Royal Caribbean Blog

The Main Dining Room is a staple experience on Royal Caribbean cruises. However, many passengers may opt to skip the dining room in favor of specialty restaurants or a quicker, casual meal at the buffet, leaving them wondering if they should tell their waitstaff that they won't be there for dinner. 

The question was recently asked in a Royal Caribbean dining Facebook group, where a cruiser debated whether they should let their waiter know about the nights they plan on dining elsewhere. 

"We have reserved specialty dining on days 3, 4, [and] 5 of our upcoming 8-day trip. Should we let the [Main Dining Room] know that we won’t be there for those dinners but WILL be back for days 6 & 7?" they asked. 

While you aren't required to let your waiter know, many cruisers consider it common courtesy. 

If you choose traditional dining (i.e., the early or late seating) and know you’ll be missing a night (or two), it's polite to let them know. 

That way, they won't be waiting on you and can better manage their table assignments and service flow for the dinner seating. It also helps them know if the table will be used for My Time Dining guests. 

The responses were largely in agreement, stating that it's polite to let your waitstaff know when you won't be there. 

"We always let our waiters know when we will not be there," said one user. 

Another added, "Assuming you have the traditional, set dining time, common courtesy would be to let your waiter know you won't be there on those nights so the waiter and your fellow table mates are not waiting on you before starting their meal."

"[T]hey will tell you it's not necessary, but it is common courtesy to let them know," someone else agreed. 

One cruiser wrote, "It's simple courtesy to let them know the evening before as often the waiters will have prepared for you to show up. Our waiters frequently have our preferred beverage ready and even the cheese plate that we usually order to share at the table."

If you have My Time Dining, your server may ask you to request them the next night. If you have no intention of returning to the dining room, you can simply say that you have other plans. 

However, if they don't ask, there's no need to inform them, as My Time Dining is on a first-come, first-served basis — it's not expected that you will have the same waitstaff each night, like with traditional dining. 

If you have traditional dining, you can relax knowing that your assigned table and servers will be ready to welcome you each night you choose to eat in the dining room, even if you skip a few.

Read more: Royal Caribbean My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

Why cruisers might skip the Main Dining Room

The Main Dining Room is designed to be a flexible option for cruisers. Although many choose to eat there every night since it's included in your cruise fare, others may prefer the intimate setting of specialty restaurants. 

You can either purchase a specialty dining package or pay the individual cover charges at restaurants like Izumi, Chops Grille, Hooked, and more. 

Another reason passengers might skip the dining room is for a quick meal at the buffet, rather than devoting time to a multi-course dinner. There are also more choices than in the dining room, so you can mix and match to create your perfect plate. 

The good thing is that you can choose how you want to mix up your cruise dining experience (or not). 

And if you do decide on a whim to skip the dining room, it's okay. Cruising is all about flexibility, and your waiter will understand the last-minute change of plans. 

Read more: 11 reasons eating at the cruise buffet instead of the dining room is better

Royal Caribbean has a big year of Alaska cruises planned, and one ship is going to take more passengers farther northwest than ever before.

The 2026 Alaska cruise season will begin in May, and there are four Royal Caribbean cruise ships offering cruises through September.

Before you pick a ship, it's important to know the pros and cons of each, and why you might want to choose one over another.  This is especially important in a region like Alaska, because where you go on the sailing matters a lot.

This year's schedule has a big change, with Ovation of the Seas mixing up the usual order of things and doing something totally different.  But is that the right choice for you?

The largest cruise ship to to combine a cruise with a Denali land tour

A major change for Royal Caribbean this summer is Ovation of the Seas is taking over the weeklong one-way voyages between Seward, Alaska, and Vancouver, British Columbia. 

Going on Ovation means more access to what you can do within Alaska's interior. Sailings include visits across the Gulf of Alaska between Hubbard Glacier and Seward. Ports of call include Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point and Sitka, Alaska.

The advantage of going on Ovation is you can tack on up to six additional nights for land-based exploration that can take you to places such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna and Alyeska. There's even excursions that can take you tundra trekking and glass-dome train rides.

In past years, this was a route for the smaller Radiance Class ships, but Royal Caribbean wants to offer a big, bold choice. Typically, only big ships sail roundtrip from Seattle.  

This is significant change because now you can enjoy a big ship with everything there is to do onboard, while also adding a cruisetour to it. Those preferring megaships won't have to compromise between their preferred ship size and their desired itinerary.

Before you book, you should expect a higher price tag to get to and from this sailing. In many cases, you'll have to book two separate one-way flights, one of them departing from an Alaska city, which often costs more than a simple round-trip out of Seattle or Vancouver. If you’re trying to keep expenses down, that extra airfare can add up quickly.

Another big ship with roundtrip cruises from Seattle

If you're looking for a more convenient Alaska cruise on a megaship, Anthem of the Seas might be the choice for you.

Based in Seattle, Anthem of the Seas will offer 7-night roundtrip sailings to the most popular Alaskan ports.

One thing to look for before you pick a sailing is if a glacier viewing is included.

Not all of Anthem's sailings include a glacier viewing day.  You'll know if it does if "Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier" is listed.

The reason why a glacier viewing is preferred is it allows potentially the best viewing of a glacier you can get without boarding a helicopter or seaplane.

Your ship will get as close as safe to the glacier and then proceed to do a 360-degree turn to offer everyone a view. It's incredible to see.

However, how close your ship can get to the glacier depends on the weather and how much ice is in the channel. It's not uncommon to have a glacier viewing cancelled or simply held quite far back.

Just like Ovation, Anthem is a Quantum Class ship and that means there's lots to do onboard. In fact, Anthem of the Seas has the West End musical, "We Will Rock You".

The budget big ship in Alaska this year

Voyager of the Seas may not be as big or new as Anthem, but there's lots to love about this classic Royal Caribbean ship. There's still a big ship feel, and Voyager will sail from Seattle to offer 7-night cruises.

This will be the first year Voyager is in Alaska, but Royal Caribbean has had Voyager Class ships here in the past.

Just like Anthem, not all of its itineraries include a glacier viewing. The advantage of the non-glacier viewing sailings is you get an extra port of call in the port of Sitka. An extra port visit is arguably just as good as a glacier viewing opportunity.

This ship first debuted in 1999 and set the standard for modern cruise ships by introducing features that are still crowd-favorites today, such as the Royal Promenade, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink.

There's also FlowRider surf simulator and Perfect Storm waterslides on the top deck, provided you don't mind the cooler temperatures on an Alaska cruise.

The hidden gem offering round-trip Alaska cruises from Vancouver

If you're looking for something a little different, Serenade of the Seas will offer 7-night Inside Passage sailings from Vancouver that have slightly more interesting itineraries than what you'll find in Seattle.

Embarking an Alaska cruise in Vancouver gives guests the opportunity to sail through Canada’s Inside Passage. As the ship departs the city, guests can enjoy mountain landscapes surrounding both sides of the ship. This provides a sneak peek into the remarkable scenery yet to come.

There are seven different itineraries, including visits to Sawyer Glacier.  Plus, some sailings stop at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Both of these are uncommon places for a Royal Caribbean ship to sail to on an Alaska cruise.

Serenade of the Seas is a Radiance Class cruise ship, which makes her significantly smaller in size and capacity compared to Ovation and Anthem of the Seas.

Her smaller size makes it easy to get around, as well as enjoy views from around the ship.  Radiance Class ships have a lot of glass and outward viewing opportunities from inside.

However, there's far less activities to do onboard. This may be an issue for families or thrill seekers that want a higher caliber of entertainment on their cruise.

How to choose the right ship for an Alaska cruise

I think the ship is secondary to the places you'll visit on an Alaska cruise, but your ship choice shouldn't be overlooked either.

There are three different ship classes in Alaska for the 2026 cruise season, and each has its advantages.

If you want to see the most possible in Alaska, a cruise on Ovation of the Seas is going to be the best choice.

The one-way sailings can be combined with a Cruisetour, so you can visit places such as Denali National Park and Preserve and Banff National Park. It's arguably the best way to see all of Alaska in one trip.

However, if you want to save money while still seeing Alaska, I'd recommend one of the ships sailing from Seattle.

Both Anthem of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas offer roundtrip cruises that will likely reduce the cost of flights because there are many more flights into Seattle than Vancouver.

Anthem of the Seas offers state-of-the-art amenities. The vessel is more modern than Voyager or Serenade, having been launched over ten years after the latter.

Voyager, especially, is a great value because of the ship's age.  But you still get the "big ship feel" and activities onboard.

You should pick Serenade of the Seas for a ship that has more of a laid back vibe. It may not have all the bells and whistles of the Quantum Class ships, but a lot of cruisers that love Alaska pick a ship of this size for the atmosphere.

Serenade of the Seas is fairly small, with just 2,500 passengers, but the places it sails is the best reason to book it.

Departing from Vancouver on a Radiance Class ship means passengers can enjoy a more in-depth itinerary once in Alaska.

Ovation is making a big splash

I think the fact Royal Caribbean is offering a megaship to do the open-jaw sailings for the first time this year, is a big deal.

Historically, this route was relegated to older, smaller ships and it was a bit of a compromise.

If you're going to do one Alaska cruise ever, Ovation might be the best choice to check the box.

If you decide to try Ovation, I'd recommend booking a back-to-back sailing so you can do a roundtrip flight from Vancouver to make your travel plans simplest.

Many cruisers consider booking a refundable fare when reserving their cruise vacation, but is the added cost worth the flexibility? 

As an avid cruiser and someone with a degree in actuarial science and statistics, I’m always interested in the math behind everyday decisions. I can't help that my mind is mathematically wired! As you might imagine, this curiosity extends to cruise pricing and travel planning. I love to strategize on the best and easiest ways to save money, and I always aim to make the most informed decisions.

This has included one of the most debated booking questions: Is a refundable cruise deposit worth it?

For many years, I only booked non-refundable deposits to save money. However, my life was a lot more predictable back then. For some context, my husband is in the military, which means our future plans are often very unpredictable. Deployments, cross-country moves, and training are constantly floating around our busy schedule.

Booking a cruise two years in the future with my husband carries a much lower probability of actually happening. In comparison, if I book a cruise with my parents, my sister, or friends, there is a higher likelihood that it actually happens as planned.

Because of that uncertainty, I almost always book refundable deposits when my husband and I are cruising together. As much as I’d love to plan trips years in advance with certainty, that just isn’t realistic for us.

However, I had never actually considered assigning real probabilities to my decision-making. Instead of just considering whether I’ll probably take the cruise or not, I realized I could try to determine the likelihood of a cruise happening. With this, I could make more informed decisions about whether a refundable fare was worth the added cost. 

For example, we booked a Celebrity cruise to India that was scheduled for this fall, and we chose a refundable deposit. Luckily, our MEI travel agent was able to provide a refundable fare with the agency’s group rates, so the cost was minimal for a refundable fare.

But, India experienced some geopolitical tensions over the summer, so we decided the trip no longer felt like the best option for us. We canceled the cruise and rebooked a new sailing to New Zealand instead. Had we booked a non-refundable deposit, we would have either lost a $900 deposit or paid roughly $200 to switch itineraries (which is what most likely would have happened).

For our New Zealand cruise, we again booked a refundable deposit, even though we were only six months away from the sail date. However, this cruise went as planned (and it was amazing!). In the end, we paid a little extra for flexibility and peace of mind for this itinerary, but didn’t actually use the option to cancel.

Looking back, we probably could have booked a non-refundable deposit for our New Zealand cruise. However, we wanted to have the peace of mind that we wouldn’t lose money if we had to change our plans again.

When thinking more about this topic, I recently came across a fascinating thread on the Royal Caribbean Blog Forum where cruisers tried to answer this exact question using math and probability. It’s a great example of how thinking just a little more analytically can help you make a better booking decision. As a data analyst myself, I loved reading through everyone's theories!

So, if you’ve ever wondered whether paying extra for a refundable deposit is actually worth it, you’re in the right place. Here's how you can consider taking a more strategic approach to your decision-making process. 

Taking a mathematical approach to non-refundable deposits

In the forum thread titled “Refundable or Non-Refundable Deposit: A Mathematical Approach,” JFCruise aimed to analyze whether a refundable or non-refundable deposit made more sense financially. 

The poster wrote: “I think this might be one of the most common questions 'Is the Refundable Deposit Worth It'? And I was curious to see how 'worth it' it was, using math and probabilities. So, I fired up Excel and tried to figure out when it's worth it.”

Essentially, JFCruise was looking to determine the breakeven point where paying extra for the refundable deposit makes financial sense. Depending on a person's probability of canceling their cruise and the cost of the refundable fare, sometimes the math doesn't support refundable fares. Let's dig into this a little further!

How Royal Caribbean handles non-refundable deposits

Before diving further into the math, it’s important to clarify how refundable and non-refundable deposits work on Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean offers both refundable and non-refundable fares, each with different pricing and flexibility. In general, non-refundable fares will be the cheapest option, but they come with risk.

If you cancel before final payment, your deposit is not returned and considered forfeited. However, you do have an option to change your sailing for a penalty, usually $100 per person. 

On the other hand, refundable fares are more expensive, but provide you with flexibility and peace of mind. If you cancel your cruise before final payment, you get your deposit back in full and no money is lost. 

Let’s look at an example

To determine whether a refundable deposit is worth the extra cost, JFCruiser introduced a simple idea borrowed from probability theory, known as expected cost. In plain English, this means looking at what a decision is likely to cost you on average, based on how likely you are to cancel your cruise.

One example in the thread looked at an 8-night cruise for two people with these numbers:

Non-refundable deposit (NRD): $250 per person = $500 total "at risk" if you cancel before final payment

Refundable option premium (RD): $250 more per stateroom (the “extra” you pay upfront for flexibility)

From there, the math is pretty simple at a high level:

1. If you book non-refundable and later cancel, you lose $500.
   1. So the “risk cost” = ($500 × probability of cancellation).
2. If you book refundable and don’t cancel, you pay $250 extra for flexibility you didn’t use.
   1. So the “wasted premium” = ($250 × probability of NOT canceling).
3. The breakeven point is when those two expected amounts are equal.
   1. Our equation: $500 × (probability of cancellation) = $250 × (probability of NOT canceling)

Let’s simply assume the “probability of NOT canceling” = (100% − probability of canceling). With a little algebra, this equals a 33% probability of canceling, for this example. 

In other words, once your chance of canceling is more than 33.33%, paying an extra $250 for a refundable fare starts to make sense financially. As you are more uncertain about taking your cruise, the added flexibility is more worth the cost. On the flip side, if your chance of canceling is less than 33.33%, non-refundable fares are usually the better option.

Let’s look at some other scenarios comparing the refundable and non-refundable logic

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing for its cruise fares, meaning the price difference between refundable and nonrefundable options can change frequently.

To make this easier to visualize, here are a few simplified scenarios using real-world numbers. It’s important to consider that the deposit itself isn’t a “loss” if you take the cruise, as it’s applied to the fare. The only money at risk with a refundable booking is the extra amount you paid for flexibility.

Example 1: Very high chance of canceling (80%) | Low chance of sailing (20%)

• Deposit at risk with non-refundable: $500
• Extra cost for refundable: $250

Non-refundable expected loss: (0.80 * $500) = $400

Refundable expected loss: (0.20 * $250) = $50

Conclusion: If there’s an 80% chance you’ll cancel, booking a non-refundable fare means you’re very likely to lose most of that $500 deposit. Paying $250 for a refundable option dramatically reduces that risk. In this case, refundable clearly makes the most financial sense.

Example 2: Very low chance of canceling (5%) | Very high chance of sailing (95%)

• Deposit at risk with non-refundable: $500
• Extra cost for refundable: $250

Non-refundable expected loss: (0.05 * $500) = $25

Refundable expected loss: (0.95 * $250) = $237.50

Conclusion: If you’re almost certain you’ll take the cruise, the refundable option becomes more of an unnecessary expense. You’re far more likely to sail than cancel your cruise, meaning you’ll almost certainly pay extra for flexibility you won’t use. Here, non-refundable is the smarter choice.

Example 3: Refundable costs are very similar to the non-refundable deposit at risk

• Deposit at risk: $500
• Extra cost for refundable: $550

Break-even probability: (Cancellation probability x 500) = (1 - Cancellation probability) x 550 

This equals: 550 / (500+550) = 52.38%

Conclusion: In this scenario, you’d need more than a 52.38% chance of canceling your cruise for the refundable option to make sense. If your plans are fairly solid, booking a non-refundable fare is usually the better option. If your plans are truly uncertain, refundable may still be worth it. Moreover, if you're someone who wants peace of mind with your deposit, the added flexibility and protection could be worthwhile. 

Example 4: Refundable premium is much higher than the deposit

• Deposit at risk: $500
• Extra cost for refundable: $1,000

Breakeven probability = (Cancellation probability x 500) = (1 - Cancellation probability) x 1000

Equation: 1000 / (500 + 1000) = 66.67%

Conclusion: In this scenario, the refundable option only makes sense if there’s a very high chance of canceling. Mathematically, you’d need roughly a two-thirds (about 67%) or greater likelihood that you’ll cancel before final payment for the refundable option to break even.

If your plans are even moderately solid, you’re paying significantly more for flexibility than the amount you’re actually protecting. This makes the non-refundable option the more practical choice in most cases.

A simple mathematical way to think about refundable fares

Spreadsheets might not excite you in the same way they do for me, and that's totally fair! So, if you’re not looking to get your calculator out every time you book a cruise, here’s a simplified approach to determine if a non-refundable fare is worth the potential savings for you.

At a high level, you'll want to ask yourself three questions:

1. How much is the deposit I could lose?
2. How much extra am I paying for a refundable fare?
3. How likely am I to cancel before final payment?

Here’s a simple example. Let’s say your non-refundable deposit is $500 and the refundable fare costs $600 more.

In this case, you’re paying more to protect less. From a purely mathematical standpoint, the refundable option only makes sense if there’s a high chance you’ll cancel (more than 54.50%)

Now flip the numbers. If the non-refundable deposit is $500 and the refundable premium is $200, the math is more favorable towards a refundable deposit. In this case, the breakeven point is 28.60%, and you’d only need to believe there’s a 28.6% chance you’ll cancel

In this case, the math becomes much more favorable toward refundable, especially if you’re booking far in advance or dealing with uncertain schedules.

What caveats should we consider?

Many cruisers in the comment section were intrigued by the analytical approach to the discussion of non-refundable vs refundable fares. In fact, many also provided some helpful caveats and real-world considerations.

To start, several people noted that the fare difference between refundable and non-refundable cruise fares matters more than the deposit itself. Paying an extra $200 to protect a $500 deposit is very different than paying an extra $800 on your cruise fare to protect the same amount.

Others pointed out that timing plays a role during the decision-making process. As cruises get closer to final payment, the price difference between refundable and non-refundable fares often shrinks. As the sail date approaches, most people have a better idea of whether they'll be able to sail. 

A few commenters also mentioned the role of travel insurance, noting that many policies reimburse non-refundable deposits for covered reasons. For travelers who always carry insurance, non-refundable fares can feel like the better choice.

For example, my annual travel insurance policy with Allianz has reimbursed me for nonrefundable deposits in the past. When my husband was deployed and I had to cancel a trip, his deployment qualified as a covered reason under the policy.

Of course, there is also an emotional aspect to making this decision. Even when we try to rationalize our decisions, our emotions can take precedence. For example, even if the math favors choosing a non-refundable deposit, some people simply prefer the peace of mind with refundable fares to protect their deposit.

Is a refundable deposit worth it?

There’s no universal rule for whether a refundable deposit is worth it. It ultimately comes down to the details of your travel plans and personal situation.

For cruisers with predictable schedules and high confidence they’ll be able to sail, non-refundable deposits often make the most sense. If you have a travel insurance policy, this will also provide extra protection for covered reasons.

For those booking far in advance, choosing a refundable deposit can be the best option. This is especially true if you’re juggling uncertain work schedules or have a more unpredictable life (like me). For some, the peace of mind is always worth the added cost for a refundable deposit, even if the math doesn't support the decision. 

Although I’ve typically booked non-refundable deposits in the past, I’ve definitely leaned towards refundable fares in recent years. I’ve discovered that booking refundable group rates with my MEI travel agent is only marginally more expensive than the cruise line’s price.

For instance, I was able to book a refundable group rate with drinks and internet included on my last Celebrity cruise. The price I paid was only a few hundred dollars more than Celebrity was offering directly online. The small cost was absolutely worthwhile in this case!

For years I skipped Hooked Seafood on Royal Caribbean ships because I never thought the food was very good, and because I don't eat shellfish.

However, I wanted to go back to Hooked because I made a New Years cruise resolution to make this the year I revisit restaurants I swore off in the past. I figured it was time to give them all another chance, and Hooked as at the top of my list.

I've eaten at Hooked at least two or three times over the years, and I came away with the same thought as Caesar had in the classic film History of the World, Part 1, "Nice. Not thrilling, but nice."

Friends and other cruisers seemed to usually have a similar review that Hooked wasn't bad, but wasn't impressive either.

So when I went on Utopia of the Seas and had the chance to try Hooked again, I wanted to see if this restaurant had improved or changed in any way.

I brought with me four friends who love to eat shellfish, figuring I could lean on their tastes to determine what it's like at Hooked now.

The Hooked menu is different than I remember

Hooked is a specialty restaurant that costs extra to dine at, with a cover charge that includes all the food on the menu.

You'll find the restaurant at the very front of the ship above the adults-only Solarium.  Don't worry, kids can eat here.

As I was seated, I noticed immediately the menu has changed since my last visit.

I recall there being a messy fish sandwich that required a bib to eat, but it wasn't on the dinner menu.  

Looking over the menu, I was impressed by how many choices there were overall.  

Royal Caribbean doesn't limit how much you can order, so you're free to go all out and order as many appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

We had just spent the day enjoying Perfect Day at CocoCay, so my group was ready to eat.  We asked the waiter to bring out one of every appetizer to sample.

Our waiter informed us there were a few specials, including a blackened salmon.

The appetizers were impressive

Since all the appetizers had shellfish in it, I relied on my friends to try it all.

The serving size of each appetizer was much bigger than I expected.  Most are great for sharing, so I'd recommend rethinking how many you'll go for with each.

Here's a look at each of the appetizers:

Calamari

Biscuits

Oysters

Coconut shrimp

Crab cakes

Baked oysters

New England Clam Chowder

According to the group, the best appetizer they had were the raw oysters.

Some were new to oysters, but all of them thought the quality was great and an impressive value considering how many you get.

The least favorite appetizer were the crab cakes.

It wasn't so much that the crab cake were bad, just not that that good. Someone mentioned the texture wasn't what they were used to when they've had crab cakes in the past.

I admit, I sampled one piece of calamari (don't tell my Rabbi). It's hard to ever go wrong with fried food, and it didn't taste rubbery.

I don't think most people order one of everything from the appetizers, but I don't recall another Royal Caribbean restaurant that had such large serving sizes for their appetizers.

This is a great choice for sharing among a larger group. But if you're dining with just you and someone else, consider sharing an app or two.

The best steak in the fleet

I'll go ahead and say it: the filet mignon I had at Hooked was the best filet I've had on any Royal Caribbean ship.

I think it was the seasoning that made this steak stand out.  There was no sauce, just a perfectly cooked steak that wasn't tough and had the perfect texture to it. Soft, juicy, and really flavorful.

Without a doubt it's superior to the filet mignon from Chops Grille, and I think it's even better than the beef tenderloin from 150 Central Park.

Not to be outdone, I also ordered that blackened salmon special and I was really impressed by it.

Once again, the salmon was cooked to perfection and it had really good flavor to it.  

I liked it so much, but almost regretted ordering it because I'm afraid it won't be available on my next visit.

My friends ordered various combinations of steak, lobster, or shrimp.

I'd bet the lobster tail is the most popular option on the menu, and it's a very large tail. Certainly bigger and tastier to what you can get in the Main Dining Room or Windjammer.

As you can see from the photos, the entrees don't skimp on serving portions either. You may like or dislike Hooked, but you cannot argue the serving sizes are anything but generous here.

Hooked deserves to be reconsidered

I couldn't believe I called my wife to tell her I wanted to eat at Hooked on our next cruise, because just the food I could eat was outstanding.

The menu relies heavily on seafood, so if you don't eat shrimp, calamari, or lobster, I think you'll be quite limited in what you can order.

Before our meal, I joked all I could eat was steak and Caesar salad, but having tried it, I'd gladly take that.

The portion sizes are impressive, which makes it easier to justify the cost. 

The onboard price is $65.00 per person for dinner, although you can usually get it cheaper if you pre-book before the cruise.  For my upcoming Utopia of the Seas cruise, I can reserve Hooked for $44.99 per adult.

I went in hesitantly to retrying Hooked, but I was really impressed by how good my food was.  In fact, now I'd love to go back and try it again to see if it's as good the second time around.

Construction has begun on a new Royal Caribbean cruise ship that could set a new record for being big.

On Tuesday at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, the first piece of steel was cut for a new Royal Caribbean vessel that will become the fifth Icon Class ship. Perhaps it will assume the title of the biggest cruise ship in the world too.

Scheduled to debut in 2028, the as-yet-unnamed megaship will be another of the incredible Icon Class ships that set a new standard since the launch of Icon of the Seas in 2024.

Royal Caribbean doesn't share many details of a cruise ship this early in its development, but the official start of construction is an important milestone.

A ceremony was held at the shipyard attended by both Royal Caribbean Group executives, as well as the Meyer Turku organization, and the classification society.

What follows is two years of construction and a lot of attention for a new ship that is likely to introduce new features and other ways it will distinguish itself from its predecessors.

Meanwhile, we'll need to wait for this ship's name. Neither Icon 4 nor Icon 5 have names revealed yet.

How big this ship will be

There's no official word yet as to exactly how large this new cruise ship will be, but typically new ships within a class tend to edge out the previous ones in one way or another.

These are big ships with plenty to see and do onboard.

The Icon Class ships come in at 250,800 gross tons and will have 6 waterslides, more than 20 bars and lounges, the Royal Promenade, and the open-air Central Park lined with more than 30,500 real plants and restaurants.

Icon Class ships can handle 5,610 guests at double occupancy, but if you max it out, a little over 7,000 passengers can sail on them.

Those numbers may differ slightly depending on if new cabins are added, or if pools or other features get added.

Two cruise ships will launch first

The beginning of construction is important, but there's already another ship in the pipeline.

A fourth Icon Class ship has been under construction at the same shipyard for a while, and that ship will enter service next year.

But before Icon 4 starts sailing, the third Icon Class ship joins the fleet. Legend of the Seas will begin offering cruises this summer.

Royal Caribbean has another cruise ship coming in 2028

Icon 5 will be joined in 2028 by the seventh Oasis Class ship.

Neither ship has a name and we don't know yet which ship will launch first. Both are slated to launch in 2028.

This could be the last in the Oasis Class, with the first one debuting in 2009. Oasis Class ships are known for being really big as well.

There are swimming pools, water slides, rock climbing walls, surfing simulators, over 40 bars and lounges (plus dozens of restaurants) and even a miniature golf course, ice-skating rink and a basketball court.

The Icon Class ships are slightly larger than the Oasis Class, but their capacity is quite similar. Utopia of the Seas is 236,860 gross tons, compared to Star of the Seas at 250,800.

There could be orders for even more Icon Class ships

Royal Caribbean still holds options to build a 6th and 7th Icon Class ship.

These options are reserved slots at the shipyard that allows the cruise line more time to decide on placing an order without losing its place in line to be built.

If those options are exercised, it could mean new Icon Class ships beginning sailing in 2030 or beyond.

More cruise ships are rumored

If all of these new cruise ship plans aren't enough, there's actually talk of more on the horizon.

Royal Caribbean confirmed in September 2025 that it is working on "a new, game-changing class of ship beyond Icon." The ship will eventually be built at Meyer Turku.

And if the rumor mill is accurate, a new ship class will be announced at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France in the "coming weeks".

Soft drinks cost extra on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but you can buy a soda package and enjoy unlimited Cokes, Sprites, and more.

This is actually the cheapest unlimited beverage package offered by Royal Caribbean, and it's quite popular with families.

Unlike the more expensive drink packages, the soda package includes just one type of beverage and that's it: sodas.

It's a straightforward option, but the most common question is if it's worth it.

Here's what you need to know about Royal Caribbean's soda package before you buy it.

What drinks are included?

A soda package includes as much fountain or canned sodas as you can drink, from any bar, restaurant or lounge.

This includes:

• Fountain sodas
• Souvenir Coca-Cola cup (16oz)
• Coca-Cola Freestyle machines and flavor options
  • Sodas
  • Sugar free sodas
  • Minute Maid lemonades
  • Powerade
  • Vitaminwater
  • Iced tea
  • Fruit punch
  • Still water
  • Sparkling water
• Diet & caffeine-free sodas
• Sodas at Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee

It does not, however, include bottled water of any kind. 

Certain Royal Caribbean ships have Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, but not all of them.  

• Icon of the Seas
• Star of the Seas
• Legend of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Grandeur of the Seas
• Rhapsody of the Seas

Ships that do have a Freestyle machine can only be used if you have a drink package. This means you cannot purchase individual drinks at the machine without a package.  Not only do the machines have fun flavor combinations, but they also often have additional soda flavors and brands that you cannot get elsewhere on the ship.

Soda package cost

There are two prices for the soda package: how much you can get it for on the ship and how much less it costs if you pre-purchase.

Royal Caribbean charges a daily cost, and you must buy it for every day of your cruise. You cannot "cherry pick" days to have it.

Depending on the sale, you can expect to pay between $9.99 to $18.00 per person per day, plus gratuity.

If you wait to buy it on the ship, the standard price is $18.00 per person, per day. Without a doubt, you should pre-purchase it on the Royal Caribbean app or website before the cruise begins to save money.

The exact cost will vary depending on your ship, sail date, and length of your cruise. Royal Caribbean typically charges more for drink packages short cruises and/or newer ships.

If you're wondering, the cost of a single soda if you were to buy it without a package is $3.50 before gratuity.

How the soda package works

Once you buy the soda package, your SeaPass card is ready to be scanned to order drinks. Any bartender or waiter can see you have the package by either scanning the card or seeing the soda package sticker on the front of it.

You can go to any bar, restaurant, or lounge and order a soda and you won't be charged anything for it. Usually there's not even a receipt to sign! 

In my experience, you don't even have to tell the crew member you have a drink package. They'll know when they scan your card.

If your cruise ship has a Freestyle machine, you'll need to have your cup with you.  The Coca-Cola cup is the only cup that will work with the machine. 

Speaking of the cup, you only need to carry the cup to use the Freestyle machine. You do not need to carry the cup with you to get a soda at a bar or lounge.

Simply put the cup in the designated location and select from the drink options and dispense. You can mix and match at will.

There are a few limitations and important rules to know about the soda package.

First and foremost, you're not allowed to share the soda package benefit with anyone else. This means you cannot give friends or family sodas at all.  Royal Caribbean will cancel your drink package without a refund if you're caught doing this.

The Freestyle machines also have a time limit between uses. It's usually just a few minutes, and this is designed to prevent abuse and waste.

Who I recommend the soda package for

Royal Caribbean's soda package is worth it if you'll drink enough every day to save money compared to paying $3.50 each for sodas.

Heavy soda drinkers are the ideal buyer, as these are people that like to have not just a few sodas with their meals but drinks inbetween.

Likewise, the soda package is very popular with kids and teens.  On some ships, the teen club actually has a Freestyle machine inside of it.

You might also buy a soda package if having predictable onboard costs are important to you. Like any drink package, buy a soda package limits how much you'll spend on drinks, so the are no surprises later.

Skip the soda package if you only want a couple of sodas per day

If you think you'll drink just one or two sodas per day, then the soda package isn't worth it.

Light drinkers or someone that has a soda with dinner simply won't drink enough each day to make up for the cost.

To make the soda package worthwhile, you should be easily drinking 4-5 sodas each day.  Otherwise, you'll spend less money overall by purchasing sodas individually.

Soda Package vs Refreshment Package

Many cruisers debate if they should buy a soda package or upgrade to the Refreshment Package.

The Refreshment Package has a higher cost, but it also includes much more.

With the Refreshment Package, you get everything the soda package includes, plus premium coffees, teas, juices, bottled water, and more.

The soda package costs less, but it's just sodas.

Having bottled water, coffees, and juice is typically the determining factor in choosing one over the other, as well as if there's a particularly good discount offered.

Pros and Cons of the Royal Caribbean soda package

Here are the best reasons to buy a soda package (or to skip it):

Pros

• Unlimited sodas
• One fixed cost for easy budgeting
• Greater variety of flavors with the Freestyle machine

Cons

• Limited to soda (compared to other drink packages)
• Requires carrying the cup to use the Freestyle machines
• Daily cost, whether you drink or not

Without question, you should pre-purchase the drink package to get the lowest possible price.  Never wait until you're on the ship to book it because you'll overpay.

The soda package works extremely well for someone that can easily drink 3-4 sodas every day, especially during meals.

I love that the soda package benefits also work at Royal Caribbean's private destinations too.

Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas has ships visiting almost every day, but there aren't overnight visits yet.

Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay is one of the most popular destinations among cruisers, so much so that Royal Caribbean's newest ships sail exclusively to the private island. Despite that, though, CocoCay itineraries are limited to daytime visits only. 

In a recent Reddit post on the r/royalcaribbean thread, cruisers questioned why the cruise line doesn't offer overnight stays to CocoCay. Rival MSC Cruises, for example, offers late-night stays to its private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. 

"I think [overnight stays would] be amazing especially with a themed all white night or something for a sunset party. I also [don't] know the logistics and legalities behind having this as an option on international waters," wrote No_ThankYouu. 

Another Redditor added, "I get [that] logistically it probably can't happen. But how awesome would it be to have options to have a beach bonfire, or glow-kayaks, or [a] luau pool party."

Royal Caribbean toyed with late-night and overnight stays in the past 

While the idea was great in theory, it turned out not to be feasible. 

"I've been considering overnight stays for Perfect Day almost since the beginning. One of the issues that we had, ironically, was that we had so many ships going there, it became problematic," said Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley during a webinar in April 2020.  

"Part of the ongoing capital investment in Perfect Day was allowing us to accommodate additional ships so we could have one ship stay overnight."

Bayley added that many capital projects that were lined up were put on hold since they didn't have any revenue coming in during the pandemic. 

Years later, however, Royal Caribbean is reporting record-breaking demand and revenue, with ships sailing at or near full capacity to Perfect Day at CocoCay. Even so, the cruise line has shown no indication that overnight or late-night stays are moving forward.

With CocoCay already delivering strong guest satisfaction as a daytime port of call, there's little financial incentive to restructure the model that’s already working.

Offering late-night stays would require significant operational changes that would impact the ships' staffing. 

"[I]t doesn't look like we will be doing overnights because our guests, even with our late-night stays, once they want to come back, they really do want to come back onto the ship and enjoy the fine dining and they want to enjoy the entertainment that we have onboard," Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Relations, said. 

In another webinar with travel agents, Freed added that many guests would prefer a two-day visit to CocoCay, rather than an overnight stay. 

Other Redditors chimed in with their own speculations about why Royal Caribbean won't offer late-night visits to CocoCay

One person brought up the fact that late-night stays would require the crew to remain on the island, thus reducing the ability to provide services on the cruise ship. This means, for example, fewer bartenders and servers in the restaurants. 

Another important consideration is that Royal Caribbean would lose revenue from the onboard shops and casino. Although the casino remains open while docked at CocoCay, it’s restricted to slot machines — table games can’t operate until the ship is back in international waters. 

Table games, like blackjack, poker, and roulette, are a significant draw for many gamblers and generate a lot of revenue for the cruise line. 

Additionally, with cruisers staying out on the island later, fewer would opt for add-ons like specialty dining. 

Then, there's the issue of safety, as liability concerns related to nighttime beaches are likely a major factor holding them back. They would need to ensure that the island has proper lighting and lifeguard coverage. 

Some hazards, including marine life, are harder to see at night, too. You wouldn't want to be in the ocean, steps away from a stingray or shark, and not be able to see it!

Although late-night visits to CocoCay aren't likely to happen in the near future, guests can still make the most of their time on the island. 

If you get off as early as possible, you'll have at least seven hours to enjoy everything the island has to offer — from Thrill Waterpark to the upscale Coco Beach Club, adults-only Hideaway Beach, Oasis Lagoon pool, and multiple beaches. 

Read more: Hideaway Beach vs Coco Beach Club: Which Royal Caribbean day pass is worth it?

After a Royal Caribbean ship returned to Singapore on Monday, a passenger was found dead in their cruise ship cabin.

According to a report in The Straits Times, police were called at 6:35am because a 27-year-old man died while in his stateroom.

The incident occurred on Ovation of the Seas, which had returned to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore.

Police said the man was found motionless on the ship and pronounced dead by the ship's doctor. Every cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet has a medical center, including a doctor.  The medical staff can handle minor issues and will otherwise triage issues until the passenger can be safely transported off the ship to a facility on land.

An investigation has begun, but police do not suspect foul play based on preliminary findings.

No word yet on who the man is, and whether he is from Singapore or another country.

Royal Caribbean has made no official announcement regarding the incident.

Announcement made on the ship

Ovation of the Seas had just returned from a 3-night cruise to Penang.  The sailing began on January 16th.

According to a different report by Mothership.sg, a passenger claims the crew made an announcement over the ship's public address system at around 5:45am.

The passenger said there was a code, followed by a stateroom number.

Cruise ships use special codes to quickly alert crew members to a developing situation.  Rather than try to explain what's happening over the PA system, a special code is used to quickly and easily convey information.

Crew members come from all parts of the world, so it's easier to have a code than speak sentences.

Plus, the codes reduce confusion among guests who don't necessarily need to know about certain events.

Each code relies on a Greek letter, followed by the location.

Medical emergencies are called out by saying the letter "Alpha" three times.

Delayed disembarkation

The incident delayed the ship from being allowed to drop off passengers or allow new ones on.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Robert Jaworski shared a report, "Ship docked as scheduled at 7.00am but as of 10.00am no passengers have been allowed to disembark. Singapore authorities have not cleared the ship."

He then said he heard two, "alpha, alpha, alpha" calls, "one at 4am ish and another at 5.30am ish. Guests in groups of five being called to guest services since 8.00am ish."

Ovation of the Seas is scheduled to depart today for another three-night cruise to Penang.

Hope you had a great week and are staying safe out there. Hopefully you had a chance to keep up with what's new with Royal Caribbean this week. But if not, here's a roundup of this week's news.

Royal Caribbean has cancelled all of its Labadee visits for 2026.

Visits had been suspended through April, but the cruise line made the decision this week to cancel the rest of the scheduled visits through the end of December.

Gang violence has not gotten any better, and concern for safety prompted the change.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Beach Club Paradise Island review
• A new proposal could solve the Tampa cruise problems limiting ship size
• 7 takeaways from Royal Caribbean's Points Choice reveal to expand loyalty
• Inside the $10,000 Ultimate Family Cabana
• I took 4 friends on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It was actually a great guys' trip for men our age.
• Do you need a passport for an Alaskan cruise?
• What a Junior Suite on the newest cruise ship is like
• The Bahamas wants to build a new cruise port on a tiny, hidden island
• The "super flu" ruined one family's cruise vacation after everyone got sick
• 9 things new cruisers wish they knew before their first Royal Caribbean cruise

New RCB Video: Royal Beach Club Review: Best excursion ever?

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 — Royal Beach Club Review: Best excursion ever? — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Group launches Points Choice

It's about to become easier to cruise across any of the Royal Caribbean Group brand with the launch of Points Choice.

Beginning at the end of this month, you can earn loyalty points when cruising on any cruise line within the Royal Caribbean Group family.

Points can be moved up to 14 days after a sailing, with changes managed online.

Royal Beach Club updated the menu to offer more food and healthier choices

Less than a month after opening, Royal Caribbean revamped its food menu at the Royal Beach Club so that it can offer more options.

Citing guest feedback, the menu received an update this weekend to add fresher and lighter array of choices.

Plus, other menu items were reworked to rely less on fried food.

Royal Caribbean reversed an unpopular change to its specialty restaurant

Grilled vegetables are back on the menu at Izumi hibachi once again, following controversy that it was removed.

The menu was updated recently to remove grilled vegetables from the included food choices. Instead, it would cost $5 to add it.

Royal Caribbean has now rolled it back to include them as part of the hibachi meal.

Passenger misses ship after going to the wrong port

A cruise ship passenger got confused and went to the wrong Florida homeport and missed their cruise completely.

The confusion stemmed from where "Port Everglades" is versus "Port Canaveral".

Furthermore, their appeal to join the ship in The Bahamas was denied.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 592nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, breaking down potentially big cruise ship news.

If the rumor mill is right, Royal Caribbean could be on the brink of revealing they're working on two different new ship classes at the same time.

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

Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas has windowless cabins for budget-conscious travelers and lavish suites for high-end cruisers. However, you'll also find plenty of mid-range options for those who prioritize comfort without breaking the bank. 

Historically, suites on Royal Caribbean's newest ships aren't cheap. The Ultimate Family Townhouse, for example, costs well over $15,000 per person on a weeklong cruise. Although Star Class suites come with the most perks, entry-level suites still offer plenty of value and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Paul Cranston shared images of his Junior Suite on Star of the Seas in the Star of the Seas 2025/2026 Facebook group, showing a spacious cruise cabin, modern décor, and a larger-than-usual balcony. 

Junior Suites are typically the most abundant suite category available. On Star of the Seas, for example, there are over 60 Junior Suites on Decks 9, 10, and 11. 

The price of Junior Suites on Star of the Seas varies. At the time of publication, a Junior Suite for two on the October 18, 2026, voyage starts at $9,417.84. However, the price increases to nearly $12,230 on a weeklong cruise on Star in July 2027. 

Here's a photo tour of a Junior Suite on Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's newest Icon Class ship, sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida, to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Inside Junior Suite #10130 on Star of the Seas

During Cranston's cruise, he stayed in room #10130, a forward Junior Suite located over 10 cabins away from the elevator bank.

With 322 sq. ft. of interior living space, it's larger than standard oceanview balconies, which come in at around 204 sq. ft. The Junior Suite's balcony is bigger, too. Where standard balconies measure 50 sq. ft, the Junior Suite's personal verandah is 80 sq. ft. 

As the mega-ship's entry-level suite, the living and sleeping area is combined, rather than having a separate bedroom. Still, the layout feels open and airy. 

On older ships, the Junior Suite's bed is positioned against one of the cabin's walls, which can make the space feel slightly more enclosed. On Star of the Seas, however, the bed faces the balcony, allowing guests to wake up to natural light and enjoy the passing scenery. 

According to the ship's deck plan, the Junior Suites can accommodate up to four guests: two in the Royal King (or two twin) beds and two on the double sofa bed. Someone else in the comments added that when they stayed in room #10554, there was plenty of extra space for a portable crib. 

Moving on, Cranston's photos show that his Junior Suite on Star of the Seas had ample storage, a well-appointed bathroom, a small seating area, and a vanity area. 

As such, it's a versatile choice for couples or families who want more space but don't necessarily want to pay for a larger suite. 

The bathroom is designed with a large vanity and tub-shower combination. Conversely, standard cabins have a small sink area and a standalone shower. 

Still, the highlight of the Junior Suite is the 80 sq. ft. balcony. The private verandah has upgraded seating, an outdoor dining table, and a plush chair with a footrest. 

What perks come with a Junior Suite on Star of the Seas?

Royal Caribbean's Royal Suite Class is comprised of three different tiers: Sea, Sky, and Star. The Junior Suite falls within the entry-level Sea tier. As such, it comes with fewer benefits than Sky and Star Class suites.

Perks for the Sea Class Junior Suite include: 

• Dedicated Check-In Line
• Priority Boarding
• Dinner At Coastal Kitchen, Based On Availability (Reservations Required)
• Royal Caribbean Plush Bathrobes
• Luxury Pillow Top Mattress and Linen
• Luxury Bathroom Amenities
• Lavazza Espresso Coffee Machine

Read more: Photos show what suites on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas look like

A certain number of Junior Suites are classified as Sky Junior Suites. The rooms themselves are the same, but they come with upgraded Sky Class benefits. 

The perks, however, come with a greater price tag. For example, a standard Junior Suite on Star of the Seas' Feb. 14, 2027, sailing starts at $3,767 per person, while a Sky Junior Suite comes in at $4,796 per person. As such, the Sky Junior Suite is nearly $2,000 more for the weeklong Caribbean voyage. 

Sky Class benefits on Royal Caribbean ships include: 

• Concierge Service All-Day
• All-Day Access To Coastal Kitchen (Reservations Required For Dinner)
• Specialty Bottled Water
• VOOM, The Fastest Internet At Sea (Until May 2026)
• Flexible Arrival Boarding & Priority Departure
• Priority Dining Reservations
• Reserved Entertainment Seating
• Suite Lounge Access
• Access To Suite Sun Deck (The Grove)
• Royal Caribbean Plush Bathrobes
• Luxury Pillow Top Mattress and Linen
• Luxury Bathroom Amenities
• Lavazza Espresso Coffee Machine