As Project Associate for the effort, Stephanie worked alongside her Newbuild Solutions team as they led the planning, execution, delivery, handover, and post-delivery closeout of Harmony’s drydock modernization. Her role sat at the center of the daily operation, keeping information flowing, logistics moving, and stakeholders aligned across the many moving pieces of the revitalization. 

Each day started early. Before the shipyard fully came to life, Stephanie gathered updates from stakeholders and prepared the morning daily presentation. From there, the day quickly expanded into walk-throughs with the Executive Committee and project team, contractor support, meal coordination, local material sourcing, project office needs, and the steady work of keeping every team informed. 

Some of the most critical work happened before teams ever stepped onto the ship. Yard entry requirements, manifests, and contractor movements required constant coordination with operations, especially as multiple departments prepared to execute overlapping scopes of work. When scheduling conflicts surfaced across the Main Neighborhood, the team responded by creating cross-functional alignment sessions where stakeholders could review priorities, identify dependencies, and shape a shared execution plan. 

The result was a comprehensive multi-department master schedule that gave teams a clearer roadmap for execution. With so many projects happening at once, consistent communication became the thread that kept the operation connected. 

Collaboration was not just a process; it was how the work got done. Stephanie and her team made it a priority to walk through the ship with stakeholders to better understand their scopes, challenges, and dependencies. Those conversations helped her see how each contractor’s work connected to the overall project and where Newbuild Solutions’ scope intersected with Marine’s. That understanding made it easier to anticipate needs, including material procurement, ship protection, access requirements, and other operational support. 

When obstacles came up, the team leaned into the same approach. Daily 4:00 p.m. core team meetings gave stakeholders a forum to raise issues, share updates, and work through solutions together. In a high-pressure environment, that cadence helped the team stay aligned and keep the project moving. 

Amid the intensity of drydock, one moment stood out. Stephanie took several contractors to dock bottom, including one who shared that after more than 20 years in newbuilds, he had never had the chance to see it. Watching the group take photos and experience that part of the project up close was a reminder that even small gestures can leave a lasting impression. 

By the final stretch, the months of planning and weeks of execution began to show in a new way. Final inspections were underway, furniture was being installed, and once-active construction zones were transforming into polished, guest-ready venues. For Stephanie, seeing those spaces come to life made the effort behind the scenes feel tangible. 

Guests may never see the master schedules, contractor manifests, daily presentations, or late-day coordination that helped bring the revitalization together. They may not think about the electrical work, piping, demolitions, or careful planning required to build within existing spaces. But they’ll feel the result when they step into refreshed venues, move through transformed areas — like the addition of the Pesky Parrot bar and the guest favorite sports bar, Playmakers — and create new memories onboard Harmony of the Seas — a reminder that, in many ways, vacation starts with the teams who bring those experiences to life. 

For Stephanie and the teams behind Harmony’s 2026 revitalization, delivering the ship on time was the accomplishment that could not have happened without close coordination across departments. It took planning, flexibility, communication, and countless behind-the-scenes decisions to turn a complex drydock into a successful delivery — and to ensure that when guests return onboard, the experience feels fresh and effortless.