What makes Symphony of the Seas different from other cruise ships?

Symphony of the Seas may be the fourth Oasis Class cruise ship, but she is not without her own innovations and first-of-a-kind experiences.  

In the past, subsequent sister cruise ships in a class were often very similar to the ships that came before, but Royal Caribbean added a lot of new activities and offerings on Symphony of the Seas to provide guests plenty of incentive to try her out.  Here is our list of the top seven ways Symphony of the Seas is different from Oasis, Harmony or Allure of the Seas.

1. Solarium Big Wonder (art installation)

What makes Symphony of the Seas different from other cruise ships?

Photo by Cruise Life Rick

The artwork on any Royal Caribbean ship will be a major differentiator from other vessels, but we think the Solarium art installation was so significant, it merited mentioning on its own.

A one-of-a-kind work of art comprised of thousands of dichroic acrylic elements is the first to be featured in the Solarium, spanning an area of 2,594 square feet and flooding the pool beneath with natural light. The poolside palm trees bathed in this contrast of light and shadow make it a must-see (and Instagramed) site to see.

2. No Sabor on Boardwalk

What makes Symphony of the Seas different from other cruise ships?

Symphony of the Seas is the first Oasis Class ship not to feature Sabor on the Boardwalk, or anywhere on the ship.

Royal Caribbean opted to rethink its Boardwalk neighborhood a bit and introduced the Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.  It spans the entire length of one side of the Boardwalk neighborhood, and is home to sports watching, arcade games and tasty food.

3. Sugar Beach Candy shop

What makes Symphony of the Seas different from other cruise ships?

Much like Playmakers, Sugar Beach is a brand new candy and ice cream shop that is not on any other Royal Caribbean ship.  The concept was to offer sweet treats for adults and kids alike.  

Rather than just being "another candy shop", Sugar Beach features colorful candy-packed walls with ice cream and tons of toppings.  In addition, it is home to some baking events onboard.

4. Ultimate Family Suite

What makes Symphony of the Seas different from other cruise ships?

Symphony of the Seas introduced the Ultimate Family Suite stateroom, which is less of a stateroom and more of a family-inspired castle at sea.

The two-level room has some incredible features, such as an exclusive slide from the kid’s only bedroom down to the living room below; a floor-to-ceiling LEGO wall, an air-hockey table and hidden nooks for chilling. There is also a separate 3D movie theater-style TV room, complete with popcorn machine and a library of video games across multiple gaming systems. If all that was not enough, there is also a 212 square foot wrap-around balcony and a full-size whirlpool for fantastic views.

5. New restaurants

What makes Symphony of the Seas different from other cruise ships?

Dining is at the heart of what Royal Caribbean offers on its ships these days, and Symphony of the Seas ushered in a few new restaurant concepts for guests to enjoy.

While Sabor is not on Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean does offer a new Mexican restaurant in El Loco Fresh that serves up fresh and fast Mexican favorites.

In the Solarium, guests can try fresh seafood and a robust raw bar at Hooked Seafood restaurant.

6. Laser tag at sea

What makes Symphony of the Seas different from other cruise ships?

From the cruise line that brought you the FlowRider, rock climbing wall and Ripcord by iFly, comes glow-in-the-dark laser tag.

Located in Studio B, Battle for Planet Z offers friends and family the chance to battle for laser tag dominance in this new glow-in-the-dark laser tag experience, complete with state-of-the-art technology and special effects.

7. Lots of new entertainment

What makes Symphony of the Seas different from other cruise ships?

Royal Caribbean did not just "copy and paste" its entertainment line-up from other Oasis-class ships for Symphony of the Seas.  A number of brand new productions are available on Symphony of the Seas that are shown throughout the ship and a brand-new experience for all guests.

  • Hairspray: Big hair, big dreams and all the right moves — you can’t stop the beat in this Tony Award-winning Broadway hit.
  • Flight: An uplifting historical satire on the evolution of air travel that ends with homage to the famed Wright Brothers.
  • 1977: This spectacular adventure on ice follows a time traveling, dimension-jumping hero as he is called upon in London to recover Her Majesty's Crown Jewels in time for the famous Silver Jubilee.
  • HiRo: A mind-blowing show that combines cutting-edge technology, future-forward choreography, unexpected stunts and highly innovative, physically extraordinary acrobatics.

What makes Symphony of the Seas differs from various cruise ships available?

Among differences, the ship will have more cabins than its sibling including a first-of-its-kind, two-deck-high family suite with a slide between floors. It'll also have a revamped Boardwalk amusement area and a new-for-Royal Caribbean seafood restaurant.

What is the difference between Odyssey of the seas and Symphony of the Seas?

Odyssey is 1,138 feet long, measures 167,704 gross tons, and can carry 4,198 passengers at double occupancy (5,498 total). Compare that to the line's largest ship, Symphony of the Seas, which is 1,188 feet long, measures in at 228,081 gross tons and can carry 5,518 guests at double occupancy (6,680 total).

What is the difference between Wonder of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas?

Yes, Wonder of the Seas is slightly larger than Symphony of the Seas, making her the biggest cruise ship in the world. By bigger, we're talking about her gross tonnage, which is a nonlinear way to measure a ship's overall internal volume. Wonder of the Seas is 236,857 gross tons, whereas Symphony comes in at 228,081.

What is unique about the Royal Caribbean cruise?

Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to offer a rock climbing wall, FlowRider surf simulator, ice skating rink, Broadway shows, true high speed internet at sea and a lot more. What many fans like about Royal Caribbean is they are continuously pushing the envelope in terms of what a cruise ship can offer.