Royal Caribbean Blog

An important part of planning a Royal Caribbean cruise is knowing what is and is not included in your cruise fare. While your cruise fare includes accommodation, food, and activities, it does not include gratuities for crew members.

Many first-time cruisers are confused about how tipping works on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Who do you need to tip onboard? Should you carry cash or tip on your SeaPass card? Do you need to tip on shore excursions?

Luckily, it’s easy to understand the ins and outs of tipping on a cruise ship. From prepaying gratuities to carrying small bills, here’s what you should and should not do when tipping on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

You SHOULD know what gratuities cover

Each passenger on a Royal Caribbean cruise pays a daily gratuity to cover the services of hard-working crew members onboard. These gratuities are shared among the dining, bar, and culinary teams, stateroom attendants, and the hotel service team.

Royal Caribbean crew members work extremely hard throughout their multi-month contracts, and gratuities are a way to reward them for providing amazing service.

Because they are charged on a daily basis, you do not have to worry about tipping each crew member yourself. Many passengers, however, still like to leave extra tips for their stateroom attendant and dining room waiters at the end of the cruise.

An envelope will be delivered to your stateroom for any extra (optional) tips. You can pick up more envelopes at Guest Services if there are additional crew members you would like to tip.

You SHOULD know how much gratuities cost per day

Gratuities on a Royal Caribbean cruise are priced per day, but the amount owed depends on your stateroom category.

Guests in non-suite staterooms (including Junior Suites) pay $18 USD per person, per day for gratuities. Those in Grand Suites and above pay $20.50 USD per person, per day.

Therefore, for a 7-night cruise, you will pay $126 per person for gratuities in a standard cabin and $143.50 per person in a suite. It’s important to account for gratuities when budgeting for a Royal Caribbean cruise. When sailing with a family of four on a 7-night cruise, gratuities can add nearly $500 on top of your cruise fare.

Depending on where you book your cruise, gratuities may already be included in the price of your cruise fare. Australians booking cruises from Australia, for example, will not incur gratuities on top of their cruise fare, but the cruise fare reflects the price with gratuities added.

You SHOULD pay gratuities in advance

There are two options when it comes to paying gratuities on a Royal Caribbean cruise: prepaying gratuities or waiting to pay them once onboard.

Prepaying gratuities means you can include the current daily gratuity rate in your cost of the cruise when booking. When paying for your cruise, the daily gratuity will be added to the overall cost, and you will not owe any gratuities once the cruise begins.

If you elect not to pay gratuities in advance, a daily charge will appear on your SeaPass account every day of the cruise. If you are on a 3-night cruise, for example, and don’t pay gratuities in advance, you will see a $16 (or $18.50) charge on your account each day of the sailing.

Related: Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise?

We almost always recommend prepaying gratuities before your cruise begins. This allows you to pay off your cruise balance early, so that by the time you get onboard, you won’t have to worry about extra charges.

Paying in advance also locks in the current gratuity rate in case it were to increase. It’s not uncommon for cruise lines to increase daily gratuity by $1 or $2 every few years. If you prepay gratuities and the price increases before your cruise, you won’t have to pay the new daily rate.

You can prepay gratuities at any time up to 48 hours before your sail date. If you booked with a travel agent, contact your travel agent and they can add gratuities to your booking. If you booked with Royal Caribbean directly, your best bet is to call or access your account online to prepay gratuities.

You SHOULD bring small bills

Bringing small bills is recommended on a cruise, as it allows you to tip crew members easily throughout the sailing. Having $1 and $5 bills handy is helpful when you want to give a bartender a small tip with your drink or tip a porter for handling your baggage on embarkation day.

If you don’t have small bills, you can ask Guest Services to break down larger bills. Simply bring a $20, $50, or $100 bill to Guest Services and they will be happy to give you change.

How much cash should you bring on a cruise? Ultimately, it depends on your travel style. Most payments on your cruise vacation will be completely digital, so most passengers only use cash onboard to give additional tips to crew members.

Related: How much cash should you bring on a cruise?

You SHOULDN’T remove gratuities once onboard

Technically, you can visit Guest Services once onboard your cruise ship and opt to remove gratuities from your account. Some passengers like to do this in order to give tips to crew members directly whenever they see fit.

While this may seem like a good idea in theory, it comes with one major drawback.

It’s unlikely you will meet every crew member onboard who would otherwise receive a percentage of gratuities. Although details on how gratuities are allocated are not shared with the public, it’s likely Royal Caribbean has a pool of gratuities that is split amongst the crew members.

By giving tips to crew members individually, you may be taking potential gratuities away from other hard-working crew members you don’t meet in person.

It’s totally fine to give extra tips to crew members who go above and beyond during your sailing, but we recommend doing this in addition to the automatic gratuities.

You SHOULDN’T forget cash on shore excursions

It’s customary to tip your shore excursion tour leader, driver, and guides, so don’t forget to bring cash with you in port. Most passengers tip their guides between $5-10, but there is no right or wrong amount to tip on a shore excursion.

Aside from tipping, you should bring cash on shore excursions to purchase extras like souvenirs, drinks, and snacks. We recommend bringing around $100-200 USD with you in port each day.

You SHOULD expect an 18% gratuity on certain purchases

Certain onboard purchases are subject to an 18% gratuity on top of the listed price, including beverages, mini bar items, and spa and salon purchases.

In addition, when you reserve specialty restaurants, dining packages, drink packages, and spa services on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website, the gratuity will be added upon checkout.

Because gratuity is already included in the price of these purchases onboard, it’s not necessary to tip extra. However, many passengers still like to tip a few dollars with a drink or specialty restaurant dinner to show their appreciation.

Dorothy, the tin man, scarecrow, and cowardly lion are all headed to the high seas. 

Based on audition information posted by Royal Caribbean Entertainment, it looks like "The Wizard of Oz" musical will be the featured production show on the next new cruise ship for Royal Caribbean, Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has not formally announced the entertainment for Icon of the Seas, but the Royal Caribbean Entertainment clearly states it is looking for performers to audition for The Wizard of Oz on Icon of the Seas.

One posting wrote, "Principals (Featured Singers) hired for WIZARD OF OZ (3-4 performances weekly) will also perform in an original Royal Caribbean Signature Production onboard the ICON of the Seas (3-4 performances weekly). Candidates must be available and willing to travel internationally aboard our ships."

In addition to the audition information, Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, posted on Twitter an announcement that The Wizard of Oz will be the show for Icon.

The most iconic family story in the history of entertainment, on both the silver screen and on the world’s stages, is our next mega production!
Imagine THIS story, but with OUR creativity and OUR technology!

Buckle up Dorothy, this will be the greatest #YellowBrickRoad ever! 🟨 pic.twitter.com/HwNfgDgpKp

— Nick Weir (@NickWeirShowbiz) March 16, 2023

It's likely the show will be performed in Icon's main theater, as opposed to different venue.

About the musical

Royal Caribbean says the Wizard of Oz production is not the 2011 musical adaption by Andrew Lloyd Weber.

This will be the Royal Caribbean Productions version of the classic.

Coming in 2024

Icon of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship, and first of its kind.

The first in the Icon Class will launch in January 2024, and will have a gross tonnage of 250,800, making her the largest cruise ship in the world by gross tonnage.

The ship will be homeported from Miami and offer week-long Caribbean cruises.

I just finished sailing onboard Celebrity Cruises for the first time - and I absolutely loved it. 

As a very loyal cruiser with Royal Caribbean, I’ve always been intrigued by Celebrity Cruises. Both owned by Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity seemed like the cooler and older sister to Royal Caribbean. 

From my research, Celebrity Cruises offered a more grown-up approach to cruising while still being fun and trendy. The cruise line is more destination-focused than Royal Caribbean and aims to provide an accessible approach to luxury for adults. 

While researching spring break cruises, I was shocked to find a relatively cheap cruise onboard Celebrity Silhouette. This cheap sailing was 4-night weekend sailing to Key West and Nassau, with one sea day to explore the ship. 

This cheap cruise was $846 for two people and even included $100 onboard credit. I couldn’t say no to this deal for a more upscale cruise line and easily convinced my sister to join me. We enjoyed a spring break cruise last year on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, so we were eager to compare the experiences on our first Celebrity cruise. 

Here’s how our cheap Celebrity cruise compares to Royal Caribbean. 

When it comes to trying a new cruise line, I think it’s very important to have realistic expectations.

I’m always eager to try a new cruise line, as I firmly believe there is a cruise line out there for everyone. Each cruise line has its own unique style and onboard experience. 

Since I grew up cruising on Royal Caribbean with my family, this has always been an obvious choice when I go to book a cruise. I’ve had wonderful experiences with Royal Caribbean throughout my life. Not to mention, their Crown & Anchor loyalty perks easily persuade me to keep coming back and their cruises are reasonably priced. 

Because Celebrity Cruises is owned by the same company as Royal Caribbean, this cruise line has enticed me more than others. As I’ve gotten older, Celebrity Cruises has appealed to me more because it caters to the adult experience. My husband and I have no children (unless you count our dogs), so it feels like Celebrity is a good fit for this stage in our lives. 

As someone who is very destination-driven when booking cruises, Celebrity’s itineraries to incredible destinations like Antarctica, India and Egypt, are pretty irresistible!

For my first Celebrity cruise, my expectations were heavily influenced by my parents, who just returned from their very first Celebrity cruise together last month. On an 11-night sailing to the Panama Canal on Celebrity Edge, my parents (age 62) said they really enjoyed their experience, but they felt young onboard their cruise!

They warned my sister and I that we might be youngest people onboard our cruise; my sister is 25 years old and I just turned 28 last month.  Our parents said we might even get bored by some of the entertainment since they found most of the performances featured music from their era. 

With this in mind, my sister and I were prepared for a more laid-back and relaxing spring break experience onboard. In all honesty, we can have fun on any cruise ship so we were more excited than anything just to see what Celebrity had to offer. 

Although Celebrity caters more to adults, I was very curious to see what type of demographics would be onboard this cheap spring break sailing.

Anyone who cruises often will tell you that spring break cruises will inherently have more families and kids onboard - but would that hold true for a more upscale, less kid-friendly cruise line?

Much to my surprise, we initially saw quite a few families onboard. I had always envisioned that a Celebrity Cruise would be mostly adults, and my sister and I were prepared to be on the younger side of the demographics.

I knew Celebrity offered childcare, youth programs and teen clubs, but I was under the impression that kids were allowed onboard, but the Celebrity Cruise experience is not catered towards them. 

Without water slides, splash pads, trampolines and zip lines, there really isn’t much for kids to do for fun activities onboard a Celebrity cruise ship when compared to Royal Caribbean.

Bumper cars, rock walls, and FlowRiders are replaced with craft bars, plushy loungers with ocean views and and an open lawn with real grass on Celebrity. 

This is where my expectations were totally wrong. While Celebrity Cruises is adult-focused, it is not exclusively adults-only.

During our 4-night spring break sailing, we saw many families and tons of kids onboard from the start. 

The first people we met in the elevator had two small children - and they said this was their very first cruise! I was shocked that a family with young kids wouldn’t choose to sail on Royal Caribbean instead, which arguably has way more to do for children on almost every ship in its fleet. 

Personally, I would recommend Royal Caribbean to any family looking to take their first cruise, as their cruise ships have much more to do for children of all ages. I had wonderful experiences as a kid on Royal Caribbean growing up. 

The first night at dinner, we were seated at a table for two in the main dining room. A family of ten sat directly next to us with kids as little as five. The table on our other side had a very fussy toddler - every single night of the cruise.  

Dinner involved many screams from the kids we were surrounded by. I never thought I’d be hearing an entire table sing Baby Shark on a Celebrity Cruise nor did I think we would hear screaming toddlers during our dinner. My sister and I laughed as we recalled our parents saying we would be the youngest people onboard!

I truly didn’t expect these demographics on our cheap Celebrity cruise - and my sister and I were far from the youngest onboard. 

Given the cheap price of the cruise and the subsequent timing with spring break, this definitely attracted more families than expected. I noted that Celebrity does not offer these 4-night sailings year round and only features these itineraries during the winter and spring break. 

More than likely, our spring break cruise attracted more families and kids than a normal Celebrity cruise. Luckily, we only found the kids to be a little bit distracting of our experience in the main dining room. 

I wish the tables around us had taken advantage of Celebrity’s childcare options so everyone in our area of the main dining room could enjoy a distraction-free meal. 

My sister and I really enjoyed the more laid-back and chill vibes onboard Celebrity Silhouette.

Celebrity Silhouette had plenty of activities happening throughout the ship, but overall we really enjoyed the laidback, chill vibes onboard. My sister and I aren’t big partiers or major drinkers, so this cruise style was the perfect fit for us. 

We were impressed by all of the thoughtfully designed spots onboard Celebrity Silhouette to relax and chill. The Solarium had big plushy loungers with towels perfectly folded; we spent almost every day in the Solarium relaxing. 

Throughout the ship, you could find daybeds and large loungers to sit in. I didn’t feel like there was a problem with chair hogs and the staff seemed pretty attentive with enforcing the 30-minute policy. 

Last year on Mariner of the Seas during our spring break cruise, we struggled to find chairs near the pool. And you could forget about snagging a coveted daybed in the Solarium! This was never the case of Celebrity Silhouette. We were always able to find chairs and even the luxurious seating was available throughout the cruise. 

We enjoyed sunset cocktails at Sunset Bar, which was arguably our favorite place onboard. Sunset Bar has a European flair with tons of cool spots to chill. We listened to live music as the ship sailed off into the sunset from Nassau. 

The Lawn Club, which features real grass, was another lovely spot on Celebrity Silhouette. If we were looking to enjoy open-air or peace and quiet, we could always rely on The Lawn Club. The nearby Lawn Club Grill would have been a cool place to have dinner one night, but a 4-night cruise simply isn’t long enough to enjoy everything. 

I joked that the grass looked a bit like my own yard while my husband was gone on his last deployment with a few patchy spots, although I don’t have the excuse of keep grass alive on a moving cruise ship. 

The food and service onboard Celebrity Silhouette felt top-notch, regardless of the type of sailing we were on. 

Even though this sailing was just a 4-night spring break itinerary, we still felt like Celebrity brought top-notch service and food, leaving us really impressed. 

During other spring break cruises I’ve taken, these sailings have always felt a bit more chaotic. I think a party crowd can lead to more chaotic cruise experience in general, especially when cruise ships are sailing at full-capacity, which is typically during spring break. 

Last year, our sailing on Mariner of the Seas was super packed and we noted that food and service took a small hit because of it. This didn’t dampen our experience of course, but it was certainly something we noted.

We felt that the food served throughout Celebrity Silhouette, whether that was breakfast in the Oceanview Cafe buffet, dinner in the main dining room, or grabbing a snack at the legendary Cafe al Bacio, everything tasted delicious and high-quality. 

I never felt like our ship was overly crowded and the crew members did not appear to be overwhelmed. Celebrity Silhouette felt appropriately staffed, which has not always been the case in a post-pandemic sailing. 

Celebrity Silhouette had stellar entertainment onboard that perfectly fit our demographics.

In the evening after dinner, we listened to fabulous live music while sipping on martinis from the Martini Bar. The bartenders are known for all the tricks they can do with the martini glasses and shakers. 

We noted that Celebrity Silhouette had wonderful live musicians and seemed to perform music that everyone would enjoy. 

The headliner shows were fabulous onboard as well, including the main production show Cosmopolitan. We sang along to all of the music, which ranged from Rihanna to Eminem. I laughed aloud when the performers quoted an iconic line from The Devil Wears Prada, “By all means, move at a glacial pace, you know how that thrills me”.

I belted out the words to Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball and become unexpectedly emotional during the closing song of On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons, which always reminds me of my semester abroad experience. 

Everyone loved the performance. I thought some audience members might personally know a few of the performers with how they were dancing and cheering for everyone. It was a really fun atmosphere. 

Late into the evening, Celebrity Silhouette hosted headphone disco and full-moon parties on the top deck. 

Two of the evenings, my sister and I went to the top deck of the cruise ship to check out the big parties happening late into the night. The headphone disco was packed with people dancing around all of the pools as the DJ bumped tunes. 

The second party was a full-moon party, which featured one of our favorite bands onboard playing live music. Nothing was rowdy or wild by any means, but everyone was having a fabulous time dancing under the stars as Celebrity Silhouette sailed through seas that resembled sheets as glass. 

As the nights came to a close, we found solace in our spacious inside cabin.

To cash in on our cheap deal, we ended up booking an inside guarantee cabin for this sailing on Celebrity Silhouette. We were shocked by how spacious and modern our inside cabin was compared to any inside cabin we’ve had on Royal Caribbean. 

One evening, we even returned to a beautiful, fresh rose from our wonderful stateroom attendant. We found our inside cabin to be functional and stylish. The beds, which we ended up separating, were very comfortable as well. 

Unfortunately, we were located at the very front of the ship, directly next to a ‘Crew Only’ door. I was worried about the ship's motion since this cabin was pretty far forward on the ship, but I really should have been worried about noise.  

Being this close to a mysterious ‘Crew Only’ door meant we were woken up at 5:30 each morning by a slew of different thumps and clinks. A little white noise and earplugs helped with this, although I definitely didn’t sleep as well as I had hoped. 

We loved our first Celebrity cruise and already can’t wait to plan another one. 

Our quick 4-night sailing was just a taste of what Celebrity Cruise has to offer and we really loved what we experienced onboard Celebrity Silhouette!

At the end of the day, 4-nights really isn’t enough to get a full-picture of a cruise line. Each sailing can be different depending on when you sail, where your itinerary is going and how long your sailing is. Longer sailings normally attract more retirees because they don’t have to worry about being away from work while shorter cruises tend to cater to a younger demographic. 

I was still surprised to see as many families and kids onboard as we did. I did anticipate a more lively atmosphere because it was a short weekend cruise during spring break, but I was shocked by the number of kids onboard. 

I have a feeling this was an anomaly experience given the timing of our cruise and the price of the sailing, but I am eager to see what a different Celebrity cruise would be like! I loved having a more adult-focused cruising experience with a flair of luxury. 

Royal Caribbean will need a little more time to finish scheduled work on Mariner of the Seas.

Mariner of the Seas is currently in Cadiz, Spain undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance.

Guests booked on the first sailing back received an email today that the April 1, 2023 sailing has been cancelled.

"Mariner of the Seas is currently undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance and exciting, which will require some extra time for these upgrades to be completed."

"Regrettably, this means our April 1st, 2023 cruise has been cancelled. We know this news is disappointing and apologize for the impact to your clients' cruise."

It's not unheard of for a cruise following a ship's dry dock to be cancelled because of extra time needed at the dry dock.  While not common, it does happen from time to time.

Explorer of the Seas recently completed her dry dock work at the same ship yard last month and had no issues returning to service as scheduled.

Guests that were booked on that sailing have two choices:

Re-book any Royal Caribbean International sailing and receive a Future Cruise Credit.

Royal Caribbean will waive any non-refundable deposit change fees to change ship or sail date.

A Future Cruise Credit worth 50% of the original cruise fare paid to book a new cruise and sail by April 1st, 2024.

Reimbursement of up to $200 for non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees incurred (such as a flight, train ticket, or rental car).

Cancel and refund.

A full refund of any paid portion of their cruise fare (including non-refundable deposits) and any pre-paid amenities to the original form of payment within 14 business days. 

A Future Cruise Credit worth 50% of the original cruise fare paid to book a new cruise and sail by April 1st, 2024.

Reimbursement of up to $200 for non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees incurred (such as a flight, train ticket, or rental car).

What work is being done to Mariner of the Seas?

Mariner of the Seas is getting maintenance work done, and Royal Caribbean has not announced any changes to the ship.

Cruise ships go in for work about every 5 years, and it's an opportunity to keep them operating efficiently, as well as clean up and enhance public areas.

When dry docks do not entail major upgrades, such as the Royal Amplification program, the cruise line tends not to announce or highlight the work being done since it's not especially newsworthy.

Mariner of the Seas' Cruise Director, Marc Walker, shared photos of the work being done on Mariner of the Seas on his Facebook page.

Much of the work seems aesthetic in nature, focusing on public decks, pools, and venues.

The ship is also getting work done below the waterline, which includes repainting the hull and propellor maintenance.

One other minor note is the minor hull damage from when a ship accidently drifted into Mariner while in Freeport, Bahamas will be repaired.

Mariner's first sailing back now should be April 6, 2023.

A Celebrity Cruises beverage package offers the choice to enjoy an unlimited amount of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for a fixed daily price for the duration of your cruise vacation.

Your base cruise fare includes entertainment, accommodations, transportation between ports of call, and select food and beverages. Unless you book Celebrity's "All Included" fare (more on that later), you will find that there are some things you have to purchase separately, including alcohol. 

What is a Celebrity Cruises drink package?

Many cruise lines offer beverage plans that allow you to pay a specific amount upfront to receive either a fixed or unlimited number of beverages each day of your cruise.

When sailing on any Celebrity ship, you can purchase a drink package at a fixed daily cost, so you can budget your beverage costs in advance. Saving money, however, is not always guaranteed.

Once a package is purchased, the benefits become available on your SeaPass card. From there, any waiter or bartender can easily verify that you have one. 

The drink packages allow guests to get unlimited drinks at nearly every restaurant or bar on a Celebrity cruise ship or private destination (i.e., Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee, Haiti).

Those who have booked a Celebrity cruise and want to purchase a drink package can do so either prior to their cruise through the Cruise Planner or once onboard their ship.

When you are purchasing it in advance, you must pay for the package for the duration of your cruise, whether that is 5-, 7-, or 14-nights. Per Celebrity's website, all packages are sold on a per cruise basis and do not include beverages sold in gift shops, mini-bars, or room service. 

Will I save money if I purchase a drink package?

When buying a package, the most important thing you want to consider is whether it will save you money or not. Depending on your drinking habits, you might not break even with an unlimited package!

Start by roughly determining how many drinks per day that you can and will drink over the duration of your cruise. If you are only planning on 3 or 4 per day, you might be better off skipping the package, while those who think that they can reasonably average 8 to 9 beverages per day will at least break even. 

If you drink enough, a Celebrity drink package can save you money. On the other hand, some people do not care about breaking even or getting their money's worth so much as paying one price upfront for all their glasses of wine, beer, cocktails, and other included drinks. 

2024 Celebrity Cruises drink package overview

Celebrity Cruises offers a few drink packages for guests to choose from, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, that provide guests with an unlimited number of the specific beverages their package includes. Drink packages range from $30 to $109 per person, per day prior to the 20% added gratuity. 

Classic Package

Celebrity's Classic Package is their lowest tiered alcoholic package. Starting at $89.00 per person, per day, you can choose from select beers, spirits, cocktails, liqueurs, frozen drinks, and wines by the glass up to $10 per serving. You will also get 15% off all wines by the bottle. 

If you order a beverage that is over $10, you will be charged the difference. If, for instance, you were to order a $17 martini, you would see a $7 + 20% gratuity charge reflected on your onboard account. 

To at least "break even," you would need to drink about nine $10 beverages per day. Note that this package does include the same non-alcoholic beverage options as the Zero Proof Package. 

Premium Package

The Premium Package is more inclusive than the Classic Package. With that, however, comes a higher price. You can expect the Premium Package to start at $109 per person, per day. Each guest that purchases this package will get specialty coffees and teas, craft and artisanal beers, spirits, cocktails, frozen drinks, Coca Cola products, premium bottled water, and wines by the glass up to $17 per serving. 

Instead of a 15% discount off of all wines by the bottle, the package includes a higher 20% discount. 

Just like the Classic Package, if you would like to order a drink that is more than $17, you will be charged the difference plus gratuity. 

Since the included threshold is higher, you would have to consume seven $17 drinks per day to break even, rather than the Classic Package's nine $10 drinks. 

Zero Proof Drink Package

Celebrity only offers one non-alcoholic package, the Zero Proof Drink Package, which costs $30 per person, per day and includes premium bottled water, specialty coffees and organic teas, Vitamin Water, Red Bull, bottled ice teas, frozen smoothies, zero proof cocktails, and Coca Cola products, as well as offerings from Aqua Spa Fresh Juice.

There are no age restrictions on this package. 

Pros and cons of getting the drink package on a Celebrity Cruise

All drink packages have their fans and critics. Some do not see why anybody should be drinking that much, while others prefer to let loose while on vacation. That being said, buying a drink package has pros and cons, and all sides should be considered before getting one!

Value

If you are looking to splurge while on your vacation, you might get an exceptional value by purchasing a drink package, rather than paying for each drink à la carte. The catch is that you really have to be someone that enjoys having a lot of drinks (i.e., at least a half-dozen) each day. 

If you are thinking that you will only indulge in that many drinks one or two days out of the cruise, you might save money by buying each drink individually. There is no point in buying a drink package if you know that you will not be drinking enough to break even. 

As of March 2023, cocktail prices range from $9 to $17 each. Below is a list of a few cocktails, wines, and beers onboard Celebrity ships and how much they cost:

• Bud Light ($7)
• Corona Extra ($7.50)
• Pomegranate Mojito ($9)
• Prosecco, Zonin ($9)
• Pinot Grigio Corte Giara ($10)
• Rum Mule ($10)
• Elderflower Blush ($11)
• Celebrity Bloody Mary (11)
• Stella Artois ($11)
• Caribbean Cobbler ($13)
• Mixi-Cali Martini ($17)

Depending on your preferred drinks, you might get more value out of the Premium Package than the Classic. It is not worth it to pay for cheaper package if you will not be able to get your favorite drinks or be constantly uncharged. 

Convenience

One of the biggest pros of a drink package is the convenience. You don't have to worry about racking up any large sums on your onboard account or think about if you actually want to spend the money on a drink in that specific moment. 

You also have the freedom to order a drink even if you are unsure if you will like it or not. If it ends up not being for you, you can simply order something else without feeling as though you wasted $10+. And if you do end up liking it, you were able to be more adventurous with the package, rather than sticking to your tried-and-true favorites. 

Drink fatigue

"Drink fatigue" is what happens when guests drink more than they normally do just for the sake of utilizing the drink package. If you have a package, it is important to ask yourself if you really want a drink, or if you are getting one just because of the package. 

If you are on a shorter cruise, getting a drink package might make more sense than on a longer cruise. Ordering 6+ drinks per day for 3 or 4 days is much easier than for 7 days. 

Vacation budget

By pre-purchasing a drink package via the Cruise Planner or once you get onboard, you know exactly how much you will be spending in alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) beverages. You won't have to count every drink that you have. In other words, you can more appropriately budget for your vacation, especially if you are really unsure about how much you are going to drink. 

Of course, there are tons of other things that you can choose to spend your money on instead of a drink package, such as shore excursions or spa treatments. If you would rather allocate your vacation money towards other incidentals, that is fine, too. 

Celebrity "All Included"

When you are booking your Celebrity cruise vacation, you have two options for fares. The first is a standard fare that includes accommodation, transportation between ports, entertainment, and select food and beverages. The second is known as "All Included," which adds the Classic Beverage Package and Basic Wi-Fi to your rate. 

The price difference depends on how long your sailing is. On a 3-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas, for instance, the cheapest fare starts at $162 per person based on double occupancy for an interior cabin. The "All Included" rate for the same sailing and cabin is $457 per person.

There is more of a gap between the pricing on longer cruises. The cheapest rate on a 7-night Pacific Coastal cruise is $409 per person. The "All Included" rate jumps up to $966. 

If you want to upgrade from the Classic Beverage Package to the Premium, you can do so for $24 per day. You can save 5% if you book pre-cruise. 

Note that while this package used to include tips, Celebrity Cruises announced that effective October 4, 2023, they will eliminate prepaid gratuities from its All Included pricing packages, meaning that you'll have to pay them in addition to the higher rate. 

Below are the current gratuity rates as of August 2023: 

• $18.00 USD per person, per day for Inside, Ocean View, and Veranda staterooms 
• $18.50 USD per person, per day for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms  
• $23.00 USD per person, per day for guests of The Retreat.

Purchasing a drink package through the Cruise Planner

If you do not book the "All Included" rate, you can always buy a drink package later through the Cruise Planner. This is where you will also find links to shore excursions, specialty dining venues, and other cruise add-ons that you may want to purchase to enhance your vacation. 

You can purchase any add-ons up to 48 hours before your sailing. You may also call Celebrity Cruises directly if you would prefer to speak to a representative. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every person in the stateroom have to purchase a package?

Purchasing a drink package is completely optional. You are not required to have one to sail. That being said, if one person opts to get a package, all other guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom are required to do so as well. 

If you purchase an alcoholic package and are sailing with guests between the ages of 13 and 20, they must get the Zero Proof Drink Package. Guests 12 and under do not have to get any package. 

Additionally, if you are sailing with a pregnant guest, recovering alcoholic, or someone with another medical issue that does now allow for alcohol consumption, they may get the Zero Proof Drink Package, rather than an alcoholic one.

Do Celebrity drink packages come with a daily beverage limit?

No! There's no limit on Celebrity drink packages in terms of how many drinks a guest may consume in a single day or throughout the duration of the cruise. 

When placing an order, however, you cannot get two drinks at a time, as you are only allowed one. If multiple people are wanting to order a drink, each will need to present their SeaPass card to the bartender or waiter. 

Do Celebrity drink packages include gratuity?

Yes. All gratuities are included in the final purchase price, meaning that you do not have to tip onboard unless you choose to do so. 

How to cancel a Celebrity drink package?

If you purchased your package in advance via the Cruise Planner, all you have to do is log back into your account and search through your order history. From there, you can easily cancel your package for a refund to your original payment method. 

If you wait to cancel until you are on the ship, your refund will be credited to your onboard account. 

Are drink packages available fleet wide?

If you are sailing on an Expedition vessel to the Galapagos, you will not be able to purchase a drink package, as they are not offered. 

It turns out the amazing deal Royal Caribbean has for a new VIP pass was indeed too good to be true. 

Over the weekend Royal Caribbean added a new package to its website that appeared to be a new extra cost pass. It included WiFi, exclusive tours and more at a bargain price.

Unfortunately, it was too good to be true. 

On Monday, Royal Caribbean sent guests an email to inform them that Premier Pass was a "system glitch" and was never intended to be put on sale in the first place.

Premier Pass listed all sorts of benefits, such as dinner with an officer, internet access, and more.

Royal Caribbean removed the Premier Pass option, cancelled all purchases, and will issue refunds.

In the email sent to guests that purchased Premier Pass, the cruise line admitted the benefits sound incredible, but are, " all things that would be operationally unsustainable" to actually offer.

Royal Caribbean International Assistant Vice President of Guest Experience, Aurora Yera-Rodriguez, wrote in the email, " In reading all of the social media threads – I’ve seen many guests mention that it was “way too good to be true”, and unfortunately, that’s the truth."

The email alludes to the fact so many people purchased the pass simply by way of word of mouth, which also made it impossible to carry through with.

Royal Caribbean is offering guests $50 USD Onboard Credit as a way of making up for the mistake.

Unfortunately, it looks like some people got more onboard credit than they should have received, because the system gave them $50 per person initially.

Anyone that spent the money immediately on a new purchase, received an email to inform them that the purchase they made was no longer paid in full and they needed to make up the difference.

"Just got the same email- now I OWE Royal $100!!," is what Carlyn3 posted after encountering the onboard credit error.

Cruise fan reactions

As soon as the emails went out, cruisers shared their thoughts on the mix-up.

On the Royal Caribbean message boards, there were plenty of comments on the cancellation.

Rakaia wrote, "Hey, $50 I didn't have before. I'll take it."

Montemy2419 posted, "Nice of them to give the gesture because if they didn't give a little something then the backlash would of been bad."

Wilson wrote, "This is a hot mess."

Shore excursion price mistake

Minutes after the email was sent about Premier Pass, another email went out to anyone that booked an Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark tour. 

There was a price mistake for this popular Bahamas shore excursion, and purchases will also be cancelled and refunded.

Just like the Premier Pass, anyone that booked the Aquaventure at the mistake price will receive $50 USD Onboard Credit.

Another glitch

This week's issues are not Royal Caribbean's first notable internet sale error.

The most notable one was in 2019 when Royal Caribbean's website listed the Deluxe Beverage Package for $18 per day, per person.

At the time, the drink package was usually listed for $40-50 per person, per day (it now costs significantly more than that).

Royal Caribbean went on to honor that pricing goof.

Happy weekend! We hope you remembered to Spring Forward! Here’s all the Royal Caribbean news this week!

Royal Caribbean has moved forward with its beach club in The Bahamas.

The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island will now open sometime in 2025, following the cruise line receiving approval from The Bahamas to move forward with the project.

The 17-acre destination experience will offer "the ultimate beach day" as it will combine the island’s striking beaches with the cruise line’s signature experiences.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas Playable in Fortnite
• Royal Caribbean is looking for artists to feature their work on its newest cruise ship
• Why an Alaska cruise is worth it
• What’s New & Coming to Royal Caribbean in 2023, 2024 & 2025
• I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s newest and oldest cruise ships: here's what it's like to cruise on each
• Eating gluten free on Royal Caribbean cruise ships
• I cruised to a tiny town in Mexico you’ve probably never heard of, and it was the highlight of my cruise vacation

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 490th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, and shares why you might not want to book the cheapest cruise you can find.

It's tempting to find pick a cruise based purely on price, but there are a few reasons why you shouldn't.

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.

New RCB Video: I spent $600 on cruise drink package & I think it was worth it!

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — I spent $600 on cruise drink package & I think it was worth it! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Why I almost always stay in a cruise ship inside cabin

An inside cabin will cost less than a balcony or suite, and it often makes a lot of sense to go with these kinds of rooms.

Inside cabins definitely aren’t for everyone, but Jenna prefers to stay in them for the great savings they provide.

From a quieter cabin to a perfect night’s sleep, she'll never complain about cruising in a cozy inside room.

Beginner's guide to planning a cruise

From money saving advice to travel hacks to mistakes to avoid, here's our best advice on planning your first cruise.

Cruising is easier than it looks, but like any form of travel, there are lots of considerations and important do's and don'ts when it comes to doing it well. 

Our guide will provide you the perfect place to start planning a first cruise.

I just spent 11 nights on Celebrity Edge – did it live up to the hype?

Chantal spent 11-nights on Celebrity Edge to see what the fuss is all about this new class of ship.

Innovative, revolutionary, and bold are all words used to describe the first in the new class of ships from Celebrity Cruises.

Having never sailed on an Edge series ship, Chantal shares her thoughts on this kind of Celebrity cruise.

UPDATE MARCH 13: Royal Caribbean canceled and refunded any Premier Pass purchases.

UPDATE MARCH 12: It appears this package is a mistake and was never intended to be sold to Royal Caribbean guests.

On Sunday morning, Royal Caribbean's social media channels shared updates with guests that the package was mistakenly offered.

Thanks to Michael Poole for providing this screenshot.

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If you want to get an all-in-one add-on for your Royal Caribbean cruise that includes a bunch of extras, there's a new option for you.

Royal Caribbean is now offering Premier Pass, which is a new priority access program.

Royal Caribbean's original add-on perks package, The Key, is still available, but Premier Pass offers a different set of amenities aimed at offering the, "newest and most innovative vacation package."

Purchasing Premier Pass gets you VIP access, internet access, and service amenities you might not otherwise get unless you stayed in a suite or had an upper echelon Crown and Anchor Society level.

Here's what's included with the Premier Pass:

• Welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot
• Priority embarkation and debarkation
• Inside Access tour (two guests)
• Officer's lunch (two guests)
• Unlimited internet access (two devices)
• Captain's toast and photo
• Wine pairing with sommelier (two guests) - wine is complimentary
• Laundry service (one bag per stateroom)

Basically, it's a way to board the ship faster and get VIP treatment at select events.

This new package includes some perks of The Key, but excludes priority activity access. Instead, it has more experiences and tours as part of its deal.

"Introducing Premier Pass, our newest and most innovative vacation package for 2 guests. It offers a series of unique cruise experiences to elevate your vacation to the next luxurious level. Purchase the Premier Pass before you sail and enjoy VIP access to the ship, including priority boarding. You’ll have a bottle of Veuve Clicquot waiting in your stateroom when you arrive - just our way of saying Welcome aboard.

Your pass includes our most popular Inside Access Tour where you’ll discover the inner workings of the ship from the bridge to the engine room. Your pass also includes a meal with one of the ship’s officers, complete with a photo of you and the captain.

During your sailing, you’ll savor an exclusive food and wine pairing. Keep in touch with unlimited internet access for two devices. Look your best in every port with personal laundry service on board."

The new option is located under the "Packages" tab in the Cruise Planner, although I was only able to spot it for one of my upcoming cruises on Mariner of the Seas. RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Bob Rogers spotted it for his Allure of the Seas cruise, so it's possible it's only available on select ships so far.

The cost of the Premier Pass is advertised for both of our sailings at $88.99 and it covers two guests.

How can I buy the package?

You must purchase Premier Pass online before your cruise begins. 

After a cruise is booked, go to Royal Caribbean's site, log in to your account and click on "Cruise Planner." 

Why buy Premier Pass?

The appeal of any VIP package for a cruise is a way to enjoy added benefits without spending the money for a suite or having sufficient loyalty program points.

Buying Premier Pass gets you VIP benefits at a more affordable price, especially for new cruisers.

In short, the Premier Pass is all about getting exclusive benefits, if you value them. It's a way to feel like a VIP on your cruise, especially on embarkation and disembarkation day.

Like The Key, it's not essential to have, but it's certainly a nice add-on for those that want something special and wouldn't otherwise have similar benefits.

How is Premier Pass different than The Key?

It appears thus far, The Key and Premier Pass will both be offered, as both options were available on sailings I was able to see Premier Pass listed.

Having not tried Premier Pass yet, it seems based on the description they are some benefits that are similar with most not.

First and foremost, one Premier Pass purchase is for two people, whereas The Key has a per-person price.

Additionally, The Key must be purchased prior to sailing by each guest age 6 or older assigned to the same stateroom. There is no such requirement of Premier Pass.

The Key is priced per night of the cruise, whereas Premier Pass is a fixed price for the entire voyage.

Both passes include Internet access for the duration of the cruise. Both will get you on the ship faster with priority embarkation, as well as priority disembarkation.

Beyond that, the list of benefits diverge from each other.

What's included with The Key

• Priority access into the terminal (within booked arrival time) on Day 1.
• Carry-on bag drop off and delivery to stateroom. Drop-off your carry-on bags in the Main Dining Room until 1:30pm.
• Private time at onboard activities including Rock Climbing, FlowRider and more.
• Priority departure at tender ports of call from ship-to-shore.
• Exclusive welcome lunch in the Main Dining Room featuring the Chops Grille Lunch menu.
• Seats in the exclusive VIP seating section at shows in the Main Theatre, Aqua Theater, Studio B and Two70 (reservation is needed).
• VOOM ® Surf & Stream 1 Device high speed internet.
• On debarkation day, enjoy an exclusive à la carte breakfast and choice departure.

What's included with Premier Pass

• Welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot
• Priority embarkation and debarkation
• Inside Access tour (two guests)
• Officer's lunch (two guests)
• Unlimited internet access (two devices)
• Captain's toast and photo
• Wine pairing with sommelier (two guests) - wine is complimentary
• Laundry service (one bag per stateroom)

Reserved times for shows and activities are at the heart of what The Key offers, whereas Premier Pass includes more experiences.

I almost always book an inside cabin when I cruise. Despite being the smallest, most basic cruise ship cabins, I find that I actually like these rooms.

Not only do inside cabins save me money, but I find they come with extra perks as well. From a quieter cabin to a perfect night’s sleep, I’ll never complain about cruising in a cozy inside room.

Inside cabins definitely aren’t for everyone, though. If you value the added space of a balcony or the exclusivity of a suite, a tiny, windowless room will not be the best choice. Likewise, having natural daylight in the room is a major plus for many cruisers, making an inside cabin a last resort.

Nonetheless, I continue to book inside cabins again and again when I cruise, and here’s why I actually like these rooms.

Inside cabins are the quietest cabins onboard

A few months ago, I stayed in a Boardwalk balcony cabin on Allure of the Seas. Although I appreciated the room’s extra space and balcony views, I found the cabin to be much too noisy for my liking.

The Boardwalk neighborhood is full of activity during both the day and evening, and it was much louder than I expected when I initially booked the cabin.

Related: Are Boardwalk Balcony cabins too loud?

The carousel, in particular, drove me a little crazy. My balcony was located directly two decks above the carousel, which played carnival-themed music for over ten hours each day! Even with the door closed, I couldn’t stop the muffled sound of music entering my cabin.

An inside room, on the other hand, is impressively quiet. On my recent cruise, I rarely heard any noise above, below, or adjacent to my cabin. If I heard noise, it was almost always the loud flushing sound of a cruise ship toilet!

Cabins with balconies are more prone to noise, especially those located near the pool deck or within Central Park and the Boardwalk neighborhoods. You may find yourself hearing music, conversations, or activities happening from your balcony, which you won’t encounter when staying in an inside room.

Related: Avoid these mistakes when picking a cruise ship cabin

Of course, you can still encounter noise in inside cabins. Older cruise ships, for example, have thinner walls than Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, which may help noise travel from room to room. In addition, booking an inside cabin above or below a busy area of the ship—such as a nightclub or Adventure Ocean—can lead to increased noise levels.

In my experience, however, inside cabins have been more quiet than other staterooms.

Inside cabins are cheaper than other cabins, and this stretches my budget much further

Inside cabins are almost always the cheapest cabin you can book on a cruise. As someone who prefers cruising on a budget, this is the primary reason I book inside cabins.

I’ve been on 16 cruises, and I’ve spent 11 of them in inside cabins. By doing so, I’ve saved thousands of dollars. Had I spent every cruise in an oceanview, balcony, or suite, I probably would not have been able to cruise nearly as much as I have!

Related: I'm a budget cruiser. Here are 8 easy strategies I used on my recent Royal Caribbean cruise to save money

Booking an inside cabin means I can stretch my vacation budget further. On my recent cruise, I saved around $500 by sailing in an inside room instead of a balcony cabin. This $500 was put towards flights to Miami, shore excursions in port, specialty dining, and other incidental expenses during the cruise.

This isn’t to say I’ll never sail in other cruise cabins. Recently, in fact, I sailed in one of Royal Caribbean’s most expensive and luxurious suites, and it was certainly an experience I’ll cherish for a long time.

Related: I cruised in a suite for the first time. Here are 5 things I learned from the experience—and 3 I’d do differently next time

Additionally, I always reprice my cruise and email my travel agent about upgrade options before my sail date. Several times, I’ve been surprised to see upgrade options for as little as $90 from an inside to balcony cabin. It’s always worth asking if prices have gone down prior to your sail date.

I sleep the best in inside cabins, as there is no natural light in the room

There’s nothing quite like the sleep you’ll get in an interior room on a cruise ship. Having no window or balcony to the outside means these rooms are pitch black when you turn the light off. For most passengers, including myself, this leads to a fantastic night’s sleep.

Not only that, but taking a midday nap is easy when sailing in an interior cabin. I have a hard time napping at home, as I can never properly fall asleep with daylight shining through my window. In an inside room, though, I have no problem sleeping at any time of the day, whether 3AM or 3PM!

A post-port day nap is one of my favorite parts of cruising, and it’s even better when staying in an inside room!

Not all inside cabins lack outdoor views

Certain Royal Caribbean ships have a virtual balcony, which is a large, floor-to-ceiling television screen projecting a live feed from outside the ship. Having stayed in two virtual balcony cabins, I find these to be a nice way to get an outside view at a fraction of the cost of a balcony cabin.

I’ll admit the virtual balcony doesn’t necessarily make you feel like you’re looking at the scenery in real life, but it’s still a nice cabin feature. Being able to easily see what the weather is like outside, if you’ve left port yet, and if it’s day or night is helpful when staying in an inside room.

I don’t know if I’d pay extra for a virtual balcony in lieu of a normal inside cabin, but it’s still a nice option.

Voyager, Freedom, and Oasis Class ships offer a different type of interior cabin: a Promenade view room. These cabins have a window looking into the ship’s Royal Promenade, a hub of shopping, bars, and activities.

Read more: Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean cabins and suites

Like other inside cabins, these rooms do not have a view of the outdoors, but they can be a nice middle ground between booking an inside cabin and an oceanview or balcony room.

Inside rooms “force” me to spend time in other areas of the ship

Whenever I’ve cruised in a balcony room or suite, I find myself spending a significant amount of time in my cabin instead of exploring the ship. Instead of attending trivia, seeing a show, or watching live music, I frequently choose to hang out on my balcony instead.

There’s nothing wrong with spending time relaxing in my cabin, but I love how inside cabins almost force me to spend time elsewhere. Although inside cabins are cozy, there’s no view to admire outside, and I’d much prefer spending my day in other, more interesting areas of the ship.

On my recent cruise in an inside room, I only visited my cabin to sleep, shower, and change. Instead of spending time in my small cabin, I spent my days lounging in the Solarium, enjoying a drink at the Schooner Bar, and catching a show at the AquaTheater.

With so much to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise, I almost felt as if I would be missing out on the cruise experience by spending time in my cabin!

Should you book an inside cabin on a cruise ship?

First-time cruisers often struggle with picking the right cabin for their cruise. After all, no one wants to make a mistake on cabin choice and regret their decision once the cruise begins!

Thankfully, there’s no “wrong” cabin to book on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Regardless of whether you stay in the cheapest inside room or most expensive two-story suite, you can still have an amazing experience onboard.

If you’re considering booking an inside cabin, consider the following factors before making your reservation:

Budget

Most cruisers book inside cabins to save money. Most of the time, you can save a few hundred dollars by booking an interior stateroom.

Take a look at your travel budget before booking an inside cabin. Would you rather save money on your cabin in order to afford shore excursions, dining packages, and drink packages? Or would you prefer to cruise in an upgraded stateroom and skip pre-cruise add-ons?

Every passenger has a different budget, and ultimately you are the only person who can decide what splurges to allocate your budget toward.

Price

Although inside cabins are usually cheaper than other cabins on your cruise ship, it’s not guaranteed. Before booking an inside cabin, be sure to check the price of oceanview and balcony rooms.

Depending on the sailing—and how far in advance you’re booking—you may be surprised to see upgraded staterooms priced similarly to an inside room.

Travel style

Are you the type of cruiser who loves being out and about on the ship? Or do you prefer getting alone time with a book and an ocean view?

If your goal when cruising is to experience as much as possible—from entertainment shows to activities and nightclubs—an inside cabin may work well for you. With so much happening around the ship at any given time, it’s unlikely you’ll spend much time in your cabin throughout the sailing.

If you’re a more introverted traveler, though, and would prefer a stateroom with a view, an inside room is probably not the best option. Although inside cabins are still comfortable, they aren’t the most exciting place to hang out if you plan to spend significant time in your cabin each day!

Still deciding which cabin to book for your cruise? Check out more of our tips & tricks:

• The rare cruise ship cabins that get booked very quickly
• Inside vs. oceanview cabin: Are the differences worth an upgrade?
• Guide to balcony staterooms on Royal Caribbean
• Royal Caribbean suites guide & review

Are you an aspiring artist? Royal Caribbean wants to display your work on Icon of the Seas when it launches next year.

The cruise line has traditionally embraced art on its cruise ships, featuring impressive collections on each of its new ships.

Icon of the Seas is the next new cruise ship for Royal Caribbean and the cruise line has launched a new program that aims to look for up-and-coming artists from destinations the cruise line visits can vie to put their work on display.

Winners could get as much as $100,000 in commission budget if selected.

As its name suggests, Icon of the Seas was designed to be an icon – a symbol of luxury and comfort that guests can look forward to during their vacation. 

Later this year, as artists in residence, the winners will work closely with the Newbuilding team behind Royal Caribbean’s renowned ships to bring their concepts to life in Turku, Finland, where Icon is under construction.

The "Artist Discover Program" has a goal to "infuse every region’s spirit and culture into the curated art collections on board ships, in order to highlight and celebrate the very destinations and their people at the heart of Royal Caribbean’s memorable vacations."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley thinks the new program will not only satisfy the cruise line's love of art, but also help promote burgeoning artists, "The Artist Discovery Program is a project close to our hearts at Royal Caribbean International because the destinations we visit are family. And it’s only fitting that we begin our search for up-and-coming artists who are in the Caribbean; it’s where we got our start more than 50 years ago."

"Vacationers want to immerse themselves in the places they visit. This is a way to spotlight the beauty of the local cultures and people in the places they see and enjoy every day on their cruise, beginning with large-scale canvases on a first-of-its-kind adventure – Icon of the Seas."

How artists can enter

The program is starting off with looking for artists in the Caribbean. Local artists can send their submissions starting today and through April 4 via the program website.

To vie for a spot in the first edition of Artist Discovery Program, artists must submit the following:

• Five samples of conceptual work: The work must be original and may not currently be published or on display.
• A brief artist statement that helps explain their work, inspiration and other details regarding the pieces submitted.
• A copy of their resume.

If picked, each artist will receive a grant from the cruise line, ranging from $20,000 to more than $100,000.

The Caribbean Edition of the artists picked will be commissioned to paint nine large-scale murals in three highly visible locations:

1. Embarkation Murals: embarkation area passengers first enter when walking onboard Icon of the Seas.

2. The Royal Promenade: Main thoroughfare on Icon of the Seas that has shopping, dining, and things happening all day long.

3. Suite Sundeck: Private VIP area for suite guests only, boasts a bar, dining area, and pool.

Each piece will invoke the vibrancy of the Caribbean, joining the collection on board that will include an array of pieces created by Caribbean artists or inspired by the region.

Icon of the Seas launches in January 2024

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is the most highly anticipated new ship in 2024, and for good reason. Boasting an impressive gross tonnage and capacity, it's set to become the largest cruise ship in the world. 

When Icon of the Seas launches in January 2024, she will be the first ship in a new class of vessels.

Icon will sail year-round, 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Miami. 

The new ship will have 20 decks and manned by 2,350 crew members.