Odyssey of the Seas cruise ship evaluation

The 16-deck, 167,704-ton vessel, which carries 4,198 passengers at double occupancy, is just barely bigger than the road’s Freedom Class vessels. Nevertheless, it nonetheless manages to deal with a number of jaw-dropping points of interest that different lessons of ships haven’t got. They embody a skydiving simulator, bumper vehicles, a technologically superior aft-facing lounge with 270-degree views and a large viewing pod that is suspended greater than 300 toes over the ocean by a robotic arm.

Odyssey of the Seas employs among the tried-and-true favorites from different, usually bigger ships, too, together with a mountaineering wall, laser tag, a FlowRider surf simulator and the robot-staffed Bionic Bar, which is able to make Royal Caribbean followers really feel proper at residence.

The vessel appeals to households, particularly when it residence ports in New York, which implies it routinely sails effectively above double-occupancy ranges. On my voyage, the whole passenger depend was 4,732, simply 778 individuals shy of the doable most capability of 5,510 individuals.

Though Odyssey of the Seas is smaller than the biggest ships within the Royal Caribbean fleet, it nonetheless feels crowded, significantly on sea days. As a result of the vessel sails from the East Coast throughout a part of the autumn, winter and a little bit of spring, the climate could be chilly and even downright chilly on a number of days out of a weeklong crusing — typically the ocean days en route and on the best way again from the Caribbean or Bahamas. That usually drives passengers inside, making already cramped lounges and public areas really feel much more packed.

I additionally skilled some points with wait instances for eating room seating and repair.

Nevertheless, the ship does lots proper. Loads of each day actions, stay music and nightly reveals maintain passengers busy along with spa remedies, health lessons, shore excursions and different diversions. Plus, the meals on my crusing stood out — in a great way — from the fare I’ve tried on different Royal Caribbean ships. My journey companion and I made some extent of solely consuming on the free eating places — the principle eating room, the buffet, the Mexican restaurant, the pizza place and the solarium buffet — which makes the meals’s excellence much more noteworthy.

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This is what it is advisable to learn about Odyssey of the Seas, from cabins and eating to actions and pricing.

Odyssey of the Seas cabins and suites

As is the case with most Royal Caribbean ships, cruisers have tons of selections with regards to cabins.

Inside every of the primary three varieties, variations embody rooms giant sufficient to sleep three and 4 individuals, in addition to connecting cabins. Connecting rooms are nice for households and buddy teams, as they’ll sleep as much as eight passengers and provide two loos.

Particular inside-cabin choices embody Digital Balcony cabins that includes floor-to-ceiling screens that broadcast real-time views of the port or the ocean, making it really feel such as you’re in a room with a balcony. I stayed in one in all these throughout my voyage, and I used to be largely unimpressed. Though the concept was cute, the digital camera used for the footage was usually soiled, and it was such poor high quality that, at evening, the view was fuzzy, just like tv static.

Additionally, regardless of the display screen having quantity controls, the sound emitting from it was principally nonexistent. It will have been good to have had some white noise.

Within the ocean-view class, along with customary exterior cabins, barely bigger window-view rooms on the bow face ahead and provide vistas just like what the captain would see.

As for balconies, some variations include obstructed views, which might usually be booked at a barely cheaper price than cabins with full-view verandas. Solo cruisers can take pleasure in their very own area with a dozen balcony cabins designed for a single particular person.

Cruisers searching for exclusivity and a bit extra space can select from a large choice of suites, reminiscent of a 350-square-foot Grand Suite, a 541-square-foot Proprietor’s Suite, a 696-square-foot Grand Loft Suite, a 975-square-foot Proprietor’s Loft Suite or a large 1,640-square-foot Royal Loft Suite.

Grand Suites are available each one- and two-bedroom varieties, with the latter sleeping as much as eight individuals. Royal Loft Suites can sleep as much as six, and Proprietor’s Loft Suites have room for as many as eight. Plus, each kinds of Loft Suites have two tales, making them really feel a bit extra like flats than cruise ship cabins.

Odyssey of the Seas additionally has an array of junior suites, that are principally balcony cabins with a bit extra sq. footage, moderately than precise suites.

Moreover, the ship gives 38 accessible cabins unfold throughout a lot of classes, together with customary inside, exterior and balcony lodging, Digital Balcony cabins and junior suites. These rooms provide wider doorways, extra sq. footage to permit for motion, ramped entryways, decrease closet bars and loo facilities like roll-in showers with benches, decrease bathrooms and sinks and seize bars.

Cabins are elegantly designed with a mixture of impartial colours, mild fake woods and nautical blue tones. Even essentially the most fundamental provide king beds that convert into two twins on request, nightstands, vanities with make-up lighting, closets with loads of shelving and bars for hanging garments and drawer area. Each room has some sort of sitting space, however that may very well be one chair, a settee or a very separate lounge, relying on the cabin’s measurement.

Extra facilities embody a hair dryer, a small keypad-operated protected, a cellphone and a TV that provides a couple of information channels together with ship-produced channels and a painfully small choice of films.

Every cabin has its personal rest room with an enclosed bathe, a conceit, storage shelving, bar cleaning soap for handwashing and a dispenser of all-in-one bodywash and shampoo mounted within the bathe.

Suites provide further perks, reminiscent of bathrobes, higher-end Royal Caribbean branded toiletries, entry to particular embarkation and disembarkation lounges, entry to dine in devoted eating room Coastal Kitchen, luxurious bedding, in-cabin coffeemakers, free Wi-Fi and reserved seating in sure leisure venues. The most costly suites embody the providers of a butler (often known as a Royal Genie), crew gratuities and complimentary alcohol packages.

Odyssey of the Seas eating places

Frankly, the free eating on Odyssey of the Seas was so glorious that I did not really feel the necessity to eat at any of the extra-fee eating places. That is uncommon on any ship however particularly on a Royal Caribbean one. (I often discover the road’s eating to be a bit hit-or-miss.)

On the primary evening, I had dinner on the Solarium Bistro, which served delectable buffet-style Mediterranean fare as an overflow choice for passengers with My Time Eating (which lets you eat any time between 6:30 and 9 p.m.) who did not have reservations. I additionally drastically loved breakfast, brunch and dinner in the principle eating room, which served up mouthwatering French toast, salmon, Indian dishes and extra.

Though the meals was glorious, wait instances have been extreme for cruisers who had My Time Eating however who did not have reservations (which defeats the complete goal of with the ability to present as much as dine when the temper strikes). It was widespread for me to face in line for half-hour for a desk. Bigger events usually had even longer waits, one thing made much more insupportable as a result of warmth generated by large LED partitions that show animations close to the eating room entrance.

The hosts did their finest to seat me with the identical nice waiters — Kadek and Astrawan — each evening. However, on two nights, I used to be seated in a special part and waited 20 minutes between programs. It took so lengthy that I needed to depart with out dessert with a view to make it to the present on time. Once I arrived, the theater was overly crowded, and I wasn’t capable of finding a seat, including to the frustration.

Though I did not pay additional to dine at any of the for-fee eateries, I poked my head into all of them and took a take a look at their menus. Probably the most notable for its quirky design is Wonderland, the place the eating room may make you’re feeling as should you’re visiting the house of the Mad Hatter from “Alice in Wonderland.” It options menus that have to be revealed with moist paint brushes, that includes a listing of curious molecular gastronomy dishes.

Different obtainable choices included the Chops Grille steakhouse, Izumi and Teppanyaki for Asian fare (together with sushi), Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar for vacationers craving Italian meals and room service, which levies a price of $7.95 per order (aside from continental breakfast, which is free).

Based mostly on my experiences at these eating places on different ships, I might skip Chops (which constantly disappoints me) and Teppanyaki (which is gimmicky) and take a look at Izumi or Giovanni’s.

Odyssey of the Seas bars and lounges

As is typical of any Royal Caribbean vessel, Odyssey of the Seas boasts a plethora of bars and lounges, however some stand out greater than others. The pool deck social hub is The Lime & Coconut, a brightly coloured bar that serves up beachy drinks. The Schooner Bar, a line staple, has arguably among the best drink menus at sea — attempt the Toasted Marshmallow Previous-Customary — and serves because the venue for most of the ship’s trivia competitions, in addition to piano tunes.

Music Corridor is a novel lounge with pool tables, music-related trivia and recreation reveals, plus a cocktail menu whose drinks — suppose the Raspberry Beret, the Jack and Diane and the Ice Ice Child — draw their names from hit songs. Stay music there’s usually meant for dancing, and this venue additionally serves as a nightclub on sure nights, together with the ’80s theme evening on my voyage. (On different nights, reminiscent of for the road’s trademark RED social gathering, the nightclub scene is discovered at Two70. On Caribbean evening, the social gathering is held below the celebrities on the pool deck.)

For a pint and stay music, you may need to head to the Crown & Compass Pub, the place you may take pleasure in mellow cowl tunes from the ship’s resident singer-guitarist.

Value noting are Royal Caribbean’s zero-proof cocktails, that are tasty and comprise no alcohol. My favourite is the Blueberry Nojito, which is sort of a candy model of a mojito however with a blueberry twist.

Royal Caribbean sells drinks a la carte, or passengers can buy one in all a number of beverage packages that typically provide financial savings to individuals who drink lots, whether or not it is bottled water, specialty coffees, soda or alcohol.