Odyssey Of The Seas Review: Our Honest Take After Sailing From Rome

Odyssey of the Seas is a 4,198-guest (double occupancy) Quantum Ultra-class ship, in service since 2021, packed with a skydiving simulator, a surf simulator, bumper cars, and a glass pod that lifts you 300 feet above the sea.

We took an April Mediterranean cruise from Rome and gave the ship 9/10. We’ve cruised Royal Caribbean many times, and it remains one of our favorite lines, so whether you’re a first-timer or a veteran, here’s what we loved, what we’d skip, and how Odyssey compares with its sister ships.

Our favorites on this ship are the North Star, RipCord by iFLY, the FlowRider, and even the bumper cars. The climbing wall will test your agility and your fear of heights as you ascend at sea.

Our Sailing At A Glance

Odyssey typically sails Mediterranean and Greek Isles itineraries from Civitavecchia (Rome) in summer, then repositions to the U.S. for Caribbean sailings in winter. Sailings run 7 nights or longer, and the most common is the 7-night Greek Isles route (Santorini, Mykonos, Ephesus, and Naples).

We sailed the 9-night Eastern Mediterranean itinerary from Civitavecchia in late April, in a balcony cabin. Our ports were:

• Rome, Italy (embarkation/debarkation)
• Crete (Chania), Greece
• Santorini, Greece
• Ephesus / Kusadasi, Turkey
• Mykonos, Greece
• Athens (Piraeus), Greece
• Naples, Italy

Embarkation was quick, although the distance from the Civitavecchia train station to the port was longer than expected (see our guide to getting to Civitavecchia from Rome). On debarkation day, we did self-debarkation and took the train to the airport for an early afternoon flight.

You’ll have just one or two sea days, so most of your time is spent exploring! Santorini and sometimes Mykonos are tender ports (we docked in Mykonos).

Tip: Check how many ships are at tender ports, especially Santorini, if you want to get off early and beat the crowds. We got on the first tender and reached land before our scheduled arrival.

Why Odyssey Stands Out

As the final Quantum-class ship launched, Odyssey improves on earlier ships, including one unified main dining room instead of the original Quantum split layout, and a Teppanyaki venue separate from Izumi Sushi.

Teppanyaki is one of our favorite dining experiences on the Quantum Ultra-class ships. Our food is cooked in front of us, and it’s the perfect blend of social dining, expertly prepared food, and a bit of comedy.

Like all Quantum-class ships, Odyssey has the Royal Esplanade, a mall-like space for shopping, dining, and people-watching. Look for the giant pink cat mascot, too!

The adults-only Solarium is our favorite pool area and the perfect retreat after a fun day in port. It’s covered, with hot tubs and lounging areas, and the pool deck adds two outdoor pools, which suit Mediterranean sailings better than cooler East Coast departures.

In late April, temperatures in the mid- to high 20s °C (mid-70s to low 80s °F) were warm enough to use them.

How Odyssey Differs From Other Quantum-Class Ships

If you’re choosing between Quantum-class ships, the differences matter as much as the similarities. Here’s how Odyssey compares with the sister ships we’ve sailed. See our full reviews on:

• Spectrum of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas  
• Ovation of the Seas

Prices and free-versus-paid rules vary by itinerary and season, so treat these figures as a snapshot of each sailing.

Download the RC App

Royal Caribbean has always promoted its app as critical to your cruise, and it’s now the only place for daily activities, dress codes, menus, and reservations for RipCord, FlowRider, North Star, and Two70 shows. We always appreciated the printed daily planner, but it’s no longer available.

Action-Packed Adventure

Odyssey is built for people who don’t like sitting still. The action centers on SeaPlex, with Playmakers Sports Bar right in the activity space. Scheduled events run all day, including pickleball tournaments, basketball, and dodgeball, and because it’s all indoors, it works in any weather.

Full-sized bumper cars run at select times and are popular, so arrive early. We tried them a few times and found the rides much shorter than on Ovation, which at least kept the waits down.

Tip: Ride the bumper cars on embarkation day. On our Ovation cruise, the wait was about five minutes on the first day, and later the line stretched around the whole arena.

RipCord By iFLY

RipCord by iFLY is the ship’s skydiving simulator, and it’s Karen’s favorite activity. We’ve tried it on several cruises and have seen kids as young as 4 take part. Flights are typically free on port days and charged on sea days (USD 50pp on our cruise).

Tip: Phones and cameras aren’t allowed in the flight chamber, so have your group book different time slots to film each other.

FlowRider

The FlowRider surf simulator is another high-energy option. If you’re an amateur like me, be prepared to lose your dignity as you fall over again and again trying to ride the wave. Riders must meet a minimum height and sign a waiver.

North Star

North Star lifts a glass pod 300 feet above sea level for sweeping 360-degree views of the ship and sea. Shortened rides are usually complimentary on port days, while extended rides that pivot out over the side of the ship cost extra (USD 45pp on our cruise).

Tip: Book a basic-experience slot on embarkation day. Many guests don’t realize you have to reserve North Star in the app, so slots are easier to find right away.

Kids And Teens

Odyssey delivers on Royal Caribbean’s family reputation, with a kids’ club that keeps all ages engaged. Younger cruisers can head to Splashaway Bay, with water cannons, dump buckets, fountains, and slides, while the climbing wall, SeaPlex, and pools suit older kids.

Odyssey uses the newer Adventure Ocean groups: AO Babies (6 to 36 months), AO Juniors (3 to 5), and AO Kids (6 to 12), instead of Aquanauts, Explorers, and Voyagers. On our off-season late April cruise, there were just 300 kids, but staff said peak season can bring 1,500 children and teens!

The Sky Pad trampoline has been removed, but the ball structure remains, with bean bag toss games inside.

Entertainment And Shows

Two70 is Odyssey’s most innovative entertainment space. By day it offers ocean views through multi-story windows, then transforms at night. In shows like “The Book,” aerial performances pair with massive digital projections. We thought the show was well done and a must-see.

The two-deck Royal Theater hosts the main production shows, including “Showgirl,” plus acrobats, Broadway-style numbers, comedians, magicians, and more. The Music Hall hosts live bands and dance parties.

Tip: Reserve Two70 shows in the app, but if a show is sold out, join the stand-by line about 20 minutes early. Many people with bookings don’t show up, and staff let stand-by guests in about 10 minutes before the show starts.

Bars And Lounges

Odyssey has plenty of places for a drink. These are the ones to check out:

• Lime & Coconut: next to the North Star, a great place to hang out on hot days.
• Playmakers Sports Bar: in SeaPlex, with 56 TV screens and reasonably priced burgers and wings served à la carte.
• Bionic Bar: on the Royal Esplanade. This robotic bartender wasn’t in operation much, and Royal Caribbean plans to phase these out in favor of the Pesky Parrot Bar.

Dining And Culinary Experiences

Odyssey has 15 dining venues, from complimentary options to premium specialty restaurants, for a range of tastes and budgets.

Main Dining And Buffet Options

The two-deck main dining room features a striking chandelier and LED walls showing rotating art. You can choose traditional set times or flexible dining, with breakfast and dinner daily and lunch or brunch on select days.

Menus change nightly, but popular favorites are always available, and we found the staff attentive and friendly. Some evenings have suggested dress codes (Dress Your Best, 70’s Night, Tropical), so check the Daily Planner in the app.

Since Karen has food allergies, we chose her meals a day ahead. Restaurant staff were very knowledgeable about food allergies, and her meals were always correct.

The Windjammer on Deck 14 is crew-served rather than self-service, with salads, made-to-order pasta, carving stations, desserts, and a dedicated vegetarian section. For more, see our full Odyssey of the Seas dining review.

Suite guests can dine at Coastal Kitchen, with meal offerings varying by suite category. For a quieter buffet, the Solarium Bistro near the adults-only pool serves smaller portions at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Specialty Restaurants

Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen serves family-style Italian like lasagna, fresh pizza, and charcuterie boards, with a standout tiramisu and attentive service. Chops Grille is a classic steakhouse, with various cuts, shareable sides, and substantial desserts.

Izumi offers à la carte sushi and Asian dishes at lunch and dinner, plus package options and sake pairings. Wonderland is known for inventive dishes like smoked deviled eggs and avocado mousse served in ice cream cones. Teppanyaki, our favorite, brings hibachi-style cooking with a bit of a show.

Dining packages bundle specialty meals at a reduced rate.

Casual Eats And Cafés

Café@Two70 serves egg sandwiches and burritos at breakfast and custom salads and pressed sandwiches at lunch. Sorrento’s Pizza on the promenade stays open late, and El Loco Fresh on the pool deck offers tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos with a salsa bar. Café Promenade is open 24 hours with sandwiches, desserts, and coffee. All venue menus are in the app.

Cabins

Choose from interior, ocean view, balcony, suite, and studio cabins. Standard cabins have two twin beds convertible to a queen, a large shower capsule, a sitting area, a mini-fridge, a four-drawer dresser, and an interactive TV. All have lots of storage, and many sleep more than two.

Interior cabins with virtual balconies have floor-to-ceiling digital displays showing real-time ocean views, adding the feel of more space without the balcony price. Large balconies give you significantly more outdoor space for a modest upcharge, and some suites have more than one bedroom area for large families.

We had an obstructed balcony (Cabin 6688) with an oversized balcony, though tender boats somewhat blocked our view. We find Quantum-class balcony staterooms very roomy at around 200 sq. ft. (about 19 sq. m). Our biggest bonus is the tea station and the ability to make tea in our cabin.

Spa, Fitness, And Wi-Fi

The Vitality at Sea Spa on Deck 15 offers typical cruise ship services, from massages and hot stone treatments to medi-spa options. You can buy unlimited access to the thermal suite, with heated lounge chairs, a laconium, a caldarium, and a rainforest shower room. Prepare to pay above retail prices. We typically skip the spa and would rather spend our dollars on our next cruise!

The fitness center rivals land-based gyms, with extensive cardio and strength equipment, and is typically open 6 am to 9 pm. Sea days and early mornings are busier, but I never had to wait long. Private and group classes cost extra. The Deck 15 running track is three laps to a mile.

Since our cruise was heavily port-focused, we skipped ship Wi-Fi. Royal Caribbean uses Starlink, which is consistent and fast but cost about USD 40 a day at the time of our sailing. Instead, we bought eSIMs through Airalo and GigSky, whose cruise and land packages cost far less.

Other Practical Details

• Smoking: Not allowed on balconies or in staterooms. Smoking areas include a small section port side on Deck 5, a section in the casino, and a section on port side Deck 14.
• Medical center: On Deck 2. Check operating hours.

Is Odyssey Of The Seas Worth It?

We are fans of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line so we may be a bit biased! We would give Odyssey of the Seas an overall rating of 9/10.

The mega-ship delivers strong entertainment, modern technology, and excellent dining room service. Food in the specialty restaurants and main dining room was very good, and compared with Carnival, Norwegian, and Princess, I consider Odyssey dining exceptional.

Your satisfaction will depend on your tolerance for crowds and your priorities. For a better experience, consider booking during off-peak periods or itineraries less likely to sail at maximum capacity.