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.

Happy weekend! We have a look back at all the Royal Caribbean news from this week to share with all of you.

More Icon Class ships are on the way!

Royal Caribbean placed an order for its fifth Icon Class ship, with options to build a sixth and seventh ship.

Plus, the announcement included a mention of a new class of ship.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean CEO talks rumored new ship size and where it could sail
• Royal Caribbean announces date for next Presidents Cruise in 2026
• Royal Caribbean redeploys cruise ships sailing from Puerto Rico in latest deployment change
• Carnival almost bought Royal Caribbean. Former CEO shares secrets in his new book
• Wonder of the Seas vs Oasis of the Seas
• After a $13,000 bill, why one cruiser regrets not buying travel insurance
• How much everything on a short 4-night cruise on Wonder of the Seas costs
• Family paid $150,000 to stay in Royal Caribbean's suite on its new ship

New Royal Caribbean Blog Video: 8 Things To Bring (Even Though It's Included)

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: 8 Things To Bring (Even Though It's Included).

Royal Caribbean adjusts Caribbean itineraries due to tropical storm

More than half a dozen Royal Caribbean ships have had to change their plans due to two tropical disturbances in the Atlantic.

Symphony, Star, and Utopia of the Seas are just some of the ships that had to change or cancel port calls due to Hurricane Humberto and future Tropical Storm Imelda.

A couple ships had to go to Canada instead of tropical destinations to avoid the storms.

Royal Caribbean is "trying to avoid" loyalty changes Carnival has made, CEO says

While speaking at a fan event, Michael Bayley said they do not want to make changes to their loyalty program similar to what Carnival did.

Royal Caribbean fans were instantly concerned after Carnival announced sweeping changes to their loyalty program.

Mr. Bayley specifically said it's not a direction he wants to take Royal Caribbean into with future updates.

Here's when 2027-2028 cruises will go on sale

Royal Caribbean just posted their deployment schedule when new summer 2027 cruises will be available.

Right now, cruises are only bookable through early 2027, but new options will be added going as far out as April 2028.

For a number of weeks this fall, a new batch of sailings will go on sale to Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, and beyond.

First photos from inside the new Bahamas beach club

Matt got an exclusive tour of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opening later this year in Nassau, Bahamas.

The new beach club is a first-of-its-kind destination that offers an all-inclusive day pass, and it's exclusive to Royal Caribbean passengers.

The opening is set for late December 2025.

With two powerful tropical storms in the Atlantic, Royal Caribbean has changed more itineraries.

The stormy weather coincides with the peak of hurricane season, and after Star of the Seas had its itinerary changed last night, three more Royal Caribbean ships have been moved away.

Hurricane Humberto and a tropical wave near Hispaniola are both making their way closer to the Bahamas and into the Atlantic.

Here's a rundown of which ships have had their sailings changed so far.

Symphony of the Seas will go to Canada instead of the Bahamas

Sailing from New York, Symphony of the Seas is changing her itinerary to sail north to Canada.

An email to guests reads, "Along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we’ve been closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Humberto and another tropical storm forming along our voyage path south. These storms' forecast tracks make it hard to provide you with a safe and comfortable journey toward Florida and areas south. 

"So, after exploring all of our options, we’ve decided to sail to Sydney and Halifax, Nova Scotia instead. We’ll enjoy an overnight stay in Sydney and a full day to explore Halifax."

The original itinerary was a 7-night voyage to visit Port Canaveral, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Given the itinerary has been radically changed (Bahamas to Canada), Royal Caribbean is offering onboard credit as compensation:

• Inside stateroom: $75
• Outside Stateroom: $100
• Balcony Stateroom: $100
• Suites: $250
• 3rd or more guest: $25 per person

Additionally, guests will a Future Cruise Credit worth one day of the cruise fare paid.

Symphony's revised itinerary is now:

• September 28: Cape Liberty, New Jersey
• September 29: Sea Day
• September 30: Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
• October 1: Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
• October 2: Sea Day
• October 3: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• October 4: Sea Day
• October 5: Cape Liberty, New Jersey

Oasis of the Seas swapped CocoCay for Nassau

Instead of visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay on Saturday, September 27, 2025, Oasis of the Seas went to Nassau.

Enchantment of the Seas will avoid The Bahamas

One of Royal Caribbean's smallest ships will bypass the Bahamas.

Enchantment of the Seas is going to Costa Maya and Cozumel instead of Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau.

An email sent to guests booked on the cruise read, "To safely avoid the impacts from the developing storm, we'll now sail a Western Caribbean itinerary and will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, instead of our planned Bahamas & Perfect Day itinerary."

Utopia of the Seas will skip Nassau, Bahamas

Utopia of the Seas is departing today from Port Canaveral for a 3-night weekend cruise, but will change where it will sail.

The third biggest cruise ship in the world will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay on Saturday instead, and completely bypass Nassau, Bahamas. Instead, it will remain at sea away from the bad weather with a sea day on Sunday.

Royal Caribbean let passengers know in an email that the itinerary change was intended to avoid strong winds and high waves on the sea.

Liberty of the Seas is going north instead of Bermuda

Liberty of the Seas has a sailing that departs on September 27. 

Instead of visiting Bermuda, it will go north and visit St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.

The Freedom Class ship has a gross tonnage of 155,889 and accommodates 3,634 guests at double occupancy.

Freedom of the Seas will avoid the Bahamas and go to Mexico

Freedom of the Seas, another Freedom Class ship, is also pivoting its itinerary to avoid the tropical storm.

Freedom of the Seas will visit Cozumel, Mexico instead of its original plans to go to Grand Turk.

Freedom of the Seas is sailing from Miami, Florida on a 4-night cruise.

Star of the Seas was scheduled on an Eastern Caribbean sailing, but will visit Mexico instead

As we previously reported, Star of the Seas has changed itineraries.

The newest Royal Caribbean ship will go the Western Caribbean now and will drop a planned visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Two storms at once

Hurricane Humberto formed Friday and has maximum sustained winds of about 90 mph. It should become a major hurricane.

It's not expected to be a threat to the mainland United States, but will impact northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Bermuda.

As of Saturday morning, disturbance 9 is on the verge of becoming Tropical Depression 9 near the southern Bahamas. And while the disturbance is evolving as expected, models continue to change with the forecast track. 

Royal Caribbean Group Chief Meteorologist Craig Setzer says the track isn't quite clear yet, "the models now keep the storm from making landfall in the Carolinas. It's still going to be a very close call."

He said the combination of two storms is, "going to produce enormous wave energy which will begin affecting much of the western Atlantic coasts later this week."

Carnival Cruise Line announced a massive overhaul to its loyalty program, and it appears Royal Caribbean won't make the same change.

While speaking on Utopia of the Seas during the line's annual President's Cruise event, Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley was asked about the future of the loyalty program.

He took the opportunity to mention Carnival's changes and then call it out as a direction he doesn't want his cruise line to take.

"Carnival announced changes to their loyalty program," Mr. Bayley said at the event, which was met with a chorus of boos from the audience.

"And that is exactly what we're trying to avoid," he then said, and that was met with a round of applause.

His comments come after Carnival's change sparked a great deal of concern that Royal Caribbean might do something similar.

What Carnival is doing

Beginning June 1, 2026, Carnival will implement a new  loyalty system that will change how points are earned and status retained.

In short, it will move to a more dynamic, spending-based model similar to airline frequent flyer programs. 

Known as Carnival Rewards, guests earn stars based on cruise and onboard spending, as well as purchases made through the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.

Moreover, status is no longer lifelong. Tier levels will reset at the start of each new two-year earning period.

Since then, Carnival walked back some changes, likely due to negative customer feedback.

Loyalty matters

The reality is loyalty to Royal Caribbean works for both customer and company.

During Royal Caribbean Group's second quarter earnings call earlier this year, Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, talked about how Royal Caribbean is doubling down on its commitment to its guests, stating that loyalty is a "two-way street." 

"Loyalty is very important. I think people want to be recognized. They want to not just be recognized for their spend today, but be recognized for all that they have done in the past," said Liberty.

Working on improvements to the program

Mr. Bayley's comments about Carnival's changes came after a cruiser asked him about improving the Crown and Anchor Society so that points could be earned interchangeable between Celebrity and Royal Caribbean.

He explained how there is a leadership team within the company that regularly reviews the program and works on solutions for the future.

"You'll see over the coming months and year or two that things will continue to improve in terms of accessibility, simplicity, making it easier to sail between the brands, get offers, this type of thing," he said.

He admitted there isn't yet a clear vision for if or when they'll get to one program across both brands.

"Ultimately, we have not defined this yet, but ultimately we are going to get to a one platform database of our loyalty members for Royal Caribbean Group."

"I don't have the exact timeline. And I think we've had this discussion before, and we've maybe over the last couple of years, we started this journey with loyalty two years ago."

Not tipping over the apple cart

While simplifying loyalty programs may seem like a good idea, he also said their team is concerned with making changes that cause more problems than they solve.

"I think we're incredibly sensitive to not tipping over the apple cart," Mr. Bayley explained.

"We don't want to make decisions that maybe are short term benefits and then and then upset our loyal team members."

He also said technically, it's a difficult task to merge things. Merging data between different platforms and databases with the overlap.

"Our aim is to make everybody happy and and also benefit the company in terms of the shareholders and etc., etc.. So we're going to get there and just, you know, try and be a little patient."

If you're ready to book a summer 2027 cruise or a cruise into early 2028, we now know when you'll be able to do that.

Royal Caribbean has shared the dates it will put new sailings on sale that go beyond the current set of sailings.

Typically, Royal Caribbean puts out new sailings to book at two periods of the year, and it appears they'll stick to the same schedule.

The first batch of new sailings will open up in October, meaning we are just weeks away.

Week of October 20, 2025

• Region: Alaska
• Sailing Time Frame: May 2027 – September 2027

Week of October 27, 2025

• Region: Europe
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2027 – October 2027

Week of November 3, 2025

• Region: 7-Night & Short Caribbean Year-Round
• Sailing Time Frame: March 2027 – April 2028 

Week of November 10, 2025

• Region: Northeast, California & Texas
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2027 – April 2028

Week of November 17, 2025

• Region: Seasonal Caribbean
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2027 – April 2028

TBD

• Region: Australia
• Sailing Time Frame: October 2027 – April 2028

TBD

• Region: China
• Sailing Time Frame: October 2027 – April 2028

TBD

• Region: Singapore
• Sailing Time Frame: October 2027 – April 2028

To better explain some of the terminology, here's what you need to know:

• 7-Night & Short Caribbean Year-Round: Cruise ships that are deployed all year to the Caribbean.
  • Does not include ships that visit the Caribbean part of the year
• Seasonal Caribbean: Ships that split their time in the Caribbean. Usually they're in the Caribbean for winter, then Europe in summer.
• Northeast: Cruises that begin from New York, Baltimore, or Boston

It's also important to know Icon 4 will not be part of this deployment release. New cruise ships will open their sailings for booking on a different schedule.

What to know about the deployment schedule

Today's announcement is Royal Caribbean's best estimate when new sailings will be available to book.

It's important to note the new bookings are available to book at some point in that week, but not necessarily on that Monday.

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.

Recommendations for how to prepare for new deployments

The deployment schedule is a good warning to start thinking about new cruises you might be interested in booking.

One of the best ways to get the lowest price on a cruise is to book as soon as the new sailings first go on sale.  So it's a good idea to have a plan of which itineraries you'd be interested in potentially booking.

Moreover, if you're interested in a stateroom category that usually sells out, booking early has another advantage.

Once you have an idea of which sailings you're interested in, I'd reach out to a travel agent to coordinate plans.

It's common for the new sailings to be loaded into Royal Caribbean's system slowly, and sometimes it may become available to book in the backend system before the public website.  This is one of the many ways a good travel agent can make your life easier.

Royal Caribbean is just months away from opening its first beach club, and it's expected to be an incredible beach option for cruise guests.

Opening in December 2025, Royal Caribbean is trying something totally new with a private beach day experience available exclusively to Royal Caribbean passengers (and local Bahamians). It's not a private island day, but instead offers an optional purchase for the day.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is described by cruise line executives as "the ultimate beach day" and progress is moving swiftly now with construction taking a rapid pace.

While the official opening with paying guests should begin around December 21st, a ribbon cutting event will take place on December 13, 2025.

I was invited by Royal Caribbean to tour the active construction site and get a sense of the scale of the plans they have, along with an early glimpse of what a day here is all about.

Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Chief Product Innovation Officer, walked with me through the area to describe what we'll eventually see.

Tender ride to get to the beach club

The new beach club is a short tender ride away from where cruise ships dock. 

Guests that purchased a pass will walk halfway down the pier to a meeting location. Currently, it's a generic white building where tours meet, but in the future, it will be the embarkation point for these tenders.

Royal Caribbean built a fleet of colorful tenders to take guests to the beach club and back. The tender rides are included in the admission, and they run continuously all day.

Tenders will drop off at one of two spots. Given the 17 acre size, it's not very wide but is quite long and choosing the right stop may save a lot of steps later.

When complete, there will be a a 43-foot Crown & Anchor logo, even taller than the one on the side of Star of the Seas.

Three neighborhoods, three experiences

The beach club will blend modern amenities with a sense of history.

"The design idea is super fun. It’s kind of a lost Bahamian beach club, as if it’s been around for 50 years. You’ll notice it, the colors are gorgeous. The experience is going to be really tremendous."

The new beach club has three primary zones.

Chill Beach

The idea here is to provide a serene area for enjoying a day in the water.

Compared to Party Cove, this lacks the energy of that neighborhood, but that doesn't mean this is a quiet area either.

"The beach is just stunning," Mr. Schneider explained. "The cabanas will be stunning. The pools will be stunning. This is the chill beach pool. Every pool has a swim-up bar."

Party Cove

If you want music and dancing with your beach day, head to Party Cove.

It will be home to the world's largest swim-up bar, and has a two level party building.  At the top is the DJ, with rentable party zones on either side.

"This thing is an engineering marvel. There’s really only one manufacturer in the world who can bend steel in this arc," Mr. Schneider pointed out.

Family Beach

Envisioned as an area for kids and parents to enjoy together, Family Beach still has great beach and water, but steps down the party atmosphere.

"Stunning beach, great cabanas, gorgeous views. Great zero entry swimming pool on both sides. 

This is also where you'll eventually find the Ultimate Family Cabana.

The foundation for it is all we see today, but Mr. Schneider thinks it's going to be jaw-dropping for anyone willing to pay for it, "kind of that really premium, opulent, over-the-top cabana experience with some dedicated slide and dedicated plunge pool."

Lots to eat and enjoy

Beyond the pools and beach, there's still a lot to enjoy around the beach club.

Admission into the beach club gets you food and drink included, as it's an all-inclusive experience.

There are three Paradise Grill locations, where you can order from, "a great mix of Bahamian-inspired food as well as American classics."

I was particularly happy to hear all the pools will be heated, which is important on those winter cruises.

Moving forward with construction

Construction hasn’t been without setbacks. Schneider noted how Hurricane Erin forced rework on certain parts of the site.

"The storm surge brought the ocean up onto the island. And so we’ve had to make some adjustments. Some of the things you build, you have to rebuild before it’s even open."

According to Schneider, about 500 people are working on the island and progress is starting to take a rapid pace.

Come for the beach, stay for the views

In walking from end to end of the club while in various stages of construction, one thing is clear: Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will be a stunning location for a beach day.

Throughout my visit, I saw crystal clear blue water around me, and the foundation for what I think will be an amazing pool day too.

The scale of this beach club is much bigger than I expected based on renderings and aerial photos.

This isn't being built to be a Royal Caribbean beach, rather, they have set their sights on it being the flagship example of its new "ultimate beach day" concept.

With heated pools, iconic structures, diverse neighborhoods, and Royal Caribbean’s trademark flair, Schneider made clear this will be far more than just another stop in Nassau.

I think the difference maker for this beach club over any other excursion choice around is this club will incorporate all the lessons learned from Perfect Day at CocoCay. Given how wildly popular CocoCay has been, there's a good chance lifting and using that experience in Nassau should be a win for passengers.

The goal is simple: deliver an incredible experience that offers cruisers something heads-and-shoulders above what's available in Nassau today.

Day passes begin at $139 per person

The cost to get in will start at $139 per person, per day for a day pass, but expect prices to go up from there based on demand.

As an example, my January 2026 visit is priced at $250 per person, per day.

You could spend more and rent a cabana or a party deck to include more people with your day, along with reserved amenities.

When the club is fully operational and ready to admit guests, they expect it to host  about 1 in 3 Royal Caribbean guests in Nassau.

In the first weeks, expect capacity to be lower as they ramp up the operation.

Royal Caribbean has placed an order for a new megaship, and laid the groundwork for its next generation of cruise ships.

In a press release today, Royal Caribbean Group said it placed an order for a fifth Icon Class ship, and added an option for a 7th ship.

The Icon Class ships are the biggest in the world, measuring an 250,800 gross registered tons and can carry a maximum of 7,600 passengers. There are 28 different stateroom categories.

The deal was signed with Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, where all the other Icon Class ships have been built.

Icon 5 will be delivered sometime in 2028.

Prior to today's announcement, there were options for a fifth and sixth ship in the Icon Class.  Going forward, they have options for a 6th and 7th ship.

Shop options are essentially reserved slots at the shipyard, that buy the cruise line time to decide if they want to actually build it while not losing their place in line, so to speak.

New class?

Included in today's announcement was a mention of a new class of ship.

"This multi-year agreement strengthens Royal Caribbean Group's relationship with Meyer Turku, one of the world's largest and most modern shipyards specializing in cruise ships, and readies Royal Caribbean Group for a new, game-changing class of ship beyond Icon."

We don't know what that means, as the company didn't share any other details beyond the prepared statement.

One possibility is it refers to the long rumored Discovery Class ships. Or it could be another project for one of the Royal Caribbean Group brands. Cruisers will have to wait a bit longer to get clarification.

To date, Royal Caribbean International hasn't announced any new ship classes beyond the Icon Class. However, it's strongly hinted at a new ship class to come.

Known as the Discovery Class, it's group of new ships that is in the design phase where the company is dreaming up possibilities.

Earlier this summer, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & Service, Vicki Freed, talked about the plans.

"The Discovery Project is our next new class of ships, following the Icon of the Seas, and the Star of the Seas, and the Legend the Seas. And we're in the design process now."

"We meet on a regular basis with the architects, with the designers...the ops team and the hotel operations, food and beverage. And so it is a top secret design at this point."

She then went on to say, "It's an exciting project. It'll be a new class of ship.

"In true Royal Caribbean style, it will be special, it will be innovative. And I think it'll be something that'll be a home run from the beginning."

A long-term agreement for more ships

Royal Caribbean's announcement is significant because it secures a deal to build ships at Meyer Turku into the 2030s.

The new timeline for ship deliveries looks like this:

• Legend of the Seas: 2026
• Icon 4: 2027
• Icon 5: 2028
• Oasis 7: 2028

In a statement, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said, "As we continue to reimagine the future of vacations, we are excited to continue collaborating with Meyer Turku to grow the Icon Class - a first-of-its-kind series that delivers exceptional vacation experiences - and position us to usher in a new era of innovation that will disrupt the vacation sector through 2036."

It's an interesting quote since officially the orderbook goes through 2028, but he mentions 2036.  That very well could be the timeline for delivering the first batch of Discovery Class ships.

Royal Caribbean is in the midst of a building blitz that combines new ships and destinations.

Not only do they have orders for new ships, but they're also expanding their land presence with new private beach clubs and experiences.

There are plans in place to open a beach club in Nassau, Bahamas later this year, followed by a beach club in Cozumel, Mexico next year.

Then there's the massive Perfect Day Mexico opening that will add a second Perfect Day experience to the Caribbean portfolio.

After that, they'll shift to the Pacific and open a new experience in Vanuatu to offer more for Australian and New Zealand itineraries.

Of course, there are possible other projects on the horizon too to match their rumored ship ambitions.

Oasis of the Seas was the first of Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class, but Wonder of the Seas introduced so many improvements to these ships.

Both ships are among the largest in the world and are in the process of shifting to shorter Caribbean cruises in a move meant to attract more new cruisers.

While Oasis and Wonder are separated by over 10 years in their debuts, they're still more similar than different.

However, there are notable differences between the two worth considering before you choose one.

Ship overview

Oasis of the Seas was a gamechanger when she debuted in 2009, and it's difficult to properly convey how this one ship completely changed the cruise industry overnight.

Not only was this ship the biggest in the world, but Oasis was revolutionary for its design and how much there was to do onboard.

Oasis measures 226,838 gross tons and can carry 5,602 passengers at double occupancy. 

While that's really big, Wonder is even bigger. Wonder of the Seas was also the biggest cruise ship in the world at the time of her launch. This ship weighs 235,600 gross tons and can carry 5,734 passengers at double occupancy. 

Today, Wonder is the fourth largest ship behind and Oasis is eighth.

Wonder of the Seas currently sails 3 and 4-night cruises out of Miami, visiting the Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Oasis of the Seas is offering 6- to 9-night Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 2026, Oasis moves up to Cape Liberty, New Jersey to offer cruises from the New York City area.

Here's a look at the two ship's statistics, compared:

*at double occupancy

Neighborhoods

Oasis of the Seas introduced the concept of neighborhoods as a way to make it easy for passengers to find their way around massive ships..

The idea is simple: distinguish areas with a common theme so that you'll instantly recognize where you are without memorizing the ship deck plans.

One key difference between Oasis and Wonder is there's an extra neighborhood on Wonder of the Seas.

1. Royal Promenade: Main thoroughfare filled with bars, shops, and entertainment
2. Central Park: Outdoor park with real plants and trees. You'll also find specialty dining, and shopping
3. Boardwalk: Open air section on back of the ship with the Aquatheater, along with classic carousel and restaurants
4. Pool and Sports Zone: Resort themed pool deck, featuring pools, waterslides (The Perfect Storm), the FlowRider surf simulator, and rock-climbing walls
5. Vitality Spa and Fitness Center: A wellness-focused neighborhood offering spa treatments & fitness facilities
6. Youth Zone: Adventure Ocean and teen clubs where supervised age-specific programming is offered
7. Entertainment Place: A district dedicated to evening entertainment, including the ship's main theater, casino,  & ice rink
8. Suite Neighborhood: Only on Wonder of the Seas (and Utopia), reserved area.

Oasis has a suite sun deck, but the expanded Suite Sun Deck on Wonder is truly more impressive and feels more like a resort than simply a reserved area of the pool deck.

I think the Suite Sun Deck is so impressive on Wonder, that if you're considering booking a suite and trying to decide between ships, I'd pick Wonder for that reason.

Dining

You'll find lots of dining choices on both ships, but there are a few key differences.

Each ship has plenty of included restaurants as well as specialty dining. There's sushi, steak, a sports bar, and tropical themed pool bars.

There is room service on both ships, although it has a service fee with it (continental breakfast is free).

In comparing the ships, certain restaurants aren't available on both. You'll find Wonder has a few extra venues not available on Oasis.

It's primarily in the specialty dining where there differences. Oasis of the Seas has Portside BBQ, which is a barbecue restaurant offering turkey legs, brisket, mac 'n' cheese, pulled port and more. It's priced a la carte, although there are combo offerings.

Both ships have a Giovanni's Italian restaurant, but the version on Wonder is updated. This version has a newer menu that offers an expanded menu and updated recipes.

Another difference on Wonder is it has the Mason Jar, a restaurant serving Southern American comfort food, with live music at the popular bar area.

*suite guests only

Staterooms

The choice in staterooms on Wonder of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas are fairly similar, with one notable suite exception.

Wonder of the Seas has 2,867 cabins, while Oasis has just 2,801 cabins. It's a small difference, made up primarily of inside rooms added in places that are public areas on Oasis.

The biggest difference is that Wonder of the Seas has the Ultimate Family Suite, and Oasis does not.

This is a two story epic suite that is designed to wow and amaze just about everyone. It includes an in-suite slide, private jacuzzi, movie room, bunk beds, giant TV, and a LEGO wall.

As you might imagine, the Ultimate Family Suite is quite expensive and often costs as much about $14,000 per night!

If you'd prefer something less expensive, you'll find plenty of other cabin choices.

Both Wonder and Oasis have balcony cabins that overlook the ocean, Central Park, or Boardwalk.

Both ships also have virtual balcony cabins, which include a floor-to-ceiling screen that projects a live view from outside the ship.

Entertainment and activities

Royal Caribbean designed both cruise ships to offer as much as possible onboard, and they won't leave you disappointed with there not being enough to do.

There are shows in three different theaters, live music, pools, casino gambling, surfing, laser tag, and rock climbing abound on both vessels.

One key difference is Oasis of the Seas has a full Broadway show onboard, whereas Wonder relies on shows produced by the cruise line.

"Cats" is performed on each sailing of Oasis of the Seas, and it's included in your cruise fare.  

Both ships have amazing performances in the Aquadome, where there are high dive acrobat shows.

I prefer the Aqua80s show on Oasis of the Seas because of the tribute to the music of the 80s!

It's also worth noting Wonder of the Seas has the Vue Bar, whereas Oasis does not.

As its name implies, the Vue Bar offers sweeping ocean views from the pool deck.

Each night you'll find bars and lounges that feature live music. The two ships, however, do vary in entertainment venues. 

Another change between the ships is at the back of the ship, where Oasis has two FlowRider surf simulators, but Wonder has one.

Instead of two FlowRiders, Wonder has a Playscape.  This is an outdoor kids play park.

One difference (for now) is that Oasis of the Seas is sailing weeklong voyages, whereas Wonder of the Seas has transitioned to weekend cruises.

Royal Caribbean wants Wonder to have more of a party vibe to it, making it appealing to new cruisers who want to try it out.

Wonder is nicknamed, "Miami’s New Weekend Wonder" and has 10 next-level parties.

This includes:

• Bring the Beat Back: A Party Through the Decades
• Sailaway Party
• Plunge Day Pool Party
• Royal Kappa Chi (college party)
• Silent Toga Party

Oasis of the Seas isn't a floating library by any means. You'll find lots of parties and events happening. Both ships have themed nights and dance, DJ, and street parties.

Happy Sunday, and welcome back to an edition of our Royal Caribbean news round-up. We'll summarize all the latest news from the cruise line, so just sit back, relax, and read on.

Legend of the Seas will be ready much earlier than originally expected.

Royal Caribbean added 3 new sailings before the inaugural sailing that was previously announced.

That means the third Icon Class ship will enter service almost a month earlier.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean is attracting more young Americans to cruising and building their loyalty
• The biggest cruise ship in the world also has the fastest satellite internet ever
• One easy thing they do to make your cruise better, according to our readers
• 4 Cruise excursions that looked better online
• The 1970s Royal Caribbean cruise meal we wish would return
• Royal Caribbean Amplification schedule: Which ships have been upgraded
• 9 ways to store more in your cruise cabin

New RCB Video: My 10 FAVORITE Royal Caribbean ships in 2025, Ranked

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—My 10 FAVORITE Royal Caribbean ships in 2025, Ranked—and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Fight forces cruise ship to turn around and go back to port

A fight among passengers on Wonder of the Seas was so disrupting that it went back to Miami to kick them off the ship.

There's been no official confirmation by the cruise line, but it appears a brawl onboard lead to the forced disembarkation of a group of passengers.  Police officers were seen on the pier waiting as the ship arrived.

There was also an unrelated injury to a different passenger that required medical attention too.

Deck-by-deck changes coming to Harmony of the Seas

We have a list of every single change coming to Harmony of the Seas in 2026.

Updated deck plans reveal all the changes, upgrades, and additions coming to the ship.

Harmony is one of three ships set to get upgraded next year.

Royal Caribbean quietly added a bar guests said was missing

There's a new bar on Utopia of the Seas to address a need that passengers say was missing.

When the ship launched last year, there was no Vitality Cafe. That omission lead to complaints because it offered healthy drink options not found elsewhere.

Now, there's a make-shift fix for the issue.

The secret cruise deal sheet most people don't know about

Did you know about the Going, Going, Gone deals that get released every week?

It's not well-advertised, but there's a list of last-minute cruise deals Royal Caribbean puts out, but you have to know where to look to find it.

Bargain hunters could land a really good deal with some of the offers.