Guide To Odyssey Of The Seas Photos & Review - Cruising For All (2024)

Having just returned from a wonderful familycruiseonRoyal Caribbean’s OdysseyOf The Seas aroundItalyand Greece. I am so excited to share our complete guide toOdyssey Of The Seaswith a photo tour and review of our sailing and thisquantum-ultraclass ship. It’s difficult when you’re booking acruiseto decide whichcruise shipand indeedcruiselineis best for families. I looked everywhere for photos ofOdyssey Of The Seas.

There are a lot about, but not all in the same place. So, I thought it was a great idea to wander around the ship and get as many pictures as possible to share with you guys. But also check out our topOdyssey of the Seastips to get the best out of the ship.

I love getting a feel for a ship before we set foot onboard it gives you an idea of what to expect before you sail.

Royal Caribbean’s,Odyssey Of The SeasPhoto Tour

Odyssey of the Seaswas launched in 2021 as the second in theQuantum Ultra Classships behind Spectrum of the Seas which was launched into the.fleetin 2019. Thevesselholds 5,510 passengers at full capacity andcruisesat a speed of 22 knots. She has 16 decks, 14 of those are passenger decks. The other 2 decks are service and crew deck, which are serviced by 17guestelevators.

OurStateroomOnOdyssey Of The Seas

We booked two adjoiningbalconycabins as we were travelling with our sons, the cabins were located on the hump so onebalconywas slightly larger giving us plenty of space. This works so well when you arecruisingas a family.

The Royal Esplanade

The Royal Esplanade onOdyssey of the Seasis a cool contemporary area and the hub of life on the ship. It feels like a wonderfulentertainmentdistrict, full of restaurants, bars and shopping. I also loved the interactive walls and pictures that featured heavily in the Royal Esplanade and entrance to the restaurant, it gave the space such a cool interactive feel. Check out the picture of balls on a beach when you are onboard, it’s actually a game.

Shops And Boutiques

There are a number of premium shops onboard, selling brands such a Chloe, Tag and Raymond Weil to name a few, however many of these were not open for a chunk of our sailing. Usually I love a browse in ships onboard shops, always purchasing something.

Weirdly on this sailing I was never near the shops when they are open, they felt a little tucked away. This is most probably because we were busy for our whole time onboard, thecruiseflew. However there were times and options to shop, these just clashed with other activities for us.

Bars OnOdyssey Of The SeasRoyal Esplanade

The Royal Esplanade is a realentertainmentvenue and has something to suit everyone. The Esplanade is split over 2 levels and runs the length on the ship. It is however more condensed mid ship on decks 4 and 5. Read on to see some of our favourites.

Schooners Bar

Schooner bar didn’t disappoint and just like all the previous Royal Caribbean ships we have sailed the atmosphere was fun and friendly. The regular piano man Yan Yaroch was exceptional and had the whole bar singing along whenever he performed. Additionally the bar staff were wonderful, always super friendly and remembered your name and drink.

If you are a fan of music trivia the nightly name that tune quiz was so much fun, even our boys got involved, which at 16 and 21 was quite a surprise.

The Bionic Bar

The bionic bar is a bit gimmicky, however we loved it. The beauty is it was never busy, its almost a bar that people pass through on their way to somewhere else. You simply scan your cruise card on the iPad, choose your drink and watch the robot bartenders do their magic.

There are also lots of stats and facts on the wall that are generated throughout the cruise based on current usage. The wonderful thing about the Bionic bar is that if you have the drinks package its included in your package, as long as you don’t choose a drink over $15.

The Crown And Compass

We have always loved the atmosphere of the English pubs on Royal Caribbean, but the Crown and Compass just didn’t have that same vibe. It was always busy with live music; however on this sailing wasn’t for us, that is not to say others didn’t love it. However, it was a great place to stop for a glass of wine when we returned from a port day whilst the boys grabbed some pizza.

Boleros

Boleros is a latin themed bar, however they did play other types of live music too. It has a chilled but lively vibe all in one and the bar staff were fab. It had a super friendly vibe.

The Music Hall

The Music Hall is a crazy venue, it was always busy, had lots of themed nights, thus also acting as the ship night club too. The 70s night was excellent, they pulled all of the best 70s tunes out of the archives and the atmosphere was electric.

However the music hall also has pool tables at the back on the top floor. This is perfect as reluctant clubbers were able to soak up the atmosphere a little out of the way. The Music Hall is one of those venues that is always busy, and always has something going on.

Two70º

We didn’t spend too much time in Two70º, for no other reason than we were too busy. Its such a cool space, we did manage to catch Oceanides which was short but so clever. We missed the book as were dining late, but people were raving about it.

Its magical how the whole back of the ship becomes a screen and the perfect base for evening shows. During the day this is a wonderful chill out space, also as it is situated next door to CafeTwo70º its a great place to chill and eat a light lunch.

Dining OptionsOnboardOdyssey Of The Seas

There are endlessdining optionsonOdyssey of the Seas, Royal Caribbean have tailored theredining optionsso there is something for all tastes and budgets. We bought the three nightspecialty diningpackagewhich was great value. Thus, we never made it to themain dining roomuntil night 3.

Themain dining roomwas excellent, to say this is a ship of epic proportions, service was excellent, smooth and quick. The only thing that was slightly slower was getting drink top ups. However we found that in all dining venues apart from Playmakers.

We had anytime dining, and although times were limited on the app, you could also just turn up and wait, this works for us a we do enjoy pre dinner drinks and don’t want to be held to a time every night. But the queue was never too long and we never waited longer than 5 minutes.

Also don’t forget to find out when lobster night is in themain dining room, it is often on the second formal night and you don’t want to miss it, the lobster was fabulous.

Our servers were excellent, and as soon as I made them aware I was gluten free someone appeared with the weeks menus and I was able to choose my meals ahead. This gave me a lot more options than choosing on the night.

Food Allergies On Royal Caribbean

If you are sailing on Royal Caribbean and have a food allergy, rest assured they can’t do enough for you. My only advice would be visit any speciality options before you dine and choose your food ahead. This helps the chef to prepare ahead and also saves time when dining.

Specialty RestaurantsOnOdyssey of the Seas

• Wonderland
• Teppanyaki
• ChopsGrill
• Chefs Table
• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen
• Izumi Sushi
• Playmakers Sports Bar

We ate at Wonderland, Giovanni’s and Chops Grill. Our of all our stand out favourite was Giovanni’s, with Wonderland coming a close second. However we also ate at Playmakers which sits under the speciality umbrella and loved it! Jack our oldest claims it was the best burger he has ever eaten.

Chops Grill

Chops Grill was a disappointment, the food was fabulous, however our poor server spent all night apologising for keeping us waiting, it just didn’t feel special at all, we had to ask for drinks and sort of felt a little left out and waiting about. Saying this she did her best and was so friendly, this leaves me thinking they had just overbooked for staffing levels. I would like to try it again as the steak was delicious.

Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen

Giovanni’s, more than made up for it with outstanding service and delicious food. My choices were limited being gluten free, but our waiter was excellent and they went out of their way to accommodate me.

The food was delicious and plentiful and when Chris and Jack couldn’t order dessert, as they were quote “fine and good” this is what they got on a plate, which I thought was a lovely touch.

Wonderland

Wonderland is crazy but incredible, Jack wasn’t a fan but he isn’t an adventurous eater. Chris, Joe and I loved the whole experience. The food is quirky and wonderful, our server was wonderful and made the whole experience more special.

I would say even if you have a fussy eater in your family give it a go, they can have pizza from Sorento’s after. Its worth it for the experience. But as I say we loved the food and even Jack devoured the desserts which were out of this world.

Dining Included In The Price Of Your Cruise On Odyssey Of The Seas

• The Main Dining Room
• Solarium Bistro
• The Windjammer (Buffet)
• Cafe Promenade
• Sorrento’s
• Coastal Kitchen ( For Suite Guests)
• El Loco Fresh
• Cafe@Two70º

We dined in the main dining room (see above) the boys loved Sorrento’s for late night pizza. We also used to wander to either the cafe promenade for fruit of the Cafe@Two70º for breakfast in the morning. Travelling with teens and young adults means they never get up in the mornings. Thus Chris and I had a wander and grabbed breakfast to go.

The Windjammer

We did use the Windjammer for some lunches and the odd breakfast and all agreed that it is the most organised buffet restaurant we have experienced so far whilst cruising. The staff were on the ball, there was a gluten free and allergy section, and the staff were knowledgable on options available. Drinks service was also quick in the Windjammer, the staff had service nailed.

El Loco Fresh

You have to try the El Loco Fresh, its better on a port day as manic on seas days but the food is delicious. This wasn’t somewhere I thought I would love, or indeed have options. However there were gluten free wraps, and all the options, beef, chicken, pulled pork were so tasty.

Outside Decks On Royal Caribbean’sOdyssey Of The Seas

The outside decks were crazy, there is so much to do and not enough time to do it all. My only criticism is there are no outdoor bars that offer a little peace away from the chaos on a sea day like on some of the Freedom class ships.

Saying that our boys are older and have no tolerance of children. But I might add here, we never at one time found the kiddies a problem, they were all enjoying family time and having fun. When teens get to 16 they are like the Grinch when it comes tokids!

Pools OnOdyssey Of The Seas

The pools are most definitely geared towards families, which is wonderful, Royal is a familycruiseline, thats how it should be. We could have retreated to the the Solarium but the Grinches didn’t like the glass roof and favoured Playmakers.

The pool areas as I say were chaos on a sea day, my heart sank on the first day when they wasn’t a seat to be had on deck and lots of sun-beds reserved for what seemed like hours with no one sat on them. But to be honest crowds aren’t our thing so we avoided the area, apart from the odd co*cktail at thelimeAndCoconutBar.

On a port day it’s a different matter, lots of space, and everywhere feels much more chilled and a pleasure to enjoy. The decks are bright, colourful and spotless which I imagine is not easy on a ship this size, but Royal’s standards are high and as expected from our previous experiences.

You can also book Cabanas if you want a bit of guaranteed space on a sea day. These are bookable prior to yourcruisevia yourcruiseplanner.

If you are travelling with younger children thepool deckis a dream, there are two pools, plus a children’s pool and baby splash zone for children in diapers. You will also find a good supply of life vests for little ones who can’t swim.

The Solarium

The Solarium is an adults haven and so well designed to feel like a tranquil environment with pools that cascade down over several levels. I would have really loved to spend a little time in here, I think the boys were put off on embarkation day as it was boiling, the outside temperature was 36º and the roof is glass so it was to be expected.

However as soon as we were at seas and even in other ports, on the times I walked though it was so much cooler and so chilled. Additionally if you can get a lounger right at the front the views of the Ocean are divine. If we had been travelling as a couple I would have spent all of my time in here, it really is a gorgeous environment.

Sports Deck

The sports deck in insane, if you have a sporty family then you will not be disappointed. Key features of the sports deck are……

• The Seaplex
• FlowRider
• SkyPad
• North Star
• IFly
• Rock Climbing Wall

The Seaplex

This is where our boys spent all their time, it didn’t help that Wimbledon was on all the time in Playmakers and they were all engrossed in that. However its also a place for families with older children to chill, play pool and table football.

And its always cool, which is a blessing on boiling hot days. But what really made Playmakers was the staff, they were wonderful, service was incredible and always with a chat and a smile.

If you are sports mad and don’t want to miss a certain match or game this is the place to be, there are dozens and dozens of screens all playing different games and matches. You can also book a private area to guarantee you don’t miss said game.

The Food In Playmakers

We dined and snacked in Playmakers and the food was always delicious! They even did a gluten free burgers, the food was an additional cost but reasonably priced and worth any penny.

Sports bar aside, the Sportplex is crammed with sports and activities, daily football and basketball. The great thing is all the sports are targeted at different age groups so no one is left out. There really is something for everyone.

Another huge feature of the Sportsplex is the Bumper Cars, get there early when a session is on, as there was always a queue but it does go down quickly and you don’t have to book just turn up. I had a go, but honestly as soon as I got bumped by a 5 year old I was over it. But it is a great activity for kiddies and younger teens and they all seemed to be having so much fun.

Climbing Wall

You don’t have to book the Climbing Wall just check out the Cruise Compass for opening times and turn up. The queues were never huge, and there are 3 different routes depending on ability. Joe is 16 and quite tall so found the hard route quite easy. But still returned several times for a climb.

The FlowRider Surf Simulator

The Flowrider is not a bookable activity, again check the times and turn up. The queuing time varies, sometimes quite long, other times not so much. however do make sure you head to the iFly desk before hand to sign a disclaimer and get a wrist band as you wont be able to surf without one.

Various sessions for all abilities are run throughout the day, this is great as you can really improve your technique throughout the cruise. What I will say is don’t be afraid of having a go, our boys didn’t want to queue, but I end every Royal Caribbean Cruise regretting not surfing, thus was determined to have a go this time, and the instructor was amazing with me. If you fancy a go, go for it, us mums can rock surfing too.

The iFly

You HAVE to do this, book your session as soon as you get onboard. Sessions are free on port days but incur a cost on sea days. Thus the port day sessions fill up, so this was the first thing we did as we boarded to ensure we got a session.

You complete a quick training session, at this point I thought my head was going to explode and there was no way I would get it. However, once in the wind tunnel it clicked, the key is to listen to your instructor, who was fantastic and really helped. But wow its exhilarating. To be honest if there had been time I would have booked another session.

The North Star

The North Star is another must do activity, like the iFly you must book as soon as you get onboard to get the free port day sessions. But the views from up there are incredible, we were in Naples for our session and the views were incredible, it was also fab to observe the ship and all the tiny people below.

A Few More Photos Around The Top Deck Of Odyssey Of The Seas

Our Review Of TheOdyssey Of The Seas

Odyssey of the Seasis geared towards families with kiddies and teens of all ages. It’s not a one size fits all kind of ship. You just haven’t got time to do it all, however thats not a negative, there is no time or room for boredom. We love dining together as a family and spent many hours laughing and chatting over great food.

However we also tried out activities, sports and things we haven’t done before. For us as a family it worked booking 2 adjoining cabins which gave us so much space inside and out.

But do note you don’t needkidsto sail on Odyssey, this ship channels people well, so apart from around the pool we didn’t see masses of children. The indoor areas are very much adult orientated. The ship is large but well designed making navigation easy once you get your bearings.

Would we sail on her again? Yes, in a heartbeat, the ship is bright fresh and the crew are extraordinary. If you are an active family I would thoroughly recommendOdyssey of the Seas.

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