I must confess I have never been a big of cruising. I always associated them with large ships with buffets and cheesy music. Then again, you can’t really judge something until you’ve tried it. Last November, I had the opportunity to board the second sailing of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas. I was intrigued when I started to read about all the unique things this cruise has to offer.
The North Star at Quantum of the Seas
There are so many interesting parts of my Quantum of the Seas experience that I decided to make a series to cover it all. I got to experience the North Star, Spa, and my favorite, the many fine dining options during my two days on board the ship.
View from the North Star
To start the series, I am going to begin with the North Star. The North Star is a jewel-shaped capsule that rises more than 300 ft high, giving you a 360-degree view of the ship and the ocean. Although the ship has plenty of unique activities such as a skydiving and surfing simulator, it was the North Star that intrigued me the most.
The ship sailed from Port Liberty in New Jersey on a cold November Sunday. The air was cold and crisp throughout the trip. When I arrived at the North Star launch pad, it was windy and the sea was dark and choppy. I hopped on the capsule and it began to slowly ascend in the air. Although I am not afraid of heights, I have to admit I was a little nervous. Once it reached the top, I finally was able to take it all in and look at the magnitude of the ship, sailing in the moody, dark waters of the Atlantic. I couldn’t help but imagine how gorgeous the view has to be when the ship is docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico or any other tropical destination.
Watch the Video Tour:
The verdict: The North Star is a must do experience if you are aboard the Quantum of the Seas. I can only imagine the gorgeous views of places like Shanghai or Athens. The ship is currently sailing in the Caribbean but will have a 16-day sail on the Mediterranean on its way to its final destination in Shanghai.
* I sailed on Quantum of the Seas as part of a press preview of the trip. As always, opinions are my own
