The Symphony of the Seas is currently the world’s largest cruise ship. The ship is 1,184 feet long, 215 feet wide, has 16 decks for passenger use (18 decks total) and is over 228,000 tons. It can fit 5,518 passengers at double occupancy! However, the ship does a good job of dispersing people, and we didn’t feel overcrowded.
There are so many things to do on this ship, and many of those things will feel familiar to frequent cruisers. However, there are some Symphony of the Seas hidden secrets that will definitely make your cruise that much more enjoyable! We’ve complied a list of several things not to overlook when booking or enjoying your cruise!
Enjoy our Symphony of the Seas hidden secrets!
1. TVs in the overhanging hot tubs
The first of our Symphony of the Seas hidden secrets are the overhanging hot tubs! On each side of the ship, towards the bow, there are giant, forty-person hot tubs that overhang the ship. They are located just outside the adults-only solarium. These are often highlighted in reviews or videos about the Symphony of the Seas. However, we wanted to emphasize some of their key features. They are covered, so enjoyable rain or shine! The hot tubs also have two large TVs. Our cruise was during the college football championship, and, although packed, it was quite awesome to watch from the hot tub! These TVs were a great “hidden” feature.
The hot tubs are generally more crowded in the evening. But we found that if you wake up early in the morning, the hot tubs were usually empty. We would eat breakfast at the Solarium and then soak in the hot tub as the ship was pulling into port. You can’t beat that view!
2. Lounge chairs by the rock climbing wall on level 7
With so many passengers, it can be difficult to find a group of lounge chairs together on sea days, especially if you are not an early riser. One “hidden” area with chairs that we found was around the corner of the rock climbing wall! There are about half a dozen chairs on each side, with ocean views. And since they are tucked away, no one really knew of this spot.
To access it, you need to walk to the back of the ship where the Boardwalk is on level 6 (Aft), and then walk up the stairs to the rock climbing wall. Off to the side, you will find the chairs! It is great for sunbathing and relaxing during the day. At night, you can move the chairs to overlook the Aqua Theater and watch the shows from up there as well!
3. Charging stations/ “valuables storage” on pool deck
Royal Caribbean has added a great feature! On the pool deck, they have two phone charging stations that each hold 8 devices. How it works is that you create a pin code, plug your phone in, and then close the door that will remain locked until you enter the pin again. This means you can charge your phone without worrying about someone taking it.
However, you can use the locking feature without charging anything. So you could lock your phone or any other valuables (like your room key or a small camera) while you go swim in the pool or relax in the hot tub! Instead of leaving your belongings on an unattended chair, you safely store them here!
4. Cafe in Central Park
This one of our Symphony of the Seas hidden secrets isn’t really hidden but “overlooked.” Central Park has several pay-for dining options like Chops or Jamie’s Italian. However, there is one free restaurant, the Park Cafe. It is open for breakfast and lunch. It had grab-and-go salads and sandwiches, but it also has soup, desserts, and chips. You can also get an hand tossed, freshly made salad! There is also a wide beverage selection; they have many varieties of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.
We recommend that if you don’t want to pay for food in port or eat breakfast early before going to port, get a salad or sandwich the day before. Then you can put it in the mini fridge in your state room! In the morning, you can eat it for breakfast or pack it for your day in port. Or just leave it in your fridge for a late night snack!
5. Breakfast at El Loco Fresh-and free guacamole!
El Loco Fresh is open for breakfast from 8am-10am, then closes until noon when it reopens for lunch. El Loco Fresh is a new Symphony of the Seas addition and it is amazing! We love lunch there! However, it is right on the pool deck and on Sea Days, it gets very crowded. There can be a long line during peak hours. But if you go for breakfast, there is no line!!! You can walk right up and they have a wide range from hash browns to breakfast quesadillas and tacos. They also have an omelette station where they will cook you a custom omelette right there! Absolutely delicious and the best time to enjoy El Loco Fresh!
El Loco Fresh has a salsa bar, which is also open for breakfast. Put some salsa verde, lettuce, guacamole, and more on your breakfast, lunch, or dinner! My favorite part of the salsa bar is the guacamole! It’s free! Most restaurants charge extra for guac; you go to Chiptole and pay $2 for guacamole, but at El Loco Fresh on the Symphony of the Seas, the guac is included! Get your money’s worth and eat as much free guac as you can!
6. Ice cream by the dive shop
Outside of El Loco Fresh, there are ice cream machines. These machines often have a line since hungry people going to El Loco Fresh walk by them and stop. If there is a line and you want ice cream, you can simply go through the nearby doors (towards the elevator) and cross over to the other side. You will find yourself by the “dive shop” that sells snorkeling gear and scuba lessons. You will also find two more ice cream machines. We never saw a line at this one! Highly recommend walking over to them instead of waiting in line!
7. Ping pong tables and chairs on the running track
On the Deck 5 running track, there are two hidden ping pong tables, along with some chairs for looking out at the water. There are ping pong tables on Deck 15 by the mini-golf and the Teens Club; however, these ping pong tables are often taken. We recommend heading to this little nook to play ping pong or just to relax in the chairs!
8. Make reservations before you board!
The last of our Symphony of the Seas hidden secrets is that you should make your reservations before you board the ship! Many newer, larger ships are moving towards this format. We recommend pre-booking all your entertainment and dinners, especially the entertainment! Every single show on the Symphony is amazing! You don’t have to make reservations, but they let people with reservations in first. If you don’t have a reservation, you won’t be let in until 15 minutes before and all the best seats are taken.
However, if you don’t make reservations, you can still enjoy everything the ship has to offer, you just might not get your preferred time or seat. We also recommend that once you have your shows booked, make your dinner plans around them. The specialty restaurants can book up, especially hibachi at Izumi.
