Hey there! You may have noticed that I took two weeks off from blogging! I’ve had this post written for a couple weeks now but found myself subbing so many classes I haven’t had much time to edit. It’s important to protect your energy and mental health, so I’m proud of myself for recognizing that I needed a break. I’m officially back to weekly posting! Thanks for sticking around.
This week’s post is all about my experience on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship (currently). If you’re interested in hearing my thoughts on the ship, continue reading. This is a longer post, so I’ve included links here in case you want to jump to specific sections:
The ship is so huge and has so much to offer that I can’t possibly talk about all of it, but here were some of my favorite areas: The Boardwalk is right by the aqua theater and is such a cool place, especially at night. You really get the feel of a carnival here. There’s a candy shop and hot dog stand, as well as a carousel! Playmakers sports bar is located here as well.
Central Park is a nice area where you can walk around and feel like you’re outdoors in your favorite city park. There are real plants and trees and lots of benches to sit down and relax. Central Park 150, one of the specialty restaurants, is located here. I didn’t try it, but the people in my party who did really enjoyed it. Park Cafe is here as well.
I was super impressed by the gym and spa. I didn’t get any spa treatments but it smelled amazing and looked very clean. The spa leads into the gym and also sells healthy shakes/smoothies. I worked out a couple times at the gym and couldn’t believe how much equipment there was! TRX, weights, cardio equipment, you name it. Plus, it was so spacious!
I spent time in the Solarium every day of the cruise! The Solarium is for people ages 16 and up, so it’s a nice escape from some of the other pool/lounging areas where there are typically lots of kids throughout the day. There are pools, hot tubs, a bar, and plenty of places to catch some sun. In my opinion, the Solarium is one of the most aesthetically pleasing locations on the ship.
Would you believe that we only got to try one waterslide? There are several on the ship, but we just spent time doing so many other activities that we didn’t get a chance to try them all. The line moved quickly and the slide was really fun! There is also Flowriding (simulated surfing) and ziplining, which we unfortunately didn’t get a chance to try either. Somehow, even with over 6,000 passengers on board, the ship usually didn’t feel crowded. The Windjammer got a bit chaotic at times, but we never had issues finding chairs by the pool. We found ourselves at the karaoke bar most nights. They hosted some fun games and had lots of open karaoke. We did plenty of people watching and two of us even got up and did karaoke! This was a really popular place at night and we did find it difficult to get seating. If you plan to hang out there at night, get there EARLY to claim a spot!
I ended up doing the Beach Break excursion through Royal Caribbean. It cost $43 a person and since we had some onboard credit, it seemed pretty reasonable. The excursion took us to Cockleshell Bay, a beach located in an upscale residential area. The drive was incredibly scenic and we saw some amazing views. It’s a drastic difference from what you’ll see near the port! On the way, your driver may stop and let you out to take photos at a mountain. It’s absolutely gorgeous - be sure to get pictures! But stay away from the guy with the monkey. He’ll charge you $20 to take a picture on YOUR cell phone with the monkey. Plus, the monkey was really angry and was running all over us. Not a good feeling when it’s an animal that has long nails.
The “welcome drink” you get upon arrival is a cup of juice. If you’re expecting an alcoholic beverage, sorry to burst your bubble! The beach, although not the most gorgeous beach I’ve seen, was nice. You’re provided with umbrella chairs which is great! No food is included with this excursion. My mom got a massage from one of the women selling them on the beach and didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t get one, but based on her experience I wouldn’t waste your money. You don’t really get much time at the beach, but I was ready to get back on the ship when it was time to go anyway. Overall, it was a nice and relaxing couple of hours at the beach.
If Atlantis excursions aren’t in your budget but you want a nice beach day, you might want to consider one of the free beaches in Nassau. I haven’t been to any, but I’ve seen many people have great experiences opting for that over an expensive excursion.
1977, the ice skating show, was so fun. A couple skaters fell down, but the costumes and stunts were great. The show takes you through a bunch of different time periods and cultures, so you get some awesome music and dancing!
Flight was another one of my favorites. There were parts that make you laugh and cry, and the finale is something you should NOT miss. The comedy show was hilarious. We laughed to the point of tears. I honestly don’t remember the name of the main comedian, but he was pretty funny. The opener, Simeon Kirkiles, was SO funny. I don’t know how he wasn’t the headliner! The music on this ship was so much better than on my last cruise! There are always live bands performing by the pool throughout the day which is really nice. The Silent Party was really packed and lots of fun, as well as the all white party at the Solarium. Royal Caribbean does a great job with activities programming, and there was stuff to do all day and all night. We had several different ages in our party, and everyone found stuff they enjoyed doing! Trivia, sports tournaments, competitions, outdoor Zumba, game shows...The list goes on! Make sure you don’t miss the Love & Marriage game show - it’s hilarious (but not appropriate for kids!).
My other favorite was, of course, lobster night. Lobster is one of my favorite things to eat, so when I heard the MDR does a lobster night at no additional cost, I knew I had to be there! They were some of the best lobster tails I’ve had, especially with the butter on top. Be sure to ask your waiters what night lobster night will be on your cruise. Portions at the Main Dining Room tend to be on the smaller side (with the exception of the jerk chicken, which came with a lot of food). But don’t worry - as with all Royal ships, you can always ask for a second appetizer/entree/dessert at no extra cost.
I ate dinner two nights in the Windjammer and was seriously blown away by the number of options and how delicious everything was! From soul food to Jamaican to Indian to Korean to American to Italian and more, there was something for everyone. And the desserts… Unreal. So many different types of cakes, pastries, cookies, and brownies. Try dinner in the Windjammer at least one night!
For late night snacks, Sorrento’s, the pizza restaurant, is open until 3am. The pizza is good enough (nothing special) and nice when you’ve had a long day/night! They also serve some appetizers. There’s a hot dog stand on the Boardwalk open during the day, but we never had a chance to try it!
I tried two specialty restaurants on this cruise: Solarium Bistro and Wonderland. Apparently a lot of people don’t know that Solarium Bistro is a FREE specialty restaurant. It’s Mediterranean-inspired food and it’s delicious. You do need a reservation, so just be sure to book ahead of time. We decided to book here for the first night of the cruise to avoid some of the crowding we expected at other places. We were the only party there and received excellent service. The salmon was perfect and the desserts were unique and crazy good! If spending extra on dining isn’t in your budget but you still want a specialty dining experience, Solarium Bistro is the perfect option! Wonderland is the dining experience of a lifetime and I highly recommend eating here if you can. Make reservations early because it’s sure to book up quickly. Wonderland is a specialty restaurant inspired by Alice in Wonderland, and each course is inspired by one of the elements. I won’t spoil all of the experience for you, but this was the most impressively unique food I’ve ever tried.
To be honest, I’m scared to try any cruise line other than Royal mainly because I don’t want to be disappointed by the food. Imagine being stuck at sea for 7 days with food you don’t like! While the ship had plenty of premium dining options, the free options were still outstanding.
Monday
Taught barre class (sub for another barre instructor)
Tuesday Taught barre class Barbell class
Wednesday CrossFit
Thursday Taught barre class Glute session
Friday CrossFit
Saturday Taught barre class Sunday Rest day Have you cruised before? Have you been on Symphony of the Seas or any other Royal Caribbean ships? Do you have any upcoming summer trips? Did you reach your exercise goals last week? Let’s chat in the comments!
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AuthorDominique Cheylise, 27 year-old engineer and group fitness instructor. Archives
August 2021
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