Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas: Overview and Things to Do

Odyssey of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship. A member of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Ultra class and sister ship to Spectrum of the Seas. In this article, you can find out all you need to know about the vessel so you’ll know her before even stepping onboard!

One of the most awaited ships in recent years, she has certainly been a long time coming. As was most of the cruising industry through 2020 and 2021.

Royal Caribbean’s new ships were heavily impacted, leaving the future of Odyssey of the Seas somewhat up in the air before its delivery date was pushed back to April 2021. However, this is one ship that’s been worth the wait, no matter how long it ended up taking. 

Futuristic, luxurious and filled with family fun, the vessel is sure to please any globetrotting crew, whether you’re traveling with young kids, as a couple or as a long-time, seasoned cruiser. Want to know what to expect before booking your Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas cruise? We’ve put together all the need-to-know details. 

Odyssey of the Seas Stats and Facts

Odyssey of the Seas, while originally slated to debut in 2020, makes its first appearance in April 2021. Though the ship was contracted with the builder in 2015, construction did not begin until 2019.

There were multiple delays in 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic, but also two separate fires that damaged the ship, one in May 2020 and one in June 2020. But, once the tumultuous construction process wrapped up, here’s what we were left with:

• A gross tonnage of 169,000 GT, making Odyssey of the Seas actually smaller than Spectrum of the Seas, though it’s still one of the largest ships in the world
• 16 decks (with 14 open to guests)
• 17 elevators 
• 1,138 feet in length and 135 feet wide
• A passenger capacity of 4,198 cruising guests at normal double occupancy, but an overall capacity of 5,498 guests total and 1,550 international crew 
• A ranking as the 20th largest cruise ship in the world, firmly between the Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Escape cruise ships

But the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t only impact the Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas construction process.

It also impacted the ship’s planned routes. While originally the ship was, as mentioned, planned to dock in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, (making it the first Royal Caribbean Quantum-class ship to call the area its home port), due to U.S. sailing restrictions, the ship had to switch gears and spend its inaugural sailing season in the Mediterranean. However, that has now been canceled and she will finally debut out of Florida.

How does Odyssey of the Seas stack up to Royal Caribbean’s other ships?

If you’re a long-standing Royal Caribbean fan, you may be wondering how exactly Odyssey of the Seas stacks up against Royal Caribbean’s other cruise ships, particularly those other ships in the Quantum and Quantum Ultra classes.

As mentioned, Odyssey of the Seas is the second Quantum Ultra-class cruise ship, following in the wake of Spectrum of the Seas, which operates out of East Asia. The Quantum Ultra class is known for a few things, including…

• Having one large dining room instead of four small dining rooms
• A smaller fitness and spa area 
• An improved solarium space
• New dining and drinking/entertainment venues
• New entertainment options
• Expanded outdoor space 

If you’ve sailed on a Quantum-class ship in the past, you can expect these differences. 

If, however, you’ve only sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class cruise ships, you’ll notice some bigger differences, primarily the smaller overall size of the ships. While the Oasis class is about big, big, big, the Quantum and Quantum Ultra classes are on the smaller side (though, really, can you call a ship that holds more than 4,000 people truly small?).

What they lack in size, they make up for in experience. Cruisers report an overall more luxurious and refined feel on the Quantum and Quantum Ultra-class ships. 

What kind of staterooms are on Odyssey of the Seas?

When sailing aboard Odyssey of the Seas, you’ll have your choice of more than 2,000 staterooms. The ship boasts a whopping 2,105 suites and staterooms, including…

• Interior staterooms
• Ocean-view staterooms
• Balcony staterooms
• Virtual balcony staterooms

Of course, any of these staterooms offer you plenty of enjoyable amenities and plenty of space. Royal Caribbean’s newer ships are known for their luxurious, hotel-like accommodations, whether you’re staying in an interior stateroom or one of the staterooms with a futuristic virtual balcony, which shows you real-time exterior views all day long.

But, if you really want to upgrade your cruise, you’ll likely want to go with a suite — and this ship has plenty to choose from. Pick from…

• The two-bedroom Ultimate Family suite
• The owners loft suite
• The grand loft suite
• The one-bedroom grand suite
• The large balcony junior suite
• The regular junior suite
• The spa junior suite

The creme de la creme is obviously the two-bedroom Ultimate Family suite, which is pretty amazing even if you’re not traveling as a family. With capacity for eight cruisers, there’s only one Ultimate Family suite on the ship, so you’ll want to book it fast if it catches your eye.

The new cabin type features two bedrooms, an in-cabin slide, two levels of fun, a living room and loads of entertainment options, from a 3-D cinema to video game consoles to an air hockey table. The outside space is sure to impress as well, with its wrap balcony and hot tub. 

What are the most impressive fun features? 

Of course, once you’ve settled into your stateroom or suite, you’re not going to spend the entirety of your cruise simply hanging out in your room. There’s plenty of other fun to be had.

Some of the most impressive and stand-out entertainment features on Odyssey of the Seas include…

• The SeaPlex, otherwise known as the largest indoor-outdoor activity center at sea (plus, there’s even a Playmakers sports bar where parents can chill while the kids play at the SeaPlex)
• The Sky Pad, which is a free fun activity that allows you to jump and soar your way through virtual reality adventures
• The Flowrider, which is a surfing simulator; grab a boogie board and hop onto the waves 
• Ripcord by iFly, a skydiving simulator that likewise allows you to get the adrenaline of skydiving without the plane
• Northstar, which isn’t so much of an entertainment space as it is an overall venue; whatever you call it, though, it does promise entertainment, as the observational pod takes you 300 feet above the water
• The Royal Caribbean rock-climbing wall, an outdoor feature that’s pretty much a staple on any Royal Caribbean cruise 

What are the dining options aboard Odyssey of the Seas?

With all your time spent playing and having an awesome adventure across this ship’s multiple entertainment spaces and venues, you’re bound to get hungry. Luckily for you, Odyssey of the Seas boasts more than a dozen different dining options.

Among the highlights for this ship, in particular, are Teppanyaki — which was originally intended to be the Royal Caribbean restaurant’s first appearance in North America, before the ship was rerouted to the Mediterranean for its inaugural sailing season — and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar.  

The full list of dining options

• The Main Dining Room
• The Windjammer buffet
• Solarium Bistro Restaurant 
• Chops Grille
• The Cafe at Two70
• El Loco Fresh
• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar
• Teppanyaki
• Coastal Kitchen
• Sorrento’s Pizza
• Starbucks
• Cafe Promenade
• Wonderland
• Izumi

You also can order room service straight to your stateroom or suite, as well as book a special Royal Caribbean experience known as the Chef’s Table, wherein you dine with a select few other cruisers, with direct service from the ship’s head chef.

What are the bars and lounges on Odyssey of the Seas?  

And if you thought you’d be stuck getting your drinks only with your dinner, think again. Odyssey of the Seas has plenty of watering holes where you can find whatever type of drinking experience you like most, whether it’s more of a club-like atmosphere or something laid-back and low-key. You’ll be able to check out…

• Schooner Bar
• Boleros
• Solarium Bar
• Bionic Bar
• Playmakers Bar & Arcade 
• The Suite Lounge
• The Lime and Coconut 

What are the pools like on Odyssey of the Seas? 

One of the coolest new spaces on Odyssey of the Seas is the outdoor, Caribbean-inspired pool deck (which also encompasses The Lime and Coconut).

While a feature on a handful of other Royal Caribbean ships, it’s still a relatively new feature, so if you haven’t cruised on one of the line’s newer ships or if you haven’t cruised with the line in a while, you may not have yet had the chance to experience it. 

Designed similarly to a pool area at a Caribbean resort, the pool deck is bright, vibrant, filled with fun and expansive, with lots of drinks, food, loungers and more all focused on the central main pool. The pool deck covers two areas of space, with multiple spots to take a dip. 

What’s there to do for kids on Odyssey of the Seas? 

As mentioned, Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas cruise ship is definitely family-friendly. From the family-geared suites to the ample family-friendly activities and spaces, parents traveling with children will have absolutely no problem finding things to do during their sea days.

But, when it’s time for the kids to go their own ways, they’ll find plenteous things to do away from mom and dad, too, such as paying a visit to the highlighted Social180, a refreshed teen space on Royal Caribbean ships that even includes its own patio and outdoor deck. Other activities include parties, movie nights, game events and more, all exclusively for teens.

Younger kids will likewise enjoy educational and fun programming designed with their needs and interests in mind. 

Odyssey of the Seas Cruises

There’s no better time than now to book a cruise on this brand-new cruise ship. See the latest amenities and luxuries that Royal Caribbean is offering up to its travelers for yourself, and see exactly why this ship was worth the long wait.

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