For the most part, deck 8 isn't much different than the other decks above/below. It's mainly a cabins deck, with only two attractions. But one of those attractions is a large selling feature for the ship.
Starting at the rear (aft), this deck is the first deck beside the rock climbing wall with suites at the very end (decks 9 and 10 also have suites). These suites look like they would be fun, with great views of the AquaTheater...if you don't mind always being on display to anyone that turns their head and looks up.
I'm a little confused though...the layout in the brochure shows the Rock Climbing wall on Deck 7, with no suite (with balcony) beside it. Does that not look like a balcony suite? There should be only three suites, deck 11 shows a little staircase behind a wall, which might have access from the deck 10 suite, though the floorplan doesn't say this suite is two stories....and in the picture below, you can see people on deck 11:
So what's that area on the same level as the rock climbing wall? A prep area for the wall?
Further up the ship is the nightclub "Dazzles". I think we checked it out, but didn't stay (we're not nightclub people). Dazzles is not really in Central Park itself, but is accessible at the rear end of the Park after going inside. It over looks the Boardwalk and AquaTheater.
This picture is the forward portion of Central Park.
The glass structure at the top is a giant skylight. The triangle glass structure at the bottom of the picture is a sitting area that I'll show later.
Here's another view of the skylight. The great thing about this is that it allows a LOT of light into the Royal Promenade. I always thought (on the Freedom and the Liberty) that the Royal Promenade needed sunlight. Since the pools were on the upper decks above the Promenade, that wasn't possible. It's not practical to have the Promenade open to the sky (too many shops, displays, etc), so this set up was a great way to improve the lighting on the Promenade.
In fact, it seems it lets in so much light, they put up that awning?
Look how bright it is! Natural light! Yay! All thanks to this:
In the bottom of this bad shot is the Rising Tide Bar. We never experienced it, since it wasn't open all the time, and like most things on the ship, you have to schedule it into your day.
Royal doesn't leave any surface untouched. You'll find art everywhere, and sometimes the lighting is the art.
These light bubbles change colours slowly.
Central Park is a wonderful place for a stroll. The plants are real, but the sounds are a recording. However, you might get lucky and spot a bird or two. It is humid in this park, perhaps because it's mid-ship and no breezes really get to it. I hope they realize this and add fans at some point.
This is the triangle shaped structure I mentioned earlier. It'd be nice in a light rain, but it doesn't shade the sun at all, and it's sort of like a greenhouse under it.
More art. I loved these glass birds!
An interesting sculpture, representing stone and ice.
You can also sometimes find Dreamworks characters here!
I know my pictures are rather scattered, but here's the lowdown on the floor plan. Enter at the rear, two floors above the start of the Boardwalk. Dazzles is to the rear (aft/stern). Go past the elevators and to the outside. On the left is Chips Grille (usually in the Windjammer area on other ships). It's awesome for a special meal. On the right is 150 Central Park, another restaurant. Didn't go there. In between is the Rising Tide Bar dock with a little bar in front of it. Follow the path ahead, and on the left is Park Cafe. A great spot to get a custom salad at lunch, or sandwiches. On the right is Giovanni's Table, a family restaurant we didn't check out. In between is the covered seating area. Move ahead, another little bar in the middle, with "Picture This", "Parkside Gallery" and "Coach" on the left and "Vintages" (a wine bar/restaurant) on the right with the large skylight between them. Then you go through doors again and are back inside, where there are a lot of inside cabins in the forward area.
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