Symphony of the Seas
Cruises
Departure Ports
Starting Price, Per Night*
Maximum Duration
| Spec |
Value |
| Age | 8 years (entered service 2018) |
| Class | Oasis class |
| Length | 362 metres (1,187 feet) |
| Beam | 47.4 metres (155 feet) |
| Tonnage | 228,081 gross tonnes |
| Capacity | 5,518 lower berth (6,680 maximum) |
| Crew | ~2,200 |
| Speed | 22 knots |
| Itinerary | Galveston, then Fort Lauderdale (2027): Western, Eastern, and Southern Caribbean |
Prefer to sail Royal Caribbean from Australia?
Symphony of the Seas is based at Galveston in Texas, moving to Fort Lauderdale in 2027, so an Australian booking is a fly-cruise. For a no-fly Royal Caribbean cruise from Sydney or Brisbane, see:
What is Symphony of the Seas?
Symphony of the Seas is a 228,081 gross tonne, 362-metre Oasis-class ship operated by Royal Caribbean International, the fifth of the line’s six Oasis-class ships. She carries 5,518 guests at lower-berth capacity (6,680 maximum when every berth is filled), with around 2,200 crew on board. Her standout features include the 10-storey Ultimate Abyss dry slide, the open-air AquaTheater for high-diving shows, and the deepest specialty-dining lineup in the fleet, including Wonderland and Jamie’s Italian.
Built in 2018 by Chantiers de l’Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire in France, Symphony of the Seas was the world’s largest cruise ship until her sister Wonder of the Seas surpassed her in January 2022, and she debuted the Ultimate Family Suite, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, and Laser Tag, headline venues that older sister Oasis of the Seas only added in a 2019 refit. She is registered in the Bahamas and sails 7-night Caribbean itineraries from Galveston, Texas, moving to Fort Lauderdale from August 2027, with no Australian homeport, so Australian guests fly to join her.
How many decks does Symphony of the Seas have?
Symphony of the Seas has 18 decks, with cabins on 10 of them, so your stateroom sits on one of those. The remaining decks hold the public spaces, organised into the Oasis-class neighbourhoods: the four-storey Royal Promenade, the open-air Central Park, the open-air aft Boardwalk with its hand-carved carousel and the AquaTheater, and the top-deck Pool and Sports Zone with the Ultimate Abyss slide, along with the three-storey Main Dining Room, the Royal Theater, the Studio B ice rink, and the Vitality at Sea Spa.
What cabins does Symphony of the Seas have?
Symphony of the Seas carries around 2,759 cabins across four core tiers. You can book:
- Interior cabins, including the Promenade View Interior, with bowed windows that look down over the Royal Promenade (a layout inherited from the Voyager-class), alongside family and standard interiors.
- Ocean View cabins, which add a picture window, plus neighbourhood-view rooms with windows that look into the Boardwalk or Central Park.
- Balcony cabins, with a real private balcony, including the Oasis-class signature inward-facing balconies that look down into the open-air Central Park or the Boardwalk rather than out to sea.
- Suites, which fall under Royal Caribbean’s Royal Suite Class and its three tiers: Sea Class (the Junior Suites), Sky Class (the Grand, Owner’s and Crown Loft suites), and Star Class at the top, which adds the Royal Genie personal concierge. Her marquee cabin is the two-storey Ultimate Family Suite at about 1,134 square feet, purpose-built for families with an in-suite slide, a LEGO wall, a cinema and an air-hockey table, and billed as the most fun suite at sea; the largest suite by floor area is the two-storey Royal Loft Suite at about 1,524 square feet, and she also carries a four-bedroom Family Suite that sleeps up to 14 and the AquaTheater Suites, with wrap-around balconies over the Boardwalk and the AquaTheater stage.
What does Symphony of the Seas itinerary look like?
Symphony of the Seas sails the Caribbean year-round from the United States, currently from Galveston in Texas and, from August 2027, from Fort Lauderdale in Florida. You can choose:
- Western Caribbean voyages of 6 to 8 nights from Galveston, calling at ports such as Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, Roatan in Honduras, and Royal Caribbean’s private island Perfect Day at CocoCay.
- Eastern Caribbean voyages of 7 to 8 nights from Fort Lauderdale, calling at Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and San Juan in Puerto Rico.
- Southern Caribbean voyages of 7 to 10 nights from Fort Lauderdale, reaching the southern islands of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire, with a call at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
What are the top facilities on Symphony of the Seas?
Symphony of the Seas has eight standout facilities:
- The Ultimate Abyss, the ten-storey dry slide from Deck 16 down to the Boardwalk, the tallest slide at sea.
- The open-air AquaTheater at the aft Boardwalk, with its high-diving shows and three-deck dives.
- The twin FlowRider surf simulators and The Perfect Storm waterslides (the Cyclone, the Typhoon and the Supercell).
- The Rising Tide Bar, which physically rises three decks between the Royal Promenade and Central Park.
- Studio B, the ice rink with professional ice shows.
- The open-air Central Park, with more than 12,000 live plants.
- The Boardwalk’s hand-carved carousel, the only true hand-carved carousel at sea.
- The zip line across the Boardwalk and the rock-climbing wall on the aft funnel.
What is the onboard experience of Symphony of the Seas?
Symphony of the Seas‘s onboard experience covers six areas:
- Dining
- Bars and lounges
- Entertainment
- Activities and pools
- Wellness and fitness
- Kids and teens programming
Dining runs to more than 20 venues across the seven neighbourhoods and is the deepest specialty line-up in the Royal Caribbean fleet. The complimentary side is led by the three-storey Main Dining Room, alongside the Windjammer Marketplace buffet, the adults-only Solarium Bistro, Park Café in Central Park, El Loco Fresh for Mexican, the Boardwalk Dog House, the poolside Mini Bites, the 24-hour Sorrento’s Pizza and Café Promenade, and the suite-only Coastal Kitchen. Specialty (extra-charge) venues include Wonderland, the imaginative Alice in Wonderland-themed tasting menu, and Jamie’s Italian, the Jamie Oliver restaurant that Symphony of the Seas is among the last Royal Caribbean ships to keep, alongside 150 Central Park, the chef’s-table tasting menu that is her premier restaurant, the Chops Grille steakhouse, Izumi for Japanese sushi and hibachi, the New England-style Hooked Seafood, Sabor for Mexican, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Johnny Rockets, the Chef’s Table, and the Sugar Beach candy and ice-cream emporium.
Bars and lounges spread across the Royal Promenade, Central Park, the Boardwalk and the pool deck. The Schooner Bar is the piano and nautical lounge, Boleros carries Latin music and cocktails, and the moving Rising Tide Bar rises three decks between the Royal Promenade and Central Park. Central Park holds the Trellis Bar and the Vintages wine bar, the Bow & Stern English Pub sits on the Royal Promenade, and Dazzles is the two-storey music and dancing lounge. Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade carries more than 30 screens, The Lime & Coconut is her signature pool-deck reggae bar, and Spotlight Karaoke runs the karaoke nights, while the adults-only Solarium Bar serves the indoor pool and the Pool Bar and Sand Bar cover the open deck, with a bar on the Casino Royale floor.
Entertainment centres on the four-venue stack of the Oasis-class: the Royal Theater for Broadway-style production shows, which opened with Hairspray, though the line-up rotates, so check the current show when you book; the open-air AquaTheater at the aft Boardwalk for high-diving aquatic shows; Studio B for professional ice shows; and the Royal Promenade for parades and party events. Glow-in-the-dark Laser Tag, which Symphony of the Seas was the first Royal Caribbean ship to carry, runs in a dark-room arena, the Music Hall hosts live bands, Spotlight Karaoke runs nightly, and Casino Royale runs the gaming floor.
Activities and pools keep the full Oasis-class Pool and Sports Zone: the Ultimate Abyss ten-storey dry slide, the twin FlowRider surf simulators, The Perfect Storm waterslides (the Cyclone, the Typhoon and the Supercell), a zip line across the Boardwalk, the rock-climbing wall on the aft funnel, a sports court for basketball and pickleball, mini-golf, table tennis and a jogging track. The pool deck has the main pool with the H2O Zone splash area, the Splashaway Bay aqua park for ages 3 to 12, the adults-only glass-roofed Solarium, and multiple whirlpools.
Wellness and fitness centre on the Vitality at Sea Spa & Fitness Centre, with a full menu of massages, facials and body wraps plus a thermal suite and, unusually for a ship, a Medi-Spa offering cosmetic injectables at sea. The two-storey gym carries cardio and free weights, group classes such as yoga, spin, TRX and Pilates carry a per-class fee, and the adults-only Solarium, with its glass-roofed indoor pool, is the quieter relaxation zone, with a hair and beauty salon and a barber shop alongside the spa.
Kids and teens programming runs through Adventure Ocean across the full age range, from Royal Babies (6 to 18 months) and Royal Tots (18 to 36 months) through Aquanauts (3 to 5), Explorers (6 to 8), Voyagers (9 to 11) and Adventure Ocean Teens (12 to 14), to The Living Room teen lounge (15 to 17). Adventure Ocean is included, while Adventure Ocean Late Night after 10pm carries an extra charge. Splashaway Bay, the Boardwalk carousel and arcade, and Laser Tag round out the family line-up.
Who is Symphony of the Seas best for?
Symphony of the Seas is a strong fit for you in four scenarios:
- You’re a multi-generational North American family who wants a maxed-out Oasis-class megaship and the thrills that come with it, from the Ultimate Abyss and the twin FlowRiders to the AquaTheater high-diving shows, the Studio B ice rink and the zip line.
- You’re travelling with children or teens and want the full age-banded Adventure Ocean range, the Splashaway Bay aqua park, and the Boardwalk’s hand-carved carousel and arcade, with the option of the purpose-built Ultimate Family Suite.
- You’re a food-focused cruiser who wants the deepest specialty line-up in the fleet, including Wonderland and Jamie’s Italian, which she keeps where some newer sisters have dropped them, alongside 150 Central Park, Chops Grille, Izumi, Hooked and Sabor.
- You want a suite, and Star Class onSymphony of the Seas adds the Royal Genie personal concierge and complimentary specialty dining at the top of the Royal Suite Class.
Symphony of the Seas is US-deployed from Galveston and, from August 2027, Fort Lauderdale, year-round in the Caribbean, with no Australian, New Zealand or Mediterranean season, so she’s less suited to you if you want an Australian departure. If you’re after the very latest in the class, the newer Icon-class ships carry features she does not, such as the AquaDome and the Surfside family neighbourhood, and she is less suited to you if you want a smaller, calmer ship. She was a record-holder in her day rather than the newest ship afloat: her appeal is Oasis-class scale at its most complete.
Where does Symphony of the Seas dock?
Symphony of the Seas is currently based at Galveston, Texas, sailing from Royal Caribbean’s purpose-built Galveston terminal, which was sized for Oasis-class ships, for her Western Caribbean season. From August 2027 she repositions to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for her Eastern and Southern Caribbean sailings. Pier assignments can vary by voyage, so check your booking for the exact terminal. She does not sail from Australia, so Australian guests fly to the United States to join her.
Prefer to sail Royal Caribbean from Australia?
*Symphony of the Seas* sails only from the US, so an Australian booking is always a fly-cruise. No Oasis-class ship homeports in Australia, so nothing in the local fleet matches her exact scale, but if boarding closer to home matters more than matching her size, three Royal Caribbean fleetmates sail from Australian homeports:
- *Anthem of the Seas* is the closest match for modern scale, the largest and newest Royal Caribbean ship to sail Australia. She’s a Quantum-class ship that homeports in Sydney and Brisbane over the Australian summer, with signature features such as the North Star observation pod and the RipCord by iFLY indoor skydiving simulator. She’s a step smaller than *Symphony of the Seas* and carries the Quantum-class indoor layout rather than the Oasis-class open-air neighbourhoods, but she’s the nearest local stand-in for a big, modern Royal Caribbean ship. See Anthem of the Seas cruises.
- *Ovation of the Seas* is the other Quantum-class Australian regular, with a similar newer-generation feature set to *Anthem of the Seas* on Sydney and Brisbane summer rotations. See Ovation of the Seas cruises.
- *Voyager of the Seas* is the long-running Australian favourite and typically the lower-priced of the three, a Voyager-class fleetmate sailing Australian summers from Sydney and Brisbane that carries the Royal Promenade, the Studio B ice rink, and the FlowRider surf simulator on an older, smaller platform. See Voyager of the Seas cruises.
Symphony of the Seas FAQs
How old is Symphony of the Seas?
Symphony of the Seas was delivered in March 2018 and entered service the following month as the fifth ship of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class, which makes her 8 years old in 2026. She was built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire in France at a cost of around US$1.35 billion, the most expensive cruise ship built at the time, and she held the title of world’s largest cruise ship by gross tonnage from her 2018 delivery until her sister Wonder of the Seas overtook her in January 2022. Her only drydock to date was a routine one in April 2021.
How many passengers can Symphony of the Seas carry?
Symphony of the Seas carries 5,518 guests at lower-berth capacity (standard double occupancy) and up to 6,680 passengers when every upper berth and sofa bed is filled. With around 2,200 crew, that is roughly 7,700 people on board at standard occupancy.
How long is Symphony of the Seas?
Symphony of the Seas measures 362 metres (1,187 feet) in overall length, with a waterline beam of 47.4 metres (155 feet). At 228,081 gross tonnes she was the world’s largest cruise ship from her 2018 delivery until January 2022, and she is now the fourth-largest afloat.
What are the noisy rooms to avoid on Symphony of the Seas?
Three cabin positions on Symphony of the Seas are worth avoiding if you’re a light sleeper, based on researched architectural patterns for Symphony of the Seas that transfer across the Oasis-class hull (her sisters Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas):
- Cabins on Deck 14, directly below the pool deck, which pick up early-morning pool-deck activity from above.
- Forward cabins on Deck 6, above the Royal Theatre, which pick up evening production-show noise.
- Deck 8 balcony cabins overlooking the open-air Boardwalk, which catch ambient noise from the carousel, the venues and the AquaTheater below by design.
A couple of further positions are sometimes mentioned, such as cabins on Deck 7 above Playmakers Sports Bar and the Promenade-view interiors below Park Café, but the evidence for those is thinner. Call Cruise Guru on 13 13 03, use Contact Us, or submit a Request a Call Back form, and a consultant can advise on specific deck and cabin numbers within the category you are considering.
Does Symphony of the Seas have a water slide?
Yes, Symphony of the Seas has waterslides at The Perfect Storm, a three-slide complex on the top deck made up of the Cyclone, the Typhoon and the Supercell. They’re included in your cruise fare and open during scheduled hours, weather permitting. She also has the Ultimate Abyss, a ten-storey dry slide from Deck 16 down to the Boardwalk, and the Splashaway Bay aqua park for younger children.
Who christened Symphony of the Seas?
Symphony of the Seas was christened in Miami in November 2018 by the actress Alexa PenaVega, her husband Carlos Pena Jr. and their son Ocean, Royal Caribbean’s first family godparents. Ocean was named the youngest godfather in cruise history.
Can Australian cruisers book Symphony of the Seas?
Yes, Australian cruisers can book the *Symphony of the Seas*, but you’ll need to fly to the United States to join her, currently at Galveston in Texas and, from August 2027, at Fort Lauderdale in Florida. She sails Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries of 6 to 10 nights and has no Australian, New Zealand or South Pacific departures, so for a no-fly Royal Caribbean sailing from Sydney or Brisbane, the section above on *Anthem of the Seas*, *Ovation of the Seas*, and *Voyager of the Seas* is the better starting point.
Indicative cruise-only fares for Australian guests on a 7-night basis start from around A$1,894 per person for an interior cabin, about A$2,183 for an ocean view, around A$2,507 for a balcony, and from around A$4,912 for a suite, though these are volatile snapshots, so check the live fares on this page for current pricing on your chosen sailing.
