Royal Caribbean – Harmony of The Seas + Tips For Cruising

I recently went on a cruise with Royal Caribbean on their new Harmony of the Seas Ship. It was the inaugural cruise from their port in the U.S. but not the inaugural cruise for the actual ship. This boat was crazy big y’all. I have been on 3 cruises prior to this one and I have never experience a ship that at many times I actually forgot I was on a ship! There was no “island fever” on this baby! There was even a Starbucks on board!

The amount of restaurants to choose from were endless and not to mention the number of bars. Two of which included a floating bar (went from floor to floor) to the Bionic Bar which was so much fun to watch. The rooms on the boat were huge too! I shared my room with another blogger and we had plenty of room with our queen size bed, couch, desk, two closets and balcony.

Even with the two of us girls in there (imagine multiple outfits per day, shoes everywhere and makeup all over the counters) the staff kept our room extremely clean the entire time! We were extremely impressed!

So what else did I learn and experience on this cruise? Scroll below to see some of my suggestions for your next cruise below!

So what are my tips for cruising? This may be more geared towards women but could technically apply to all!!

1. Pack More Casual Clothes than Dressy.

This may be a no brainer to most people but to me it was an ah-ha moment I had while on the cruise. Most days are spent by the pool, exploring tropical islands and basically doing a lot of things you do not need any dressy for. I packed plenty of dresses, bathing suits and cover ups but I ended up running out of cutoff shorts and comfortable, casual tops!

2. Come Prepared for Motion Sickness.

I thankfully didn’t end up needing anything for the sea sickness but so many of the girls I was with did! So better to be safe than sorry! They made behind the ear patches you can get from your doctor and the Sea Bands and here < these are what most of the girls used.  

3. Get to the Boat Early

The moment you are allowed to check in and get on, I recommend doing so. The boats get crowded fast and the earlier you are on the sooner you have to start exploring. Making a list of all the things you want to do as well as sign up for excursions, get a drink and even eat before the restaurants get packed! Leaving you more time to relax by the pool before you take off! Not to mention, the lines to check in are way shorter the earlier you get there.

4. When You Get to the Islands Get to the Furtherest Point You Want to Go and Work Your Way Back.

Longest tip ever I know, haha but I am serious. When you first get off the boat at ports, especially if other boats are there as well. It gets crazy. The islanders are all trying to sale things and greet you and everyone is trying to find a ride somewhere and get to whatever they are doing. Excursions or not. We found that if you start at the furthest point there are not only less crowds but also you get to experience more of the culture of the island before it gets over populated with tourist and then slowly work your way back to the boat. This also gets you back to the boat before everyone else gets back on (which means no lines!)