As a “regular” suite guest can you still get into shows without reservations?
  

• Are reservations required for the Coastal Kitchen for dinner?
  

• Are alcoholic beverages (beer and wine) complimentary in the suite lounge during the day?
  

• Do they still do the ‘officer’s brunch’ and Bridge tours for suite guests?
  

• Any other special tips to you can think of maximize the suite experience...it’s a substantial added expense (as you know) so was hoping not to miss any special opportunities :-)
  

Thank you so much for your time and patience:)

 

-Brandon

 

Hi Brandon. I just found your post and questions right now. I will get back to you with answers tomorrow or Thursday but I want to take the time to answer them properly. I hope that will work for you. :)

 

Andrew

[Brandon B]

Hi Brandon. I just found your post and questions right now. I will get back to you with answers tomorrow or Thursday but I want to take the time to answer them properly. I hope that will work for you. :)

 

Andrew

 

 

thank you very much... :cool::cool:

[windjamming]

Hi Andrew,

 

Thank you for your very fair and objective review. The way you were treated during boarding was beyond disappointing, but you handled it with grace and the appropriate level of escalation. If only all customers were as easy going. (And I had a chuckle at your trays of potato chips!)

 

We were on the western itinerary on the Harmony right after yours, and our feeling was that while the cruise was good, it wasn't WOW. Little things that we've come to expect from Royal Caribbean just seemed "off" (e.g. without going into too much detail, we had an issue with our stateroom, and while things do happen, it just didn't feel like anyone wanted to take ownership of the situation.)

 

Interestingly, a few crew members we became friendly with mentioned that they were looking forward to Captain Johnny coming onboard on April 1, as he liked to walk around the ship and talk to crew and passengers alike. I don't know if that made a difference.

 

Still, a vacation on the biggest cruise ship in the world is nothing to complain about, and there was a lot to love (I'll put these into a separate post soon). Just wanted to add our thoughts here.

[okletsgocruisin]

Great review - following

[A&L_Ont]

Hi Andrew,

 

Thank you for a great review (I read all of it, and checked out the scopes)! :D:D

 

I have a few Suite questions if you could please answer :-)

 

My family and I will be on Harmony in mid May (Eastern itinerary) in a Royal Family Suite (Sky Class?). We are familiar with the ‘old’ Suite services but now it’s all changed (Star, Sky, Sea) ... :-) so I have a few questions I was hoping you could answer:

 

• On embarkation day If we arrive early around 10:45am or so, do they let suite guests on the ship any earlier than normal?...and you said no special Suite Baggage drop area correct?
  

First will be the B22B cruisers. Then then Pinnacle and Star Class, followed by the Sky Class and then the preverbal masses. Sky Class guests leave their luggage with the porters in the "normal" drop spots.

- Is there a special Suite entry area to the terminal?

Yes there is. As you head to the general check in area there is a sign on the wall with a nondescript door that says Suites.

 

 

• If the Sea Pass cards are now found in the cabin (after 1:00pm), can you get access to the suite lounge/Coastal Kitchen before 1:00p.m. without the sea pass cards on embarkation day?
  

Yes you can access the Suite Lounge. I don't actually remember how you open the door without the sea pass. I guess you could knock or wait for it to open.

 

 

• As a “regular” suite guest can you still get into shows without reservations?
  

Yes, the "normal" suite area still exists but it is released to the public approx. 15 minutes prior to the start of the show.

 

 

• Are reservations required for the Coastal Kitchen for dinner?
  

We ate there once, and made the reservation the night prior on our own. We went for 6pm but it did fill quickly after that.

 

• Are alcoholic beverages (beer and wine) complimentary in the suite lounge during the day?
  

Yes.

 

 

• Do they still do the ‘officer’s brunch’ and Bridge tours for suite guests?
  

We did not see any notice of an officers brunch on any of our Oasis Class sailings, including Harmony. Allure and Oasis had an officers meet and greet with finger foods, but we did not see this on Harmony either. Our Genie did organize a bridge tour, but we declined as we have been on Oasis and Allure's bridge many times. I'm not sure if the concierge could help arrange this for you.

• Any other special tips to you can think of maximize the suite experience...it’s a substantial added expense (as you know) so was hoping not to miss any special opportunities :-)
  

I like the suite deck, but Lisa does not. It has nice sun and shade, to me its perfect. The food in the CK was great and the service was wonderful. The suite disembarkation was a bit hectic but it was a great perk. Don't forget to use luggage valet if it works for your flight. I can't think of anything else.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for your time and patience:)

 

-Brandon

 

Brandon, please find my answers above in red. Hopefully it helps. If you think of anything else please ask. Enjoy your cruise and have a blast.

 

 

Andrew

[Brandon B]

Brandon, please find my answers above in red. Hopefully it helps. If you think of anything else please ask. Enjoy your cruise and have a blast.

 

 

Andrew

 

 

Thank you Andrew I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all my questions Thank You! I'll be sure to check in with you after our Trip next month with anything I think you may find useful, but given the number of times you've been on the Oasis Class ships, that may be a challenging task :-)

On a separate note your Grand Cherokee piqued my interest (as I'm in the market to replace my wife's Suburban) since she requires 3 rows I stumbled across the Durango SRT as a good candidate...check out this clip:

 

 

Thanks again for your time. -Cheers

[sdpete]

The only time I've ever seen an 80's party was on Freedom, with Graham as CD, and it was balls to the wall amazing! They asked guests to dress up as Madonna, Billy Idol and Rick James and had them dancing up on stage to their songs. It was so much fun! I just don't know why more ships don't do that. :confused:

 

Graham Seymour is the best CD on the open waves. Did you ever see him do Rock Brittannia? Amazing.

[A&L_Ont]

Thank you Andrew I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all my questions Thank You! I'll be sure to check in with you after our Trip next month with anything I think you may find useful, but given the number of times you've been on the Oasis Class ships, that may be a challenging task :-)

On a separate note your Grand Cherokee piqued my interest (as I'm in the market to replace my wife's Suburban) since she requires 3 rows I stumbled across the Durango SRT as a good candidate...check out this clip:

 

 

Thanks again for your time. -Cheers

 

That video, to me, has family friendly written all over it. :)

[A&L_Ont]

Graham Seymour is the best CD on the open waves. Did you ever see him do Rock Brittannia? Amazing.

 

I have yet to sail with him, but I will keep my keep my eyes open for him and his high-jinx.

[christa4]

Thank you for making my wait until 9/16 more bearable. It looks like you guys are having an incredible trip. Is your little guy participating in the kids club? If so, can we get a review from him?

 

 

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We are getting married on the 9/16 trip and staying in 1724! Keep an eye out for a group of about 55 wedding guests on 9/17!!

[babydougie]

We are getting married on the 9/16 trip and staying in 1724! Keep an eye out for a group of about 55 wedding guests on 9/17!!

 

 

Congrats!!! What an amazing wedding. Can't wait to share your special event with you!

 

 

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[ptf2009]

 

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Who depends on the U.S. for protection.

[rrzj]

We sailed on the Harmony on April 8 in Star Class and I had to come back and tell you how much all the information you provided helped us. Thank you!! One thing in particular is that I know exactly who Napoleon is now and had to stifle my laughter as I tried to be extra nice to him so that he didn't make me blow my top. LOL!! All of your work though to improve things definitely had an impact (and helped me set my expectations). When we got to the port I knew not to let any porter grab my luggage and I went straight to Napolean who said, in no uncertain terms, that most porters don't know what they are doing for Star Class, so to get a porter to only bring my bags directly to him. He then called someone down to personally escort us, with our bags, to the Star Class lounge. He's definitely been retrained. He wasn't particularly happy to be there, but retrained nonetheless. :-) Thank you!!

[pharaoh]

Since you are on the ship the week after us I might hide something for you to find. That would be a lot of fun.

 

 

Yes it would! I would enjoy searching for it for sure. As long as it's not a [emoji232][emoji232][emoji232] from @Yorkvillain [emoji23]

 

 

 

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[mommao729]

A&L Ontario loved your review! we are booked on harmony september 30, 2017. just did oasis last year and freedom the year before. i have some questions that i can"t find the answers to and hope you can help me.

1) do you know what nights were the formal and what formal night is the lobster?

2) were there any tribute bands? we had seen the journey tribute band on freedom 2 years ago. wasn't one on oasis.

3)i was trying to review some cruise compasses, do you know what night the love and marriage show is and time?

4) do you have the sheet harmony of the seas showtimes and parties at a glance?

thank you

[constable145]

Who depends on the U.S. for protection.

We do?

 

Since when?

 

We tend not to upset people enough to require protection.

 

Also, while smaller in number (might I remind you that we have a 10th of the population the US has) some of our military units are considered amongst the world elite and involved in many joint forces operations.

 

To say we require the help of the USA is categorically untrue.

 

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[John&LaLa]

Who depends on the U.S. for protection.

Japan, Korea, NATO.

 

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[sheilb4]

Not sure you will even see this since it's been a few months after your cruise, but......!!!

I am on Harmony next weekend and so have been reading tons of reviews, getting into the excitement and anticipation etc.. whoop! Have to say, YOUR REVIEWS ON HARMONY ARE AAAAAAAWESOME!

Fabbo job, just the best I have read.....have you to thank for losing a few lbs too as was so addicted and time flew by, breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Nah.....Oh, well maybe a midnight snack then!!! Haha..I spent almost 2 days reading them, humor, pics, comments just great!

 

 

Thanks again Andrew! Looking forward to your next documented and pictorial cruise experience!! A++. 😜🙋