Our minds often wander to our next vacation possibilities and we weigh the options. What's next: a vacation in an all-inclusive resort or a fancy cruise? Those who decide for the latter are often tempted to book the biggest cruise there is. Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas is a star among cruise ships. Even those who still believe in silly fabrications about what happens on cruises are tempted to give Harmony a go. It is famous for featuring robot waiters and impressive works of art onboard.

Before you do so yourself, we have gathered some information about Royal Caribbean's source of pride. It is important you consider the following things before you embark on your next exciting adventure because this ship is no ordinary vessel!

10 Harmony Is A Ginormous Ship

It's hard to imagine just how huge this cruise ship is. It can host up to 6,780 passengers at a time. It's important to consider whether this is okay with you. With so many people on board, it's no wonder Royal Caribbean enforces some peculiar rules for vacationers. Bigger doesn't automatically mean better. It's so big it even has its own 'Central Park' with more plants than you can count.

9 You'll Spend Significant Time Walking And Waiting For Elevators

While some people find it thrilling that this ship is so big you can roam aimlessly for ages, it ended up being a real nuisance for a considerable amount of reviewers. Harmony of the Seas has 24 guest elevators. Getting around the ship requires a considerable amount of patience that is not necessary on smaller cruise ships that have less than 16 passenger decks. Yes, you read that right!

8 Find Out What Is Included In The Price

This is one of the most common mistakes that newbies make when going on a cruise for the first time. They are promised many restaurant options and fun experiences, which is true, but it's almost never included in the price. Those who want to eat in one of the approximately 20 restaurants and skip the buffet every once in a while will have to pull out their credit cards.

7 Not Many Options For Those On Celiac Diet

An annoyed reviewer claimed that when it comes to dietary versatility, Harmony of the Seas seriously disappoints. It is hard to find gluten-free options in the free-of-charge buffet. What if you don't want to pay for every single meal? People with dietary restrictions might end up eating the same thing day after day. Needless to say, when you pay for a luxurious cruise you will naturally expect more than that.

6 Service Suffers Due To Too Many Passengers

You have to keep in mind that some customers are more nit-picky than others and that frustrated people tend to write the reviews. Many don't mind the slow service since they are in no rush: they're in a vacation mode. But if you're among the impatient ones, consider if you want to book a cruise on this monster of a ship. Service might take a while ...

5 Waiting Ages To Enjoy The Pre-Paid Meals

Royal Caribbean wants its passengers to splurge in the high-end restaurants and raise their profits, but some would rather just eat what is included in the price. Well, that's easier said than done. A TripAdvisor review says: "On our recent 8-day cruise, 6,600+ paying Harmony of the Seas customers stood in long, hour+ lines three times a day." That doesn't sound very luxurious ...

Related: 10 Real Passenger Photos Of The Food On Cruises (That'll Give You A Clear Idea Of What To Expect)

4 Customer Service Desk Is Not Always Helpful

Harmony of the Sea's most important selling point (which is its size) doesn't turn out to be that great when there's something wrong. It's hard to keep thousands of people happy. There are bound to be mix-ups, crowds, and other sources of annoyance that customers don't always want to put up with. And when something is wrong, they all rush to the same customer service center who can't always keep up with complaints.

Related: These 10 Cruise Lines Have The Worst Customer Service (2 Every Passenger Loves)

3 Ask Yourself What You Expect From A Cruise

When considering booking a cruise, it's important to consider what YOU want and not rely too heavily on other people's opinions. After all, every passenger would tell you a different story from their time on this floating city. The ship offers so many diverse experiences it's hard to generalize. Make sure to know what you want and whether Harmony can make your wishes come true in order to avoid future disappointments.

Related: 15 Things Cruise Ship Staff Will Happily Tell You (If You Literally Just Ask)

2 Big Cruise Ships Are Especially Harmful To The Environment

While it's definitely a fun and unique experience for humans, Mother Nature is not into cruise ships at all. Not only do they harm marine life with trash and noise, but they also heavily pollute the air. It turns out cruise ships are incredibly harmful to the environment and that vacationers' carbon footprint skyrockets when they decide to treat themselves to a cruise. Is it really worth it?

1 There Are 23 Pools, But All Crowded

Harmony of the Sea boasts 23 pools - isn't that crazy? One of them holds a record for being the deepest pool at sea. Reviewers noted that the more popular pools (the ones with slides) are always crowded nonetheless. When we consider the capacity of the ship, there are approximately 260 people per pool on Harmony. 23 suddenly doesn't sound like a lot ...

Next: 12 Strange (But True) Cruise Ship Facts That Captains Keep To Themselves