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Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas Review

I love cruising and it has been a pleasure to watch the return to cruise throughout 2022.  You are welcome to board your favorite cruise line or try it out for the first time. Guru Travel has been actively cruising since the return to cruise.

My husband and I took an 8-night Southern Caribbean Sailing ourt of Fort Lauderdale, Florida in March 2022 with stops to Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Aruba and Curacao . We LOVED our experience and cannot wait to take our teen boys and adult daughter on a sailing sometime soon. Royal Caribbean is a wonderful option for family fun, especially families with tween and teen kids.

Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas is the newest Quantum Ultra Class ship.  The Odyssey is saling  now from Fort Lauderdale — and from Rome starting May 2022. We flew into Miami Airport because the air was a lower cost by quite a bit. It was very eay for us to find a cab to take us to our hotel at the Hilton Marina, Fort Lauderdale. The Hilton Marina is super convienent to the Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port, almost everyone there was headed out on a cruise. The hotel was under construction at the time, for what we paid for the night I would have preferred to stay a little further and save money as I felt it was overpriced for what was offered.

Before sailing, you will need to download the Royal Caribbean app and check in to your cruise. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Your phone
  • You’ll need to be ready to take a picture of yourself and upload it. Each passenger will need to do this.

During this step you will also select your port arrival time. Print your SeaPass and also make sure you have access to it on your phone.

When you arrive at the port you will need the following with you:

  • SeaPass (on your phone but I also print it out)
  • Passport

Many people were not prepared and had to step aside, we were ready and it was a breeze. One you board you can go to your stateroom, your keys will be at your door. Luggage took quite a but to get to our room so make sure you have a day bag.

Activities

The reason a cruise appeals to so many different people is because of the plethora of activities that are offered on board. I talk to people who have never cruised before and they are worried about getting board. Believe me, you won’t! No matter who you are, there is something for you to do. There are plenty of complementary activities on board but there are some which are offered at an additional fee which I will indicate below.

Seaplex-Included

The largest indoor active space at sea is also the most revolutionary. The Seaplex offers a full-size basketball court, and bumper cars at sea, an Xbox Lounge, table tennis, arcade games and more. You can expect to pay extra for the arcade games in this area. You can purchase a credit amount on your Cruise Planner for a discount prior to your sailing.

FlowRider-Included

The surf’s always up on the 40-foot-long FlowRider surf simulator. Private lessons will be offered for a fee.

RESTRICTIONS
Boogie board height requirement: 52 inches, stand up 58 inches

You can reserve your time in your cruise planner.

Table Tennis-Included

Virtual Adventure Zone-$

Welcome to Virtual Adventure Zone. The first fully immersive 4D virtual reality experience at sea transports you to dimensions you never dreamed existed. Untethered, you’re free to roam, explore, and physically interact with the environment around you. Your adventure begins at the interdimensional headquarters known as Zone Zero. So gear up and get ready, this is an all-new adventure unlike anything on this planet—or any other. You’ll need teamwork to unlock the secrets of this dimension, defeat evil hordes and complete your mission. If you’ve got what it takes, you’ll save our reality and every other world with it. Only on Royal Caribbean® —debuting on the new Odyssey of the Seas℠.

RESTRICTIONS
Must be 13 years or older to participate

Ripcord by IFLY-Included on port days there is a fee on sail days. 

The wind in your face, no ground beneath your feet and the adrenaline pumping as you float weightless in the air — there’s no rush in the world like skydiving. On the RipCord® by iFLY® simulator you can feel the freedom of freefall without even leaving the deck. Time to let your spirit soar.

RESTRICTIONS

Must be 3 years old, weight less than 230 lbs. if shorter than 6’ or less than 250 lbs. if 6’ and taller.

HOW TO RESERVE

Cruise Planner or Onboard

FEES MAY APPLY

Fees apply on sailings departing from UK, CHINA, SINGAPORE, CARIBBEAN, and ALASKA. Prices are subject to change.

Pools-Included

RESTRICTIONS
Potty Trained is required. Children can not be wearing a diaper.

Laser Tag:CLASH FOR THE CRYSTAL CITY℠

Eons in the future, Earth is an unforgiving place. The sun has burned out, casting the solar system into an endless winter night. Mankind long since evacuated and two lifeforms remain in the frozen wasteland — the Yetis, mountain beasts who evolved into highly intelligent beings. And the Snowshifters, mysterious creatures once able to assume any form. After millennia without light, both clans are on the brink of extinction. Unless one can claim a mythical ice city and its sustaining innerlight in the latest glow-in-the-dark laser tag faceoff: Clash for the Crystal City℠.

RESTRICTIONS

Must be at least 5 years and 40 inches tall

 

HOW TO RESERVE

Cruise Planner, Onboard box office

NOTE

Closed toe shoes are required

Rock Climbing Wall -Included

The view alone is worth every step. Climb forty feet above deck on the signature Rock Climbing Wall, where everyone from beginners to speed climbers can strap in and go vertical. With no reservation required at this complimentary activity, you could visit the view again and again.

RESTRICTIONS

6 years old

Sky Pad-Included

Hop into the Sky Pad® for an out-of-this-world bungee trampoline experience. Strap in, put on your virtual reality headset and get transported to another time, place, or planet. Whether you’re smashing candies in a sugar-coated world or traveling light years into the future, your virtual adventure will launch you high into the stratosphere and let your imagination soar.

RESTRICTIONS

Must be 5 years old to jump and 7 years old to jump with VR set and weight minimum 20 lbs. minimum – 240 lbs. maximum

HOW TO RESERVE

Cruise Planner or Onboard

North Star-Included on port days there is a fee on sail days. 

Leave it to Royal Caribbean® to raise the bar on adventure. North Star® elevates you high above the ship for unrivaled 360-degree views of the world as you wander. Just step into the observation capsule — winner of the Guinness World Record for tallest viewing deck on a cruise ship — and take in views of the ocean, ship, and some of the world’s most incredible shores from over 300 feet above sea level.

RESTRICTIONS
Must be at least 42 inches tall or 48 to ride alone and weight a maximum of 300 lbs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stateroom

People used to say that their room is just a place to crash. Those days are gone and hoteliers and cruise companies know this. It is important to know what is important to you when you travel. For example, we like space to unpack and hide our luggage. We also love the option to go out on our balcony and stream movies in our room. Royal Caribbean filled both requests in our amazing Balcony Stateroom on deck 12. Our favorite thing was being able to enjoy our day, eat a nice meal, go out for a drink and show, then reture back to our stateroom to binge our favorite show. We know this is something we value so I planned our trip accordingly. The nice thing about Royal Caribbean is there’s a stateroom for everyone.

Features

  • The bedding requested put together created a king bed. I will say, this was not as comfortable as I had hopped for. We requested extra, extra pillows to help with this.
  • We had the Zoom internet package which was amazing!! Worked like a charm so I could do some work and also stream our shows.
  • There’s two armoires for our clothes but not a ton of space for folded clothes if we had a thrid person in our stateroom. For the two of us, it worked great.
  • The bathroom includes shampoo/conditioner combo aka bring your own, and body wash. In addition, you will get a bar of soap to wash your hands.
  • The bathroom has one towel for each of you, I like two and a simple ask to my stateroom host did the job.
  • I do not like seeing my luggage on vacation. Royal Caribbean has space under the bed for your luggage…win win!
  • There is a safe to carry your personal belongings.

Our room was fresh, clean, and comfortable.

Entertainment

Cruieses are known for shows, casinos, and entertaimment. Royal Caribbean hits all marks when it comes to non-stop entertainment. I am a music girl and I LOVE the poolside music. For me, this is a huge sell. Some loved the Music Hall on board which featured live bands, kareoka, and  Billy Idol tribute.

We loved TWO70® which is a tech theater with 270 degrees of windows two stories high. One minute you’re soaking up sweeping ocean views, the next you’re totally immersed in another place, anywhere in the world — or maybe somewhere you’ve never even imagined. And when night falls, the space transforms again, turning into a multimedia theater that comes alive with robotic dancing screens, aerialists and much more.

We loved the show, The Book!! If you are into theater, dance, arts, this is the show for you. In addition, we loved learning more about TWO70 through a tech talk and viewing of their show Oceanides. A Producers Guild of America finalist for technical innovation in entertainment, Oceanides pushes the boundaries of physics, production and performance. This extraordinary roboscreencreation combines groundbreaking cinematography and awe-inspiring aquatic dance to tell the story of Ama, a Japanese pearl diver who finds herself on an unexpected adventure deep beneath the waves. Produced and shot using a custom-built water tank and cutting-edge film techniques, this striking, culturally inspired performance is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. If you are into tech, this is a wonderful way to see how it is all done.

Royal Caribbean has also created their own production called, “The Effectors”. Here’s what they have to say about it…

“Some superheroes are known for powers like ultra-fast speed, laser vision and titan-strength — but The Effectors draw their powers from their ability to create. Now, this band of heroes will have to face off against the ruthless Crash™, their arch-nemesis who’s bent on stopping the show and destroying the world. Get ready for an action-packed original spectacular at the Royal Theater — only on Spectrum of the Seas®.”

I am very torn on this show. My family is BIG into Marvel Comics, this was a hard show for me. I did not love it as many did, however, the technology was amazing. Royal did a great job of putting it together. I am not tied to any of the characters but I think people who are just looking to be entertained will enjoy it.

 

Dining

Food is very important on a cruise. I can still remember after my grandparents cruisesd for the first time back in the late 80’s, my grandfather would tell me how he loved the shrimp cocktail. He would always tell me how amazing it was that the server would remember him each night and have it ready for him. Royal Caribbean knows how to do food!

When you cruise iwth Royal Caribbean you may want to have dinner in the main dining room each night, many people do. I like food so I upgraded 4 nights to dine at the specialty dining locations on board. With an 8-night sailing it was nice to mix it up every couple of nights.

Here’s what I loved!!

  • Izumi is their wonderfu Asian-inspired dining experience. We gourged on sushi and loved every moment of it. The sushi was fresh and delightful.
  • Wonderland is imaginative cusine. They push the envelope through creating a visual feast. This is one of the best dining experiences I have ever had traveling. If you are a foodie, you must try it. Our only regret is that we wished we had scheduled it two times.
  • Chops Grille is your traditional steakhouse on board a cruise ship. If you love meat, this shoudl be on your list of places to dine. I keep dreaming of the shrimp cocktail and filet.
  • Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar was something I was really looking forward to. I love a woodfired pizza, wine and a charcutere selection. YES PLEASE!

Some Mentions

  • Windjammer is the buffet you will enjoy while on board. They have an amazing salad bar and I loved the coffee icecream!!!
  • Each night before bed we would go down to Sorrento’s to enjoy some pizza. Did we need it, nope! We wanted it.
  • Main Dining Room-we had a lovely experience here. I would like to mention that you can get lobster tail included on certain nights. Be sure to ask your head server what night that will be.
  • The Cafe @ TWO70 is located at the TWO70 theater. They have gormet sandwiches, soups and salads. Be sure to go there to mix up your breakfast and lunch from the buffet.
  • Starbucks is on board….enough said.

Perfect Day at Cococay

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the many cruise line private islands in the Bahamas. It is hard to say which one is my favorite. I feel like each one caters to a different crowd. Perfect Day at Cococay was deisgned with activity in mind, but it does come with a cost. If you are a beach lover like me, all you need is a book, a chair and a beverage. If you want waterparks, and action, you will have to pay to add those features on. In Royal Caribbean’s defense, both Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line have options to add as well.

Royal Caribbean has an awesome FAQ which I am sharing below.

COMPLIMENTARY VS. FOR A CHARGE
1. How much does Perfect Day at CocoCay cost? Is there an admission fee?
There is no admission fee to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay. Most of the experiences at Perfect Day
at CocoCay are complimentary. Some of these include Oasis Lagoon, the largest freshwater pool in
the Caribbean, the shipwrecked Captain Jill’s Galleon loaded with slides and water cannons, our
biggest ever Splashaway Bay aqua park yet. Plus powdery sand beaches like Chill Island and South
Beach, offering plenty of free beach chairs with umbrellas and beachside activities. And in
between adventures, you can fuel up at five complimentary dining venues located throughout the
island.
You’ve also got your choice of even more one-of-a-kind experiences available for a charge such
as Thrill Waterpark, featuring the tallest waterslide in North America, Coco Beach Club, featuring
the first Floating Cabanas in The Bahamas, and Up, Up & Away helium balloon, offering you views
from the highest vantage point in The Bahamas. Prices vary by season, but booked guests can
visit Cruise Planner for the latest exact pricing for their specific sailing —and the biggest savings
(RoyalCaribbean.com/CruisePlanner).
Check the Complimentary & For a charge experiences tables below for details.

 

COMPLIMENTARY EXPERIENCES

 

EXPERIENCES FOR A CHARGE*
*Prices and pricing policies may vary by season and are subject to change without notice.
All bars and self-serve beer stations are a la carte, bar menu pricing.

 

The bottom line is, this is an excellent private island, just be ready to know what you want to do. I like the beach so I did not pay anything additional to stay for the day at Perfect Day at Cococay.

Shopping

When I think of cruising, I think of shopping! Unfortunately, the shops on the Odyssey of the Seas were less than impactful. They have a Royal Caribbean Shop, and then several perfume and makeup stores with some closthing and purses and then an expensive jewlery store. I was looking for more.

If you forget something at home…aka…sunblock, you can expect to spend $20.00 out of a vending machine in the photoshop. They have a ton of personal items but they can all be purchased via a vending machine.

Bars and Lounges

Royal Caribbean has a ton of bars and lounges for you to pick from. If you purchased the drink package you will be able to use it everywhere.

Here’s what we loved!

  • Schooner Bar-You can find the piano man singing and playing singalongs all night which was a huge hit!
  • The Lime and the Coconut is the poolside bar which serves you all day long as you lounge poolside. Pro-tip! Order the Lime and the Coconut either with or without alcohol. This is served in a cute sandpail and is included on the refreshment package or the drink package.
  • Boleros is a great place for live music and an extra dirty martini.
  • The Bionic Bar is super cool!At Bionic Bar®, meet two robotic bartenders who know how to shake, stir, and mix up your night out. With moves as fluid as the Pimm’s in your cup, these mecha mixologists can create an almost endless combination of cocktails, from classic cosmos to custom-crafted sips designed by you.

Final Thoughts

We had an amazing time on our cruise and we would go again! I feel that Royal Caribbean offers a wonderful travel opportunity for all ages but I really love it for multi-generational travel. I feel that there is enough to do for every age, even the teens!

Contact us to plan your cruise by calling 630-776-8371 or email your Guru Travel Advisor.

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