South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Family fun hits high note on new cruise ship
Symphony of the Seas sailing out of Miami
Symphony of the Seas, now sailing out of Miami, shows off what Royal Caribbean does best: true family vacations.
The Miami-based cruise line’s newest and biggest ship, measuring 238 feet tall and 1,188 feet long, hits plenty of high notes. Like all of the Oasis class ships, it has seven neighborhoods, which provide plenty of space for its 5,518 guests (based on double occupancy).
Much of the entertainment, dining and adventures the ship offers are designed for kids and adults to enjoy together — from the incredible “Flight… Dare to Dream” stage show and the jaw-dropping “HiRO” in the AquaTheater, to the piano staircase and the kids’ menu at the Wonderland dining experience.
The Symphony of the Seas is also the only Royal Caribbean ship with an Ultimate Family Suite, which brings the party inside with a two-story slide, Lego wall, multi-level climber, private whirlpool and more.
The family focus doesn’t mean the ship is any less fun for adults without kids, and Symphony does have the adult-only Solarium on the front of the ship for those truly wanting to get away. But for families looking to experience a vacation together, rather than tucking the kids away in the kids club every day, the Symphony of the Seas is pitchperfect.
The thrills
The family that plays together stays together, especially when there are plenty of photo opportunities along the way. On the top decks at the rear of the ship, families of all ages can enjoy a nautical-themed mini-golf course, table tennis and a sports court for basketball and soccer. For those who meet height requirements, there is also a zip line over the Boardwalk nine stories below, two FlowRider surfing simulators and the Ultimate Abyss – a 10-story slide that is the tallest slide at sea.
The Perfect Storm is a trio of water slides near the front of the ship that includes side-by-side racers and a slide that empties into a bowl, which riders
can circle several times (depending on their size and weight) before dropping down a final slide into the splashdown lane.
In between are four pools, numerous hot tubs and SplashAway Bay splash pads and slides for younger cruisers. On Symphony of the Seas, each pool and splash pad (but not whirlpools) on the main pool deck has a designated lifeguard to keep an extra eye on your little ones.
Inside the ship is more fun for families, including two arcades, an “Escape the Rubicon” escape room experience (extra fee applies), the Boardwalk carousel and kids multilevel climber, two rock-climbing walls, a glow-in-the-dark “Battle for Planet Z” laser tag and an ice skating rink.
The piano staircase leading up to the Windjammer buffet is a highlight, lighting up and playing the the next note in a song with every step.
The chills
Not all of the family entertainment involves an adrenaline rush. Families can also sit back and enjoy themselves together with an “Anchors Aweigh” parade, battle and celebration along the Royal Promenade on ship days.
If the kids can manage to stay awake, they can experience the balloon drop at midnight on the Promenade on the first day of every cruise, which is a treat for partygoers of all ages.
Symphony of the Seas also offers free Adventure Art – including exclusive Royal Caribbean Muffalo Potato! art sessions that teach all ages to draw using numbers and letters – and the Adventure Science Lab, which allows kids and families to try hands-on experiments. Free dance lessons and jewelry making are also offered, and Symphony has dive-in movies on the pool deck on select evenings.
For a fee, families can also take cupcake, sushimaking and other culinary classes, but sign up early, because such offerings tend to fill up.
The shows
Cruise ship entertainment often appeals to a much older crowd or isn’t family friendly. But Royal Caribbean’s Symphony original productions include great music and even better execution.
Even the safety video shown during the mandatory muster drill before the ship set sail is entertaining. The “Mission Impossible”type film delivers important information in the guise of a spy caper.
In the Royal Theater, the Broadway production of “Hairspray” shares top billing with a Royal Caribbean original, “Flight… Dare to Dream,” which covers human flight from future space travel back to the invention of the airplane. The show includes songs by Sara Bareilles, Michael Jackson, Marilyn Manson, Shakira and many others, and a tribute to the fallen heroes who have contributed to advances in flight. The show ends with a portrayal of the Wright brothers’ first flight that had the audience on its feet.
The reaction to the AquaTheater show “HiRO” was much the same. Powerful drums, beautiful and expressive aerial dancing, synchronized swimming, balancing acts, choreographed battles and high diving drew gasps and cheers throughout the show.
Great music is a theme on Symphony that continues in the ice show “1977.” A fleet of drones does the introduction in a scene that is perfect for the time-traveling theme of the show. When the skating begins, the costumes, choreography and execution are excellent, and the small Studio B venue
brings the action close.
There are other water and ice shows, AquaNation and iSkate, both of which highly recommended, but they were not featured on the short Miami introduction cruise I was on.
The dining
Royal Caribbean isn’t known for great food, but the specialty restaurants on Symphony break that mold.
The most whimsical of the offerings, Wonderland, re-creates a tea party with small plates of imaginative fusion fare, such as Liquid Lobster, Mad Hatter’s Purple Potted Shrimp and Crispy Crab Cones.
It doesn’t sound like the place for kids, but Wonderland approaches its kids menu with as much whimsy as its adult menu. The macaroni and cheese comes in fried pasta tubes filled with cheese, and the organic popcorn chicken is served in edible paper that my daughter loved. Both come with special sauces such as Alice’s ketchup, banana ketchup and honey mustard.
Presentation is key at Wonderland, with top marks going to The Bird’s Nest (an edible nest and eggs served under glass filled with smoke) and the chocolate ball dessert that is melted to reveal a variety of mousses.
Wonderland has chairs with bunny ears and a
menu that must be painted with water-dipped paintbrushes to read it. Occasional visits from the Mad Hatter round out the experience, making Wonderland my daughter’s favorite dining experience – even above the ice cream machine that squeezes out free ice cream from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Deck 15.
Playmakers was our second-favorite specialty dining, with cheese-topped fries, cheese-and-bacontopped sliders and wonderfully saucy chicken wings. Other specialty options include Hooked seafood restaurant, Izumi hibachi grill, Chops Grille, 150 Central Park and Jaime’s Italian.
My favorite casual eateries don’t involve extra fees – Park Café, with its made-to-order paninis and salads and a well-stocked dessert display – and El Loco Fresh, a Mexican eatery with a tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, tres leches and an impressive salsa bar.
The kids club
Royal Caribbean’s award-winning Adventure Ocean program is free until
10 p.m. for potty-trained kids ages 3 and up, and
$6-$8 an hour for ages 6 months to 3. Late-night hours until 2 a.m. are $7 per hour, giving parents an after-hours option for seeing shows or enjoying other nightlife. Programming is offered daily for ages Aquanauts (3-5), Explorers (6-8) and Voyagers (9-11), plus there are preteen and teen spaces and activities.
To protect children with food allergies, no food is allowed in the Aquanauts, Explorers and Voyagers areas.
Art and science programming is included in the kids club, as well as special events such as talent shows, and parents can rent toys for their rooms through the Toy Landing program.
The suites
Like many other new ships, Symphony of the Seas offers a special suite class, complete with larger rooms and exclusive amenities, such as a sun deck and restaurant accessible only to suite guests. Each suite has a Royal Genie, like a personal butler who can help plan experiences and exclusive tours, restock your favorites inside your room, and escort you on and off the ship.
The Ultimate Family Suite is not the largest of these exclusive accommodations, but it is the most fun. The suite sleeps eight and includes a video game station with a Switch, XBox and PlayStation; air hockey and table tennis; a Lego wall; a whirlpool and a multilevel climber on the balcony; a slide from the kids room on the second floor to the first floor; a secret hatch in the door to the second bedroom; two full baths; a popcorn machine; and lots of fun seating, including several nooks under the stairs.
Packing advice
If you’re planning to sail on Symphony of the Seas or Harmony of the Seas, be aware of the ride restrictions.
Tank tops and shorter shorts and skirts are not allowed on the Ultimate Abyss slide, and the minimum height is 44 inches. Riders are not allowed to carry anything that does not fit in a pocket. You also can’t ride wet.
The rules are good ones: I saw skinned knees and skinned shoulders on riders who had slipped on their sides inside the slide, even on those with covered shoulders. So pack a thicker shirt and longer shorts or jeans for your slide. Long pants are also required for ice skating.
Shorts and sneakers or socks are required for the zip line — no skirts or flipflops allowed.
The height requirement for the FlowRider and zip line is 52 inches, and the Perfect Storm water slides have a minimum of 48 inches, so prepare your kids for disappointment if they don’t meet those heights. They can always slide on the SplashAway Bay slides.
Finally, be aware that although you are cruising the Caribbean on Symphony of the Seas, you’ll likely be inside for most of the evening, and the ship can get cold, especially for kids with hair still wet from a shower. Pack light jackets to keep the chill away.
If you go
Symphony of the Seas will sail the Caribbean year-round out of Miami and select cruises will include “Perfect Day at Coco Cay,” Royal Caribbean’s planned private island and water park, which is scheduled to open in May. The ship docks at the new Royal Caribbean Terminal at the Port of Miami, and several elements — including the Royal Caribbean app that allows passengers to upload photo and passport information before they travel — speed up the boarding and disembarkation process.
Get more information and prices at royal caribbean.com.