Royal Caribbean July 2024 Cruise Review

Hello again travel lovers we are back after a short hiatus from the blogs. This week we have a different blog post for you. I recently traveled on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas on a weeklong Caribbean cruise that stopped at Port Canaveral, Florida, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Nassau Bahamas. Check out my full review of the ship and itinerary below! 
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Our cruise on Symphony was truly a vacation to remember! Our vacation started in Cape Liberty, New Jersey as the port is in driving distance for myself and my travel group. We boarded at about 10:30am and check-in is super easy at Port Liberty! We were on board the ship within 25 minutes of arrival. Upon boarding we secured our cups for drink packages and connected our devices to the Wi-Fi. Our E-muster drill was super simple, and if you have not cruised since the pandemic, this will be a game changer for you. 
Symphony is a beautiful ship, Royal really outdid themselves with this one. This ship is part of the Oasis class of ships which means there is something to do for everyone. From Central Park to the Boardwalk there is no shortage of entertainment for you. The ship has countless dining venues, many of which are included in your cruise fare! Pizza, Mexican, Ice Cream, Pastries, hot dog bar, and of course the main dining room and buffet are all included in your cruise! You will not go hungry on this ship. There are also plenty of entertainment venues on this ship. Boleros Lounge has live Latin music and dance classes daily, the Schooner Bar has a piano area that comes to life every evening, and Royal Caribbean productions in the theatres never disappoint! There are also of course many pools and other outdoor entertainment including mini-golf, basketball, water slides, surf-simulator, and more! 

Now onto the ports of call for this trip. Our cruise made 3 stops, two in the Bahamas and one in Florida. Our first stop was Cape Canaveral Florida. We had visited here a few times before, so if this is your first time, definitely go visit the Kennedy Space Center. This time we chose to go to Cocoa Beach and visit the famous Ron Jon shop. The area is very beautiful and walkable so it's perfect for an afternoon in Florida. 
Our next stop was Nassau, Bahamas. This port is one of the most frequently sopped at cruise ports in the world. On our day at Nassau, two other Carnival ships were docked alongside us. We chose to spend our day in Nassau at Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville Resort. We purchased our day pass from Resorts for a Day, which is great for any destination that has all inclusive. They offer refunds up to 24 hours before your anticipated arrival date. Our time at Margaritaville was fantastic! There is a large "Fins Up!" waterpark and beach access for all daytime guests. The food is not included at this resort and is something to consider prior to booking. 
Our final destination was Royal Caribbeans award winning private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay. This island is a MUST SEE for any cruise lover. Royal invested tens of millions of dollars to completely transform this island to a beautiful destination. The past times we have gone here we have visited South Beach or the Coco Beach Club. We decided to go back to the beach club this time because of the outstanding experience it offers to guests. We got off the ship at 8am to ensure we got a perfect spot at the club, and we had a Celebrity ship in port with is that day. This beach club is the best excursion we have ever done on a cruise by far. The elevated experience it offers guests is unmatched, including a beautiful beachfront infinity pool and lobster or steak for lunch. This excursion can get slightly pricy but is worth it if you can find a deal at the right time. There are also plenty of included options at CocoCay as well as included food. To explore all of those options check out our travel resource page and visit Royal Caribbean Blog for more help! 
Check out some pictures from the various excursions below!
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All in all, this cruise was another home run by Royal Caribbean!  We all enjoyed every aspect of this cruise and would highly recommend it to any traveler looking to cruise. If you are interested in a trip on Symphony or any other vacation, get in contact with us at Port of Call travel to get your booking process started! Happy travels!