Inside Symphony of the Seas: The World’s Largest Cruise Ship

A couple months ago, I was invited to attend the Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas inaugural sail from Miami to the Bahamas. Symphony of the Seas is the newest ship within the Royal Caribbean Oasis fleet, but it’s also the world’s LARGEST cruise ship! This ship originally set sail in Europe, but our trip was the first sail in the US – and it was such an exciting experience!

Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to sail with Royal Caribbean on a variety different trips through the Caribbean and Mexico, as well as through the Mediterranean to Turkey, Greece, and Italy. What I love about traveling with Royal Caribbean is how every trip can be so different. My first trip was based on adventure with lots of ziplining, four-wheeling, indoor skydiving – whereas my Mediterranean cruise was more about cultural experiences, touring, shopping, and dining. This trip was so much fun because it was all about enjoying the ship, having fun with new friends, watching the shows, and more!

Symphony of the Seas was such a unique experience – and while it holds over 5,500 passengers – the 18-deck ship is so expansive and never feels crowded! With over 12 different restaurants, 23 dining venues, 25 pools, 42 bars and lounges, 7 different neighborhoods, and over 20,000 tropical plants, it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of the ocean!

WHO I TRAVELED WITH:

While it may seem weird to travel solo, these are usually some of my favorite trips! Thanks to the joys of social media, I was able to connect with some girls that were also invited to sail! I had met Emily at the rewardStyle Conference in 2014 in Dallas (love her) and we sailed together on Harmony of the Seas in 2016, so I was super excited to hear she was coming on this adventure too!!

​​​​​​​I also connected with Lauren Elyce on Facebook a week before the trip and planned to meet up! She brought her friend Sarah Lampley, so the four of us + Emily’s husband (such a trooper for hanging with all the girls!) instantly clicked and spent the whole trip together! The trip wouldn’t have been the same without them, and hope to travel together again soon!!

DINING:

If you’ve ever been on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you know how GOOD the food is. With so many dining options from casual to fine dining, you can definitely satisfy your palate while you sail! My favorites were: Jamie’s Italian, Wonderland, Izumi, Chops, and Sorrento’s Pizza – because let’s be real, grabbing a slice of NY pizza whenever you want is pretty awesome.

THINGS TO DO:

What makes the ship so fun is how you can find something for everyone! If you’re into action, the ship offers zip lining, two 40-foot rock climbing walls, a 10-story slide, indoor ice skating, surf simulators, and more! If you’re more into relaxing, the solarium is an adults-only pool area where you can grab cocktails, read, and watch the sunset!

The ship also offers a wide variety of shows – and the water show is absolutely phenomenal! Imagine Cirque du Soleil in the middle of the ocean! The ship also features plenty of nightlife options such as a comedy club, latin club, dance club, robotic bar, and much more! We had so much fun – and while we called it early nights during our trip, the nightclubs were so fun and lively every night!

I also recommend booking an appointment in the spa while you travel – trust me, it’s worth it!

ACCOMODATIONS:

The rooms on the ship are really spacious with a king bed, pull out couch, desk/vanity, and large patio – which is my favorite part! Waking up to views of the ocean is so peaceful! What I learned on my first cruise is the bathrooms in state rooms are pretty small, but the spacious rooms make up the difference!

Whether you’re a frequent cruiser or you’ve never sailed, the Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas is an incredible ship everyone needs to experience! It offers something for everyone, and you can tailor your itinerary to accomodate any interest. Check out my video above to see more of the ship and keep scrolling to see more photos from my trip!

While this post was in partnership with Royal Caribbean, the opinions expressed are my own.

PC: SBW-Photo