Hoopster on HARMONY, Jan 7-14 2017 REVIEW w/lots of photos

[cpayne]

First' date=' thanks for the great review; we'll be on HOTS in a couple of weeks.

 

But I have to respond to your comment about the running track. It just shows that this -- like food preferences, room and bed preferences, and almost everything else about a cruise -- is an individual taste. My wife and I both greatly prefer the Oasis class running track because of its length, the wider turns and the lack of chairs to dodge. It's one of many reasons we prefer the Oasis class. I understand your preference for the sun and the view on the tracks on other ships, but you can still the see the water from large portions of the Oasis track and we actually prefer the shade for running; we get our sun on our balcony or laying out on the decks. We think that overall the Oasis class track is much better. But to each his own.[/quote']

 

Can you tell me more about the Oasis class running track? I'm a long distance runner (ran my 31st marathon on Sunday!) and when we cruise I typically don't run unfortunately. Most of the tracks are on a top deck and the chairs, people and wind resistance take all the enjoyment out of it. Sounds like this track might be better based on MY preferences?

 

Thanks.

[mickeyhereicome]

We were on the Allure 1/8 and you could purchase the dining package up to Day 2. We were lucky enough to be allowed to do it with Supervisor approval on Day 3. I think it had something to do with 8 of us purchasing it, however just my thought.

 

Sorry for all of the questions. Do you know if on night one were they offering discount at specialty restaurants. I know they sometimes do this. Thought that might be a good night to go to hibachi since it is not part of the package.

 

The package says you have to eat at a restaurant on night one or two.

 

Thank you!

[tserface]

I agree with you on both counts. This is a great review and very much appreciated.

 

Second, I like the track to be more enclosed. I can't tell from Hoopster's picture if you can see the ocean from there or not, but on ships where it's on deck 4 or 5 it usually works better for me. I try to walk every morning.

 

On the Anthem it was on the top deck and if it was raining or windy or crowded it made it much more difficult to walk. It was nice having a total view of the ocean (while at sea) the whole time, but on ships where it's on a lower flow it's usually quieter, less windy, and, well, not much bother from weather (except maybe cold).

 

My only complaints about this type of track is sometimes parts of it are closed off while they're doing repairs or launching lifeboats for testing or whatever and that makes it difficult. The ones on the top are usually unimpaired.

 

I'd be curious if you could drop back in after your cruise next week and give more information about it. I'll be there in May so I'll be able to see for myself, but I'm still curious.

 

Another thing. I like the tracks that have a flight of stairs in the middle where you go up and then back down. Princess ships have this a lot. It helps feed my Fitbit some floors while I'm getting steps :)

 

Tom

 

 

First' date=' thanks for the great review; we'll be on HOTS in a couple of weeks.

 

But I have to respond to your comment about the running track. It just shows that this -- like food preferences, room and bed preferences, and almost everything else about a cruise -- is an individual taste. My wife and I both greatly prefer the Oasis class running track because of its length, the wider turns and the lack of chairs to dodge. It's one of many reasons we prefer the Oasis class. I understand your preference for the sun and the view on the tracks on other ships, but you can still the see the water from large portions of the Oasis track and we actually prefer the shade for running; we get our sun on our balcony or laying out on the decks. We think that overall the Oasis class track is much better. But to each his own.[/quote']

[Debitoo]

Thank you so much for the wonderful report. I'll be on HOTS in 45 days. It will be my first time on this class of ship with the largest so far being Freedom. The only issue that I can forsee is that my balcony cabin is directly above Boleros. :eek: I'll be bringing along earplugs and I hope that they will work!:p

[Hoopster95]

First' date=' thanks for the great review; we'll be on HOTS in a couple of weeks.

 

But I have to respond to your comment about the running track. It just shows that this -- like food preferences, room and bed preferences, and almost everything else about a cruise -- is an individual taste....[b']to each his own[/b].

 

This is the best post on this review.

Everyone has their faves and dislikes, which may be totally opposite to the fellow cruiser right next to you. Thx for following and commenting Cap'n :)

[Hoopster95]

It will be my first time on this class of ship with the largest so far being Freedom.

 

Waaaay different than Voyager/Freedom classes. If you don't experience some of the circumstantial issues I experienced, you're going to have a blast and you'll be blown away when you step into the promenade for the 1st time :)

 

The only issue that I can forsee is that my balcony cabin is directly above Boleros. :eek: I'll be bringing along earplugs and I hope that they will work!:p

 

Aggh! I hope your plugs work as well. The party really gets going in there around 11:30 with the late latino crowd. I assume you're in one of those inside cabins right above?? Please come back on CC with a review of the room and about the noise... I'd love to learn and hear about your experience. Have a great cruise! :D

[Hoopster95]

Happy to hear that you had some good weather on the last day!

 

 

Yes... this!!!!!! lol

Thank you :D:D:D

[Clarea]

Can you tell me more about the Oasis class running track? I'm a long distance runner (ran my 31st marathon on Sunday!) and when we cruise I typically don't run unfortunately. Most of the tracks are on a top deck and the chairs, people and wind resistance take all the enjoyment out of it. Sounds like this track might be better based on MY preferences?

 

Thanks.

Running track is covered, on deck 5, no chairs to dodge.

[Debitoo]

Aggh! I hope your plugs work as well. The party really gets going in there around 11:30 with the late latino crowd. I assume you're in one of those inside cabins right above?? Please come back on CC with a review of the room and about the noise... I'd love to learn and hear about your experience. Have a great cruise! :D

Actually, I have the balcony 6584. My kids have the inside across from it. Maybe the balcony isn't right above it? (Please tell me it's not). :eek:

 

[Klstaack]

How was sabor bar. Is it larger since the sabor bar that is on the boardwalk on oasis and alure is not on harmony.

 

 

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[cruzccl]

Thanks for your excellent review. I am sailing on Harmony in March and this is my first time on this class of ship. Your review helped me understand the ship better. Thanks!

 

 

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[Hoopster95]

Actually, I have the balcony 6584. My kids have the inside across from it. Maybe the balcony isn't right above it? (Please tell me it's not). :eek:

 

 

Ah! I believe you're balcony is above the running track.:)

But your kids will be above Boleros. :eek:

[Hoopster95]

Thanks for your excellent review. I am sailing on Harmony in March and this is my first time on this class of ship. Your review helped me understand the ship better. Thanks!

 

 

You're welcome cruzcci.

For a better perspective, perhaps you'd have the time to go through this review with a deck plan open in another browser... easy to see where I am on the deckplans as I explain areas. Have a great cruise! :D

[Hoopster95]

Can you tell me more about the Oasis class running track? I'm a long distance runner (ran my 31st marathon on Sunday!) and when we cruise I typically don't run unfortunately. Most of the tracks are on a top deck and the chairs, people and wind resistance take all the enjoyment out of it. Sounds like this track might be better based on MY preferences?

 

Thanks.

 

Yes, I would think so based on your likes....

 

 

[Hoopster95]

How was sabor bar. Is it larger since the sabor bar that is on the boardwalk on oasis and alure is not on harmony.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Sabor bar is smaller and "inset" into the Sabor restuarant itself. The Bar on Allure and Oasis is much nicer in the center.

 

I stopped for a drink the when not busy and the margarita was great. During my meal the drink was also great (non event night). I stopped there on the final night as the Aqua Theatre was filling up for 7th heaven and I almost spit up my drink onto the bar... they just slammed it together without much thought. They had a long line that night and couldn't keep up... can't fit staff behind there and just enough room for a couple of people to be waiting for drinks besides the server waiting on the patrons inside the restaurant itself.

[Hoopster95]

I think I'm both tough and realistic on my ratings so bare with me and my perception of things this past week, especially if you disagree. I'll also take away the weather issues and travel stress and do my best to look at this objectively compared to past sailings.

 

"5" is a pass, but just barely...

6 ok

7 is very good but not memorable

8 memorable, but not the best ever

9 totally excellent, have recommended or raved

10 the best EVER... and it has to be EVER

 

Food:

Chops 9 - 2nd to my Legend experience, #1 restaurant on Harmony for us

Wonderland 9 - I will do this again!

150 CP 7 - just not memorable, prettty good, but not "wow" excellent

Jamie's 6 - not memorable, I truly do cook better Italian at home

Sabor 7 - not even close to my Navigator 10 experience. Pretty good though, but worth $60 upcharge?

Park Cafe 7 - steady Freddie... ya know what you're gonna get!

Solarium Bistro - 6 - a surprising let down, once for breakfast and lunch.

MTD 0 - my first outright fail for the situation they put us on. And the food I can't even remember

WJ 8 - an excellent surprise. The breakfast stations were excellent and plentiful with choices (ie. muesli with many toppings, not just a couple)

 

if I forgot to mention a venue, I likely didn't try it

 

Entertainment:

Production Shows 10!!!!!! - Columbus & Grease were both superb, best ever on any RCL cruise for many aspects

Headliner 10!!! - 7th heaven best Headliner ever on any of my sailings

Comedians 5 - if not for Simeon, would've been lower I'm afraid

Latino Band 7.5

Ice Dance Show 7

Fine Line 8

 

 

Venues

Sports Deck 10 (no brainer now with 2 Floriders)

Boleros 9

Studio B 9

Promenade 8 - I think I'd take the cozy Voyager promenades over O Class

Casino I didn't use this time (normally play poker)

Pool Deck 6 - I don't like the 4 pool format, massive crowding with poor layout

Solarium 4 - the slats are a major fail in design + no pool

 

 

Staff

Checker the DL 9 - I did not need his services but he was highly praised by others, besides remembering me from 3 years ago

Reyno SL 10!! - Rmembers me from 2 yrs ago, follows to see where I sit, and even though I'm not in a suite gives me the last 2 front row seats in the theatre when no other suites show up. How great is that for service and going an extra mile?

Dennis Garcia 8 - better than average, never had to ask for anything. First day asked for ice each night and got it. Toiletries in the bathroom without me asking

Bar Staff 9 - a big applause to the bar staff. For the most part great drinks everywhere. Also I never once made to feel inferior or made to wait when asking to fill my Coke Cup.

CD Bobby Brown 7

Activity Staff 7

 

 

 

General Thoughts

Crowding 5 - worst crowding in various areas of the ship I've ever experienced

The Abyss 7 - just ok, one and done

The Perfect Storm Slides 6.5 - overhyped imho

All Access Tour 3 - a big +fail with the new format

Rubicon Escape 9 - excellent fun and memorable

Boardwalk Balcony 7.5 - I would look to try a CP next time maybe

"Outward" focus 6 - almost a fail... go back and look through this entire review and look very very closely at the actual venues and ship pictures, counting as you go how many times you can see the ocean or look out a window. Then open up my Adventure or Serenade review and do the same thing... you'll get the picture.

 

If you take away the slides, cold/windy Solarium, downgraded All Access Tour, the overcrowded pool decks, and inward focus without seeing the sea you get.... well... a Voyager or Radiance Class ship!!! lol.

 

Overall thought? I'll give this cruise a 7. I brought back great memories of several things which absolutely stand out (23 of the "best evers" on one sailing!). Conversely this sailing had the most fails (scores less than 5) than on any other review I have ever done. I went into this sailing with very high anticipation, and maybe that was a big problem as Harmony overall did not live up to it.

 

Many of you offered very nice words throughout this review and I truly appreciate it and try to answer to them. If I missed saying thank you personally to any of your posts... "Thank you" :D I have a bucket list epic b2b booked for Aug/Sept on Jewel that I really hope to do a great review on. In the meantime....

 

H A P P Y C R U I S I N ' E V E R Y O N E ! ! !

Edited February 1, 2017 by Hoopster95

[SeaTheWaves]

Enjoyed reading your review and LOVED your photos. THANKS!!!

[perfect match]

Thank you for your review, Hoopster! I really enjoyed your pictures, and your views on the Harmony. She is still on my list of ships I'd like to sail. However, my list is really long, so I don't know when it will happen. In the meantime, I have certainly enjoyed seeing Harmony through your eyes.

 

I do not have any plans to sail the Med in the near future, but along on my virtual cruises with you and your gf is fun! :D I will be looking to tag along with you on your Med cruise Who knows what I might decide to do once I see what I might be missing. :eek:

[Jennywren113]

Thanks for this great review. My husband and I (Drummerdave) were on the Serenade with you in 2014 for our honeymoon. We keep looking at Oasis class and are still unsure if it's too big for us, and this has kind of convinced me. We went on the maiden sailing on Ovation last year and although it was a beautiful ship and we had great fun I much preferred the more intimate feel of the radiance class. I also felt Ovation (probably like oasis) suffered with the newness syndrome, sparkly and new but not quite a well oiled machine yet. Our sailings on Liberty, Indy and serenade felt like everything was well practiced and smoothly run.

Looking forward to your review of Jewel, I had my eye on the Western Med part but circumstances meant we couldn't do it so will be watching in interest (and slight envy).

Thanks again for this great review:)

[MaineTraveller]

Thank you for another great review. I really enjoyed your Adventure review as well. The largest ship I've been on was the Independence and I've always wanted to try the Oasis class. I'm booked on the Adventure in March for the Southern route and while I'm still excited to try the Oasis class someday I'm even more excited to go back to a Voyager Class ship (done the Navigator twice).

 

Can't wait to ready about your Jewel experience!

[Hoopster95]

Thanks for this great review. My husband and I (DrummerDave) were on the Serenade with you in 2014 for our honeymoon. We keep looking at Oasis class and are still unsure if it's too big for us, and this has kind of convinced me. We went on the maiden sailing on Ovation last year and although it was a beautiful ship and we had great fun I much preferred the more intimate feel of the radiance class. I also felt Ovation (probably like oasis) suffered with the newness syndrome, sparkly and new but not quite a well oiled machine yet. Our sailings on Liberty, Indy and serenade felt like everything was well practiced and smoothly run.

Looking forward to your review of Jewel, I had my eye on the Western Med part but circumstances meant we couldn't do it so will be watching in interest (and slight envy).

Thanks again for this great review:)

 

Ah Dave and Jen!!! How's married life? ;):p

Really awesome that you posted here to say hello, really hope all is well with you.

Please only use this review as a guide, and not to convince you to not sail on Oasis Class as you may love it like so many others.

 

To all CC'ers here, there's very little info on Ovation and DrummerDave did an excellent photo review if you're interested here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2347149&highlight=drummerdave

 

So you thought Ovation was too big?? Well, I have bad news for you.... Ovation has better views out to the Ocean than Radiance Class imho, and has more of a Radiance "feel". Oasis is massive and there are no windows anywhere, very much an inward focus. I think you need to try it just once so that you know for yourself. I'd hope to catch up with you again someday....

 

say!!.... how about Jewel Aug 27 + Sept 3?? ;)

[Cap'n Jack]

Can you tell me more about the Oasis class running track? I'm a long distance runner (ran my 31st marathon on Sunday!) and when we cruise I typically don't run unfortunately. Most of the tracks are on a top deck and the chairs, people and wind resistance take all the enjoyment out of it. Sounds like this track might be better based on MY preferences?

 

I ran a couple marathons 25 years ago, but now run halfs. I agree with you completely. I find it very hard to run on the topside tracks. Often, the wind is really tough, there is almost always some chairs or people to dodge, the turns are too tight or too frequent (the track seems like nothing but turns) and it's too hot for me with the sun. Also, as I've gotten older, I've become a little more affected by motion, so sometimes watching the horizon "bob" while I run bothers me. I definitely have this problem when I try to run on the treadmills facing forward in the gym, but I don't like treadmills much anyway.

 

I think that Hoopster has pretty much answered your question with the photos in post #264. I can't tell how much someone can see the ocean from the running track on HOTS, but you can definitely see it for large portions of the track on Allure and Oasis -- albeit around lifeboats and pillars. For example, it is lit primarily by sunlight, not artificial lighting. The point is that it is not an entirely enclosed or "indoor" track, at least not on Oasis and Allure; you are still exposed to outside air and some views -- and the sound of the waves as the ship moves, if you don't have on earphones -- but it's mostly sheltered from the wind. There aren't any stairs like on Princess, but I prefer it to be entirely flat. I climb enough stairs around the ship; we try to avoid the elevators when going up or down less than 4 or 5 decks.

 

The best thing about the track is on the sign -- only 2.4 laps to a mile. There are tight turns at the corners, especially towards the bow end, but that is true on outside tracks and is greatly outweighed by the long straightaways. And the faster you run, the more important this is, I think. Also, you can run on this track regardless of the weather. Sometimes it gets crowded with walkers (and runners), but most people are courteous. The best way to avoid this issue is to run earlier or later and avoid the mid-morning rush. Although it looks like 2 lanes in the photo, I think it is effectively 3 because you can run outside the painted lanes to pass someone, when needed. So it's feels wider to me than most topside tracks.

 

We find the track to be about the best you can ask for on a ship. I never ran on the tracks on other ships for the reasons mentioned above, but we always run at least a couple of times on the tracks on Allure or Oasis. But as I said earlier, everyone has their own preferences.

[cpayne]

Yes, I would think so based on your likes....

 

 

 

Interesting! Not sure if that is interesting good or interesting bad! :) Geez, am I being fussy or what?! Definitely appears the problem with extreme wind & sun, chairs and people will be eliminated. However, looks like we'll be running in a hallway! Are there any openings along the way that provide any sunlight/views? Very different than what I've experienced on any other ships, but I'm NOT complaining. Merely inquiring and there's a big difference!

[sammydh82]

As per the theme of harmony (Oasis Class in general), this gym has an inward focus with very few windows. If you have seen pictures of Voyager Class and especially the excellent Radiance Class gyms, you'll how just how superior those gyms are compared to Harmony. Best gym and spa in the fleet? Look through my Quantum review... if the Anthem gym is same as Quantum then it wins hands down, with the best "outside" focus going to Radiance.

 

 

I spent every morning at the gym during our Anthem cruise (both actually) and can confirm that it is far superior! Floor to ceiling windows with the cardio equipment all facing out those windows! Also, they have enormous windows in the front where there is a lower level, so tons and tons of natural light and you can easily watch sailing into port from the gym or just gaze at the ocean! It makes going to the gym that much easier! haha :D

 

ETA: Also... I LOVE, LOVE all of your reviews! You provide so many great tips and useful knowledge and they are so much fun to read on top of that! Thank you!

Edited February 1, 2017 by sammydh82

[Cap'n Jack]

Interesting! Not sure if that is interesting good or interesting bad! :) Geez, am I being fussy or what?! Definitely appears the problem with extreme wind & sun, chairs and people will be eliminated. However, looks like we'll be running in a hallway! Are there any openings along the way that provide any sunlight/views? Very different than what I've experienced on any other ships, but I'm NOT complaining. Merely inquiring and there's a big difference!

 

It took me a while, but I found a video of the running track that I knew I had seen. Go to 25:55 of this video and there's a minute and a half showing the entire length of the starboard side and the bow portion. The port side is similar to starboard and the stern portion is open to the sea. From my memory, the track is the same as Allure and Oasis. It should alleviate your concerns.