Royal Caribbean Blog

Spending the day on a beautiful beach in the Caribbean seems idyllic when you're at home planning it all, but multiple visits ended up feeling like a mistake.

I took my family on a 7-night cruise on Icon of the Seas to the western Caribbean, which included four port stops.

The sailing began with with three port stops in a row: Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel.  And there was a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay at the end of the cruise.

I like spending time at each of these ports on their own, and even have a few must-dos in each port.  

However, three beach days in a row is not only a "first world problem", it also felt like a missed opportunity. By the end of the cruise, we were all "beached out" and it felt like we overdid it.

Fun, but repetitive

I booked three separate beach days: Turquoise Bay, Maya Chan, and Paradise Beach.

Don't get me wrong, I had a good time at each of the beaches we visited.  The issue was the getting up early, getting everyone ready, and then getting to and from the beach.

One of the top reasons I love to cruise are the places I visit, but I wish I had mixed up the activities instead of doing all beach.

Right after our second day in a row of beach time, the reality began to sink in.

It started with my kids asking what we had planned the next day because they were hoping for time to sleep in and rest after two early days in a row.

Ordinarily I don't take my kids complaining about getting up early seriously at all, but I had to admit they might have a point as I considered the ramifications of another early day.

My wife and I started talking about it and we realized that our plan made sense in a vacuum, but combining so many port days doing the same activity felt a bit tiresome.

We could have spent more time on the ship

Not only would have skipping a beach day been a way to relax more, it also would have been perfect on a ship as impressive as Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean added so many fun things to do, including some of the best pools on any ship. I love the Swim & Tonic bar because it's a swim-up bar, but I never got a chance to go in.

The ship also has six different water slides to try within its water park.

Something experienced cruisers do often is stay onboard while a ship is in port to take advantage of these fun things without big crowds.

Those same pools and slides get crowded on sea days, and we only had two sea days on this itinerary.

In retrospect, we could have slept in and then hit the pools and waterslides in the morning.

I could have also booked a different activity

Something else I considered was doing something different from a beach.

I could have skipped the beach in Cozumel and taken a taxi downtown for shopping and eating. Or tried an ATV tour in Roatan.

I think mixing up activities is equally important to the rate of when you are on or off the ship.

In thinking about this, I might have gotten off the ship in the morning with my wife to enjoy some time in Cozumel and get some food, before coming back to the ship to take the kids to the pools and waterslides.

The other idea was to try something different in our first port stop of Roatan so it wouldn't be beach right off the bat.

Plan your shore days with the big picture in mind

My advice to myself and anyone planning a Caribbean cruise in the future is look at the itinerary in totality, and not just in a silo.

If variety is the spice of life, it applies to shore excursions as well. I didn't regret any single beach I visited, rather, the combination in a short span of time added up quickly.

While some people might absolutely love nothing but beach day after beach day, don't forget to take into consideration wake up times, prep time, and travel distances to and from the beach.

This is especially important when you're cruising with kids, as multiple early starts in a row takes their toll.  And that applies to aging adults too, who enjoy late nights around the ship.

If you're sailing on a big Royal Caribbean ship that has so many activities, it makes the decision to embrace skipping a port day a good plan.

When we repeat this itinerary in November on the soon-to-be-launched Star of the Seas, I'll be sure to change plans to avoid so many beach days while also taking advantage of what the ship has to offer.

Taking a baby on a cruise is an unforgettable adventure, but it comes with its own unique surprise. 

After all, cruise vacations are known for being relaxing, convenient, and packed with activities, but traveling with a baby adds a whole new layer of considerations to the mix. 

Having recently experienced my first cruise as a parent, I realized there was so much I didn’t know before we boarded the ship. From what to pack to how to navigate the ship with a stroller, there were countless moments where I found myself learning as I went.

If you’re like me, you’ve probably read a few articles and checked out forums for tips on traveling with a baby. However, nothing truly prepares you for the unique quirks of life aboard a cruise ship when you’re juggling nap schedules, diaper changes, and feedings while still trying to enjoy your vacation. 

I’m here to share what I wish I had known before setting sail, so you can feel more confident and prepared when it’s your turn to embark on this memorable journey.

Be Prepared to Pack More Than You Think

One of the most important lessons I learned while cruising with a baby is that being overprepared is essential. Although I was aware that certain items might be hard to come by onboard, I didn’t realize just how limited the availability would be, especially when it came to baby essentials. 

On Icon of the Seas, there were absolutely no baby products available for purchase. No diapers, wipes, bottles, baby food, or even age-appropriate toys! This was something I definitely did not anticipate.

Even if these items had been available, it’s important to note that the ship’s shops have limited hours, often not aligning with your needs. This means that if you forgot something or ran out of essential items, you might not be able to get them easily. 

We were glad we packed as much as we did, as it ended up being more than just helpful—it was a lifesaver. 

From diapers to baby wipes, we used everything we brought and still had to stock up on more wipes while we were in port just to be on the safe side. Packing everything you could possibly need will ensure you don’t find yourself in a pinch during your cruise.

Excursions Have More Restrictions Than You Might Expect

Before booking our cruise, we imagined ourselves spending every day in port and lounging on the beach with our baby. It seemed like the perfect plan, especially since we knew our little one would only be able to use the Baby Splash Zone onboard—not the pools—making beach excursions a great way for her to swim.

However, we were surprised to learn that most of the excursions, even the basic beach trips, had age restrictions starting at around four years old. I’m still unsure whether this is due to transportation liability or safety concerns, but it definitely left us feeling a bit disappointed. 

There were very few excursions available to families with babies, and we ended up either searching for independent activities on our own or simply strolling around the port, which isn’t exactly what we had in mind for a vacation. It’s important to research your excursions ahead of time and confirm if they’re baby-friendly, so you’re not left scrambling at the last minute.

Family-friendly options, for even the youngest cruisers

I was excited to learn that the Icon of the Seas offers an Adventure Babies room, which is a fantastic service for parents traveling with young children. 

The room is designed for babies aged 6 to 36 months and allows parents to drop off their little ones for baby care sessions for a small fee. It was a great opportunity for us to have some adult time to explore activities that weren’t suitable for a baby, such as the waterpark, adult comedy shows, and specialty dining.

However, it's essential to know that this service is not available on every ship, so be sure to check whether your cruise line offers similar services. Also, reservations are required, and because the room’s capacity is limited, it can fill up quickly, especially during busy sailings with many young children. 

They also offered plenty of family programming, like black light puppet shows, bedtime stories under the stars, and others. 

Another great tip is to check with the cruise line if they offer Adventure Ocean programming, as many ships provide complimentary toy rental bags filled with age-appropriate toys. These bags are a lifesaver and allow you to exchange them for a fresh set of toys anytime during your trip.

The other wonderful option are the babysitting services. They have a fee, but it's worth it.

A balcony cabin is essential for families with small children

While cruising has always been a dream vacation for me, I never realized just how important the type of cabin would be when traveling with a baby. While I’d happily sleep anywhere on a cruise, the cabin became a central part of our experience with a baby in tow. 

One of the early challenges was which Royal Caribbean cabin to book for our family. We got lucky when booking our cruise, as the lowest cabin category came with a guaranteed balcony. Having this extra space was more important than I expected. With a baby, you’ll need a quiet, dedicated area outside of your cabin to enjoy some fresh air, converse with your partner, or simply relax without disturbing your little one. 

We used our balcony not just for quiet moments but also as a play area for our baby. Watching the water and people-watching from the balcony became part of her daily routine. I don’t think I could go on a cruise again without booking a cabin with a balcony, as it gave us much-needed space and comfort during our time at sea.

Navigating the ship with a stroller can be tricky

If you’re planning to bring a stroller on board, be prepared for some tight squeezes. We opted for a travel stroller, which was more compact and easier to navigate compared to our everyday model. However, I didn’t anticipate just how difficult the hallways would be to navigate. 

On embarkation and disembarkation day, the hallways were packed with suitcases, making it a challenge to move around. But it wasn’t just those days that proved tricky—every single day was an obstacle course. Cleaning carts, scooters, and other items often blocked the path, forcing us to squeeze through narrow spaces, sometimes bumping against walls. 

If we had brought a wider stroller, there’s no way we would’ve made it through. It’s definitely something to consider when traveling with a baby, as hallways can get crowded, making stroller navigation a bit of a hassle.

Read more: 7 Best Royal Caribbean cruise ships for Kids

Additionally, we’re used to hopping on and off stairs quickly, but that wasn’t an option with the stroller. Navigating through the ship’s multiple levels meant that we had to wait for elevators. Unfortunately, this wasn’t always convenient since elevators can get crowded, and not all elevators accommodate strollers easily. 

Plus, during peak hours, you can be waiting a while for one to open up that is big enough for you to fit in with a stroller. 

There were a few times when we felt like we were in a race against the clock, trying to catch a lift before it became overcrowded with other guests. If you’re someone who is used to being on the move quickly with stairs or walking fast, this was definitely a noticeable change in our typical flow.

Food for babies on a cruise is easier to find than I thought

A major concern for us going into this cruise was whether our baby would have enough options to eat. She had recently started eating solids but still required soft foods, so we packed purees as a backup, just in case. 

However, we quickly realized that we didn’t need to worry at all. The cruise staff, both in the Main Dining Room and the Windjammer buffet, were incredibly accommodating and more than willing to prepare food for our baby. 

In the dining room, the waitstaff quickly brought over fruits and vegetables as soon as we were seated, so she could start eating while we waited for our own meals to arrive. In the Windjammer, we were impressed with the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables available, and the staff was happy to steam fresh broccoli from the Asian station upon request. 

It was such a relief to know that we didn’t need to bring along jars of baby food or worry about feeding her at mealtimes. The wide selection and the willingness of the staff to cater to our baby’s needs made a huge difference and allowed her to enjoy meals with us like a little foodie!

Expect to interact with other guests and crew more frequently than you’re used to

Normally, when we cruise, we tend to keep to ourselves or stay within our travel group. However, with a baby on board, things were different. Our little one had a natural curiosity and loved to interact with everyone she met, prompting many friendly conversations. 

Crew members and fellow guests alike enjoyed chatting with her, whether in the elevators, during meals, or while walking around the ship. People were genuinely interested in hearing about our experience traveling with a baby and often joked about how she was earning her cruise loyalty status at such a young age. 

We were surprised by how many new connections we made just by being parents with a baby. Traveling with a young child opened up more opportunities to interact with others and make lasting memories with fellow cruisers.

Read more: 50 tips for cruising with kids

Cruising with a baby makes for a stress-free family vacation

One of the biggest advantages of cruising with a baby is the convenience of always being close to your cabin. Whether she needed a nap, a diaper change, or just some quiet time, we could easily retreat to our cabin without the stress of coordinating transportation or worrying about getting back to a hotel. 

We never had to feel guilty if we needed to leave a meal or activity early because we knew our cabin was just a few steps away. The convenience of being so close to our “home base” made it easy to explore the ship and ports at our own pace without the added stress of complicated logistics. 

Plus, the best part of a cruise—only having to unpack once while visiting multiple destinations—is always a huge perk! Cruising offered a level of ease that made it the perfect first family vacation with our little one.

Taking a baby on a cruise may seem daunting at first, but with the right mindset and preparation, it can turn into an enjoyable and stress-free experience. 

Looking back, I’m so glad we chose this as our family’s first big adventure. Despite the challenges, like figuring out how to navigate the ship with a stroller or adjusting to excursion limitations, we created memories that will last a lifetime.

Cruising with a baby comes with its own set of challenges, but it’s also an opportunity to create unforgettable memories. The key is to find your rhythm, stay flexible, and embrace the unexpected. 

These tips are designed to help you feel prepared, confident, and ready to make the most of your time at sea. With the right preparation, your family cruise can be an enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone.

Some Royal Caribbean policies tend not to be enforced consistently, but it looks like things may be changing with the wine you bring onboard.

Royal Caribbean allows its passengers to bring bottles of wine onto its ships, but the corkage fee that is supposed to be applied has largely been ignored for many years.

That could be changing now.

The official policy states guests can bring up to one bottle of wine per adult on embarkation day onto the ship. If that wine is opened in a bar, restaurant, or lounge, then it's subject to a $15 corkage fee.

The wine you bring onboard must be carried on and not put in your checked luggage.

In reality, that corkage fee has rarely been enforced.  It's been my experience that the crew member will open it and not say anything.

However, reports are popping up of stickers being added to wine bottles to indicate if the corkage fee has been waived or not.

This applies to wine with twist tops, as the corkage fee is more a fee for bringing your own wine rather than the actual mechanics of opening it.

New stickers

A number of cruisers who have gotten bottles of wine gifted onboard the ship are reporting stickers on their bottles.

Pattycruise wrote on the Royal Caribbean Blog message boards, "I just saw another photo from a group I’m in that said corkage  fee waived on the sticker."

These stickers are appearing on bottles of wine that passengers receive from Crown and Anchor Society or Casino Royale as an incentive for their loyalty.

Enforcing an old rule

What cruisers needs to be aware of is they may be charged for wine they bring onboard.

What this means is if you're someone that has been bringing bottles of wine on your cruise and skated by without paying the corkage fee, this could be changing.

Essentially, the policy hasn't changed at all, but it may now be enforced. That could be confusing to someone who wasn't aware of the corkage fee being applied before.

If you buy a bottle of wine on your cruise ship, there is no corkage fee.

After a bottle of wine is opened for you, you can either take any unfinished wine in the bottle with you or have it stored for you to be used on another day and time.

It's quite convenient to have your bottle opened in the Main Dining Room, have the crew store it, and enjoy the rest on another day in the same or a different restaurant.

The crew marks your name and stateroom number on the bottle, and any crew member around the ship can retrieve it to serve you elsewhere.

You can still open your wine on your own

One way to get around the corkage fee is to open the wine and keep it in your cabin.

The corkage fee is for wine that's opened in public venue onboard, but there's no such application if you have it in your room.

In fact, your stateroom attendant can provide a wine opener upon request for no fee.

You could enjoy the wine in your cabin, or opt to take a glass with you around the ship.  In either of those scenarios, there would be no fee.

Bringing your own wine is a great way to save money

One of the oldest hacks for saving money is to bring your own bottle of wine.

Not only will you pay less for wine if you buy it retail while at home, but you'll have a far greater selection of choices.

Even with the corkage fee, you'll probably come out ahead with your own bottle of wine than buying a bottle onboard the ship because of the markup with wine offered for sale by Royal Caribbean.

Tips for bringing your own wine (and not ending up with a broken bottle)

Bringing your own bottle of wine can save you money, but no one wants to end up with a bottle that breaks.

Instead of buying the bottle of wine at home, you could wait to buy it at your embarkation city. This avoids packing a bottle in your luggage and hoping it doesn't break during transit.

Not only could you buy it at a store near your hotel, but you could leverage a shopping app like UberEats and have it delivered to your hotel.

If you are going to pack your own wine, a wine diaper could do the trick (this is an affiliate link that costs you nothing extra to use). These are reusable, protective and absorbent wine bottle bags designed for traveling.

If you prefer a DIY approach, try putting your wine in a 1.5 gallon ziplock bag and pad the wine with clothing around it, such as socks.

One of the worst mistakes new cruisers can make is booking their flights for the day of their cruise's departure. 

In a picture-perfect world, that 8:00am flight would depart as scheduled, leaving you with plenty of time to mosey from Fort Lauderdale's airport to Port Everglades. However, the reality of flying is that flights can be unpredictable and chaotic. 

One Royal Caribbean cruiser shared their experience of trying to cruise from Fort Lauderdale, only to miss the ship after over 13 hours of delays and giving themself a buffer in case of unforeseen delays and cancellations. 

In a post titled "THIS is why you fly in the day before," Reddit user Mamm0nn described the unlucky series of events that caused them to return home earlier than expected. 

"On our 3rd flight delay.... total of 5hr 30 minute delay so far.... now getting in at 1AM the date of the cruise," they begin. 

The first update to the original post reveals that, after three delays, the original flight was canceled. With no other options, they were going to have to sleep on the airport floor and fly from Chicago to Florida at 5:00am on the morning of departure. 

The frustration grew as five delays and two flight cancellations later, they realized they were stuck in Chicago and lost all hope of making their cruise on time. 

"UPDATE #2 13 hours at Ohare 5 delays 2 flight cancelations We can't get to Fort Lauderdale out of OHare until tomorrow evening," Mamm0nn continues. 

"No cars available to rent to get back to Milwaukee so waiting until 0630 to get a bus back and finish the trip with Uber."

They returned home around 8:00am and slept until noon. However, they didn't stay down in the dumps for too long, as they booked a 4-night cruise out of Los Angeles to achieve the coveted Diamond status before their Greece cruise!

Other users agreed that they always fly to their embarkation port at least one day early

While Charlotte, North Carolina, has multiple daily departures to popular embarkation ports like Miami and Fort Lauderdale, I'd never risk my vacation by flying on the day of my cruise. 

Last July, AirHelp released data about the worst airports for flight disruptions. Charlotte ranked #9, with over 25% of flights delayed or canceled. According to AirHelp, the worst airport in the United States is Ronald Reagan National Airport in D.C., where more than 40% of flights are disrupted. As such, it's not uncommon for travelers to face delays, especially during peak travel seasons. 

I've been stuck in Charlotte for longer than I'd like to admit. Most recently, I had two flights canceled while trying to get to Tampa for a cruise aboard Margaritaville at Sea's Islander. Thankfully, I was flying into Florida the day before and wasn't too stressed. Though I arrived a few hours later than planned, I wasn't trying to navigate flight disruptions on embarkation day. 

It may be easy to catch another flight to your land destination and lose a day of vacation, but cruise ships operate on tight schedules and won't wait for late passengers. 

While travel insurance can help recoup some costs, it's stressful and expensive to try and catch the ship in the next port of call, not to mention that you may lose two or three days onboard that won't be refunded by the cruise line. 

One day before isn't enough time for many. Comments on Mamm0nn's post reveal that cruisers are giving themselves even more of a buffer than before.

"I used to fly in the day before. Now I fly in 2 days in advance. This is because the airline screwed me and delayed my luggage and it wouldn’t arrive until the following day when I would have already boarded the ship," explained ItsDeCia.

"So when I arrived following my flight, I basically went straight from the airport to the mall to buy a whole new bag and clothes to put in it. Stressful to say the least."

AnonUserAccount added, "Agreed. I’ve been delayed on my last three trips, twice arriving past midnight (technically the day of the cruise) and once arriving at 8am the day of the cruise (flight from Dallas was cancelled, took the 5am flight the day of the cruise)."

"Yeah, I’ve never been one to cut it close. Our next one, we’re going in 3 days early. We look at it as an opportunity to explore a new city, or visit favorite spots in an old one," wrote 410bore.

Delayed flights aren't the only embarkation day risks

Not only is flying expensive, but it's often riskier than driving. That, however, doesn't mean that driving to your cruise ship is predictable and easy. 

"I totally agree. I even drive in the day before. I live in San Antonio and have cruised out of Galveston several times. On our honeymoon cruise, we drove 4+ hours the morning...Our luck, a storm came through that morning and it was a torrential downpour almost the entire drive on top of the freeway," explained Constant_Bandicoot21.

"We made it in time however we were frazzled by the time we got on the ship. We said never again."

myfapaccount_istaken wrote, "I lived in Orlando and would go the night before to Port [Canaveral]. 528 get[s] closed to[o] many times where you [couldn't] turn around and go to the coast in time. I'm on the other coast now, and will drive to Tampa (an hour) the night before and always Miami or FLL the night before. Just so much less stress."

Speaking of traffic, ports like Miami have reported massive delays due to the influx of passengers disembarking and embarking at the same time. 

For example, if there are seven or more ships in port, cruisers have reported sitting in upwards of 90 minutes of traffic because there's just one road shared by multiple cruise terminals. As such, whether you're flying or driving, it's crucial to budget time into your arrival plan for unforeseen traffic delays. 

Read more: Traffic is so bad in Miami that Royal Caribbean is offering free bus transfers

You can save a lot of money if you know when to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package, even as much as 40% off the total price.

One of the most popular cruise add-ons available are beverage packages because they offer a flat fee for unlimited drinks. 

It's a convenient way to avoid a high bar tab, but enjoy drinks on your vacation without worrying about bills later.

Unfortunately, they aren't cheap if you pay the regular price onboard the ship. The onboard price for the Deluxe Beverage Package costs typically around $115 per person, per day.

The good news is there are sales offered throughout the year to get a significant discount, but you need to know when to book.

Many of these sales are tied to major holidays, such as Black Friday, July 4th, and New Years.  But there are other sales too, and each has the potential to save money.

Without a doubt, buying a drink package early could save you as much as 40% off the onboard price of a drink package.

How to get the 40% off deal

The secret to getting a discount on a Royal Caribbean drink package is to buy it before your cruise begins.

The highest price you'll pay is if you buy a drink package on the ship, so avoid that mistake by booking it early.

To see how much of a discount is being offered on a drink package, you can log into your Royal Caribbean account in the cruise line app or on their website.  Navigate to your sailing and you can spot check the price there.

On any day, the price will be cheaper online, but the price can fluctuate in the months before your cruise begins.

Depending on the sale, there could be no discount on your sailing, or truly deep savings.  Royal Caribbean usually advertises "up to 40% off", which means it may not be exactly that sort of a discount.

Moreover, there are different drink packages.  So depending on the promotion it could be the Deluxe Beverage Package or the Evian Water Package that has a 40% discount.

Royal Caribbean uses variable pricing, and that means drink packages cost differently from sailing to sailing, and ship to ship. Plus, there can be deeper discounts offered on select days.

Most sales last just a few days, so you'll need to act quickly before the price goes back up.

The best sale of the year is typically on Black Friday, when the cruise line has the deepest discounts.

Is the drink package worth it at 40% off?

The lower you can buy the drink package, the easier it is to get your money's worth from the drink package.

The Deluxe Beverage Package includes a lot of different beverages, such as beer, wine by the glass, liquors, premium coffees, juices, and sodas.  There are so many possible combinations of drinks you could order during your sailing.

In looking at Royal Caribbean drink prices, it's easy to see how quickly your bar tab would be if you paid for drinks a la carte.

• Cocktails: $10-$14
• Beers: $8-$9
• Specialty coffees: $3-$5
• Bottled water: $2.25

If you bought the Deluxe Beverage Package at $65.99 per person, per day, you could "break even" if you ordered 3 cocktails, 1 premium coffee, 1 beer, and 1 bottled water per day.

That's fairly easy to accomplish on a sea day, but port days make it more difficult because you're usually off the ship on a shore excursion. That reduces the amount of hours to take advantage of your drink package benefit.

It's much easier to make the value proposition work in your favor if you are a social drinker, specialty coffee lover, or like to try a a lot of drinks.

In short, a drink package is worth it if you drink enough every day to have it save money.

Tips for booking the drink package

Be sure to look at drink package prices as soon as possible.  There's usually an ebb and a flow to pricing, so getting in on the lowest price is easier the earlier you start looking.

My advice is book the drink package as soon as you can because you can always cancel or reprice later.

There's no penalty for cancelling a beverage package purchase before the cruise begins, whether you change your mind or want to take advantage of a lower price.

Adding the drink package to your cart does not lock the price.  You must buy it to get it at the given price.

You can also take advantage of onboard credit and stack the savings.

If Royal Caribbean is offering 30, 35, or 40% off the drink package, you can lower the price further by applying any onboard credit you have.

Even after you buy it, you can always cancel and rebook at a lower price.

If you bought it at 35% off, and then a few months later a 40% off deal appears, you can cancel and immediately re-book under the new price.

There's no penalty for cancelling and rebooking, and the refund from the original purchase will come back to your original form of payment in about a week or less.  Any onboard credit you used for the purchase will become available immediately.

Things to know before you buy

Royal Caribbean has important rules about its drink package you'll want to know before you buy any.

The most important rule is you cannot share drinks if you buy any of the three unlimited drink packages: Deluxe, Royal Refreshment, or Soda packages. Sharing will get you in trouble and loss of a drink package without refund.

If you want to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, all adults in the same stateroom are required to purchase the same package.

Any drink package you buy adds gratuities on top of the cost.  It's called a "service fee" in the line item, but it covers tips when you order a drink. Be sure to factor this cost into your package price, especially when re-pricing packages.

Lastly, your drink package works almost everywhere, but it doesn't cover room service or Starbucks drinks at a Starbucks kiosk.

There’s no denying that the cost of cruising has been steadily increasing in the last few years, especially after the pandemic. With growing demand for sailings - especially short weekend getaways - cruise lines have been able to increase prices accordingly. Onboard expenses, including drink packages, internet access, and specialty dining, have also become more expensive.

It’s no secret that cruising on newer ships tends to cost more than sailing on older or smaller vessels. I recently experienced this first hand when booking a cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, Utopia of the Seas. I was surprised how quickly the expenses added up!

Even for a quick 4-night sailing, the cost of my recent cruise to the Bahamas was more expensive than I anticipated. When my husband and I set sail last month on the latest Oasis class ship, we spent $2,683 total for the entire vacation.

On a nightly basis, this means we spent around $670.75 each night, or roughly $335.38 per person for each night of the cruise. Here’s a full breakdown of what I spent during my Utopia of the Seas cruise, including travel-related expenses and transportation to the port.

The price of our interior stateroom was $1,539 - which was the cheapest option available

My husband and I decided over the summer that we wanted to join my parents and grandparents on their already-booked cruise for February. Rather than risk getting an undesirable guarantee cabin, we chose to spend a little more to select our stateroom’s location. The last thing we wanted was to end up next to the nightclub or directly beneath the pool!

Since we booked just a few months before departure, our cruise fare was actually higher than what my parents paid for a nicer room. By reserving their cruise more than a year in advance, they secured a balcony stateroom for only $1,300—a price lower than our interior cabin. Gone are the days of getting a killer last-minute deal for a cruise!

We opted to book the cheapest stateroom available, which was an interior cabin on Deck 9. Our selected stateroom was 9464, which was located near the ship’s aft. In fact, this specific stateroom was situated in a designated section of interior staterooms.

Given Utopia’s massive size, some decks have multiple layers of interior staterooms. Our stateroom was surrounded by six other interior cabins, which is different than a typical cabin configuration with only neighboring cabins on either side.

This section of cabins had its own entrance near the elevators, which was quite convenient. We were pleased with our cabin’s location and its design felt modern, spacious, and functional. Best of all, it was exceptionally quiet!

We didn’t mind sailing in this interior cabin, as Utopia of the Seas has an abundance of things to do for activities and entertainment. For such a short cruise, we hardly spent any time in our cabin other than sleeping.

The cost of our cruise fare was $1,539, including prepaid gratuities, taxes, and port fees. This represents 57.36% of the trip’s overall cost, which was expected. I booked this leisure cruise with MEI Travel and received a $50 onboard credit. In addition, my MEI travel agent was able to apply an expired Future Cruise Credit of $135, which we had previously been unable to use due to my husband’s military deployment.

I had a few onboard purchases totaling $101.97, including an Internet package and merchandise in the shops

It’s easy to spend extra money once you’re actually aboard your cruise. The vacation mindset, combined with the convenience of charging everything to your SeaPass card, can quickly lead to a higher-than-expected bill by the end of your cruise! However, additional spending isn’t necessary if you’re on a tight budget, as your cruise fare is fairly inclusive with complimentary dining, entertainment, and amenities.

During this cruise, my husband and I had a number of purchases once we boarded the ship. I ended up spending about $101.97 for onboard purchases, which accounted for 3.80% of our total trip cost.

First, I needed to purchase an internet package to ensure I could receive emails for my remote work. While many cruisers can completely disconnect, that’s not always an option for everyone.

Read more: After years of avoiding Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships, I finally tried one again. Here’s what I loved and hated about it

For our 4-night cruise, the VOOM Surf + Stream package cost $60 in total after applying my Diamond Plus internet credit. This loyalty perk saved me $60, cutting my internet cost in half! When cruising on a shorter sailing, I wait until boarding to book my internet package so I can apply this credit.

In addition, I enjoyed browsing the onboard shops during our cruise aboard Utopia of the Seas. The Royal Promenade was lined with places to shop, and newer cruise ships always have the best merchandise!

On the last night of the cruise, I bought two t-shirts on sale for $30 as a gift to my sister back home. I also couldn’t resist purchasing the cutest collar for $10 to take home for my sweet pup!

We also splurged on specialty dining for three different meals, costing us $235

Utopia of the Seas has more than 20 unique dining options to choose from, including a variety of complimentary and specialty dining. When cruising on a shorter itinerary, you need to prioritize which restaurants you want to try.

My family decided to book specialty dining for dinner during the first two evenings of the cruise. We each have our own BOGO specialty dining credit, which can only be used the first two nights of your cruise.

On the first evening, we dined at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar with our entire family. The experience was fantastic, featuring delicious entrees and attentive service. The ambiance was beautiful too, as the restaurant overlooks the Boardwalk.

For the second specialty dining meal, we reserved a table at Chops Grille. As expected, the meal was excellent with flavorful, tender cuts of premium beef. I especially love the side dishes at Chops Grille, especially the gruyère tater tots.

Later in the cruise, my husband and I decided to try the brand-new Mason Jar restaurant for brunch with my parents. My sister raved about her experience here over the summer, and we received a 30% discount that we couldn’t resist.

Although we enjoyed trying something new during our cruise, the meal itself was underwhelming. The star of the show was the oversized, gooey cinnamon roll - which we all loved! Another highlight was the cocktail menu featuring new crafted beverages to try. Although we wouldn’t return to Mason Jar in the future, it was still fun to experience something different.

Even with our discounts, we still spent $235 for three specialty dining meals during our cruise. This expense represents about 8.72% of our overall trip cost, but it was money well spent!

In addition, we purchased admission to Royal Caribbean’s new adults-only Hideaway Beach for $173

Currently, Utopia of the Seas only sails on 4-night and 3-night itineraries to the Bahamas. Our itinerary featured two port stops, which included visits to Nassau, Bahamas, and Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. We also had one day at sea to enjoy the ship.

During our visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, my husband and I wanted to try the new adults-only Hideaway Beach. My parents had booked their admission well in advance, paying only $60 total for two of their tickets. By the time we booked Hideaway Beach, the price had jumped to $173 for two tickets. This accounted for 6.45% of our total trip cost.

Pricing for Hideaway Beach varies based on demand; however, the price we paid is definitely on the higher end. For our admission, we paid $86.50 each to visit Hideaway Beach. But, prices can go as high as $100 each!

We enjoyed our experience in Royal Caribbean’s new adults-only area, but I’m not convinced the price we paid was worthwhile. Since I don’t eat seafood, including the popular coconut shrimp or ceviche, I’m not sure I got my money’s worth. My husband had upwards of 20 shrimp though, so he might have broken even!

The other food options available at Hideaway Beach are available elsewhere on Perfect Day at CocoCay. While the service was quick for drinks, I found the pool to be just as crowded as Oasis Lagoon. I was excited to try the new area, but I would only book admission again if the cost was less than $40 each.

We drove to the cruise port and parked at Port Canaveral, costing us $234 in total

I live in the Florida Panhandle, so I was ecstatic to see Royal Caribbean’s latest ship would be sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida. This meant we could skip the hassle of booking flights and instead take the 6-hour drive to Port Canaveral before the sailing. Airfare would have easily increased the cost of this trip by hundreds of dollars!

My husband and I decided to drive to Lake Mary, Florida the night before our cruise departed. We spent the evening visiting extended family and then stayed at a nearby hotel before departure the following morning. We booked The Westin in Lake Mary by using hotel points for the stay, so our visit was completely free. Gas for the trip was around $144, which is significantly cheaper than airfare!

Read more: I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class for the first time. I liked the dining options, but hated the large size

When we arrived at the cruise port, we decided to park directly at the terminal for added convenience. We were charged $90 to park our truck at the cruise port for four nights, which seemed reasonable.

Altogether, our hotel, gas, and parking expenses totaled $234, representing around 8.72% of our trip’s total cost.

Finally, we had to pay our dog sitter around $400 to watch two dogs for five nights

One of the more overlooked expenses for this trip was the cost of in-home dog care. We paid approximately $400 for someone to stay in our home and take care of our two Aussiedoodle pups. Considering this meant we could avoid boarding the dogs, we felt this price was reasonable. I couldn’t put a price tag on someone taking good care of my babies for five nights!

In my experience, it’s very easy to forget about the added cost of pet care when you are planning a vacation. The cost of pet care or boarding can add up quickly, especially for longer trips. If you’re like us, having more than one dog increases the cost even more.

The dog sitter accounted for 14.91% of our trip cost, making it our second-largest expense after the cruise fare itself.

I paid $2,683 in total for my cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas

Because we booked this cruise within a few months of departure, I anticipated that our cruise fare would be more expensive. Not to mention, Utopia of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s newest ship that just launched last summer. It’s not uncommon to find that newer cruise ships have higher price tags.

In the end, our entire 4-night cruise added up to $2,683. This included the cruise fare, onboard purchases, shore excursions, specialty dining, parking at the port, and transportation to Port Canaveral. The total cost was higher than I would have guessed!

However, I’ve already secured another sailing on Utopia of the Seas for next February, this time booking well in advance. We booked a refundable balcony cabin for a 4-night sailing next year for $1,683, which is only $124 more than our interior stateroom on this trip. Considering the added perk of a private veranda, this upgrade felt like a worthwhile investment!

Let's welcome spring with Royal Caribbean! It was a busy week with Royal Caribbean news, and we have a summary of all of the news from this week to make certain you did not miss any of it.

One of the biggest cruise ships in the world is getting a lot of major changes and upgrades.

Allure of the Seas is at a shipyard in Spain, and we have new photos of the work in progress.

Changes include the addition of water slides, the Pesky Parrot Bar, a revamped pool deck, new staterooms, an Ultimate Abyss slide, and many updates around the ship to make it look refreshed.

Royal Caribbean News

• Two men arrested for molesting teen boy in cruise ship sauna
• Two Royal Caribbean megaships in drydock at the same time for upgrade work
• Royal Caribbean just removed a perk from its VIP program
• Celebrity cancels cruise stops at Royal Caribbean private beach
• Royal Caribbean rolls out badges for every ship you've sailed on
• I tried Royal Caribbean's controversial $520 VIP add-on. While some perks were nice, it was a waste of money
• Table of cruise ship confiscated items show too many people still packing the wrong travel item
• Experts recommend joining a Facebook group for your cruise, but I stopped because it's become toxic
• How much does a Royal Caribbean Icon Class ship cost to build?
• 7 items to buy your first time on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• MGM makes player-friendly change to its loyalty program with better cruise benefits
• 8 Old Royal Caribbean cruise traditions no one remembers anymore

New RCB Video: My best and worst Royal Caribbean cruises last year, 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 best and worst Royal Caribbean cruises last year, RANKED — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.

I went back on Icon of the Seas a year later. It was better than I expected

Matt went back on Icon for a week-long cruise and the ship is easily still his favorite ship.

Icon of the Seas had a lot of hype when it launched, but does the ship live up to it all now?

Not only is the ship the biggest in the world, but it has the best features in the industry.

I tried Carnival and while I liked the food, I missed 4 things from Royal Caribbean

After coming across a cheap, last-minute cruise fare on Carnival Firenze, Jenna gave it a try.

Jenna has taken 22 Royal Caribbean cruises, and she was curious how it would compare to Carnival.

Some aspects of the cruise were great, but she missed four key aspects of a Royal Caribbean ship.

5 food hacks that will save you money on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Ready to spend less on food during your cruise?

On any ship, there's a mix of included and extra cost restaurants. But that doesn't mean you have to overspend to enjoy it all.

Matt shared five Royal Caribbean food hacks that will save you money.

I tried the secret menu at a Royal Caribbean bar that I couldn't get enough of

Did you know there's a food menu at Trellis Bar that you can't find on any other ship?

Icon of the Seas has one change from all other bars in that it offers food, and it's really darn good.

Matt tried the food and was surprised how good the offerings were, and it's worth trying.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 558th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt reviews his recent Icon of the Seas cruise.

Matt went back on Icon a year after she debuted to see if it lives up to the hype.

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

It's been six months since Royal Caribbean implemented a new policy prohibiting certain travel items, but we're still seeing the wrong ones piling up.

In September 2024, Royal Caribbean announced it would not allow multi-plug outlets on its ships. It was a major shift, as these had been a very popular item to bring on a cruise ship.

Power outlets in cruise ship cabins are quite limited, especially on older ships. With the proliferation of phones, smart watches, tablets, and other electronics, the need for power outlets has grown tremendously.

While the cruise line has long banned surge protectors because they were a fire hazard, "Multi-Plug Outlets" were added to the list too.

After a few weeks of confusion, it became clear passengers can no longer bring anything that turns a single outlet into multiple outlets.

Adding more USB outlets is fine, but electric outlets cannot be extended.

It's important to know which devices you can bring on your cruise, and which are going to get taken from you as you try to board the ship.

Don't buy the wrong power outlet extender

Because Royal Caribbean's rule is still fairly new and other lines allow them, it can be confusing which items to bring.

On a recent Adventure of the Seas cruise, a person posted a photo on Facebook the confiscated items table strewn with the banned outlet extenders.

While we can't see the specific model of each one, it's clear they all resemble power strips that offer additional power outlets and USB outlets.

A quick search of Amazon shows many of these labeled as being for use on cruise ships.

To be fair, they are allowed on other lines. As an example, Carnival Cruise Line has not banned these items.

It's also not very clear on Royal Caribbean's prohibited items list which type of outlet extenders are permissible.

This is what the cruise line lists:

We do allow consumer type power conversion device USB charger (multi-plug blocks on which the outputs are for USB cables). Note: Devices must be stamped with US/Europe recognized Conformance Marking to demonstrate compliance with Electrical Safety standards.

While not a new policy, it's also worth noting you still cannot bring surge protectors or power strips either.

Which plug adapter do I need for Royal Caribbean?

To avoid having your things taken away from you, we have a list of USB chargers and power blocks you could bring on Royal Caribbean.

Depending on your power needs, any one of these should work well. All of these links contain affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you buy it, but it costs you absolutely nothing extra.

Anker 543 Charger (65W)

This is an ultra slim desktop charger that adds four USB ports, including a USB-C outlet.  

This will work well for Apple devices, and it's small. It has a 0.7-inch design and weighs just 5 oz (about the same as a baseball).

EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter

This is my favorite travel adaptor because it's small, and works well on the ship and overseas.

It has just one electric outlet, so you don't lose the outlet you're plugging into.  Plus, it can be used with UK or EU outlets. This not only makes it useful around Europe, but also in your cruise cabin because there's usually an EU outlet in there.

It has four USB-A outlets on the bottom, and a single USB-C outlet as well.

Anker Power Bank

Our readers have recommended a workaround to the power outlet issue all together with a power brick.

You charge the power brick, and then plug in whichever device you need to have charged.  This frees up the outlets in your cabin, and there's no issue with how many outlets there are.

I'd recommend getting a travel-friendly, but beefy power bank so it can keep multiple devices going.

You probably don't need one on a new cruise ship

Depending on your needs, you might not need to buy an adaptor at all if you go on relatively new ship.

Royal Caribbean began adding more power outlets, and even USB plugs to ships that were built in the last ten years or so.

Ships such as Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas all have many outlets and I never used my power adaptor on these ships.

The Quantum Class ships may be in the "gray area" of if you need a power adaptor or not.  

Cabins have more than the usual assortment of power outlets, but if you're sharing a room with more than one person, there may not be enough outlets for your needs.

You don't need to buy a power adaptor if you have a C-PAP machine

I've seen some confusion among cruisers that need a C-PAP machine and thinking they need to buy a power adaptor for their cruise.

Royal Caribbean will assist with a special need, such as a C-PAP machine, but you do need to take one extra step.

Using the Special Needs Form before your cruise begins, you can request an extension cord and distilled water for a CPAP machine. There's no extra cost, you just need to make the request pre-cruise.

It's strange to say, but after 22 Royal Caribbean cruises, I absolutely loved my first Carnival cruise.

Even though I'm a loyal Royal Caribbean cruiser, I occasionally like to try new-to-me cruise lines. It keeps cruising from feeling monotonous, and I like to compare and contrast what each line offers.

When I tried MSC Cruises, I loved the low price, but wished there were more complimentary restaurants. Later, when sailing with Princess Cruises, I thought the atmosphere was somewhat dull for my age demographic.

Prior to this month, I had never booked a Carnival cruise, and I was somewhat wary of the line. Online, some cruisers referred to Carnival Cruise Line as the “Walmart of the Seas,” with adjectives like trashy and wild to describe the fleet’s ships.

Curiosity finally got the best of me, though, and after coming across a cheap, last-minute cruise fare on Carnival Firenze, I booked it to see what Carnival Cruise Line was really all about.

I paid just $850 for 2 adults on a 4-night cruise from Long Beach, California. The ship, originally launched for Carnival’s Italian brand Costa Cruises in 2021, was transferred to Carnival in 2024.

Because I was sailing on a new ship, I had higher expectations than I would on one of the fleet’s oldest vessels. Yet I still had hesitations about my Carnival cruise. Would it live up to the stereotypes? Would I spend the whole cruise wishing I had sailed with Royal Caribbean instead?

After 4 nights onboard, here’s what I loved about Carnival Cruise Line and missed about Royal Caribbean.

First, I loved Carnival’s flexible dining—I never had to plan when to eat dinner like on Royal Caribbean

Dinner in the Main Dining Room is a staple of any cruise vacation, whether sailing on Carnival Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean.

Most cruise lines allow guests to choose between a traditional and flexible dining option. With traditional dining, guests eat at the same table each evening with the same wait staff. Flexible dining gives guests more flexibility to change their dining times each night.

I’ve always avoided flexible dining, otherwise known as My Time Dining, on Royal Caribbean cruises. If you don’t remember to make reservations ahead of time, you’ll have to wait in a line for a table each evening. After seeing long lines time and time again, I've sworn off flexible dining on the cruise line.

On Carnival Firenze, however, I tried the flexible dining option and loved it! There was no need to make reservations in advance. When I was ready to eat dinner, I simply checked in on the Carnival app. I received an estimated wait time, and once a table was ready I would head to the dining room to be seated.

I never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a table, and the digital process meant there was no need to wait in a physical line.

Carnival’s ropes course was more fun than Royal Caribbean’s, and it was free

Last year while onboard Icon of the Seas, I tried the Crown’s Edge, Royal Caribbean’s rendition of a ropes course and zip line thrill ride. I paid $90 for the 1-minute experience (the price has since been lowered), and I didn’t think it was worth the cost.

Sure, zip lining off the side of the ship was fun, but it wasn’t as exhilarating as I imagined. I found the complimentary zip line on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships to be just as fun.

Many of Carnival’s ships feature a ropes course, where passengers walk on ropes and planks around the top of the ship. Unlike the Crown’s Edge, Carnival's ropes course is free.

I gave it a try aboard my cruise, and it was far more thrilling and challenging than I thought it would be. I love a good thrill, but I had to muster up some serious courage to get through the entire course.

Compared to the 1-minute experience on the Crown’s Edge, it took me around 10 minutes to get through the ropes course, and I loved how it was included in my cruise fare.

The energy of Carnival’s programming was out-of-this-world

I never knew I could laugh so hard on a cruise ship.

During my 4 nights onboard Carnival Firenze, I tried to attend a variety of activities around the ship—the daily schedule was packed with things to do. I was curious to see how the programming differed from Royal Caribbean’s.

Some activities were similar. Both cruise lines offer programming like a sailaway party, trivia, game shows, and karaoke, but Carnival’s had a more lively atmosphere.

Related: 15 free things to try on your next cruise

When watching Deal or No Deal, I couldn’t believe how loud and passionate the audience acted as they cheered on the contestants. The next day during karaoke, the crowd roared for each and every passenger taking the stage.

I caught a comedy show in the Punchliner Comedy Club, too, and while the content was wildly inappropriate, it was, by far, the funniest comedy show I’ve ever seen on a cruise ship.

Carnival Cruise Line may have a reputation for a rowdy atmosphere, but there was certainly never a dull moment onboard.

For casual dining, Carnival had more enticing options than Royal Caribbean

Carnival Cruise Line is known for offering an impressive selection of casual, complimentary restaurants, and I was excited to try them during my short vacation.

Whether the famed Guy’s Burger Joint or Mexican-inspired Blue Iguana Cantina, I heard great things about Carnival’s included (albeit slightly unhealthy) dining options.

Tomodoro, the ship’s Mexican-Italian fusion restaurant, served up tacos and burritos for breakfast and lunch. I found the selection of ingredients and salsas diverse, with options like shrimp and fish, which aren’t available at Royal Caribbean’s El Loco Fresh.

Later, I tried a veggie burger and fries from Guy’s Burger Joint, which came topped with marinara sauce and fried cheese. Yes, fried cheese. My arteries wished I went for the nearby salad bar instead, but it was totally worth it.

I didn’t love the individual pizzas at Carnival’s Pizzeria del Capitano, but they were comparable to Royal Caribbean’s Sorrento’s.

I also thought Carnival’s buffet, the Lido Marketplace, was somewhat lackluster in its options, especially compared to Royal Caribbean’s Windjammer Cafe.

Nonetheless, I was generally impressed by Carnival’s complimentary options. I found Guy’s Burger Joint, for instance, more enticing than hot dogs at Royal Caribbean’s Boardwalk Dog House. Plus, I found there to be a wide selection of vegetarian and pescetarian options.

I missed my Crown & Anchor Society benefits on Royal Caribbean, especially the free drinks

As far as I’m concerned, Royal Caribbean has one of, if not the best, loyalty programs in the cruise industry.

As a Diamond Plus member on Royal Caribbean, I receive numerous elusive benefits, including access to the exclusive Crown Lounge, a free bag of laundry, 2 free days of wifi, and discounts on specialty dining, among other perks.

My favorite loyalty benefit of all are the 5 free drinks I receive each day of my cruise. I love using this perk to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a cocktail on the pool deck.

I wanted to try fun cocktails on my Carnival Firenze cruise, but the prices were off-putting. Even though drinks were advertised at around $13, they were nearly $17 with added tax and gratuity.

Personally, I didn’t want to spend $17 for basic cocktails during my cruise, and I missed having access to my Diamond drinks on Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean’s boarding process was significantly more organized than Carnival’s

I’m always amazed how cruise lines manage to swiftly board thousands of passengers onto their ships. These days, it’s not uncommon to arrive at Royal Caribbean’s cruise terminals and be onboard in less than 15 minutes.

Related: 15 Royal Caribbean boarding tips for a fast embarkation

Unfortunately, the same promptness could not be said about the embarkation process on Carnival Firenze. After arriving at the Long Beach terminal on time, I was met with absolutely insane lines. Organization was lacking, and it appeared most passengers (and even some employees) were overwhelmed and confused.

It took nearly 45 minutes of waiting in line outside just to enter the cruise terminal. Luckily, once inside, the rest of the embarkation process took under 15 minutes.

Waiting an hour to board isn’t necessarily the end of the world, but I was disappointed with Carnival’s lackluster embarkation process. It made me miss the more efficient service I’m accustomed to when boarding Royal Caribbean’s ships.

Most importantly, I missed Royal Caribbean’s unlimited bread basket

After a long, busy embarkation day, I was excited to sit down for my first dinner in Carnival Firenze’s dining room. Hungry and tired, I expected to be promptly served a bread basket filled with a variety of freshly-baked breads.

Royal Caribbean’s bread baskets are one of my favorite aspects of eating in the Main Dining Room. Simply put, I’m a carboholic, and nothing can stop me from indulging in breads of all kinds on a cruise, from cheese-crusted rolls to crispy baguettes.

Related: 21 Tips For The Best Cruise Ship Main Dining Room Experience

You can imagine my disappointment, therefore, when I realized that Carnival Cruise Line does not offer a bread basket. Instead, waiters walk around placing a sole, sad piece of bread on each passenger’s plate with a tiny slab of butter.

Although the bread varied from day to day, only one type of bread was offered each dinner—usually a variation of a French roll. One evening, though, Carnival offered raisin bread, which I found quite peculiar for dinner.

Of course, passengers can ask the waiters for more bread (I definitely did!), but the measly bread offerings couldn’t compare with Royal Caribbean’s more varied bread baskets.

Finally, I missed Royal Caribbean’s innovative cabin designs

Because Carnival Firenze is a new ship, I expected my cabin to feel thoughtfully-designed, but this wasn’t the case.

Once onboard, I was disappointed to see little storage in the room. Aside from 2 extremely narrow closets, there were few places to put my belongings. The desk had no storage, the bathroom had just a few small shelves, and the limited storage in the nightstands was hard to reach.

In comparison, Royal Caribbean’s newest ships offer significantly more storage space. When I stayed in a room on Odyssey of the Seas, it had 2 closets, a dresser, above-the-bed storage, and shelves in the nightstands. Both ships launched the same year.

With just two guests in the cabin, it was challenging to unpack on Carnival Firenze. I opted to live out of my suitcase for my 4-night cruise, but I felt like I was always tripping over my belongings.

The lack of storage space really made me appreciate how Royal Caribbean designs cabins on their newest cruise ships.

The internet is great for learning and planning your cruise vacation, but I've stopped using Facebook as a way to learn about my sailing.

There are a number of good things you should do before your cruise begins to plan and prepare for it, but one of them was to join a Facebook group for the sailing.

It's likely someone else from your specific sailing will set up a group so others can join and start discussing the cruise.

In the past, this was a great way to learn about what others are doing, meet other cruisers, and otherwise get excited about the cruise. There can be hundreds of people in one group, especially on Royal Caribbean's biggest ships.

I cruise a lot each year, trying to squeeze in at least one per month.  Last year I took 15 cruises, so I joined plenty of these groups.

Unfortunately, I've noticed a trend in cruise Facebook groups of bad information, trolling, and arguments over very silly things. As a result, I'd think twice before you join a group.

The drama overshadows the help

Facebook groups for cruises used to be such a helpful way for new cruisers to learn about their sailing.

People would join and ask questions about what to do, how to prepare, and what not to miss.  And because it was specific to your sailing, it was easier to get firm answers.

Like a lot of social media, more of the negativity has creeped into them.

Quite often new cruisers ask basic questions, but the answers get heated when they're more subjective responses than objective.

Some of these groups are run by spammers who are looking to sell merchandise to unsuspecting cruisers.

Equally bad are the groups that get created but are completely unmoderated because the admin either stops caring or disappears.

Then there's the bickering about things that end up in name calling, or worse. Arguments about what the actual policy is versus someone's opinion, sharing out dated information, and trying to circumvent rules are all commonplace now in the groups I've been a part of.

Some have become power trips

If you book a particularly popular sailing, the drama gets real quickly.

As an example, Royal Caribbean added a series of short pre-inaugural cruises for Star of the Seas in August. As soon as the announcement was made, a flurry of cruise groups were created for each voyage.

It can quickly become confusing which group to join, and I've seen in past one group hating on another group based on who thinks which one is the "legitimate" group or the one that was started first.

This really only applies to inaugural sailings or a President's Cruise, but I've resisted joining any group until perhaps the last few weeks before the actual sailing begins.

Spam has become a bigger concern

Besides the arguing and misinformation that can often be shared in a Facebook group, it's clear some groups are created with ulterior motives in mind.

Some groups are run by travel agents who are clearly using the group to source new clients with unsolicited sales pitches.

As mentioned before, some groups are run by people overseas usually trying to sell t-shirts or swag related to the sailing.

And even if the group admin isn't bad, there are often people within the group that are working an angle.

A new trend has been the selling of rubber ducks to people in the group. A fake account tries to sell unwanted rubber cruise ducks due to "a change in plans," but there's nothing to be sold. 

Another is the slot pull scam, where someone asks you to pay money to participate in a group slot machine tournament.

Finally, there's the typical Facebook spam from fake accounts that share links with the intention of catfishing you into hacking your account. 

Some aren't bad, but it all depends on who creates it

To be fair, not all Facebook groups for a sailing are like this.

You might still find a group that has "normal people" and the members far less worrisome. It's a crapshoot as to who will join your sailing's group and how knowledgeable they are.

If you're going to join a Facebook group for your sailing, I'd recommend exercising a great deal of caution. Don't take every answer as the gospel truth.  

Take any answer or statement made as something to consider, but go and verify the answer elsewhere.

Roll call threads are an alternative

If you want something else outside of Facebook, I'd recommend a roll call thread.

Well before Facebook groups became a thing, message board communities had well-established communities with roll calls for each sailing.

Cruise Critic pioneered the idea with their roll call forum, even going as far as getting recognition of them by Royal Caribbean on some sailings.

We have our own roll call area within the Royal Caribbean message boards that you can join (or start) a thread for your cruise.

The advantage of a forum is it's far better moderated than Facebook, and there's a history to the members that goes beyond a single sailing.

However, it's unlikely you'll get as many people joining a roll call as a Facebook group. Facebook is so ubiquitous that it has a much larger pool of users to draw from.

I stopped joining Facebook groups for my sailing

Ultimately, I've decided to stop joining the group to avoid the unnecessary drama that comes with it.

Of course, I'm in a different situation than most given my knowledge of cruising. But I hope this article serves as a warning these groups have changed a lot over the years and not to trust everything you read in them.

There's still value in finding a well-moderated group for your sailing with people that bring different experiences and background. Heck, you might even make a new friend before you board.

Just don't get too invested into them.