The Other Side of 45

Two years ago we took our first overseas cruise on the Harmony of the Seas out of Barcelona.  We enjoyed it so much we decided to take another Mediterranean cruise on the new Royal Caribbean mega ship, Symphony of the Seas.

I will share with you some information about our favorite spots on the ship, some tips, and the food.

If you have never tried out the specialty restaurants and you are a “foodie”, I highly recommend checking them out.  There is additional charge to dine at the specialty restaurants and charges vary dependent on the restaurant and whether you are having lunch or dinner.  There are quite a few specialty restaurants to choose from, I recommend getting a dining package if you are interested in trying more than one.  Dependent on the cruise you can book a dinning package prior to sailing.  However, if your sailing does not offer the option to purchase a dining package prior to sailing, be sure to stop in one of the specialty restaurants on the ship and inquire. A good place to start is on Central Park, as there are numerous specialty restaurants that will be able to help with purchasing dining packages, setting up reservations, and/or answer any questions you may have.

This year we went to 150 Central, Hooked, Jamie Olivers, and Wonderland.  If you have food sensitivities or want to “tweak” certain dishes they are very accommodating. You will get great service from all of the specialty restaurants.

If you like seafood, Hooked is the best bang for your buck.  They are piloting it on the Symphony and right now it’s a hidden secret.  Our portions were huge, it was a lot of food and it was all very well prepared.  We both ordered mussels as an appetizer and could have shared one.  They were French mussels and they were the biggest we have ever seen.

150 Central is a more formal setting but don’t feel like you need to dress to the “9’s”.  The food is really good and it’s an overall good dining experience.  We had beef tenderloin for two served side table and it was delish!

Jaime Oliver’s is always a good choice if you like Italian.  Chops is Royal Caribbean’s steak house which is on almost every cruise ship.  They have all cuts and aged steaks.  They are pretty consistent and good.  Wonderland is an experience…you have to open your mind even when looking at the menu.  The entire meal is laid out to be a journey.  You have to get the desert on the left…get ready to take a video and it is delish!

Adult hang out spot on the ship is the Solarium, one of the only places on the ship where no kids are allowed. The Solarium is located on deck 15 at the front of the ship with a small salt water pool, plenty of lounge chairs, two jacuzzi’s, full bar and bar tenders at your beck and call.  It’s very relaxing and not too over crowded unless they block off or shut down other areas on upper decks due to the wind.

There is a jazz club on deck 4 “Jazz on 4”, which we would frequent to enjoy the music and good vibes.  As a regular cruiser, I have to say this cruise had the best performers yet.  Janine Gilbert Carter was the singer during our sailing and this Sister can sing.  Not only does she have a great voice she is also very entertaining and engages her audience as appropriate.  She also weaves in a bit of blues and for our cruise she did a tribute to Aretha Franklin. If you like jazz, definitely check out Jazz on 4.

Last but not least is Vintages which is the wine bar in Central Park.  This is a chill spot where you can try some wines, listen to music and have the great company of the wine specialist on the ship.

Be a big kid and check out the slides on the pool deck as well as the wave runners.  There’s also a zip line…no worries, it’s fairly short, and there’s also wall climbing.

If you are singed up for a show be sure to get there at least 15-20 minutes in advance.  They start to let rooms without reservations in 15 minutes prior to the start of the show

Please also see My Favorite Cruise Line Tips and Benefits post for additional information to help you make the most out of your Royal Caribbean cruise!