Odyssey of the Seas cruise ship overview

At a look

• A scaled-back model of Royal Caribbean’s largest family-friendly ships
• Unbelievable onboard actions like skydiving and bumper automobiles
• Glorious meals with loads of free choices, in addition to specialty eating places

Odyssey of the Seas overview

Odyssey of the Seas is what you get while you mix the expertise and pizazz of Royal Caribbean’s latest mass-market vessels with a barely smaller dimension that pulls passengers for whom the largest cruise ships on this planet are simply too unwieldy.

The 16-deck, 167,704-ton vessel, which carries 4,198 passengers at double occupancy, is simply barely bigger than the road’s Freedom Class vessels. Nevertheless, it nonetheless manages to deal with a number of jaw-dropping sights that different lessons of ships haven’t got. They embody a skydiving simulator, bumper automobiles, 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 a few of the tried-and-true favorites from different, typically bigger ships, too, together with a mountain climbing 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 suggests it routinely sails effectively above double-occupancy ranges. On my voyage, the full passenger rely was 4,732, simply 778 folks shy of the attainable most capability of 5,510 folks.

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 — usually the ocean days en route and on the way in which again from the Caribbean or Bahamas. That always 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 quite a bit proper. Loads of each day actions, reside music and nightly exhibits hold 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 a degree 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.

This is what you have to find out 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 in terms of cabins.

Lodging span 4 fundamental varieties: inside or inside cabins with no home windows, outdoors or ocean-view rooms with home windows that do not open, balcony cabins with sliding-glass doorways that open to semiprivate out of doors areas and roomy suites.

Inside every of the primary three varieties, variations embody rooms massive sufficient to sleep three and 4 folks, in addition to connecting cabins. Connecting rooms are nice for households and buddy teams, as they will sleep as much as eight passengers and supply two bogs.

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 every of these throughout my voyage, and I used to be largely unimpressed. Though the thought was cute, the digital camera used for the footage was typically soiled, and it was such poor high quality that, at evening, the view was fuzzy, much like tv static.

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

Within the ocean-view class, along with commonplace outdoors cabins, barely bigger window-view rooms on the bow face ahead and supply vistas much like what the captain would see.

As for balconies, some variations include obstructed views, which may typically be booked at a barely lower cost than cabins with full-view verandas. Solo cruisers can take pleasure in their very own house with a dozen balcony cabins designed for a single individual.

Cruisers looking for exclusivity and a bit extra space can select from a large collection of suites, corresponding to 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 an enormous 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 folks. Royal Loft Suites can sleep as much as six, and Proprietor’s Loft Suites have room for as many as eight. Plus, each varieties 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 mainly balcony cabins with a bit extra sq. footage, quite than precise suites.

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

Cabins are elegantly designed with a mixture of impartial colours, mild fake woods and nautical blue tones. Even probably the most fundamental supply 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 house. Each room has some type of sitting space, however that may very well be one chair, a settee or a completely separate lounge, relying on the cabin’s dimension.

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

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

Suites supply extra perks, corresponding to 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 costliest suites embody the companies of a butler (generally 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 enormously 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 had been extreme for cruisers who had My Time Eating however who did not have reservations (which defeats the whole function of having 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 typically had even longer waits, one thing made much more insupportable because of the warmth generated by large LED partitions that show animations close to the eating room entrance.

The hosts did their greatest to seat me with the identical nice waiters — Kadek and Astrawan — each evening. However, on two nights, I used to be seated in a distinct part and waited 20 minutes between programs. It took so lengthy that I needed to go away with out dessert with a purpose 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.

Different free venues included the Windjammer buffet, Coastal Kitchen (which is unique to suite company and passengers on the highest stage of Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program), El Loco Contemporary’s pool deck Mexican, Sorrento’s pizza, Cafe Two70 (the place Rosita makes great specialty coffees and Sophie serves up tacky, melty sandwiches), Cafe Promenade for pastries and finger sandwiches and Sprinkles for complimentary soft-serve.

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 are feeling as in case you’re visiting the house of the Mad Hatter from “Alice in Wonderland.” It options menus that should 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 charge of $7.95 per order (apart from continental breakfast, which is free).

Based mostly on my experiences at these eating places on different ships, I would skip Chops (which constantly disappoints me) and Teppanyaki (which is gimmicky) and check out 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 top-of-the-line drink menus at sea — strive the Toasted Marshmallow Previous-Usual — and serves because the venue for lots 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 exhibits, 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. Dwell music there’s typically 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, corresponding to for the road’s trademark RED get together, the nightclub scene is discovered at Two70. On Caribbean evening, the get together is held beneath the celebs on the pool deck.)

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

When you’d quite have a chilly beer whilst you watch the sport, Playmakers Sports activities Bar, perched above the Seaplex sports activities court docket, is the place. In the meantime, the Bionic Bar is fascinating to look at, however do not be too caught up within the gimmicky nature of its robotic-arm bartenders. They often find yourself sloshing your drink as they craft it, making it quite sticky when the cup lastly reaches you.

Price 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 every of a number of beverage packages that usually supply financial savings to individuals who drink quite a bit, whether or not it is bottled water, specialty coffees, soda or alcohol.

Odyssey of the Seas actions

Odyssey of the Seas does have a couple of actions and sights you will not discover on different Royal Caribbean ships in several lessons. Probably the most notable is the Ripcord by iFly skydiving simulator. Watch a brief tutorial video earlier than donning a jumpsuit, helmet and goggles to strive your hand at what looks like free-falling for 2 minutes in a large see-through wind tunnel. It is a enjoyable expertise that may, fairly actually, take your breath away. You may strive it totally free on port days or for $50 per individual on sea days.

Different unique-to-Quantum-Class choices embody the Seaplex sports activities space, which is ringed with arcade video games and options bumper automobiles and different enjoyable actions; the North Star viewing pod, which rises greater than 300 toes above the ocean on a robotic arm for wonderful photograph alternatives; and next-level expertise within the Two70 lounge, which runs each reside and recorded performances (do not miss the cruise director-led showcase).

On the principle stage, do not miss theater manufacturing “The Effectors,” throughout which a staff of 4 superheroes saves the day by way of track and dance amid jaw-dropping costumes and particular results.

Standout actions for me included a Title That Tune gameshow, the place eight contestants tried to guess songs after listening to only a few seconds of them, and the Final Trivia Battle, the place staff captains needed to run into the viewers to search out solutions to trivia questions. Different pursuits you may see on the each day schedule embody BINGO, arts and crafts, sports activities competitions, dance lessons, reside music, pool video games and seminars designed to promote you every thing from artwork and spa remedies to jewellery and shoe orthotics.

That is to not say there weren’t some activity-related hiccups, although. Venues like Two70, the Music Corridor and the Schooner Bar had been typically so crowded for recreation exhibits, bingo and trivia on sea days that it was unimaginable to discover a seat in case you did not arrive at the very least quarter-hour early. There have been additionally points with seating for the early exhibits in the principle theater. It typically felt just like the lounges simply weren’t large enough to accommodate the variety of passengers on board.

Additional, some occasions ran late or began early, which meant I missed a few of the actions I hoped to attend. One evening, I used to be upset when an exceptional juggler’s present ran practically 10 minutes late within the theater, which meant I used to be too late to enroll to play grownup dodgeball at Seaplex by the point I obtained there.

One other time, trivia began a number of minutes early, which meant I missed the primary couple of questions. And, though “The E-book: Seven Chapters, One Journey,” an elaborate manufacturing present held in Two70, was visually interesting and spectacular when it comes to expertise, I discovered it tough to observe. Generally elements of it had been so chaotic that I did not know the place to look. Throughout different elements, it dragged on with no exercise for what appeared an unnecessarily very long time.

One odd remnant of actions previous is the ship’s SkyPad — a large yellow and orange sphere that sits on the again of the vessel. It used to deal with virtual-reality bungee trampolines, which Royal Caribbean scrapped in 2023, following a lawsuit from a passenger who was significantly injured when his bungees got here unfastened. The sphere continues to be there however is now empty, apart from a couple of lonely-looking beanbag units.

The ship additionally features a on line casino, three swimming pools (together with an indoor one within the adults-only Solarium), six scorching tubs, a generously outfitted health middle and a spa with a sizeable menu of for-fee hair and nail companies, in addition to massages, acupuncture and different remedies.

Odyssey of the Seas itineraries and pricing

Odyssey of the Seas spends a part of autumn, all of winter and most of spring crusing to the Caribbean and Bahamas from Cape Liberty cruise port in Bayonne, New Jersey. Starting in Might, it repositions to Rome, from which it sails Mediterranean and Greek Isles voyages by way of the autumn every year.

On the time of publication, fares began from $740 per individual for an inside cabin on a seven-night Bahamas cruise and from $1,056 per individual for a seven-night Greek Isles getaway.

Odyssey of the Seas for households

Odyssey of the Seas is superb for households, particularly these with children and teenagers. Along with the AO (Journey Ocean) children membership, which affords each day complimentary actions — suppose video games, science experiments and humanities and crafts — for youths from ages 6 to 12, the road additionally affords a Royal Infants and Tots program, which caters to the youngest cruisers, ages 6 months to three years, for a charge.

Teenagers have their very own hangout areas, too, which characteristic areas for lounging and socializing; this older subset of children, ages 13-17, has fewer scheduled actions and might come and go as they please. Late-night babysitting can be provided from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. for ages 6-12 for $10 per little one, per hour.

Along with the children membership areas and actions, children will love spending time on the Seaplex, a sports activities court docket space that hosts every thing from laser tag, archery, badminton and dodgeball to bumper automobiles. The world is ringed with arcade video games, and adults could have enjoyable watching from above at Playmakers sports activities bar.

Different household enjoyable consists of the free mountain climbing wall and FlowRider surf and boogie-boarding simulator, in addition to the Ripcord by iFly skydiving simulator, which is free on port days or $50 per individual on sea days (reservations wanted). Arts and crafts, recreation exhibits, beanbag toss competitions, karaoke and an array of different family-friendly actions spherical out the agenda for all ages. For water infants, the Splashaway Bay splash space affords a few pint-size waterslides.

Odyssey of the Seas accessibility

All elevators and public areas on Odyssey of the Seas are accessible, that includes entrances with gradual inclines and sufficient hallway house for a 180-degree flip. One of many vessel’s three swimming pools — the ahead fundamental pool — has a carry, and most deck areas have computerized doorways. Moreover, the ship homes 38 accessible cabins in quite a lot of classes, and the road can present help at boarding and disembarkation.

Odyssey of the Seas backside line

Though Odyssey of the Seas felt a bit crowded at instances, significantly on its sailings from the U.S. East Coast, it provided nice meals, fascinating leisure and a enjoyable, vigorous ambiance that is good for lively adults and households with children of all ages. Finally, the ship is a pleasant approach for cruisers to expertise a few of the over-the-top facilities of the road’s largest vessels however amongst fewer passengers.

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