Symphony of the Seas

Ice skating and a splash park on Symphony of the Seas

An ice rink is the surprise on Symphony of the Seas: skating is complimentary for everyone, from a first wobble to a confident figure eight. Younger children head for Splashaway Bay, an included aqua park of slides, fountains and water cannons, with a drench bucket that tips when you least expect it. It is built for tots through tweens, and parents are welcome to join in.

The FlowRider surf simulator, found across much of the line’s fleet, keeps a 40-foot wave rolling while friends watch from the stadium seating nearby. Included kids’ clubs split children by age, with science experiments, crafts and shows for three- to twelve-year-olds. Our search for Royal Caribbean family cruises gathers departures built around days like these.

Caribbean round-trips from Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Galveston

Almost all of her sailings start and finish in the same port. Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) is her base from August through April, which takes in the Australian summer. The longest are 8- and 9-night round-trips: stops change between departures, but you might see Nassau, San Juan in Puerto Rico and Philipsburg on St. Maarten. She also runs 4- to 6-night round-trips from there, where typical calls include Coco Cay, Nassau and Cozumel. Browse Royal Caribbean’s Caribbean cruises to see these Fort Lauderdale departures.

From May to July, as the Australian winter sets in, she moves to Miami for 6-night round-trips, with 8-night voyages in May, July and October. Ports vary on those longer trips; Oranjestad, Willemstad on Curaçao and Cabo Rojo in the Dominican Republic are among them. In April, May, November and December she also sails the Western Caribbean from Galveston, Texas, on 6- and 7-night round-trips. Costa Maya, Cozumel and Mahogany Bay on Roatán in Honduras are typical stops.

Wherever she sails from, we book the flights, the hotel either side and the transfers as one Cruise1st Package. She is one of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships, and our Royal Caribbean page covers the rest of the fleet.

Garden drinks, Latin music and shows in the water

Trellis Bar is the one to find first: drinks among garden scenery by day, and live music from guest performers drifting through the outdoor space at night. Entry is free and drinks are charged. Boleros, a Latin club found on much of the fleet, has a live four-piece band playing salsa, merengue and samba alongside mojitos and caipirinhas.

For a show, Aqua Nation stages original performances by divers, acrobats and synchronised swimmers, and it is included in the fare.

Is Symphony of the Seas like Harmony and Allure of the Seas?

Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are all Oasis Class ships, and Royal Caribbean stages its AquaTheatre shows on the Boardwalk across that class. Sharing a class does not make them identical, and the clearest difference for a buyer is where and when each one sails. Symphony spends her year on Caribbean round-trips from Florida and Texas, so the pages for Harmony of the Seas and Allure of the Seas show their own seasons and departure ports.

Symphony of the Seas cabins and deck plans

Her suites come with Royal Suite Class, the line’s suite tier rather than a separate area of the ship. Its guests dine at Coastal Kitchen, a Mediterranean-Californian restaurant reserved for them, and Sky- and Star-Class suite guests also share a private Suite Lounge with a daily cocktail hour. With fifteen cabin decks, her cabins and deck plans are the quickest way to see where a cabin sits before you choose.

Cruise1st has Australian cruise experts on the phone seven days a week, ready to talk through her sailings before you book. When you are ready to compare dates, our Caribbean cruises in 2027 search is the place to start.