Now sailing from her new home in Miami, it is not surprising that the world’s largest cruise ship boasts plenty to do. Symphony of the Seas is packed with new experiences like dining at Hooked Seafood, the show-stopping Tony Award-winning musical “Hairspray,” original Royal Caribbean productions, including “Flight: Dare To Dream,” and fan-favorite thrills like the 10-story Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea.
All of which begs the question: once you’ve booked your spot on the new sound of adventure, what on board favorites should you check out first?
Luckily, Crew Ambassador Cassandra Aragón is here to give you the inside scoop as Royal Caribbean’s first Traveling Content Creator. Cassandra was part of the Cruise Activities Staff aboard Symphony while sailing its inaugural season in Europe, and recently kicked off an incredible six-month stint capturing and sharing her journey on several Royal Caribbean ships sailing around the world.
After her time on board Symphony, Cassandra picked out a few must-see spots—though even she finds surprises sometimes! Check out the top five to make her list below:
#1: The Solarium
Cassandra: When you go to the Solarium at night, you’ll really see how beautiful it is. It’s adults only (sorry kids!) so if you’re looking for a place to sit back and relax, this is it. It’s one of my favorite spots, especially because of this artwork [called The Big Wonder, a one-of-a-kind sensory installation spanning 2,594 square feet], which arches over the bar like a canopy and is lit up at night with an alluring mix of pinks, blues and greens. Sometimes we host events there like, Latin night, which are always fun.
Head to the bow (that’s the front) of the ship on deck 15 to find the Solarium and its sweeping views overlooking the ocean.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Burke @stephenburkemusic
#2: FlowRider
Cassandra: On the Sports Deck, my favorite activity is the FlowRider, even though I’m bad at it! Well I’m not that bad, but I’m not like many of our guests and sports staff jumping and spinning on the board. For those trying it for the first time, if you fall—just embrace it. In fact, you are more than likely going to fall, so just have fun—and have someone record you because it’ll be a hilarious memory to look back on. Remember, practice is key.
Make your way to the aft (or back) of deck 15 for a quick walk up to deck 16 to find both surfing and boogie boarding FlowRiders that guests can ride for free. You can even take private lessons for a fee, if you want to edge out the competition.
#3: Dazzles
Cassandra: I really love Dazzles for its chic décor: Parties are thrown here, and it’s also a great place to listen to Great Ideas, Royal Caribbean’s talented show band—Dazzles is their main spot. This band can do it all: They play Spanish tunes, jazz and classic rock. They have so much energy and always make people stand up and dance!
Dazzles offers an excellent view of the Boardwalk, where you can spot guests zip lining and get a glimpse from afar of acrobats performing dizzying stunts in “HiRO” at the open-air AquaTheater.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Burke @stephenburkemusic
#4: Piano Stairs
Cassandra: This may be my very favorite thing on the ship: The stairs leading up to Windjammer Marketplace play musical notes and briefly light up when you step on them. There’s no sign or anything, so people are always taken by surprise. I love this brilliant, techy touch. It’s like being in the movie “Big.”
Play your own tune by walking up or down these stairs located toward the aft of the ship between decks 15 and 16, leading up to Windjammer.
Photo courtesy of Cassandra Aragón @cassaragon
#5: Central Park
Cassandra: Central Park is definitely in my top five for good reason. I love walking through this area—it’s one of seven unique neighborhoods on board Symphony. Just take a stroll and feel refreshed by the surrounding plants—sometimes you can catch live music there, too! There are also bird sounds playing and pathways that lead to shops, entertainment and popular restaurants like Chops Grille and Jamie’s Italian. There’s no place quite like it at sea.
Travel to the center of deck eight to spend some time in the park with more than 20,000 live plants.
Deep-Diving and High-Flying Stunts Thrill on Harmony of the Seas: True Feats are Behind the Scenes at the AquaTheater from RCL Corporate on Vimeo.
Fun Fact
Cassandra: There’s also a hidden place I haven’t even found myself yet—a “secret deck” somewhere by the AquaTheater. While this deck is only accessible to our talented AquaTheater team, the great video above shows the inner workings of what makes the AquaTheater tick.
It’s true. Deck “4.5” is on the aft of the ship.
Ready to scope out these spots yourself? Book your next Caribbean cruise on board Symphony of the Seas.
