Royal Caribbean Blog

Cruise ships are always evolving, including how to power them.

In a world growing more aware of the importance of protecting the environment, cruise lines are holding themselves to a higher standard.

Royal Caribbean has its own net zero carbon emission goals, and its newest cruise ships rely on new fuel sources to power them.  They're even using biofuels on some ships, as well as launching the first waste-to-energy system on a cruise ship.

However, the work isn't complete and the ultimate goal of a clean burning fuel unreached.

At a Q&A session on the 2024 President's Cruise, a passenger named Bridget asked, "What is the top thing Royal Caribbean is working on towards [its] environmental impact?"

Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, told passengers that the cruise line is committed to sustainability, but can't rely on solutions that don't yet exist.

He was honest about where Royal Caribbean succeeds environmentally and where it needs work.

Royal Caribbean works with the latest research it has at the time 

Michael Bayley explained Royal Caribbean's commitment and mindset regarding the environment.

"Everything that we do is put through that lens of trying to be as sensible as we can buy new ships, for example; Icon, Utopia, Star."

Icon of the Seas launched in January of 2024, Utopia of the Seas will have its first voyage in July of 2024, and Star of the Seas is set to arrive in the summer of 2025.

Royal Caribbean has focused on making its new ships as environmentally friendly as possible in tandem with new research providing information.

The three new ships were all made with hybrid engines and can run on a combination of typical marine fuel and LNG (liquified natural gas).

LNG is considered more environmentally friendly because, according to Mr. Bayley, it's about 24% better in carbon footprint than marine fuel.

"We are committed to making the journey to carbon neutrality," he said.

"Over time, we set goals for 2030."

Read more: Royal Caribbean's next-gen cruise ship will advance goal of creating sustainable cruising

Although LNG is considered better for the environment, it's not perfect.

Liquified natural gas has also been criticized for leaking when it's transferred between tanks.

"When decisions are made on building ships, they're made with the information that's available at the time. And of course, the information at the time when we signed contracts to build ships is different from how it looks today," Michael Bayley said. 

Although Royal Caribbean builds its new ships with the newest technology they're aware of, the information changes from year to year.

Cruise ships can be built in 18-12 months, but they take years to come to fruition. Icon of the Seas, for example, was conceived before 2016 and finally launched in 2024.

With these long timelines, information can change over the years.

"In five years, how we do this is going to look different as well," Mr. Bayley continued.

"There is no magical fuel"

The biggest issue for cruise ship sustainability is fuel. Cruise ships use a massive amount of fuel to power their journeys and amenities onboard.

Michael Bayley touched on this during the Q&A: "The big question is, what is the future fuel for all of this transportation? It's still unknown."

Transportation industries such as cargo ships and airlines are investing in the issue and attempting to find a solution, but there's still not a perfectly sustainable option.

"There is no magical fuel," Mr. Bayley said, and he believes "that's the formula for success in the future."

Five to ten years ago, LNG was viewed as the solution to creating a more sustainable fuel. But now it's not considered the best option.

Read more: Which Royal Caribbean ships are powered by LNG?

Mr. Bayley also addressed other options that are still being developed, such as methanol and fuel cells.

He didn't make a mention of the new biofuel Royal Caribbean has been testing on its ships.

However, none of these options are viable for cruise ships yet. 

The entire marine industry is working on a solution

And before you consider boycotting cruise ships for their lack of sustainable fuel, it's important to consider the big picture.

When it comes to environmental issues, Mr. Bayley pointed out that the whole world "is on the same journey" to carbon neutrality.

Many governments and industries are working on the question of sustainable transportation.

Nearly everything we consume in the Western world has arrived by cargo ship, powered by typical marine fuel.

"80% of everything we consume comes on containers," Mr. Bayley said. "The cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the water we drink."

Typically, these items come by ship or rail, so there's no getting away from the question of carbon-neutral fuel.

Fuel is a big question for the entire marine industry, and Royal Caribbean is committed to figuring out a sustainable answer.

"I can assure you we're committed to that," Mr. Bayley told passengers on the President's Cruise. 

"We are working diligently, not only as a company but [also] within the industry and within the larger sector of the maritime industry, which is vast."

He also urged listeners to check out Royal Caribbean's sustainability report on the website, which describes all of the cruise line's efforts in detail.

Royal Caribbean has more sustainable waste management than cities on land

Royal Caribbean understands its responsibility to the environment and has done an excellent job at managing waste onboard its ships.

Just 7% of the waste onboard Royal Caribbean ships ends up in the landfill. 

The rest is recycled, incinerated, or turned into purified water that can be dumped in the ocean.

"I would challenge any city in Europe or the world to have a better, more advanced technology than we have onboard," Mr. Bayley said.

"Now, if you went home and understood how much of your waste is going into a landfill, I'm going to bet it's a lot more than 7%."

According to the Trash in America report by Frontier Group, 52.6% of trash in the United States is thrown in landfills or otherwise combusted without energy recovery.

Read more: Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ships will convert waste to energy

When Royal Caribbean designed Utopia of the Seas, they had a primary goal of loading it up with the absolute best food and drinks you could find at sea.

Rather than build a cruise ship with the same exact options as previous vessels, the team at Royal Caribbean had the goal of packing Utopia of the Seas with just about every plussed up idea they had.

Read more: Utopia of the Seas guide

If you look back at ships over time, you can find different ideas, initiatives, and upgrades on each. Sometimes they are added in a refurbishment, sometimes they are a new idea at the time when the ship was built, and in other cases, they are one-off enhancements.

The Product Development team at Royal Caribbean wanted to come up the ultimate dine and drink evolution, according to Jay Schneider.

Schneider leads the Product Development team, and it's his job to dream up ideas for cruise ships that will position Royal Caribbean ahead of any vacation option out there.

'Our ultimate dine and drink evolution'

Mr. Schneider said Royal Caribbean's research indicates people choose to cruise for two primary reasons: destinations and food.

While entertainment and retail do factor into that decision, where the person goes and what they eat always rank highest.

"We really wanted to focus on that tradition, evolution, revolution from a food and beverage perspective," Mr. Schneider explained in an exclusive interview with Royal Caribbean Blog.

He's referring to an internal directive for new cruise ship building that relies on embracing aspects that have worked in the past (traditional), improving upon others (evolution), and coming up with completely new ideas (revolution).

Mr. Schneider sees everywhere you look on Utopia of the Seas the very best food and beverage options you'll find on any Royal Caribbean ship.

From a massive overhaul of Izumi and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen with expanded new locations, to something as simple as adding sprinkles to the complimentary soft-serve ice cream on the pool deck, "we leaned into kind of that ultimate dine and drink, which got us to really re-examine every venue, every offering."

Royal Caribbean nicknamed the initiative, "Project Feast", and it's goal was to deconstruct what their guests were looking for in how they dine, drink, and eat onboard.

The team felt good about many of the existing restaurant properties, but wanted more out of them, "Great steak house in Chops, excellent Italian in Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, great seafood in Hooked, great Japanese in Izumi. But even in those, where do they evolve to?"

He says that evolution is present on Utopia of the Seas.

A similar effort was already underway for sister ship, Icon of the Seas, but there was more time to re-evaluate what was working well.

"In the case of Izumi, we really thought we were on to something with Izumi in the Park. Let's take a look at that, deconstruct it and say, where else would we go with it?"

Read more: How Izumi went from concept to success

The result is the biggest Izumi yet, with double the teppanyaki tables, new al fresco dining, a to-go window, and even an omakase experience.

The team saw a different goal with Giovanni's, because they wanted to enhance the restaurant, "We really wanted to lean into great Italian, gorgeous, uplifting the experience."

It's in a new location on deck 12 and spans two stories, and even has an outdoor terrace that overlooks the Boardwalk.

Read more: How Royal Caribbean reimagined its signature Italian restaurant

Chops Grille got the upgraded menu options first introduced on Icon of the Seas, along with brand new decor. Schneider believes it's the best in the fleet now.

While all of those venues got upgrades, Mr. Schneider felt it was time to redevelop completely the Bionic Bar concept.

"Our research said it was tired, it was underutilized, and so it gave us a great opportunity to lean into consumer testing and say, an awesome tiki bar is going to be a really great place if we do it right."

The result is the Pesky Parrot, which he believes is a home run for guests.

Over on the pool deck, there's a new complimentary food truck that gives passengers great complimentary food close to the pools. 

The Spare Tire serves up snacks on Utopia, and it's part of the evolution of an idea to offer more great complimentary options that was first conceived with the Aquadome Market on Icon of the Seas.

Read more: What the Food Was Like on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas

"Our research has said they want the unapologetic resort day when they're at sea. And that is amazing access to water, great views and then great food, so they don't have to go very far."

Read more: Utopia of the Seas restaurant and dining guide

Weekends now, but a ship for everywhere

Royal Caribbean turned a few heads when it announced Utopia of the Seas would begin with just 3- and 4-night cruises instead of 7-night voyages.  It flew in the face of what traditionally a new ship would do, but Royal Caribbean wanted to offer the very best weekend ship to attract new cruisers.

Read more: 5 moves Royal Caribbean is making to overhaul its weekend cruise business

That's the plan for now, but Utopia of the Seas is ready to longer cruises, should the need arise.

"If you think of kind of the evolution of all of our ships, none of them stay in the perfect itinerary, in the perfect location," Mr. Schneider explained.

"We really honed in on designing a global ship that matches what our brand ambition, our brand DNA, and then all rooted in what our guests are looking for us to deliver."

"I would argue Icon unapologetically has been the best of that so far, and I would also argue Utopia builds on that."

A weekend cruise sounds like the perfect Royal Caribbean cruise because you can getaway for just a few nights and not need a lot of time off from work.

There are pros and cons to taking a short cruise over the weekend, but it's often the way a lot of people try a cruise for the very first time.

Let’s take a look at the ins and outs of taking a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise. Knowing which departure ports offer weekend cruises, which destinations you can visit, and how much to budget for will help determine which weekend cruise will be best for your mini-getaway.

Best ship for a weekend cruise

While all Royal Caribbean ships may offer a 3-night cruise here and there, there are several ships that almost exclusively run on the same schedule every week. These ships tend to offer 3-night cruises from Friday afternoon to Monday morning and 4-night cruises from Monday afternoon to Friday morning.

While most ships running weekend cruises are not the newest and largest in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, the majority of these ships have recently been amplified in the cruise line’s Royal Amplified program. Amplifications bring an impressive upgrade to Royal Caribbean ships, adding new onboard activities, stateroom options, and dining/lounge venues.

Utopia of the Seas is the hottest new cruise ship on the market, and is designed to be the ultimate weekend cruise ship, especially if you're new to cruising.  

Sailing from Port Canaveral, Utopia offers 3-night weekend cruises from Friday to Monday that visit Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas.

The new ship has 21 restaurants, five pools, two casinos and an ice skating rink.

Allure of the Seas also offers weekend cruises from her homeport of Miami, Florida. She departs on Friday afternoons and visits both Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay before returning back to Florida on Monday morning.

Allure of the Seas makes a great weekend cruise option for those who love having a nearly endless amount of activities to choose from onboard, from zip lining to AquaTheater shows.

Voyager of the Seas offers longer weekend cruises from Port Canaveral. She has 4- and 5-night cruises in 2024 and 2025, and they go to Cozumel, Mexico or Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic in addition to The Bahamas.

Voyager is a mid-sized ship and the original Voyager Class cruise ship. She has a lot to do, and her prices tend to be very competitive.  She doesn't sail the Friday to Monday weekend cruises, however.

Freedom of the Seas, a Freedom Class ship, offers year-round 3-night weekend cruises departing from Miami, visiting both CocoCay and Nassau. 

Freedom of the Seas was amplified in February 2020 and received a major upgrade, with additions including the Perfect Storm waterslides, a Caribbean resort-style pool deck, and the new Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen restaurant.

Independence of the Seas is the weekend getaway ship of choice for those who prefer to depart from Miami, Florida. She is a Freedom Class cruise ship offering 3-night cruises to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas. Passengers on Independence of the Seas can enjoy an escape room, water slides, and the Izumi hibachi restaurant.

Navigator of the Seas, a Voyager Class ship, is the only Royal Caribbean cruise ship permanently homeported at the Port of Los Angeles. She offers 3-night weekend cruises to Ensenada, Mexico. Navigator of the Seas was amplified in 2019 with a Caribbean resort-style pool deck, new tropical-themed bars like the Bamboo Room, an escape room, and more.

Weekend cruise itineraries

Royal Caribbean offers cruises as long as 19+ nights and as short as 2 nights to destinations all over the world. Regardless of whether you book the longest cruise, a transpacific sailing visiting French Polynesia and New Zealand, or the shortest cruise to the Bahamas, you’re guaranteed to have an unforgettable cruise vacation.

How long are weekend cruises?

Most weekend cruises tend to be 3-nights, leaving port on Friday afternoon and returning early Monday morning. A 3-night cruise gives the perfect length for a true “weekend getaway,” allowing you to forget all the stress brought on by work or school and truly escape.

Occasionally you may find 2-night cruises over the weekend, which leave Friday afternoon and return Sunday morning, although these are much less common.

Weekend cruise departure ports

Most of Royal Caribbean’s regularly scheduled weekend cruises leave from the ports of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, or Los Angeles.

Due to the Passenger Vessel Services Act (otherwise known as the Jones Act), all foreign-flagged ships departing from the United States must include an itinerary stop in a country other than the United States.

Weekend cruises from New York, Boston or Baltimore don't exist because of the time required to reach a foreign port due to distance.

On some occasions you may find weekend cruises leaving from other ports around the world, such as Southampton, England and Haifa, Israel, although these tend to be more of a one-time cruise than a weekly itinerary choice.

Where can I visit on a weekend cruise?

Weekend cruises are fairly limited in the destinations they can visit, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience an amazing day in port on a 3-night getaway.

Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau is the capital of New Providence Island and is one of the most commonly visited ports on any Royal Caribbean cruise. The city is filled with fun activities, from waterparks to historical sites and enjoying day passes at all-inclusive resorts.

While it’s possible to disembark the ship in Nassau and simply walk around, we highly recommend planning what you would like to do in Nassau in advance to ensure you don’t miss out on the island’s best offerings and beaches.

Read more: Best things to do in Nassau on a cruise

Perfect Day at CocoCay

Perfect Day at CocoCay is Royal Caribbean’s private destination in the Bahamas and is a favorite port among cruise fans. The island offers something for everyone, whether you’re looking to spend the day relaxing at Chill Beach, join the party at the swim-up bar, reserve a private, floating cabana, or slide down the tallest waterslide in North America.

While it’s not necessary to have a plan for your day at CocoCay, it’s a good idea to be familiar with what is offered on the island to ensure you can book any excursions or addons in advance.

Ensenada, Mexico

Ensenada is a port city on Mexico’s Pacific coast in the state of Baja California. If you’ve taken a cruise to other Mexican ports like Cozumel and Costa Maya, you’ll be surprised at how different the geography and coastline of Ensenada is compared to the Caribbean.

Whereas the Yucatan peninsula offers dense jungles, Mayan ruins, and calm beaches, Ensenada has a dry climate. A day in Ensenada is best spent enjoying Baja California’s nature, whether exploring the Calafia Valley Wine Country, riding an ATV on the coast, or hiking through El Salto Canyon.

Read more:  A day in Ensenada, Mexico while cruising on Navigator of the Seas

Other destinations

Royal Caribbean occasionally offers short cruises to more exotic destinations. Currently there are cruises to Cyprus, Le Havre (Paris), and Naples, Italy available to book! The vast majority of weekend cruises, however, tend to visit the same ports due to their proximity to the United States.

Will there be a sea day?

The majority of weekend cruises departing from Florida do not have a sea day, although you may occasionally run into an itinerary with one day at sea. Weekend cruises tend to be port-intensive, meaning they stop in a new port each day.

The exception is with cruises departing from the Port of Los Angeles on Navigator of the Seas. Weekend cruises on Navigator of the Seas have a full day at sea prior to a port day in Ensenada, Mexico. A sea day is perfect for trying the newly amplified ship’s upgraded features, including the longest waterslide at sea and The Lime & Coconut Bar.

If your weekend cruise itinerary does not include a sea day, that does not mean you have to disembark the ship in each port you visit. Many passengers opt to spend one of the port days onboard instead of in port so they can make the most of the cruise ship’s activities, dining, and amenities.

Which cruise ship should I pick for a weekend cruise?

Most of Royal Caribbean’s ships offering weekend cruises are extremely similar to each other, but Utopia of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are the notable favorites.

Being among the biggest cruise ships in the world, Utopia and Allure offer the most to do onboard and the most choices in entertainment, dining, and activities.

The Voyager and Freedom Class cruise ships are almost identical in layout and onboard features. While some dining venues, bars, and water slides may differ, passengers should expect a relatively similar experience no matter which Voyager or Freedom Class ship they choose. The primary benefit of these ships over the Oasis Class ships is price, as they are likely going to be noticeably cheaper.

There are a few differences between them that should be noted, though:

• Utopia of the Seas is the perfect ship if you want the very best ship, and don't mind paying more than other weekend cruise options
• Allure of the Seas does not yet have as many upgrades as Utopia of the Seas. However, prices on Allure tend to be quite competitive
• Navigator of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas offer different style waterslides than the other ships
• There is an escape room available on Freedom, Independence and Navigator of the Seas
• Freedom Class ships are longer than Voyager Class ships, giving more space for a Splashaway Bay area for kids on the pool deck and more venues and stores inside the ship
• Utopia of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas offer the revamped Adventure Ocean kids programming, which offers kids more flexibility in activities rather than a rigid activity schedule

Should I pick Utopia of the Seas?

Utopia of the Seas stands apart from any other cruise ship offering weekend cruises because she's brand new and offers so much more to do onboard.

Royal Caribbean thinks Utopia is the top choice for anyone that wants to do a weekend cruise, especially first-time cruisers.  Utopia has the best in class offerings, which means her pools, activities, shows, and cabins are arguably superior to any other Oasis Class ship.

A 3-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas will almost certainly be the type of sailing where the ship is considered the destination. Whether dining outdoors in Central Park, watching impressive acrobatics and diving in the AquaTheater, or zip lining over the Boardwalk, it’s unlikely a weekend will be enough time to explore the entire ship!

One important distinction to note before booking a weekend cruise on Allure of the Seas is that she has a few differences compared to other Oasis Class cruise ships. While she was scheduled to be amplified in 2020, her amplification has been postponed. Therefore she does not have many features you will find on other ships offering weekend cruises, including water slides, an upgraded pool deck, and new restaurants and bars.

Weekend cruise cost

Weekend cruises offer a great value for a short getaway, as food, lodging, entertainment, and onboard activities are included in your cruise fare. When comparing the price of a hotel, dining at restaurants, and purchasing tickets to entertainment on land, a cruise tends to come at a much lower cost.

In general, a weekend cruise in the cheapest stateroom category (interior) will cost between $700 and $1000 total for 2 adults. The cost of a balcony stateroom will be slightly higher, usually falling somewhere between $1000 and $1450.

Weekend cruises can differ in price depending on the following factors:

• How far in advance you book the cruise
• What time of year you plan to cruise
• Which stateroom you select
• Whether you purchase cruise addons or shore excursions

Generally speaking, the further in advance you book a cruise, the cheaper your price will be. Booking a year in advance can usually net a better price than waiting until just a few weeks or months until the cruise.

This is not always the case, however, as there may sometimes be last-minute weekend cruise deals available. Last-minute deals should not be relied upon, though, and the last thing you want to happen is have a weekend cruise sell out before you can book it!

The time of year you sail can be one of the biggest factors in determining how much a weekend cruise will cost. Summer months and holidays can bring the highest prices due to demand, whereas the months of January, February, September (excluding Labor Day weekend), October, and November (excluding Thanksgiving) tend to be cheaper.

The category of stateroom you select can also make a big difference on the overall cost of a weekend cruise. Interior staterooms will almost always be the cheapest stateroom category available.

Interior rooms can actually make a fantastic stateroom choice for a weekend cruise. Not only will you save money, but with such a short cruise, it’s unlikely you will be spending much time at all in your stateroom anyway. There is so much to do onboard a Royal Caribbean weekend cruise that you might only be in your room to shower and sleep!

Cost of cruise addons and excursions

One of the biggest benefits to booking a weekend cruise is that booking a dining or beverage package comes with less of a “sticker shock” than on a longer sailing.

If a beverage package is priced at $75/day on a 7-night cruise, your total cost will be over $500 plus gratuities! If that same price is offered on a 3-night cruise, you’ll only be shelling out around $225 plus gratuities.

This can make purchasing a beverage package much more enticing. Plus, it’s unlikely you will get bored or tired of drinking on a short cruise. It’s common for many passengers to order fewer drinks as the days go on during a longer cruise, thus not getting the full value of their drink package. 3-nights is a more reasonable amount of time to enjoy unlimited tropical cocktails, beer, wine, coffee drinks, and fresh juices without feeling like you’ve been drinking too much!

Another great thing about the majority of Royal Caribbean’s weekend cruises is that they include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. It’s extremely easy to spend an entire day at CocoCay without spending anything extra, as food, beaches, pools, hammocks, and more are included in your cruise fare. Drink packages work on the island, too, meaning you won’t have to budget anything extra for drinks.

Pros and cons of weekend cruises

Pro: Relaxing getaway

A weekend cruise can offer a much-needed getaway for many passengers. Being able to leave any stress at home and visit multiple tropical destinations in a short amount of time is simply a wonderful way to spend a weekend.

Cruises tend to be much more relaxing than other weekend getaways as well. There’s no need to worry about constantly driving from place to place, paying high prices for food at every meal, and finding activities that are fun for both kids and adults. A cruise offers everything you need in one package.

Plus, many of the same benefits that you will receive from a longer cruise (excitement of going somewhere new, feeling pampered, etc.) you will also receive on a short sailing.

Pro: Less vacation time needed

A great benefit of a weekend cruise is that far less vacation time is needed compared to a 7-night cruise, especially if you live close to the departure port. By departing on Friday afternoon and returning Monday morning, it’s possible to take just one or two days off of work.

If you have few vacation hours or you’re saving them for a longer trip, a 3-night cruise offers the chance to have a mini-vacation without sacrificing your precious PTO time.

Pro: Ability to splurge

A shorter cruise can be a great time to splurge on things like drink packages, shore excursions, and specialty dining. Knowing you don’t have to budget for a full week’s vacation might make you more willing to pay for a few extras to enhance the cruise experience.

Spending $100 for a shore excursion in Nassau may not seem as bad when you don’t have 3 or 4 other ports to visit. Likewise, booking a specialty dinner at Chops, Izumi Hibachi, or Jamie’s Italian can be a nice way to “splurge” while still having a fantastic weekend getaway.

Con: higher cost per day

A major drawback to a weekend cruise is that the cost per day of a 3-night cruise is often more expensive than the cost per day of a longer cruise. To put this into perspective, I checked the prices of two cruises: a 3-night cruise on Freedom of the Seas and a 7-night cruise on Harmony of the Seas. Both sailings take place in September, just after the summer cruise season is over.

On the 3-night sailing on Freedom of the Seas, the cruise fare for 2 adults in a balcony stateroom is $1068. This makes the cost per day $356 per room, or $178 per person.

On the 7-night sailing on Harmony of the Seas, the cruise fare for 2 adults in a balcony stateroom is $1,960 total. This makes the cost per day $280 per room, or $140 per person.

While the cost per day ($178 versus $140) may not seem too drastic, it becomes much different once the cost of airfare and a pre-cruise hotel stay are added to the total cruise cost.

Let’s say you pay $300 roundtrip (per person) in airfare and $250 for a hotel the night before your cruise. This adds $850 to your total cruise cost.

The 3-night cruise now costs $1918, making the cost per day around $639 per room, or $319 per person. The 7-night cruise, on the other hand, now costs $2,810, making the cost per day $401 per room, or around $200 per person.

Con: It’s over before you know it

Booking a 3-night cruise sounds like a perfect idea… until it’s over! Weekend cruises go by very quickly, and they seem to be over just as you are getting acquainted with the ship and settling into “vacation mode”.

While a short cruise is still better than no cruise at all, you’ll likely wish you had at least one or two more days onboard.

Read more: Is it worth it to book a 3-night cruise?

Con: Limited ships offer weekend cruises

Most weekend cruises are on Voyager and Freedom Class cruise ships. While these are amazing ships full of new activities and amenities, you won’t often have the chance to sail on Royal Caribbean’s newest ships when cruising on the weekend.

While this problem will be slightly improved once Allure of the Seas begins offering weekend cruises, it’s unlikely that Royal Caribbean will offer regularly scheduled 3-night cruises on new ships like Wonder of the Seas or Odyssey of the Seas.

Pro and Con: Party atmosphere

Weekend cruises tend to come with a bigger party atmosphere when compared to longer sailings. Bachelor parties, wedding guests, and friend groups are common on shorter cruises… and they come onboard to party!

Whether this is a pro or con ultimately depends on your preferences. It does lead to an extremely lively atmosphere onboard, but if you’re looking for a quiet sailing, a weekend cruise may not be the best choice for you.

Have you ever been on a weekend cruise? What tips and tricks do you have for others planning 3-night Royal Caribbean cruises? Let us know in the comments!

Happy Sunday! We hope you are having a great weekend! Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and catch up on all the Royal Caribbean news from the week!

Utopia of the Seas launches in just one week, and we have our first look at what this new Royal Caribbean cruise ship looks like.

Photo by Port Canaveral

Royal Caribbean revealed everything new and different on the ship, which has a renewed focus on dining, expanding Izumi, adding outdoor seating to Giovanni's, and introducing the Spare Tire.

The new Pesky Parrot tiki bar will replace the Bionic Bar, and The Royal Railway will introduce a new train car dining experience to the fleet.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean CEO explains why they won't offer all-inclusive cruises
• Royal Caribbean has no plans to make it more difficult to reach its top-tier loyalty status
• Celebrity Cruises becomes the top cruise line for wine with 18 awards
• Spotted: Has Royal Caribbean Ended BOGO Drink Package offers onboard its cruise ships?
• Utopia of the Seas will have Royal Caribbean’s new elevators that cruise ship passengers will love
• Tropical Storm Beryl forces Royal Caribbean to delay cruise ship return
• Stop bringing these 4 banned things on your Royal Caribbean cruise ship
• Royal Caribbean will do another World Cruise, despite being "extremely complicated" and "massively expensive”
• Royal Caribbean is testing a way to track your kids on the world's largest cruise ship
• Everything I ate on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas

New RCB Video: Boarding the world’s newest cruise ship: 7 hours on Utopia of the Seas

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 — Boarding the world’s newest cruise ship: 7 hours on Utopia of the Seas — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean's private beach club in Mexico looks stunning

Royal Caribbean's exclusive beach club in Cozumel, Mexico, is set to open in 2026.

Although there's still a lot of progress to be made, we took a look at some sneak peek photos shared in a webinar this week.

New details include great views, with access to 17 acres of beaches, pools, and scenery.

Icon of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's best cruise ship ever

New cruise ships always have a certain amount of hype to them, but Icon of the Seas seems to have earned it all.

After sailing on Icon again, Matt thinks it's easily the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship he's sailed on and raises the standard all other cruise ships are judged against.

From the innovations added, to the superior dining choices, and lack of crowds, Icon of the Seas is Matt's favorite ship.

Royal Caribbean will not give away free Wi-Fi on its cruise ships, CEO says

Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International recently explained why WiFi on Royal Caribbean ships is so expensive.

The cruise line doesn't plan on giving away WiFi like hotels on land, and there's a good reason why.

Cruise ships must get their Internet from satellites in space, which costs a lot more to maintain.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 539th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available.

Does Icon of the Seas still hold up months after her debut? Matt shares his thoughts while onboard Icon with Beci Mahnken from MEI Travel.

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.

Parents might have an easier way to keep tabs on their kids while on a cruise ship.

A passenger on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas shared on social media a new test underway that allows parents to track the location of their kids.

Shannon Sinclair posted photos of a new "Kidfinder" that is available in a limited test at the Adventure Ocean kids club.

The device is a waterproof bracelet that allows parents to track the bracelet's location via the Royal Caribbean app.

Read more: Royal Caribbean app guide and walkthrough

"We just got on the Icon of the Seas today and they are piloting Kidfinder," she wrote on Facebook.

According to Ms. Sinclair, the Kidfinder is for kids under 12 years old and under and parents can sign up for the option at Adventure Ocean.

When you sign up for the Kidfinder, parents can choose which cruise ship passengers can track the kids.  This means potentially parents, older siblings, or friends and family can opt into it as well.

You put the bracelet on the kids, and it works anywhere around the ship.

Ms. Sinclair likes the idea for the peace of mind it provides, "My son is 11 and with his older sibling exploring. It’s nice I can track them now. Also if your child is with the other parent or family member you could track them."

This test isn't meant to replace parenting, but rather, give parents another tool to know where their kids are located. It's not uncommon to hear an occasional announcement over the public address system requesting a certain guest go to Guest Services, and the Kidfinder could reduce the need for such announcements.

She added there is no cost to use it, it's free to register at Adventure Ocean.

This is the first we've heard of such an option, and it sounds like it's only being tested at the moment on Icon of the Seas.  There's no indication yet if the Kidfinder will be available on other ships, or even subsequent Icon of the Seas sailings.

One commenter on the Facebook post added this is similar to what Princess Cruises offers already with their Medallion program.

"Everyone gets one of these, on Princess cruise line. We love them! You walk up to your cabin, and your door unlocks automatically. You can also order food and drinks from anywhere on the ship, and have it brought right to you, no matter where you are. They're very convenient," wrote Summer Schoolfield.

Unlike Apple Airtags, the Kidfinder seems to have the ability to better geolocate itself across decks of the ship and within certain venues. Moreover, Kidfinder intergrates into the Royal Caribbean app.

Read more: I tried AirTags to track my luggage on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Liz Whitfield wrote she tried Airtags previously, but with poor results, "We tried to use AirTags for our whole group (adults included) and it was a disaster. They never updated properly. So, this is great."

More new tech on Icon of the Seas

While it remains to be seen if Kidfinder will become a regular option for guests, Royal Caribbean has packed Icon of the Seas with plenty of other innovations.

Being the first in the Icon Class, Royal Caribbean developed a number of improvements and innovations because of Icon of the Seas.

Read more: Icon of the Seas is the best cruise ship ever

Some of these innovations are quite notable by passengers, such as the destination elevators.

Traditional elevators on a cruise ship tend to get overwhelmed quickly, resulting in long waits. Royal Caribbean recognized this known issue, and set about to solve it with Icon.

With destination elevators, a passenger indicates which floor they want to go to and are assigned an elevator by the computer. The result are more efficiently routed elevators and less waits.

Other innovations are not as noticeable, but still have an impact. Crew members that service each cabin have a new stateroom attendant app to track their progress between cabins. 

Read more: Icon of the Seas cabins and suites

Stateroom attendants can use the application to not only track which cabins have been cleaned, but get real-time alerts if a guest has requested an item.

Artificial intelligence is being employed in the cruise ship's kitchens to reduce food waste, and better account for supply needs. AI takes into account unused food scrap weight and predicts how much food the ship will need for the next sailing.

Read more: How over 6,000 people are served meals every day on the world's largest cruise ship

Eating all the delicious food is one of my favorite parts of cruising, and I was excited to get on Independence of the Seas to try it all out.

Independence of the Seas has a variety of quick casual and specialty restaurants onboard for guests to enjoy. While there aren't as many options as the larger Oasis and Icon Class ships, I thought this Freedom Class ship offered a solid selection.

After Independence of the Seas was revamped in 2018, newer features were added, like The Perfect Storm waterslides, FlowRider, an escape room, and more. In addition, new restaurants were added, including Playmakers, Izumi, and Fish and Ships. 

Below is a summary of the dining venues on Independence of the Seas.

Complimentary dining:

• Windjammer buffet
• Main Dining Room
• Cafe Promenade
• Sorrento’s
• Fish and Ships
• Sprinkles

Specialty restaurants and for-charge options:

• Chops Grille
• Giovanni’s Table
• Izumi Hibachi
• Johnny Rockets
• Playmakers Sports Bar
• Sugar Beach
• Scoops by Sugar Beach

Here’s everything my mom and I ate while on our five-day cruise onboard Independence of the Seas, along with our thoughts on each dish.

Main Dining Room

Night one: Welcome Aboard

The “Welcome Aboard” menu features mainly American cuisine. The chef’s recommendations include the crispy crab cake, southern fried chicken, and key lime pie.

For the starter, I ordered the spinach and artichoke dip while my mom got the escargot and crispy crab cake. The crab cake is her favorite Royal Caribbean appetizer, and it did not disappoint.

My mom commented that she wished there was more garlic in the escargot and she would've liked it to be served warmer. I also found that the spinach and artichoke dip wasn't as warm as I would've liked.

For the main course, I got the Southern fried chicken while my mom got the slow-roasted prime rib. The chicken came with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. The chicken was moist, and the honey dipping sauce complemented the flavor. 

My mom liked her medium-well prime rib, which came with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

For dessert, I got the key lime pie while my mom got the Boston cream pie.

We also shared the no-sugar-added dark chocolate custard. My mom is diabetic, so she felt obligated to try the no-sugar-added desserts. 

I always enjoy the key lime pie; it was delicious on Independence. My mom thought the Boston cream pie was OK but nothing to get excited about. We thought the custard was pretty good, especially for being a no-sugar-added dessert, but it would've been even better with some more whipped cream on top.

Night two: A Taste of Italy

Italian night is one of my favorite menus on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The chef’s recommendations for this menu included minestrone, lasagna, and tiramisu.

I ordered the parmesan arancini for a starter while my mom got the garden salad and minestrone. I liked the arancini, but I wished it had more romesco (tomato) sauce.

My mom was surprised at how much flavor the minestrone soup had, so she was happy. She also thought the salad was light and crispy.

Since we had eaten a lot of great food while at Perfect Day at CocoCay, we decided to share the chicken parmesan for our main course. We agreed that the crispy chicken parmesan was good but the spaghetti was not outstanding.

I loved the dessert selections on this menu, so I got the tiramisu and lemon curd tartlet. 

My mom also got the lemon curd tartlet as well as the no-sugar-added coffee pot de creme. 

They were all very good, but the lemon tartlet was the winner for us!

Night four: A Taste of Mexico

The chef's recommendations for this menu were the roasted poblano soup, chili-lime-crusted salmon, and tres leches.

For our starters, we got the grilled sweet corn cakes, tortilla soup, and escargot. The corn cakes are something I would never think to eat while on land, so I liked trying something new. 

My mom thought the tomato-based soup had a nice flavor. She also thought the escargot was better because it had more of a garlic flavor, but it still wasn't as hot as she would've preferred.

I was boring (because I am not a Mexican food fan) and got the grilled chicken breast. This was served with roasted potatoes and vegetables. I was afraid the food would be lackluster, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it. 

I also ordered the mac n cheese from the kid's menu because it sounded too good not to try! Yum!

Mom got the pulled pork enchilada based on our waiter’s recommendation. She thought it was very good and just spicy enough without being too overpowering.

I enjoyed my dessert selection, which was the tres leches with layers of creamy sponge cake.

Mom got the no-sugar-added coconut layer cake. This came with whipped cream and a raspberry sauce, but she was glad she also ordered the no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream to eat with it since the cake was a little dry. She wished the cake had more raspberry sauce.

Every night in the Main Dining Room, we were served a bread basket before the starter. I always had a cheese bun - my favorite!

Day five: Breakfast

On our last sea day, my mom and I had breakfast in the Main Dining Room. Like dinners, this is a sit-down service. On our cruise, breakfast in the Main Dining Room was offered every day, but they served later on sea days. We prioritized coming here for breakfast because it was something different than the Windjammer.

I ordered the ham and cheese omelet along with a fruit cup. My omelet also came with a hashbrown potato and white toast. I thought the omelet tasted the same as the one I would've got in the Windjammer, but I still thought it tasted good.

Mom ordered the market vegetable breakfast bowl, which had two eggs served on top of a bowl of vegetables, cheese, and potatoes.

The whole meal was great, in my opinion. Mom really enjoyed her breakfast bowl and was glad to try something new. In addition to the nice breakfast, we had great conversations with the two tables on both sides of us.

Day five: Lunch

The last meal we had in the Main Dining Room was lunch. On this cruise, lunch in the Main Dining Room was only served on sea days from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

I ordered the mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. I loved these mozzarella sticks, and I think they're better than the ones at Perfect Day at CocoCay!

For the main course, I got the grilled beef quesadilla while my mom got the seafood sandwich. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the quesadilla, but I was happy with how good it tasted. I was impressed! 

Mom enjoyed her seafood sandwich, which included fried shrimp, cod, calamari, coleslaw, tartar sauce, and pickles.

For dessert, we both got the white chocolate mousse, which was garnished with raspberry coulis and ladyfingers. This dessert was amazing and one of our favorites from the entire cruise. I wish they served this at dinner too!

I highly recommend trying the Main Dining Room for lunch at least once during your cruise.

Windjammer

Breakfasts

What we got at the Windjammer for breakfast was similar each morning we ate there.

I would usually order a custom omelet and then grab a hashbrown round along with some cranberry bread. 

Mom would usually get bacon, eggs (either scrambled or overhard), fruit, and cranberry bread. She also gets lots of coffee! 

One morning, she tried the avocado toast and bran muffin. She really liked the bran muffins but she found that the avocado toast was bland.

Night three: Dinner

This night was formal night. We normally eat in the Main Dining Room for formal night, but since we wanted to go to Grease (it was showing during our regular dining time), we decided to go to the Windjammer.

The theme in the Windjammer was “Savor La France” and was described as having, “croque madame, coq au vin, chicken cordon bleu, and french desserts.” Most of the food offered in the Windjammer was also served in the Main Dining Room since it was “A Taste of France” night.

The Windjammer was not super busy, so we were happy to grab a table near the window and watch the sunset while we ate dinner.

Related: Caribbean cruise outfits for women

I definitely wanted to try the chicken cordon blue, so I got that along with some potatoes, green beans, and quiche Lorraine. 

My mom also got chicken cordon bleu, as well as green beans, pineapple, quiche, and a Caesar salad. We agreed that everything tasted fine but not exceptional, which is to be expected at a buffet.

A fun dessert option this night was a crepe bar! I got a crepe with chocolate and strawberries while my mom got one with just strawberries. She also noticed there were no-sugar-added desserts in the Windjammer like there are in the Main Dining Room. 

In addition to the crepe, I tried the apple cobbler which I thought was OK. It just tastes better in the dining room, in my opinion!

Giovanni's Table

We were only planning on eating at Giovanni’s Table once, but it was so good that we came twice! Lunch was $22.99 per person while dinner was $54.99 per person.

Day three: Lunch

We started the meal with a bread basket along with oil and cheese for dipping.

For the "primi," I selected the minestrone while mom had the Caprese salad and crispy calamari. I thought the minestrone was delicious and much better than the Main Dining Room minestrone. 

The Caprese salad, which included heirloom tomatoes, creamy truffled burrata, pesto, and basil, was very good, but we wished there was more pesto.

As for the calamari, my mom loved it! The calamari was huge, probably five times the size of what you’d find in the Main Dining Room. The huge, meaty chunks had a light and crispy coating and were served with tomato sauce, lemon, and garlic aioli. The calamari was out of this world and she couldn't stop talking about how good it was (even to this day)!

Both of us got the seared filet mignon for an entree. This was served with a wine sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, and broccolini. Our waiter challenged us to compare this filet to the one at Chops Grille. He guaranteed it would be better, and we certainly agreed.

The filet was cooked to perfection and was so tender. The mashed potatoes were beautifully presented and tasted great. I thought the broccolini was fine, so I ate more of the meat and potatoes.

In addition to the filet, we selected two pastas to share: tagliatelle carbonara and gnocchi gorgonzola. We both agreed the gnocchi was better than the carbonara. The carbonara was satisfactory but it needed more flavor.

The gnocchi was tossed in a creamy sauce and had spinach and parmesan cheese. It was the best gnocchi I’ve had in a long time!

Now for the best part of the meal. I was excited to get the tiramisu, which had layers of espresso, Kahlua-soaked ladyfingers, and sweet mascarpone cream. It was so much better than the Main Dining Room tiramisu, and it was huge!

Mom wasn't sure what to order, so she tried the lemon and tutti frutti ricotta cream cannoli. She thought it was dull and would never order it again. 

She wanted to try something else so she ordered the "Assorted Italian Ice Cream." We both loved this dessert, as it had layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry Italian ice cream with delicious toppings, including chocolate chunks, strawberries, and pistachios.

Night five: Dinner

Our waiter convinced us to come back to Giovanni’s Table for dinner on the last night of the cruise. He offered us a BOGO offer, so we couldn't say no!

The dinner menu is extremely similar to the lunch menu with only a few small changes. The eggplant parmesan was an appetizer during dinner while it was a main course option on the lunch menu. Also, the beef carpaccio was a new appetizer option during dinner, and the Ossobucco (veal) was a new main entree option during dinner.

I ended up having almost the same meal at dinner as I had for lunch, but I tried a new pasta and main course.

Read more: 7 reasons to eat at specialty restaurants instead of the Main Dining Room on your cruise

For the appetizer, I had the minestrone soup again while my mom got the calamari again (it was still amazing). 

She did try the beef carpaccio too. This thinly-sliced beef tenderloin was tender and flavorful, so she really enjoyed it.

Mom got the filet mignon once again while I tried the chicken piccata. The chicken was served with gnocchi, spinach, and cherry tomatoes. I would recommend it, but I think the filet mignon was better.

We were happy we tried a new pasta this time, the wild mushroom risotto. We also got the gnocchi gorgonzola again because it was that tasty! Comparing the two, the gnocchi was still our favorite.

I got the tiramisu for dessert again and I absolutely loved it. Mom also got the tiramisu and she could hardly eat it after our big meal. Nonetheless, it was still so delectable!

Fish and Ships

This complimentary dining venue is available only on Independence of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas. I had never eaten here before, so I was excited to see what it was like!

Everything here is included, except for the $12 “Fried Lobster Tail Basket and Chips.” There is a selection of:

• Fish and chips
• Chicken fingers and chips
• Fried shrimp and chips
• Crispy fish sandwich

We chose to eat here once we got onboard during embarkation day because we wanted to avoid the busy Windjammer. There was no line at Fish and Ships, so we made the right decision. I ordered the chicken tenders while my mom got the fish sandwich and shrimp. We also shared a creme brulee dessert.

The tenders were so tiny that they shouldn't been called chicken nuggets! They were served with honey mustard and fries. Overall, I thought it was a yummy snack, but definitely not filling unless I went back for more.

Mom’s fish was breaded, fried, and tasty when dipped in the tartar sauce. The coasting was very thick.

I wish more Royal Caribbean ships had this dining venue because having more quick casual, complimentary dining options is ideal, especially on the pool deck.

Sorrento’s

I usually like Sorrento's on a Royal Caribbean cruise. On this cruise, however, I wasn't impressed. Every time I stopped by, there weren't many pizza options and if there were any available slices, they looked dry like they had been sitting out for a long time.

I tried a slice of pepperoni and cheese pizza when I wanted a snack. I thought the pizza was mediocre so I didn’t go out of my way to get it again.

Johnny Rockets

While we didn't have an actual meal at Johnny Rockets, I went there twice to get a milkshake. 

I appreciate that I can use my Diamond Plus drink vouchers on these milkshakes. The first time I got the Oreo milkshake and the second time I got the strawberry one. I loved both of them, but if I had to pick one, I would pick the Oreo shake as being the best.

Mom tried the vanilla shake, which she found to be refreshing.

Crown Lounge

Since my mom and I are Diamond Plus cruisers, we would sometimes stop by the Crown Lounge for a snack. This lounge was never busy because there were only about 125 Diamond cruisers on our sailing.

For breakfast one morning, we wanted to see what the options were. I had a fruit bowl and chocolate croissant while mom tried the bran muffin, fruit plate, and yogurt parfait. She also got a latte at the coffee machine.

We stopped by the Crown Lounge before dinner one night so we could try some appetizers, like chocolate-covered strawberries and chicken wings.

The Diamond Lounge on the Independence of the Seas has such a beautiful view, making anything you eat there just a little better.

Room Service

On the last sea day, my mom wanted to order room service. Room service continental breakfast is free every day of the cruise. She selected an arrival time of 9-9:30 a.m. At 8:50 a.m., she got a call to our stateroom to verify that she was awake and ready to receive her food. Within five minutes, the food was delivered.

She ordered an English muffin, fruit, two pots of coffee, and chocolate milk (for me). She expected the English muffin to be cold but to her surprise, it was still warm because it was wrapped in a napkin. The coffee also arrived hot, which she appreciated.

Related: I stayed in the cheapest, smallest cabin on Independence of the Seas cruise ship. Look inside my 162-square-foot room

Bonus: Hideaway Beach at Perfect Day at CocoCay

During our time at Perfect Day at CocoCay, we had some great food!

We spent our day at the adults-only Hideaway Beach. This new area of the island features a pizza venue called Slice of Paradise as well as a Snack Shack that offers unique dishes.

Mom and I got lunch at Snack Shack, which consisted of the crispy chicken sandwich for me while mom got the coconut shrimp. I made sure to order my chicken sandwich with the secret ingredient: mozzarella sticks! It was quite tasty.

Mom loved the coconut shrimp because they were large, hot, and crispy. She definitely got her money’s worth because she got 18 of them throughout the day! She had been looking forward to the Hideaway Beach coconut shrimp the entire cruise.

Mom also decided to try ceviche for the first time since this is only offered at Hideaway Beach. She found it to be spicy and sour. After one bite, she knew she didn't want anymore!  

We split a funnel cake for our dessert. We loved the crispy texture with the powdered sugar dusting on top. Every visit to CocoCay, we look forward to having a funnel cake.

Before we left to go back to the ship, I wanted to try a slice of pizza. I got the barbeque chicken pizza and thought it was OK. I felt that it tasted similar to the pizza you would find at Sorrento’s, which is nothing to rave about.

More Royal Caribbean dining information:

• 21 Tips for the Best Cruise Ship Main Dining Room Experience
• How does Royal Caribbean dining work?
• Dinner on Royal Caribbean: Early Dinner vs. Late Dinner

The Ultimate World Cruise has garnered a viral amount of attention, and it won't be Royal Caribbean's last.

The 9-month cruise around the world is set to visit 65 countries, more than 150 destinations, and 11 Great Wonders of the World.

The sailing started in December of 2023 and will end on September 10th, 2024.

As of July 11th, the cruise is 213 days into sailing, and Royal Caribbean has already announced its intention for another.

Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International's President and CEO, spoke of the world cruise during a Q&A session on the 2024 President's Cruise.

A cruiser named Mel asked if there would ever be another world cruise: "Is it going to be part of Royal Caribbean's offerings going forward?"

Mr. Bayley applauded the cruise as "a fantastic adventure" and explained what it would take for Royal Caribbean to do another.

Read more: I'm going on Royal Caribbean's first world cruise for 274 nights: Why I booked and what I'm expecting

The Ultimate World Cruise has been "a great success"

Michael Bayley started his response by praising the line's first World Cruise.

"First of all, I think the World Cruise has been a fantastic, unbelievable product for Royal Caribbean to launch and operate. I think it has been a great success."

While this wasn't the first world cruise, this is the first time that Royal Caribbean has done one, making it one of the only big and well-known cruise lines to do so.

Mr. Bayley believes the spirit of the World Cruise is similar to that of Royal Caribbean International itself.

"It's like the ultimate adventure to me," he said. "I applaud and admire everybody who took the Ultimate World Cruise. What a fantastic adventure, once in a lifetime."

What makes the World Cruise so exciting is that it sails around the world, taking passengers to every continent on the planet.

The sailing represents excitement, adventure, and exploration—concepts similar to the cruise line's brand.

Royal Caribbean prides itself on onboard thrills, exciting itineraries, and thrilling vacations, appealing to adventurous travelers and committed cruisers.

"You sail around the world for nine months, and you've got all these incredible places," Mr. Bayley said.

For guests who seek to explore the world on a cruise ship, the Ultimate World Cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see 65 countries.

In addition to the excitement ingrained in such a sailing, this year's World Cruise has garnered a significant amount of attention.

Since its departure, the sailing has gone viral on social media, with cruisers onboard depicting their own "reality series" about life onboard.

Even Mel, the cruiser who asked the question on the President's Cruise, described the sailing as "a massive success in terms of branding and marketing."

Read more: Royal Caribbean's 9-month world cruise is getting attention for "drama", but it's nothing new

Royal Caribbean wants to do another one, despite the challenges involved

Despite the great success of the World Cruise, Royal Caribbean found it a challenging endeavor.

"My team thinks it sucks," Michael Bayley joked, "because it's been extremely complicated and massively expensive."

Read more: A passenger on the 9-month cruise is halfway done and lists what they like and don't like about the trip so far

Mel referenced some of the issues the cruise has faced in her question.

"Some things haven't gone to plan, specifically with the circumnavigation of Africa, and obviously that would come with a massive cost to the organization."

After geopolitical issues in the area of the Red Sea, Royal Caribbean chose to circumvent the area and change "Segment 3" of the voyage.

Passengers voted to sail an "Immersive Africa" experience instead, sailing around the continent of Africa before arriving at the Mediterranean Sea.

The Ultimate World Cruise has also been host to flooding onboard, canceled ports in South America, and the unfortunate death of a passenger onboard.

In addition to changing the cruise itinerary, Royal Caribbean also refunded passengers 25% off their Segment 3 cruise fare. Passengers who didn't want to sail the new itinerary could also receive a full refund for the segment.

Because of these issues, cruising has been an expensive labor for the cruise line.

Mr. Bayley said the management team had to debate the idea of another one. However, despite initial hesitation, Royal Caribbean will do another Ultimate World Cruise.

"The question is when?" Mr. Bayley continued. "We don't know when that is."

Another challenge the World Cruise has presented is that the cruise needs to take place on a different ship, Mr. Bayley says.

"The ship that we picked is a great ship, but we need a ship with more outside staterooms."

The World Cruise is currently taking place on Serenade of the Seas, a Radiance class ship that was launched in 2003 and enhanced in 2012.

Serenade has 1,073 guest staterooms in total, with 61 suites, 517 balconies, 246 oceanview rooms, and 249 inside cabins.

The line's newer ships have a higher percentage of balcony staterooms, so Mr. Bayley believes the cruise line should switch to a newer ship for the World Cruise.

However, it's also not practical to put such a comprehensive itinerary on a big ship, so the cruise would have to take place on a newer, but smaller vessel.

Read more: 12 differences between the big and small Royal Caribbean cruise ships

The next Ultimate World Cruise could be on a new Class

One solution could be for the cruise line to schedule the World Cruise on a Voyager-Class ship.

The Voyager Class is a small class of vessels that debuted in 1999, and runs slightly larger than the Radiance Class.

Not every port can accommodate bigger ships, so a smaller vessel can bring passengers to even more ports worldwide.

However, another option could be to organize it on a new class of ship.

"We're also still working on a new Class of ship," Michael Bayley hinted on the President's Cruise. "So we're trying to figure it out."

Royal Caribbean has hinted at the possibility of creating a new, smaller class of ship.

Calling the idea "Project Discovery," the cruise line wants to update its smaller cruise ships and allow passengers to travel to more ports.

The Captain of Radiance of the Seas commented that the new class of ship would be around the size of the Radiance Class, which have the capacity for around 2,500-2,700 passengers.

When this new line is launched, these ships could be a great option for the Ultimate World Cruise.

They'll be able to travel to more distant ports while also offering a wider selection of cabin categories.

Read more: Why you shouldn't avoid older and smaller cruise ships

While the Royal Caribbean CEO and President didn't give any more details, he ended his comments by assuring cruisers that the World Cruise is here to stay.

"We're going to do another ultimate world cruise, and when we're ready, we'll announce it," he said. "But we need time and we need to find some solutions to make it work for everybody."

Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas is ready to start offering cruises, and reinvent the weekend cruise.

The brand new Oasis Class ship arrived in Port Canaveral on Thursday, and Royal Caribbean Blog received an advanced look onboard to see the new ship.  Work was still be dong to put some finishing touches, but the it's nearly all ready for guests to board for the first revenue sailing.

I walked around the ship, exploring the different neighborhoods and getting a sense of what's new and different on Utopia. 

Enjoy this sneak peek at what you can expect on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship.

Best in the fleet offerings

One thing I picked up on after walking around Utopia of the Seas are the differences from other Oasis Class ships. Some are major, some minor, but overall, Royal Caribbean has packed it with the best ideas, innovations, and offerings to date.

When you board the ship on the Royal Promenade, the first place you'll see is the Pesky Parrot.

On the surface, it sounds like a fun tiki bar, but when you see it in person, you'll realize it was designed to be your go-to hang out spot.

Bright neon colors, painted wood, and even a digital backdrop all combine to make this bar really pop.

In addition to the special menu found only at the Pesky Parrot, there's even an assortment of pina colada varieties that evolve the cruise classic. Try the Pesky's Peanut Butter Pina Colada.

There were two venues that really blew me away visually, Izumi and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen.

Izumi is massive, and is easily the largest in the fleet. Within this space are hibachi tables, sushi tables, and an all-new omakase table.  Think of it like a Chef's Table experience, but just Japanese cuisine.

There's also a sushi take-out window, where you can drop in for a couple of rolls and take it elsewhere on the ship.

As someone that loves sushi, I can't wait to try the omakase table.

Giovanni's is also in a new location, and the design looks beautiful.

Spanning two decks, guests can dine both indoors and outdoors. The outdoor seating should be stunning, considering you're on deck 11 and overlook the Boardwalk.

I wasn't prepared for how lovely a setting it is overall, and how moving a restaurant from Central Park up to Decks 11 and 12 can have such a big impact.

Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer, recently said he thinks Utopia's pool deck will be the best in class.

There's just about every feature we've come to love on other Royal Caribbean ships on Utopia's pool deck.

A giant aquapark, wide-open pools, and multi-story Lime and Coconut Bar that "fits" better into the look of the ship.

The adults-only Solarium is enclosed, meaning better temperature controls. Sadly, the bridge wings are not on Utopia because the space was taken up by the new Solarium suites.  Alas, there's still plenty of great views elsewhere.

I also loved the herd of hippos hidden in one corner of the Solarium.

There's a clear focus on dining on Utopia of the Seas, including a brand new quick service restaurant at the pool.

The Spare Tire has wraps, a sandwich, and something called "tornados". It's complimentary and very convenient for anyone that is enjoying a day at the pool.

Something else different about Utopia is the fact Royal Caribbean has re-claimed the title of longest slide at sea.

The Ultimate Abyss has been extended 43 feet, which makes it longer than the slide on MSC Cruises.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the destination elevators that are on Utopia of the Seas.

These elevators significantly cut down wait times for an elevator on Icon of the Seas, and I cannot wait to utilize them on Utopia.

Familiar favorites around the ship

It's amazing to me how Royal Caribbean can innovate each ship within a class, but Utopia does that quite well.

Chops Grille has the upgraded menu first seen on Icon of the Seas, and a refreshed look inside as well.

150 Central Park is across the way, and I think this has always been a rather underrated specialty restaurant.

Park Cafe has always been my go-to spot for a breakfast bite to eat, especially before we need to head off the ship for a shore excursion.

Central Park has the same layout as on other Oasis Class ships, but the different venues here will be the most notable change.

Entertainment coming soon

The casts of all the shows on Utopia of the Seas were hard at work rehearsing, so I did not get a chance to see those venues.

Utopia of the Seas will have three primary venues for shows: Aquatheater, Royal Theater, and Studio B ice rink.

Read more: Utopia of the Seas entertainment and shows

More similar to Wonder of the Seas than other ships

If you've sailed on Wonder of the Seas, you'll notice more similarities with Utopia of the Seas than other Oasis Class ships.

The casino on Utopia is quite large, and seems to follow the same layout as Wonder.

The Mason Jar is also on Utopia, which is my favorite bar to hang out in during the evening hours. One change they made was to add a wall behind the stage, which I think will help keep the venue cooler.

The Attic and Crown Lounge are in the same location on both ships.

Fans of karaoke will love Spotlight Karaoke, located on the Royal Promenade. 

Cafe Promenade has the new complimentary drink dispensers that are easier to refill for the crew. These were first introduced on Icon of the Seas.

Like all the Royal Promenades, there is a classic car on Utopia. This one is a classic Pontiac, and it looks very neat!

I especially liked the art in each of the elevator atriums.

Exploring the sports deck

I walked around the sports deck on deck 16, and it's a refreshed version of the popular activities you typically find here.

You'll find a sports court, Flowrider surf simulator, zip-line and mini-golf.

Part of the appeal of any Royal Caribbean cruise is how much there is to do onboard, and Utopia will not disappoint.

Adventure Ocean

One area I always see a noticeable upgrade on every new Royal Caribbean ship is in the kids programming spots.

Adventure Ocean is located on deck 14 forward, and the AO Juniors space is quite well-adorned with play areas. Seeing it now, my kids lost out on this space considering the version they had a few years ago.

The teen club was being used for another purpose on this day, but the outdoor teen deck looked like a great place and has a hot tub.

When Royal Caribbean opens its new beach club in Mexico, it looks like it will offer a full day of fun.

In March 2024, Royal Caribbean announced plans to build a beach club in Cozumel, Mexico exclusively for the use of its cruise ship passengers.

It will open sometime in 2026, and be the second beach club operated in a popular cruise port by Royal Caribbean. The first will be in Nassau, Bahamas.

When the cruise line announced Royal Beach Club Cozumel, there wasn't much detail provided.  However, a new sneak peek gives us a glimpse of what Royal Caribbean is envisioning.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider shared new concept art in a webinar with travel agents on Wednesday.

He called this, "real fun, high level directional renders of potentially where we may go," and warned, "these are not anywhere near final."

Water and views

The idea behind all of Royal Caribbean's beach clubs is to combine great views, with great access to water.

"If you think of the DNA of our beach clubs, high volume ports where we go," Mr. Schneider explained. It's designed to have, "great beach, great pool, great food, great service."

Admission into the beach club will include access to swim-up bars, pools cabanas to rent, snorkeling, kayaking, restaurants, and street markets.

Unlike the cruise line's private island in The Bahamas, it's not meant to be for every single passenger on the ship.  Rather, it's an optional extra-cost choice for passengers, in addition to the other shore excursions and activities found around Cozumel.

More to reveal in the future

Royal Caribbean has not yet announced where the new beach club will located in Cozumel, nor other details about what the club entails.

Other questions include pricing, and a full list of features.

With the Cozumel beach club the second in line, the primary focus of the cruise line's attention will be the opening of the Paradise Island Beach Club first.  Moreover, they may look for lessons learned from the first club to tweak the Cozumel club.

More details on Bahamas Beach Club

Mr. Schneider also went over details of what passengers can expect when the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opens in 2025, including a few leaked details.

He wouldn't commit to a date, and danced around the exact opening. 

The beach club will offer 17 acres of beach, pools, and scenery, "The views off the north shore of Paradise Island are nothing but stunning."

There will be three pools, and the club will incorporate a zone concept for the layout: a family zone, a party zone, and a chill zone. Mr. Schneider was quick to point out those will not be the names, just directional design concepts to follow.

Every every zone has a swim up bar, "we're leaning into really great music, great drinks, great water, great views."

Mr. Schneider also included a slide that he claimed wasn't supposed to be there, that has an idea his team is working through.

"We're dreaming of possibly an ultimate family cabana," he said. The concept was to follow in the footsteps of having the Ultimate Family Suite and Ultimate Family Townhouse, which are over-the-top suites that pack in just about everything a family might want in a cruise ship cabin.

Read more: Royal Caribbean has an ultra-luxury suite that can cost over $80,000 per week

Some Royal Caribbean fans have asked for an all-inclusive cruise, but it's not in the cards for the line.

Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, told passengers on this year's President's Cruise that the cruise line wouldn't offer an all-inclusive pricing.

While on the 2024 President's Cruise, Mr. Bayley took to the stage to answer questions posed by cruisers hailing from all over the world.

One cruiser, Gail from Australia, asked if cruises would switch to blanket pricing.

"I've heard a rumor that the pricing structure for cruising in America is going to be changed to an all-inclusive pricing structure," she said. "Is that correct?"

Mr. Bayley dismissed the rumor and replied that it was not.

Royal Caribbean wants its experience to remain adjustable

An all-inclusive cruise would mean that more aspects of the total cruise experience would be included in the base fare, such as beverage packages, specialty dining, and Wi-Fi.

Mr. Bayley assured cruisers that "Royal Caribbean is not going in that direction."

"I don't think we have any plans to roll it all up into one price," he said.

The cruise line has found from research that the brand needs to give everyone the decision of what they want to be included in their vacation.

"Because of the scale of our brand, we need to give everybody the choice," Mr. Bayley stated.

To appeal to its wide audience of cruisers who hail from all over the world and span many generations, the cruise experience should be adjustable for every individual.

For example, about 52% of Royal Caribbean's guests love the beverage package, but 48% don't.

The average cost of Royal Caribbean's most popular drink package is around $65 to $115 per person per day, depending on the sailing.

If Royal Caribbean switched to all-inclusive pricing, it would force 48% of customers (including families and children) to pay for a drink package they won't use.

Read more: Things I Don't Pay Extra for on Royal Caribbean Cruises To Save Money

Instead, the cruise line wants to focus on an affordable price and value for all cruisers. Then, "If you want to buy stuff, buy it. If you don't, don't."

With the current pricing structure, it's easy for cruisers to simply add the products they want, and not pay for anything they don't want to.

In January 2024, Mr. Bayley said keeping the choice of what extras to buy is better for the cruise line's core customers, "We've learned that unbundling is much easier and better for the guest. It also gets the price point in front of the customer, especially for families. And remember family is our is our real core target market."

"When you unbundle everything, it gives people choice and it pushes the pricing closer to their budget, which is a really important thing for families," he continued.

"We feel like the pricing strategy that we have on the bundling, unbundling is the right path to go."

Gratuities won't be included in the base fare, either

When asked if gratuities would ever be included in the base fare or the cost of services onboard, Mr. Bayley said it wouldn't happen, either. 

He explained that another reason for separating pricing is the different cultures around service.

For much of the world, tipping is not a part of the culture and isn't expected by locals.

In the United States, however, tipping is considered normal, even expected.

Bayley, who's lived in the U.S. for decades, joked, "You're just you're trained to tip for everything. You tip for this, tip for that."

"I'm Americanized, [so] when I go to the UK and I go to the pub with my sister and we have drinks, they bring the change and she puts it in her pocket. And I'm like, what is the matter with you?"

Read more: Tipping on a cruise ship: What you should and shouldn't do

While gratuities are required on a Royal Caribbean cruise, they are charged separately from the total fare.

Guests can choose to prepay gratuities before the cruise or to have them added to their onboard account and settled at the end of the cruise.

As of July 2024, the current daily gratuity is $18 per passenger in standard cabins and $20.50 per passenger in Suites (Grand Suite and above).

Instead of including tips within the total cruise fare, Royal Caribbean is transparent about the cost and gives guests the option to decide when to pay it.

The cruiser was referring to the California "Honest Pricing Law"

Royal Caribbean isn't including add-ons in the cruise price, but taxes and fees are now displayed in the total cost.

The cruiser who posed the question implied that cruises in the United States would be changing to a blanket pricing plan.

"I've heard a rumor that the pricing structure for cruising in America is going to be changed to an all-inclusive pricing structure," she said. 

It's possible the reason Gail believed all-inclusive pricing was going to become the norm for U.S. cruisers was the recent pricing law that went into effect.

Senate Bill 478 went into effect on July 1st. 

Also called the "Honest Pricing Law," this bill now requires businesses to include the cost of extra fees within the listed price.

For cruise lines, this means that fares will look a little higher, as they now include the total cost of taxes and fees.

Michael Bayley explained this during the Q&A session: "When we present the price to you, it has to be an all-inclusive price of what you're going to pay for, which means it has to include taxes and fees."

"It's basically a change in the American market. And I think it makes sense, I think."

However, this merely involves including the price of fees. Royal Caribbean still will not have a blanket pricing structure that includes items like the Internet, specialty drinks, gratuities, and spa services.

What's included in my Royal Caribbean cruise fare?

Despite the separate charges, a cruise fare actually includes quite a lot.

Looking at everything that is still included in the base fare, a Royal Caribbean cruise can come at great value.

Amenities that are included in the base fare on every ship include:

• Stateroom accommodations and private bathroom
• Stateroom attendance and daily cleanings (twice a day for suites)
• Dining venues such as the Main Dining Room and Windjammer
• Beverages like coffee, tea, juice, and milk
• Room service continental breakfast
• Children's programming at Adventure Ocean
• Teen hangout areas and programming
• Entertainment such as musicals, live comedy, and magic shows  
• Many onboard activities 
• Sports centers and classic activities
• Access to the fitness center
• Pools, hot tubs, and sun decks

Guests also have the option to choose to purchase extra add-ons as part of their vacation. 

These can be purchased on the online Cruise Planner before the cruise or onboard during the cruise. Some amenities require reservations or prior payment, while others do not.

Read more: Top 30 extra cruise costs that are not included

Cruise amenities that cost extra include:

• Specialty restaurants
• Beverage packages
• Alcoholic drinks
• Specialty coffee
• Gratuities
• Souvenirs
• Spa treatments
• Salon services
• Room service
• Onboard photos
• Shore excursions
• Internet
• Fitness classes
• Select times at Adventure Ocean
• Arcade games
• Casino 
• The Key
• Medical services
• Laundry and dry-cleaning
• Airport or hotel transfers
• Artwork auctions
• Ship-to-shore phone calls

Royal Caribbean has no intention to bundle these amenities into the base cost of a cruise.