Cruise Spotlight: Symphony of the Seas

Lobster at Chops Grille

First impressions

The food is at the top of my list for being a true standout. When boarding the boat, we headed to the buffet to start our trip out as we always do: eating. We were greeted with a seafood tower filled with mussels, shrimp cocktail, seafood salad, and lobster. We were very pleased, to say the least.

• Tip: I recommend always going straight to the buffet when boarding as lunch time is in full swing.

Coco Cay & Nassau

Our cruise went to Coco Cay and we purchased tickets to Hideaway Beach, an adult-only section of the island. It is filled with pizza huts, the best coconut shrimp, an infinity pool with a swim-up bar and DJ alongside a private lagoon. It truly is the perfect day.

The day prior, we stopped in Nassau, Bahamas, which is not one of my favorites. I would stay on the boat next time as they is not much to do if you do not book as excursion.

Hideaway Beach. Adults-only.

Food & drink

Specialty restaurants are a must. The food is top-tier, and if you are a food lover it is a necessity. The beverage package is great if you plan on having at minimum three drinks a day. I know I have a frozen drink by the pool and maybe two glasses of wine at dinner to make it well worth my money.

Lobster Thermidor at 150 Central Park

I also bought the water package. The water on the boat is not the same, and it is nice to have fresh water to sip on. The water bottles given at the bar do not have an enjoyable taste, in my opinion, and leave me feeling more thirsty than before.

And last of all, on certain sea days they will be selling pineapples with a frozen drink inside by the pool, which is my favorite secret.

Frozen pineapple cocktail available on select days at sea

Entertainment & activities

Entertainment on the boat is very amazing. The ice skating shows are extremely fascinating and great for the kids, too. The Aqua Theater has an amazing show filled with water and divers great for all ages.

The only thing that was disappointing was the pool. I enjoy a live band when tanning and sitting by the pool, as I have experienced for so many prior years. This sailing did not have that, unfortunately, and just a speaker with music was played all week. It is nice, however it misses that Caribbean vibe I look forward to.

A really fun thing to do is the zip line. No need to sign up, just check the hours when it is running. One of my other favorite things to do is ride the carousel. It is located on the Boardwalk and runs most of the day.

• Tip: The app will be your best friend. It will have every activity listed with times from bingo to pickleball lessons.

Solarium, adults-only quiet area

Accommodation

Ending on a high, the staterooms were delightful. We upgraded to the junior suite balcony and the room was massive. We had a walk-in closet and the balcony was nice and wide.

If you can splurge, it is worth the extra dollar.

CocoCay entrance

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