Harmony of the Seas vs Odyssey of the Seas

I was lucky enough to be able to sail on two Royal Caribbean cruises within a relatively short period of time. These two cruises consisted of the Eastern Caribbean on Harmony of the Seas, and the Southern Caribbean on Odyssey of the Seas.

The nice thing about experiencing these two ships is that they are part of two different classes. Royal Caribbean separates their ships into classes. Ships that belong to the same class are designed very similarly with only minor differences between them.

Harmony of the Seas is part of the Oasis Class. Royal Caribbean's Oasis class ships consist of some of the biggest ships in the world. The only cruise line that has yet to top the Oasis class ships is... well... Royal Caribbean - when they debuted Icon of the Seas.

Odyssey of the Seas is part of the Quantum Class. It (along with Spectrum of the Seas) is actually part of a subcategory called "Quantum Ultra Class." Quantum Ultra Class ships are basically larger versions of the original Quantum Class ships.

Fast Facts about each Ship

• Harmony of the Seas set it's first sail on May 15, 2016. Odyssey of the Seas set it's first sail on July 31, 2021.

• Odyssey of the Seas is 26% smaller in terms of overall tons.

• There are 17 decks on Harmony of the Seas, while Odyssey of the Seas has 16 decks.

• Based on double occupancy, Harmony of the Seas can hold up to 5,497 guests and 2,200 crew members. Odyssey of the Seas can hold up to 4,180 guests and 1,550 crew members.

Ship Layout

Harmony of the Seas

Like the other Oasis class ships, Harmony of the Seas has a unique layout that is divided into "neighborhoods." The neighborhood concept allows guests to spread out, and it makes the ship feel less crowded. These 7 neighborhoods are: The Royal Promenade, Central Park, The Boardwalk, Pools and Sports Zone, Vitality of the Sea, Entertainment Place, and Youth Zone. Central Park and Boardwalk actually run down the middle of the ship, which is unique when compared to other cruise ships.

Odyssey of the Seas

Odyssey of the Seas has a more traditional cruise ship layout. However, the layout can still be somewhat categorized into 4 distinct areas. These areas are called: The Via, The Royal Esplanade, The Pool Deck, and The Sport/Seaplex.

Pools and Water Activities

Harmony of the Seas

Harmony of the Seas has 3 swimming pools which are the main pool, the beach pool, and the sports pool. There are 3 waterslides, which Royal Caribbean refers to as "The Perfect Storm." Harmony of the Seas was actually the first Royal Caribbean ship to be built with waterslides from the start (whether than adding them later during their "amplification" program). There are TWO FlowRiders (surfing simulators), a kids water play area (Splashaway Bay), and plenty of hot tubs.

The one thing missing from Harmony of the Seas is a calm adult only pool in the Solarium. The reason I say that it is missing is because it can be found on other Oasis class ships. Nobody seems to know why there isn't a pool in the Solarium on this ship (did they forget?!). Instead, they have misters to help you cool off (perhaps they went overbudget and decided to put in some fancy spray bottles instead). There are, however, hot tubs in the Solarium.

Finally, there is a pool at the back of the ship that is made for the AquaTheater. You don't get to go into the pool, but you will definitely want to catch one of the shows that take place here.

Odyssey of the Seas

Odyssey of the Seas has 2 main pools on the pool deck. There are plenty of hot tubs, and there is one FlowRider (which is common on ALMOST every Royal Caribbean ship). There is also the kids Splashaway Bay play area.

There are no waterslides on this ship, other than small water slides in the kids areas. Unlike the pool conundrum on Harmony of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas is not unique in this regard. Other Quantum Class ships do not have water slides either. This could be because Quantum Class ships, in general, were made to be able to sail comfortable in cooler destinations. So, it is something to keep in mind if having waterslides in important to you and/or your kids.

Shows

Harmony of the Seas

Royal Caribbean pulled out all the stops when it comes to shows on the Oasis Class ships, and Harmony of the Seas is no exception. There is MORE than enough to entertain you (which is a great thing considering how many people are on board!). If you enjoy musicals, you will be happy to know that Royal Caribbean delivers on their Oasis Class ships! There is a different Broadway show on each of it's Oasis Class ships. Harmony of the Seas had Grease when I sailed on it. When Grease wasn't playing, the same cast was performing Royal Caribbean's original musical, Columbus, The Musical!, which is about Christopher Columbus' fictional distant cousin, Marvin.

The AquaTheater features 2 different shows. The Fine Line is a high energy show full of water stunts, acrobatics, and high-flying feats. The other show is Hideaway Heist. Hideaway Heist isn’t nearly as jaw dropping as The Fine Line as far as high energy acrobatics so, but it is still a fun show to watch.

The other main area for popular shows is Studio B, which contains the ice skating rink. There are also 2 different ice skating shows. 1887, which is Royal Caribbean’s original production on ice, and iSkate Showcase, where the ice skaters get to let loose and skate to their own music. There are some impressive skaters in these shows.

In addition to the main shows, there are also comedy acts, musicians, gameshows, and other random shows found throughout the ship.

Odyssey of the Seas

Odyssey also has some very good Broadway quality shows. The most unique show on this ship called The Book. This takes place in the Two70 venue (which is a unique venue in a of itself!). The main stage is relatively small, but there are several areas for actors and props to pop out of the ground (and even come from the ceiling). The story can be a little hard to understand at first, but the music, dancing, acrobatics, and technology will keep you entertained no matter what. The one downside to Two70 is that it’s not a huge venue. You will definitely want to make reservations for this show before you cruise because of the limited seating.

In the main theater, Royal Caribbean presents it’s own musical production called, The Effectors. This is a musical about superheros that uses popular music to entertain and tell the story. There is also some neat technology incorporated into this show.

Showgirls is another great production. This show was only playing one night on our cruise, and I think it could have used more nights. It is known as being one of the main shows on this ship, so I’m not sure if it plays more on other sailings. There is some awesome choreography, lighting, video effects, music, and performances that pay homage to showgirls across the decades.

Unique Onboard Activities

For people of all ages who like to stay active, both ships have awesome onboard activities, many of which you won’t find on other ships. Both ships offer a lot of similar activities, but here are some activities that you will find on each ship that you will not find on the other ship (of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list).

Harmony of the Seas

• The Perfect Storm – We already talked about this one, but Harmony of the Seas has a trio of waterslides called The Perfect Storm, whereas Odyssey of the Seas does not have any waterslides (other than small ones in the kids area).

• Zipline – You can zipline over the Boardwalk on Harmony of the Seas.

• Ultimate Abyss –This ship contains The Ultimate Abyss, which is a pair of twisty dry slides that begins on the top deck, 150 feet above sea level, and lands on the Boardwalk. The pitch black tunnels on this slide really make you feel like you are falling down the to the ultimate abyss!

Odyssey of the Seas

• The North Star – Board the north star and you will take a trip that’s over 300 feet above sea level. This crane-like struck also moves horizontally to give you a different view of the ship, and it puts you directly above the water.

• Ripcord by iFly – Ever want to go skydiving on a cruise ship? iFly is a skydiving simulator that will satisfy any thrill seeker.

• Bumper Cars – Yes, Royal Caribbean found a way to put bumper cars on a ship. These are located in the Seaplex, and they are rotated with different activities throughout the day.

There is plenty more to share about each ship, but these are some of the main highlights when it comes to the differences between the entertainment on these ships. With Harmony of the Seas, you get a larger ship with more show venues and waterslides. With Odyssey of the Seas, you still get a large ship (just not as large), and you get to experience some unique things not found on other cruise ships like The North Star, TWO70 (which hosts The book), and it has a more traditional cruise layout if you don’t like the idea of neighborhoods that split the ship. All in all, you can’t go wrong with either ship!