Live: Harmony of the Seas 6/23 Queens on the High Seas Summer Extravaganza!

[CruiseMomTX]

15 minutes ago, Judyrem said:

Thanks!   Sounds great, my granddaughter loves most of  food except for salads 🤔.  I am looking forward to it.

 

Your welcome & my husband said to watch this video too.

 

[jeanneful]

Is the buffet free?

 

[jenf22]

3 hours ago, cruisinfromtampa said:

-Shoes of any kind were not allowed in the slides. I get it. But walking around barefooted is not something I prefer to do. 

 

-They don’t want shirts on the slides. There’s no sign anywhere stating it, but when you get up to the top they tell you to take them off. If you stand at the bottom, however, you’ll find they’re wildly inconsistent, surprise! There’s no issue with the Splash Summit Slides, but on the Daredevil’s Tower slides, they claim it slows you down. We kept ours on, and had no issues getting to the bottom quickly. 

Thank so much for the detailed review!  We're on this same itinerary in October. 

 

I was afraid of the no shoes thing.  It makes sense, but the ground has to be hot and my feet as wusses!

 

So they asked you to take your shirt off but they let you keep it on?  I just ordered a long sleeve shirt to wear for CocoCay.  I burn so easy so I'm looking for anything that will help. 

[dst]

Loving the review - can you tell me what the changes are in the ultimate dining package and the new?  We booked the ultimate before the change.

 

Why did you go to Jamies to book your dining, is this the only place or can we use concierge?

 

  

[dunedinmaiden]

Up, Up & Away Balloon Ride - if I'm not being rude, would you mind telling us what you paid?  I'm watching it on our cruise planner and the pricing has been quite erratic.  For instance, I may be willing to pay $47 but not $87 per person.  Some people have posted getting it for $28.99.

 

BTW, it looks like we're neighbors - Tampa and Dunedin, FL!

Edited June 25, 2019 by dunedinmaiden
Additional sentence

[MaryBCruisin]

23 hours ago, irish2005 said:

Could you please sen me a copy of the spreadsheet.  bell.patty2@verizon.net  thanks in advance

Me too, please!  I'm learning Excel, but want to get things on it sooner!  mbrauer2010@gmail.com    Thank you!

[MaryBCruisin]

11 minutes ago, dunedinmaiden said:

 

BTW, it looks like we're neighbors - Tampa and Dunedin, FL!

I used to be in Dunedin.  The guy in your photo is not named Denny by chance?  That would be a small world!

[dunedinmaiden]

1 minute ago, MaryBCruisin said:

I used to be in Dunedin.  The guy in your photo is not named Denny by chance?  That would be a small world!

No, lol, but worth asking -- it is a small world at times!

[orkaren1]

Does anyone know if there are any companion or family restrooms on Coco Cay? My husband is wheelchair dependant and needs assistance in the restroom but still wants to spend the day on Coco Cay with the rest of the family.  Thanks!

 

 

[SanzD]

2 hours ago, MaryBCruisin said:

I used to be in Dunedin.  The guy in your photo is not named Denny by chance?  That would be a small world!

 Mary, You don't happen to have worked at F&M awhile back? If so it's an extremely small world.  

[Judyrem]

Cruise Mom, that is a GREAT video.   I can't wait to go to Coco Cay!😁

[MaryBCruisin]

1 hour ago, SanzD said:

 Mary, You don't happen to have worked at F&M awhile back? If so it's an extremely small world.  

Yes!  It is a small world!  Email me, girl!   mbrauer2010@gmail.com

[dagadget]

Very nice video. We are going on Harmony of the Seas in march and the changes to Coco Cay are astonishing. Looks like most everything is pay now though.

[cruisinfromtampa]

I’ve gotten behind. There’s just so much to do! My goal is to be caught up by the end of today. We’ll see how successful I am. 

 

After we came back from CocoCay, we changed, grabbed a quick bite, and then explored the ship. We hadn’t spent much time walking around, and we figured doing it while everyone was enjoying the island would be a great time. We were right. No crowds getting around, easy access to elevators when needed, and pictures without people in them!! Some highlights below. 

 

Entrance to a Perfect Day as seen from Deck 16. 

 

 

Entrance to the zip line that soars above The Boardwalk. 

 

 

Ultimate Abyss

 

 

Mode of the ship. Not a great picture...the glare was inevitable each way I tried. 

 

 

Overview of the Sports Court. Tons to keep you busy. 

 

 

View of the Carousel looking down Boardwalk. 

 

 

The dive team was practicing. 

 

 

The Ultimate Abyss winding its was down. 

 

 

Classic car on the Royal Promenade. 

 

 

Art. 

 

 

More art. 

 

 

Looking down the Royal Promenade. 

 

 

Entrance to the Diamond Lounge. 

 

 

An empty Diamond Lounge. 

 

 

Found in the Diamond Lounge. With all the crap they print and place on your bed each night, you’d think this would be part of it. I can see this being very helpful for some people. 

 

 

 

[cruisinfromtampa]

Dinner Night 2: Izumi Hibachi! 

 

Some things before I begin...I was terrible about taking pictures. It was very easy to get caught up in what was going on and forget. Apologies for the lack of visuals. However! I did film the entire thing on my GoPro, in time lapse, and will upload once I get back. Should be pretty cool. 

 

 

 

We were given a 5:15 reservation, and seated promptly. We then waited for 15 minutes before anybody else showed up. Why, you ask? Because the party of 15 who would be joining us was given a 5:30 reservation. It was waste of our time on the restaurant’s part.

 

If you noticed, I said party of 15. That’s because the two of us were seated with a family group, spreading over 2 tables. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t unhappy when I found out. I’d also be lying if I said I was unhappy with it in the end. They were wonderful. We had a great time, and they included us in their evening. I was so apprehensive about the largeness of their group ruining our night, and I could not have been more wrong. I’m so glad that we were sat with them. It would not have been the same otherwise. 

 

The Menu: You are given 2 options as far as meal. One protein or two. With the UDP, both options are included.  You can also order anything you want off the sushi menu, with those items being charged a la carte.  With a combination, we were allowed to pick any two proteins we wanted from the ones they offered. Sticking to their pre listed combos was not required. DH opted for chicken and New York strip, while I went for filet and lobster. Edamame, salad, fried rice, vegetables, and dessert are included. 

 

 

 

Edamame. 

 

 

A mountain of fried rice. 

 

 

A bowl of fried rice. 

 

 

The chicken is down. 

 

 

Steaks have been added. NY strip is for 1, and the filet is only for 3 people. 

 

 

Seafood down. That shrimp is for two people. The lobster is all mine. 

 

 

Those are all the pictures I have. With food constantly being piled on your plate, and then eaten, it’s difficult to get a good shot of your plate. 

 

Final thoughts: DELICIOUS. My steak was cooked perfectly, the lobster was perfectly tender, the chicken was just right, the rice was flavorful, the veg wasn’t crisp tender. It was a great meal. Our chef was entertaining. And it was more food than we could eat. Highly recommend giving it a try. 

[CruiseMomTX]

15 hours ago, Judyrem said:

Cruise Mom, that is a GREAT video.   I can't wait to go to Coco Cay!😁

 

Your welcome but I can't take credit for it, its not mine just sharing a great video with everyone.  Coco Cay was nice and I think a good way to have a free port day if you wanted.  The chairs & umbrellas were free, just go early for a good spot.  Your drink package works or you can just drink ice water, juice or whatever is offered in the free dispensers in the buffet areas.  The food shack and buffet were all free.  Yes its pricey for all the extras such as snorkeling, waterpark, hot air balloon, etc. but you can skip that and just relax at the beach or pool areas.

[zoepipes]

On ‎6‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 4:00 PM, cruisinfromtampa said:

150 Central Park:

 

 

The location of the restaurant in Central Park is great. It’s quite tranquil. 

 

A girl after my own heart - my husband calls me a food snob, but you've got to call it like you see it!

 

 

[bobmacliberty]

Looking forward to seeing your Izumi time lapse from your GoPro.  It's rare that you see something new on Cruise Critic but I can't recall ever seeing that before.  Should be interesting.

[DTZSCruise]

Enjoying the review

[FlowBroTy]

Great Blog So Far!!!

Edited June 28, 2019 by FlowBroTy
Wrong Word

[RazorbackIslandGirl]

Thank you for taking us along again! We're back on her in Sept. I'm loving your review!! I too am a foodie so, I appreciate your detail to dining! 

[cruisinfromtampa]

Good Morning! I failed to get caught up. Between all of the things going on, and naps, I’ve just been busy. Let’s see how far I can get today and tomorrow. Lots of free time to spare, and it’s very cathartic to get my thoughts down. 

 

We pick back up at Day 3, our first of 3 sea days. We had a very relaxing morning. After sleeping in, we went by WJ for a small breakfast. With the UDP, we get lunch on sea days, and we didn’t want to over do it. 

 

Lunch today was at Jamie’s Italian. We fell in love with Jamie’s on Navigator in March. This was our first time there for lunch. 

 

It is a limited  menu, but there is plenty to choose from. 

 

 

I got the crispy squid as my starter. It was fresh out of the fryer, piping hot, and perfectly crispy. The batter is very light, and does not overshadow the squid. The slides of garlic and peppers, plus a squirt of lemon, add to the overall flavor. It’s a great basket of calamari. So many times, at other places, it’s heavy and soggy. Not the case here. 

 

 

DH got the Tagliatelle Bolognese as his main. He’s a simple man, and this is perfect for him. The sauce is good, though not as good as mine...my tip is to render your pancetta low and slow, then use the oil from it to cook your vegetables. It layers the flavor. And then of course fresh pasta is always a win. He decided that when we come back for dinner, he wants a bowl of sauce and some bread. 

 

 

I decided to try the burger. The fries were meh at best. The burger itself was good. The patty was juicy, and nothing fancy to it. Sometimes that’s the best kind. The caramelized onions had s great flavor, and we’re actually cooked down how they should be. The mayo added a nice flavor and creaminess, and held it together. This will definitely be my go to for anytime we have lunch here. 

 

 

The bread. You get a whole basket with several different kinds, but to focaccia was our hands down favorite. Perfectly soft. My only “complaint” is that it wasn’t warm. That would have taken it over the edge. 

 

 

From lunch we journeyed to the casino for the slot pull I was running. Between our cruise critic roll call and the group on the other site, we had 67 sign up. We ended up with 61 in attendance, and had a great time. I brought little prizes and we raffled those off at the end. Though we didn’t win big, we each kept $18 of the $20 we started with. $2 for an hour of fun ain’t too shabby. 

 

The machine that let us down. 

 

[cruisinfromtampa]

I realized I skipped the end of Night 2. We went to the Fine Line show in the Aquatheater. While I’m still not entirely white what the plot was...or if there even was a plot, I was thoroughly entertained. Generally speaking, if you give me someone performing who is good at their craft, and working hard, I’m going to enjoy it. Some still shots are below. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cruisinfromtampa]

Back to Day 3...

 

After the slot pull, I took a much deserved nap. Before dinner, we went and sat on Rising Tide for a bit. It has become our go to bar on board. The bar tenders know us by name, and start making our drinks the moment we walk through the doors. They’ve been wonderful. 

 

Dinner tonight is at Wonderland! I have been wanting to eat here since I learned it existed. As I’ve made abundantly clear, I love food. And I love pushing the boundaries of what food is and can be. Peculiar flavor profiles, and unexpected things are my favorite. 

 

Our view wasn't too bad. 

 

 

When seated, you are given a picture in a frame and a paint brush.

 

 

Once you release your inner child, and “paint” to your hearts content, the menu magically appears. 

 

 

The menu is elemental, with Sun, Fire, and Ice  comprising the appetizer course(s), and Earth and Sea the entrees. Your waiter will ask about food allergies, and then they usually will pick some from each of the top 3 to bring out. We were very specific about ones we did not want, and she picked from what was left. 

 

Mad Hatter’s Purple Potted Shrimp. I could eat 20 of these. The shrimp was cooked beautifully, and was perfectly tender. The wrap was tantalizingly crispy. The foam was light and airy, and a great spark of heat from the pepper. DH doesn’t eat seafood, and I was not upset when she brought out two. 

 

 

The Bird’s Nest. They were good. I’d eat them again. But it was a simple deviled egg, just spicy. The smoke, however, is what changed the whole bite. They fill the dome with smoke, which flavors the space once it's released. You can smell it, and you can taste it. That’s what makes the dish special. 

 

 

Crispy Crab Cone. I’m not a huge avocado fan, so that was a little much for me. The crab was good, tasted fresh, and the wonton was crispy. The wasabi is a stronger hit than I was expecting, but it changed the flavor profile in a nice way. This could very easily go south, but it was a tasty bite. 

 

 

Tomato Water. This dish is pretty mind blowing. It really just looks like clear water with orange bubbles floating on top. I was apprehensive about it, simply because gazpacho is not a go to for me. I was more than pleasantly surprised. It tasted great, and it makes your mind work. 

 

 

Wonton Soup. DH got this. The broth was flavorful, and he enjoyed the wonton. The noodles were unexpected as well. On a cold day, I could have a bowl of the broth and be completely satisfied. 

 

 

Liquid Lobster. Great bite. Could eat 10. Lobster melted in your mouth. The bisque like soup was flavorful. No complaints. 

 

 

DH got the chicken, and loved it. For someone not really into food, he mentioned it multiple times. It was crispy, tender, and juicy. I enjoyed the bite I stole with the sauce that came with it. He just had the chicken and potatoes, which he also liked. 

 

 

The Rib T Luscious Short Rib. Beautifully tender. Fall apart and melt in your mouth. The sauce was a bit too salty for my palate, but DH liked it. I wanted to like the beets so badly, but I just can’t get there. I try them every few months but to no avail. They still taste like dirt. I’d order this again. 

 

 

Halibut Cooked in Clear Paper. This was the only disappointment of the night. The fish was obliterated. Completely over cooked, and barely flaking. The liquid and mushrooms on the bottom were tasty, but the fish deserved better. 

 

 

The World. Scrumptious. Delicious. Delightful. Tantalizing. Superb. I have nothing bad to say, other than I wish we had each gotten our own. Having to share was a crime against humanity. 

 

 

Forbidden Apple. Not a fan. Mousse had a nice flavor, but strange texture. Too firm. And the mound of coconut in the bottom was overpowering. Wouldn’t order again. 

 

 

I ordered peppermint tea, and the honey came in its own demitasse. Sometimes it’s the little things. 

 

 

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our evening. So much in fact, that we changed our reservation for Night 6 to come back rather than going to 150 Central Park again. I think Wonderland is a must do one time for everyone. It’s just plain fun. 

[CLE2CRUISE]

1 hour ago, cruisinfromtampa said:

Back to Day 3...

 

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our evening. So much in fact, that we changed our reservation for Night 6 to come back rather than going to 150 Central Park again. I think Wonderland is a must do one time for everyone. It’s just plain fun. 

 

WONDERFUL Review!!  Thank you so much.   I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciate you sharing the experience.  My mouth is watering for that shrimp!  Can't wait to hear about Day 6!  What other things are you looking to try?    I know what you'll be having for dessert :D

 

Thanks again!

 

Lisa N.