25 Things to Love About Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas

We were on one of the very first sailings of Odyssey of the Seas and found a lot to love about this new big cruise ship from Royal Caribbean.

Odyssey of the Seas is the second ship in Royal Caribbean's incredibly innovative Quantum Ultra class, joining sister ship Spectrum of the Seas. Odyssey is the fifth ship in the "Quantum" series, overall, which also includes the very similar ships Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas.

We sailed on one of the very first cruises on Odyssey of the Seas and discovered a wide range of venues and activities that you will absolutely love. The ship can carry up to 4,200 passengers.
Check out our roundup:

SeaPlex

This is a massive multi-use indoor complex at the top of the ship. SeaPlex features a full-court basketball/soccer court that is also the bumper cars arena. You can also enjoy such activities as pickleball, cornhole, ping pong, archery and Zumba fitness classes in there.
It redefines the top-of-ship space that you'll find on most large cruise ships. Athletes will love it because it allows for games in all types of weather, and the wind and extreme heat and sunshine also will have no impact when you want to shoot hoops or enjoy a soccer or pickleball game.

Speaking of sports, SeaPlex is also the location for the spectacular Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade (more on that below).

Giovanni's is just one of 16 dining locations onboard Odyssey of the Seas.

The Restaurants

Odyssey of the Seas features 16 restaurants and eateries. These include popular staples like Sorrento's (pizza and more), El Loco Fresh (Mexican fare like tacos, burritos and quesadillas located on the pool deck), Izumi (Japanese), Teppanyaki (Japanese hibachi), Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, Chops Grille (steakhouse), Cafe Promenade, Cafe@270 (light fare for breakfast and lunch), Windjammer Cafe (buffet), Playmakers (sports bar), Wonderland (molecular gastronomy), Solarium Bistro (healthy Mediterranean fare) and a Chef's Table (multicourse set wine pairing meal), as well as the Main Dining Room. Also, Coastal Kitchen is a restaurant dedicated for passengers staying in suites.

Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade

This sports bar and arcade stands out on its own as the best sports bar at sea. It's located within the SeaPlex and sits on the second level overlooking the bumper car arena/sports court. Playmakers offers 56 big-screen TVs, with a massive screen hanging over the SeaPlex court. There are also bar games like shuffleboard, pool tables and foosball.

The menu features a nice mix of traditional comfort bar foods, such as chicken wings, onion rings and burgers, but you will also love the poke nachos, tenders and especially the Campfire Cookie -- a decadent dessert made with warm chocolate chip cookie baked with marshmallows and Nutella, served with milk shooters!

Fitness Center

This is a full-fledged large-scale gym, just like you will find on land. We went daily for workouts at the facility, which includes free weights (dumbbells up to 100), a Smith machine, resistance training machines, individual workout areas, personal training, a spin studio and all kinds of cardio equipment.

Royal Esplanade

The hub of the ship covers two decks midship (on Decks 4 and 5) and is loaded with bars, lounges, eateries and boutique shops selling all kinds of items, from clothes and jewelry to souvenirs, Royal Caribbean logo wear and basic necessities. This is also where you will find the Guest Services desk.

Pool Deck

This is a resort area on Decks 14 and 15 with two pools in the main open area (there is a pool and hot tubs also in the enclosed adults-only Solarium space at the front of the ship), including a kids splash zone with slides, loungers, hammocks and casitas (for rent). The El Loco Fresh restaurant serving up Mexican delights is nearby, and you can stay refreshed with frozen cocktails and more available at the two-story Lime and Coconut bar. A jogging track encircles the deck overlooking the main pool area.

Solarium

An air-conditioned space at the back of the ship's resort deck. The Solarium features a cascading set of three shallow pools that lead to a little splash area with loungers offering views out of floor-to-ceiling windows at the very front of Deck 14. You'll also enjoy the nearby Sunshine Bar and numerous tables, chairs and lounge areas where you can relax with friends.

FlowRider

This is the popular surfing simulator that has been a feature on so many Royal Caribbean ships. Odyssey of the Seas offers a FlowRider on the top deck back by the RipCord skydiving simulator and the new Sky Pad trampoline attraction. On FlowRider, you can enjoy sessions of wakeboarding or surfing, and you can even book a training session for lessons on the basics of how to surf.

The skydiving simulator is a blast, taking you soaring above the sea.

Ripcord by iFly

This skydiving simulator is a true thrill ride, using a large wind tube rising off the back of the ship. It's quite the spectacle to watch fellow cruisers take their turn at free flight. Faces blasted with wind but with unmistakable looks of joy as they experience weightlessness. Once you get the hang of it, you might even try a few tumbling tricks in the tube (advanced progression lessons are available).

Sky Pad

This is a new and fun bungee trampoline activity, with a virtual reality component. There are four trampolines inside a dome structure at the top of the ship, adjacent to the FlowRider and Ripcord by iFly area. This is Sky Pad.

You get amazing views off the aft of the ship from up there, by the way.

Cruisers get strapped in with bungee cords and jump up and down on mini-trampoline. You can choose to enjoy just the jumping without the VR component, or you can choose from a menu of games and strap on the VR headset to bounce your way through challenges and courses, during which you will blast items by targeting them with your eyes. Your score appears on a main board, as you match up against fellow cruisers for bragging rights on the leaderboard.

Rock Climbing Wall

Another Royal Caribbean staple. This activity is a challenging one, but it yields amazing views for those who can scale the wall (it offers many routes for beginners to experts) and ring the bell.

Music Hall

A two-level (Decks 3 and 4) venue, this is a magnificent space with warm and comfortable decor. The large bar area on the top level features an array of seating where you can tuck away for privacy or place yourself on the balcony overlooking the live music or other activities (trivia, game shows, port talks) taking place on the stage below. On the first level, you find plenty of plush seating spots, another bar and pleasant works of art to create an inviting atmosphere.

Two70

A centerpiece of Odyssey of the Seas. Two270 is an incredibly innovative space that serves as a massive and inviting lounge area during the day — with almost two-story-high windows giving 270-degree views out to the ocean as you sail. There is a library on the second level of Two270, and the space is warmly decorated with all kinds of seats, chairs, daybeds arranged around the room, so you can disappear from the crowds to enjoy a book.

In the evening, the room comes to life with dance parties and shows filled with technological wonders to make use of the 12K video screens. A large wraparound screen (135 feet wide and 22 feet tall) is the backdrop "living wallpaper" for the show, and a six-panel moving digital robotic screens that hang from the ceiling and interact with the music and performers.
We saw the featured show "Book: Seven Chapters, One Adventure" during our Caribbean cruise.

Starbucks

The premium specialty coffee chain has big store on the Royal Esplanade (extra cost), and Royal Caribbean cruisers continue to flock here for their favorite coffee concoctions every morning -- or any time of day, really.

Schooner Bar

This a Royal Caribbean classic piano bar and always a favorite hangout for loyal Royal cruisers and newbies alike. This is where you come to hang out with new friends, enjoy the piano player, sing along, play trivia and chum it up with the friendly bartenders. On Odyssey of the Seas, the Schooner Bar -- with its traditional maritime decor, complete with a boat wheel -- occupies a spot on Deck 5 overlooking a corner of the Royal Esplanade, and it offers couches, chairs and seats around the centerpiece bar.

Boleros

This is a vibrant lounge on Deck 4 on the Royal Esplanade. You can settle in at the bar or find a comfy seat to enjoy live music and activities like bar quizzes.

Crown and Compass

The English Pub is a Royal Caribbean standard, and this bar located on the Esplanade is a warm and welcoming venue serving up cold pints and live music.

North Star

This attraction offers cruisers a unique perspective from high above Odyssey of the Seas. It's a capsule ride (in the style of the famed London Eye carousel that sits adjacent to the Thames River), and passengers load in for a gentle ride, lifted by a large mechanical arm that can hoist the glass capsule about 300 feet into the air and deliver 360-degree views of the ship and it's surrounding scenery.

Zone Zero is an incredibly fun virtual reality experience at the SeaPlex on Odyssey of the Seas.

Virtual Adventure Zone Zero

We tried the "Swashbuckler" adventure that places you into a virtual reality world where you are tasked with completing a mission.

We suited up in our VR headset and garb (our armor) and entered a room to choose our pirate avatar before dashing off on fun-filled adventure fighting off invading monkey skeletons and ultimately the Kraken! It's a blast, and I was stunned by the tech used. It was my first VR experience.

We had a fun time sailing on the ship. I hope you get a chance to cruise on Odyssey of the Seas soon. It's wonderful for families, couples, older cruisers and groups of friends, offering something for everyone.

Thanks for reading,
JR