Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean has revealed its Black Friday and Cyber Week sale with savings of up to $600 on cruise fares.

Royal Caribbean’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday cruise deals will run between November 18 - November 22, 2022. The sale will open a day early on November 17, 2022 for Crown and Anchor guests.

Anyone looking to book a cruise or purchase pre-cruise add-ons like drink packages and shore excursions may have to wait a bit longer.

The new offer includes instant savings on cruise fare, 30% off every guest, and a Kids Sail Free promotion. Additionally, the Cruise Planner sale includes savings up to 50% on dining, 35% on internet packages, and 50% on drink packages.

While the promotion’s name will change throughout the course of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, the promotional offer remains the same during the sale.

Royal Caribbean Black Friday 2022 sale details

Dates:  November 17, 2022 for Crown and Anchor preview and November 18, 2022 - November 22, 2022 on sailings departing on or after December 18, 2022.

Cruise Fare deals

Instant Savings up to $600 per stateroom on sailings departing departing on or after December 18, 2022.

• Sailings 5 nights or less: $75 for Interior and Ocean View, $125 for Balconies and $200 for Suites
• Sailings 6 nights or longer: $100 for Interior and Ocean View, $150 for Balconies, $600 for Suites

30% off every guest: 30% savings off the cruise fare for all guests in the stateroom. Savings will be applied to cruise fare at checkout.

Kids Sail Free: Kids Sail Free provides free cruise fare for the 3rd guests and higher in a cabin. Guests must be 12 years or younger as of cruise departure date and booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests in a triple or quad-occupancy stateroom.

• Kids Sail Free applies to new bookings made between November 1 – 30, 2022 on sailings departing on or after December 1, 2022 – April 30, 2025, providing free cruise fare for third guests and higher who are 12 years old and younger as of departure date on sailings 3 nights or longer booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests in a triple or quad- occupancy stateroom.
• Kids Sail Free excludes Thanksgiving sailings departing November 18, 2022 – November 25, 2022; November 17, 2023 – November 24, 2023; November 22, 2024 – November 29, 2024, Holiday sailings departing December 18, 2022 – January 6, 2023; December 16, 2023 – January 5, 2024; December 20, 2024 – January 3, 2025, Spring break sailings departing March 10, 2023 – March 24, 2023; March 8, 2024 – March 22, 2024; March 7, 2025 – March 28, 2025, Holy Week/Easter sailings departing April 1, 2023 – April 11, 2023; March 22, 2024 – April 4, 2024; April 12, 2025 – April 24, 2025, Summer Sailings departing May 24, 2023 – September 1, 2023; May 22, 2024 – August 30, 2024 and Radiance Alaska Cruisetour sailings departing May 19, 2023 – September 15, 2023. 

Related: Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free 2022-2023 Dates & Tips

Cruise Planner deals

In addition to sales on cruise fare, Royal Caribbean has also announced its Black Friday deals on Cruise Planner purchases. Drink packages, dining packages, internet, and other pre-cruise add-ons all qualify for discounts.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner site

The Cyber Week sale is valid on purchases made Friday, November 18, 2022 – Friday, November 25, 2022 and applies to sailings departing between November 24, 2022 – December 31, 2023.

Here is what is included during the sale:

All Access Ship Tour: 30% Off Onboard Prices

• All Access Ship tour: 30% Off Onboard Prices

Beverage: Up to 50% off

• Classic Soda Beverage Package: 40% Off onboard prices
• Classic Soda Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device.
• Water Bottle Pacakage: 50% off onboard prices.
• San Benedetto Water Cans: 50% off onboard prices.
• Evian Water Bottles: 50% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship
• Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship.
• Refreshment Package: Package: 40% off onboard prices. Discount varies by ship.

Shore Excursions: Up to 50% off

• Shore Excursions: Discount varies by ship

Internet: Up to 35% off

• The Key: Discount varies by ship
• VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship
• VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship

Dining: Up to 50% off

• Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 9N sailings: Discount varies by ship.
• Lunch at Chops Grille: 30% off onboard prices
• Lunch at Jamie's Italian Restaurant: 30% off onboard prices
• Dinner at Jamie's Italian Restaurant: 25% off onboard prices
• Dinner at Giovanni's Table: 25% off onboard prices
• Giovanni's Italian Kitchen: 25% off onboard prices
• Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar: 25% off onboard prices

Activities: 30% off

• All Access Ship tour: 30% Off Onboard Prices

Gifts & Gear: Up to 20% off

• Anniversary Decorations with Champagne
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Chocolate Cake & Strawberries: 35 % off onboard prices
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Vanilla Cake & Strawberries: 35 % off onboard prices
• Inky Beach Set: 30% off onboard prices
• Inky Beach Towel (TicTacToe): 35% off onboard prices
• Inky Octopus Family Travel Set: 30% off onboard prices
• Red Wine and Cheese : 30% off onboard prices
• Royal Caribbean Beach Towel: 45% off onboard prices
• Strawberries with Champagne: 30% off onboard prices
• White Wine and Cheese: 30% off onboard prices
• Happy Anniversary Decorations: 40% off onboard prices
• Happy Birthday Bright Style: 40% Off onboard Prices
• Winter Blanket: 30% off onboard prices

Photo Packages: Up to 65% off

• Photo Packages: From 5 - 100 Print and/or Digital Options: Discount varies by ship.
• Photo Package: Private Photo Session: Discount varies by ship.
• Photo Package: All Digital: Discount varies by ship.

Spa: Up to 30% off

• Spa Packages: Discount varies by ship

What to do now to prepare for Black Friday

Book a cruise now

If you have your eye on a Royal Caribbean cruise, it’s best to book it now regardless of which sale is currently available. One of the best ways to save money on your cruise is to book a cruise now and re-price the cruise fare up until the final payment date.

If you book a cruise during the Black Friday sale for $1500, for example, and see that the price later lowers to $1200, you will pay the lower fare provided you have not yet made final payment on the cruise. You must contact your travel agent or Royal Caribbean to take advantage of the new cruise fare.

Therefore, there’s no harm in booking a cruise you’re interested in during the Black Friday sale. Although there's no guarantee Black Friday will bring the best sales during the year, it’s better to book early and re-price than wait to book and see that the cruise fare has increased.

Check if the price is lower on your booked cruises

If you already have a cruise booked, have not made final payment, and want to check if the cruise fare has lowered with the Black Friday sale, your best bet is to make a mock booking.

To make a mock booking, go to Royal Caribbean’s website, find your cruise, and go through as much of the checkout process as you can. By doing this, you’ll see the current cruise fare with gratuities, taxes, and fees added.

You can compare Royal Caribbean’s current price for this sailing with what you originally paid. If the price is lower, contact your travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly to re-price your cruise and save money.

Another option is to contact your travel agent and ask them to check if the price of your booked cruise is lower under the new sale.

Cancel and rebook Cruise Planner add-ons if the price is lower

If you’ve already purchased add-ons like an internet package or spa service for your upcoming cruise, be sure to check the price of the add-on under the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale.

If the price is lower, you can cancel and rebook the add-on with no penalty up to 48 hours before your cruise date.

More helpful information:

• Should you buy pre-cruise purchases now or wait to buy it onboard?
• 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• How much should I budget for a cruise?

You can book a Royal Caribbean cruise for summer 2024 beginning today!

The new sailings are available to book via Royal Caribbean's website, offering a variety of ships and itineraries during the summer months when Royal Caribbean deploys its cruise ships to the region.

There are sailings between May and October 2024 to book across 6 different ships.

Here is a breakdown of where the ships will be sailing from:

Anthem of the Seas will sail from Southampton, UK and offer cruises of various lengths to destinations in Spain, Portugal, Norway and the Canary Islands.

Explorer of the Seas will sail from Barcelona & Venice to offer primarily Adriatic and Greek Isle cruises.

Jewel of the Seas will sail from Amsterdam and offer 11-, 12-, and 13-night cruises around the British Isles and Iceland. Jewel will also offer Arctic circle sailings, including a 17-night Iceland and Greenland cruise.

Oasis of the Seas will sail from Barcelona and Rome and offer Spain, France & Italy cruises in the Western Mediterranean.

Odyssey of the Seas will sail from Rome to offer Greek Isles and Holy Land cruises to Israel.

Serenade of the Seas will sail from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Barcelona as it participates in the World Cruise.  Two segments of the 274-night world tour will include European stops.

The Ultimate Middle East and Med Cruise begins in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, visiting Greece, Turkey, Croatia and more along the way before reaching Rome. In store on the Ultimate Europe and Beyond cruise, starting in Barcelona, are culture-rich destinations like Spain, Ireland, France and more.

Voyager of the Seas will sail from Ravenna and Rome, Barcelona, and Athens, Greece on 7-night sailings to Greece, the Western Mediterranean, Egypt and Israel.  (Cruises open Friday, Nov. 18)

View the full itineraries here:

• Anthem of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas

This is the second 2024 deployment released so far, as Royal Caribbean released Alaska 2024 cruises last week.

Year-round and summer Caribbean cruises are scheduled to be released during the week of December 12, 2022, with the rest of the 2024 sailings to be released "soon". Historically, this means the rest will be released in the early spring, around March or April.

Booking early can save you money

Thinking about booking a cruise a year and a half away may seem excessive, but it is one of the best ways to get the best price on a cruise.

Generally speaking, the lowest prices for cruises are available when new itineraries are released, such as these Europe 2024 sailings. Over time, prices will go up as more and more cabins are booked up.

If you are interested in a suite, the importance of booking early is even more apparent, as these cabins usually jump up in price quickly after release.

No matter what the price is today, you can always take advantage of a lower price later with the Best Price Guarantee program, which allows for repricing of cruises in case of a price drop up until final payment date. This is available to residents of the United States and Canada, as well as select other nations.

Besides cost savings, booking early also ensures you get the exact cabin you want. A lot of cruise fans gobble up the most desirable cabins when new sailings hit the market, such as suites, extra large balcony rooms and other unique staterooms.

Best Months to Cruise the Mediterranean

From the sunny beaches of Spain to the historic ruins of Greece, there is something for everyone in the Mediterranean. But when is the best time to cruise the Mediterranean?

In general, the best months to cruise the Mediterranean are May, June, September, and October. The weather is warm but not too hot, and the seas are typically calm.

April and May are ideal months to cruise the Mediterranean. The weather is comfortable and the crowds are thin, making it the perfect time to explore everything the region has to offer. 

Overall, these months offer the ideal combination of weather and conditions for a relaxing and enjoyable cruise.

Planning on booking a 2024 cruise? These stories will help:

• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• 7 tips for a great Royal Caribbean Baltic cruise
• Why you shouldn't avoid older and smaller cruise ships

It's safe to say Royal Caribbean is more than happy with the big reveal of Icon of the Seas just a few weeks ago.

"It was fastest we ever sold a ship, the best booked position by a ship at this point from a social media and media buzz, it's been the best product launch we've ever had. So it's been a home run success," is what Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider shared when reflecting on the Icon of the Seas announcement.

After months of speculation and barely any information, Royal Caribbean provided information on what Icon of the Seas will look like, where it will sail from, and important information about what guests can expect in terms of fun things to do.

To the surprise of some, Icon of the Seas will be the the new standard for the largest cruise ship in the world, coming in at 6% bigger than the Oasis Class ships that currently hold the title.

"As we went public with it, the response has been overwhelming," said Mr. Schneider.

Why was the response so positive? "I think that's part and parcel of the way we did the reveal, how far we held it back, and then how amazing the product is."

How it all started

Keeping Icon of the Seas a secret was six years in the making.

In talking about the fact Icon of the Seas is a "white paper" ship, Mr. Schneider described the design process as, "never ending."

"You go through a great design process. We've got in our new build organization excellent architects and designers, with partners in the yard who really are focused on the kind of nautical marine side of some of the innovation that we're trying to do."

While the global health crisis may have been a hindrance, it didn't stop the process, "you're going back in time about six years. The pandemic didn't stop the work. It slowed it a bit and created certain challenges."

Mr. Schneider called the whole approach a very iterative process, with some decisions being made years ago, and still more that have yet to be set.

The master plan, the kind of where the major venues are, get locked in very early in that process. We reserve a lot to iterate, so Thrill Island came together in the last two years, including the water park.

"If you think of like steel structure locking early, that still gives you a lot to iterate on and ideate on."

"We also keep certain venues, what we call those white spaces, and white spaces allow us to iterate even further into the process. And so there's a couple of white space restaurants that we just finished design of maybe maybe a month ago, and then that we'll they'll flow into the development process."

The benefit of keeping certain venues flexible, is Royal Caribbean can pivot an experience to provide greater flexibility.

"The best family vacation on the planet"

Royal Caribbean hasn't shied away from making a very bold prediction that Icon of the Seas will be the best family vacation option, and that isn't hyperbole.

Mr. Schneider did not walk back that assertion at all, "we believe we have created the best family vacation in the world that could compete with anything else you're going to go do."

"And notice we didn't say cruise in the world. I said vacation."

Royal Caribbean has said it wants Icon of the Seas to compete with any land vacation, especially Orlando, Florida vacations.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said earlier this month at the company's earnings call with investors that Orlando attractions are the competition Icon of the Seas is designed to bypass, "The Icon product, along with Perfect Day, with the kind of experiences that we're offering, with the kind of new accommodations that we have on Icon and the experiences that we have for young families, older families and of course couples and singles and what have you, is really squarely standing shoulder to shoulder with Orlando and those kind of destinations."

He was also quick to say that Icon will not be an attempt to mimic or takeaway from an Orlando trip.  Instead, he hopes it offers something different but equally impressive, "I don't want to take away that moment my kid gets to see Mickey Mouse for the first time. I want parents to go experience it, do that. I worked there. That's a moment that everybody who has kids should go do."

"Besides that moment that we don't want to steal or replicate, I would say that as you think of the total vacation experience and you look at the product that we've been showing folks, when you look at the totality of that and you look at the destinations, we're going to visit the product on board the ship, it will absolutely be the best family vacation on the planet.

Why no Solarium on Icon of the Seas?

One change Icon of the Seas will have is there is not a traditional enclosed adults-only space, known as the Solarium. This has irked some cruise traditionalists.

"It's not missing, it's purposely not there," said Mr. Schneider. 

"We felt really good that as we looked at the needs that guests have from a Solarium perspective, we researched that."

"We actually brought in both qualitative and quantitatively guests from a blind survey, as well as actually guests under NDA (non-disclosure agreement) to really understand their basic needs in the Solarium to make sure that as we design new spaces and as we program spaces that we were delivering and or over delivering their needs."

The result Royal Caribbean came up with is a combination of a new adults-only area, as well as other areas of the ship that would appeal to adults.

The team came up with three venues that together will offer a superior adult-only experience:

• Cloud 17
• The Hideaway
• Overlook Lounge inside the AquaDome

"The three of those together far over index what we think kind of an equivalent solarium experience would be."

Mr. Schneider also pointed out that Royal Caribbean ships are not designed to all be the same, "All of our ships and classes of ships are not the same. We do that for very purposeful reason. We want you to sail Icon of the Seas. We also want you to sail Oasis of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas, and Radiance of the Seas."

"The diversity of product for us is really important."

Will the Icon class ship names be closely related?

Royal Caribbean has ordered 3 Icon Class ships so far, and more could be ordered in the future, so will their names be close in matching?

"Naming a ship is is terribly hard," admitted Mr. Schneider.

"It's hard for a couple of reasons. One, there's lots of words in the English dictionary."

"There's lots of legalese that has to get wrapped into the right word. There's a lot of history, in certain words, both positive and negative. There's future negative and words that we have to think about. And so we go through a really exhaustive filtering process."

"We also need to save names for future vessels. So if we ever build an Oasis seven, it will need a name. And so we're also thoughtful about blocking for future vessels as well."

"When we went to Utopia, we were thinking about future Oasis class. We're thinking about the evolution of Icon two and three. If we build future classes of ships, we may be reserving certain names for future classes of ships that we're dreaming up."

It appears a name for Icon 2 and 3 are somewhat set, "we also look back at former names we've had on vessels that we think are kind of live up to. So we've looked at literally everything."

"I'm still taking ideas on Icon two and Icon three. I feel really confident in the name we have for Icon three, it's actually two that we're still working on."

I asked if a former ship name would ever be considered, such as Empress of the Seas or Sovereign of the Seas.

"I don't know that any name that is in our past is off limits, at least for me."

"it has to feel like it fits with the ship that we're creating. It shouldn't just be that it's part of our history. Some things part of a history should stay part of our history. Some things that are part of our history, maybe exited the fleet in a certain way should stay that way."

"In other cases, it it may fit where we want to go. And so old names are never off."

Will Icon 2 be bigger than Icon of the Seas?

Since Icon of the Seas is going to be the new largest cruise ship in the world, and since each Oasis Class ship always came out just a little larger than the previous one, I wanted to know if we can expect the Icon Class ships to continue that trend of each new ship becoming the largest in the world.

"I don't know yet."

"In the case of Icon Two, we're doing construction in some ways already started."

"Blocks haven't been fully started yet. And so you'll have to wait and see if two and three get bigger a little bit more."

Does the Icon Class leave older ships behind?

With the arrival of the Icon Class ships, and the already impressive Oasis and Quantum Class ships, does this create an experience gap for the smaller, older ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet?

"You'll notice they're not competing on a seven night Caribbean with Icon or Utopia or one of those ships."

"Great destination rich itinerary ships. That's why we use them in the Mediterranean, Alaska and the Baltics, in the South Pacific."

"The Vision and Radiance class are great ships doing great itineraries. They're very profitable for us. They rate really well and we're really thoughtful about how they age. Now, that may not be a full amplification for them, but they serve a kind of very specific purpose for us in our in our our brand."

As for ship upgrades, Mr. Schneider hopes to resume that process in the future, "We stopped that program. We hope to pick that program back up. It's just a priority of how we've restarted our business, we will eventually get back to amplification of ships."

What about the adults-only area at Perfect Day at CocoCay?

A new expansion to Perfect Day at CocoCay will bring an adults-only area to the private island. So when will it open?

"Our target is still the end of '23. Construction has started. We've got our environmental clearance with the Bahamian government a couple of weeks ago."

"We've talked about it being an adult only experience, that has been the second most requested thing that people want from us on the island."

"We haven't really shared what it is going to be yet or what the designs of it are and the experiences that will be there....but feeling really good about it because we're not it's not like it's questionable. We got clearance. Construction is actually started."

"As guests sail in the coming kind of months, they'll see that ramp up of construction pretty fast."

"We'll hit a tipping point sometime, and I'll call it first half of 2023, and then we'll have to start sharing."

Royal Caribbean signed a new deal with PortMiami to expand its operations there, which include more passengers and a new terminal.

The 50-year deal was signed on Tuesday for a cost of $2.8 billion that encompasses a development and lease agreement.

There's plenty in this deal, but cruisers will find it most interesting that construction of a new Terminal G is included, which will be for exclusive use by Royal Caribbean and its subsidiary companies, including Celebrity Cruises, and its lease there for 36 years.

Terminal G is one of the older cruise terminals in Miami, and usually used by Royal Caribbean on days when Terminal A is occupied.

Terminal A is the brand new cruise terminal Royal Caribbean opened in 2018 that serves as its primary cruise terminal. When there is more than one Royal Caribbean ship in port, they will use other terminals, such as Terminal G.

In addition to Terminal G, Royal Caribbean will be able to share another terminal with MSC Cruises. That terminal will be complete in October 2028.

Credit to Florida Politics for reporting on this deal first.

Re-starting new headquarters construction

Also part of the deal is for construction to resume on Royal Caribbean's new global headquarters.

In May 2019, Royal Caribbean announced plans to expand and renovate its corporate campus on the southwest corner of Dodge Island. 

Unfortunately work halted due to the global health crisis, but the new arrangement with Miami-Dade has provisions for the continued redevelopment of Royal Caribbean’s global headquarters.

There's also an extension to its lease there through at least 2072.

New agreement benefits both parties

Prior to today's announcement, Royal Caribbean Group's deal was set to expire in 2033.  Under the new deal, Miami-Dade county will see an additional $2.5 billion from Terminal G usage and $260 million from the headquarters lease.

Under the new arrangement, Miami-Dade will finance completion of Royal Caribbean’s headquarters and Terminal G’s construction. In return, Royal Caribbean will guarantee passengers totals ranging from 600,000 annual passenger movements during the reconstruction of Terminal G to 1.5 million yearly passenger movements once it reaches “substantial completion,” estimated to be in 2027.

It will also create 12,000 permanent, cruise-related jobs, including roughly 1,000 additional positions with Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean said the jobs will pay average salaries of more than $100,000. The company also anticipates needing 9,634 construction jobs for the project.

Shore power

Royal Caribbean will utilize shore power as part of its deal in the new terminal.

All the major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, agreed in 2021 to bring shore power to cruise ships in PortMiami.

Shore power allows cruise ships to "hook up" to electricity at the port, so that the engines do not need to operate while the ship is letting passengers off the ship and bringing new ones onboard.

This means ships using shore power save on fuel use while on port that they would otherwise need to keep the ship going. It also reduces air pollution emissions associated with consumption of that fuel.

Every cruise is bound to come with aspects you enjoyed, but you may also encounter certain parts of the cruise you disliked or wish you did differently.

I recently returned from a 4-night cruise on Liberty of the Seas. This was my first time sailing on this ship, but because I had sailed on other Freedom Class ships before, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Every cruise comes with surprises, though, and I encountered both positive and negative surprises onboard Liberty of the Seas. From the waterslides to entertainment and food, here is what I liked and disliked about my Liberty of the Seas cruise.

What I liked

Washy Washy ladies

Walking into the Windjammer buffet on any Royal Caribbean ship is sure to be met with the words "Washy Washy” as the Windjammer staff encourage guests to wash their hands before entering.

While Liberty of the Seas does not yet have hand washing facilities in the Windjammer, there’s 0% chance any guest will enter the buffet without clean hands.

The reason? The “Washy Washy” ladies, also known as the happiest, most colorful, and funniest crew members you’ll find onboard.

Related: Guide to Royal Caribbean's Windjammer Cafe buffet

As soon as you arrive at the Windjammer, you’ll find one of these crew members dressed in a costume (which changed each day) and holding a bottle of hand sanitizer. While this may sound like a boring job, these women danced, sang, laughed, and had huge smiles when everyone passed through the Windjammer’s doors.

They had the most energy I've ever seen from any crew member (or maybe any person ever). We looked forward to our meals in the Windjammer every day not only for the food, but for the guaranteed entertainment we would encounter when needing to sanitize our hands.

Tidal Wave waterslide

I don’t usually use the waterslides on a Royal Caribbean cruise, especially the ones that are fully enclosed, as they make me feel a little too claustrophobic. Liberty of the Seas, however, has one of the fleet’s most unique waterslides: the Tidal Wave.

The Tidal Wave waterslide is a raft slide, and two guests can slide down together before “boomeranging” off a large wall. While the ride is really short, it was way more fun than I initially anticipated.

We went on the slide over and over again and couldn’t get enough!

Saturday Night Fever

Something that makes Liberty of the Seas unique is that she has a Broadway show available onboard: Saturday Night Fever. I knew nothing about this show before I entered the theater, but was beyond impressed by the acting and dancing of the cast members.

This show follows the story of a Brooklynite, Tony Manero, who spends his weekends at a local disco dancing and finding love while also distracting himself from life’s struggles. The show features dancing with songs from the Bees Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Tavares.

Related: Broadway shows on Royal Caribbean: Everything you need to know

My favorite part of Saturday Night Fever were the performances from the crew members playing the Puerto Rican dancers in the story. If I could give one reason to see this show, it would be to watch this dance couple cha cha, merengue, and salsa their way around the stage.

While I wouldn’t say it was my favorite Broadway show on a Royal Caribbean ship (that goes to We Will Rock You on Anthem of the Seas), I would definitely see the show again next time I’m onboard.

Freedom Class features

Freedom Class cruise ships are some of my favorite ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Just like on Independence and Freedom of the Seas, I enjoyed the features of a Freedom Class ship on my Liberty of the Seas cruise.

Read more: Freedom of the Seas vs. Liberty of the Seas

I love having access to the ship’s helicopter pad, taking walks on the scenic outdoor Promenade deck, and hanging out at the outdoor Diamond lounge deck.

Related: All about Freedom Class cruise ships

I find the size of a Freedom Class ship to be ideal, too, as it isn’t too big nor too small. Plus, the shorter Caribbean itineraries offered on Freedom Class ships means they always have a higher “party” atmosphere compared to longer cruises or itineraries visiting places like Alaska.

I spent a lot of time outdoors on Liberty of the Seas, whether relaxing on the helicopter pad or suntanning at the outdoor Solarium, and I have no complaints about the Freedom Class-specific features and amenities.

Classical guitar at Vintages

During my Liberty of the Seas cruise, a classical guitar player performed outside of Vintages wine bar each evening.

I don’t usually spend too much time at Vintages while on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but sipping a glass of wine with live guitar music created the perfect atmosphere that I kept coming back to every day.

What I disliked

No Izumi

I found it quite odd that there was no Izumi restaurant on Liberty of the Seas, as Royal Caribbean’s Japanese specialty restaurant can be found on nearly every ship in the fleet. Even 3 out of the 4 smallest ships, the Vision Class, have an Izumi location!

Instead of Izumi, Liberty of the Seas offers specialty dining at Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Sabor, and Chef’s Table. While I love all of these options, I felt something was missing without Izumi onboard.

Part of the Windjammer buffet is named “Jade” and supposedly this used to be a specialty sushi counter where guests could purchase sushi at an extra cost. This did not appear to be offered on my Liberty of the Seas cruise.

Perfect Storm waterslides

Speaking of how much I loved the Tidal Wave slide on Liberty of the Seas, the opposite can be said for the Perfect Storm waterslides.

Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Storm waterslides are found on several ships in the fleet. These racing slides twist and turn several times as guests make their way downhill.

Related: Which Royal Caribbean ships have waterslides?

I’ve gone on these slides on other ships and found them exciting, but I was disappointed with the slides on Liberty of the Seas. The water pressure was extremely light and the slides had such a low slope that I had to push myself down.

The water pressure might be strong enough to get kids down the slide quickly, but it took us adults a while to reach the bottom!

Long lines

I'm not sure if this is something specific to Liberty of the Seas, but I encountered worse lines on this ship than any other in the fleet so far.

Whether grabbing an ice cream cone on the pool deck, a slice of pizza at Sorrento's, or boarding the ship after our port day, the lines seemed to be longer and slower than usual.

The Italian-themed dinner in the Windjammer, in fact, had lines so long we didn't even dare wait for pasta. 

I may have just gotten to these places at the wrong time, and an extra five minutes of waiting here and there was fine, but this was one thing I didn’t enjoy about my Liberty of the Seas cruise.

Game show

My cousin and I were looking for a way to pass the time one evening and came across an activity I had never seen before: Game Show: Rock the Room.

This show appeared to be a dancing competition between different sides of the room where both the game show’s participants and audience stood up and danced.

If I ever wanted to show a new cruiser that cruising can be modern and trendy, this would absolutely not be the way to do it. This show was like a stereotypical cruise ship activity you’d see on a comedy skit poking fun at cruises, and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe the show than “cringeworthy”.

We dipped out almost immediately after the show began. Two minutes later, I saw a huge hoard of other guests leaving the Star Lounge. One guest mentioned it was a “mass exodus”, so I wasn't the only one that didn’t like this activity!

Final thoughts

While there were some aspects of my Liberty of the Seas cruise I didn't enjoy as much as others, I still had a wonderful experience onboard. As a matter of fact, my cruise on Liberty of the Seas was one of the most fun cruises I've experienced yet. From the positive vibes of the crew members to party atmosphere onboard this short sailing, there was never a dull moment.

I'm already looking forward to returning to Liberty of the Seas this January to discover more of what this ship has to offer!

Planning a cruise? Star here:

• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?

The next time you eat in the main dining room, the menu might look a little different.

Guests sailing on Symphony of the Seas have reported seeing a change to the main dining room menu layout, as well as a change to the lobster choice.

The main dining room is a staple of the cruise ship dining experience, primarily because it is included with your cruise fare and open for dinner every night.

A reader on Reddit spotted the change, noting, "only one feature in each category per night, and the classics section is gone entirely! Only 4 items per category now."

In looking through the menu via the Royal Caribbean app, the recurring items have been removed, such as spaghetti bolognese, chicken, strip steak, et al.

On the second formal night, the Lobster Tail is listed as Cold water Maine lobster with the note an additional lobster tail would cost extra.

"Second Lobster Tail will be charged $16.99 plus 18% gratuity."

Prior to this change, the main dining room did not charge extra for more than one lobster tail on the second formal night.

Another change is the extra charge steak that was already on the menu has increased in price from $16.99 to $19.99.

The change is limited to Symphony of the Seas currently.

Why did Royal Caribbean make this change?

I was just as curious about this change as everyone reading it, so I reached out to Royal Caribbean for clarification on the changes.

The dining room menu update is limited to Symphony of the Seas currently, and the company is adamant they will be listening to guest feedback onboard the ship for their opinions.

The impetus for making the change is for the guest experience in an effort to simplify the dining room menu, which would allow the service to speed up.

While there is no denying there are less items on the menu than before, one of the chief complaints of the dining room has always been how long the meal takes. 

Swiftness of service is a focus Royal Caribbean wants for the dining room.  By having more consistency of what's being prepared in the kitchen, they can produce food faster.

A more focused menu will hopefully translate to a faster kitchen without compromising the experience for guests.

They were quick to point out there will still be a beef, fish, poultry, and vegan option every night of the cruise.

I asked about costs being a factor, but Royal Caribbean said they're always looking for ways to improve the guest experience and reduce the lag that can occur during the meal.  One night there could be too much time between the appetizers and entrees, while another night the appetizers and entrees come immediately after each other with little delay inbetween.

Ultimately, Royal Caribbean will rely on guest feedback from people on Symphony of the Seas to determine how successful this change ends up being.

I asked about the change to the lobster tail in if the cold water Maine lobster is a larger serving size than the previous option, but am waiting a response on that.

Reaction to the changes

As you might imagine, a lot of cruisers had plenty of thoughts on this change.

In the Royal Caribbean Dining facebook group, there were over 200 comments at the time of this posting discussing the change.

Jim Rath posted, "Inflation hits everywhere, not just on land."

James Romo said, "Royal is doing it's hardest to make me want to switch cruise lines."

Karah Ryan Smith thinks the lobster change is more than just a pricing switch, "Maine lobster is definitely different than the Caribbean lobster that is usually served. Maybe that’s why."

Leigh Montgomery wrote, "I’m sailing on Symphony next week and it says the same thing. What a bummer!"

Four Royal Caribbean cruise ships will sail to Alaska in 2023. Each ship offers itineraries to Alaska’s stunning sights and plenty of onboard amenities, but how do they compare?

If you’re considering an Alaska cruise for the 2023 season or beyond, you might be wondering which Royal Caribbean ships sail to Alaska.

In 2023, you can find Alaska cruises on Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, and Brilliance of the Seas. These ships were specifically designed to sail in cold climates, so you’ll find a nice balance of indoor and outdoor activities and amenities on each cruise ship.

Related: Ultimate Alaska cruise guide

The Alaska cruise season runs from May to September 2023. The vast majority of cruises are 7-night roundtrip sailings, although one ship will offer one-way cruises to and from Alaska.

Here is a breakdown of the four ships sailing to Alaska in 2023 so you know what to expect from each ship.

Quantum of the Seas

Homeport: Seattle, Washington

Ports: Sitka, Skagway, Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, Juneau, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Victoria (ports vary by sailing)

After a successful 2022 cruise season in Alaska, Quantum of the Seas will return to Seattle to offer 7-night Alaska Glacier cruises departing on Mondays.

Alaska Glacier cruises visit three Alaska cruise ports and include a scenic sightseeing experience at Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier. Every roundtrip sailing from Seattle will also include a stop in Victoria, British Columbia.

Related: How to choose the right Alaska cruise itinerary

Each itinerary visits Juneau, Alaska, but other cruise ports differ. Some itineraries visit the charming gold-rush town of Skagway whereas others visit Sitka, the former capital of Russian Alaska.

Regardless of which ports you visit, you’re guaranteed to have an enjoyable time visiting Alaska on one of Royal Caribbean’s most family-friendly cruise ships.

Highlights of Quantum of the Seas:

• North Star observational pod
• FlowRider surf simulator
• RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator
• Izumi sushi, Chops Grille, Jamie’s Italian, Wonderland restaurants
• Two70 theater offering 270 degree views from floor-to-ceiling windows
• SeaPlex indoor sports center
• Indoor pool for all ages & adults-only indoor Solarium
• Adventure Ocean children’s programming & nursery
• Outdoor movie screen

Why choose Quantum of the Seas

Quantum of the Seas is a large cruise ship, with a capacity of around 4,900 passengers at double capacity. Because of this, she offers an impressive amount of onboard activities, dining options, and entertainment to fit any cruising style.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy the unique “I can’t believe they put that on a cruise ship” activities found onboard, such as the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator or bumper cars.

If relaxing is more your style, you’ll find the indoor Solarium or Two70 entertainment venue to be the perfect spaces to kick back with a view.

Plus, Quantum of the Seas sails from Seattle, and this can be a more convenient port option for Americans compared to Vancouver. 

Ovation of the Seas

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Homeport: Seattle, Washington

Ports: Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, Victoria, Sitka, Ketchikan (ports vary by sailing)

Ovation of the Seas will also return to Alaska for the 2023 cruise season to offer 7-night Alaska Glacier cruises departing on Fridays. She will sail roundtrip from Seattle, Washington.

7-night Alaska cruise itineraries on Ovation of the Seas consist of two Alaska cruise ports, one scenic sightseeing day at Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, and one day in Victoria, British Columbia.

Related: 50 Alaska cruise tips you should use

Select itineraries will swap the visit to Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier with a third port in Alaska, such as Sitka or Skagway. All itineraries visit Juneau.

Highlights of Ovation of the Seas:

• North Star observational pod
• FlowRider surf simulator
• RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator
• Izumi sushi, Chops Grille, Jamie’s Italian, Wonderland restaurants
• Two70 theater offering 270 degrees of floor-to-ceiling windows
• SeaPlex indoor sports center
• Indoor pool for all ages & adults-only indoor Solarium
• Adventure Ocean children’s programming & nursery
• Outdoor movie screen

Why choose Ovation of the Seas

Like Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas is also a Quantum Class cruise ship, meaning she offers the latest and greatest of Royal Caribbean’s features and activities.

Related: All about Quantum Class ships

Quantum Class ships were designed to sail in both cold and warm climates, so passengers can enjoy two separate indoor pools and a variety of hot tubs on the ship. Weather in Alaska can, of course, be unpredictable, so having access to several indoor pools is a plus of Ovation of the Seas.

Foodies will love a cruise on Ovation of the Seas, as you can choose from mouthwatering Italian food at Jamie’s Italian to unique creations at Wonderland—a restaurant themed by the tales of Alice in Wonderland—and everything in between.

Related: Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Ovation of the Seas offers itineraries to many of Alaska’s highlights, whether you want to go whale watching in Juneau or ride the White Pass & Yukon Railway in Skagway. You certainly won’t find yourself bored whether in port or onboard the ship!

Just like Quantum of the Seas, booking a roundtrip cruise from Seattle can be a convenient option for Americans, as direct flights to Seattle are more common (and cheaper) than those to Vancouver.

Radiance of the Seas

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Homeports: Vancouver, British Columbia and Seward, Alaska

Ports: Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, Haines (ports vary by sailing)

Radiance of the Seas spends nearly every summer in Alaska, making it one of the region’s most consistent cruise ships. Of all Royal Caribbean ships in Alaska in 2023, Radiance of the Seas offers the most port-intensive itineraries.

Related: All about Radiance Class cruise ships

Not all Alaska cruises are roundtrip. Some ships sail one-way itineraries which start in Vancouver and end in Seward, Alaska (and vice versa). This allows ships to visit more ports on a 7-night cruise and allows guests to enjoy land tours in Alaska or Canada pre or post-cruise.

Radiance of the Seas will offer these one-way Alaska sailings in 2023, offering 7-night Northbound and Southbound cruises. Four Alaska ports will be visited on these itineraries along with a scenic viewing day at Hubbard Glacier.

Radiance of the Seas cruises depart on Fridays.

Highlights of Radiance of the Seas:

• Solarium indoor pool for adults
• Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi Sushi, Samba Grill
• Champagne Bar
• Rock climbing wall and mini golf
• Children’s pool area with small slide
• Adventure Ocean children’s programming & nursery
• Indoor movie theater (and outdoor movie screen)
• An abundance of glass walls and windows to provide views of the outdoors
• Helicopter pad access for scenery viewing

Why choose Radiance of the Seas

While Radiance of the Seas is considered a small cruise ship by Royal Caribbean standards, she is still a large vessel that holds nearly 2,500 guests at double capacity. Many guests enjoy the size of a Radiance Class ship for the combination of having enough activities to do while maintaining a more personal feel.

Radiance of the Seas was built to sail in all types of climates, so you’ll be able to enjoy both indoor and outdoor spaces during the cruise. Whether you choose to relax in the beautiful adults-only Solarium or catch a movie in the indoor cinema, you’ll find plenty of ways to pass time on a chilly day at sea.

Related: Best things to do on an Alaska cruise

The biggest benefit of sailing on Radiance of the Seas to Alaska, though, is having the opportunity to book a one-way cruise itinerary. Alaska is a massive, stunning state that offers so much to see not only by cruise, but also on land.

With a one-way itinerary, you can choose to spend time sightseeing in Alaska’s interior before or after the cruise. You can plan your own land tour or opt for one of Royal Caribbean’s land-based Cruise Tours to visit destinations like Anchorage or Denali National Park and Preserve.

Brilliance of the Seas

Homeport: Vancouver, British Columbia

Ports: Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Haines, Tracy Arm Fjord, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Hubbard Glacier (ports vary by sailing)

Brilliance of the Seas will sail from Vancouver for the 2023 Alaska season to offer two itineraries: 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience cruises and 7-night Multi-Glacier Experience cruises. Brilliance of the Seas cruises depart on Sundays.

The 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience itineraries visit four ports in Alaska along with a visit to Tracy Arm Fjord for glacier viewing. Exact ports vary by itinerary, but every Brilliance of the Seas cruise includes a stop in Alaska’s capital of Juneau.

Related: Local's guide of what to do in Juneau, Alaska

The 7-night Multi-Glacier Experience itinerary, on the other hand, includes a visit to not only Tracy Arm Fjord, but also Hubbard Glacier. This impressive glacier stands 400 feet above the ocean's surface and, due to its remote location, is usually only found on one-way Alaska cruise itineraries.

Therefore, the Multi-Glacier Experience itinerary makes Brilliance of the Seas an excellent ship choice for those hoping to visit Hubbard Glacier on a roundtrip sailing from Vancouver as opposed to sailing on a one-way cruise.

Highlights of Brilliance of the Seas:

• Solarium indoor pool for adults
• Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi Sushi
• Vintages wine bar
• Rock climbing wall and mini golf
• Children’s pool area with small slide
• Adventure Ocean children’s programming & nursery
• Indoor movie theater (and outdoor movie screen)
• An abundance of glass walls and windows to provide views of the outdoors
• Helicopter pad access for scenery viewing

Why choose Brilliance of the Seas

Brilliance of the Seas, like Radiance of the Seas, offers a more intimate feel to an Alaska cruise compared to a larger ship.

There is an abundance of windows found on Brilliance of the Seas, making it the perfect ship for those wanting to relax with Alaska’s stunning scenery out the window.

Many guests find this to be the biggest benefit of sailing on a Radiance Class ship; they don’t have to spend time on a frigid outdoor deck in order to view the glaciers and mountains that make Alaska so special!

Related: 20 Radiance Class cruise ship tips and secrets

While Brilliance of the Seas may not offer as many family-friendly activities as a ship like Quantum of the Seas, she still offers more than enough to keep kids occupied. From Adventure Ocean programming to mini golf, rock climbing, and an indoor movie theater, you’ll find plenty to do onboard.

Lastly, Hubbard Glacier is one of the most famous glaciers in Alaska, and sailing on Brilliance of the Seas means you can experience this magnificent wonder without the hassle of a one-way cruise.

More Alaska cruise info

Want to learn more about a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska, as well as helpful tips and secrets? Check out these blog posts:

• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?
• What to pack for a cruise to Alaska?
• Cruising to Alaska: What I Did Right and Wrong
• What is the cheapest month for an Alaska cruise?
• Alaska cruise whale watching guide & tips

Another busy week of Royal Caribbean fun just wrapped up, but if you missed any of it, I have a concise look at all of it for you in this weekly news round-up!

Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal in Galveston opened this week.

Terminal 3 is the new home for Allure of the Seas, and is a brand new $125 million cruise terminal.

The terminal will break even more new ground as the first LEED Zero Energy facility in the world, generating 100% of the energy it needs through onsite solar panels.

Royal Caribbean News

• 7 new things Royal Caribbean leaked about Icon of the Seas
• Royal Caribbean releases new 2024 Alaska cruises to book
• Royal Caribbean adds 363-ton dome to top of Icon of the Seas
• Top 10 Liberty of the Seas hidden secrets
• Subtropical storm Nicole disrupts Royal Caribbean cruise itineraries
• I spent $250 to upgrade my cruise ship cabin: Was it worth it?
• Can you work remotely from a cruise ship in 2022? I put it to the test
• Top 10 cocktails to try on your next Royal Caribbean cruise

New RCB Video: 7 ways to have a great time in port without a cruise ship shore excursion

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — 7 ways to have a great time in port without a cruise ship shore excursion — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

New Icon of the Seas aerial construction photos

Want to see what Icon of the Seas looks like right now?

We took a series of new drone photos that showcase the construction progress being made, including the addition of the AquaDome.

Icon of the Seas is scheduled to be delivered in late 2023 and begin sailing in January 2024.

What it's like to go on a $99 Royal Caribbean cruise

What do you get for a $99 cruise fare?

Nicole recently sailed on Liberty of the Seas after spotting a last-minute deal for just $99 per person.

What sort of cabin can you get for just $99, and what is real cost of the cruise once you sail?

7 things I did right (and 3 mistakes) on my recent cruise ship port day

Jenna recently spent a day in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and shared the things she liked and didn't like about her port day.

Even if you do a lot of planning, mistakes can happen and she had that experience.

Here are the top 7 things Jenna did right (and 3 mistakes) on her recent cruise ship port day.

5 things I purchased for a cruise that I regretted buying

Whether I thought they would make my life easier, or just improve the vacation experience, in practice, I've regretted a few purchases I made for a cruise.

At the time of purchase, it sounds like a revelation and I usually end up buying it because I think to myself how could I not buy it to improve my vacation.

Here is my own list of things I bought for a cruise that ended up being a terrible purchasing decision for me.

Cruises and cocktails go together like peanut butter and jelly. Trying new cocktails is a must on any Royal Caribbean cruise, but it can be tough to know what to order.

I engaged in some strenuous “research” on my recent cruises to taste some of the best cocktails Royal Caribbean has to offer. It’s tough work here at Royal Caribbean Blog, that’s for sure!

From a fruity daiquiri to a bitter old fashioned, here’s our list of the top 10 cocktails to try on your next Royal Caribbean cruise.

Cucumber Martini at 150 Central Park

My experience with Royal Caribbean’s signature Cucumber Martini started with skepticism and ended with pure bliss. I was (slightly) nervous it would feel like I was eating a salad as opposed to drinking a cocktail with my dinner, and I didn’t want the cucumber flavor to be too overwhelming.

When my waiter rolled a cocktail-making cart over to our table, however, I realized this would be a beverage experience unlike any other onboard!

Cucumber Martinis at 150 Central Park—arguably Royal Caribbean’s most elegant specialty restaurant—are prepared tableside. Our waiter mixed Grey Goose Vodka with lemongrass syrup, sweet and sour, cucumber wheels, and basil leaves to create a drink unlike any I’ve tried before.

Related: 38 Royal Caribbean drink recipes perfect for any party

The Cucumber Martini is, to date, the most refreshing drink I’ve had yet on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The citrusy hint of lemongrass mixed with the cool, refreshing taste of cucumber was a unique, fresh flavor that impressed me like no other cocktail onboard.

I had heard excellent things about the Cucumber Martini before my cruise, and I can attest that it lived up to the hype. Outside of 150 Central Park, you can also find the Cucumber Martini at select bars in the fleet, most notably the champagne bars.

Espresso Martini

I’m not a night owl whatsoever. I always struggle to stay up late enough to take advantage of all the entertainment and activities offered in the evenings on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Enter the Espresso Martini, my favorite “hack” to endless energy on a cruise. Made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and espresso, this cocktail is every bit classy as it is delicious.

Related: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

If you’re sailing on an Oasis Class ship, be sure to order an Espresso Martini at Trellis Bar in Central Park. An evening spent sipping an Espresso Martini in the park with live music in the background? It doesn’t get much more perfect than that!

Margaritas from Sabor

What goes better with chips and guacamole than a margarita? You can find margaritas on any Royal Caribbean cruise ship, but the biggest variety of flavors can be found on ships with Sabor or Cantina Fresca, two of Royal Caribbean’s Mexican-themed bars.

Sabor, for example, highlights the following 3 margaritas on their menu:

• Handcrafted Margarita: Patron Silver tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, agave syrup, muddled limes and oranges with a salt rim
• Avocado Margarita: Patron Silver tequila, orange liqueur, avocado and lime juices, rimmed with Aleppo pepper and lime salt
• Jalapeño-Cucumber Margarita: Patron Silver tequila, Cointreau liqueur, cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice

It’s hard to go wrong with a margarita, and don’t miss the opportunity to taste as many flavors as you can on your next Royal Caribbean cruise.

Mojito from Boleros

If you love Latin music, you’ll love spending time at Boleros on a Royal Caribbean cruise. This Latin-themed bar is found on most Royal Caribbean cruise ships, and they make the best mojito found anywhere onboard.

This traditional Cuban cocktail is made with white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and fresh mint leaves. It hits the spot every time, and you can even try different variations like strawberry mojitos or frozen mojitos. 

Related: Royal Caribbean drink package - your top questions answered

One of my favorite things to do onboard is sip a mojito while listening to the live salsa, merengue, and bossa nova performed at Boleros. And you’ll have excellent people watching opportunities, too, as this venue almost always turns into a dance party.

Caribbean Mule

If you like Moscow Mules, you’ll love the Caribbean Mule found on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Made with Absolut vodka, coconut syrup, lime juice, and Gosling’s ginger beer, I find this drink to have the perfect balance of flavors.

I was originally nervous to order the Caribbean Mule because I thought the ginger flavor might be too strong, but it was just right. The ginger cuts down on some of the sweetness, so I much prefer this drink to an ultra-sweet drink like sangria.

Related: 8 mocktails to try on your next Royal Caribbean cruise

This cocktail is available at most bars and lounges onboard as it is on Royal Caribbean's standard fleetwide drink menu.

Lavender Daiquiri

Lavender in a cocktail? It might sound a bit weird, but you should give the Lavender Daiquiri a shot on your next Royal Caribbean cruise.

Available at Schooner Bar, this cocktail is made with Bacardi Superior rum and lavender syrup. It’s not overly sweet yet offers a unique lavender flavor that doesn’t overpower the drink.

This is one of my go-to cocktails on any cruise, especially during a round of trivia at Schooner Bar.

Love Connection

Perhaps the prettiest drink on this list is the Love Connection. This drink has three layers of frozen, fruity flavors that are sure to be refreshing on a sunny pool day.

This drink combines layers of strawberry daiquiri, mango daiquiri, and piña colada for the ultimate tropical cocktail. You can order the Love Connection from any bar with a blender onboard a Royal Caribbean ship.

Related: Recipe: Love connection frozen drink

We ordered the Love Connection from Trellis Bar and it made for a fun drink to enjoy while relaxing in Central Park. While sweet, it’s certainly tasty, and is easily converted into a mocktail by omitting the rum!

The Lime & Coconut

Available on Royal Caribbean ships with The Lime and Coconut Bar is the bar’s namesake, the Lime & Coconut cocktail. Made with Malibu Coconut rum, coconut milk, coconut syrup, guava syrup, and lime juice, the Lime & Coconut will transport you directly to the tropics.

The Lime & Coconut is served over ice, although the coconut milk makes it slightly creamy. With the combination of guava and lime, the drink has a citrusy yet sweet flavor. The flavor profile of the drink, especially when adding coconut milk, is unlike any cocktail I’ve had before.

The Lime & Coconut is often served in a Malibu bucket, making for a fun way to enjoy the cocktail while on the pool deck. It’s a vacation cocktail at its finest, so be sure to order The Lime & Coconut if you’re sailing on a ship with The Lime and Coconut bar.

PB&J Old Fashioned

When Royal Caribbean debuted its first southern restaurant and bar, The Mason Jar, on Wonder of the Seas, they also debuted a cocktail menu with flavors and drinks not found elsewhere onboard. Everything from the Mississippi Moonlight—made with blackberry moonshine—to boozy milkshakes are available at The Mason Jar Bar.

Related: The Mason Jar Southern food restaurant review on Wonder of the Seas

The bar’s most popular cocktail quickly became the PB&J Old Fashioned. This cocktail is made with Skrewball peanut butter whiskey and bourbon, strawberry jelly, and walnut bitters. To top it off, the drink is garnished with a mini PB&J sandwich.

I heard nothing but raves from this drink onboard Wonder of the Seas. While I’ll admit that the PB&J Old Fashioned was a bit too strong for my preference, if you love whiskey, you’ll love this inventive rendition of a classic old fashioned.

Banana Colada

My all-time favorite cocktail onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise is also the first drink I ever ordered on my very first cruise: the Banana Colada. I have fond memories of boarding my first cruise on Mariner of the Seas and immediately kicking off the cruise with a drink. Little did I know the Banana Colada would remain, to this day, my favorite Royal Caribbean cocktail!

Related: Check out the signature cocktails at The Bamboo Room

The Banana Colada combines rum with the flavors of banana, coconut milk, and cinnamon into a frozen drink served, fittingly, with a mini umbrella. This drink screams vacation and a classic piña colada pales drastically in comparison to the Banana Colada.

My favorite Banana Colada can be found at The Bamboo Room, available only on Mariner and Navigator of the Seas. However, you can also find a rendition of this cocktail at bars on other Royal Caribbean ships.

Planning a Royal Caribbean cruise? Start here:

• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?

You’ll almost always find me in an interior cabin on a Royal Caribbean cruise. While the opposite of luxurious, I never mind my small, windowless rooms, especially if it means I can save money on cruise fare.

Nonetheless, I just disembarked a 4-night cruise in a Spacious Ocean View cabin on Liberty of the Seas. Wanting to “treat myself” but also try something new, I upgraded my cabin for $248 extra on top of the $779 I originally paid for an interior cabin. This brought my total cruise cost to $1027.

I always love trying new ways to cruise with Royal Caribbean, so when I realized I could upgrade to a Spacious Ocean View cabin for a reasonable price, I figured I would give it a try.

I had never sailed in an ocean view room before, so I was curious to see how my cabin experience would differ from an interior or balcony cabin. The price of an ocean view cabin is usually between interior and balcony cabins, but I had two main questions:

• Would an ocean view cabin be that different from an interior to justify the extra cost?
• If I’m upgrading to an ocean view, is it better to spend a little more to upgrade to a balcony?

With extra room and scenic views out the porthole window, was this upgrade worth it? Let’s find out.

Royal Up vs standard upgrade

Many cruisers look to Royal Caribbean's stateroom bidding program, RoyalUp, when hoping to upgrade their cruise ship cabin. I have used RoyalUp once before (without any luck), but I’ve since realized it’s better to first contact your travel agent about the cost to upgrade without bidding.

Related: Royal Caribbean’s RoyalUp guide, tips, and tricks

RoyalUp allows guests to bid on higher stateroom categories with the hope of winning the bid and upgrading at a lower cost.

What I’ve realized, however, is that the minimum bids on RoyalUp are not always cheaper than upgrading your stateroom directly through Royal Caribbean or a travel agent.

When I asked my travel agent how much it would cost to upgrade from my interior cabin, for example, I was surprised to see such reasonable prices. The Promenade View Interior and Guarantee Ocean View cabins were actually cheaper than the original price I paid for my interior stateroom.

Meanwhile, if I had placed a bid on a Guarantee Ocean View through RoyalUp, I would have had to bid a minimum of $30 per person for the weakest bid possible.

Initial impressions

As soon as I walked into our cabin, I was pleased to see it was quite spacious, although I was a bit surprised that the room was the same size as a balcony cabin.

For some reason I expected this cabin to be even more spacious than a balcony room, but this is probably reserved for the Ultra Spacious Ocean View cabins.

Regardless, compared to the tiny interior rooms I usually stay in, our ocean view cabin felt huge! The interior cabins on Freedom Class ships are tiny, and while I’ve stayed in this size stateroom with guests before, it’s definitely a tight squeeze.

Related: I tried the best inside cruise ship cabin hacks to see how well they worked

Our cabin was equipped with many amenities, including:

• King bed (that we later separated to two twin beds)
• Desk and vanity area
• Wardrobe
• Couch and side table
• Television
• Mini fridge

There was ample storage in the room, from drawers on both sides of the vanity to our nightstand and a spacious wardrobe. There were also shelves on the side of the vanity near our bed which I found useful throughout the cruise.

There was also storage located behind the mirrors in the vanity and bathroom which could easily be overlooked, so we took advantage of this, too.

The best part of our cabin, of course, was the porthole window. This window was larger than I expected, although I was surprised that we had a “balcony” outside the window.

Because this room is on deck 7 as opposed to the majority of ocean view cabins on decks 2 and 3, the porthole overlooked a non-usable balcony before reaching the ocean.

Pros of our cabin upgrade

More space

An obvious benefit of staying in our Spacious Ocean View cabin was having more space. We never ran into each other in the cabin and had no shortage of storage space.

We didn’t even utilize most of the storage, in fact, because there was more than enough room to keep our suitcases on the floor of the cabin without having to unpack for a short cruise.

I spent more time than usual in my cabin

On a short 4-night cruise, I never expect to spend much time in my room. Between attending onboard events and filming videos around the ship for the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel, I usually spend little time relaxing in my cabin.

This week, however, I spent more time than usual in my cabin. I have a few hours of computer work to do each day, for example, which I usually do from a public area onboard when staying in an interior room. Unsurprisingly, I don’t love working in a room without windows.

Related: Can you work remotely from a cruise ship in 2022? I put it to the test.

With an ocean view room, I spent these hours working next to my private porthole window instead. 

Our itinerary also changed due to weather and we ended up with two sea days instead of just one. This meant we had extra time to enjoy our stateroom (take naps) during the cruise.

Great option for a first-time cruiser

I sailed on Liberty of the Seas with my cousin Keli, and she had never been on a cruise before. I thought having an ocean view cabin as opposed to an interior was nice for my cousin's first cruise. 

While I’ve brought many first-time cruisers onboard in interior rooms and we’ve had a great experience, I thought Keli would appreciate being in a more comfortable room with a window.

And it worked, because she’s already looking forward to sailing again in the future!

Cons of our cabin upgrade

Stateroom location

One drawback of our upgraded stateroom compared to the interior room we originally booked was the location.

Our ocean view cabin was located in the very aft of the ship, so this location wasn't as convenient as somewhere closer to the elevators and stairwells. We spent a lot of time walking back and forth to our cabin down a long hallway.

Plus, because it was at the ship's aft, I felt a little more movement than I normally would as we sailed through the Caribbean. Our upgraded cabin location wasn't a dealbreaker, but I would probably take the location more into consideration next time I upgrade my stateroom.

The one plus of our stateroom was that it was located on deck 7, so we rarely had to take the elevators as we were located only a few decks from all the main attractions onboard.

Spending money on a cabin upgrade instead of other activities

Looking back, we probably could have stayed in our interior cabin and used the $248 we spent on a cabin upgrade for other cruise add-ons.

For around $120 per person, for example, we could have booked an Unlimited Dining Package for our 4-night cruise. Dining at specialty restaurants once (or more) every day could have enhanced our cruise experience more than a little more space in our cabin.

We also could have put this cost toward shore excursions, drinks, internet, and other onboard spending.

Only a 4-night cruise

Spending $248 on a cabin upgrade would have spread out further on a 7-night cruise compared to just 4 days. This brought the nightly cost of the upgrade to $62, whereas it would only be $35 per night on a weeklong cruise.

Next time I upgrade my cabin, I’ll calculate the nightly price of the upgrade to help justify whether or not it’s worth it.

Obstructed view

This con didn’t bother me too much, but our “ocean view” actually looked out toward a balcony not in use, so we didn’t have the panoramic view of the ocean we would have gotten in a smaller, cheaper ocean view cabin.

Was the upgrade worth the cost?

I am still torn whether our cabin upgrade was worth the extra cost or not. While $248 isn't a lot of money in the grand scheme of our cruise vacation, we could have put the money toward other onboard experiences.

That being said, I truly enjoyed having a larger stateroom with gorgeous ocean views from the porthole. There's no doubt this room was better than an interior cabin, and I could have spent my entire day reading in bed next to our cabin's window.

Overall I would lean toward the upgrade being worth it rather than a waste of money. While I’ll probably continue to sail in interior staterooms for the lowest cruise fare possible, it’s nice to treat yourself every once in a while!