Cruising on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas? We just took a 4-night cruise on the lead ship of the Quantum class, and in this Quantum of the Seas review, we’re sharing what the experience was actually like.
This last-minute cruise out of Los Angeles turned into a quick getaway to Ensenada and two days at sea. We grabbed it because the price was too good to pass up, so our expectations were low. It ended up being a solid few nights away, without having to think about cooking, cleaning, or any of the usual stuff waiting at home. We also dodge the storms at home while the captain chased the sun along the coast of Mexico.
About Quantum of the Seas
A quick look at some facts about Quantum of the Seas:
- Entered service in 2014 as the first ship in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class.
- Introduced signature features like the North Star capsule, Two70, and the SeaPlex.
- Carries around 4,100 guests at double occupancy, and over 4,900 when fully booked.
- Last refurbished in 2019.
- Sister ships include Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas, and Odyssey of the Seas.
- Spent many years based in Asia before moving to the West Coast.
- Now runs short Baja California itineraries from Los Angeles, then shifts to Alaska cruises during the season.
- Offers a mix of included and specialty dining, plus large indoor spaces that work well for cooler itineraries like Alaska.
4-Night Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas Itinerary
Day 1 – Los Angeles, CA
Day 2 – Ensenada, Mexico
Day 3 – Sea Day
Day 4 – Sea Day
Day 5 – Back to Los Angeles, CA
Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas currently sails from Los Angeles on a mix of West Coast itineraries — mostly 3- to 5-night cruises to Ensenada and the Baja coast, along with select 6- and 7-night sailings that include overnight stays in Cabo San Lucas. The ship is also scheduled to redeploy to Alaska in 2027 for a season of 7-night cruises from Seattle to popular stops like Juneau and Skagway.
Cruising on the Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas Review
My first cruise was on Royal Caribbean more than 20 years ago. We sailed the Southern Caribbean from Puerto Rico and fell in love with cruising. We mostly sail Celebrity and NCL these days, but every time we step onto a Royal ship, we’re hit with those early memories of why we got hooked in the first place.
This was our first time on a Quantum-class ship, and the size fits our style of cruising much better than when we sailed on their Oasis-class ship, Utopia of the Seas. Quantum of the Seas is a little dated in areas, but it’s still well-maintained. We were surprised by how much pool space takes over deck 14 and how one of the pool areas can switch between indoor and outdoor depending on the weather.
And the North Star ended up being one of our favorite things on the ship. It’s absolutely worth doing if you’re sailing on Quantum.
Embarkation at the Los Angeles Cruise Terminal in San Pedro
We live in Los Angeles, so cruising out of San Pedro is an easy drive for us. Parking at the World Cruise Center is $22 a day, the same rate we paid when we sailed Celebrity Solstice out of this port, so we already knew parking wouldn’t be an issue. We pulled in and found a spot right across from Berth 92, where Quantum was docked. A porter met us as soon as we stepped out of the lot, and by 10:30 a.m., we were already walking into the terminal and heading through security.
We grabbed The Key during a flash sale, mainly for the priority boarding and Wi-Fi. It didn’t include priority security, but on board, the perks actually worked out better than what we had on Utopia of the Seas. This time, there was a dedicated check-in line for Key guests. Check-in took only a couple of minutes, and we were escorted to a small waiting area. About ten minutes later, they started letting Key guests on, and we were walking up the gangway before 11 a.m.
If you’re not using any priority program, the best thing you can do for embarkation day is check in online as soon as it opens. It usually gets you an earlier boarding group and makes the process smoother once you’re at the terminal. There were plenty of check-in agents to assist.
Quantum of the Seas Balcony Cabin
We booked a guaranteed balcony cabin, fully expecting the usual lifeboat situation where the boats sit right in front of the glass. Two weeks before boarding, we were assigned to balcony cabin 6560, which was listed as an obstructed-view cabin. We couldn’t find any photos or videos online, and the deck plan showed we’d be staring at a lifeboat. So walking in and finding only a partial one felt like a genuine win. It didn’t take much away from the view at all.
Royal Caribbean cabins usually have good space and storage, and this one followed that pattern. It could use a refresh, but everything was clean and in good shape. The bathroom was your typical cruise setup—cozy and a bit tight—but fine for the two of us. If you’re a party of three or more, you’ll feel it getting cramped at some point.
The balcony itself had plenty of room. When you can fit chairs with footrests and still stretch out, you know you’ve lucked into a decent outdoor space.
The only real downside was the bed. It was firm and lumpy, a bad combo. I asked for a mattress pad, and the attendant pointed out that one was already there. He wasn’t wrong. It just didn’t help. My husband usually loves a firm bed, but even he couldn’t get comfortable.
Key Points About the Cabin
- Location: Cabin 6560 is on Deck 6, portside, forward, and just a few steps from the forward elevators. Super convenient.
- Closet & Storage: The closets are on the smaller side but have plenty of hanging space and shelving. There are drawers at the vanity and extra storage above the bed.
- Bathroom: Compact sink and shower with a glass door. No large tub/shower combo here. Royal provides a combo body wash/shampoo dispenser. Space is tight — one person at a time unless someone is in the shower.
- Balcony: Large enough for two recliner chairs, footrests for each, and a table. Easy to stretch out.
- Outlets: A few U.S. outlets (two at the vanity and one by the bed), one European outlet, and two USB-A ports at the vanity. No USB-C ports.
- Once-a-Day Cleaning: Your cabin attendant will ask what time you prefer service, and that’s when they’ll stop by each day.
While the bed was rough, the cabin itself was a lovely little space to come back to for our 4 nights away. And for what we paid, we really couldn’t complain.
Read more: Small Cruise Cabin Hacks That Work
Quantum of the Seas Dining and Restaurants
Royal Caribbean ships include several food venues included in your fare: MDRs, Windjammer Marketplace (buffet), Cafe Two70, Solarium Bistro, Sorrentos, Café Promenade, and The Doghouse.
This wasn’t one of those cruises where I planned to hop around the specialty restaurants, even though I usually enjoy them. We only booked one after seeing all the rave reviews in the Facebook group. Since the food on Utopia of the Seas was fantastic, we walked in expecting the MDR on Quantum to be similar. But you can’t expect the same quality across every ship or fleet, and this one proved that.
Wonderland ($)
I’d read so many posts about Wonderland being people’s “favorite dining experience on Quantum” that when it showed up on a flash sale, I booked it. I’ve always been curious about the Alice in Wonderland theme and figured this was the time to try it.
Here’s how the meal works. They bring out all the appetizers listed on the menu, and you can request more of anything you like. If you don’t eat fish, they automatically substitute it for chicken. After that, you choose your entrée. Dessert is served as all three options are brought out together to share.
The presentation is gorgeous and playful, which was half the fun. The appetizers were small bites—mostly good, nothing too filling. The tomato water in the little vial was the least favorite item. For entrées, the short rib is supposedly the star. We both ordered it. Mine showed up looking dry, and when I asked about the missing sauce (my husband’s was plated better), they insisted it was the same dish and walked away. The meat was tender, but the flavor wasn’t there.
The dessert looked great when it arrived, but taste-wise, it was a lot of mousse, meringue, and jelly textures. The chocolate one was my favorite because it actually had a layer of cake inside.
The drink I ordered, Smoked Rings, was fantastic. Definitely the highlight of my meal and one of the strongest drinks I had all week outside of the Bionic Bar.
One other bright spot was watching them bring cotton candy to the kids at nearby tables. They were thrilled every time, and honestly, that part of the experience brought more joy to the room than some of the dishes did.
I doubt I’ll try this restaurant again.
The Grande (MDR)
The main dining room assigned to us was in The Grande on deck 3. We had a lovely table by the window and were served by Tracy and her assistant Ni. The best part of our night’s dining in the MDR was the servers.
The food served in the dining room was okay. Edible. After the first welcome aboard dinner, there was a themed dinner every night, including Mexican, Caribbean, and Italian. We missed the Caribbean night for Wonderland.
While we never left hungry, we were never as impressed with the food as we were on Utopia of the Seas. Some of it was bland, soggy, or just typical catered food. The most memorable dishes we tried were the prime rib, carne asada, minestrone, mushroom truffle risotto, key lime pie, Boston cream pie, tiramisu, and the hazelnut cake.
While this is a small detail, I do appreciate that they still serve real butter with your bread basket.
The Windjammer
We didn’t spend much time at the buffet, and when we did, it felt a bit underwhelming. We usually stopped in around brunch, though we checked it out at dinnertime on night one. Some of the MDR dishes are available at the buffet for dinner, including the fried chicken special I spotted on day one. It didn’t look great at the buffet, and it didn’t taste any better in the MDR either.
One thing I did like was that they kept breakfast items out while transitioning to lunch. Typical cruise breakfast options, but the fruit—especially the watermelon and pineapple—was really good. And the little bakery corner in the back had some gems. The cinnamon buns were my favorite.
During peak hours, finding a table can be tricky. There’s also outdoor seating in the aft if you prefer some fresh air.
Sorrento’s
Royal Caribbean pizza isn’t the hand-tossed style you get on Celebrity or NCL, but it’s still decent. It reminded me of Domino’s thin crust. They kept cheese and pepperoni coming out fresh all day, along with daily specials that rotated between carnivore, Hawaiian, veggie, and BBQ chicken. The line moved fast, and they stayed open until 3 a.m., which was great for a late-night snack.
CAfe Promenade
Right next to Sorrento’s is Cafe Promenade, where you can get free self-serve coffee and filtered water all day. They also have included baked goods and small sandwiches. There was always a line for their cookies, which rotated through coconut, chocolate chip, sugar, and oatmeal raisin varieties. You can’t go wrong with any of their cookies, but the coconut and oatmeal were the best.
Café Patisserie ($)
Specialty coffee prices for Café Patisserie and Cafe Two70
Across from Café Promenade, you’ll find Café Patisserie, where you can get your Starbucks specialty coffees. It’s not a franchised Starbucks (there isn’t one on this ship), but they do serve Starbucks drinks. And since we love our espresso-based beverages, we ended up here at least twice a day.
The baristas at this location were noticeably better than the ones at Café Two70.
Café Two70
This café is tucked toward the aft on Deck 5, right next to the Two70 venue. It’s an included option with sandwiches, salads, soup, pastries, cookies, self-serve coffee, and filtered water. They also offer Starbucks-style specialty drinks for an extra charge.
We stopped by for lunch to try Royal’s iconic Kummelweck Sandwich, and it was pretty darn good—better than I expected, actually. Another day, we grabbed the egg McMuffin sandwiches, which were terrible. They’re prepared in advance and reheated, which isn’t the issue. The real problem was that the English muffin wasn’t toasted before they assembled, and the cheese had a strange chemical taste. The fried egg was the only decent part. We ended up leaving it and going to the buffet.
Sprinkles
Soft serve ice cream is always a win, and Sprinkles is tucked right by the outdoor pool, hidden behind the stairs that lead up to deck 15. It’s only open during certain hours and is staffed by two crew members who hand out the cones. The soft serve was smooth, creamy, and not overly sweet. We noticed a difference between the two machines — the one on the left was creamier, while the one on the right had a grainier texture. Hopefully, it’s fixed by the time you sail. And even though it’s called Sprinkles, there wasn’t a sprinkle in sight.
Bionic Bar ($)
I already drank from it before the photo, the drink comes full.
Aside from my crafted cocktail at Wonderland, the Mai Tai I ordered at the Bionic Bar was one of the strongest drinks of the week. It was actually a delicious drink, and I appreciated the robot’s heavy hand. The robot-making-your-drink part is fun for a minute, but it’s a gimmick that gets old pretty fast.
The downside? It cost me $14 plus taxes and gratuities, and you can’t use a Diamond drink or a drink package here. So if you want to try it, you’re paying out of pocket.
Activities and Entertainment on Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas
With two Sea Days, plenty was going on around the ship. It’s up to you whether you decide to participate. While we joined in on some trivia, checked out the production shows and live performers around the ship, our favorites ended up being The North Star, the themed parties, and Sonic Odyssey. This ship also has a few fun activities we didn’t get to try, like rockwall climbing, bumper cars, a skydiving simulator, and the Flowrider.
Pool Areas: Royal really puts NCL to shame with their pool options. Most of deck 14 is dedicated to pools, which gives you way more choices than you’d expect on a ship this size. You can hang out by the outdoor pool, the indoor pool with the retractable cover, or—if you’re 18+—the Solarium. The Solarium on this ship faces forward and has tons of lounge space, cascading pools, and large jacuzzis. It turned out to be one of our favorite spots on board. There is also a splashpad for the kiddos.
The North Star: This is a paid activity onboard, and you must make reservations. There’s a free option you can book while the ship is in port, and on sea days, you can book the extended version for $40 per person. Since it was our first time trying it, we booked the longer one. Spending about 16 minutes, 300 feet above sea level on a sunny sea day, was absolutely worth it to us. Opportunities to see the ship and the ocean from that perspective are pretty slim.
Comedy Show: On the first night, they had an adults-only show at 10 p.m., and the comedian was genuinely funny. It was worth staying up for.
Sequins & Feathers: This production show had a Las Vegas vibe with plenty of dancing and singing. There wasn’t much of a story—more of a showgirl theme mixed with choreography and classic songs that were either beautifully performed or completely butchered. The costumes were exactly what you’d expect from a show called Sequins & Feathers: lots of sparkle, big headpieces, and outfits that looked like they were pulled straight from a vintage Vegas revue. One of the singers had an incredible voice, and we kept wondering why she didn’t get more stage time. Not the worst show we’ve sat through, and the cast definitely redeemed themselves later in the week with Sonic Odyssey.
Sonic Odyssey: On the last night of the cruise, we wandered in at the last minute, not sure if we were even going to stay, and ended up blown away by The Earth Harp. I’ve never seen anything like it. The whole show is an impressive collaboration between the cast and America’s Got Talent performer William Close.
Piano & Vocals with Kantero: This vocalist and pianist played every night at Schooner’s Bar and always wowed us with his voice. Worth getting a drink and sitting down to listen.
Casino: This is a pretty big casino on deck 3. We did not play due to cigarette smoke. It is not entirely non-smoking. They allow players who are actually playing to smoke in certain areas. They were constantly making announcements, reminding everyone, too.
Themed Parties: The One Hit Wonders Party and the Bring Back the Beat dance parties were a blast. The cruise director and crew really go all out—they dance, hype up the crowd, and turn it into a whole show/party. The music was great, a lot of it nostalgic, and it’s the kind of vibe that pulls you right in.
Service on Carnival Firenze
Crew Interactions Around the Ship
The crew on Quantum of the Seas was friendly and helpful. You could easily tell there was a family atmosphere amongst them on the ship, unlike when we cruised on the Utopia.
Cabin Attendant
Our cabin attendant introduced himself on the very first day, asked if we needed anything, and kept in contact with us throughout our stay.
Room Cleaning Frequency
Service was once a day, and they asked what time worked best for us. We got a towel animal on 2 of the days.
Baristas and Bartenders
We usually stick with the same bartenders and baristas on our cruises because we tip them from the start. As Platinum, we get four drinks a day for free, so by the end of the night, we’d always wind up at Schooner Bar, grabbing whatever was left of our daily allotment in canned soda or Pellegrino to take back to the cabin. The bartender there was great about handing them over unopened so we could stash them in our fridge for the next day.
Comparison to Other Ships and Lines
Service-wise, we thought it was much better than the service we received on Utopia of the Seas. I feel like that ship is too big for the crew to actually “care” and go out of their way. As on the Quantum, everyone we encountered was kinder and ready to help. I will say that the crew does seem tired. I don’t think, though, that the service is on par with what we’ve experienced on Celebrity and NCL.
Debarkation on Carnival Firenze: Delayed and a Mess
Debarkation was delayed and felt disorganized. They announced the delay because Border Patrol hadn’t yet cleared the ship. They also kept calling two passengers repeatedly, trying to locate them before clearing the ship, which dragged things out even longer. Once things actually started moving, there were no clear announcements. If you weren’t already packed up and hovering near the exits, you wouldn’t have known they’d begun letting people off.
By the time the line wrapped around Deck 5, it was already close to 9 a.m. And once it finally started moving, everyone started getting off at the same time. The Key priority disembarkation didn’t mean much because the whole process turned into one giant crowd funneling out together.
Be prepared to either be one of the first to walk off, wait in line, or wait around until everyone is off the ship.
Read more: Cruise Disembarkation on the Last Day
Other Observations While Sailing the Quantum of the Seas
- Felicia the bear: The huge pink bear sculpture out on Deck 15 is officially named Felicia—hard to miss and iconic once you know her name.
- Ship layout: Overall, it was easy to get around. The only areas that felt a little hidden were Café Two70 and The Venue.
- Royal Esplanade: This is the main indoor hub with the shops, cafés, and grab-and-go spots. It’s completely enclosed and has more of a mini-mall feel compared to the open, airy promenades on other Royal ships.
- Favorite spaces: Two70 and the Solarium quickly became our go-to spots. Two70 sits at the very back of the ship with wraparound 270-degree ocean views, and the Solarium is all the way forward with floor-to-ceiling glass that makes the sea feel like it’s right in front of you.
- Ship layout: For the most part, it was very easy to find your way around the ship. The only venues that seem hidden away are Cafe Two70 and the Venue.
- Diverse crowd: You’ll find a mix of passengers on board—from families to couples, and people of all ages and backgrounds. Since we sailed the week before Thanksgiving, kids were in the minority, but we imagine a ship like this carries plenty of kids when school isn’t in session.
- Elevators: The day of the week changes on the floor panels inside each elevator.
- Starbucks onboard: There’s no Starbucks franchise on Quantum of the Seas, even though the specialty coffees served on the ship use Starbucks drinks and are prepared better than the franchise.
- Missing Central Park: The ship’s size felt great overall, but we did miss the Central Park neighborhood you get on the larger Royal Caribbean ships.
- Library location: The ship’s library sits on the second floor of Two70, which means it’s not the quietest spot—trivia and daytime activities spill into the space throughout the day.
- Endless sales on Deck 4: Since there were two sea days on our sailing, the retail team went all-in. The sales in the Royal Esplanade went on from morning through night—jewelry, watches, “$10 deals,” you name it. If you walk through that area often, prepare to weave around displays all day.
- Bilingual signage: You’ll notice that signs around the ship are in both English and Chinese. That’s not random—Quantum of the Seas previously spent years based in Asia, sailing out of China and Singapore. Even though she’s now homeported in Los Angeles, the dual-language signage is still in place throughout the ship.
- Dress Your Best: This falls on the second night of the sailing, but don’t overthink it. Most people kept it casual, and you won’t feel out of place if you do the same.
Is Quantum of the Seas Right for You?
For the value, this is a solid budget-friendly cruise. If you want an easy getaway that doesn’t drain your wallet, Quantum fits the bill. The ship has plenty of spaces to enjoy—especially the pools and indoor areas—and the North Star is a fun splurge if you’ve never tried it.
Just know what you’re signing up for. Quantum is older, and the food can be hit-or-miss, but the ship is clean and well-kept, and the overall vibe is fun. For an affordable escape from Los Angeles or a lower-cost way to see Alaska, it does exactly what you need it to do.
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Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she’s become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She’s always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.
