Cruise Review: Royal Caribbean – Queensland Cruise

Royal Caribbean’s ship the Quantum of the Seas has begun its voyages in Australia and will spend the summer sailing season departing from Brisbane, Queensland. The ship will offer a raft of 2-12 nights sailings from the state’s capital across Australia, New Zealand, and the islands of the South Pacific, as well as many first-at-sea experiences on board.

Quantum of the Seas is all about immersion, from unforgettable destinations, amazing cuisine and endless onboard entertainment. Add to that the warm Queensland weather and hospitality and you have a cruise to paradise.

With endless ways to play, savour and relax, you are spoilt for choice with the dining and activities on offer onboard.

Launched in 2014, Quantum of the Seas is a massive ship at 167,800 GT and a guest capacity of 4180. Fun-seeking families, couples, singles and groups of all ages will find plenty to do in a laid-back feel aboard.

Details

Cruise Itinerary Name: 6 Night Queensland Cruise departing on 18 November 2022

Cruise Ship: Quantum of the Seas – 4,905 passengers (maximum occupancy) 1,500 Crew – Quantum Class

Departing From: Brisbane

Cruising To: Queensland

Ports of Call: Whitsunday Islands (Airlie Beach), Cairns (Yorkeys Knob), Willis Island (cruising)

Cabin Booked: Diamond Deck (Upper), Cabin Number – 13316

Check-In

Before your departure, you can manage your booking online or download the Royal Caribbean Cruise App. The app allows you to check in, plan onboard activities, make specialty dining reservations, check out the daily planner, see your cruise account and more. Guests can also check in online up to 48 hours before sailing by creating an account or check in at the terminal on arrival. Once the check-in process is complete you will receive a SetSail Pass, either in person at the terminal or it will become activated in the app for boarding.

You will be given a boarding time to avoid any congestion at the terminal on the day of departure. Royal Caribbean International requires guests to be checked in no later than 60 minutes prior to the scheduled sailing time. Guests arriving late will not be permitted to sail.

Onboard

Quantum of the Seas was designed to WOW from bow to stern. Don’t think you will ever get bored as there is so much to do you will have to plan your days well to get it all in. You can feel the freedom of free falling in the skydiving simulator RipCord by iFly, take to the sky on North Star for unrivalled 360-degree views, order a drink from a robot at the Bionic Bar, drop in and surf FlowRider surf simulator or spend hours of fun at SeaPlex which is the largest indoor active space at sea. Here you will find a basketball court and the first-ever bumper car and roller skating offerings at sea.

For guests who prefer to sit back and watch the entertainment, there is Two70, aptly named for its magnificent 270-degree panoramic sea views through vast, floor-to-ceiling glass walls spanning almost three decks at the stern of the ship. Here you will witness immersive shows with unparalleled, multidimensional technology that take the audience through a combination of live performers, including aerialists, as well as breathtaking video and digital scenery. The six robotic screens or “roboscreens”, are programmed with as many movements as a human arm, calibrated to within a thousandth of a millimetre so they all can move in sync or independently of one another.

Along with all this are the typical cruise ship activities like bingo, trivia, dance classes, scavenger hunts and so much more. There are scheduled activities in the SeaPlex including laser tag, 3-on-3 basketball, table tennis tournaments, pickleball, soccer, and of course, bumper cars.

The Casino, Casino Royale, has table games and slot machines (pokies) and also hosts learn-to-play gaming lessons as well as poker, blackjack, and slot tournaments on sea days.

You can stay on top of all that is happening on board with the daily Cruise Compass, the Royal App (which even allows you to schedule activities, then alert you when you have something planned) or through an entertaining dedicated TV channel with your Cruise Director who will go through the day’s activities.

Dining

Your taste buds will also be treated on board with far-out flavours. From American steakhouse classics at Chops Grille, fresh hand-rolled sushi at Izumi and Tuscan favourites at Jamie’s Italian, there is something for every taste.

The dining options can be a little overwhelming at the start and it takes you a few days to figure out just how much is on offer. One thing is for sure, you will never go hungry as there are dining options included on your cruise at all times of the day and night.

The Main Dining Rooms are traditional dining venues where passengers can enjoy multi-course meals in a formal setting. You will need to book your dining time for these. These are the American Icon Grill, Chic, Silk, The Grande and Coastal Kitchen.

Specialty Dining options are more upscale and offer a range of cuisines, including Italian, Asian, and seafood. Some of the specialty dining options available on Quantum of the Seas include Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine, Jamie’s Italian, Harp & Horn Pub, Chops Grille, Izumi Japanese Cuisine and Chef’s Table.

The Windjammer Marketplace is a buffet-style restaurant that serves a wide variety of international cuisine. Here you can dine when it suits you between set times and you can sit wherever you like. There is even an outdoor area for dining.

Cafe Promenade serves up a casual dining option with sandwiches, pastries, and other snacks. This is a perfect choice for a bite to eat in between meals. Other more laid-back dining options include The Café @ Two70, Seaplex Dog House, Sorrento’s, La Patisserie, Vintages and the adults-only Solarium Bistro.

Passengers can also order room service, which is available 24 hours a day. There is a charge for some items while others are included for free.

Then there are the bars and lounges where you can sip or slug on your favourite beverage. It is highly recommended to get the all-inclusive dining package so you are not restricted in your choices. Some of the most popular watering holes include Schooner Bar (Piano Bar), Diamond Lounge (Coffee Bar), Concierge Lounge (Coffee Bar), Boleros (Wine Bar), Vintages (Wine Bar), Ice Bar (Cocktail Bar) and the favourite Bionic Bar (Cocktail Bar).

Keep in mind, the availability of these options might change over time or between cruises due to operational and or seasonal needs.

Cabin

You will love that the cabins on Quantum of the Seas are larger than the industry average, and the balconies are sizable and comfortable. With a total of 2,090 cabins, 75 per cent of them are staterooms with balconies. No balcony, no worries as most of the ship’s 373 interior staterooms sport “virtual balconies,” essentially floor-to-ceiling flat-screen HDTVs that give passengers real-time views of what those with genuine balconies see. The remaining 147 cabins are ocean-view cabins. Thirty-four cabins are wheelchair accessible, and 28 cabins are studios designed for solo passengers.

The cabins are freshly decorated in tones of brown and blue, with bold but tasteful geometric patterns. Storage space is plentiful, with most cabins including large dressers with deep drawers, small cubby-style nightstands, wardrobes for hanging clothes and large over-bed cubbies.

Most cabins have comfortable king-sized beds that can be separated into two twin beds, and small sofas, most of which can be pulled out into sleepers. This is a great configuration for families travelling with children.

When it comes to powering up in the cabin, there are US-configured outlets and two USB ports. The room includes a hair dryer, safe and refrigerated minibars. All cabins have digital thermostats, energy-saving lighting (put your card into a slot to keep the lights on in your room) and soft-close drawers to avoid slamming. There’s a large flat screen TV in every cabin, mounted in a way that doesn’t take up precious counter space.

The only challenge you will have is choosing what cabin best suits you. With so many options available from interior to ocean view and balcony, it is a matter of weighing up how much you want to spend and how long you will be in your cabin to justify it.

If you are looking to splurge, you can’t go past the Suites on Quantum of the Seas. Suite Class begins with Junior Suites (starting at 267 square feet with 81-square-foot balconies), which make up Sea Class. With these cabins come extra perks like priority boarding and a dedicated check-in line, a Lavazza Espresso coffee maker and tea kettle in the room, upgraded bath amenities, bath robes, and the ability to make dinner reservations when space is available in Coastal Kitchen.

To go all out, there is Quantum’s Sky Class suites include Grand Suites with either one or two bedrooms, and some with larger balconies, as well as Sky Loft Suites. The list of perks in Sky Class includes everything from Sea Class, while adding concierge service, priority departure, all-day dining at Coastal Kitchen, and complimentary Voom Wi-Fi.

The top suite class on Quantum is Star Class, which adds a Royal Genie (aka Royal Caribbean butler). This class also includes gratuities, specialty dining, and deluxe beverage packages. Suites in this class start at 673 square feet and go as large as the two-level Royal Loft Suite at 1,640 square feet.

Itinerary

At all these destinations on the itinerary, guests have access to both shore excursions booked through the ship or the opportunity to explore destinations at their own pace. The ship will spend most of the week at sea cruising, with 2 ports of call where guests can go ashore or experience a shore excursion. These are Airlie Beach in the Whitsunday Islands and Yorkey’s Knob in Cairns. At both these locations, a tender boat is required to go ashore. While the itinerary lists Willis Island as a stop, this is a cruise by visit and guests can not leave the ship to go ashore.

Spend your day relaxing by clear aqua waters at Whitehaven Beach or snorkelling among the heart-shaped portion of the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk the Bicentennial Walkway along the Airlie Beach waterfront, take a dip in Airlie Beach Lagoon, or head to Conway National Park, where you can hike your way through the rainforest to panoramic views of the city and the harbour.

Hot Tips

So many tips to help you with your cruise that it is hard to narrow it down. The first tip is to get on the app and book in your dining and activities as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

This ship is classed as a “WOW ship” as it features numerous unique facilities and onboard activities (never available at sea before), including:

• “RipCord” (deck 16) – the world’s first skydiving simulator at sea
• “North Star” (deck 15) – the world’s first rotating capsule (300 ft above the sea level) for 360° ocean views
• “Seaplex” (deck 15 & 16) – the world’s first bumper cars at sea
• “Two70°” (3-decks high – decks 5-6-7) – with huge LED screens on which (via a mapping system) live views from the ship’s outside can be projected
• the world’s first “Virtual Balcony” staterooms (373 of them, an Inside cabin category). They are located on decks 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, among them, 34 are wheelchair accessible, and some are connecting). Passengers have the option to switch the virtual balcony room’s view on and off. These large screens cannot be used as a TV or for displaying commercials, business logos, etc.
• the new Interior cabin type is called “Virtual Balcony” (decks 7 through 11)
• new Studio cabins with balconies (with single occupancy rates for solo travellers)
• over USD 5 million invested in the ship’s art collection.

Quantum of the Seas COVID-19 Rules

For the most up-to-date testing, masking, and vaccination requirements aboard Quantum of the Seas, please refer to Royal Caribbean’s health and safety protocols.

Booking

To book your Royal Caribbean cruise, you can contact them directly on the below details or visit your preferred travel agent to book.

Website:  royalcaribbean.com

Phone Number:  1800 754 500

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Disclosure: The writer cruised as a guest of Royal Caribbean. These opinions and words are a true representation of their experience and have not been endorsed.

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