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Symphony of the Seas : The world’s biggest cruise ship

Our novice cruiser boards Royal Caribbean's new ship to see if this travel style will be music to her ears

May 7, 2018 15:56
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3 min read

Most cruise-curious travellers opt for a small ship for their first taste of life on the high seas — but to pop my own cruising cherry, I headed aboard Symphony of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship ever built, and the 25th ship in Royal Caribbean International’s fleet.

If I explain that she can accommodate up to 6,680 passengers — more than the entire population of the tiny seaside town where I live in Northern Ireland — you’ll understand why I felt slightly daunted.

There isn’t a word in the English dictionary to describe how imposing a ship of such gargantuan proportions seems to a cruise newbie as I boarded in Barcelona for Symphony’s two-night “shakedown” cruise, testing out all systems before she enters service.

Boarding felt like entering a stadium rather than setting sail. Once on board, I felt total sensory overload as I wandered, dazed, along the Royal Promenade; a sleek, mall-like arrangement of bars, shops and restaurants.