When you go on a Royal Caribbean cruise, there's all sorts of extras you can buy for it, and a few are must-buys that at one point I scoffed at.
I'm lucky that it's my job to try out different things Royal Caribbean offers in order to evaluate how useful it is. After all, one of the most common questions I get from readers about anything the cruise line does is, "is it worth it?".
I prefer to mix up my repertoire of cruise experiences and I really try not to do the same thing on every sailing, especially when I'm on the same ship or going on the same itinerary again.
Over the years, I've come to truly love certain extras the cruise line offers and it's unusual if I go on a cruise and don't have all of them booked.
I came up with a list of four things I always buy now, even though I probably at one point wasn't sure I'd ever like it. But they turned out to be so good, that they have nearly permanent spots in my online shopping cart before I go onboard
Cabana rentals
Many years ago I tried my first cabana when my good friend, supporter of this site, and travel partner, Beci Mahnken from MEI Travel invited me to her hilltop cabana at Labadee.
Cabanas are available for rent during the day at either Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee, and they have a flat cost for up to a certain amount of people to use it.
I was so impressed by the furnishings, level of service provided, and privacy it included. When my kids were younger, it was the perfect base of operations for my family.
Royal Caribbean has slowly added more cabana types to different places across its private destinations. Most recently, I tried the Hideout Cabanas at the Hideaway Beach Club.
This cabana is located within the adults-only area, and having your own plunge pool is just about my favorite thing ever.
The problem with cabanas is their popularity is no secret, and demand has been so high that prices have skyrocketed in recent years.
I admit I don't always buy a cabana, but I at least look. I've found with some careful planning in advance, you can sometimes nab a cabana for a better price with the right sale.
Spa treatments
I asked my wife what's something she swears by now on a cruise, and her answer was the Vitality Spa.
There are all sorts of treatments you can buy at the spa, and she really enjoys going in for a massage. It's a way to treat herself, as well as set herself up for a relaxing vacation.
I think the best approach is to pre-book online to lock in a good time and good price. Plus, there's no issue with any sales push to book more appointments or longer ones.
Her favorite treatments are either the traditional Swedish massage or a hot rock massage.
I think a lot of people that cruise often have a few "traditions" that they do and it officially kicks off a cruise, and the spa is one for my wife.
Air2Sea
For years I resisted booking my flights through Royal Caribbean because I thought the service fee negated any perceived savings.
I was really wrong.
You can book a flight through Royal Caribbean after you have a cruise booked. You can do it on your own or your travel agent can do it for you.
Last year I had a cruise booked that departed Panama. I booked my own flight and paid for non-refundable air fare because I was certain I was going on the sailing.
Then Royal Caribbean cancelled the Panama Canal transit, and I thought the new itinerary was lackluster. So I cancelled the cruise I was certain I was going on, and ended up with a giant airfare bill.
If I had booked with Air2Sea, I would have been covered.
In addition, Royal Caribbean regularly subsidizes airfare to Europe and Alaska when you book in advance through Air2Sea.
For my upcoming European cruises this summer, I saved almost $2,000 by booking my flights with Air2Sea instead of directly with the airline. I was amazed how much I saved, because I always though booking directly was cheaper.
Did you know you can book a flight with Air2Sea and not pay a penny until your cruise final payment date? This is a huge advantage for families that want to budget out their trip and split up payments.
The Air2Sea website used to be more wonky to use, but it's gotten better recently.
For the money savings alone, I'll book my flights with Royal Caribbean. Plus, it offers some protections too.
Royal Railway
When Royal Caribbean announced it was going to build an immersive dining experience, I thought I'd definitely try it once. I never thought it would join my "must-eat there all the time" list.
Royal Railway at Utopia Station is a simulated classic train car dinner, where you board a full-size replica train. Using technology, sounds, and even a little motion, it feels like you're transported to The Old West.
The implementation was great, and I thought they did such a good job evoking the look and feel of what a train car of that era looks like.
Plus, the food is really good too and I could eat the braised short ribs, empanadas, and pretty much any dessert on the menu!
It wasn't until I got onboard and experienced it for myself that I truly got it. I think when Royal Caribbean finally rolls out additional themes and menus, this is going to be a revolutionary restaurant.
Whereas I tried Empire Supper Club on Icon of the Seas and felt content, Royal Railway is something I wanted to go back to again and again.
