Cruise Ships

First Pictures Onboard the Odyssey of the Seas

Last Updated on April 3, 2021

Royal Caribbean just took possession of their newest ship, the Odyssey of the Seas. It’s Royal Caribbean’s 25th cruise ship, and the first launched since the COVID cruise shutdown. The Odyssey of the Seas is a Quantum Ultra Class ship, so it’s similar to the Anthem, Quantum, Ovation, and Spectrum of the Seas. While not the biggest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, at over 1,138 feet in length and holding up to 4,905 passengers, it’s still a formidable ship and bigger than 90% of North American ships.

The Odyssey of the Seas will launch in Isreal and then will move to Florida, where it will be the first Quantum-class ship to leave out of that state. Historically, North American cruisers have preferred the innovative layout and design of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Florida market receives the Odyssey of the Seas. The ship is still top of the line, though, with many advanced attractions, great dining venues, and unique features. 

Now Royal Caribbean has possession of the ship, we finally get some real pictures of the ship instead of renders. Let’s see what those pictures tell us about the Odyssey of the Seas. 

North Star

North Star pod at Sunset
North Star Pod Raised at Sunset
North Star pod raised over Caribbean Themed Pool Deck
North Star pod over looking the main pool deck

The North Star ride is a signature feature on the Quantum-class ship. It’s a glass-enclosed pod that rises up over 300 feet over sea level giving amazing views. Like its sister ships, the North Star on the Odyssey of the Seas will hold up to 14 passengers at a time, and a single ride will last 15 – 20 minutes). Unfortunately, this attraction can get pretty long wait times, and we don’t see that changing on this ship.

Schooner Bar

Nautical themed piano bar
Schooner Bar’s bright and airy new look

If you’ve ever been on a Royal Caribbean cruise, the Schooner Bar will look familiar to you as it’s a staple on many of their ships. The piano bar gets hopping at night, and this one will be no exception. The bar on the Odyssey of the Seas keeps with the nautical theme seen on other ships, but this design feels much more light and airy. You’ll see less dark wood and carpets than some of the other ships. It’ll be interesting to see how this affects the room’s atmosphere; usually, you want piano bars to feel more intimate than expansive. 

Rock Climbing Wall

Red climbing wall on Odyssey of the Seas
Bold, red colored climbing wall

The rock climbing wall is a standard on every Royal Caribbean ship. This ship’s climbing wall is a vivid red compared to previous ships that are tan or gray. It definitely adds a splash of color and life to the deck. Hopefully the new darker color won’t absorb more heat in the blistering Caribbean sun than the lighting color walls on other ships.

SeaPlex

Seaplex on Odyssey of the Seas
Seaplex on Odyssey of the Seas

Many of Royal Caribbean’s ships have an ice skating rink, but this ship takes that to the next level. The SeaPlex has enough activities to keep everyone busy. The two story space houses bumper cars, flying trapese, roller skating, laser tag, and more. The Playmakers Sportsbar is right on the upper level on the right hand side, so a nice place to get a snack while the kids are having fun. It’s great to have an option for indoor fun for when weather is not so great. The SeaPlex can be found on all the Quantum class ships.

Sky Pad

Sky pad trampoline activity pod
Sky Pad is a new addition to Quantum-class ships

The Sky Pad is a newer attraction Royal Caribbean is adding to their fleet as part of the “Amplification” program. Now it finds a home on the Sports Deck of the Odyssey of the Seas. In this colorful dome, guests strap into a bungee harness and jump up and down on trampolines while attached to VR Googles for an out-of-this-world experience. 

Sports Deck on the Odyssey of the Seas
Sports Deck on the Odyssey of the Seas

Sky Pad isn’t available on previous Quantum Class ships, so this is an excellent addition. As you can see, the Sports Deck is now more action-packed than ever with Flowrider, iFly indoor skydiving, the climbing wall, and now Sky Pad.  

Two70 Lounge

Theater with purple led lights
Two70 Lounge

Another staple of the Quantum-class ships, the Two70 Lounge is a unique venue that offers beautiful sea views through expansive windows. At night, the lights drop down, and you can see amazing shows with aerialists, singers, projection mapping, and moving Roboscreens. It’s technology mashed up with art. In this picture, you can see the familiar setup, with soft glowing LEDs accenting designs and creating ambiance. 

Caribbean Themed Pool Deck and Splashaway Bay

Caribbean themed pool area and splash park
Caribbean themed pool area and splash park

In this image, taken from the North Star pod, you can see that this one is Caribbean themed, unlike the older Quantum-class ships. While it doesn’t make a functional difference, it gives the ship more personality and a more relaxed feeling. It’s very similar to the newly “Amplified” ships in the fleet and helps keep the new brand personality they developed intact.

You can also see the kid’s splash park located behind the pool, which is on the smaller size compared to some other ships by other cruise lines. You’ll also notice, there are no Perfect Storm waterslides on this ship which is disappointing.

The Caribbean themed Pool Deck really lights up at night
The Pool Deck really lights up at night

At night, the Pool Deck really comes to life with beautiful LED lighting. I love the rich, vibrant colors and the way the light plays off the palm trees. It’s going to a really cool place to hang out at night. You can also see the Lime and Coconut Bar at the end, a great place to stop by for some cocktails. This area really sets the Odyssey of the Seas apart from its sister ships.

Odyssey of the Seas…More of the Same

Odyssey of the Seas
Odyssey of the Seas

After looking at the pictures, there doesn’t seem much to set Odyssey of the Seas apart from the other Royal Caribbean ships. Does it need to, though? It has all the makings of a best-in-class cruise ship. On top of that, it’s the first Quantum-class ship sailing from Florida (eventually), and it’s jam-packed with everything you could want. The ship takes the tried and true design of the Anthem of the Seas and adds many of the new features of the “Amplified” ships like the popular Lime & Coconut bar and the Caribbean style pool deck. 

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Randy Young

Randy Young is the founder and editor-in-chief at Cruise Spotlight. He has been in marketing for 20 years and has been cruising for just as long. Over the years, he's worked with products like TVs, copiers, light bulbs, and EV chargers, but cruising has always been his passion. There's nothing Randy likes more than the first couple of hours on a ship, exploring every nook and cranny and seeing how it's different from everything else out there. He's known for providing detailed and analytical coverage of cruising to help cruisers get a comprehensive picture of a ship's offerings.

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