Royal Caribbean Blog

Not only did Royal Caribbean start its Black Friday sale already, but they added new combination deals you should look at buying.

While the actual Black Friday holiday is still a couple of weeks away, Royal Caribbean decided to get in on the holiday sales early. It launched a Black Friday Early Access sale that will morph into a few other named promotions.

The early consensus among many cruisers so far is the discounts are substantial, especially for drink packages, Wi-Fi access, and even dining packages.

The focus might be on lower prices for cruise add-ons we're used to tracking, but there are a few extras that are new and exclusive to this sale.

Along with the Black Friday sale, Royal Caribbean rolled out new bundles that include a few different extras in one.  Royal Caribbean says they are a Black Friday/Cyber Monday "exclusive", so it might be a limited-time offer.

You can find these located under the "Packages" section of Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site.

Here's a closer look at what each combo deal offers.

Beverage, WiFi & Excursions

There are three bundles that include some aspect of a visit to Royal Caribbean's private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The Thrill Big Package comes in two forms: for adults or kids, and it includes:

• Drink Package
  • Deluxe Beverage Package for adults
  • Refreshment Package for kids
• VOOM Surf + Stream Internet – 1 Device
• Thrill Waterpark Full Day Pass

Thrill Waterpark is where you'll find all the water slides on CocoCay.  It also has a giant wave pool, and an adventure pool full of aquatic challenges.

For a Utopia of the Seas cruise in December, the price is $107.99 per guest, per day for the adults package, and $56.99 for the non-alcoholic version.

The Chill Big Package also comes in two forms and it includes: 

• Drink Package
  • Deluxe Beverage Package for adults
  • Refreshment Package for kids
• VOOM Surf + Stream Internet – 1 Device
• Coco Beach Club Day Pass

The Coco Beach Club is an elevated beach day offering that has limited capacity, a full sit down restaurant, and a heated infinity pool.  

The idea behind the beach club is to offer a more serene spot, so you won't find music or a DJ here.

Example prices are $118.99 per guest, per day for adults, and $67.99 per guest, per day for kids.

The Party Big Package is only for guests 21 years old or older, and it includes:

• Deluxe Beverage Package
• VOOM Surf + Stream Internet – 1 Device
• Hideaway Beach Day Pass

Hideaway Beach is a new expansion at CocoCay that caters exclusively to adults.

You'll find a beach, heated pool, and DJ spinning tunes all day long.

The price is $107.99 per guest, per day.

Drink package & internet bundles

Royal Caribbean also has combo deals on just a drink package and internet access.

• The Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM 1 Device
• Refreshment Package + VOOM 1 Device
• Classic Soda Package + VOOM 1 Device

Prices will vary depending on your sailing, but it offers a 2-in-1 option.

Triple Taste Tour Package

Available exclusively on Royal Caribbean's smallest and oldest cruise ships, there's a new dining combo offering.

The Triple Taste Tour Package has three exclusive experiences during different days of the sailing.

It's only available to book on Vision and Radiance Class ships.

It includes:

• Dinner at Chops Grille on the first night of your sailing
• Taste of Royal lunch for any sea day
• Sip. Tour. Brunch. is on the last day of your sailing

Chops Grille is one of the most popular specialty restaurants on any Royal Caribbean ship, and it's the cruise line's signature steakhouse.

Taste of Royal is a "best of" meal, where the most popular dishes from a variety of specialty restaurants are served in one meal. 

Sip. Tour. Brunch. is a combo offering in and of itself.  You get to tour the ship's kitchen (known as a galley), and then enjoy unlimited sparkling wine and brunch in the main dining room.

Are these bundles a good deal?

Royal Caribbean makes it easy to book these new bundles and it means less clicking to pick up everything included in them, but will they save you money?

We evaluated the bundles and the cost savings depend on your situation and sailing. Because Royal Caribbean's prices vary from ship to ship and sailing to sailing, the prices for the bundles and the individual add-on components vary considerably.

Moving from the Beverage & WiFi bundles to the Beverage, WiFi & Excursions bundles, you can see an example of how discounted admission is to the CocoCay add-ons.

The Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM 1 Device costs $94.99 on our example cruise, but the Thrill Big Package is just $13 per person, per day more.  On a 3-night cruise, that's $39 extra. The cost for buying Thrill Waterpark admission on its own is $38.99 during the Black Friday sale.

Some cruisers reported cheaper prices if they price out the drink package and Wi-Fi separately, especially when taking advantage of the multi-device discount on a Voom package purchase.

It appears the new packages are savings for one person by themselves.

Before buying a bundle, it's worth seeing how much each bundle component is on its own before purchase. No matter what you choose to buy, purchasing before the cruise is still a better deal than waiting to get on the ship.

The lowest prices of the year on a cruise drink package are here.

Royal Caribbean kicked off its Black Friday preview sale today, which has new discounts for both cruise fares and add-on purchases.

While Black Friday isn't for a few more weeks, Royal Caribbean wants to get in on the sale with discounts now.

There are many aspects of the sale to consider, but the prices for the fun extras passengers can optionally purchase are seeing lower prices and even a few new options.

Perhaps the most popular add-on you can buy for a Royal Caribbean cruise is a drink package, and select sailings are seeing prices as low as $54.99 per person, per day.

Perhaps the absolute lowest price we've seen in a decade is for the Panama Canal repositioning cruise of Radiance of the Seas that begins April 19, 2025.  The Deluxe Beverage Package is only $48.99 per person, per day on that sailing, although that sailing is fifteen nights.

No matter which sailing you pick, it's likely a substantial discount considering Royal Caribbean is regularly charging over $100 per person, per day for the same package when purchased onboard ships. In fact, all purchases made online are cheaper than waiting to book during the sailing.

The Cruise Planner sale runs between November 8, 2024 through November 29, 2024 and applies to select sailings departing November 13, 2024 - December 31, 2025. 

• Beverage: Up to 50% off
  • Evian Water Package: 50% off onboard prices
  • Refreshment Package: 35% off onboard prices
    • Kids (12 and below): 50% off Refreshment
  • Classic Soda Package: 35% off onboard prices
    • Kids (12 and below): 50% off Classic Soda
  • Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship.
    • Interior/Oceanview Stateroom: Additional 5% off Deluxe (excluding Asia and Reposition
      sailings).
    • Seniors (65+): 40% off Deluxe Beverage (excluding Asia and Reposition sailings).
    • Diamond & above CAS members: 40% off Deluxe Beverage (excluding Asia and Reposition).

• Shore Excursions: Up to 50% off
  • Shorex: Discount varies by ship.
  • Wynwood Walls tour: 10% off onboard prices
  • Perfect Day Passes: 50% off onboard prices
  • Perfect Day & Labadee Cabanas: Up to 50% off onboard prices
    • Seniors (65+): 25% off Shorex (excluding Caribbean, Alaska & Europe sailings).
    • Platinum & above CAS members: 25% off Shorex on Caribbean sailings.
• Internet: Up to 55% Off

• Dining: Up to 50% Off
  • Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 14N sailings: Discount varies by ship.
• Photo Packages: Up to 65% Off
  • Photo Packages from 5 - 100 Photos: Discount varies by ship.
  • Private Photo Session: 60% off onboard prices 
• Onboard Activities: Up to 30% off
  • All Access Ship tour
  • Observatorium
  • Mission Control Apollo 18
  • Escape the Rubicon
  • EscapeU: Freshman Year
  • RipCord by iFLY Two Minute Experience
  • North Star Extended Experience
  • FlowRider Private Lesson
  • FlowRider Group Lesson 

• Spa: Up to 30% Off Select Times 
• Gifts & Gear: Up to 45% Off
  • Strawberries with Champagne: 35% off onboard prices
  • Anniversary Decorations with Champagne: 40% off onboard prices
  • Happy Birthday Decorations with Chocolate Cake & Strawberries: 40% off onboard prices
  • Happy Birthday Decorations with Vanilla Cake & Strawberries: 40% off onboard prices
  • Happy Birthday Bright Style: 30% off onboard prices
  • Happy Anniversary Decorations: 35% off onboard prices
  • Bon Voyage Decorations: 30% off onboard prices
  • 9 Chocolate Covered Strawberries: 30% off onboard prices
  • White Wine and Cheese: 35% off onboard prices
  • Red Wine and Cheese: 35% off onboard prices
  • Soft Octopus Travel Set: 25% off onboard prices
  • Royal Caribbean Beach Towel: 40% off onboard prices
  • Inky Beach Towel (TicTacToe): 40% off onboard prices
  • Inky Beach Set: 35% off onboard prices
  • Inky Octopus Family Travel Set: 25% off onboard prices
  • Winter Blanket: 25% off onboard prices
  • Luxury Robe: 35% off onboard prices
  • Alaska Polar Bear Hat: 40% off onboard prices
  • Cooler Bag with Water: 35% off onboard prices
  • Cooler Bag with Coca Cola: 35% off onboard prices
  • Cooler Bag with Diet Coke: 35% off onboard prices
  • Cooler Bag with Bud Light: 35% off onboard prices
  • Cooler Bag with Truly: 35% off onboard prices
  • Utopia Blue/Pink Towel and Tumbler Set: 25% off onboard prices
  • Icon Blue/Pink Towel and Tumbler Set: 25% off onboard prices

• Onboard Activities: Up to 30% off
  • All Access Ship tour
  • Observatorium
  • Mission Control Apollo 18
  • Escape the Rubicon
  • EscapeU: Freshman Year
  • RipCord by iFLY Two Minute Experience
  • North Star Extended Experience
  • FlowRider Private Lesson
  • FlowRider Group Lesson

New bundles

An interesting twist to this year's Black Friday sale is the addition of bundles.

These bundles offer combinations of popular add-ons. These appear to be Black Friday/Cyber Monday exclusive, so it may be a limited-time offering.

Here's a look at what's being offered:

Perfect Day Bundles

These combos include a Deluxe Beverage Package, one device WiFi access, and admission into either Hideaway Beach (Royal Caribbean's adults-only area of Perfect Day at CocoCay), Coco Beach Club, or Thrill Waterpark.

• Thrill Big Package
• Chill Big Package
• Party Big Package

Drink Package + WiFi Bundles

• Deluxe and Voom
• Refreshment and Voom
• Soda and Voom 

You can still take advantage of a better price on cruise add-ons

If you’ve already purchased add-ons like an internet package or spa service for your upcoming cruise, be sure to check the price of the add-on under the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale.

If the price is lower, you can cancel and rebook the add-on with no penalty up to 48 hours before your cruise date.

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Sale begins today on cruise fares too

In addition to the cruise planner extras you can buy, Royal Caribbean is also discounting its fares beginning today.

The Black Friday Preview sale begins today, November 8 through November 11 and offering up to $750 off base fares. 

The Black Friday Preview Sale is combinable with a monthlong offer – BOGO 60% off a second guest and Kids Sail Free, which starts today, November 8. 

BOGO60 applies to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made 11/8 – 12/9/24 on sailings departing on or after November 9, 2024, and provides 60% off the cruise fare of the second guest booked in the same stateroom as the first, full fare paying guest, as well as 30% off any additional guests. Savings applied to cruise fare at checkout.

A sudden, powerful squall struck Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas during its transatlantic crossing, causing disarray on the ship and injuring several guests onboard. 

According to guests on the sailing, Explorer of the Seas encountered a squall while sailing off the coast of Africa towards Miami, Florida. A squall is defined as a sharp, sudden increase in wind speed that lasts for minutes. Squalls can form quickly - in a matter of minutes - and cultivate rough seas, heavy rain, and changes in atmospheric pressure.

On the Crown and Anchor Society Facebook page, David Wong posted, “We were suddenly hit by a 55mph squall to the starboard side and the ship was tilted to the port side at a scary angle. We were all instructed to stay in our cabin for head counts and to check if anyone was hurt. I don’t think anyone was seriously injured.”

(Image shared by Jonathan Parrish)

Explorer of the Seas is currently sailing on a 12-night itinerary from Barcelona, Spain to Miami, Florida. After spending her summer sailing in Europe, Explorer of the Seas is on her repositioning voyage for a winter season in the Caribbean.

Unfortunately, the ill-fated voyage has already experienced unexpected changes before the squall incident. Explorer of the Seas was scheduled to visit Valencia (Spain), Malaga (Spain) and the Azores (Portugal) on her original itinerary before crossing the Atlantic. Due to catastrophic flooding that devastated Valencia last week, the ship was diverted to Cartagena, Spain instead.

(Images shared by Jonathan Parrish)

However, that wasn’t the only weather-related diversion for the ship. Because of Tropical Storm Patty in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Explorer of the Seas had to skip its scheduled port stop in the Azores as well. The cruise ship instead visited Tenerife in the Canary Islands prior to beginning her ocean crossing.

While only about 750 miles off the coast of Morocco, Explorer of the Seas was unexpectedly struck by damaging winds from a squall. The captain allegedly acted quickly to redirect the ship and safely handle the incident. According to Ron Warren online, the ship listed severely for “somewhere between 5 to 10 minutes” during the incident.

The squall left Explorer of the Seas in shambles, as photos of the aftermath are now being shared online. The damage and apparent chaos can be seen around the vessel in many of the photos. Impacted areas including the Promenade, casino, bars, Windjammer and retail shops. 

(Images shared by Jonathan Parrish)

The shocking images show extensive damage across the ship, particularly in the bar areas. Photos show spilled liquor, broken glassware and shattered bottles scattered across the floor. The retail shops onboard show more damage with clothing, perfume, watches and more merchandise spewed around the ship.

More pictures from guests onboard show furniture and decor overturned in the ship’s hallways and common areas. Tables in the ship’s casino are also flipped due to the ship’s steep listing. Even still, many photos show the crew members working tirelessly and swiftly to clean up the damage around the ship.

(Images shared by Jonathan Parrish)

Following the incident, the captain apparently ordered all guests to remain in their cabins so they could properly account for all passengers onboard. Crew members were also ordered to their cabins for accountability purposes. Online, some passengers have shared that medical announcements were made to assist guests who are injured from the incident.

Impacted guests onboard Explorer of the Seas are understandably shaken by the scary incident. “It was horrible. Terrifying. I’ve ever been scared on a cruise ship before, and I’ve done multiple transatlantic. I am not alone in saying I thought the ship was going over,” shared Patty Laushman.

(Explorer of the Seas' location as of November 7, 2024, 20:25 CST)

“This is our first transatlantic, and yes, it was scary, maybe not so much for us because we were in our cabin. But, I thank Captain Frank from the bottom of my heart that he immediately, and literally, steered us out of harm’s way. Broken dishes and knocked- over-tables can be replaced and fixed, but as far as we know, we are all safe,” said Annette Hodges.

Another guest, Madge McLennan, shared how she was in the theatre waiting for a show to begin when the squall hit. She describes people starting to “panic and race for the exit” during the unnerving situation. She also explained how a bottle of wine in their cabin hit the floor and smashed following the heavy winds. 

(Image shared by Jonathan Parrish)

Moreover, Jonathan Parrish shared an image of Explorer’s current navigational path, showing an obvious course diversion due to the squall. “This is the drastic right turn we made due to the winds. Amazing job to the Captain for a quick reaction: turning and slowing" he shared on Facebook. 

According to guests currently onboard, Explorer of the Seas is now diverting back to the Canary Islands. "Captain Frank just announced they turned back due to a medical emergency and they will refuel and get provisions in the Canary Islands He also says that we wont arrive in Miami until [November] 17th, NOT the 14th as scheduled," wrote Kimberly Melton. 

Explorer of the Seas is currently sailing east towards towards Africa based on CruiseMapper's location. This will apparently delay the ship's scheduled return to Miami by three days, based on passenger's reporting. Explorer of the Seas is scheduled to sail on a 10-night Southern Caribbean on November 14, 2024 from Miami, Florida following the ship's transatlantic journey. 

Royal Caribbean has not provided a comment on the incident as of the time of publication.

Have you ever been so bothered by something that you decided to take care of it yourself?

One cruise ship passenger on Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas sailed a few weeks ago and noticed a broken cup holder in the ship's theater.  

Reddit user Asorensen1989 originally shared a photo of the broken cup holder, using it as an example of the state of the ship and why Royal Caribbean needs to retire her.

"Having just spent the week on Enchantment of the Seas, I can say, it’s time for her to retire. She’s just done. Everything is worn out and dated. The technology is seriously lacking. The service is great, but they can only make up for so much."

The cup holder was simply an example to prove the person's point.

A different Reddit user Shot_Bread_9657, noted he could make the necessary repairs with the proper materials.  With a cruise already booked on Enchantment coming up, the Reddit user brought the necessary materials from home and fixed it themself.

Photos were shared on Reddit of the repaired cup holder that he decided to work on because no one else did.

"Couldn’t say why- just seemed like a funny, and possibly helpful, thing to do," he wrote in his post.

They posted photos of what they did, and how it was repaired.

First, they packed caulk, sandpaper, epoxy putty, and brushes that they already owned.

"It cost me all of $0...Used a $5 coupon at Michael’s for the paint and lacquer," he explained in the total cost of the project.

He admitted he could have done a better job restoring it with the proper materials, but he wanted to get it back to working condition.

He brought the broken cup holder to his stateroom, where he documented how he repaired it.

Finally, he brought the repaired cup holder back to the theater and returned it to its proper place.

"I’m glad to say I delivered," he wrote triumphantly.

"Can't decide if you should be thanked or disembarked"

The reactions to Shot_Bread_9657's post sparked all sorts of reactions.

One person wrote, "Royal should hire you to be Handyman of the Seas."

Another posted, "You're just a normal passenger? ...I can't decide if you should be thanked or disembarked at the next port. LOL"

Others took the opportunity to note the lack of proper maintenance in the first place that left the cup holder broken for weeks.

"I admire your tenacity. The world needs more of this," Unhappy-Actuator9674 wrote.

Right or wrong?

While I've seen passengers use pieces of paper to level a wobbly table, or attempt to quiet noisy parts of their cabin, this is a new level of proactive work by a passenger.

Whether or not this person's repair work was helpful or not, it's likely against Royal Caribbean's policy to do so.

Within the cruise line's Guest Health, Safety, and Conduct Policy, is a section specifying this sort of behavior is not allowed:

"Additionally, tampering with any of the ship’s equipment, facilities or systems is not permitted."

There are potential safety and policy implications of a passenger attempting repairs. There are potential safety risks associated with unauthorized repairs, even if they seem minor, and it could impact the guest’s and other passengers’ safety.

When a problem is spotted by a guest, they should report it to Guest Services onboard and/or a nearby crew member so they can flag it for the ship's maintenance team to address.

It's questionable if security should have prohibited items such as epoxy putty or caulk from being brought onboard in the first place. While those items are not specifically on Royal Caribbean's prohibited items list, the line exercises a certain degree of discretion as to what can or cannot be brought onboard.

Every passenger's belongings are scanned before being brought onboard. Any suspicious items are flagged by security, confiscated, and returned after the cruise.

Background on cruise ship maintenance

Just like hotels, restaurants, and every place of business on land, things break on cruise ships from time to time, especially from wear and tear.

Every Royal Caribbean cruise ship employs a team of maintenance workers. Their job is to attend to all repairs on the ship, big and small.

Since they are a limited workforce, their attention is relegated to the top priority tasks first. Issues related to guest safety, comfort, and enjoyment are where a ship's maintenance workers go.

You can spot maintenance workers on a Royal Caribbean ship usually by their blue uniforms. When an issue is reported, a crew member is dispatched to work on it.

Not all issues can be fixed while on the ship, either because of the scope of the project or lacking necessary materials.  In some cases, work has to wait for the ship to go into drydock for routine maintenance.

Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas will need a little more time before she's ready to start cruising again.

Every five years (or less), Royal Caribbean sends its cruise ships in for refurbishment to ensure they're properly maintained. Voyager of the Seas is in Cadiz, Spain to undergo scheduled work.

Unfortunately, bad weather around Spain has delayed the work and more time is needed.

Guests booked on the transatlantic sailing returning the ship to the United States received an update their voyage has been pushed back by a day.

"Due to a delay in our current drydock operations caused by adverse weather, Voyager of the Seas will be arriving in Barcelona one (1) day later than we initially planned," an email to booked passengers read.

The ship was originally scheduled to depart Barcelona, Spain on November 10, 2024.

Instead, Voyager will now depart Barcelona on Monday, November 11th.

The change in departure date also means a change to the ship's itinerary. Voyager will skip a visit to Valencia, Spain and instead visit Palma De Mallorca on Tuesday, November 12th. The rest of the itinerary will remain unchanged.

Any pre-paid Royal Caribbean International shore excursions booked for Palma de Mallorca will be rescheduled based on availability, and any excursions booked for Valencia will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment. 

Voyager of the Seas is scheduled to arrive to Port Canaveral, Florida as originally scheduled on November 26, 2024.

Voyager will sail 4- and 5-night winter getaways on a varied lineup of Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises to The Bahamas, including Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau; Cozumel; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and Labadee.

Compensation for the change

To make it up to passengers, Royal Caribbean is offering some money back.

Royal Caribbean is providing:

• A refund of one (1) day of the Cruise Fare paid as an Onboard Credit.
• A pro-rated refund as an Onboard Credit for your daily packages (Beverage, Dining, VOOM) and pre-paid gratuities.
• All Onboard Credits can be used anywhere onboard, and any remaining refundable amounts at the end of the sailing will be refunded to the card on file up to 14 business days from final disembarkation.

For travel plans that need to be changed, Royal Caribbean will cover any air change fee up to $200 USD for domestic travel and $400 USD for international travel, per person OR one (1) night hotel accommodations, up to $250 USD, per stateroom if needed.

Royal Caribbean will also honor the original amount of nights in the sailing, as it relates to Crown and Anchor Society points.

"You’ll receive loyalty points for the original sail nights, instead of the nights sailed. For this sailing, you’ll still receive 16 nights worth of loyalty points."

Shipyard delays are not unusual

The delay in return to service following scheduled maintenance work is not unheard of.

In most cases, ships undergo their routine work on schedule and return without delay.  But there have been situations where a delay in return to service has occurred.

In early 2019, Navigator of the Seas underwent a highly anticipated Royal Amplification, which would add new water slides, restaurants and experiences onboard.

The $115 million shipwide refurbishment was scheduled to be complete by February 2019, but poor weather conditions at the shipyard in the Bahamas caused delays to the progress of the ship’s outer decks.

A construction crane collapsed on top of Oasis of the Seas while in drydock. 

Royal Caribbean was forced to cancel the next three scheduled sailings that followed in order for the ship to be fully repaired.

Is it disappointing to go on Royal Caribbean’s older, Freedom Class ships, after trying their newer ships?

The cruise line’s smaller vessels, such as the Voyager and Explorer Class, are great for exploring unique ports and exclusive itineraries. 

Its mega-ships, like the Icon and Oasis Class, famously offer an overwhelming amount of onboard activities and amenities.

So where does that leave Royal Caribbean’s medium-sized vessels, like the Freedom Class?

Eighteen years ago, Freedom of the Seas debuted as the very first Freedom Class ship, and the largest cruise ship in the world.

In 2006, the 1,111-foot-long and 156,271 gross-ton vessel stunned guests with its water slides, 15 decks, and 1,963 staterooms.

However, nearly two decades later, Freedom of the Seas has long been dwarfed by six Oasis-class ships—each one larger than the next—and now a new Icon Class of even bigger mega-ships.

Freedom was Amplified in 2020, undergoing a $116 million upgrade that included a new pool deck, water slides, and dining venues. 

How does a cruise on Freedom of the Seas compare to Royal Caribbean’s newest ships?

Coming hot on the heels of my cruises on Icon of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas, I was eager to compare this older vessel.

Freedom feels small and crowded in comparison to bigger ships

I almost felt disappointed when I first walked onboard Freedom. The golden, shiny elevators and the tiled Royal Promenade felt much smaller in comparison to the Oasis and Icon Class.

When compared to the wide open spaces of Icon of the Seas, for example—with a two-level Royal Promenade and huge Pearl staircase—Freedom of the Seas feels tiny.

The public spaces and seating areas looked dingy and crowded. When sailing on ships like Wonder of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, I appreciated how much seating and walking areas there were. 

On Freedom, however, I found myself stalled in huge throngs of people and wandering the pool deck trying to find a seat.

The public spaces felt tiny, especially the middle of the Royal Promenade, the elevator spaces, the Windjammer’s aisles, and the pool deck.

While it felt inconvenient, having to deal with more crowds onboard Freedom made me consider the communal nature of cruising.

There is something fun, after all, about squeezing into a packed elevator and exchanging quiet laughter with strangers. 

While the crowds were annoying, they also made the cruise feel more united. I saw the same faces over and over until we began to recognize each other

The cabin had fewer modern amenities

While I enjoyed my oceanview cabin on Freedom of the Seas, I noticed it missed some of the more modern amenities I’ve seen on newer Royal Caribbean ships.

Aspects like more ports around the room (instead of just at the desk) spoiled me by improving my experience on newer ships.

I felt the lack of the modern fixtures in the bathroom. Icon of the Seas, for example, has a large shower area, complete with smooth sliding doors and footstands in the shower.

Standing in Freedom’s astronaut-sized shower, by comparison, felt cramped and dull.

The bathroom was small, with dimming lights and slamming sliding doors. 

I also noticed less creative organizational designs, and less adjustable AC and announcement controls.

However, each aspect of the cabin was still clean and functional. It wasn’t that any part of it was lacking—the most inconvenience I felt was the lack of charging ports all over the stateroom.

My stateroom was still a comfortable, luxurious home at sea.

I needed the complimentary dining options on newer ships

The food onboard Freedom of the Seas was tasty and came with marvelous service, but I missed the complimentary dining options on newer Royal Caribbean ships.

I spent my time dining for free at the Windjammer buffet, the Main Dining Room, Sorrento’s Pizza, El Loco Fresh, and the Café Promenade, but found that I quickly tired of the breakfast options.

Read more: I spent a week on the world's largest cruise ship, the free food was the best of any Royal Caribbean ship

For breakfast, I could head to the Windjammer or the Café Promenade, or order room service—continental breakfast comes free.

But on a 7-day cruise, these options got old. The two venues served mostly the same dishes for breakfast: waffles, hashbrowns, oatmeal, pancakes, fruit, yogurt, and muffins. When I ordered room service, the food looked unappealing, and the fruit was moldy.

More than that, I longed for some new venues to switch up my breakfast scenery. I missed the AquaDome Market on Icon of the Seas, and the Park Cafe on Utopia of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean strove to add more complimentary dining on its newer ships, and I really missed that upgrade when I sailed on Freedom.

I didn’t miss the flashier shows and entertainment

Freedom may not have the flashy, unbelievable Aquashows and light performances of newer ships, but the onboard entertainment didn’t lack anything.

Freedom of the Seas has ice shows, live music and comedians, movies, nightclub events, and other production shows.

All of these performances still felt entertaining, even when compared to the marvelous technological wonders on newer ships.

Plus, the smaller nature of the cruise meant the entertainment came from the game shows, trivia nights, and other cruisers.

Instead of attending a flashy robotic performance, the biggest events of the evening would be a live piano player at the Schooner Bar or the finale of the karaoke competition.

This communal entertainment struck a balance amid more exciting shows, like the FreedomIce.com ice skating show and the Once Upon a Time performance.

The sports center was quite action-packed, with a rock climbing wall, basketball court, FlowRider surf simulator, two water slides, and an arcade. Plus, cruisers can experience laser tag and ice skating onboard, just like on the Oasis Class.

Freedom’s onboard activities create a great middle-ground for a more itinerary-intensive cruise. 

When the weather was rainy and windy, there were plenty of indoor cruise activities to enjoy. 

But on a port day, I didn’t feel the need to rush back to the ship to try everything onboard.

Bottom line: Freedom reminds me why I love to cruise

Even though I found myself missing some modern amenities, Freedom of the Seas reminded me of what I truly enjoy about cruising. 

I don’t cruise for the world records, the flashy technology, or the over-the-top activities. As a matter of fact, sailing on a ship with a less hyped-up reputation made for a calmer, more relaxed cruise. 

I cruise Royal Caribbean for its laid-back vacation atmosphere, cheerful service, unlimited food, and communal cruise entertainment.

Freedom of the Seas may not be the cruise line’s newest or biggest, but it was filled with genuine crew and fun-loving cruisers. 

The activities, service, and entertainment held up as quality, despite the ship’s age.

Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas is stuck in Yokohama, Japan after encountering technical issues - supposedly with its propulsion system.

Because of this, the ship’s current voyage will be delayed returning to Shanghai, China and the following voyage is cancelled.

According to Reddit user @SkylightJewel on the r/royalcaribbean thread, Spectrum of the Seas has faced ‘technical issues’ during its 7-night sailing from China to Japan. The presumed propulsion issue has delayed the ship’s return to Shanghai, China by two days from November 7, 2024 to November 9, 2024.

“I am currently onboard Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas Japan cruise from Shanghai (Baoshan) China [2nd Nov 2024 - 9th Nov 2024],” writes the cruiser.

“At the time of posting, the captain just announced the ship (Spectrum Of The Seas) is currently having a ‘technical issue' and we are stuck in the Yokohama port unable to depart until the parts to fix the ship come in.”

In an update to the post, the Reddit user explained how the captain later announced the ship was experiencing a “technical fault” that would result in the ship staying in Yokohama, Japan until the issue could be resolved.

Spectrum of the Seas embarked on a 7-night round-trip itinerary from Shanghai to Japan, originally scheduled to return on November 9, 2024. The itinerary featured port stops throughout Japan, including Kobe, Osaka and Yokohama (Tokyo). The original sailing was meant to return on November 9, 2024 to Shanghai, China before sailing on a 4-night itinerary to Japan.

The Reddit user continued, “Captain announced that the estimated arrival time back to Shanghai (Baoshan) has been delayed to 11th November 2024. It looks like whoever has booked their cruise on 9th Nov 2024 (4 Night Nagasaki Japan Cruise from Shanghai, China) will be cancelled.”

As of November 6, 2024 at 8:25 PM CST, CruiseMapper shows Spectrum of the Seas currently docked in Yokohama, Japan. Royal Caribbean has not confirmed exactly what the “technical concern” is, or what has caused the issue. However, the Reddit user alleges that Spectrum of the Seas is having a propulsion issue, which has impacted other Royal Caribbean ships recently as well.

Spectrum of the Seas is a newer ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, launching as the first Quantum Ultra Class cruise ship. Spectrum of the Seas was built for - and exclusively sails to - the Asian market. The ship is considered the largest, newest and most innovative ship to sail in Asia, holding nearly 4,900 passengers as maximum capacity and measuring 168,666 gross tons.

Compensation

According to a Facebook post shared by Cruise The World, guests booked on the November 9, 2024 sailing onboard Spectrum of the Seas have been notified of the cruise cancellation.

In the email sent to guests, Royal Caribbean states, “Unfortunately, due to a technical concern on our current sailing, we will be delaying our return to Shanghai (Baoshan), China. As a result, we will need to cancel our sailing together. We know how much time and effort go into planning your cruise, and we’re truly sorry for this disappointing news”

For compensation, guests will receive a 100% refund on their cruise, including taxes and fees, within 14 business days. All pre-paid packages and gratuities, amenities and shore excursions will be refunded as well to impacted guests. Further, Royal Caribbean states that any flights purchased through Royal Caribbean are eligible for a full refund, including any pre-purchased Royal Caribbean Travel Protection plans too.

In addition, guests on the cancelled sailing will receive a 50% Future Cruise Credit as a gesture of goodwill from Royal Caribbean. The credit can be used on future sailings within one next year for impacted itinerary.

Royal Caribbean has also provided compensation for airfare changes and cancellations due to the propulsion issue. Those who booked flights directly through Royal Caribbean will receive an automatic refund while other guests will be compensated for any change fees incurred by the cancellation. 

Moreover. guests will receive $200 USD per person for domestic travel changes while those with international flights will receive $400 USD per person. According to the cruise line, these passengers are instructed to send receipts to [email protected] for review and reimbursement. 

Royal Caribbean’s recent propulsion issues

Although maintenance issues and cancelled cruises are rare, they are not unheard of. In fact, Spectrum of the Seas is not the first Royal Caribbean ship this year to experience technical issues. Royal Caribbean has experienced a few technical issues across its fleet within the last 12 months.

Just two weeks ago, Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas was stuck in Mexico due to a technical issue with the ship’s propulsion system. This resulted in a delayed return for the ship, causing further delays for the following sailing. Brilliance of the Seas is an older ship, launching in 2002. 

Brilliance of the Seas had propulsion issues earlier this year, too. During her time in Australia and the South Pacific this winter, the ship had to alter and cancel itineraries unexpectedly. During an 11-night itinerary to the South Pacific, Brilliance of the Seas returned to Sydney, Australia four days ahead of schedule for technical repairs. 

This caused the ship to cancel its ports of call in Mystery Island, Port Vila, and Luganville. The shortened itinerary with limited port stops was a huge disappointment for guests onboard. The following 5-night cruise was also cancelled due to ongoing propulsion issues and delayed maintenance. 

Earlier this year, another Radiance Class ship had unexpected maintenance issues with its propulsion system. Radiance of the Seas encountered a propulsion issue in April 2024 that caused a last-minute cancellation for one Alaskan itinerary. The ship had previously experienced propulsion issues in late 2023 as well, which resulted in two cancelled Alaskan itineraries last year.

Finally, Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest vessel, Icon of the Seas, cancelled a 7-night itinerary in September 2024 because of technical issues. Although the cruise line did not specify the exact issue, many presumed the ship was also experiencing propulsion issues. Cruises resumed when Icon of the Seas was repaired successfully. 

Royal Caribbean has changed the itineraries of four cruise ships in preparation for Hurricane Rafael. The intensifying storm is predicted to make landfall later this week as a Category 2.

As of Wednesday morning, Rafael was a Category 2 storm with winds of 110 mph – just 1 mph away from Category 3 status – and 130 miles from Cuba.

Models currently show Hurricane Rafael hitting Western Cuba later tonight, with high winds of over 100 miles an hour.

The hurricane is expected to continue to move toward the Gulf of Mexico and weaken before reaching the United States on Saturday or Sunday.

So far, four ships in the fleet have been affected by the storm: Radiance of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, and Brilliance of the Seas.

Radiance of the Seas left the port of Tampa on November 2nd, with a scheduled 7-day cruise visiting Bimini, Freeport, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Passengers onboard received a notice of the change. 

The email read: "Along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we've been monitoring inclement weather along our intended path due to a developing storm system forecasted to bring increasingly strong winds across the sea, impacting our planned ports and potentially making them unsafe to visit."

To avoid the hurricane's path, the Radiance-Class vessel will steer into the Western Caribbean instead, visiting Mexico and Honduras.

"As a result, we'll be unable to visit the planned ports of call on our itinerary. To provide you with the most enjoyable sailing experience, we'll now visit some of our popular Western Caribbean destinations - Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize and Costa Maya Mexico!"

Radiance of the Seas will return to Tampa on Saturday, November 9th, as scheduled.

Vision of the Seas is also skipping stops in the Bahamas. The Vision-Class vessel sailed out of Baltimore, Maryland on October 31st.

Her 9-day sailing was scheduled to visit Bermuda, Nassau, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Now, Vision of the Seas will remain in Bermuda for longer, avoiding the Bahamas altogether. 

Port Canaveral has always been added to her itinerary as a new port of call.

Freedom of the Seas also changed her itinerary, but the sailing won't change any ports. Instead, two port days will be swapped.

The Freedom-Class vessel departed on a 6-night cruise out of Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, November 3rd. 

The original sailing called for Freedom to visit Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamacia, and Labadee, Haiti.

Freedom will now call upon Labadee first to divert the ship away from Hurricane Rafael, then Falmouth and Grand Cayman.

Brilliance of the Seas left the port of New Orleans on November 2nd, departing on a 7-day sailing.

Her original itinerary included stops at Cozumel, Mexico; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Grand Cayman.

The Radiance-Class ship was scheduled to stop in George Town, Cayman Islands today, November 6th, but will now visit Belize City instead.

"We're terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather - your safety is our top priority," Royal Caribbean said in a letter to guests.

Royal Caribbean's meteorologists are still monitoring the storm

Guest and crew safety are top priority for Royal Caribbean. The cruise line employs a chief meteorologist, Craig Setzer, who monitors hurricanes and other weather events.

Setzer recently posted his own thoughts on Hurricane Rafel to X. 

Read more: "Unforeseen weather events" are top concern for cruise ships, according to Royal Caribbean's meteorologist

On Saturday morning, Setzer wrote: "While uncertainty about exact details remain (how strong, exactly where), combining weather systems over the next several days will impact Florida, The Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, & Caymans with exceptionally windy and stormy periods this week."

"The message from the Euro model is for near tropical storm winds (green area) & higher gusts with passing squalls likely." 

"Focus might be on hurricane development potential (which is low at this time), but longer duration tropical storm-like impacts are possible over South Florida/Keys & The Bahamas by early this week, even without a named storm."

Now that the storm has developed into a Hurricane, Setzer has made more updates to his X page.

"Wow," he posted, "Hurricane Rafael's eye coming into view of Key West radar, which is seeing it 240 miles away at a radar beam altitude of 40,000 feet."

"From the radar (and now recon) perspective, there appears to be a double eyewall structure. Maybe, just maybe if an eyewall replacement cycle can happen as the storm is approaching and making landfall in Cuba, the intensity will drop a bit...let's hope this happens."

Royal Caribbean announced changes to some of its suite cabins, slashing benefits in some cases.

The changes relate to the benefits and amenities that come with suites, and the cruise line intends to change what is included with select cabins in the future.

Travel agents were sent an update by Royal Caribbean to inform them of the change.

All of these changes are effective for sailings on or after May 2, 2026, regardless of the booking creation date.

The first change is to drop Surfside Family Suites from Sky Class to Sea Class.  

Surfside Family Suites are a new suite category that were first added on Icon of the Seas. The Surfside Family Suite overlooks the Surfside neighborhood. Like its namesake, this suite is meant to be a great choice for those with young kids.

This suite overlooks the Surfside Family Neighborhood and features a king size bed, and a cozy kids sleeping nook, and can accommodate 2 adults and 2 children.

As a result of the change, these cabins will no longer have access to the Suite Lounge, Suite Concierge services, complimentary internet access, complimentary beverages in the Suite Lounge, and can only dine at Coastal Kitchen restaurant for dinner only (instead of breakfast and lunch).

Meanwhile, Sunset Junior Suites will get a bump up to Sky Class.

Sunset Junior Suites are essentially what used to be Junior Suites on the back of cruise ships, and was a change in name and category made when Royal Caribbean reclassified many of its cabins.

Another big change is on three ships - Icon of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas - Sky Junior Suites will no longer have complimentary Wi-Fi as an amenity.

Royal Caribbean says they are making this change is to align these ships with the rest of the fleet where Sky Junior suites do not include Wi-Fi. 

The cruise line explained to travel agents why it was making all of these changes, "we continuously strive to enhance guest experience onboard and reach alignment of our product offerings across the fleet."

Sea Class vs Sky Class

To illustrate the changes better, it's important to understand what's included with each tier of Royal Caribbean's suite benefits.

On the cruise line's newest ships (Oasis, Icon, and Quantum Class ships), the suite program is divided up into three levels based on the suite category, Star, Sky, and Sea.

Sky Class Benefits

• Concierge service
• All-day access to Coastal Kitchen and The Grove (The Grove is on Icon Class ships only)
• Specialty bottled water upon arrival
• Complimentary internet 
• Priority boarding and departure
• Priority dining reservations
• Suite Lounge access
• Access to Suite Sun Deck
• Royal Caribbean plush bathrobes for use onboard
• Luxury pillow top mattress
• Luxury bathroom amenities
• Lavazza Espresso coffee maker

Sea Class Benefits

• Dinner at Coastal Kitchen
• Royal Caribbean bathrobes for use onboard
• Luxury pillow top mattress
• Luxury bathroom amenities
• Lavazza Espresso coffee maker

Reaction to the changes

The most notable change is the change in benefits for the Surfside Family Suites on the Icon Class ships.

Jenn Greene is a Travel Planner affiliated with MEI Travel, and thinks this change will hurt sales of these cabins, "The Surfside Family Suites sold not only to families, but also couples looking for Sky Class perks without the large price tag."

"This change may not be a good one for keeping that stateroom category full."

Ms. Greene is referring to the fact the room's location far away from the suite neighborhood and view of the kids area (rather than the ocean) were reasons a lot of people might have overlooked the cabin, if not for the suite benefits.

Planning the perfect girls' trip requires careful preparation. Whether it is a land or sea vacation, a trip with the girls has to accommodate everyone's preferences.

To prevent disagreements or awkwardness, a girls' cruise should meet everyone's needs, from available activities to the food on board.

I've taken three cruises with my sister, Valentine, and we've discovered that the Oasis Class ships make for the perfect trip together.

These Royal Caribbean mega-ships blend entertainment, dining, and activities into a thrilling cruise experience that appeals to all types.

Read more: I've only sailed Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships: Will I be disappointed if I try other ships?

Oasis-Class ships feature unique adventures on giant ships that have it all, such as water slides, AquaTheater performances, dry slides, surf simulators, specialty dining, themed bars, ice skating, laser tag, and rock climbing.

I've sailed on Wonder of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas with Val—here's why these ships make for the best cruise.

Short cruises accommodate everyone's schedule

While some cruisers adamantly stick to sailing for 7-nights or longer, my girls' trips wouldn't be possible without shorter sailings.

Multiple Oasis-Class ships, such as Allure of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, currently offer weekend cruises that last 3 or 4 nights.

It may seem like a shorter cruise on a mega ship is a waste of money: you'll never have enough time to experience everything onboard.

However, shorter cruises make it easier for me to travel with my young friends who have jobs or school.

Many young adults simply can't fit trips a week or longer into their schedule. Shorter cruises are also more affordable—it's easier to pay for three nights than seven!—which eases the pressure on your friendship and prevents money from getting in the middle.

I've been able to take two shorter cruises on Oasis-Class ships with my sibling. We sailed on Allure of the Seas for three nights over a weekend, and on Utopia of the Seas for a 4-night weekday cruise.

Read more: How to get the most out of a short sailing on Utopia of the Seas

These miniature sailings made it easier to take a trip together—and prevented us from going too stir-crazy!

The specialty dining is unbeatable

Food brings everyone together. When cruising with friends, specialty dining is one surefire way to spice up your cruise, promising an elegant and adventurous experience.

I've found that the specialty dining on the Oasis-Class ships is like no other.

On one vessel, you can find 15-20 specialty venues that offer excellent food and unique dining experiences. 

Oasis-Class ships feature incredible restaurants like Wonderland, a dining adventure inspired by Alice in Wonderland, and The Royal Railway, a train-based dining experience set in the Wild West.

On my cruises with Val, we dined at Izumi Hibachi, Izumi Sushi, The Mason Jar, Chops Grille, and Wonderland, and each meal was a marvelous, exciting bonding experience.

I still reminisce about some of the meals I've had on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class, like Izumi Hibachi's fried rice, yuzu citrus at Wonderland, and Chops Grille's fatty bacon appetizer.

Oasis-Class ships attract active cruisers

One of the best aspects of cruising is getting to meet a variety of people. A cruise ship becomes a community for the length of the sailing, so it's quite possible to turn strangers into friends by the end of the cruise.

That being said, I've only ever made those exciting new friendships on Oasis-Class vessels. I left my cruises on Wonder of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Oasis of the Seas with genuine, new connections.

My theory is that the Oasis Class just attracts active, younger cruisers—travelers ready for an exciting vacation full of new connections.

With such a multitude of activities and entertainment onboard, these vessels draw in travelers looking to have a busy and fun time.

With the possibility of making new friends onboard, a girls' trip on board an Oasis-Class ship becomes a thrilling adventure you and your friends can look forward to. Your vacation will be enriched by the company of many other cruisers.

Endless activities to try together or solo

The multitude of activities onboard the Oasis Class vessel are stunning—and they make for a great girls' trip.

On Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class, I've tried activities I never saw myself doing before—much less on a cruise ship! These adventures include:

• escape rooms
• laser tag
• ice skating
• rock climbing
• singing karaoke
• beer pong
• silent discos
• sake-tasting

Read more: I Tried Doing Every Activity on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas. It was busy, but I'd absolutely do it again.

The best part of these ships is that they are so huge, made up of multiple themed neighborhoods. Often, many events will be going on at the same time, allowing you to choose between your favorite activities.

Another reason this makes for a good girls' trip is that you don't have to do everything your friend wants to do. Valentine and I often find ourselves splitting up when the time is right, allowing for a healthy balance of priorities.

If she feels like sleeping in while I head to the gym, it's totally possible to do that! On the other hand, if I want to try dinner at the Windjammer and Val prefers being served in the Main Dining Room, it's easy to meet up later when we've each met our own needs.

The stunning entertainment creates conversation-starters

The only thing worse than not getting a vacation is going on a boring vacation. With Royal Caribbean, the Oasis Class promises the opposite.

The onboard entertainment, from start to finish, will stun you and your travel buddies. 

Valentine and I have seen some jaw-dropping performances on the Oasis Class, and this entertainment has sealed our love of these ships.

Entertainment like live game shows, Broadway performances, AquaTheater shows, and ice skating routines have taken our breath away, and created for new and exciting conversation starters.

How do you think they train to be able to dive from such a high distance? Wasn't the costume design in All-In! so cool? 

Every element invests more excitement into a girls getaway.