Royal Caribbean Blog

Happy Sunday! Temperatures may be dropping, but there is plenty of Royal Caribbean news to share.  This is your weekly summary of all the Royal Caribbean news from this past week, perfectly fitted for your consumption.

Royal Caribbean shared when it will put new cruises on sale in 2024-2025.

While not complete, the initial deployment schedule gives an idea of when to expect new cruises to book to  Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, and Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean promises more release dates will be announced soon for other 2024 - 2025 sailings.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean drops pre-cruise testing requirement for almost all cruises
• Royal Caribbean adds daily limit to unlimited dining plan a la carte restaurants
• Royal Caribbean makes small change to make it easier to track Diamond drink vouchers
• Royal Caribbean has quietly brought back pre-cruise entertainment reservations on some cruise ships
• The best cruise itineraries for every type of traveler
• Royal Caribbean cruises in November 2022: What to expect
• What families will love about Icon of the Seas' new dedicated family neighborhood

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 475th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is available to enjoy, where Matt lists the things that change about how you cruise as you cruise more often.

Cruising a lot changes your outlook on how you cruise, and I have a list of 5 things I think people that cruise a lot would tell first time cruisers about how the process changes.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: Where to keep Seapass Card, phone, and cash when on a 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 — Where to keep Seapass Card, phone, and cash when on a shore excursion? — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Group reports first quarterly profit in almost three years

Royal Caribbean reported its third quarter earnings this week, and had positive cash flow for the first time in almost three years.

Royal Caribbean Group posted better than expected earnings for the third quarter of 2022 with a total revenue of $3.0 billion and net income of $33 million.

Revenue hitting $3 billion is the highest since the third quarter of 2019.

What to expect with Royal Caribbean's Black Friday and Cyber Monday cruise deals

While Royal Caribbean’s Black Friday sale changes year to year, there will undoubtedly be a sale for cruise fares and add-ons.

Just like so many retailers, there will be a post-Thanksgiving sale to look for and it will bring potentially higher savings.

You might be wondering how lucrative these sales will be, and if it will save you any money.

Royal Caribbean is targeting people who vacation in Orlando

Are you a family that typically does a land vacation in Orlando? Royal Caribbean wants you to go on a cruise instead.

During Royal Caribbean Group's earnings call with investors this week, Royal Caribbean Group executives talked about how Icon of the Seas was designed to attract families away from a land vacation in Florida.

The ship's new family-centric offerings are part of the cruise line's more aggressive marketing approach to Orlando attractions.

Choosing the perfect destination to visit on a Royal Caribbean cruise can feel overwhelming, and the “perfect” cruise itinerary can vary greatly from cruiser to cruiser.

Whereas some travelers may prefer spending every day at the beach, others would prefer busy days of sightseeing at ancient monuments or strenuous hikes into the mountains.

Thankfully, Royal Caribbean offers cruise itineraries to destinations both close to home and across the world, meaning you’ll find an itinerary to meet any travel style.

Whether you’re planning a honeymoon, bachelorette party, or a once-in-a-lifetime cruise around the world, here are our top Royal Caribbean cruise itineraries for every type of traveler.

The stressed-out traveler

Our recommendation: any cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay

A cruise is one of the best ways to forget about any stress at home. When you set sail, you’ll forget all about any project deadlines, schoolwork, or chores at home. Nothing but adventure lies ahead, and the best place to enjoy a stress-free getaway is at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Related: 40 Perfect Day at CocoCay tips, tricks and secrets

Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, lives up to its name. This island is perfect, and it offers the best way to unwind. Most activities on the island are complimentary, including white-sand beaches and the Oasis Lagoon pool.

If you’d like to upgrade your day at the island, however, feel free to treat yourself to a day at the Coco Beach Club or Thrill Waterpark for more fun in the sun.

Related: Coco Beach Club: cost, tips & review

Regardless of what you do at Perfect Day at CocoCay, you’re guaranteed to leave the island much less stressed than when you arrived!

The island hopper

Our recommendation: Greek Isles cruise

Island hopping and cruising go hand in hand, but our top choice for the world’s best island hopping destination is Greece. From the world-renowned sunsets in Santorini to the ancient citadel of the Acropolis and charming Venetian harbor of Chania, there’s a wide range of sights to discover in every Greek cruise port.

Related: Ultimate Greek Isles cruise guide

What’s great about a Greek Isles cruise is that you can find activities for every type of cruiser. You’ll find everything from boat tours visiting secluded beaches, walking tours of famous archaeological sites, and beach clubs to kick back and relax with a cocktail.

Another benefit of a Greek Isles cruise is that it’s easy to explore without an excursion. If you’re the type of traveler who doesn’t like to plan organized tours, you’ll find cruise ports in Greece are an excellent place for spontaneous exploration.

The engineer

Our recommendation: Panama Canal cruise

If you find yourself fascinated by great marvels in engineering, whether the Pyramids of Giza or Hoover Dam, book a cruise traversing the Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal was built in 1914 and was, undoubtedly, an impressive feat of engineering at the time. Prior to the canal, a ship traveling from New York to San Francisco had to travel over 13,000 miles around South America. The 50 mile canal, however, cut this distance to around 5,000 miles, marking a turning point for trading and commerce opportunities around the world.

Related: 15 countries you didn’t know you could cruise to on Royal Caribbean

It takes around 8-10 hours for ships to traverse the canal as they pass through a series of locks which lift ships 85 feet above sea level and back down again. This is a highlight of all Panama Canal itineraries, and you’ll find hoards of passengers on the outside decks watching this process take place.

Previously, most Royal Caribbean cruises to the Panama Canal were only offered on long repositioning itineraries. However, Royal Caribbean will be deploying Rhapsody of the Seas on several 7-night Costa Rica & Panama Canal cruises in 2024. This gives passengers the opportunity to traverse the canal without requiring a multi-week sailing.

The foodie

Our recommendation: Mediterranean cruise

If you’re a foodie, look no further than a Mediterranean cruise. You’ll visit ports with some of the world’s most famous cuisines, from savory crepes in France to refreshing gelato in Italy. And did we mention the paella?

Related: Must-eat foods on a cruise to Italy

While Mediterranean cruises tend to involve busy port days exploring historic sites like the Colosseum and Pompeii, be sure to make time for a nice lunch each day in port. While you can find fantastic food onboard your cruise ship, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to taste authentic Mediterranean cuisine.

If you have more time, you can select a longer Mediterranean cruise to give you more ways to taste cuisines in a diverse array of countries. 12-night Holy Land cruises, for example, visit everywhere from Italy to Israel, Turkey, and Greece. Who can resist authentic falafel, pizza, and gyros?

Related: Western Mediterranean cruise guide

The exotic vacationer

Our recommendation: South Pacific cruise

Most cruisers are familiar with ports like Nassau and Cozumel, but did you know Royal Caribbean offers cruises to some of the world’s most remote islands?

South Pacific cruises from Australia visit ports in Vanuatu, Fiji, and the French territory of New Caledonia. You’ve likely never heard of islands like Lifou, Mare, and Aneityum, but these are all gorgeous destinations available on South Pacific cruise itineraries.

Related: 10 Royal Caribbean cruise destinations not to be missed

If you have the time, consider a transpacific cruise from Hawaii to Australia for the opportunity to visit French Polynesia. Picture yourself snorkeling coral reefs in Mo’orea or sunbathing on the black sand beaches of Tahiti. It really doesn’t get more exotic than that!

The bachelor(ette) party

Our recommendation: 3-night weekend cruise

Planning the perfect bachelor/bachelorette party is all about fun, and the best cruises for these getaways are quick 3-night weekend sailings.

3-night weekend cruises tend to have a higher party atmosphere onboard than longer sailings. This means your bachelor/bachelorette party will fit right in with the ship’s vibe, and you’ll find that the bars and clubs onboard are busy late into the night.

Related: Guide to weekend cruises: Tips for taking a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise

In addition, most 3-night cruises from Florida include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. With a swim-up bar and pool party every day, there’s no better place to celebrate!

There are several ships offering regularly scheduled 3-night weekend cruises. Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas both sail from South Florida, Independence of the Seas from Port Canaveral, and Navigator of the Seas from Los Angeles.

The honeymooners

Our recommendation: Caribbean cruise

After months of meticulous planning for your special day, it’s time for a honeymoon to kick off marriage with your new spouse. And what better way to do that than a Caribbean cruise?

The Caribbean is a destination for endless relaxation. Whether you’re swimming in the crystal clear waters of Antigua or sailing on a catamaran in Mexico, there are plenty of ways to make lifelong memories together.

Related: 20 tips for a Royal Caribbean honeymoon cruise

We recommend finding an itinerary with an adequate balance of port and sea days. While some 7-night cruises may stop at 5 or 6 ports, try to find an itinerary with at least 2 or 3 days at sea. Visiting ports each day can be exhausting, and having more sea days ensures you’ll find plenty of time to relax with your spouse.

The culture-focused traveler

Our recommendation: Asia cruise

If you’re looking for an adventurous itinerary that will bring you far out of your comfort zone, book a Royal Caribbean cruise in Asia. Spectrum of the Seas currently offers cruises from Singapore visiting destinations in Southeast and East Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.

Royal Caribbean calls these cruises “Culturally Enriching Cruises'' because they immerse guests into the local culture of a specific country or region. Whereas the majority of guests on a cruise from Florida tend to be from the United States or Canada, for example, the majority of guests on a cruise from Singapore or China are from those regions.

This means you will experience local flavors and culture while onboard, such as cuisine in the Main Dining Room and Windjammer inspired by local cuisine and production shows focusing on music and dancing as opposed to language.

In addition, once off the ship in port, you will continue to be immersed in a culture quite different from what you’re used to at home. From tasting spicy street food in Vietnam to exploring temples in Thailand, a whole world of adventure awaits you on a cruise to Asia!

The active traveler

Our recommendation: Alaska cruise

If the idea of your perfect vacation involves hiking, biking, and kayaking, look no further than a cruise to Alaska.

Those new to cruising may associate a cruise vacation with lounging on a pool chair and filling up plate after plate at the buffet. However, cruising offers so much more than that, and active travelers will find they have plenty of options when it comes to breaking a sweat in port.

Related: Best things to do on an Alaska cruise

An Alaska cruise is the perfect itinerary for those looking to explore the state’s breathtaking scenery. If you’re up for a challenge, put on your hiking boots for a summit hike of Mt. Roberts in Juneau. Or, if you'd prefer an adventure on water, kayak amongst the state's scenic fjords and glacial lakes.

Planning a 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?

We’re only a few weeks away from countless plates of turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, and that also means Royal Caribbean will soon be announcing their 2022 Black Friday sale.

While Royal Caribbean’s Black Friday sale changes year to year, you can expect to see savings on both base cruise fare and add-ons purchased through Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner. 

Let’s take a look at what you should expect for Royal Caribbean’s 2022 Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.

Does Royal Caribbean offer a Black Friday sale?

Black Friday–a major sales event on the day after Thanksgiving in the United States–is the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season. Retailers typically offer their most elusive deals during this time of the year. These sales continue on Cyber Monday, the online equivalent of Black Friday.

Because of this, you’ll find Royal Caribbean combining Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales into a weeklong “Cyber Week Sale”. 

While Black Friday sales are standard within the cruise industry, the best offers typically come during Wave Season (the first three months of the calendar year). That being said, you can expect to see some savings during the cruise line’s Cyber Week Sale.

When will Royal Caribbean's Black Friday sale be announced?

Royal Caribbean typically releases its Cyber Week Sale information a few days before Thanksgiving. Last year, the sale for pre-cruise add-ons began Tuesday, November 23 and the sale on cruise fares began Wednesday, November 24.

We can expect to see Royal Caribbean’s 2022 Black Friday and Cyber Monday cruise deals announced around November 20, 21, or 22 (Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday) this year. The sale will likely run for one week, from around Wednesday, November 23 to Tuesday, November 29.

What types of deals are offered on Black Friday?

The exact deal offered on Black Friday can change by year, but you can expect to see both savings on cruise fares and savings on pre-cruise purchases like shore excursions and dining packages.

Last year’s Black Friday sale on cruise fare allowed guests to save up to $550 in instant savings + 30% off every guest. The promotion ran from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

It also had many discounts offered on pre-cruise add-ons, including the following:

• Soda or Refreshment Package: up to 50% off onboard prices
• Deluxe Beverage Package: 30% off onboard prices
• Shore excursions: up to 50% off
• Internet: up to 60% off
• Discounts on Unlimited Dining Package (discount varies by ship)
• Dinner at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen: 25% off onboard prices
• 30% off spa treatments (discount varies by ship)

If you’re interested to see what types of Black Friday deals have been offered in recent years, check out our article on Royal Caribbean’s past Black Friday deals.

NOTE: Royal Caribbean will change the name of the promotion on the website depending on which day you visit the site (Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, etc.), but the promotion remains the same.

Should I book my cruise now or wait until Black Friday?

Royal Caribbean allows you to reprice your cruise until final payment date, meaning you can take advantage of a lower price even after booking*. Final payment is due 75 days prior to the sale date for 1-4 night cruises and 90 days prior to the sale date for cruises 5 nights or longer.

If you book a cruise in early November for $1,500 and later find the same sailing offered for $1,200 during the Black Friday sale, you can reprice the cruise and save $300 (provided the cruise is not within final payment).

Why is this important? Despite Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales offering the potential for savings, this isn’t always the case. Let’s look at an example of how waiting to book a cruise during Black Friday can sometimes be more expensive than booking beforehand.

Sample scenario

It’s early November and you are interested in booking a 7-night cruise on Symphony of the Seas. Royal Caribbean is offering a standard promotion, and the cruise fare for 2 adults in a balcony stateroom is $2,200.

However, you decide to wait to book the cruise. Black Friday is coming up in only two weeks, so you assume the deal will be better then.

Unfortunately, when you go to book the cruise on Black Friday, the price of that same balcony room is now $2,500! In the two weeks since you last checked, more staterooms sold on that sailing, and Royal Caribbean increased prices for the remaining staterooms.

There’s no guarantee a Black Friday deal will be better than any other promotion offered by Royal Caribbean during the year. Because of this, it’s best to book as soon as possible to lock in the best price for your sailing.

Related: Did Black Friday sales save you money on your cruise?

*NOTE: While Royal Caribbean’s website states that “Our Best Price Guarantee lets you take advantage of a better price within 48 hours from the time you booked,” we’ve confirmed with a travel agent that you can still reprice a cruise up until final payment.

What about booking cruise add-ons like drink packages and internet?

Just like your cruise fare, it’s always better to book cruise add-ons as soon as possible rather than waiting for the chance of a better deal.

You can cancel and rebook any add-ons on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner up to 48 hours before sailing. If you book a drink package at $75/day and later see the price drop to $65/day, you can cancel and rebook at the lower price with no penalty.

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

Therefore, it’s best to book cruise add-ons now and check the Cruise Planner on Black Friday to see if the add-ons you purchased are being offered at a lower price. There’s no guarantee that you’ll find a better price on Black Friday, but if you do, you can easily cancel and rebook to save money.

Planning a cruise? Check out our best money saving tips:

• 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• How to cruise on the cheap
• Top 14 best free things to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• How to have the best experience for cheap on Royal Caribbean
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare

Royal Caribbean wants to make it easier to keep track of your Diamond drink benefits.

Diamond, Diamond Plus, or Pinnacle members get a set amount of complimentary beverages every day of your cruise, which includes alcoholic beverages.

In an email to guests, Royal Caribbean said it would make a slight change to how drinks are redeemed.

Effective on sailings starting this Friday, November 4th, guests will sign their check when using any beverage vouchers.

Prior to this change, there was no receipt to sign and the vouchers were all managed in the backend. 

Guests that purchase a drink and pay for it with their SeaPass card get a receipt, so this will be more similar to this.

This is another recent change by Royal Caribbean to the Diamond drink program. In June 2021 the amount of drinks was altered so the Diamond drinks would essentially cover almost any beverage and could be used all day.

Benefits of this change

Royal Caribbean says it is making the change for two reasons that it thinks will benefit guests.

First, the receipt has a count of vouchers to help you better track how many you have left.

So if you’re a Diamond member, and you have 4 a day – it may tell you 2 of 4 have been redeemed.

The second reason is to help with billing discrepancies.

For instance, you ordered a $3 coffee and they may have applied your voucher – and you don’t learn about it until you’re at dinner, wanting that nice $13 cocktail and you’re out of vouchers.

For these reasons, offering receipts should make it simpler to track for guests, "While it’s a little more work for our teams, by having you have your hard check – you can better control both your count and the proper application!"

How the Diamond drink vouchers work

Royal Caribbean provides complimentary drinks each day to its Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle guests.

Guests who are at a lower tier of Crown and Anchor Society (Gold, Platinum, or Emerald) do not qualify for the drink vouchers.

• Diamond: 4 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)
• Diamond Plus: 5 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)
• Pinnacle: 6 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)

Drink vouchers are loaded automatically every day on a guest's SeaPass account. 

This includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, and includes any beverage up to $14 per drink.

Royal Caribbean is eyeing its competition, and it's not another cruise line.

With Royal Caribbean's introduction of Icon of the Seas, the company wants to attract families that would otherwise consider a land vacation in a place like Orlando, Florida.

With its mega theme parks, Orlando is one of the top family vacation destinations. The city saw 75 million annual visitors in 2018. While that number has fallen since then due to the global health crisis, Orlando still saw 59.3 million visitors in 2021.

During Royal Caribbean Group's earnings call with investors on Thursday, executives singled out Orlando as the market they hope their new cruise ship will more favorably compete with once it launches.

"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," said Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley.

Mr. Bayley sees the Royal Caribbean International brand being more "aggressive" with how it competes with the Orlando attractions, "And what we're beginning to see is us moving certainly the Royal brand into that space far more aggressively."

"We're really focusing on this target market, which is family and of course has many new neighborhoods, including a neighborhood called Surfside, which is absolutely focused on young families and those young families with children six and under travel all year round, because obviously parents can pull their kids out of pre-K."

Illustrating how compelling a choice Icon of the Seas is to Walt Disney World, the Wall Street analyst shared an anecdote from a recent trip in which another traveler he did not know told him he was going to book Icon of the Seas instead of Disney World, "a random traveler behind me saying they were thinking about going to Disney, but going to book the their family on the Icon."

"One off conversation but part of a broader theme."

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty talked about how the cruise line has narrowed the competitive advantage land vacations have over cruises, "We've seen this 40% gap to land based vacation. It used to be about 20%."

"The Royal brand actually closed the gap very significantly with the introduction of Perfect day, the modernization of our fleet. And so we see there is a lot of opportunity to close that gap here over time."

How Royal Caribbean can compete better with Orlando

Mr. Liberty was pleased with the progress Royal Caribbean International has made to be a more attractive offer compared to land vacations, but thinks more is needed.

"We need to increase frequency with our guests, we need to improve our loyalty programs," he explained when talking about ways to improve.

"We need to be more 1:1 so that we're putting offers in front of our guests that are very relevant to them individually and just bring more awareness."

He thinks by doing those kind of things, it will make Royal Caribbean more competitive with land-based vacations.

Super weapon: Icon of the Seas

Royal Caribbean sees the launch of Icon of the Seas as not only a great new ship, but the asset that will give them the best choice yet to skip a land vacation.

"It is a game changing, first of its kind vacation experience where everyone can experience their version of the ultimate vacation," Mr. Liberty explained at the beginning of the call with investors.

While Royal Caribbean has always been a top family cruise line, Icon of the Seas is poised to move the cruise line beyond anything else it has ever offered.

Royal Caribbean will introduce a first of its kind area of the ship dedicated to young families at the back of the ship, which has everything a family with young kids could want, along with family-focused accommodations and with easy access to the kids club and other popular onboard attractions.

"Icon is the first in a new class of ships for Royal Caribbean, which is squarely in the family market, which is a scale brand with huge presence in the American market and in a strong global footprint," Mr. Bayley explained.

In Surfside, there will be places for kids and adults to enjoy, including Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay splash parks for junior cruisers and the Water's Edge pool for grownups.

Surfside will also house family-friendly dining venues, although those venues have not been announced yet.

The tide has finally changed for Royal Caribbean Group's bottom line.

Royal Caribbean Group posted better than expected earnings for the third quarter of 2022 with a total revenue of $3.0 billion and net income of $33 million and Adjusted EBITDA (Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) was $742.3 million.

Revenue hitting $3 billion is the highest since the third quarter of 2019.

The change comes as demand for cruise vacations surges following the global health crisis. The cruise line's occupancy rate was 96%, more than double the 36% level in the year-ago quarter.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty called the third quarter "better than expected", "Last quarter's better than expected performance was a result of the continued robust demand environment and strong execution by our teams."

"The combination of our leading global brands, the best and most innovative fleet in the industry, our nimble global sourcing platform and the very best people have delivered a successful return of our business to full operations and positions us well to deliver record yields and adjusted EBITDA in 2023."

As expected, total revenues per passenger cruise day were flat as reported and up 1%.

Third quarter by the numbers

Load factors (meaning how full were the cruise ships) in the third quarter were 96% overall, with Caribbean sailings reaching almost 105%.

Royal Caribbean Group expects fourth quarter load factors to be similar to third quarter overall, and to reach triple digits by year-end.

Booking volumes in the third quarter accelerated versus the second quarter of 2022 and remained significantly higher than booking volumes received in the third quarter of 2019 for all future sailings.

Bookings update

Booking volumes in the third quarter were significantly higher than the corresponding period in 2019, because Covid-19 testing and vaccination protocols were eased.

The company said its customers continue to make their cruise reservations closer to sailing than in the past, resulting in about 50% more bookings in the third quarter for current year sailings when compared to the third quarter of 2019. 

While 2022 bookings remain strong and on pace to achieve occupancy targets, the most notable change has been a substantial acceleration in demand for 2023 sailings.

Booking volumes for 2023 doubled during the third quarter when compared to the second quarter and were considerably higher than bookings for 2020 sailings during the comparable period in 2019, the highest in company history.

As of September 30, 2022, the Group's customer deposit balance was $3.8 billion, reflecting typical seasonality as peak summer sailing deposits have been recognized in revenue. In the third quarter, approximately 95% of total bookings were new versus FCC redemptions.

A look at 2023

For 2023, all quarters are currently booked well within historical ranges at record pricing.

While still early in the booking cycle, the view for 2023 is encouraging and the company expects a return to historical load factors in early summer, record yields and adjusted EBITDA for 2023.

The company expects to benefit from lower transitory expenses and accelerating benefit from actions taken to improve margin while partially mitigating continued inflationary pressures expected to persist through the first half of 2023.

Trifecta program

Royal Caribbean Group announced a new three-year plan it hopes will get it back to maximum profitability.

The Trifecta Program has three main goals to be achieved by the end of 2025:

• Triple Digit Adjusted EBITDA per APCD, to exceed prior record Adjusted EBITDA per APCD of $87 in 2019.
• Double Digit Adjusted Earnings per Share to exceed the prior record Adjusted Earnings per Share of $9.54 in 2019.
• Return on Invested Capital ("ROIC") in the teens to exceed the prior record ROIC of 10.5% in 2019 through optimizing capital allocation and enhancing operating income.

The company plans to achieve these goals through a formula of moderate capacity growth, moderate yield growth, and strong cost controls, all while ensuring disciplined capital allocation, investing in the future and improving the balance sheet.

With few exceptions, Royal Caribbean has dropped its pre-cruise testing requirements across the board.

Royal Caribbean sent out an update on Wednesday with new protocols that have removed the need to conduct a pre-cruise Covid-19 test, even if you are unvaccinated.

"Effective November 2, 2022, all travelers on U.S. sailings — regardless of vaccination status — will no longer require pre-departure testing (excludes sailings to Colombia, Haiti, & Honduras)." Cruises from Australia are also not included in this policy change.

Travel agents and guests were notified of the change in policy.

Prior to this change, unvaccinated guests had to take a Covid-19 test before their cruise. Fully vaccinated guests and guests ages 11 and younger are exempt.

Royal Caribbean recommends guests be fully vaccinated and boostered against Covid‐19. While vaccination is not required, they kindly ask passengers to disclose their vaccine status during check-in.

A guest is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the required number of doses in their vaccine series have been fully administered (e.g. 2 shots of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, etc., or 1 shot of Johnson & Johnson). Vaccines must be approved for use by the WHO or U.S. FDA, with the exception of CanSino.

Pre-cruise testing remains for certain itineraries

If your Royal Caribbean cruise visits Labadee, Roatan, or somewhere in Colombia, then unvaccinated will still need to test.

Guests age 12 and up who are not fully vaccinated have 3 days to take a test before their cruise, regardless the duration of the cruise.

Guests under the age of 12 do not have any testing requirements.

Accepted Tests

Guests can take advantage of in-person, telehealth, and self-swab tests. This includes unsupervised testing.

Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results, a clear photo of your self-test result, or your actual self-test in hand.

Another relaxation of policy

This is one of many changes in Royal Caribbean's approach to Covid-19, which has steadily seen health protocols erode in order to be closer to other forms of leisure travel. Airplanes, theme parks, casinos, and hotels no longer require any such Covid protocols and have not had any requirements for months.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty spoke about the change during an earnings call with investors earlier this year and said the change is a move to be more like other forms of leisure travel, such as theme parks, casinos, or air travel. 

"We are continuing to adapt our protocols to align more closely with how the rest of society and other travel and leisure businesses are operating."

"This means that we're transitioning to the point where everyone will be able to vacation with us while always working with our destination partners to meet their regulations."

When Royal Caribbean resumed cruises in 2021, Covid-19 protocols were a major component to the onboard experience.

Since September 2022, all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, were able to cruise on most itineraries, as long as they meet testing requirements to board.

Since then, more itineraries opened up to unvaccinated cruisers.

In the past when Royal Caribbean relaxed travel requirements, they've reinforced their ships are still a step ahead of other travel in terms of protocols, "We continue to maintain additional layers of protection that far exceed any other vacation experience. This includes vaccination of all crew and keeping them up to date with boosters when eligible, routine surveillance of all crew, enhanced testing and treatment capabilities in our onboard medical centers, and much more."

Maybe you will be able to book shows for your Royal Caribbean cruise before the sailing begins after all.

Guests are reporting seeing the option to pre-book select entertainment on at least the Oasis Class cruise ships later this year.

Prior to the cruise industry shutdown in 2020, Royal Caribbean allowed passengers to pre-book stage shows before the cruise via the Cruise Planner website.

Pre-booking entertainment has not returned since Royal Caribbean cruises restarted in June 2021.

Reversing a change?

In late September, Royal Caribbean informed travel agents that they would not bring back the option to book shows before the cruise.

As we continue to shape the future of cruising, a few experiences may look a bit different to some of your clients. With this, we will no longer be accepting pre-bookings for onboard entertainment. All guests who would like to attend our entertainment onboard must book these at the Box Office or on the App once onboard.

There was no mention of exceptions.

Royal Caribbean has made no new announcement or confirmation of a policy change.

Some ships have option to pre-book shows

In the last week or so, many Royal Caribbean cruisers have reported being able to pre-book shows when visiting the Cruise Planner website.

Thus far, the option to pre-book as not appeared in the Royal Caribbean app.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers started to share the change on the RoyalCaribbeanBlog forums that the option has re-appeared once more.

Based on reader reports, the option is available on the Oasis Class cruise ships beginning for sailings in December 2022.

A notice on the Cruise Planner indicates the option is available for:

• Allure of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas

Wonder of the Seas isn't on the list, but plenty of cruisers have reported being able to book shows for December sailings.

Thus far, it appears to be primarily December 2022 cruises that have the option, but it's possible more sailings could be added later.

Reader reaction

The early reaction from readers has been a sense of surprise mixed with confusion as why the policy has seemingly changed so quickly.

CruzOnBye was able to take advantage of this option, "We’re on Odyssey in December and can now reserve The Book in Two70 and also the Zone Zero activity so that’s nice!"

"As a planner this is my biggest frustration of no longer being able to do. But hey, I save time not doing the old school muster drill, so that time is now taken up running around making reservations," said Vancity Cruiser.

"This is the kind of thing Royal really needs to improve," NotPayinExtra posted. "What is there problem with communication? Just tell us already. Limited time booking online or not? "

CruiseGus preferred not having this option back, "I for one really liked the you could not book until you got on board. The major problem with the way they do it, in the App is even if you cancel a show ahead of time because you want to change it, you are lock out from re-booking so you have to go to guest services or see someone"

We now know when Royal Caribbean will open up the first set of new 2024-2025 bookings.

While not complete, we have our first look at when Royal Caribbean will release new sailings to book.

Royal Caribbean typically releases new sailings twice per year: in the fall and again in the spring.

The partial deployment schedule will cover Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, and Caribbean sailings.

• Week of November 7, 2022: Alaska & Hawaii
• Week of November 14, 2022: Europe
• Week of December 12, 2022: Year-round/Summer Caribbean

This is in addition to the Icon of the Seas sailings already released for 2024-2025.

Royal Caribbean promises more release dates will be announced soon for other Fall 2024 - Winter 2025 sailings.

All itineraries are subject to change without notice.

What is a deployment schedule?

The deployment schedule is the plan for when Royal Caribbean will open select sailings for sale.

There is no indication of which day, just the week the new itineraries will become available to book, but it could be on any day of the noted week.

Guests will commonly misconstrue the new cruises to come out on the exact day, rather than at some point during the week.

When the new sailings are available, it is common for the new itineraries to be entered into the booking system first, and the website second. This means in some cases cruises are bookable earlier if booked over the phone or with a travel agent, even if they do not appear on the website.

What should you do now to prepare?

If you are in the market for a cruise during one of these new deployments, you will want to keep an eye out for once cruises go on sale.

Royal Caribbean typically allows Crown and Anchor Society members a 24 hour head start on the general public, but since anyone can sign up for Crown and Anchor Society, there is no excuse for waiting.

Talk with your travel agent in the days leading up to the new deployments coming online so you can jump on specific bookings and book them.  

One of the best strategies for the lowest prices is to book a cruise as soon as it goes on sale.  Hard-to-find staterooms are also available during this period, so now is the time to lock in a studio room or a suite.

Planning on booking a cruise in 2024-2025? These stories will help:

• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?

Royal Caribbean's unlimited dining package won't be as unlimited as it has been in the past.

The terms and conditions for Royal Caribbean's unlimited dining package have been updated to add a daily limit to the a la carte restaurants where guests pay per item.

On the Cruise Planner website, some sailings now show an update for the a la carte pricing, "For restaurants with a la carte pricing, you’ll receive a $20 food credit, which can only be used once a day."

Prior to this change, there was no limit at a la carte restaurants and guests could return to any a la carte restaurant on the same day and get another $20 per person credit.

Examples of restaurants with a la carte pricing include Playmakers and Portside BBQ.

In the past, the $20 per person credit was determined by your seating. Once the check was closed out, you were free to return and start a new tab with another round of $20 credit.

There's been no change to Izumi sushi, which still carries a $34.99 food credit or the option to use the prixe fixe menu.

Similarly, there's been no change to specialty restaurants that have a cover charge, where guests can enjoy unlimited visits to specialty dining restaurants every night of your sailing and lunch on sea days.

Dining packages have become very popular with cruise fans, who enjoy the ability to dine at as many specialty restaurants as they like for a fixed price.  With Royal Caribbean rolling out new specialty dining concepts in recent years, the focus on specialty dining has been greater than in years past.

Read more: Is food included on a Royal Caribbean cruise?

Izumi hibachi price change

In addition to the change in policy related to the a la carte restaurants, it looks like the cost to eat at Izumi hibachi is going up as well.

The policy now lists a $15 surcharge for dining package guests to eat at hibachi, instead of $10.

Teppanyaki dining at Izumi is one of the most popular specialty restaurants on any Royal Caribbean ship. Reservations often are sold out by the first day of the cruise, if not earlier.

Why did Royal Caribbean make this change?

There's no official word why Royal Caribbean added a limit of one use per day for the fixed price menu.

Based on my own experience with the unlimited dining plan, it's possible this change was made to cut down on guests overusing the package benefits at restaurants such as Playmakers.

Being a sports bar, often guests may linger at the bar to watch more than one game, or return later on for the evening game and order more food.

It's also possible this was meant to reduce crowding at these locations.

How the unlimited dining package works

Royal Caribbean introduced the unlimited dining package in 2019 to replace the Ultimate Dining Package and it allows guests to enjoy their meals at specialty restaurants as many times as they’d like, based on availability.

Guests are not able to make reservations for specialty dining before the cruise when they have a dining package. Instead, they must wait until they got onboard a ship to make reservations.

Once at the restaurant, all the guest has to do is inform their waiter that they have a dining package and the waiter can then verify it and charge it appropriately.

There are a few exceptions to what is included with the dining packages: Teppanyaki/Izumi Hibachi is included, with a $15 surcharge, and Chef's Table is included, with a $49.99 surcharge.

It's not included with premium dining experiences, such as Wine Pairings Dinners, Taste of Royal, Mystery Dinner Theater, Culinary Activities, and Holiday Celebration Dinners.

Dining packages do not include room service, mini bar, or restaurants at Perfect Day at CocoCay.