Harmony Of The Seas - Maiden Voyage - Live Blog

[BourkeBlogs]

Must apologise for hijacking your great review with a link to my friend's pics.

 

We are on Harmony for the TA in October. Everything should be bedded in by then:)

 

We have a lot of sea days so they better order enough avocados for guacamole at Sabor :D

 

 

 

No probs, the pictures are good. The scaffold in them has only turned up today though.

 

I'm sure everything will be great for the TA.

[ken_nyc]

If my memory serves me correctly I believe seeing threads from the past about other new ships still having construction going on while on it first few cruises. I guess this is the norm even though the ship should be completed before any paying cruisers should be let onboard, they are paying for full use of the ship and not having certain areas closed because it is not completed.

Edited May 24, 2016 by ken_nyc

[caribbeanfever]

Hi, not sure but we have a cabin on deck 8 on the 3 night sailing as we weren't able to keep the same cabin so will upload pics of turbid different

 

You are amazing. Hope in spite of the bumps in the road you are incurring, you are having a wonderful cruise. Hope the next leg is smoother!

[swoopy2110]

Minor issue but seems like the menu in Wonderland has been dramatically reduced from that on Anthem? Maybe it's just a 'preview' menu.

 

Overall, looks a great experience and holiday for you so far and I'm really enjoying reading about it :)

[BourkeBlogs]

Minor issue but seems like the menu in Wonderland has been dramatically reduced from that on Anthem? Maybe it's just a 'preview' menu.

 

Overall, looks a great experience and holiday for you so far and I'm really enjoying reading about it :)

 

 

 

It is the full menu although the waiter advised he worked in Wonderland on Quantum and some of the items have changed for Harmony.

[BourkeBlogs]

Just a quick update, we are in the Windjammer for breakfast today and fresh orange juice is not available.

 

It's something I always enjoy with breakfast, even at home but it appears it's something you cannot get on the ship.

 

It's also one of the reasons we bought the ultimate drinks package rather than the premium one for the juices, although you can't seem to get them anywhere.

[TrojanUSC]

Sorry if this was mentioned already but my friends and I love going to Blaze on the Oasis and Allure. With that gone, I've heard they are going to be using the comedy club as a dance venue later in the evenings. Do you have any idea if that is the case? If so, is the venue suitable for that?

[BourkeBlogs]

Sorry if this was mentioned already but my friends and I love going to Blaze on the Oasis and Allure. With that gone, I've heard they are going to be using the comedy club as a dance venue later in the evenings. Do you have any idea if that is the case? If so, is the venue suitable for that?

 

 

 

The comedy club is used as a nightclub after the final comedy show.

 

We were in there ourselves till late the other night.

[little britain]

We also went to wonderland last night. Party of 6. Whilst it is in a great location, it has lost all of the ambiance of the experience you get on other ships. The chairs are bland, there are no quirky candlesticks on the tables; the venue is too big and too bright imho. It's a shame. There is also just one shared bathroom for the whole venue ( which has a broken door) which I don't think is enough. There were bathrooms in there when it was the CL, why not leave them?

Cannot fault the food or service.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s using Tapatalk

[BourkeBlogs]

Menus, cruise compasses and kids planners updated:

 

www.bourkeblogs.com/hotsmenus

 

www.bourkeblogs.com/hotscruisecompass

[BourkeBlogs]

We've managed to find some fresh OJ. The vitality cafe has this available.

 

[BourkeBlogs]

They must have also had some fruit delivered yesterday whilst in port as fresh fruit smoothies are also available at the vitality cafe.

 

[BourkeBlogs]

I've just finished the post from Day 1, which includes some more images of Jamie's italian

[luv2cruzuk]

You have to remember this is just a preview cruise!!

 

 

 

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[stuartgrn]

We are currently on the ship. We have cruised 13 times with RCI and have had no reason to complain but this cruise has changed that. We have had major noise issues with our cabin that has had a major impact on our cruise. Our cabin is on deck 12 under the kids swimming pool. There has been major work being carried out on the pool as it is not ready but the main issue is the time of the day these works are carried out. We were woken at 6am on the first morning with loud drilling, banging and grinding - so loud it was like it was happening in the cabin. We complained to GS and played them a video I took on my iPhone. They couldn't believe it and apologised and phoned maintenance. Then this morning (Wednesday) we were woken at quarter to 5 in the morning with the same sounds. More calls to GS. I would go to GS but the line there is massive. The noise in the cabin is unbearable and we are not getting much sleep. There are also many other issues. I should point out that at no time was this cruise billed as a "shakedown", "preview" or tester cruise - it was sold as a normal cruise but the list of complaints from passengers keep growing.

No hot water in cabins

Drainage noises

Cabin heating not working

Noisy work still being carried out

Lots of wet paint signs.

No zip line at start

No Aqua theatre

No watersides

No Grease on first night

Bars seem low stocked

Wifi not very fast and cutting out

One flow rider out of action.

 

Overall the parts of the ship that are complete are great and the staff have been doing the best they can. In my opinion the ship wasn't ready for full fare paying customers on Sunday and I doubt it will be any better for the next cruise. I don't normally concentrate on the negatives but this cruise heads had too many to ignore. Overall we have been disappointed.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Single Cruiser]

Hi Craig,

 

 

 

Hope you are having a good time. Can you please tell me if Mini Bites is the same as Wipe out cafe on the Oasis?

 

 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

 

 

Mel

 

 

Yes it is

[saphir]

A number of starters were served to us with our favourite bee the prawns with a scotch bonnet chilli dip, we even asked for another of these.

 

The portions are small but you do get a lot of them, here is a selection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the starters were not necessarily to our taste but if you don't try you don't know.

 

Do you choose six items each? One in each theme?

[BourkeBlogs]

Do you choose six items each? One in each theme?

 

 

 

No, not as such. We didn't choose any of our starters, the waiter just brought items to us but said we could ask for additional items if we didn't get something we wanted.

 

I think he would have also decided which main courses, although we said our preference was the beef and the pork.

 

You do choose your on deserts.

[saphir]

No, not as such. We didn't choose any of our starters, the waiter just brought items to us but said we could ask for additional items if we didn't get something we wanted.

 

I think he would have also decided which main courses, although we said our preference was the beef and the pork.

 

You do choose your on deserts.

 

Thank you.

[BourkeBlogs]

We are currently on the ship. We have cruised 13 times with RCI and have had no reason to complain but this cruise has changed that. We have had major noise issues with our cabin that has had a major impact on our cruise. Our cabin is on deck 12 under the kids swimming pool. There has been major work being carried out on the pool as it is not ready but the main issue is the time of the day these works are carried out. We were woken at 6am on the first morning with loud drilling, banging and grinding - so loud it was like it was happening in the cabin. We complained to GS and played them a video I took on my iPhone. They couldn't believe it and apologised and phoned maintenance. Then this morning (Wednesday) we were woken at quarter to 5 in the morning with the same sounds. More calls to GS. I would go to GS but the line there is massive. The noise in the cabin is unbearable and we are not getting much sleep. There are also many other issues. I should point out that at no time was this cruise billed as a "shakedown", "preview" or tester cruise - it was sold as a normal cruise but the list of complaints from passengers keep growing.

No hot water in cabins

Drainage noises

Cabin heating not working

Noisy work still being carried out

Lots of wet paint signs.

No zip line at start

No Aqua theatre

No watersides

No Grease on first night

Bars seem low stocked

Wifi not very fast and cutting out

One flow rider out of action.

 

Overall the parts of the ship that are complete are great and the staff have been doing the best they can. In my opinion the ship wasn't ready for full fare paying customers on Sunday and I doubt it will be any better for the next cruise. I don't normally concentrate on the negatives but this cruise heads had too many to ignore. Overall we have been disappointed.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

 

 

I think we have been very lucky that we have not experienced the noise or hot water problems you have had.

 

I agree that it was not advertised as a preview cruise or that items would not be finished. We had expected some issues but not to this extent especially lack of food / drinks available.

 

When I have been repeatedly to see the Internet people they said it's only me having internet issues and there is not a ship wide problem, however as you have also reported slow speeds and dropping out I don't think it is isolated and to be honest I didn't believe it was anyway especially as he keeps failing to call me back as promised.

 

We are still enjoying ourselves although are finding it very frustrating at times. I just hadn't anticipated how unfinished it would be. Although it's definitely a lesson learnt, never do an inaugural cruise again.

 

Here are some more pictures from this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2016 by CruisenovicesUK

[hexdragon]

If my memory serves me correctly I believe seeing threads from the past about other new ships still having construction going on while on it first few cruises. I guess this is the norm even though the ship should be completed before any paying cruisers should be let onboard, they are paying for full use of the ship and not having certain areas closed because it is not completed.

I was on Carnival Sunshine six weeks out of its drydock/retrofit. They were still working on it even then.

[LuCruise]

I've just finished the post from Day 1, which includes some more images of Jamie's italian

 

Great review. I assume that Jamie's Italian is in place of Giovanni's?

[BourkeBlogs]

Great review. I assume that Jamie's Italian is in place of Giovanni's?

 

 

 

Thanks, not sure as I have never been on an Oasis class before. However, it is next to Vintages and opposite park cafe

[Cosmic Rays]

With so much work still going on, and previous comments today, it's probably no wonder that we have not been assigned a stateroom yet for the 'maiden cruise' to Barcelona on Sunday.

I suspect rooms are being occupied by 'workers' and as things stand may not now be assigned until we arrive at Southampton, although I do hope this is not the case as I am told to reprint my SeaPass when assigned a stateroom!!

Is the ship sailing full now, and the next short trip before Sunday does anybody know?

[Clarea]

Great review. I assume that Jamie's Italian is in place of Giovanni's?

Correct, no Giovanni's Table on Harmony.