When Legend of the Seas launches, Royal Caribbean has big plans for how it will be different from the other Icon Class ships.

Entering service in 2026, Legend of the Seas will be the third Icon Class ship. But it definitely won't be a carbon copy of the ships that preceded it.

This is going to be one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, with a capacity of 5,610 passengers at double occupancy and 2,350 crew members working onboard.

The cruise line shared new details of the major changes on Legend, including entertainment, dining, and activities.

Here’s a look at the biggest changes guests can expect.

New experiences

Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean, said in a statement Legend will be a bold push forward for the Icon Class, "With Legend of the Seas, we are bringing to life our most legendary vacation yet as we continue to push the boundaries with more of what guests know and love."

Royal Railway Legend Station will be on the ship, making it the first Icon Class ship to have the immersive dining experience.

First introduced on Utopia of the Seas, Royal Railway is a dining experience that combines food, sound, and visuals that makes you feel like you're on a classic train.

This version will be expanded into a five-course “expedition” along the Silk Routes, inspired by the travels of Marco Polo.

Guests will enjoy flavors and history through China, India, Italy and more.

Legend of the Seas will also be home to a Broadway musical.

Roald Dahl’s "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" has been confirmed as the musical onboard. 

The world of Willy Wonka will be brought to the stage, and it's included in your cruise fare.

Besides the Royal Theater Legend of the Seas will have shows offered in the AquaTheater and Absolute Zero ice rink.

The AquaDome AquaTheater will host divers, aerialists, robots, and dancers.

Absolute Zero, the largest ice arena at sea, will feature new skating productions.

Another change will be the a reimagined Surfside and Playscape. 

Royal Caribbean wants to offer even more for families with young kids, and promises a new carousel in Surfside and a redesigned Playscape for youngsters.

New dining

You'll also find new dining options on Legend of the Seas, with a mix of reimagined and new offerings. Legend of the Seas will have a total of 28 options to dine at.

The AquaDome Market will have all new food stands, along with a brand-new juice and smoothie bar serving freshly squeezed refreshments.

This is a food hall, where you can go throughout the day and night to enjoy quick bites made exactly the way you like them. It's not only complimentary, but has been consistently a fan-favorite dining area.

A new supper club will also be implemented, with the Hollywoodland Supper Club.

A brand-new concept blending gourmet dining, cocktails, and jazz with a journey through the golden age of cinema, from the 1910s to the 1950s.

Other returning restaurants confirmed for Legend include:

• Surfside Eatery
• Basecamp
• Chops Grille
• Izumi
• Hooked Seafood

There will be more than 20 bars on Legend of the Seas, including:

• Lou's
• Dueling Pianos
• 1400 Bar

The family fun you expect on an Icon Class ship

Legend continues Royal Caribbean’s tradition of adrenaline and relaxation with:

• Category 6 Waterpark: Six massive waterslides.
• Crown’s Edge: A part-zip line, part-skywalk suspended 154 feet above the ocean.
• Lost Dunes Mini Golf and Adrenaline Peak Rock Climbing for active fun.
• Seven pools

Sailing in 2026

Legend will debut with 7-night Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona and Rome, visiting destinations like Marseille, Naples, and Palma de Mallorca.

In November 2026, the ship will reposition to Fort Lauderdale for 6- and 8-night Caribbean itineraries, including Aruba, Curaçao, and Royal Caribbean’s top-rated private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Bookings are open for all of its sailings through April 2027.

Prices are going up for certain services in Royal Caribbean's kids club.

Adventure Ocean is the name of the kids club on all of the line's ships, and while most of the programming is included in your cruise, fare there are a couple areas that come with an extra cost.

However, if you elect to leave your kids with the counselors late at night and/or take advantage of the nursery services, there's an hourly cost to it.

The Royal Caribbean app is showing a change to the hourly rate for both of these areas.

Late night cost change

Adventure Ocean is complimentary up until 10pm, but from 10pm to 1am, there's an hourly charge for kids staying for the late night party.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Megan Audette spotted the change in the app.

Within Adventure Ocean for kids between 3 years old and 12 years old, after 10pm, the price is going up from $10 per hour per child to $15 per hour per child. 

There is still no charge for Adventure Ocean when the club is open earlier in the day.

Hourly nursery costs

The cost of dropping toddlers in the nursery is also changing.

Adventure Ocean Babies is available for toddlers infants and toddlers between the age of 6 - 36 months. Unlike the older kids areas, there's an hourly charge for the nursery throughout the day and evening.

The new cost for the nursery will be:

• $9 per hour until 6pm (previously $6 per hour)
• $12 per hour thereafter (previously $8 per hour)

Because babies require more attention than Adventure Ocean, the nursery is more specialized and offers child care that caters to each baby. Plus, they can feed children in their care and put them down for naps.

A supervised solution for vacation

If you haven't taken advantage of Royal Caribbean's kids care, it's one of my family's favorite benefits of cruising.

Adventure Ocean is designed around offering a place for children to play and have fun while their parents can go elsewhere and enjoy time apart.

When my kids were young enough to be in the nursery or Adventure Ocean, we always took advantage of its offerings because it was a win-win for all of us.

The kids got an escape from hanging out with mom and dad, and that meant games, art, movies, and playing with other kids.

My wife and I loved Adventure Ocean because it was supervised and gave us the chance to have a dinner or evening alone.

Most of the care is included, but the extra costs have always been well-worth it, in my opinion.

Ever since we tried the nursery for the first time, I was blown away by how all encompassing the service is. The staff really love their job and they always went to great lengths to make sure our children were happy.

When my kids were old enough for the main club, staying for late night was always a highlight.

Most kids get picked up before 10pm, but the ones that remain usually get to indulge in special activities because there are less kids overall.

Royal Caribbean has steadily increased the space and offerings of Adventure Ocean on its ships, with the new Icon Class ships offering an incredible variety of programming for families.

Happy Sunday, and welcome back to our round-up of all the latest Royal Caribbean news. It's been a busy week for the cruise line, so sit back, relax, and enjoy.

A norovirus outbreak on a Royal Caribbean ship has sickened almost 100 people.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 94 passengers and 4 crew members have "reported being ill during the voyage" and noted that predominant symptoms included diarrhea and vomiting.

Royal Caribbean has implemented new cleaning protocols in response, including increased cleaning and disinfection procedures.

Royal Caribbean News

• Casino players are now getting big discounts on beach clubs and drink packages
• Royal Caribbean's The Key review
• Free Royal Caribbean cruise mail offers: How to get them and it works
• Hideaway Beach vs. Pearl Cove Beach Club
• Royal Caribbean crew member officer shared what it's like to work on a cruise ship
• This man spent $5,700 to live on a cruise ship for 78 days alone. Here's how he make it work
• How a government shutdown could affect cruise ships and travel

New RCB Video: What is the President's Cruise like?

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: I Tried The President's Cruise (Not What I Expected)

Don't forget to like and subscribe!

Royal Caribbean just added Halloween fun on its cruise ships all month long

You can expect Halloween activities on any cruise in October!

Royal Caribbean confirmed it's expanding Halloween fun beyond cruises that sail over October 31st.

This includes movie nights, crafts, and costume contests.

Royal Caribbean is adding a two story casino to its next new cruise ship

When Legend of the Seas launches next year, it will have a two story casino.

This is the first time Royal Caribbean has expanded its gambling area to such extremes, and it will be a major change from Icon or Star of the Seas.

It's clear the cruise line is making this change to offer more gambling areas and increase revenue.

I tried Royal Caribbean's fan festival for the first time

Royal Caribbean advertises its Presidents Cruise as a pilgrimage for cruise fans, but what is it really like?

Matt had never tried a President's Cruise, but this year's voyage was an opportunity to give it a try.

Going on a President's Cruise is immersing yourself among thousands of other cruise fans who are just as passionate as you are.

Royal Caribbean will soft open its new beach club early

Select cruisers are getting invites to try the new Royal Beach Club a few days before it officially opens.

Evidently invitations are being sent out for Royal Caribbean's first beach club for about 10 days leading up to the official opening.

This soft opening allows the club to ramp up operations and iron out any issues before it officially welcomes paying guests.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 577th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available! 

Matt is headed to the rumor mill with five new rumors worth repeating to all of you!

We update our podcast weekly, so subscribe for more updates via YouTube, iTunes, Google Podcasts, or RSS.

You can also leave us a rating or review on iTunes, so go ahead and check it out! We appreciate your feedback.

It looks like Royal Caribbean will open its beach club to select guests early as it ramps up for an official opening.

The official opening of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is set for late December, but some passengers are getting invited to see it earlier.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Alex Bleiweis is booked on the December 14 sailing of Allure of the Seas and received an email to check out the beach club.

"You’re invited to get a sneak peek on December 15th before the grand opening," the email reads.

Just weeks ago the cruise line had confirmed a ribbon cutting event would take place on December 13, with the official opening coming around December 21st.

Allure of the Seas is scheduled to sail a 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary, but will stop at Nassau, Bahamas first on December 15th.

Soft openings leading up to the opening

A "soft opening" refers to the beach club welcoming guests before it's officially open to book.

It appears these soft opening events are invite-only, and there's no means to request to be invited or to purchase admission.

According to the email invitation we saw, Royal Caribbean is offering complimentary unlimited open bar day pass for the person that receives the email, and all guests booked in your stateroom.

The fine print says guests may have the opportunity to pay for an extra cost amenity, such as daybeds, cabanas, or the Party Deck, at a discounted rate.

Invitations are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for another date.

The point of these soft openings is to give Royal Caribbean a chance to field test everything before it's officially open.

This ensures the crew members can get practice in how everything should flow, as well as identifying any issues or improvements necessary before the club officially opens.

First-of-its-kind beach club

The opening of the Royal Beach Club is a bold step for Royal Caribbean to further differentiate it from other cruise lines.

The first-ever Royal Beach Club seeks to solve a long-standing problem passengers have had with finding a fun activity while visiting Nassau.

Nassau has ranked poorly among guest satisfaction scores with Royal Caribbean, and it's also a port where the passengers that do disembark typically spend little time off the ship and return earlier than in other ports.

Once fully operational, it's estimated over 1 million people could buy passes to the beach club annually.

The goal of this beach club is to offer an unparalleled beach experience in a prime spot, exclusively to its customers.

Unlike Perfect Day at CocCcay, there's an admission cost, it's all-inclusive, and there's limited capacity.  Think of it more like a cruise line run private excursion than a private island.

Inside the club, you can expect two stunning beaches and three refreshing pools.

There are three dining areas included, as well as free unlimited drinks at 10 bars, including the world’s largest swim-up bar.

Admission also includes water transportation, live entertainment, WiFi, loungers, and beach umbrellas.

The club is also going to incorporate Bahamian culture in an industry first cooperative effort to give back to the people of The Bahamas with a revenue sharing agreement that gives up to 49% equity.

It's expected the beach club will generate hundreds of jobs between the construction and long-term operation.  Plus, there will be a new tourism levy that will fund reinvesting in the local community. 

Construction photo update

With the soft opening invitations going out, we have an updated look at the progress Royal Caribbean is making to finish the beach club.

MEI Travel agent James Gatton shared photos of what the beach club looks like from his visit to Nassau on October 4.

About 500 people are actively working in the construction site every day, and the rate of progress has picked up considerably.

Foundations have been laid and structures are going up.

Each of the three neighborhoods are under active construction, with the Floating Flamingo easily the most notable building.

The Floating Flamingo is a two-story, two-story swim-up bar, and it's going to be the focal point for the party area.

There are stairs to a second-tier lounge with expansive views of the beach club and pool party. 

The beach club encompasses a 17-acre site, but it's a very long and narrow.

While it's not very wide, walking from one end to another could take around 15 minutes.

Royal Caribbean recently showed off its new tenders that will be used to ferry passengers to and from the beach club.

Included in the admission cost, ferries will transport passengers from the pier to one of two stops at the beach club.

If you're lucky, Royal Caribbean could send you a free cruise offer in the mail as an incentive to come back onboard and gamble some more.

After you cruise with Royal Caribbean and spend money in the casino, there's a chance you'll be mailed an offer to come back and sail for free or at a discounted rate.

These targeted offers are sent as a post card in the mail, and it's one of the best values right now in cruising.

How it all works can be a bit confusing, so here's a breakdown of how these casino mailers work and what to do if you if you get one.

A card could be mailed to you

Essentially, Royal Caribbean's casino program will send offers to certain members with free or discounted cruises and they are indeed legit.

Unlike scams sent in the mail to get you to attend a timeshare sale presentation, these come directly from Royal Caribbean. They're colorful, and have a special code for redeeming.

Each card has a limited selection of specific sailings. Usually, there are a dozen or so options.

There's no flexibility with the ships or sail dates. You can either pick one or none.  There's certainly no obligation.

Depending on your status within Casino Royale and how much you've gambled recently, the cabin selection can vary. You might get offers for an inside or oceanview cabin, or a balcony.

You'll still have to pay the port fees and taxes, which vary depending on which sailing you pick.

The offers could be for any type of cabin category, but most people get an inside or oceanview.

The other factor is if the free cruise covers one or two people.

Sometimes it's just free cruise fare for one person, and you'll have to pay a discounted rate for the second person in the same room. But it could be for two people too. You just have to read the fine print.

Some important information about these casino offers in the mail:

• You still have to pay taxes and all fees, which can be hundreds of dollars
• You earn Crown and Anchor Points from free casino offers
• You can only book 1 sailing with any particular offer code

How do you qualify for free cruise offers from the casino?

No one knows exactly the logic or "casino math" to qualify for random offers, but my experience has taught me consistent play is the key.

The point of these mailers is to entice people that have demonstrated they're willing to gamble in the casino to come back and cruise again so they can gamble more.

Suffice to say, you first need to be go on a Royal Caribbean cruise and play in the casino and wager enough money to "make it" onto the casino's algorithm.

How much you need to wager is anyone's guess, but my best recommendation would be enough to get you 200 - 300 points in the casino on a single sailing.  

In my experience, low or no play onboard (especially if you're on a casino comp sailing) can cause your offers to stop or slow down.

Always use your Seapass card to log into the machine before you start playing.

One point is equal to $5 wagered at a slot machine, so to get 300 points, you'd need to wager $1,500. Remember, that's wager and it doesn't matter if you win or lose.

Realistically, you're not going to lose every single bet.  But you could certainly have a bad streak of loses and money could go quickly.

The other thing I would recommend doing is ensuring your casino account isn't tied to your kids accounts.

Another unconfirmed theory is if the casino's algorithm notices a minor, it won't send them an offer. So if your account has the same email address as your kids, that could be enough to prevent offers from coming in.

I experienced this problem earlier this year when I was getting no offers at all. At the recommendation of another casino player, I asked the casino host to change my casino account email to different one.  That would leave me kids on my old email with Royal Caribbean, but separate me out from them.

Sure enough, a couple of cruises later (with a couple hundred points per sailing in the casino), and my mailbox has been flooded with offers.

To be clear, all of this is a working theory and I can't promise it will work for you. It just seems to represent the best conventional wisdom we have at the moment.

How to book a free cruise with the casino

The card you'll receive will have a list of free cruises. You can choose just one of them, per offer code.

To redeem it, you can do one of three things:

• Call Casino Royale directly and book
• Use Royal Caribbean's new Casino Royale website to redeem it
• Ask your travel agent to do it for you

Not all travel agents will redeem a free casino cruise because Royal Caribbean pays them barely any commission for a free cruise fare.

Calling in is what most people have traditionally done, but the hold times can be lengthy.

The new website appears to be a promising alternative, but it's brand new and a bit of a work in progress. Also, the website has shown offers that don't correlate to what the mailers have and that's been a source of frustration. I'm certain it will get ironed out, but in the meantime, the website may not be totally foolproof.

Don't abuse the offers

A word of warning: only redeem a free cruise offer you will actually go on.

Royal Caribbean changed their policy to penalize people that take advantage of free cruises, but then subsequently miss the cruise.

In past years, casino players would book free casino offers but then no-show to them. It wasn't intentional, but they viewed them as like "maybes" and since the cruise was free, there was no real penalty for missing it.

The cruise line has cracked down on this, and warns you'll lose your $200.00 deposit on the room.

Furthermore, you could be banned from getting free offers in the future if you do it.

Any Recipient who fails to check in at the pier may be suspended from future offers, will forfeit any offer(s) redeemed, and the remaining guests sailing, if any, will be subject to pay the prevailing rates at the time of embarkation.

Basically, if you book the free cruise, make sure you go on it.

One of the best deals in cruising right now is arguably Royal Caribbean's casino loyalty benefits, and it's getting even better.

Cruisers willing to gamble enough on their cruise to earn enough points to reach higher loyalty tiers have a new benefit that extends discounts to some of the cruise line's most popular add-ons.

An email newsletter sent to casino players mentions a new discount on pre-cruise purchases, with at least half off savings.

Here's what discounts you can expect, and how to get in on these deals.

Pre-cruise discounts

Royal Caribbean says between now and March 31, 2026, any cruiser with an elevated status is eligible for at least half off drink packages, beach clubs, and other popular add-ons.

You must be at least Prime status in Casino Royale in order to qualify, which means you've collected at least 2,500 points during the course of the casino year.

Here's how it breaks down:

In my experience, I've seen this discount applied previously, but it seemed more hit or miss.  With the announcement, it appears the discount is now codified and will be more consistently applied.

Royal Caribbean also runs similar sales and promotions that apply to top tier members within Crown and Anchor Society. 

As a Pinnacle Club member, I'll sometimes see my casino discount shown and other times a Diamond and above discount.

How much this could save you

You might be curious how lucrative this discount can actually be, so I decided to run a couple of tests.

As a Prime member, I found a couple of cruises where I had the discount applied to my account for an upcoming sailing.  I then compared the price to the logged out price for what a new cruiser without casino status could expect (using this hack).

Oasis of the Seas 7-night October 5, 2025 sailing

• Deluxe Beverage Package
  • Regular discount: 40% off - $68.99 per person, per day
  • Casino discount: 50% off - $56.99 per person, per day

Star of the Seas 7-night November 23, 2025

• Deluxe Beverage Package
  • Regular discount: Regular sale - $77.99 per person, per day
  • Casino discount: 50% off - $59.99 per person, per day

No casino discounts applied to Hideaway Beach, Coco Beach Club, or Thrill Waterpark admission

Utopia of the Seas 4-night January 9, 2026

• Deluxe Beverage Package
  • Regular discount: Regular sale - $83.99 per person, per day
  • Casino discount: 50% off - $59.99 per person, per day

No casino discounts applied to Hideaway Beach, Coco Beach Club, or Thrill Waterpark admission

I saw the same price and "Pre Cruise Savings" sale for the beach clubs and water park admission while logged in and logged out. It's possible the day pass discounts haven't been activated yet, or the current promotion is better than the casino offer.

Regardless, the drink package savings are real for the Deluxe Beverage Package with significant savings one each sailing I checked compared to someone without casino status looking to buy the same drink package.

How to get casino points

If getting loyalty status within the Royal Caribbean casino sounds like the perfect plan for you, here's what you need to know to reach Prime status.

Gambling is addictive, and you could end up losing a lot of money in the process of trying to earn a "free cruise". 

When you play in the casino, you earn points when you insert or tap your SeaPass card at a slot machine or hand it to a pit boss at a table game.

You can expect to earn roughly 1 point for every $5 wagered on a slot machine. Table games give much less points, so don't play table games if earning status is your goal. Video poker players earn 1 point for every $10 played. 

Earning Prime status means you'll need to accumulate at least 2,500 points throughout the Royal Caribbean casino year, which runs April 1 through March 31). 

Your points are combined between sailings during the casino calendar year.  So if you earned 500 points on an October cruise, and then another 500 points in December, you'd have a total of 1,000 points for the year. 

As soon as you reach 2,500 points before March 31, you earn that status for the rest of this cruise year and the full following year. 

Getting to Prime gets you more than just pre-cruise discounts

While the pre-cruise discounts are a nice benefit, the true value of Prime status comes in many other forms.

Prime members can enjoy unlimited drinks in the ship's casino bar. 

Prime members also are awarded a free 7-day cruise in an interior room. 

Whether you make Prime or not, you can also expect offers in the mail if your average play reaches a certain level. It's not known exactly what that level is, but random free cruise offers can sporadically be sent in your email and mailbox. 

One big change coming to Royal Caribbean's newest ship will be its biggest casino ever.

Royal Caribbean confirmed a change to its casino layout on Legend of the Seas, which will debut next summer.

Instead of the single deck casino layout that both Icon and Star of the Seas have, Legend will expand its casino footprint to two decks.

Here's what Royal Caribbean has shared about its plans for the casino expansion.

Casino upgrade

"Your next Icon Class casino is getting a major upgrade," is what an email to casino loyalty members read to start things off.

Legend of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean ship to have a two-story casino.

Concept art released shows a bar at the center of the main level, with table games and slot machines flanking each side.

The upper level appears to have exclusively slot machines, with a sports bar as well.

There's a staircase in the middle, but undoubtedly there will be elevator access at the ends of each deck.

Location onboard

The ship's deck plans don't reflect the second deck yet, but it's likely to encompass deck 3 and 4.  As of now, there's a large unmarked area on the deck 3 deck plan that would seem to fit in.

The new layout opens up possibilities, such as high-roller areas, large non-smoking sections, and more.

Moreover, it makes the casino feel more like a land casino instead of a small part of a cruise ship.  The aura of a "real casino" is meaningful to some players.

Casino has become a major priority

Royal Caribbean has steadily increased the footprint of its casinos, and it reflects the growing revenue they generate.

Cruise ships have traditionally always had a casino, but it was never a major focal point.  In recent years, that has changed.

Royal Caribbean has not only made its casinos bigger on new ships, but also replaced venues with casino space.  All of the Jazz on 4 clubs were replaced by non-smoking casinos on the Oasis Class ships.

We've also seen Royal Caribbean replace bars and clubs with additional casino space.

The combination of increasing popularity of gambling among cruisers and very likely higher onboard revenue has proven to be a winning formula for a company hyper focused on profitability.

Another Legend of the Seas change coming

The same day Royal Caribbean confirmed the changes to the ship's casino, we ran across another change.

The cruise giant trademarked the name, "Hollywoodland Supper Club" signaling the name it's chosen for its third supper club experience.

While we've known for over a year the supper club theme on Legend of the Seas would be Hollywood themed, we did not know the specific name of the venue.

Royal Caribbean filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for Hollywoodland Supper Club and filed it under the category of being a restaurant.

The supper club on Icon of the Seas has a New York theme, while the Star of the Seas version is based on Chicago.

Each supper club pairs live musical entertainment, food, and cocktails to the region and time period.

Given the name "Hollywoodland" alludes to the original name for the real estate development that got shortened later to "Hollywood", it's likely this restaurant will also focus on the golden age of Hollywood, which is anywhere from the 1920s to the early 1960s.

Royal Caribbean wrapped up its President's Cruise, and it's the ultimate pilgrimage for cruise fans.

The idea is simple: go on a cruise with lots of other Royal Caribbean super fans that's hosted by the CEO and plenty of other executives.

This year, it was held on Utopia of the Seas and it's the 8th time Royal Caribbean has hosted. Each year has been on a different ship, with a different vibe, and different destination.

I had never been on one before, but decided to try it out this year to see what it's all about.

Made for, and by, fans

A President's Cruise is a regular sailing that has all sorts of special events added to enhance it. 

Each year there is a mix of returning favorites and all new ideas. 

In fact, some of the events incorporate the fans right into them. There are cooking competitions, trivia events, and game shows that all seek to bring cruisers together.  In some cases, Royal Caribbean's top executives are right there too.

During a cook off event, Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, went head-to-head with other chefs on the ship as well as two kids picked from the audience to participate.

Over at Hideaway Beach, Michael Bayley had his bathing suit on and hung out with guests at the swim-up bar while also happily taking full advantage of his champagne gun.

There was even an exclusive tour offered to Pinnacle Club members by boat of the new Hideaway Beach area.

The more events I attended, the more it became clear it was a means to hang out with other super fans.

Michael Bayley is front and center

You might think the CEO of a company might be there purely in name, but Michael Bayley is out and about every day.

He hosted a number of events and attended even more.  In fact, he would roam the public areas of the ship to meet people.

I can only imagine the sorts of comments, complaints, and questions he received during our short 4-night voyage, but he was there to say hello and listen to what cruisers had to say.

The pinnacle of these events is the Common Ground event, where he sits alone on a stage taking questions from the audience.

There's no filter, and no pre-screening.  Guests are given a mic and they say whatever they're brave enough to say out loud to him.

To his credit, he took every question in stride.  His style is to infuse humor into his responses whenever possible, and it helped keep things interesting and entertaining at the same time.

Later, he hosted a whimsical look back at Royal Caribbean's history with Director, Entertainment & Guest Activities, Ken Rush.  Royal Caribbean's top cruiser, "Super Mario" jumped in from time to time with trivia questions to challenge them.

For a lot of cruisers, meeting the CEO of a cruise line and being able to share their own thoughts and vision is an incredible opportunity. 

I found it gratifying as a cruiser the name "President's Cruise" isn't just a name. It's a commitment that the line President and CEO is part of it all.

Special events and entertainment

It seems people that have gone to a few President's Cruises always look to see what special offerings there will be.

This year, Royal Caribbean wanted to mix up the entertainment to lean into both old-school hits and new school heat. So they brought on celebrity performers Rev Run and DJ Ruckus.

I know Rev Run from being a part of Run-DMC, and they hosted different parties around the ship. The sailaway party, in particular, was my favorite and really had the crowd going.

Here are some of the other special events to give you an idea of what to expect:

• Neon Glow Party
• Bold Baha Bash Festival
• Ultra Caribbean Night
• Fireworks at CocoCay
• Beach parties and premium takeovers around CocoCay
• Utopia Crew & Guest Talent Show

Unfortunately a thunderstorm cancelled a drone show that was scheduled for Nassau, but everything else went off as planned.

I loved the cooking demo, Q&A events, and the special parties for this cruise.

Each President's Cruise has a different line-up, but I think you get the idea there are special activities and thing so to do that wouldn't ever be available otherwise onboard.

The fans are the reason to try it

I won't deny it's so cool to see all of the cruise line's top brass in one place, but I think the people you meet are the reason to go on a President's Cruise.

If you're the type of person that loves cruising on Royal Caribbean, then think of the President's Cruise as like a high school reunion experience.

It's a way to see familiar faces, meet new friends, and hang out with lots of other people who "get it".

While this is a regular sailing with plenty of new cruisers are likely blissfully unaware of what's happening, all of the events Royal Caribbean puts together for the President's Cruise provides ample opportunity to go to these events where likely everyone there are big cruise fans.

I had the chance to not only see friends I've cruised with in the past, but also meet so many people who love to cruise with Royal Caribbean.

Many have done these sailings before, and I loved hearing their perspective on the this year and what to look for and do.

After a day or two, I found the cruisers onboard were the real highlight of the event.

Entitlement fears were overblown

I'll be honest, I had some trepidation about attending a President's Cruise because I thought there might be a lot of complainers ruining the mood.

There are always a lot of top tier members on these cruises, but not all of them are as extinctic as I am. There's nothing wrong with questioning the direction or choices of the cruise line, but I did have concerns it might be too much.  

I really did not experience much, if any, negativity or elitism that I thought might be an issue.

Granted, I didn't hang out in the Crown Lounge or Suite Lounge where there might have been a high concentration of Pinnacle Club and Diamond Plus members, but I got around and met a lot of people.

I found most cruisers were quite warm, and the vibe was generally quite good.  

In fact, it seemed to me people talk a big game on social media, but in person, it's a totally different approach.  

There were complaints about the musical selection, short itinerary, and the amount of swag being given away. But I never got that feeling of "I gotta get out of there, it's too negative".

A short sailing this year, but more next year

This was my first President's Cruise, but I heard from some people that have done many before that the nature of holding it on a 4-night cruise left them feeling disappointed.

Luckily, Royal Caribbean is jumping back to a longer model in 2026.  Plans were revealed for next year's President's Cruise to be held on Icon of the Seas for a 7-night cruise.

Since I had nothing to compare it to, it didn't bother me at all it was just four nights. In fact, it provided a great way to dip my toe into the water.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this year's President's Cruise, but when they announced next year's date, I texted my travel agent to book me.

Ultimately, it's a celebration of the thing so many people that read this site probably have in common: a love for cruising with Royal Caribbean.  And the cruise line definitely puts in maximum effort to deliver something truly special that caters to their wants.

If you're going on a Royal Caribbean cruise and want to buy you way into special perks, The Key is an attractive option.

The premise is simple: pay a daily fee and get special benefits that you probably wouldn't otherwise get.

The Key is a popular add-on, especially among new cruisers because it's an instant shortcut for useful extras, faster access, and even a few discounts.

I tried it out on a 4-night Utopia of the Seas cruise to evaluate how well it works and why someone might want to get it.

What is The Key on Royal Caribbean?

The Key is a paid add-on for a cruise that must be pre-purchased before the voyage begins.

The price varies depending on the sailing (and which sale is running), but you can expect to pay between $25 to over $50 per person, per day.

If you choose to buy it, everyone above the age of 6 in the cabin must buy it too. That means you cannot buy the perks for just select people in your cabin.

What's included

It includes a lot of benefits that you can use once on the ship:

• Early check-in time and priority boarding at the cruise terminal
• Drop off your carry-on luggage on Deck 4 at the Main Dining Room until 1:30 pm and it'll be delivered to your stateroom.
• Exclusive welcome lunch on boarding day on Deck 4 in the Main Dining Room featuring the Key Signature menu with seating from 12:00 pm (noon) until 1:30 pm.
• 20% off dining offers when you book on Day 1.
• 50% off select Onboard Sports activities. Activities include Flowrider lessons.
• $60 off Spa Services with a minimum spend of $250 at the Spa (excluding gratuities and taxes).
• Fast Lane at select onboard activities. Activities include Abyss, Zip Line, and Rock Climbing during opening hours.
• Priority departure at tender ports of call from ship-to-shore only. Note: there is no priority from shore-to-ship.
• Stay connected with VOOM using your 1-device SURF+STREAM code
• Dedicated seating section at shows in the Main Theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B, and Two70.
• End your adventure with à la carte breakfast on Deck 4 in the Main Dining Room from 6:00 am – 8:00 am to enjoy before departing the ship.
• Priority luggage tags at the conclusion of the cruise for an earlier disembarkation time

There is a limit to how many passengers can buy The Key, so it can sell out and sometimes does many weeks before the cruise begins.

My experience trying everything

I paid $38.99 per day for The Key, bringing the cost to $155.96 for a 4-night cruise for one person.

Royal Caribbean sends an email before the cruise begins to alert you to the important benefits, such as the special boarding time that supersedes whatever boarding time you get on your own in the app.

In the past I've seen a dedicated line for Key guests to enter the terminal, but I couldn't locate it in Port Canaveral.  Royal Caribbean's boarding process is so efficient for all guests that it hardly matters, so it wasn't a problem.

There's also a reserved area in the cruise terminal for people that bought The Key if boarding hasn't commenced yet. When they start the embarkation process, The Key guests usually board after suite guests, but before everyone else.

Even though I arrived at the cruise terminal at 10am, boarding had begun already so I didn't need to use it.

Onboard the ship, you can drop carry-on bags off and check-in for The Key. 

I love the option to drop off carry-on bags so I don't have to lug around extras that I didn't leave with the porters.  The fact it gets delivered to your cabin afterwards is a nice touch.

I believe the top two reasons to book The Key (after the early check-in time) is the included internet package and welcome aboard lunch.

Given the cost of an onboard internet package, the fact it's included with The Key adds a tremendous amount of value. Plus, I think a lot of people will want to buy internet anyway.

The lunch is essentially the Chops Grille lunch menu, with choice of filet mignon steak, burger, or branzino.

Similar to the internet package, there's an easy value you can derive from this perk. Plus, it's nice to start the cruise with a relaxing sit down meal rather than competing with everyone in the buffet.

The next most useful benefit is reserved seating in shows.

You still need to make reservations for shows (reservations only needed on big ships), but then there's a special section that's shared between The Key, top tier loyalty members, and suite guests.

It's not front row seating, and usually is off to the side or closer to the entrance to the theater for convenience. 

Depending if you care how close to the stage you sit, this may or may not be the ideal seating location.

If your ship tenders in any port, anyone with The Key will get priority departure preference when going from the ship to the port.

The front of the line access to things like Ultimate Abyss, Zip Line, and rock wall is something I think families will enjoy. I'm sure the kids will especially like it.

I feel the rest of the benefits have limited benefit that depend on how you like to cruise.

Royal Caribbean recently increased the activities discount and added the spa discount, but I have a feeling that has limited appeal overall.

Who is the Key best for?

I believe the cruiser that can benefit the most by buying the Key is someone that can say "yes" to these three questions:

• Do you have a Crown and Anchor status below Diamond level?
• Are you staying in a cabin that is below a suite?
• Were you planning to buy the Internet package anyway?

I think it also greatly benefits a couple over larger families because of the daily cost for everyone.

If you answered "no" to any of those questions, I just don't see the benefit overall given the overlap of benefits you may already have.

Is The Key worth it?

Royal Caribbean has positioned The Key as the "easy button" for planning a cruise.  Buy it, forget it, and set yourself up for a great start.

However, its price can make the decision to buy far from a slam dunk.

Ideally, if you can find The Key for a price just over the daily cost of an internet package, it can be a compelling option. But paying $10 or more per person, per day over the cost of an internet device package is a steep increase for what you're getting.

I believe you can get very similar results on your own without buying The Key. It just requires more advanced planning on your part. 

My recommendation is to skip The Key and do this instead:

• Download the Royal Caribbean app and check-in to your cruise exactly 45 days before the cruise to get an early check-in time
• Monitor the Cruise Planner for sales and discounts on internet packages and a Chops Grille lunch for embarkation day
• Book a Royal Caribbean excursion for any ports you are tendering
• Make complimentary reservations for shows in the Cruise Planner about 30 days before your cruise

If you do those things, you'll get very similar (if not identical) results to The Key without a daily cost.

But if you can find The Key for a great price that's barely more than an Internet package, book The Key and kick your feet up with an easy solution.