Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean just released seventeen short segments of the cruise line’s Ultimate World Cruise, a 274-night cruise around the world. Visiting over sixty countries and eleven World Wonders, the World Cruise is on many cruisers’ bucket lists, and getting onboard has just become a whole lot easier.

Royal Caribbean first announced the Ultimate World Cruise on Serenade of the Seas in late 2021, and it opened for bookings in early 2022. Passengers could book either the entire 274-night cruise or one of four 2-3 month segments.

Not all cabins have been sold for the Ultimate World Cruise, which prompted Royal Caribbean to split the segments into seventeen individual itineraries ranging from nine to twenty nine nights.

These itineraries visit everywhere from Antarctica to Australia, Norway, and South Korea, and here’s everything you need to know about booking these unique itineraries.

Segments for the Ultimate World Cruise start at $931 per person, but all balcony and suite cabins are sold out.

Prices for each segment of the World Cruise vary significantly, with some itineraries as low as $931 per person and others around $1,881 per person. These prices reflect the per person rate before taxes and fees in an interior room.

The majority of itineraries are priced around $1,200 per person. With taxes and fees added, this brings the average cost to around $3,173 total for two guests in an interior room. With many itineraries between 11-16 nights, the price per day makes the segments a great value.

Only interior and ocean view rooms are available on the World Cruise segments. All balconies and suites are sold out, presumably by the guests who booked the entire sailing or one of the original four segments of the cruise.

If you’re interested in booking a segment of the Ultimate World Cruise, you should book as soon as possible.

Although Royal Caribbean just released itineraries for shorter segments of the World Cruise, the World Cruise has been available to book for over a year. Many staterooms are fully booked, and Royal Caribbean has not shared how many cabins are available on each segment.

If 70% of the ship is already full, for example, there could be only a handful of cabins available for any particular segment. Therefore, if you’re daydreaming about that cruise to India or Patagonia, you should book the segment before it sells out completely.

These are the recently added short segments of the Ultimate World Cruise in order of departure date.

Ultimate Caribbean & South America Cruise (26 nights)

Dates: December 10, 2023 - January 5, 2024

Interested in being onboard for the first day of Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise? Join the excitement as Serenade of the Seas departs Miami for her tour around the world with this 26-night itinerary to the Caribbean and South America. On this sailing, you will visit thirteen ports before disembarking in Buenos Aires, Argentina:

• Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
• Cozumel, Mexico
• Oranjestad, Aruba
• Willemstad, Curacao
• Kralendijk, Bonaire
• Bridgetown, Barbados
• St. George’s, Grenada
• Devil’s Island, French Guiana
• Fortaleza, Brazil
• Recife, Brazil
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Copacabana, Brazil
• Montevideo, Uruguay

The itinerary starts with an exciting day at Perfect Day at CocoCay and later includes an overnight stay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, allowing guests to experience one of the world’s most famous New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Ultimate South America & Antarctica Cruise (18 nights)

Dates: January 5, 2024 - January 23, 2024

Is visiting Antarctica on your to-do list? If so, booking the Ultimate South America & Antarctica cruise itinerary is the only way you can cruise to The White Continent with Royal Caribbean.

Departing Buenos Aires, Argentina and ending in Valparaíso, Chile, this once-in-a-lifetime itinerary takes passengers around the tip of South America, which includes two days of sightseeing in Antarctica. Although passengers cannot disembark the ship in Antarctica, sailing by the continent’s massive glaciers and abundance of wildlife will certainly make for an unforgettable cruise vacation.

Aside from Antarctica, the cruise visits several ports in Patagonia in addition to the Falkland Islands:

• Puerto Madryn, Argentina
• Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
• Gerlache Strait (Cruising), Antarctica
• Paradise Bay (Cruising, Antarctica
• Schollaert Channel & Dalhan Bay, Antarctica
• Elephant Island (Cruising), Antarctica
• Cape Horn (Cruising), Chile
• Ushuaia, Argentina
• Punta Arenas, Chile
• Straits of Magellan, Chile
• Chilean Fjords (Cruising), Chile

Ultimate Central & South America Cruise (19 nights)

Dates: January 23, 2024 - February 11, 2024

Interested in visiting Machu Picchu and the jungles of Central America? The Ultimate Central & South America cruise visits some seriously alluring ports on the 19-night itinerary. This segment of the World Cruise starts in Valparaíso, Chile and ends in Los Angeles, California, visiting nine destinations:

• La Serena (Coquimbo), Chile
• Arica, Chile
• Pisco, Peru
• Callao, Peru
• Manta, Ecuador
• Puntarenas, Costa Rica
• San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• Ensenada, Mexico

Ultimate Hawaii, Tahiti & Australia Cruise (29 nights)

Dates: February 11, 2024 - March 11, 2024

Lovers of sea days will enjoy the longest segment of the Ultimate World Cruise, a 29-night itinerary crossing the Pacific Ocean. The planet’s biggest ocean contains approximately 30,000 islands, and this transpacific itinerary takes passengers to several of the most beautiful destinations.

Departing Los Angeles and ending in Brisbane, Australia, this itinerary visits:

• Maui (Lahaina), Hawaii
• Hawaii (Kailua Kona), Hawaii
• Oahu (Honolulu), Hawaii
• Moorea, French Polynesia
• Papeete, Tahiti
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Bay Of Islands, New Zealand
• Sydney, Australia
• Newcastle, Australia

Visiting the remote islands of Hawaii and French Polynesia offers passengers the chance to discover the cultures and landscapes in these destinations. Whether snorkeling the reefs of Moorea or visiting Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii, this transpacific itinerary is unlike any other segment of the World Cruise.

Ultimate Australia & Southeast Asia Cruise (16 nights)

Dates: March 11, 2024 - March 27, 2024

Head down under for a cruise from Australia’s northeast to Southeast Asia. This 16-night itinerary departs Brisbane, Queensland and brings guests to six tropical ports before ending in Hong Kong:

• Airlie Beach, Queensland
• Cairns, Australia
• Lombok, Indonesia,
• Benoa, Bali
• Manila, Philippines
• Subic Bay, Philippines

Guests on this itinerary can snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, explore the volcanic landscapes of Lombok, and end their trip with a stay in the busy metropolis of Hong Kong.

Ultimate China, Japan & South Korea Cruise (12 nights)

Dates: March 27, 2024 - April 8, 2024

Starting in Hong Kong and ending in Beijing, the Ultimate China, Japan & South Korea itinerary takes passengers on a captivating voyage across East Asia, visiting several islands and cities in the region. Throughout the 12-night itinerary, passengers will visit:

• Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan
• Ishigaki, Japan
• Okinawa (Naha), Japan
• Busan, South Korea
• Jeju Island, South Korea
• Seoul (Incheon), South Korea

Ultimate Japan, Vietnam & Singapore Cruise (16 nights)

Dates: April 8, 2024 - April 24, 2024

Passengers can visit Japan more in-depth on the Ultimate Japan, Vietnam & Singapore itinerary. Starting in Beijing, this World Cruise segment visits several ports in Japan, continues to Southeast Asia, and ends in Singapore; it visits the following ports:

• Nagasaki, Japan
• Kagoshima, Japan
• Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan
• Mt. Fuji (Shimizu), Japan
• Kyoto (Osaka), Japan
• Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam

Ultimate India, Sri Lanka & Malaysia Cruise (15 nights)

Dates: April 24, 2024 - May 9, 2024

Visit the Taj Mahal on the Ultimate India, Sri Lanka & Malaysia cruise. This 15-night itinerary takes guests to discover the rich cultures of India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka where they’re sure to find tasty cuisine, vibrant markets, and insights into the region’s history and religions.

Passengers embark this fascinating sailing in Singapore and disembark in Dubai, visiting the following destinations:

• Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Malaysia
• Penang, Malaysia
• Hambantota, Sri Lanka
• Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Cochin, India
• Goa (Mormugao), India
• Mumbai (Bombay), India
• Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

While docked overnight in Bombay (Mumbai), India, guests will have the opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Ultimate Jordan, Egypt & Israel Cruise (18 nights)

Dates: May 9, 2024 - May 27, 2024

Visit the Pyramids of Giza on an 18-night cruise through the Middle East. Starting in Dubai and ends in Athens, you will visit the following ports on this itinerary:

• Salalah, Oman
• Aqaba, Jordan
• Safaga, Egypt
• Suez Canal (Passage), Egypt
• Alexandria, Egypt
• Jerusalem (Ashdod), Israel
• Limassol, Cyprus

Whether you’re interested in learning more about ancient Egypt, visiting religious sites in Israel, or strolling the seafront of Limassol, you’re sure to find wonderful ways to spend your port days on this itinerary.

Ultimate Bulgaria, Romania & Turkey Cruise (11 nights)

Dates: May 27, 2024 - June 7, 2024

This Eastern European itinerary brings passengers to countries rarely visited on Royal Caribbean cruises for an insight into the region’s culture and history. Departing Athens and returning to Istanbul, guests will visit the following ports:

• Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey
• Burgas, Bulgaria
• Constanta, Romania
• Varna, Bulgaria
• Trabzon, Turkey

Visiting Ephesus is a dream for many history buffs, as this ancient archaeological site was once one of the most important cities in the Mediterranean. Beyond ancient ruins, however, you can enjoy the seaside towns of Burgas and Constanta, two destinations you may never have thought to visit.

Ultimate Greece, Turkey & Italy Cruise (13 nights)

Dates: June 7, 2024 - June 20, 2024

Spending summer in the Mediterranean is a dream, especially when you’re hopping from island to island on a cruise ship. Starting in Istanbul and ending in Venice (Ravenna), this 13-night itinerary to Greece, Turkey, and Italy visits many of the region’s most picturesque islands and cities.

• Thessaloniki, Greece
• Chios, Greece
• Bodrum, Turkey
• Rhodes, Greece
• Mykonos, Greece
• Santorini, Greece
• Chania (Souda), Crete
• Olympia (Katakolon), Greece
• Corfu, Greece
• Bari, Italy

Ultimate Italy, Croatia & Malta Cruise (11 nights)

Dates: June 20, 2024 - July 1, 2024

Cruising the Adriatic is a lovely option for those looking for a traditional European summer holiday. Charming cities, clear beaches, and breathtaking mountain views make ports along the Adriatic a must-see.

The Ultimate Italy, Croatia & Malta cruise starts in Venice (Ravenna) and ends in Rome (Civitavecchia). It visits nine unique ports:

• Trieste, Italy
• Koper, Slovenia
• Zadar, Croatia
• Split, Croatia
• Dubrovnik, Croatia
• Kotor, Montenegro
• Valletta, Malta
• Sicily (Catania), Italy
• Naples/Capri, Italy

As Serenade of the Seas makes her way out of the Adriatic, she will call upon the small country of Malta before heading to Sicily and the Amalfi Coast, adding another region of the Mediterranean to this 11-night itinerary.

Ultimate Italy, France & Spain Cruise (9 nights)

Dates: July 1, 2024 - July 10, 2024

The Ultimate Italy, France & Spain cruise is a classic Mediterranean cruise, visiting the region’s most famous cities. Starting in Rome (Civitavecchia) and ending in Barcelona, this Western European cruise itinerary will call upon:

• Florence/Pisa (Carrara), Italy
• Portofino, Italy
• Ajaccio, Corsica
• Cannes, France
• Nice (Villefranche), France
• Provence (Toulon), France
• Palma De Mallorca, Spain

Passengers on this itinerary can start their vacation by visiting the Colosseum and Vatican City in Rome. Once on the cruise, they can visit other famous landmarks including the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Florence and Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. The combination of a shorter itinerary with visits to the continent’s most popular destinations makes this a fantastic option for those visiting Europe for the first time.

Ultimate Spain, Morocco & France Cruise (16 nights)

Dates: July 10, 2024 - July 26, 2024

Although mainland Spain and Morocco are separated by only the narrow Strait of Gibraltar, the two countries offer vastly different travel experiences. Whereas visiting Spain brings guests to beachfront cities like Barcelona and Valencia, Morocco offers bustling markets and stunning desert landscapes.

Passengers on the 16-night Ultimate Spain, Morocco & France cruise can experience the best of what Spain and Morocco have to offer while also traveling to northern Europe near the end of the cruise. The itinerary departs Barcelona and ends in Southampton and visits the following ports:

• Valencia, Spain
• Cartagena, Spain
• Málaga, Spain
• Casablanca, Morocco
• Agadir, Morocco
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Porto (Leixoes), Portugal
• Vigo, Spain
• Cork (Cobh), Ireland
• Cherbourg, France
• Paris (Le Havre), France

Ultimate Denmark, Germany & Sweden Cruise (15 nights)

Dates: July 26, 2024 - August 10, 2024

Depart Southampton and explore the historic cities of Northern Europe on this intriguing 15-night itinerary. Although you may not encounter the sunny, warm skies of the Mediterranean, visiting Northern Europe allows you to experience the region’s charming towns and friendly cultures.

On this two week cruise, you will visit the following ports:

• Bruges/Zeebruge (Brussels), Belgium
• Skagen, Denmark
• Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany
• Riga, Latvia
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Helsinki, Finland
• Stockholm, Sweden
• Visby, Sweden
• Klaipeda, Lithuania
• Ronne, Denmark
• Kiel, Germany

Ultimate Norwegian Fjords Cruise (9 nights)

Dates: August 10, 2024 - August 19, 2024

One of the shorter itineraries on the Ultimate World Cruise is a 9-night Norwegian fjords cruise. This itinerary departs Copenhagen, ends in Amsterdam, and visits the following ports:

• Aarhus, Denmark
• Oslo, Norway
• Kristiansand, Norway
• Haugesund, Norway
• Olden, Norway
• Alesund, Norway
• Bergen, Norway

Cruising the Norwegian fjords is a dream vacation for many cruisers—not only can you visit the quaint towns along the fjords, but you’ll experience some of Europe’s most breathtaking scenery as you sail from port to port.

Ultimate Iceland, Greenland & Caribbean Cruise (22 nights)

Dates: August 19, 2024 - September 10, 2024

The final segment of Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise is an Arctic itinerary combined with a transatlantic crossing to Miami, Florida. This 22-night itinerary starts in Amsterdam and visits the following ports:

• Reykjavik, Iceland
• Qaqortoq, Greenland
• Nuuk, Greenland
• St. John’s, Newfoundland
• New York, New York
• Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda
• Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas

While this itinerary includes more sea days than most, it offers the chance to visit more remote destinations like Iceland and Greenland. Plus, ending the cruise at Perfect Day at CocoCay is a great way to celebrate the final port of call on Serenade of the Seas’ journey around the world.

The fine print associated with a Royal Caribbean cruise has been updated.

Royal Caribbean informed passengers with a cruise booked that the cruise line has amended Cruise Ticket Contract, which is the legal terms all passengers agree to when booking a cruise.

In an email to guests, Royal Caribbean says the updates "simplify" the method in which guests have access to the contract. 

We’re making important changes to our legal terms and simplifying the process by which these terms – which are applicable to your cruise purchase and other activities, services, and products related to your cruise – are communicated to you and all our guests from around the world.

Royal Caribbean also highlighted three areas where the new cruise contract has been updated.

The changes will go into effect on April 12, 2023 and will apply to sailings that depart on or after that date.  

If you are currently booked on a voyage that departs on or after April 12, 2023, the new legal terms will apply. Additionally, the new legal terms will apply to those guests that book on or after April 12, 2023.  

The changes apply to the Cruise Ticket Contract, Booking Conditions, and Global Purchase Terms and Conditions.  Royal Caribbean highlighted three changes they believe are the most important.

In comparing the updated terms to the previous terms, here are the changes we noticed based on the USA terms of service.

Please keep in mind this writer, nor RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com, is not a legal expert of any kind. You should review the legal terms on your own and not rely in any way on a blog post to convey important legal information that affects you and/or your traveling party. This blog post is not to serve as offering legal advice of any kind.

Primary Country of Residence

One of the biggest changes appears to be the cruise contract now varies depending on where you live.

The cruise line says the the Cruise Ticket Contract or Booking Conditions applicable to your cruise purchase are now determined by your Primary Country of Residence.

This means whichever country you live in primarily at the time of booking will be which contract applies to you. Royal Caribbean will determine the primary country of residence based on what's indicated by you, your agent, or other representative at the time of booking the cruise or at online check-in.

This applies to each guest on a booking on an individual basis.

Countries listed as options for the cruise contract include:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Canada
• Singapore
• Australia
• Spain
• Norway
• Sweden
• Germany-Austria-Switzerland
• Italy
• France
• Israel
• New Zealand
• Hong Kong
• China
• All Other Locations

Covid-19 policy

Royal Caribbean also updated their cancellation and Covid policies.

Pre-cruise cancellation due to Covid

One change in comparing the two American cruise contracts is there is now less days prior to a cruise beginning to have tested positive for Covid to qualify for a refund.

Royal Caribbean changed the policy from 14 to 5 days prior to embarkation if a passenger tests positive for Covid, exhibits signs or symptoms of Covid, or has had close contact with a person confirmed or suspected as having Covid, Royal Caribbean may deny boarding. 

The two changes here are 14 to 5 days, and the word "will deny boarding" to "may deny boarding".

Unless the passenger failed to follow Royal Caribbean's Covid policies and procedures, any passenger denied boarding under these circumstances will be entitled to either a refund or a future cruise credit equal in value to the cruise fare passenger paid.

Cruise cancellation or deviation due to Covid

The updated cruise contract removed verbiage under the "Cancellation, Deviation, Or Substitution By Carrier" section related to public health emergencies.

The phrase "as a result of a declaration of a public health emergency or government order" has been removed.

There's a few times the text was amended, here's one such change that exemplifies the nature of this change:

Old text

Carrier may for any reason at any time and without prior notice, cancel, advance, postpone or deviate from any scheduled sailing, port of call, destination, lodging or any activity on or off the Vessel, or substitute another vessel or port of call, destination, lodging or activity. Except as provided in Section 7.e below, and except as provided in Section 4.e or Section 4.f regarding an actual or suspected COVID-19 infection, and except where a refund is required by law as a result of a declaration of a public health emergency or government order cancelling the Cruise or delaying boarding of the Vessel by Passengers by three (3) days or more, Carrier shall not be liable for any claim whatsoever by Passenger, including but not limited to loss, compensation or refund, by reason of such cancellation, advancement, postponement, substitution or deviation.

Revised text

Carrier may for any reason at any time and without prior notice, cancel, advance, postpone or deviate from any scheduled sailing, port of call, destination, lodging or any activity on or off the Vessel, or substitute another vessel or port of call, destination, lodging or activity. Except as provided in Section 7.e below, and except as provided in Section 4.e or Section 4.f regarding an actual or suspected COVID-19 infection, and except where a refund is required by law because Carrier cancelled the Cruise or boarding of the Vessel by Passengers was delayed by three (3) days or more, Carrier shall not be liable for any claim whatsoever by Passenger, including but not limited to loss, compensation or refund, by reason of such cancellation, advancement, postponement, substitution or deviation.

Forum selection

The last highlighted change is to choosing where a lawsuit would be heard.

"The forum selection, exclusive jurisdiction and choice of law provisions have been modified to and now correlate to your Primary Country of Residence or the location of your cruise itinerary. "

A great deal of new legal terms were added to the "FORUM SELECTION; GOVERNING LAW; TIME LIMITS TO BRING SUIT; ARBITRATION; CLASS ACTION WAIVER:" section.

Essentially, there's a lot of new legal information related to how any legal action could occur and where it might occur. 

Why the cruise contract is important

The cruise contract is an important legal document that you agree to when booking a cruise.

It encompasses protocols and policies related to guest conduct and expectations during a cruise.

Every cruise line includes this as part of the agreement you make when you book a cruise.  

Upon placing a deposit, Royal Caribbean adds a check box to indicate the guest has read through the Cruise Contract and agrees to everything inside.

Airlines also have something similar, known as the Conditions of Carriage, that cover almost every scenario a passenger can encounter to clearly indicate expectations of rules and penalties for violating those rules.

There is a beach in Labadee, Haiti that you have probably never heard of, even if you have been there multiple times!

It is not Dragon's Beach, Adrenaline Beach, Barefoot Beat, Nellie's Beach, or Columbus Cove. In fact, this beach is not even on the map!

Belly Beach is located a little further south than Columbus Cove; however, it is only accessible by boat if you are a crew member.

Cruise passengers are not able to visit Belly Beach since it is not part of their privately-owned destination; it is located just outside of the boundaries. 

Oasis of the Seas crew member Lera Synchro recently posted a video on her YouTube channel that documented her day spent at Belly Beach. 

Synchro's YouTube channel has amassed over 7,000 followers, who follow her on her adventures as an AquaTheatre performer onboard, including show rehearsals, exploring in Mexico and Jamaica, and what spending Christmas onboard was like. In one video, she even gives viewers a glimpse into the AquaTheatre's pool, which is one of the deepest pools at sea!

Keep reading to see what Belly Beach is like!

What is Labadee?

Labadee is Royal Caribbean's private destination on the northern coast of Haiti. While it is not a private island like Perfect Day at CocoCay, it does promise guests a relaxing (or thrilling) day with other Royal Caribbean passengers. 

You can spend the day on one of four (or five if you are a suite guest) different complimentary beaches, go zip lining over the ocean or parasailing, ride a jet ski, take a nature walk, and more.

For those looking for a more luxurious beach day, you can rent a private cabana at Nellie's Beach. Only those staying in suites can reserve a cabana at Barefoot Beach. 

There is even an artisan market where you can buy souvenirs from locals. Unlike CocoCay, though, they are unable to take your SeaPass card, so be sure you bring some cash with you when you get off the ship!

How do crew members get to Belly Beach?

A small boat docks near the jet ski landing to transport crew members from the privately-owned section of Labadee to Belly Beach, which is a public beach for locals that crew members are able to visit. 

After a short scenic ride with views of the ship and surrounding mountainous landscape, the boat pulls right up to the beach to let Synchro off, and whomever else is on the boat, off. 

She never expressed any concern of making it back to the ship on time, so it is safe to assume that departures are scheduled around the crew's all aboard time. 

What is the beach like?

Compared to Royal Caribbean's beaches, Belly Beach looks like a private oasis! 

On the day Synchro filmed, there was hardly anyone else there. In fact, some of the footage from the beach revealed empty beach chairs, which is often a rarity on cruise line private islands!

Anyone who has visited a private island will tell you to secure a chair as early as possible, especially if you have your heart set on a first or second row seat. The beaches are packed in the afternoon!

She filmed a group of people in the ocean throwing a ball around, while others were seen lounging in the available chairs. She was able to swim freely without bumping into anyone, and from the clips, it did not seem as though there were any water sports available for rent. 

While there was enough seating to accommodate everyone on this particular day, there were not any umbrellas to provide shade. 

Dining options at Belly Beach

There is a restaurant on-site that is situated feet from the ocean; however, since this beach is not owned by Royal Caribbean, all food items are priced a la carte. And even though the restaurant is open-air, it is shaded. 

Synchro showed fresh mango slices, rice, and lobster! Google reviews indicate that you can purchase a whole fish, too. 

What do crew members do during shore leave?

Do crew members get to spend the day ashore like passengers? Not always, as only a certain percentage of the crew in any given department are allowed to get off the ship.

If everyone was able to get off, who would be on the ship to attend to the passengers who opted to spend the day onboard or who return early?

Those who do have time off usually do not have as long in port as guests; however, they make the most of it by visiting local hotspots, eating at restaurants, or going to supermarkets to stock up on non-perishable items and other necessities that may either cost less than the onboard crew store or that are not available. 

They may also want to search for Wi-Fi to connect with loved ones back home. Regardless of how they spend their time ashore, they are always sure to make the most of it. 

Crew only areas onboard the ship

Just as Belly Beach cannot be visited by regular passengers, there are areas onboard the ships that are off limits, too. And thanks to social media, it is easier than ever to see how crew members live during their contracts.

Bryan James, a former guitarist and vocalist in The Mason Jar Bar onboard Wonder of the Seas, posted videos to his TikTok of crew life and currently has a following of over 730,000! He is no longer on Wonder of the Seas, though. His current contract is onboard Celebrity Edge. 

His previous videos show a secret hangout in the ship's funnel, a shop filled with essential items and snacks for purchase, his tiny cabin, the crew laundry room, and even the crew lounge where they have a foosball table. 

If you are interested in learning more about ship life for Royal Caribbean crew members, follow Bryan James' TikTok @bryanjamescruises, as well as Lera Synchro's YouTube @LeraSynchro! 

Related: A look at the secret crew-only areas on the world's biggest cruise ship

Utopia of the Seas might be Royal Caribbean's sixth Oasis Class cruise ship in the fleet, but she will have at least one new innovation not offered on her sister ships.

Royal Caribbean will debut a brand new dining experience never before offered onboard that sounds different from anything else on other ships, RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com can exclusively confirm.

The cruise line has steadily been moving towards new food and beverage concepts that aim to differentiate restaurants from being just another place for dinner.

In speaking with Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider, he provided details on one such restaurant coming to the next Oasis Class ship.

There's no name announced for it yet, but Mr. Schneider calls it, "an immersive train dining experience."

He wasn't able to provide all the details yet, but here's what we know about it.

Mixed reality dining train experience

In talking about future plans, Mr. Schneider referenced a train car experience coming to Utopia, "That will be pretty amazing."

"There is a mixed reality immersive dining experience with a train motif coming to a ship near you that's going to blow people away."

Royal Caribbean has been on this path to develop new dining concepts since announcing a new technology initiative in 2017.

Back then, there was a virtual reality dining demo where people wore virtual reality visors, but Mr. Schneider said it isn't ideal, "people don't want to eat food with a goggle on their head."

Since then, a lot has changed with trends in dining.  He pointed to "Sublimotion" in Ibiza, Spain which is a new high-end Mediterranean dining concept with VR tech & immersive film projections, as an example of how the culinary world is exploring this medium. 

He thinks there's more than can be done in a less jarring way, "nobody's really done thematic immersion until what you're about to see on Utopia."

Here's how Mr. Schneider explained what this dining experience will be like once guests are able to experience it for themselves, "imagine seeing a series of train cars built out on a cruise ship."

"What if you could go to land based destinations while on a cruise ship in a dining experience that happened to look like 1930s to 1960s train and go through a series of destinations that you've never done before or might do on some of our other ships but in a way that could give you then a platform for culinary and immersion that you've never seen before."

Experimenting with new ideas

When Royal Caribbean builds a new ship, they champion the mantra of "tradition, evolution, and revolution" as a way to bring back favorites while also pushing the envelope of what guests can expect onboard.

Mr. Schneider says this guiding principle is more like consistency and experimentation than anything else, "Our guests expect some sort of consistent experience. And I don't mean consistent in a negative way. Consistent in what they expect from us and quality."

"There's no reason that you wouldn't expect to find a Chops on every ship that we build in the future. And there needs to be, if you think of the concept development, we do a significant percentage of that, whether it's Main Dining, Chops, great Italian in our new Giovanni's kitchen concept."

"And then there needs to be experimentation."

An example of small experimentation is the Bubbles champagne bar in Central Park on Icon of the Seas. Beyond that, Royal Caribbean also moves towards full restaurants, such as the Mason Jar concept.

"New cuisine also then takes you to new experiences. And so things like and again, we don't have a name yet, but this railroad mixed reality culinary immersion is is part of that experimentation."

Part of the rationale for developing new concepts is food is a major reason why people go on a cruise. On a high level, Mr. Schneider says the two predominant reasons people book a cruise are for destinations and food.

"You want that kind of diversity, given again, people want destinations and food is their two drivers to go on a cruise."

Utopia of the Seas launches in 2024

While Icon of the Seas is garnering the lion share of attention right now, Utopia of the Seas will also launch later that year.

"Utopia is going to be for the Oasis class yet another great step forward. You're just going to be amazed by kind of the next set of changes that we make, " said Mr. Schneider of what we can expect from Utopia.

He admitted Utopia won't have the same level of new experiences Icon of the Seas has, "but when you look at them, they'll make a ton of sense."

When might we be able to start booking Utopia of the Seas? Mr. Schneider alluded to summer 2023 as when you can expect more information on bookings and details for the public to be able to start making plans.

The ship will debut in the spring of 2024.

If you are looking to take a cruise to Alaska in the next two months, you will want to act quickly.

On April 11 and 12, Royal Caribbean is having a "Going, Going, Gone" sale with fares as low as $269 per person for an interior room on a 7-night Alaska cruise. That breaks down to less than $40 per night before taxes, fees, and gratuities. 

As with any last minute cruise, you are going to have to act fast to secure your booking. Plus, you will have to think about the potential cost of airfare.

Here's a look at the great deals that you can find on Alaska cruises. 

Brilliance of the Seas

Brilliance of the Seas has the most availability, with cruises departing as soon as April 23. All sailings are roundtrip from Vancouver, meaning that you might have better luck securing flight deals. One-way tickets are often more expensive. 

• 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience departing on April 23 is priced at $564 for an interior, $449 for an oceanview, and $629 for a balcony. Regardless of which stateroom you select, there will be an additional $232.65 in taxes and fees added to your fare. 
• 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience departing on April 30 is priced at $449 for an oceanview and $599 for a balcony. There are no interior staterooms left for this sailing. Taxes and fees are another $233.42. 
• 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience departing on May 7 is priced at $459 for an oceanview and $699 for a balcony. You will have to pay $231.76 in taxes and fees. 

• 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience departing on May 14 is priced at $559 for an oceanview stateroom and $749 for a balcony. Again, there are no interior cabins available for this sailing. Expect to pay $226.16 in taxes and fees. 
• 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience departing on May 21 is priced at $519 for an oceanview and $699 for a balcony, with taxes and fees being another $226.16.
• 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience departing on May 28 is priced at $559 for an oceanview and $749 for a balcony. Add another $228.48 in taxes and fees to whichever fare you select. 

Read more: How much does an Alaska cruise cost?

Radiance of the Seas

With only two options, Radiance of the Seas has the fewest cruises during this sale:

• 7-night Northbound Alaska & Hubbard Glacier from Vancouver, Canada departing on May 19 starts at $329 for an oceanview and $509 for a balcony. Taxes and fees are an additional $240.86. The cruise concludes in Seward, Alaska. 
• 7-night Southbound Alaska & Hubbard Glacier from Seward, Alaska departing on May 26 is priced at $269 for an interior stateroom, $319 for an oceanview, and $509 for a balcony, with taxes and fees costing $278.06. This one-way cruise ends in Vancouver, Canada. 

Ovation of the Seas

Those looking for availability in June will have to opt for a sailing on Ovation of the Seas from Seattle, Washington. This might be the best option for families with children whose academic years do not conclude until early or mid-June.

Note, though, that these are the most expensive options, as you get to sail roundtrip from Seattle on a newer ship. 

• 7-night Alaska Glacier departing on June 2 only has balcony cabins available for $1,049 per person. This does not include the $246.42 in taxes and fees. 
• 7-night Alaska Glacier departing on June 9 is priced at $749 for an interior and $1,149 for a balcony, plus $214.85 in taxes. 
• 7-night Alaska Glacier departing on June 16 costs $799 for an interior and $1,199 for a balcony. Taxes are another $242.96. 
• 7-night Alaska Glacier departing on June 23 has balcony staterooms for $1,299 per person. You will have to pay $231.24 in taxes, too. 
• 7-night Alaska Glacier departing on June 30 starts at $849 for an interior and $1,349 for a balcony, with taxes costing an extra $238.91. 

Other deals during the sale

If you are not interested in cruising to Alaska, there are other offering during the "Going, Going, Gone" sale, including sailings to the Greek Isles, Bahamas, Iceland, Ireland, Bermuda, and Mediterranean. 

Most of the cruises depart in May; however, there are a couple that leave in June:

• 4-night Bahamas from Miami, Florida on Freedom of the Seas departing June 2, 5, and 12
• 4-night Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Florida on Independence of the Seas departing on June 5 and 12
• 12-night Iceland & Ireland from Amsterdam on Jewel of the Seas departing on June 5 and 29
• 12-night Arctic Circle from Amsterdam on Jewel of the Seas departing on June 17
• 7-night Greek Isles from Rome on Odyssey of the Seas departing on June 4
• 7-night Western Mediterranean from Rome on Symphony of the Seas departing on June 1
• 7-night Western Mediterranean from Barcelona on Symphony of the Seas departing on June 4
• 9-night Bermuda & Perfect Day from Baltimore on Vision of the Seas departing on June 8

Unfortunately, this sale does include any cruises later in the summer for families that have yet to plan their summer trip. There is no way to tell if there will be another sale, either. 

In general, cruise pricing tends to favor those that book early, so let this be a lesson! If your schedule does not permit much flexibility, you are better off booking in advance. 

Increased demand for cruises

2022 and 2023 have been successful years for the cruising industry, with many cruise lines breaking their personal booking records!

In fact, Royal Caribbean broke their own record three times in 2022 in less than five weeks. Black Friday of 2022 was the cruise line's single largest booking day.

Other cruise lines are seeing a similar trend. Carnival Cruise Line reported that bookings for the first quarter of 2023 were the highest volume for any quarter in the company's history!

Why you should not always rely on last minute deals

Since the demand for cruise vacations is so high, there is no guarantee that the sailing you are eyeing will have any last minute availability. Many of Royal Caribbean's ships have been sailing at or close to maximum capacity, even outside of peak season. 

Additionally, as shown with the current "Going, Going, Gone" sale, cabin selection will be limited; there are no suites included for any of the Alaska deals, and some are sold out of interior and oceanview, too.

The lowest price may also be for a guarantee cabin, which means that there is no way to tell where it is located until assigned by Royal Caribbean. 

If you want a specific stateroom, you are better off booking in advance to secure the best rate and guarantee that you will get the cabin that you want. 

Booking the cheapest cruise does not mean it is going to be the cruise that you have been envisioning. In addition to potentially not getting the stateroom you want, you may find that certain add-ons have limited availability-- some shore excursions sell out in advance!

Read more: Why booking a last-minute cruise isn't always a great idea

Talk with your travel agent before booking

Last minute sales are great for those with whose lives are able to accommodate the flexibility of taking off on short notice. 

If you see a price listed on a "Going, Going, Gone" deal that you are interested in, ask your travel agent to price it out! 

There is no harm in sending them an email or giving them a call, as you never now what kinds of agency rates and special offers they have!

What can we expect when Royal Caribbean opens its first beach club experience in 2025?

Royal Caribbean confirmed last month it was moving forward with plans to build a beach club in Nassau, Bahamas, which is set to open in the first half of 2025.

This will be the first of its kind experience for the cruise line, as the beach club is not going to be another private island type of experience.  But how different will the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island be and what can expect once the first passengers visit the beach club?

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider has a large hand in the planning of the new destination, and has been working with the Bahamian government for years through two different administrations to get approval for their work.

The Bahamian government gave Royal Caribbean "approval in principle from the government", which means the government of the Bahamas and Royal Caribbean have reached an agreement on kind of the key principles that they both think are important.

How is the beach club different than a private island?

Up until now, the only context cruisers have for a land-based experience offered by Royal Caribbean are the private destinations of Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee.

Mr. Schneider calls the beach club, "a really rich Royal Caribbean service experience attached to a high volume destination or strategic destination for us."

"Whereas a Perfect Day it is the destination, it is the only thing you can do... and it's typically far flung."

To better explain the differences, Mr. Schneider confirmed that the beach club will cost extra, as it's not intended to be something for everyone to visit like it would be at CocoCay.

"Not everybody's going to have an opportunity to go to the Royal Beach Club. It wasn't designed for that purpose."

"Because we then hope you sail with us again the next weekend and have that opportunity. And so that's where it kind of fits into our strategy."

He also confirmed that the beach club admission will be all-inclusive, which means your admission cost will cover:

• Water taxi ride to/from the beach club
• All food and beverage, including alcohol.
• Beach chairs
• Umbrellas
• Non-motorized activities (swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, etc)

"It's really meant to be this kind of all inclusive, ultimate beach day," Mr. Schneider said of the plans.

The beach club will have three primary areas:

• Family beach zone
• Active pool space
• Quieter beach area on the western side

In addition to the beach, the pools are going to be a focal point, "At the heart of it, you'll find a series of pools. And part of the reason for a series of pools is you need heated pools in the Bahamas to have a really great experience year round."

Don't expect a giant pool akin to the Oasis Lagoon pool at CocoCay. Rather, for a better environmental footprint, these pool spaces will be smaller, "They're not terribly small, but smaller experiences. So imagine a Splashaway Bay sort of experience."

"Imagine if you were to take Oasis Lagoon and kind of break it into a couple different parts."

There will be live Bahamian music to enjoy, cabanas to rent for an additional cost, snack shack restaurants, along with beach bars around the club.

One thing you will definitely not find at the beach club are thrills, "there's no massive thrill experience. And frankly, you know, there's two reasons not to have a massive thrill experience."

"One is the land is just not that big."

"The second is there's really great thrill elsewhere in Nassau. This wasn't meant to steal thrill from other things in Nassau."

How much will the beach club cost?

You're probably wondering how much this experience will cost, and there isn't yet a price determined.

Mr. Schneider confirmed the all-inclusive admission will include food and drink (including alcohol), but said it was too early to know what the cost will be.

I then asked if admission will be a full or half day experience, and Mr. Schneider said he wasn't sure yet what to expect.

Why build beach clubs?

Why would a cruise line invest millions of dollars in a project like this when there are already lots of places to visit in Nassau, as well as destinations around the Caribbean.

On a high level, Mr. Schneider says the two predominant reasons people book a cruise are for destinations and food.

"The reason people go on a vacation is they want to go visit destinations. We break that down into destinations have two parts: the places we take you to and the ships and hardware that you sail on as a destination."

In speaking about the places Royal Caribbean already goes to, Nassau fell into a grouping of ports that have high volume but don't have high appeal or high satisfaction rates. This is the primary reason for leading Royal Caribbean down the path of planning a Royal Beach Club.

"Nassau is a great place to go. We wanted to add a Royal level service to that destination. This this gave us that model to to really expand."

Profiting the Bahamas too

Mr. Schneider was adamant about the fact the Royal Beach Club in Nassau isn't a cash grab by the company that only benefits the cruise line.  

He called it a "public private partnership", which has the goal of ensuring, "that the profits from the Beach Club stay in the Bahamas for generations to come."

How does it work? There's a few components to this deep partnership between cruise line and government.

First is equity, "Bahamians will have the opportunity to own up to 49% of the Royal Caribbean Beach Club."

"And so we felt and the government felt as we went through our discussion that it was important that Bahamians have ownership in this as a result of the Bahamas contributing crown land."

"We want to make sure that that the Beach Club has real ownership of local Bahamians so that it's beloved for years to come.

"The equity comes in two parts. First is the government. The government sovereign wealth fund, which is called the Bahamas National Investment Fund, will get essentially equity for the fair market value of the four acres of crown land that they're contributing."

"The second part of the equity is really then individual Bahamians will have an opportunity through an investment fund to essentially buy shares in the investment fund to buy equity into the fund."

In addition to the equity being built up from the crown land, is to open up every kind of bespoke part of the operation to local Bahamians.

Mr. Schneider said this includes all sorts of jobs, such as security, lifeguards, environmental monitoring, food, music, and more, "All of those will be open to local businesses and entrepreneurs. And our hope is that the entire operation is through partnerships from Nassau."

He mentioned the first employee hired will be the new president of the Royal Beach Club, "the goal is to hire somebody who is Bahamian. So from the senior most executive down to the landscaper, the idea is all Bahamian or Bahamian partnerships."

On top of all of that, a new tourism tax will be part of this project that benefits local Bahamians, "one of the things we're really excited about is not just the growth of tourism, but we agreed to a new tourism levy that doesn't exist."

"We'll be the first new development kicking 1% of gross profits into a new tourism levy in perpetuity. And the purpose of that tourism levy is a new tourism fund to improve other attractions throughout New Providence in the Bahamas."

Mr. Schneider also took some time to address local press coverage regarding the beach club, "we've seen some negative press that people think this is just a mini Perfect Day at Nassau such that we'll suck all the air out of the local businesses and this will be the only place our guests go."

He was emphatic that is not the case, "Less than 40% of our guests will have an opportunity to go to the Royal Beach Club of our deployment to Nassau on an annual basis."

"It's important they have other things to do because the other 60%, we want to have a great destination as part of a rich itinerary."

In 2017, Royal Caribbean was bringing about a million passengers to Nassau.  By 2027, the cruise line expects to be bringing 2.5 million visitors to Nassau.

"The number will have grown the number of calls and visits and guests into Nassau far in excess of the total capacity of the beach club."

Something else Royal Caribbean is doing to benefit local businesses is to build a water taxi service, "we're partnering with local Bahamians to create a new water taxi infrastructure."

"That water taxi infrastructure is serving the beach club will then also serve other attractions throughout the harbor and New Providence."

In short, Royal Caribbean is doing something no other company has done for the Bahamas, "We look at the totality of kind of the structure that we created with the government and the kind of net new employment opportunities and job creation and profit creation for  the government and individuals and the money that we're putting back into the Bahamas is really something that nobody's ever done before, for sure, for the Bahamas. And it's rare to see worldwide."

"We think this is a home run for the Bahamas."

First of many beach clubs

When The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island, it will be the first, but not the last, beach club.

"We want to build multiple beach clubs around the world because every geography is is somewhat unique," stated Mr. Schneider. 

But don't expect each to be an exact replica of each other, "as we think of the future beach club kind of portfolio, our hope is they'll have similar components."

Spring is here and it is also Sunday, which means we are celebrating warm(er) temperatures and Royal Caribbean news from this week!

Royal Caribbean will open its own private beach club in Nassau, Bahamas and it looks incredible!

The Royal Beach Club in Nassau will open in 2025 and we have all the information we know so far about the project for you to catch up on.

This extra cost excursion will include beach access, pools, cabanas, and much more.

Royal Caribbean News

• Celebrity Cruises announces new CEO to succeed Lisa Lutoff-Perlo
• 10 worst cruise fails by our readers
• 15 things to pack in your cruise carry-on
• Best hotels near Port Canaveral before the cruise
• I visited three ports on my cruise, but this one was by far my favorite, and here’s why you should go there

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 494th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, which answers as many listener emails as possible.

It's been a while since we had a podcast episode all about your questions, so this week's episode is just listener emails!

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

New RCB Video: Best things to bring on a cruise under $10

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Best things to bring on a cruise under $10 I always regret forgetting to bring — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

8 reasons to get off your ship as early as possible on disembarkation day

No one wants their cruise vacation to end, but on the last morning of the cruise, there are a few good reasons to hustle off the ship.

Just like the idiom of "ripping off a band-aid" to get it over with, disembarking your cruise ship when it ends sooner than later has a few advantages.

From beating the traffic, to getting on an earlier flight, here are the compelling arguments to plan on leaving your ship as soon as possible.

20 rules of cruise ship etiquette no one ever tells you (but should)

You don't want to be "that guy/gal" when it comes to committing a faux pas, so we have a guide to proper cruise ship etiquette.

Being polite to your fellow passengers and crew member should go without saying, but there are a few nuances of a cruise that you might not think are an issue, but in reality, should be avoided.

Knowing proper ship etiquette will help ensure that you do not feel disrespectful or underdressed, as well as make sure that you are able to contribute to a positive atmosphere. 

What it's like when a cruise ship is empty

Mariner of the Seas just finished a dry dock in Europe and returned to the United States without any passengers.  Not having passengers onboard doesn't mean there's nothing to do for crew either.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Director Marc Walker shared a glimpse of what crew members do in the time there are no paying passengers onboard to prepare for a return to service.

Over the course of an 8-night crossing, we've got a look at what the crew did with no passengers to attend to.

What is the best time to cruise the Mediterranean?

If you are thinking about the best month to go on a Mediterranean cruise, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of each month.

 While there isn’t necessarily a “perfect” time to take a Mediterranean cruise, this guide should help you decide which season works best for you.

8 questions to ask yourself before picking a cruise ship

Before you book a Royal Caribbean cruise, it's a good idea to go over some important considerations.

Depending on your preferences, one ship might be a better idea than another to sail on.

Here's a look at the questions you should be asking yourself prior to selecting a Royal Caribbean ship to ensure you find the best ship for you.

If you are looking for the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship, you have plenty of great choices to consider.

Royal Caribbean offers cruises around the world on more than two dozen ships that will provide a great family vacation. Utopia of the Seas is the newest ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet, but does that make it the best ship? Is the oldest ship necessarily the worst ship?

Read more: I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s newest and oldest cruise ships: here's what it's like to cruise on each

Narrowing down the best ship means finding the right ship for you, depending on your personal tastes, budget and who is cruising with you.

Royal Caribbean prides itself on a consistent experience across all of its ships, but they aren't carbon copies of each other either.

Icon of the Seas

Icon of the Seas has been sailing for less than a year, and it's hard to overlook this ship if you are cruising with a family.

Icon of the Seas is  a game changer for families, and it has enough onboard to rival any land resort. It also packs in just about every new idea Royal Caribbean has to offer it's most complete cruise ship to date.

Being the biggest ship in the world, means there is more space for the activities and things to do that will keep children and adults busy all cruise long.

Royal Caribbean has designed this ship to cater more to families than ever before.

You'll find new categories of cabins with parents and kids in mind. More than 70% of all rooms onboard Icon of the Seas will have balconies, and  82% of rooms have a high occupancy of 3 or more guests, which is more than double the Oasis Class ships.

Royal Caribbean also dedicated an entire neighborhood of the ship to families, known as Surfside.  Surfside is the ultimate stay-all-day neighborhood that has pools for kids and parents, family-friendly restaurants, and bars that have mocktails for the kids and cocktails for the adults.

Icon of the Seas is home to the largest water park at sea, Category 6, where you will find six recording breaking slides, including the first family raft slides at sea: Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter. 

Royal Caribbean is building at least two more Icon Class ships that will also begin cruises over the next few years.

Oasis Class

Best ship: Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas or Oasis of the Seas

These are the largest cruise ships in the world, and they simply offer the latest and greatest that Royal Caribbean is known for onboard.

The six Oasis Class ships (with an unnamed 7th ship eventually joining the fleet sometime in 2028), have FlowRider surf simulators, zip lining, rock climbing, waterslides, clubs, specialty and complimentary restaurants and scenic evening strolls.

There is no shortage of things to do on an Oasis Class ship, including waterslides, Ultimate Abyss slide, two FlowRiders, mini-golf, zip line and more.

There are seven neighborhoods (eight on Utopia & Wonder of the Seas) on an Oasis Class ship, including Central Park outdoor space and the seaside-inspired Boardwalk. 

The shows on an Oasis Class ship are the best in the fleet, with three different theaters offering entertainment throughout your cruise. Watch a full Broadway show (such as Mamma Mia or Hairspray), check out the thrills of the AquaTheater performances, and be dazzled by ice shows in Studio B.

Oasis Class ships also have the most dining options of any Royal Caribbean ship, such as Chops Steakhouse, Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, Portside BBQ, classic Italian and much more.

Where they sail: Wonder of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas offer 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises that include stops at the private destination of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Some years, one Oasis Class ship sails from Europe for the summer.

Quantum Class

Best ship: Anthem of the Seas or Odyssey of the Seas

The newest class of Royal Caribbean ship does not compromise on entertainment, dining, or things to do with the Quantum Class ships.

Looking for some incredible things to do on a cruise ship? How about a skydiving simulator, or smash bumper cars into your fellow guest vehicles.  Then there is the observation capsule that takes you 300 feet in the air for breathtaking, 360-degree views. 

The Quantum Class ships are the only ones that feature Two70, which is a large circular space at the back of the ship where you will not only find a great view of the ocean, but also floor-to-ceiling screens that can transform the space along with their Roboscreen technology.

Music Hall is the perfect venue for anyone that loves live music performances, where cover bands perform and you can dance the night away.

The Royal Esplanade is located in the center of the ship and features dining and shopping opportunities.

Where they sail: Anthem of the Seas sails primarily from Bayonne, New Jersey to destinations in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, New England and Canada. She also started spending summer in Europe, sailing from Southampton, England for the summer, visiting coastal towns along the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Canary Islands.

Spectrum of the Seas sails in Asia.

Odyssey of the Seas splits her time between winter cruises from Florida to the Caribbean, and summer cruises in Europe around the Mediterranean.

Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas sail to Alaska in the summer, and then spend the other part of the year in Australia.

Freedom Class

Best ship: Freedom of the Seas or Independence of the Seas

One of the most versatile cruise ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet, the Freedom Class vessels combine large size with lots to do onboard. In fact, the Freedom Class ships have been upgraded in the last few years with waterslides and other new features onboard.

You will find Splashaway Bay aquapark for kids on all three ships, along with Perfect Storm waterslides on Independence and Freedom. Liberty of the Seas has her own set of water slides, including the only ship to feature a boomerang slide.

Independence of the Seas is the only Freedom Class ship to offer the Sky Pad virtual reality bungee jump trampoline experience.

If you are looking for dining, Independence has Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi and Fish & Ships, a poolside eatery where guests can grab quintessentially British seaside treats. Freedom of the Seas launched the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen specialty restaurant concept in the fleet, that features made-to-order pizzas, freshly made pastas and a wide selection of wines and limoncellos.

All three ships offer great shows onboard, including ice skating performances in Studio B.  Independence of the Seas has its own Broadway show with Grease, while Liberty of the Seas has Saturday Night Fever Broadway show.

Where they sail: Independence of the Seas sails three and four night cruises the Caribbean from Port Canaveral.

Liberty of the Seas sails from Galveston, Texas and offers seven-night cruises to the Western Caribbean.

Freedom of the Seas is homeported in Miami, Florida, where she offers short 3- and 4-night cruises.

Voyager Class

Best ship: Navigator of the Seas or Mariner of the Seas

One of the best values in Royal Caribbean is the Voyager Class ships. These multifaceted vessels are a great choice for first-time cruisers, as well as anyone on a limited budget.  They are still "big ships" and offer plenty to do onboard, but at a fraction of the price of their mega ship sister vessels.

The Voyager Class is perhaps the most varied ships in the fleet, as the Royal Amplification process has added so many new and different options to these ships.

Mariner and Navigator of the Seas received the most striking changes in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Mariner of the Seas has a Sky Pad and Perfect Storm waterslides. Navigator has The Blaster aqua coaster, the longest waterslide at sea, and Riptide, the industry’s only head-first mat racer waterslide. Both ships also now feature Battle for Planet Z and Royal Escape Room: The Observatorium.

There are plenty of other additions to both vessels, including hibachi on Mariner and Hooked Seafood specialty restaurant on Navigator. Both ships have a Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, as well as a Bamboo Room Polynessian-themed bar.

The other Voyager Class ships also have their own share of fun onboard, including a FlowRider surf simulator, mini-golf, rock climbing wall, ice skating rink and shows each evening. Adventure of the Seas has its own set of water slides that were added a few years ago.

Where they sail: Mariner of the Seas offers Caribbean cruises of various length from Port Canaveral.

Navigator of the Seas is homeported from Los Angeles, where she sails short cruises to Ensenada, Mexico, as well as 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises.

The other Voyager Class ships move around a bit more, offering cruises around the world. Adventure of the Seas will sail from Galveston and Bayonne in the winter, in addition to cruises in Europe from Copenhagen and Stockholm in the summer.

Explorer of the Seas also splits time between North America and Europe, with cruises from Rome in the summer, and Galveston or Miami in the winter.

Voyager of the Seas offers cruises in Australia or China, depending on the cruise season.

Radiance Class

Best ship: Brilliance of the Seas or Serenade of the Seas

An underrated, yet impressive class of ships is the Radiance Class ships that combine sleek elegance with varied itineraries around the world.

Just because they are smaller than other ships, does not mean they compromise on the fun onboard. Royal Caribbean added new features and amenities to these ships, and you will find an outdoor movie screen, full-scale entertainment productions in the three-story theater, and plenty of restaurants, bars, clubs and lounges.

Radiance class ships are popular with Royal Caribbean veterans for their elegant offerings and relaxing atmosphere. In fact, Radiance Class ships have one of the best adults-only Solarium areas across the entire fleet.

Where they sail: The Radiance Class ships are world travelers, offering lots of places to visit. Brilliance of the Seas spends her winters in Tampa with short sailings to the Caribbean, along with cruises from Boston and Miami.

You can cruise on Jewel of the Seas from Amsterdam to Northern Europe in the summer, while choosing between cruises from Galveston or Miami to the Caribbean.

Radiance of the Seas offers some really interesting cruises, including open-jaw sailings (one-way) to Alaska in the summer.  She then transitions to Australia and sails the South Pacific.

Serenade of the Seas also splits her time between Australia and Alaska itineraries.

Vision Class

Best ship: Grandeur of the Seas or Enchantment of the Seas

Royal Caribbean uses the Vision Class ships to offer cruises to the most exotic locations around, because they can fit almost anywhere.

Like the Radiance Class, Vision Class ships still offer plenty to do onboard and have amenities such as a rock climbing wall, great pool deck, poolside movie screen, specialty dining and a grand Atrium area.

The lounges on these ships are equally impressive, and many repeat cruisers love the warm and thoughtful staff onboard these ships.

Where they sail: Vision of the Seas offers cruises in the winter from Fort Lauderdale, and Barcelona in the summer.

Rhapsody of the Seas calls Tampa and Venice/Ravenna, Italy home, with cruises to the Western Caribbean and Greek Isles.

Enchantment of the Seas (the last Royal Caribbean ship to be stretched) sails year-round from Baltimore.

Grandeur of the Seas offers cruises from Galveston & Miami to the Caribbean.

What should you look for in the best cruise ship?

When you want to find the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship for you, the key is to understand what the ship offers and what it does not offer, and then weigh that against how much it will cost you.

Some important considerations you should look at in any ship is what it offers in:

• Kids Programming
• Signature activities (waterslides, Broadway shows, thrill attractions, open spaces, et al)
• Where it is sailing

If you want a never ending array of "things to do," then lean towards taking a cruise on the larger ships.  

If your idea of a good time is lounging by the pool and exploring the ports of call you visit, then any size ship will be fine.

The important thing to remember is to figure out if the ship you are looking at has a FlowRider, particular specialty restaurant or something else important to you onboard the ship.

The best ship depends on you

Picking the best ship is a lot like picking out the best movie or best restaurant: it is a subjective choice based on a variety of factors that every person weighs differently.

Since no one likes to hear that the answer is "it depends", here is as objective a breakdown as possible of what to look for in the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

Amenities, activities, and accommodations

At the heart of any cruise ship is what the ship offers onboard, and where you will call home during your vacation.

Royal Caribbean's cruise ships have four basic types of staterooms: inside, oceanview, balcony and suite cabins. These types of cruise cabins offer varying amount of living space and luxuries, and the some ships have more impressive cabins than others. 

Ultimately, the decision for which room you want is a question of what you can afford, but the larger and newer ships tend to offer the most expansive and luxurious accommodations.

What you do onboard is what makes Royal Caribbean stand out, and you will find various signature activities, fun things to do and multitudes of dining choices across an expansive layout.

Each cruise ship is made up of a different combination of onboard offerings and over the last decade, Royal Caribbean has varied these amenities considerably from ship to ship. So it behooves you to figure out which are the most important and pick the right ship for you.

My recommendations for the best ships

If you just want to know which ships I think might be best for certain people, here are my top picks for best Royal Caribbean ships.

• Best ships for new cruisers and families: Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas or Odyssey of the Seas
• Best ship if on a budget: Mariner of the Seas or Navigator of the Seas
• Best ship if you don't care about crazy activities: Brilliance of the Seas or Grandeur of the Seas
• Best combination of value (price for what you get): Freedom of the Seas or Liberty of the Seas
• Matt's favorite ships: Wonder of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas

The end of a cruise vacation can stir up many emotions, but most (if not all) passengers feel a hint of post-cruise depression set in on disembarkation day. Thoughts of returning to work, cleaning your house, and cooking your own meals can make even the toughest passengers dread returning home.

Nonetheless, you have to return home eventually after your time onboard, and we recommend that you get off your ship as early as possible on disembarkation day. For most cruise itineraries, this means disembarking around 7AM instead of, say, 8 or 9AM.

While shortening your time on a Royal Caribbean cruise may sound unappealing, the truth is that by disembarking just an hour or two earlier than other passengers, you can reap a wide range of benefits.

From shorter wait times in the cruise terminal to avoiding chaos at the parking garage, here are 8 reasons to get off your ship as early as possible.

How can I get off the ship as early as possible?

Before explaining the top reasons why you should disembark your cruise early, you should have a basic understanding of how Royal Caribbean’s disembarkation process works.

You have two options for disembarkation: self-disembarkation or using luggage tags.

Self-disembarkation is when you carry your luggage off the cruise ship with you. By transporting your own luggage off the ship, you have the freedom to leave whenever you want. This works well for cruisers who packed light or who don’t mind lugging suitcases off the ship, down the gangway, and through the cruise terminal.

Self-disembarkation is also a nice option for those who want as much flexibility as possible when leaving the ship. If you booked an early flight, you may prefer to disembark your ship as soon as the gangway opens instead of waiting until your luggage tag number is called.

Related: Self-disembarkation on a Royal Caribbean cruise

If you opt not to do self-assist disembarkation, you should adhere to the disembarkation time on your cabin’s luggage tag number. Near the end of the cruise, luggage tags will be delivered to your stateroom. Each of these luggage tags has a number, and this number coincides with the time in which your luggage will be ready for you in the cruise terminal.

If you don't like the disembarkation time given on your luggage tag, you can change your luggage tag number to the time that works best for you—simply head to Guest Services and get a different luggage tag.

Now that you have a better idea of how to disembark a cruise ship, let’s move into the top 8 reasons to get off your ship as early as possible on disembarkation day.

There’s nothing to do onboard on disembarkation day

Although Royal Caribbean cruise ships are packed with activities and entertainment, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything interesting to do on disembarkation day.

With such a short turnaround time between cruises, there’s no time for activities like waterslides, trivia, and production shows.

Truthfully, there’s a rushed atmosphere onboard on disembarkation morning. If you’re suntanning on the pool deck at 9AM, you might get a few strange looks from crew members.

While there are no activities offered on disembarkation day, select breakfast venues, including the Windjammer and Main Dining Room, are open. We recommend grabbing a quick breakfast and getting off the ship as early as you can.

Avoid lines to leave the ship

While you won’t usually encounter an exceptionally long line to disembark your cruise ship, it’s best to avoid waiting in lines whenever possible. More often than not, the earlier you try to disembark your cruise ship, the shorter of a line you’ll experience.

Related: How long does it take to get off a cruise ship?

Not only will you avoid a long line just to leave the ship, but you won’t have to wait as long to have your passport and documents checked in the terminal. This is even more true if you’re traveling with a birth certificate and ID instead of a passport.

Those with passports can usually go through a fast-moving line during which a facial recognition device confirms your identity. Those without passports, on the other hand, have to wait in a line to have their documents manually checked.

If you disembark at the same time as everyone else, there’s a chance you’ll have to wait in line longer than you'd prefer.

Get taxis and Ubers more quickly than other passengers

In addition to lines in the cruise terminal, disembarking your ship early means you’ll spend far less time waiting in line for transportation to the airport.

With thousands of passengers leaving the cruise port at the same time, disembarkation day can be a bit hectic. Taxis and rideshares see high demand all at once, and unfortunately, many passengers end up waiting longer than they would like for a ride to the airport.

By getting off your ship as early as possible on disembarkation day, you can be among the first to call an Uber or Lyft, and it’s unlikely there will be any wait at the taxi line.

Beat the traffic in the parking garage

If you drove to your cruise port, you don’t want to get held up at the parking garage on disembarkation day. It’s typical for long lines of cars to form as thousands of other passengers try to exit the parking garage all at once.

No one enjoys waiting around in their car when they could be on the way home. By getting off your ship as early as possible on disembarkation day, you can be one of the first out of the parking garage.

Get home earlier if you’re driving

Driving to your cruise port? The earlier you disembark your cruise ship, the earlier you can hit the road.

It’s always hard to relax knowing there’s a long drive ahead of you. Getting home earlier means you can start to unpack and relax, even if it means you’re no longer on a cruise ship.

Our recommendation is to wake up early, grab a takeaway coffee and pastry from Cafe Promenade, and hit the road before most passengers have even made it to breakfast.

More time to make a flight

We’ve all seen frantic, disheveled passengers sprinting through an airport terminal to make their flight on time. Many of us, in fact, have been those exact passengers ourselves—I know I’m guilty. By disembarking your cruise ship as early as possible, you give yourself more time to make a flight.

As a rule of thumb, we recommend booking flights no earlier than noon on disembarkation day, but the exact time can vary from airport to airport. If you’re flying from Fort Lauderdale, which is only 5 minutes away from the cruise port, you will (more than likely) be able to make an 11AM flight with little rush.

Making a noon flight from Venice, Italy when your cruise ends in Ravenna would be much more stressful—the cruise port is over two hours from the airport.

Related: The 20 worst cruise mistakes that will ruin your cruise vacation

As long as you don’t book a flight too early, disembarking your cruise ship as early as possible will give you enough time to make your flight and account for any unexpected delays.

Account for security lines at the airport

My small, regional airport at home almost never has a line at security, but the same cannot be said about airports near popular cruise ports.

Many of the world’s busiest cruise ports are also located near the world’s busiest airports. Whether at the Los Angeles, Miami, or Orlando airport, you might encounter longer-than-anticipated lines at security.

If you don’t have TSA Precheck or an alternative priority security screening like CLEAR, you want to make sure you arrive at the airport with plenty of time before your flight. There’s nothing more stressful than rushing to the airport only to find out a long security line could cause you to miss your flight altogether!

Fly standby on an earlier flight

When I disembarked Symphony of the Seas earlier this year, I was off the ship by 7:45AM. My flight home, however, didn’t depart Miami until 12:30PM, and I was dreading waiting around the airport for several hours.

On route to the airport, I opened my American Airlines app and realized I could fly standby on a 9AM flight to my connection in Los Angeles. I never would have booked this flight outright as it left very little time to get to the airport and go through security after disembarking.

As a standby passenger, though, I could attempt to make the earlier flight with no risk of missing my flight later in the day.

To my surprise, I was able to fly on both my flight from Miami and my connecting flight home as a standby passenger. I was home over five hours earlier than I would have been on my initial itinerary!

Had I dilly-dallied around the cruise ship for another hour before disembarking, I never would have made the standby flight at 9AM. From now on, I’ll always get off the cruise ship as early as possible on disembarkation day if I can get on a standby list for an earlier flight.

Laura Hodges Bethge will take over as CEO of Celebrity Cruises in May, the cruise line announced on Thursday.

Laura Hodges Bethge will take over the role from Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, who has been CEO since 2014.  Hodges Bethge was most recently executive vice president,
shared services operations at Royal Caribbean Group.

In her current role, Hodges Bethge was responsible for Royal Caribbean Group’s safety, security and environment, risk management and crew movement teams.

"I look forward to building on the incredible achievements of Lisa and this world class team, as we continue to break boundaries and chart new courses in the industry," she said in a statement announcing the change.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty welcomed Laura Hodges Bethge to the new role, "I would also like to congratulate Laura for her appointment as the next brand president of Celebrity Cruises. With her operational experience, business acumen and deep understanding of our company and the cruise industry, I know Laura is the right person to lead Celebrity Cruises to its next phases of growth."

Hodges Bethge has been a part of many aspects of the cruise industry. She served as senior vice president of Product Development for Royal Caribbean International, where she spearheaded the Royal Amplification ship upgrade program, and the Perfect Day at CocoCay makeover.  She also oversaw the design and construction of six new ships, including Spectrum of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas.

She joined the company in 2000 and has been a part of the Hotel and Marine Operations, Sales, Marketing, Product Innovation and Investor Relations teams.

She was also based in Shanghai as vice president of Market Development, where she oversaw commercial operations for this strategic market.

Departing Celebrity

Celebrity's current CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, will transition to Vice Chair, External Affairs for Royal Caribbean Group, effective May 1.

Mr. Liberty thanks Ms. Lutoff-Perlo for her hard work as CEO, "Lisa has been instrumental in transforming the Celebrity Cruises brand to what it is today."

"From helping us introduce the revolutionary Edge Series of ships to advancing the role of women in maritime careers, Lisa has had an incredible career during her time leading Celebrity Cruises, and multiple parts of our Royal Caribbean International brand. I have had the pleasure of working with Lisa for almost 18 years, and I know her expertise will be invaluable as she transitions to serve as my Vice Chair, External Affairs.”

Lutoff-Perlo’s career started with Royal Caribbean Group in 1985, when she was a district sales manager. 

She leaves behind a legacy of many firsts: In 2005, Lutoff-Perlo became Celebrity’s first female senior vice president of hotel operations. In 2012, she was named executive vice president of operations for Royal Caribbean International, the first woman in the industry to oversee both hotel and marine operations. Two short years later, she was the first woman appointed to president and CEO of one of Royal Caribbean Group’s brands.

As CEO, Celebrity Cruises added four new cruise ships to the fleet, and implemented cruise ship revitalizations under the Celebrity Revolution program.

"It has always been difficult for me to imagine leaving the incredible Celebrity brand, but the time is right for me to start an exciting new chapter and turn the helm over to a new leader," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.

"It has been my great honor to lead this brand and work alongside the phenomenal Celebrity shoreside team and crew. Together, our accomplishments have been extraordinary. I'm excited to now work closely with Jason on broader initiatives as we sail toward an even brighter future."