What Advisors Should Know About Royal Caribbean’s New Odyssey of the Seas

When Odyssey of the Seas arrived in Florida this past summer, it became the first Ultra Quantum ship to sail in the United States and the first Quantum-class ship to sail from Florida. It’s also Royal Caribbean’s most recent new build.

“The ship is beautiful,” says Bryan Villella, owner of a Dream Vacations franchise in Orlando. Villella sailed on Odyssey in September, his first time on a Quantum-class ship.

“With it being new to the Florida market, I think it’s a good way to charge up some energy and get people out there.”

Packed with onboard activities, restaurants, and unique entertainment options, the ship gives travel advisors a lot to work with when speaking with clients. But it is different from other Royal Caribbean ships many cruise advisors may be familiar with.

In terms of other Royal Caribbean ships that have sailed out of U.S. ports, it’s most similar to Anthem of the Seas (which sailed from the NYC area before the pandemic) and Ovation of the Seas (which sailed in Alaska in 2019). But it does have a number of differences.

To help cruise advisors differentiate Odyssey of the Seas from the rest of the U.S.-based Royal Caribbean fleet, Travel Market Report has put together some of the most important things you should know about the ship.

Size
Odyssey of the Seas may be an “ultra” Quantum-class ship, making it one of the largest in the Royal Caribbean fleet, but it’s still a bit smaller than an Oasis-class ship.

Odyssey is 1,138 feet long, measures 167,704 gross tons, and can carry 4,198 passengers at double occupancy (5,498 total). Compare that to the line’s largest ship, Symphony of the Seas, which is 1,188 feet long, measures in at 228,081 gross tons and can carry 5,518 guests at double occupancy (6,680 total).

It is slightly larger than the other Quantum-class ships, like Anthem and Ovation of the Seas, but a tad smaller than the line’s other Ultra Quantum-class ship Spectrum of the Seas. (That ship is 1,139 feet long, measures 169,379 gross tons and carries 4,246 guests at double occupancy.)

Jam-Packed Action
What really makes Odyssey of the Seas “ultra” is its attractions and activities. This is one jam-packed ship.

“There is so much to choose from every day that clients could never get bored on a ship like this,” Laurie Shuss, ACC, MCC, owner of a Dream Vacations franchise in Bonita Springs, FL, told Travel Market Report. Shuss sailed on the ship this summer with only 300 people onboard.

There aren’t many ships at sea with as much activity as Odyssey of the Seas. Squeezed onto 16 decks you’ll find surf simulators, vertical tunnel skydiving, bumper cars, a water park, VR/bungee trampolining, glow-in-the-dark laser tag, the North Star observation capsule, an immersive VR experience, and more.

Largest SeaPlex at Sea
One way in which Odyssey amps up the fun is with the largest SeaPlex at Sea, which Shuss simply described as “huge.”

This two-level indoor playground features a bumper car arena, full-court basketball/soccer court, and arcade games, and is host to the line’s super popular Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. Plus, the lower level transforms into a roller rink or glow-in-the-dark laser tag arena at select times during the day.

It’s also got pickleball, beanbag toss (cornhole), and ping pong.

Royal Caribbean’s First (and only) Virtual Adventure Zone
Odyssey of the Seas is also home to the line’s only fully immersive, free-roaming 4D virtual reality experience. Located inside SeaPlex, the Virtual Adventure Zone, also called Zone Zero, requires players to put on a virtual reality headset and choose an avatar. Once properly “attired,” players are set loose (in a monitored and enclosed space) while they work together to combat evil invaders and complete the mission they’ve been given. It’s only open to cruisers 13 years and older and does cost extra for every 30 minutes of gameplay.

One of 4 Royal Caribbean Ships with Sky Pad
Odyssey of the Seas is one of only four ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet to have the VR/bungee trampoline-based Sky Pad experience. (In the U.S., Mariner and Independence of the Seas also have the Sky Pad.) Cruisers can choose to go VR-less and just enjoy the bouncy fun of jumping on a trampoline attached to bungee cords. Or, they can strap on a VR helmet and engage in a number of interactive games from a sugarcoated wonderland adventure to a quest on a futuristic planet.

Lots of Dining…
Eleven eateries. And that’s not including the two-level main dining room, buffet, or Coastal Kitchen suites-only restaurant. Options range from Asian venues (Izumi and Teppanyaki) to Italian (Sorrento’s and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar) to grab-and-go (Café Promenade, Starbucks, El Loco Fresh, and The Café @ Two70) to fine dining (Wonderland and Chops Grille).

It’s almost too much to get to in a single weeklong cruise.

… and Entertainment
For Dream Vacations advisor Shuss, it’s the onboard entertainment that sets Odyssey of the Seas apart from other Royal Caribbean ships she’s been on.

“The entertainment is spectacular,” she told TMR. “That Two70, the show they did was phenomenal. I’ve already booked clients on Odyssey because I was so excited about the experience.”

Villella agrees. “That is one of the best shows I’ve seen on any ship yet. It’s multiple things going on at the same time. You don’t know where to look. It consumes you.”

The theater in Two70 merges high-tech visuals and special effects (like massive, choreographed roboscreens) with Royal Caribbean’s talented cast of singers and dancers to deliver entertainment that’s unlike anything else at sea.

Other entertainment venues onboard include Music Hall for live bands and dancing and the main theater for the line’s more traditional entertainment.

… and Bars
You’ll find several of Royal Caribbean’s signature bars onboard Odyssey of the Seas including the Schooner Bar, Bolero’s, and their English-style pub. But you’ll also find the Bionic Bar (an Oasis-class staple), Solarium Bar, The Lime and Coconut bar on the pool deck, and a Giovanni’s Wine Bar.

The ship also has a dedicated Suite Lounge and Diamond Club.

No Promenade
As with all Quantum-class ships, Odyssey of the Seas has an Esplanade instead of a Promenade. It’s similar but smaller with fewer shops and bars.

It’s not really a big deal but could be something worth mentioning to clients with lots of Royal Caribbean cruises under their belt.

Less Cabin Choice Than Oasis-class
Odyssey of the Seas stacks up nicely against the Oasis-class ships when it comes to activities and dining, but it doesn’t offer quite as much cabin variety.

With that said there are 10 broad cabin categories including virtual balcony, studio balcony, one- and two-bedroom grand suites, plus owner’s loft, grand loft, and royal loft suites.

Speaking of the suites, though Odyssey of the Seas is an Ultra Quantum-class ship, it differs from its sister ship Spectrum of the Seas in that it does not have a dedicated suite area.