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Symphony of the Seas vs Harmony of the Seas
The Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas was built in 2018. It's 2 years newer than the Harmony of the Seas, which was built in 2016.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
- See Our Detailed Cruise Blog
Ship Size
The Symphony of the Seas is considered an extra large size ship. Coming in at 1,188 feet long and 216 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.3 football fields, as wide as 4.1 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 16-story building. The Symphony of the Seas and the Harmony of the Seas are in the same class, which means they're sister ships. For the most part, they're similar in terms of size and layout; although they may have different features and attractions on board.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas holds about the same number of passengers as the Harmony of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or tons of ship compared to number of passengers, the Symphony of the Seas has the same amount of space per person as the Harmony of the Seas.
Both the Symphony of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas use a neighborhood layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.
| Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Oasis | Oasis |
| Gross Tonnage | 228,081 | 226,963 |
| Length | 1,188 | 1,188 |
| Beam/Width | 216 | 216 |
| Passenger Decks | 16 | 16 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,518 | 5,497 |
| Crew | 2,200 | 2,200 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 41 | 41 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Symphony of the Seas has 28 different dining options like Wonderland, Dog House, and Playmakers. Of those options, 14 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 14 options have an additional fee.
The Harmony of the Seas has 2 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Vitality Cafe, Chef's Table, and Wonderland. 14 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 12 have an additional fee.
The Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas has about the same number of dining options as the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
Restaurants on Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas & Harmony of the Seas
| Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 Central Park | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Cafe Promenade | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Chef's Table | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Chops Grille | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Coastal Kitchen | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Dog House | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| El Loco Fresh | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Hooked Seafood | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Izumi Hibachi & Sushi | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Jamie's Italian | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Johnny Rockets | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Mini Bites | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Park Cafe | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Playmakers | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Sabor | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Solarium Bistro | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Sorrento's Pizza | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Starbucks | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Sugar Beach | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Vintages Wine Bar | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Vitality Cafe | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Windjammer | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Wonderland | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas and Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas both have 20 bars to choose from during your sailing.
| Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Bionic Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boleros | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dazzles | ✓ | ✓ |
| English Pub | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mast Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| On Air Club | ✓ | ✓ |
| Playmakers | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rising Tide Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sabor Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sand Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Schooner Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Solarium Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Suite Lounge* | ✓ | ✓ |
| Suite Sun Deck Bar* | ✓ | ✓ |
| The Attic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trellis Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vintages | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wipeout Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wonderland | ✓ | ✓ |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Symphony of the Seas and the Harmony of the Seas below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas has a total of 4 pools and 10 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.
Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas has fewer pools than the Symphony of the Seas and the same number of hot tubs.
| Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 0 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 10 | 10 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 8 | 8 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books. These are the Royal Caribbean editions with places like Studio B and Sorrento's featured.
Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5 - Royal Caribbean Edition
Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8 - Royal Caribbean Edition
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Symphony of the Seas, 78% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Harmony of the Seas, only 77% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Aquatheater | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bionic Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carousel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✓ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ice Skating | ✓ | ✓ |
| Laser Tag | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thrill Slide | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zip Line | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit Royal Caribbean's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Royal Caribbean ship.
| Royal Caribbean | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
We sailed aboard the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas
Follow along on our sailing on the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.
Harmony of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 1 - Fort Lauderdale
Harmony of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day
Harmony of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Costa Maya
Harmony of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Cozumel
Harmony of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 5 - Sea Day
5 Hits and Misses on Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas
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