The verdict: a genuine 5 stars
Harmony of the Seas is an Oasis-class ship — one of the biggest at sea — and it shows. There's a carousel on the Boardwalk, the Ultimate Abyss (the tallest slide at sea), water slides, a zip line, Central Park in the middle of the ship, Broadway-style shows and more restaurants than you can hit in a week. But the thing that made it five stars wasn't the hardware. It was the crew.
It was my birthday — and they made it
It happened to be my birthday that week, and the staff made it unforgettable. Every single time a server or crew member saw my name or SeaPass card, I got a warm “Happy Birthday!” — not once, all week. That kind of genuine, personal service is exactly why we keep coming back to Royal Caribbean. We felt looked after the entire trip.
Setting sail from Miami
Embarkation out of PortMiami was smooth. Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world, and it's an easy, sunny place to start a trip — we grabbed coffee in the city the morning we boarded and were on the ship by early afternoon.
Days at sea on Harmony of the Seas
The sea days are where an Oasis-class ship earns its keep. The Boardwalk carousel is a classic, the Ultimate Abyss is a must-do (and a little terrifying), and the sunsets from the upper decks were unreal night after night. Mornings started with an espresso; evenings ended watching the ship light up.
Ashore in the Dominican Republic
Our port stop was the Dominican Republic, and the coastline rolling down to the water from the mountains was stunning. Palms, a white-sand beach, a resort pool to cool off in — and, since it was November, even a big holiday tree at the port. An easy, beautiful day ashore.
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All photos are our own, taken on Harmony of the Seas, in Miami and in the Dominican Republic (November 2025). QuoteMyAnything may earn a commission from CruiseDirect when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.