Review: Odyssey of the Seas

Odyssey of the Seas Review

Sailing Dates: March 2-9, 2025

Home Port: Cape Liberty, NJ USA

Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean

A couple of weeks have gone by since my 8th cruise onboard Royal Caribbean’s last Quantum Ultra ship “Odyssey of the Seas”. First, this was my first time on this ship. Second, dare I say this ship is aptly named for a reason. During the seven night sailing to the Bahamas and Perfect Day at Cococay, Odyssey delivered upon expectations on past Royal Caribbean experiences: food, sights, design, etc. However, given the fact that this was my second time on a Quantum ship, I have some thoughts and opinions on this particular class of ships.

My opinion is strictly based on my own experiences, and not collecting other’s experiences with Royal Caribbean, the Quantum Class and Oasis Class. Reaching Emerald status with the cruise line (not that status matters at the end of the day), Royal never seems to disappoint (not trying to jinx it). The food onboard was delicious, well-prepared, well-presented, and each restaurant, including the Windjammer cafe were kept clean. Speaking of clean, the ship throughout the seven days was clean: did not see any remnants of dirt, vomit, grease, nothing. Plenty of hand sanitizer dispensers placed outside the eateries, glad to see this continue following the restart of the industry in 2021.

Let’s discuss activities. Being in my early 30s, I don’t participate in activities onboard, and so much of this is because I’m neurodivergent. Living with Autism, social interactions are daunting: small talk, don’t know how to introduce myself to strangers or respond to any strange or rude comments on topics I don’t agree with or situations where I think they are in the wrong. The only show I attended was the Love & Marriage game show held in the Royal Theater. What a hilarious time, wondering if the three couples will match answers. Spoilers, the oldest couple, married over 40 years, matched every single question thrown at them by our cruise director Steve. I would rather spend my time reading and writing, whether I’m on a ship, at home, or winding down in my hotel room. Being Autistic, I am not the average cruiser who get’s wasted, bar hopping while non-stop eating. What type of cruiser am I? I go for the ship and the ocean. Two places where distractions from home are left at home. Places where I can focus on my writing, reading, and admiring the ocean when it’s calm.

The food and cleanliness onboard Odyssey was A+ in my book, the design of the Quantum Class and Quantum Ultra Class however is…interesting at best. Comparing it to the Oasis Class, Odyssey and her sisters are very narrow in width. Due to this design, any time these ships are sailing in rough or mild choppy seas, you can feel the rocking of the vessel a heck of a lot more than the Oasis Class. Given my experience sailing on the Oasis ships five times (I’ll be on Wonder of the Seas this July for my birthday cruise!), I can safely say that any rough seas during those times I could not feel the motion of the ships. Oasis and her sisters are so wide in width, providing more stability and comfort for passengers, especially those who are more prone to seasickness or motion sickness.

Despite this, Odyssey was a good ship overall. Not overstimulating for neurodivergent individuals in my opinion: lights were not too bright, plenty of food options for sensitivity, no obligation to attend shows since shows can be overstimulating as well. Perhaps the best spot on the ship  for tranquility throughout the day (mostly) is Two70, located at the aft of the ship. At night, this venue puts on shows. During the day (please check the calendar on the Royal app), this venue is a quiet spot for reading, writing (if you’re also a writer) and admiring the ocean with the 270 degree views thanks to the gigantic floor-to-ceiling windows. Oh, did I mention Cafe at 270 has food and coffee? I am confident the food here is the exact same food served at Park Cafe on the Oasis ships, located in Central Park on Deck 8.

With all the odd design choices for the Quantum Class and Quantum Ultra Class, my time on Odyssey was a great week with my two best friends in this world. Would I recommend Odyssey and her sisters to first time cruisers specially and to neurodivergent folk? Probably not. I recommend the Oasis Class to these demographics, as those ships are more stable, lots more to do, and very impressive from a design standpoint!

Written by: William Spencer