Live Cruising Review Symphony of the Seas 3/12/2022 - 3/19/2022 Plenty of Pictures!!!

[ScoobyGal]

12 hours ago, BennyBrun said:

I checked with the entertainment team and I was told he should be here through May because he signed on two months ago.

Thanks so much for checking into it for us!  We've heard good things about Dennis.  I really appreciate your wonderful review.  Safe travels home.

[luvcruzing]

Benny, another great virtual cruise for me. Thank you for taking us along and for the visual aids.  It was a lot of fun. Have a safe trip home. Until next time . . . 

[TexasRon]

I have been lazy while following these reports--I did not log in on my phone reading them during my down time after knee replacement surgery...only because I did not remember the password.

 

Anyway, I want to thank you for the wonderful virtual cruises you have taken us on recently.  I have enjoyed the pictures and the wealth of information you share.  Looking forward to the next one!

[BennyBrun]

4 hours ago, perfect match said:

Lol! On my artificial hips and knees I swim far better than I walk! 🤣. At least now with the replacement parts I can walk well enough to get myself and all my dive gear from the ship to the dive boat and back. That plus a few hours of swimming under all that water allows me to work up plenty of appetite! 
 

If DH and I ever meet you, I’ll send him off walking with you while I’m underwater. He likes to walk as much as you seem to. 
 

I want to go to Wonderland for one reason only. I want that dessert! The World! I’m a very boring eater normally, so most of their other offerings either don’t appeal to me or I’m allergic to them. 
 

I’m sorry to see this virtual cruise coming to an end. Thank you for taking all of us along with you. I’ll be looking for you in a couple of weeks on Celebrity. Please post a link here so we can find you. 🛳
 

I think the desserts alone are worth the experience if you can try all of them 😂.  A virtual cruise must end so another can begin!  Thank you for coming along and see you on the Celebrity Edge cruise on 4/3!!!

[BennyBrun]

Day 8 Debarkation Day.

 

They want you off the ship EARLY for airport transfers.  Wow!  So I decided to skip breakfast and sleep in as late as possible and walk off!  I was out of my state room by 7AM.

[BennyBrun]

Day 8 Debarkation Day

 

They are parading you out and through the Royal Theater to exit today.  This was a first.  A little longer but I guess it has more space for que.

[mac_tlc]

23 minutes ago, BennyBrun said:

I think the desserts alone are worth the experience if you can try all of them 😂.  A virtual cruise must end so another can begin!  Thank you for coming along and see you on the Celebrity Edge cruise on 4/3!!!

We will be getting off the Edge when you get on! Plus I think we are both on the 5/1 Oasis????
 

mac_tlc

[odie1024]

@BennyBrun, you have me hooked. I cannot wait to book a cruise on Symphony. Prior to reading your review I was going to book an Oasis class out of Jersey since we are not that far from there. But, I am thinking it has to be Symphony first and we won't do less than 2 weeks at a time so will have to figure it out for early next year. BF thought he would never get on a cruise ship prior to meeting me and now he can't wait. His first was Alaska Sept. 2019, Bermuda Oct. 2021 and then 2 weeks on the Epic Feb. 2022. Our next is a 15 day cruisetour with Princess this June. 

 

Look forward to your next review, I have not cruised Celebrity in about 25 years so anything like this review I will be ready to get on that cruise line after RC. Meanwhile I am fitting in land trips with the girls. So happy I am retired and have the ability to travel.

 

Safe travels home and thanks for the terrific review.

[mac_tlc]

On 3/17/2022 at 9:56 PM, BennyBrun said:

You are falling behind on your most important priority 😝.  Cozumel is a great place to dive, to snorkel and play on the beach but it’s also great on foot!  It works up a good appetite!!!

 

I am glad you can virtually visit hook!!  It is a great place for seafood!

 

I loved it so much I went back for the third showing at night.  The two day time shows were so hot that I could not sit through the entirety!  Best aqua show ever followed by Aqua 80s.

Interesting take on Hiro. My wife and I disliked it a lot. Way to much loud, banging and jumping —- not enough diving and use of the aqua part of the theatre. Maybe we need to give it another try…..
 

We loved Aqua80 the best of all the aqua shows we have seen. 
 

mac_tlc

[BennyBrun]

7 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

We will be getting off the Edge when you get on! Plus I think we are both on the 5/1 Oasis????
 

mac_tlc

I like your cruising schedule selection!!  I am on The Oasis of the Seas 5/1 for the first sailing out of Bayonne NJ where I can just Uber on over!

[mac_tlc]

1 minute ago, BennyBrun said:

I like your cruising schedule selection!!  I am on The Oasis of the Seas 5/1 for the first sailing out of Bayonne NJ where I can just Uber on over!

“See” you on board! We are in CT and about 90 minutes from the port in NJ.

 

mac_tlc

[mac_tlc]

14 hours ago, BennyBrun said:

I checked with the entertainment team and I was told he should be here through May because he signed on two months ago.

Had Dennis on Oasis last fall. He is a great singer and did a wonderful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner at the veterans ceremony. Great voice.

 

mac_tlc

[BennyBrun]

1 hour ago, mac_tlc said:

Interesting take on Hiro. My wife and I disliked it a lot. Way to much loud, banging and jumping —- not enough diving and use of the aqua part of the theatre. Maybe we need to give it another try…..
 

We loved Aqua80 the best of all the aqua shows we have seen. 
 

mac_tlc

Give it another try.. it is different… I liked it best out of all the aqua shows!

[BennyBrun]

1 hour ago, mac_tlc said:

“See” you on board! We are in CT and about 90 minutes from the port in NJ.

 

mac_tlc

Definitely and remember checkin in opened up so check in now!

[BennyBrun]

58 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

Had Dennis on Oasis last fall. He is a great singer and did a wonderful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner at the veterans ceremony. Great voice.

 

mac_tlc

He is fantastic… best Royal CD so far!  Unfortunately he will be singing off around May or June so no chance he will be on Oasis!

[BennyBrun]

1 hour ago, odie1024 said:

@BennyBrun, you have me hooked. I cannot wait to book a cruise on Symphony. Prior to reading your review I was going to book an Oasis class out of Jersey since we are not that far from there. But, I am thinking it has to be Symphony first and we won't do less than 2 weeks at a time so will have to figure it out for early next year. BF thought he would never get on a cruise ship prior to meeting me and now he can't wait. His first was Alaska Sept. 2019, Bermuda Oct. 2021 and then 2 weeks on the Epic Feb. 2022. Our next is a 15 day cruisetour with Princess this June. 

 

Look forward to your next review, I have not cruised Celebrity in about 25 years so anything like this review I will be ready to get on that cruise line after RC. Meanwhile I am fitting in land trips with the girls. So happy I am retired and have the ability to travel.

 

Safe travels home and thanks for the terrific review.

Thank you so much!!  Oasis of the Seas is a great ship it has a lot to offer but the lack of Wonderland / Hooked makes UDP less valuable and less variety to rotate around.  The complimentary dinning is the best on all the Oasis Class ships I have been on.   Symphony on the other hand is my favorite Oasis Class ship overall and I think it provides the best value right now (Wonder’s pricing is a bit high and we all know why).

 

Enjoy your retirement and remember…  if not now then when… Hopefully you will give Celebrity a try because that truly is a relaxing cruise vacation!  I get a little bit of the sad to leave feeling on Celebrity because the service on that ship is incredible compared to Royal.

[BennyBrun]

Day 8

 

After being on the Wonder for a week and then Symphony for a week and Oasis last month for two weeks I have to say post COVID I like Symphony the best.  It provides real value for your $ but expect more families more teens and more kids crowd especially during vacation/summer time.  You have all the specialty dinning options except Mason Jar / Portside BBQ but you really won’t miss them.  The entertainment (subject to change) onboard was amazing even without HairSpray.  Yes it would have been nice to see it but they offered so many different shows that I was never bored.  Wonder of the Seas is a beautiful ship and everything is spanking new and very colorful.  However I don’t think it is providing value for your $ right now due to the higher than normal ( other Oasis class ships) fare for obvious reasons.  Once the price comes down to the usual level then it will be better value to the $.  The entertainment onboard the Wonder was great but nothing spectacular or totally unique that it really stands out.  So if you are deciding between the Oasis Class ships I say Symphony is a good bet. 

[tinkertwo]

On 3/12/2022 at 8:14 PM, BennyBrun said:

Day 1 Izumi Snack

 

My custom plate …

Can you get take out for this?  Would love to grab some sushi but would like to enjoy it on our balcony.  

[Stratford1950]

Hi Benny I’ve really enjoyed following you on your live blogs for the past month or so. My favourite Oasis class ship is the Allure…possibly because it was the first ship my wife and I ever cruised on in 2012.

We are sailing on the Celebrity Equinox April 24 for 12 nights which will be our first cruise since February 2020 when the gift that keeps on giving changed everything.

I’m wondering, have you ever been on the Equinox and if so, do you have any suggestions regarding what to do or see?

Thanks for the entertain blogs!

[fofita01]

Benny,

Thanks for taking the time to post a great pictorial live review. I thoroughly enjoyed it - so much so that I mostly read it in one sitting - I just booked the Symphony on Thursday evening and I read your review shortly afterwards. The timing couldn’t have been better.

 

This will be my first time cruising on Royal, but I’ve done 24 other Carnival cruises, so I’m so excited for something different.

 

I have a question for you (or anyone who may know on this thread):

I HATE checking my luggage, so I typically only do carry-on size for flights if at all possible. On Carnival I just bring my larger (checked size) bag with me through the terminal security checkpoint and it fits perfectly through the x-ray machine. I have looked on the Royal website FAQs and asked a rep, but cannot find the answer…. Do you know if the X-ray machines in Royal’s terminal at PortMiami are “larger” that can fit a large bag (like the size you’d check for a flight) or if they’re like the airport ones that can only fit a carry-on size bag?

 

Thanks in advance, and safe travels back to NJ!

[jk131313]

Thank you for this post...we got on the Symphony today after you got off. Your info will be very helpful all week

[FionaMG]

Thanks for the review Benny. It's been great. Safe travels home. 

[mac_tlc]

3 hours ago, BennyBrun said:

Definitely and remember checkin in opened up so check in now!

Thanks fort the heads up !!! A couple days ago when I checked, the app said check in didn't start until 3/22. Just finished it for the wife and I and got an 11:30 time. Looks like we will be pulling out of the driveway about 9:30!!

 

mac_tlc

[mac_tlc]

1 hour ago, Stratford1950 said:

Hi Benny I’ve really enjoyed following you on your live blogs for the past month or so. My favourite Oasis class ship is the Allure…possibly because it was the first ship my wife and I ever cruised on in 2012.

We are sailing on the Celebrity Equinox April 24 for 12 nights which will be our first cruise since February 2020 when the gift that keeps on giving changed everything.

I’m wondering, have you ever been on the Equinox and if so, do you have any suggestions regarding what to do or see?

Thanks for the entertain blogs!

Don't want to hijack Benny's thread, but we were on the Equinox in January 2020 -- before that gift arrived. One thing we love on Celebrity, if they have it, is the "Beyond the Podium" speaker series. Check your app when it gets closer to see if they have one on your sailing. They are usually very interesting and are 45 minute talks , usually on Sea Days, so they will have a few sessions. 

 

Don't know what cabin category you have, but, regardless, we enjoy Tuscan Grill. It's at the aft of the ship and if you dine early before it gets dark, its a great view. Food is very subjective but we like the Oceanview Cafe on Celebrity more than the Windjammer. 

 

We also spent a lot of time on the lawn. It's a unique feature of the "S" class ships and one of only a couple that still have the glass blowing setup. 

 

We were in a suite and loved Luminae, the suite restaurant. The suite sundeck is not too impressive. They were added to the S class ships so they lack any water feature and a dedicated bar. Lots of loungers, though. No direct elevator access, so you need to climb a flight of stairs to get there. 

 

mac_tlc

[Stratford1950]

Thanks for the suggestions…we are in a veranda/balcony cabin and if the Tuscan Grill is available that sounds like a good option 🧐