Photo Tour: The Largest Cruise Ship in the World - Symphony of the Seas

It carries nearly 9,000 passengers, has 25 pools, 18 decks, 12 specialty restaurants, 7 distinct neighborhoods and it weighs 228,000 tons.

Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean

Symphony of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean Oasis Class ship, is the largest cruise ship in the world, well it was until Wonder of the Seas came in January of 2022, but they are close in size.

I’ve always wanted to travel on a Royal Caribbean Oasis Class ship, there are 5 in all.

This particular cruise departed Miami, Florida for a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary with stops at Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Cozumel, Mexico and Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean moves its fleet of ships all over the world, but lately several of them have been sailing from Florida.

Harmony of the Seas, a sister to Symphony, is currently based in Port Canaveral (Orlando), so you can easily combine an Oasis Class voyage with a trip to Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando.

Contact me today to learn more about sailing on Symphony of the Seas, or any other Royal Caribbean cruise from Florida. Agency Exclusive Offers available!

Here are a few my favorite parts of this ship:

Symphony of the Seas in Costa Maya, Mexico

At 216 feet wide, Symphony of the Seas is twice as wide as the Disney Wonder (and most other cruise ships).

Overlooking Central Park and inside balconies.

Oceanview Balcony Stateroom

On this voyage we had a Oceanview Balcony stateroom. There are 2,759 standard staterooms and 188 suites. You can also book an interior balcony stateroom overlooking Central Park or the Boardwalk.

Oceanview rooms balconies with little more privacy, but I think it would be fun have a room overlooking the interior of the ship. How often do you have a balcony facing the inside of a ship??

Our stateroom was set up to sleep 3 guests. The sofa converts into a twin size day bed. The stateroom attendant sets it up during turndown service each evening.

Bathrooms are generally tiny on cruise ships, this was no different. There’s no tub, but the standup shower is more spacious than it looks.

Our stateroom was extremely quiet, we didn’t hear a thing on the other side of the wall or even outside in the hallway.

This is the theater in the rear (aft) of the ship where the show, Hiro is performed. Think Cirque du Soleil show on a ship. Breathtaking acrobat performances, high dives, dancers, and high-energy music. Tickets are required to see show but there is no cost - it’s included with your cruise.

We spent a lot of time on Deck 5 . It’s where you’ll find retail shops, a cafe, pizza restaurant (both are included free of charge), several bars and a full service Starbucks Coffee.

Deck 16 has a lot of recreation including several basketball courts, a miniature golf course, pools, zip line and The Ultimate Abyss slide, just to name a few.

This is the start of The Ultimate Abyss, a 10-story slide down to Deck 6. This is a regular slide, not a water slide. It’s not a intimidating as it may seem, it’s actually a lot of fun for the whole family. And it’s all inside a tube so you don’t really know how high up you are. Oh and there are a few small surprises on the way down. The kids are going to love it. You’ll have to take an elevator to ride it again.

Ultimate Abyss slide and rock climbing wall.

Overlooking the Central Park neighborhood at night. Here you’ll find upscale dining and a cafe that serves sandwiches, coffee and dessert (most of the items are included at no charge). When you’re in Central Park, you completely forget that you’re on a cruise ship.

Deck 5 shopping, retail and dining.

Sorrentos Pizza serves up surprisingly good thin-crust pizza. You can have as much as you like, it’s all included in your cruise. Every time we walked by, I had to stop for a slice.

The Boardwalk neighborhood, home to the theater, Playmakers Sports Bar, a carousel, hotdog stand, and an arcade.

We purchased a spa pass to use the steam room and sauna. There are multiple spa packages available for purchase. Use of the fitness center and fitness classes are free.

I did a stretching class with my wife and couldn’t move the rest of the day. The spa is so large and offers so many services, that it spans two decks.

Symphony of the seas Casino

I’m a Disney guy at heart but Las Vegas is my second favorite place to visit. So I had to check out the casino. Here you’ll find table games and slots. Smoking and non-smoking sections are available.

Most table games had $10 minimums, not bad! Penny slots and video poker were also available. The casino is only opened while at sea at while docked at Perfect Day. Look at that, I’m even wearing my Las Vegas t-shirt - I’m ready!

Stay tuned for more posts about this cruise including our port adventure to Chichen Itza, the Mayan temples in Mexico. Plus my recent cruise on the Disney Fantasy.

To see more, follow me on Facebook (facebook.com/orlandoparksguy) and Instagram (@orlandoparksguy)

Darren is a Disney-focused travel agent with Magical Vacations Travel and has over 13 years of experience. Readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World rate him as a Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent. Darren is also an Orlando-based travel writer with topics ranging from theme parks to cruise lines.

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