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Meet the World's Largest Cruise Ship, Harmony of the Seas

May 19, 2016
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3 min read
Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas cruise ship.
Meet the World's Largest Cruise Ship, Harmony of the Seas
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Royal Caribbean just launched its 25th cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, the largest in the world at 1,188 feet long and 226,963 gross tons. As Business Insider points out, the gigantic cruise ship is about as long as five 747s stacked end to end and is stealing the title from its sister ship, Allure of the Seas.

Harmony of the Seas will start out with several short trips in Northern Europe before sailing for its base in Barcelona and kicking off the summer season with 34 seven-night western Mediterranean cruises starting June 7. The ship will then head to its new home port in Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) this November, where it will set sail on seven-night cruises throughout the eastern and western Caribbean. Note that prices vary by season and destination — it's also a good idea to check Royal Caribbean's website for sales before you book.

The ship has a total of 2,747 staterooms — 1,768 rooms with private balconies, 266 ocean view cabins, 524 inside cabins, 717 rooms with 3/4 berth (essentially family-friendly suites, some of which can accommodate up to eight people) and 46 accessible rooms. Harmony of the Seas can hold up to 5,479 guests at double occupancy — oh, and you'll also be traveling along with 2,100 international crew members.

Central Park, one of the seven "neighborhoods" on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas. Image courtesy of Royal Caribbean.

The ship features 18 decks, 20 restaurants and seven different "neighborhoods" — Central Park (pictured above), the Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, Entertainment Place, the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, the Pool and Sports Zone and the Youth Zone. You'll also find two water slides and the Ultimate Abyss, a 100-foot dry slide that takes guests on a wild ride from deck 16 to 6. There's even a special waterpark for youngsters and several specialty restaurants. You'll also have the chance to see Grease, the Broadway musical, in the ship's AquaTheater.

If you need to get some work done when you sail, Harmony of the Seas has several Wi-Fi options to choose from. If you're planning to check emails and social media, packages start at $12.99 per device per day, while family packages for five devices or more start at $8.99 per device per day. Or, if you want to do all those things plus stream movies and music, packages start at $17.99 per device per day or $11.99 per device per day for five or more devices.

Be sure to book your cruise with a credit card that'll give you bonus points for travel, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, which gives you 2x points on travel purchases. Check out this post for more tips on maximizing your points and miles during a cruise.

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Are you planning to sail on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas? Share your best cruise tips with us, below.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.