Freddy and I had been fortunate to not too long ago spend a couple of days on the pre-inaugural voyage of the biggest cruise ship on the earth. Our journey on Royal Caribbean’s Concord of the Seas was a completely superb expertise.
I nonetheless keep in mind to this second, my first view of the Concord of the Seas as we drove as much as the port in Southampton. It actually was awe-inspiringly huuuuuuuuuuuuuge. My pleasure solely grew as we walked up the purple carpet to board the ship.
Let me offer you a bit extra perception into this superior cruise ship. At 1,188 toes (362 metres, longer than the peak of Paris’ Eiffel Tower and the size of 4 soccer pitches) lengthy, it has 16 visitor decks with a capability for six,410 passengers together with a 22 knots cruising velocity. It has roughly 2,700 staterooms, 20 locations to eat, 2,100 employees, 23 swimming swimming pools, and a surprising park with over 10,000 crops and timber. You may see why it price over $1bn (£700million) and took virtually 3 years to construct proper?
I beloved that as we headed 0ff to our lodging, one of many first issues we noticed, other than the superb Central Park, was THE cocktail stall. Oh these cocktails. The employees had been extraordinarily good and will whip up something visitors want. We’d have tried out fairly a couple of pina coladas, bloody Mary’s, Tom Collins and about 50 million different cocktails. All within the identify of analysis you see.
The scale of the ship was introduced residence to us an increasing number of as we walked by lengthy corridors in the direction of our stateroom ocean view cabin. The cabin was extraordinarily spacious and got here outfitted with very cozy beds, good storage, a big flat display screen TV, a beautiful relax couch, a rest room with a bathe than we might simply get out and in of and the ‘nice to take a seat on while sipping cocktails to the sound of the waves’ balcony.
I managed to get a sneak peak at a few of the much more luxurious cabins on board. In case you are fortunate sufficient to have the ability to improve, then boy of boy do try the gorgeous 2 story Royal Loft Suite. This comes with over 2000 sq. toes of area, together with luxurious toiletries and linen, in-suite handcrafted cocktail service, health courses and spa entry, excessive velocity web, entry to specialty eating eating places, VIP Theatre seating and reservations and your personal private concierge and private assistant. You’ll by no means need to depart.
We weren’t wanting locations to eat on board the Concord of the Seas. No matter your style, there’s a good selection of foods and drinks to find onboard. All the pieces is roofed, from particular dinners to informal snacks.
Your cruise value included two eating places with a huuuuuuuuge vary of choices. I actually appreciated the buffet arrange of the Windjammer Market Place. This is likely one of the venues we frequented because it was open all day, with a big number of international eats, a recent bakery and plush made-to-order omelettes.
We additionally dinned on the foremost eating room which served multi-course meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s price reserving forward for one of many two night seating, as I picture it might get fairly crowded, plus you will have to be organized in the event you wished to absorb a night present or two.
Friends may also like the choice of specialty eating on board the Concord of the seas, which comes at an additional price.
There are two eating places that basically stood out to me. There was the stunningly embellished Wonderland Restaurant with its very imaginative delicacies. Friends enter the restaurant by way of ‘Alice in Wonderland themed rabbit gap’ to good sea views and a superbly curved staircase.
The scrumptious menu is designed round six thrilling themes: Solar, Sea, Ice, Earth, Fireplace and Desires. Visitor have to color their menus with water to disclose their eats. I didn’t handle to eat a full meal at Wonderland, however the buffalo rooster eggs, with smoke, blue cheese and sizzling sauce that I sampled had been out of this world.
I used to be fortunate to have the ability to check out the menu at Izumi Hibachi and Sushi restaurant. I beloved the décor of the restaurant and the sunshine open kitchen by which you’ll see your meals being ready. These guys serve recent and flavorful sushi akin to the additional tantalizing truffle creamy lobster tempura roll and the snow crab California. However I’ve acquired to say that one my favourite issues was the recent crispy coated tempura. I may need had 3 plates of them on my own.
Different specialty eating places included the superbly positioned 150 Central Park café which served sustainable, seasonal meals and Jaime’s Italian with its vary of genuine, scrumptious Italian eats.
I actually beloved the neighbourhood idea on board the Concord of the Seas. The ship is split into 7 distinctive neighbourhoods. You’ve got the Pool and Sports activities Zone, residence to the Final Abyss and the Excellent Storm trio of waterslides, the Royal Promenade neighborhood with the Bionic Bar, the Leisure Place with the theaters, comedy and jazz golf equipment, the Vitality at Sea Spa and Health Middle and the Youth Zone.
One in every of my favorite neighbourhoods was Central Park, which boasted 12,000 inexperienced timber and crops together with cafes, bars and eating places. The concept of being in a piazza in the midst of the ocean, when you may’t even see the ocean was artistic and superior. All through, you don’t really feel hemmed in, or crowded, in all places there may be simply the best stage of individuals. Actually intelligent and labored very well.
One of many first issues the child in me fell in love with was the colourful, handcrafted carousel, within the heart of the Boardwalk neighborhood. I actually actually wished to sneak out at night time when nobody was watching to trip on one of many superbly embellished animals. That thought had me grinning for a very long time after seeing it.
Earlier than heading off on the cruise I requested a couple of of my mates about what they want on a cruise ship. Not solely did the reply ‘ tons of leisure’ come up often, but in addition an enormous number of leisure. These going as a household wished leisure for each the children and the adults together with some cultural stuff.
So I had a mission to take a look at and report again all of the leisure on provide on the Concord of the Seas and report again. And boy was I very impressed.
It actually was a case of a lot to do and so little time. Particularly as you’ve completely every part in a single place – I’m speaking theatre, comedy golf equipment, an artwork gallery, climbing partitions, 23 swimming swimming pools, retailers, mini golf, night time golf equipment. You identify it, they’d it.
The Excellent Storm water slide.
Two of my absolute favorite issues to do on vacation are visiting artwork galleries and going to the theatre. And I used to be happy to see that The Concord of the Seas had approx. 11,252 artistic endeavors showcased all through the ship. It was just about like an enormous artwork gallery and I discovered a brand new deal with in all places hall or nook I turned. To me this was heaven.
And my second deal with was with the ability to see the debut of Broadway’s hit musical Grease within the Royal Theatre. I watched the movie about 50 time in Sierra Leone, a lot in order that I fully knackered the video my then boyfriend loaned me. So you may nearly picture my pleasure at seeing it reside on stage. We turned up 30 minutes early with a cocktail in every hand decided to bag the perfect seats. Peeps, it’s best to have seen me dancing in my seat and singing alongside to all of the songs.
Oh sure, The Concord of the Seas had just about every part lined – there was one thing appropriate for everybody.
Folks dancing on ice within the AquaTheatre? Tick. A 100-foot drop with Final Abyss, the tallest slide at sea. Tick. Fancied having a go on a surf simulator? Tick. Fancy typing in your drink order by way of a pill and looking out on because the robotic bartenders (by way of the Bionic Bar) whip up your drink. Heck yeah. It actually was a case of a lot to do sooooooooo little time.
Entertaining youthful visitors
The one time I had a couple of moments of guilt for leaving the children with granny and grandpa was while trying out the children pleasant leisure.
Youngsters might get to fulfill a few of their favorite DreamWorks Character (guess who hugged an entire 10 minutes of Kung Fu Panda’s characters’ time) together with different DreamWorks occasions and 3D films.
Teenagers, youngsters and infants, too, have their very personal devoted neighborhood laid out by age and supervised by skilled employees. Royal Caribbean have placed on a really effectively thought Journey Ocean® programme with tons of issues to do. First off with a nursery the place dad and mom desirous to sit back and chill out can drop off their younger ones to will probably be taken care of by skilled childcare professionals. Then there may be the KAquanauts for 3-5 yr outdated crammed with dinosaurs and effervescent potions, Explorers (6-8 years outdated) with palms on science and artwork adventures, Voyagers (9/11) with science experiments, backstage excursions and gagaball. Severely, my two would have beloved it.
Teenagers have their applications too and will select to simply hand around in the personal teen lounge or nightclub or participate in actions akin to karaoke, basket ball, rock-climbing, bbqs, themed or film nights. Youthful visitors won’t run out of issues to do.
Guys, I might go on and on and on about how a lot I loved my time on Board the Concord of the Seas and the way a lot I feel you prefer to it too. Factor is – it’s best in the event you go an expertise it your self.
I can see how far more superb the expertise could be when the ship ultimately goes to it long run residence within the Caribbean. All these out of doors areas would simply be soooo good. And the cocktails …………….
Pop over to The Petite Cook dinner to examine her model of the journey.
Some footage courtesy of Royal Caribbean and Sushi pics courtesy of Helen Greatest-Shaw.
We had been very fortunate to be visitors of the Royal Caribbean Concord of the Seas. All opinions are my very own.
