Inside the Royal Caribbean Sea Symphony, the world's largest cruise ship

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After spending the first six months of her life in the Mediterranean, the largest cruise ship in the world with 228,081 tons, Symphony of the Seas arrived last week in the United States where she will now settle in Miami. , headquarters of the parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises. The cruise, in case you have not scored, is a big deal. The company employs over 75,000 people worldwide, including 2,200 on its new flagship product. Between its Royal Caribbean brand, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises and other holdings, the company generated revenues of nearly $ 8.8 billion last year. Earlier this year, it announced an agreement to acquire a majority stake in the Monaco-based luxury and adventure line, Silversea Cruises.

The CLIA, an association of the cruises sector, announced last year that more than 25 million people had sailed among its members, among which rivals of the royal Caribbean such as Carnival Corporation & Plc, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. and MSC Cruises SA. For Symphony of the Seas, its new routes will alternate seven-day crossings to the eastern and western Caribbean, two of the most popular routes. Michael Bayley, President and CEO of the Royal Caribbean brand, says that the goal is not necessarily to attract customers from its competitors but to attract new cruisers.

Read: Royal Caribbean spends more than $ 1.1 billion to attract new cruisers

The experience of sailing on the Symphony of the Seas for its 5,500 guests begins in fact at the $ 250 million Port A Miami Terminal, opened earlier this month on Dodge Island, and the exclusive use of Royal Caribbean. Forget everything you could experience when boarding a ship, an experience not always enjoyable. Designed to be a remarkable addition to the city's skyline, it offers plenty of baggage drop points, quick check-in and speedy security. "Ten minutes of bar car," joked Richard D. Fain, president and CEO of the company.

Getting guests on the ship faster is a good thing not only for vacationers but also for shareholders. In 2017, the company generated 28.1% of its revenue through the sale of onboard services, such as beverages and meals in specialty restaurants, an increase of more than 4% over to 2015. In its annual report, the company even pointed out "an increase of $ 125.3 million The business turnover on board is attributable to the increase in expenses … mainly because of our initiatives aimed at to increase sales, including beverage packages, shore excursions and sales of specialty restaurants (and) Internet and other telecommunication services. »Get on board quickly, skip your card to buy a drink, click on your smartphone to buy wifi access and start sharing on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. There are even suggested spots for the best places to photograph and publish that will make your friends and fans jealous, and maybe the cruisers as well.

Back on board the Symphony Of The Seas, its position as the largest in the world looks a bit like one of those skyscrapers claiming to be the tallest building by adding an antenna to the top. In fact, it is part of the Oasis class ships with the first, the Oasis of the Seas, launched in 2009. Symphony is about 1,000 tons larger than Harmony of the Seas, which allows it to capture the crowned.

Fain pointed out that Symphony of the Seas is 30% more efficient than its predecessor, a major feat, especially considering the chain spent $ 681 million in fuel last year. If you're wondering how you can get as many improvements over a substantially identical structure, Mr. Bayley explained that this was a result of many incremental changes to the hull design, including pushing millions of bubbles under the ship to reduce friction when moving in the water. There are also new-generation propellers and LED lights, although on-board activities consume only 30% of the energy needed, which may explain why more lines stay in the harbor later in the evening. even at night.

Behind the Scenes: How the Symphony of the Seas prepares 8,000 people a day at sea

If you do not really care about finances and environmental issues, the end result for customers is that even though Symphony of the Seas may not be revolutionary, it gives Royal Caribbean the chance to dazzle you once with its many favorite tricks, such as on-board ice rinks, zip lines, climbing walls, theme park slides, stream parades, water shows with high-flying divers, rides , automated bartenders and its own Central Park, a lush garden as a part of the ship with over 20,000 plants, restaurants, bars and high-end shops, including the Cartier, Bulgari and Hublot boutiques. Open to the elements from the top, but surrounded on each side by half a dozen floors of interior-facing cabin balconies and glass-lined elevator banks at each end, it It is easy to forget that you are on a ship.

Nearly four long (1,188 feet) and 215.5-foot wide football fields with 18 bridges in total, of which 16 are for guests, Symphony of the Seas has 2,759 booths. Built at STX France in Saint-Nazaire, the ship includes seven distinct neighborhoods, including Central Park, a wooden walkway with arcade and full-size carousel, Royal Promenade, a closed version of Central Park with its own Starbucks, a pizzeria and shops , plus various pool areas, a spa and fitness center equal to the best you will find in any luxury hotel, and youth area.

Highlights include The Ultimate Abyss, a 10-story water slide on which Bayley personally participated in the design. His goal, he said, was to provide an experience that would scare his children. The Perfect Storm is another trio of slides and Battle For Planet Z is a laser tag game. In total, there are 24 pools, slides and flow lanes that contain 94 times more water in an Old Faithful eruption.

Over 300 different menus are offered in 23 restaurants, 11 of which are free. Specialties range from Johnny Rockets to Izumi Hibachi & Sushi (the acrobatic exploits of its Teppan chefs are matched only by the quality of their culinary skills), Chops Grille, as in Alice and Jamie's Italian Jamie's famous chef Jamie's. Bartenders have recipes for 124 specialty cocktails, including Oyster Shots at Hooked Seafood. There are 161 types of sweets in Sugar Beach.

One of the new elements of Symphony is the Ultimate Family Suite, located at the back of Deck 17, boasting its own game room and a two-story indoor slide. Bayley said that it was originally designed as a marketing ploy to emphasize the fact that cruises are great family vacations. This is his success – he is practically exhausted for the next year with fares over $ 80,000 a week during the holidays – urged leaders to consider the possibility of adding more of this type in the future, although a smaller version and a lower price.

In terms of entertainment, in my cabin was a 48-page booklet with all the shows. There was so much to do that I had to look several times to make sure it did not apply to all of the company's ships, but it was actually just for Symphony. There is a remake of Hairspray, shows at AquaTheater, with great divers, acrobats and synchronized swimmers. Flight is an original product that describes the evolution of the Wright brothers flight to a future commercial flight to Mars. There are also ice skating shows, comedy, karaoke, salsa, many concerts, almost anything you can imagine.

If you prefer to click on the pages of pulp, this is not a problem. The entertainment guide and virtually everything you want to do is also available on an application that you can download for free. Bayley said the company "was investing hundreds of millions of dollars" in its embedded technology so you can order drinks, another pillow for your room, chat with friends or even book your next cruise from your own smartphone whether you are sitting by the pool, on your balcony or waiting for dessert.

Perhaps the fact that Royal Caribbean is still printing paper catalogs underlines that Oasis class ships are very popular at Bayley, from budget-conscious customers to Millennials to jetsetters. , retirees and especially groups of families and multigenerational friends. The layout of the ship allows guests of all ages and desire to find activities to excite them, and the variety of dining options provides places where they can meet during meals. He says his oversized Royal-class suites, many of which have large private balconies and a Royal Genie, your own Johnny, are popular with newlyweds looking for solitude and romance. All restaurants have tables for two, even the huge three-story main dining room. Next year, Royal Caribbean will open its own private island on which Coco Cay's Perfect Day is registered, which is another reason to choose Symphony of the Seas.

If Symphony of the Seas is an evolution rather than the revolution and Royal Caribbean has already made ice rinks, bumper cars and climbing walls, what will the next thing be that the brand will bring on the high seas that no one has still done? "We have a list of dozens of ideas," Bayley told me. When asked if he would share one or two examples, he replied, "No, because we could do them." In the meantime, Symphony of the Seas demonstrates that developments can also be satisfying.

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After spending the first six months of her life in the Mediterranean, the largest cruise ship in the world with 228,081 tons, Symphony of the Seas arrived last week in the United States where she will now settle in Miami. , headquarters of the parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises. The cruise, in case you have not scored, is a big deal. The company employs over 75,000 people worldwide, including 2,200 on its new flagship product. Between its Royal Caribbean brand, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises and other holdings, the company generated revenues of nearly $ 8.8 billion last year. Earlier this year, it announced an agreement to acquire a majority stake in the Monaco-based luxury and adventure line, Silversea Cruises.

The CLIA, an association of the cruises sector, announced last year that more than 25 million people had sailed among its members, among which rivals of the royal Caribbean such as Carnival Corporation & Plc, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. and MSC Cruises SA. For Symphony of the Seas, its new routes will alternate seven-day crossings to the eastern and western Caribbean, two of the most popular routes. Michael Bayley, President and CEO of the Royal Caribbean brand, says that the goal is not necessarily to attract customers from its competitors but to attract new cruisers.

Read: Royal Caribbean spends more than $ 1.1 billion to attract new cruisers

The experience of sailing on the Symphony of the Seas for its 5,500 guests begins in fact at the $ 250 million Port A Miami Terminal, opened earlier this month on Dodge Island, and the exclusive use of Royal Caribbean. Forget everything you've ever experienced while boarding a ship, it's not always a pleasant experience. Designed to be a remarkable addition to the city's skyline, it offers plenty of baggage drop points, quick check-in and speedy security. "Ten minutes of bar car," joked Richard D. Fain, president and CEO of the company.

Getting guests on the ship faster is a good thing not only for vacationers but also for shareholders. In 2017, the company generated 28.1% of its revenue through the sale of onboard services, such as beverages and meals in specialty restaurants, an increase of more than 4% over to 2015. In its annual report, the company even pointed out "an increase of $ 125.3 million The business turnover on board is attributable to the increase in expenses … mainly because of our initiatives aimed at to increase sales, including beverage packages, shore excursions and sales of specialty restaurants (and) Internet and other telecommunication services. »Get on board quickly, skip your card to buy a drink, click on your smartphone to buy wifi access and start sharing on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. There are even suggested spots for the best places to photograph and publish that will make your friends and fans jealous, and maybe the cruisers as well.

Back on board the Symphony Of The Seas, its position as the largest in the world looks a bit like one of those skyscrapers claiming to be the tallest building by adding an antenna to the top. In fact, it is part of the Oasis class ships with the first, the Oasis of the Seas, launched in 2009. Symphony is about 1,000 tons larger than Harmony of the Seas, which allows it to capture the crowned.

Fain pointed out that Symphony of the Seas is 30% more efficient than its predecessor, a major feat, especially considering the chain spent $ 681 million in fuel last year. If you're wondering how you can get as many improvements over a substantially identical structure, Mr. Bayley explained that this was a result of many incremental changes to the hull design, including pushing millions of bubbles under the ship to reduce friction when moving in the water. There are also new-generation propellers and LED lights, although on-board activities consume only 30% of the energy needed, which may explain why more lines stay in the harbor later in the evening. even all night.

Behind the Scenes: How the Symphony of the Seas prepares 8,000 people a day at sea

If you do not really care about finances and environmental issues, the end result for customers is that even though Symphony of the Seas may not be revolutionary, it gives Royal Caribbean the chance to dazzle you once with its many favorite tricks, such as on-board ice rinks, zip lines, climbing walls, theme park slides, stream parades, water shows with high-flying divers, rides , automated bartenders and its own Central Park, a lush garden as a part of the ship with over 20,000 plants, restaurants, bars and high-end shops, including the Cartier, Bulgari and Hublot boutiques. Open to the elements from the top, but surrounded on each side by half a dozen floors of interior-facing cabin balconies and glass-lined elevator banks at each end, it It is easy to forget that you are on a ship.

Nearly four long (1,188 feet) and 215.5-foot wide football fields with 18 bridges in total, of which 16 are for guests, Symphony of the Seas has 2,759 booths. Built at STX France in Saint-Nazaire, the ship includes seven distinct neighborhoods, including Central Park, a wooden walkway with arcade and full-size carousel, Royal Promenade, a closed version of Central Park with its own Starbucks, a pizzeria and shops , plus various pool areas, a spa and fitness center equal to the best you will find in any luxury hotel, and youth area.

Highlights include The Ultimate Abyss, a 10-story water slide on which Bayley personally participated in the design. His goal, he said, was to provide an experience that would scare his children. The Perfect Storm is another trio of slides and Battle For Planet Z is a laser tag game. In total, there are 24 pools, slides and flow lanes that contain 94 times more water in an Old Faithful eruption.

Over 300 different menus are offered in 23 restaurants, 11 of which are free. Specialties range from Johnny Rockets to Izumi Hibachi & Sushi (the acrobatic exploits of its Teppan chefs are matched only by the quality of their culinary skills), Chops Grille, as in Alice and Jamie's Italian Jamie's famous chef Jamie's. Bartenders have recipes for 124 specialty cocktails, including Oyster Shots at Hooked Seafood. There are 161 types of sweets in Sugar Beach.

One of the new elements of Symphony is the Ultimate Family Suite, located at the back of Deck 17, boasting its own game room and a two-story indoor slide. Bayley said that it was originally designed as a marketing ploy to emphasize the fact that cruises are great family vacations. This is his success – he is practically exhausted for the next year with fares over $ 80,000 a week during the holidays – urged leaders to consider the possibility of adding more of this type in the future, although a smaller version and a lower price.

In terms of entertainment, in my cabin was a 48-page booklet with all the shows. There was so much to do that I had to look several times to make sure it did not apply to all of the company's ships, but it was actually just for Symphony. There is a remake of Hairspray, shows at AquaTheater, with great divers, acrobats and synchronized swimmers. Flight is an original product that describes the evolution of the Wright brothers flight to a future commercial flight to Mars. There are also ice skating shows, comedy, karaoke, salsa, many concerts, almost anything you can imagine.

If you prefer to click on the pages of pulp, this is not a problem. The entertainment guide and virtually everything you want to do is also available on an application that you can download for free. Bayley said the company "was investing hundreds of millions of dollars" in its embedded technology so you can order drinks, another pillow for your room, chat with friends or even book your next cruise from your own smartphone whether you are sitting by the pool, on your balcony or waiting for dessert.

Perhaps the fact that Royal Caribbean is still printing paper catalogs underlines that Oasis class ships are very popular at Bayley, from budget-conscious customers to Millennials to jetsetters. , retirees and especially groups of families and multigenerational friends. The layout of the ship allows guests of all ages and desire to find activities to excite them, and the variety of dining options provides places where they can meet during meals. He says his oversized Royal-class suites, many of which have large private balconies and a Royal Genie, your own Johnny, are popular with newlyweds looking for solitude and romance. All restaurants have tables for two, even the huge three-story main dining room. Next year, Royal Caribbean will open its own private island on which Coco Cay's Perfect Day is registered, which is another reason to choose Symphony of the Seas.

If Symphony of the Seas is an evolution rather than the revolution and Royal Caribbean has already made ice rinks, bumper cars and climbing walls, what will the next thing be that the brand will bring on the high seas that no one has still done? "We have a list of dozens of ideas," Bayley told me. When asked if he would share one or two examples, he replied, "No, because we could do them." In the meantime, Symphony of the Seas demonstrates that developments can also be satisfying.