Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean's first world cruise sounded like the adventure of a lifetime, compelling hundreds of people to sign on the for the voyage.

The cruise took 274-nights and visited over 60 countries across seven continents, including Antarctica.

Tonya Lathom lived in the Mid-Atlantic region and made some life-changing choices in order to go on this cruise. She retired from her school system after 32 years as a teacher and school counselor.

She and her husband, Andy, sold their home in Falls Church, Virginia in order to move to their other home in South Carolina, outside of Myrtle Beach.

Tonya shared with Royal Caribbean Blog about her experience on the one-of-a-kind Royal Caribbean ultimate world cruise.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed the cruise

My husband booked the Ultimate World Cruise as a way for us to see the world in retirement since we had never really traveled much before. Talk about diving headfirst into the deep end of the pool!  

Prior to the Ultimate World Cruise, the longest cruise I had ever been on was 12 days.

However, we had not been on a cruise since before 2020, so this was definitely a crazy experience to have. A typical 7-day cruise vacation once a year did not prepare me for this trip.

In the end, I was most surprised by how much I actually enjoyed the cruise.

Nine months seemed daunting and wasn’t something that I would have chosen on my own.  

It was something that I wasn’t completely on board, to begin with, but it grew on me.

I think that the key is building a community and being active. As I developed my own daily routine and made new friends, my days flew by!

I love trivia, brainteasers, and Tri-bond, so there was a lot of that, but it was also a social time with my new friends.  Plus, my time was used to research ports and plan excursions, and do laundry.

And I documented every day (“sea” day or not) for my family and friends.

Best yet, I got to see more of the world than I ever thought possible! 

As time passed, cruise ship literally became my home.

I loved the daily routine that I set up for myself, and relished having a new adventure on land every day.

Even when we returned to the ship, security would scan our cards and say, “Welcome home!”

The crew was like part of our family and really looked out for me – and I looked out for them in return.  

I was also surprised by just how breathtaking sailing into a port can be! It’s an absolutely beautiful way to arrive at any destination and completely sold me on not flying anymore!

Plus, there is no jet lag, as cruise ship time changes are typically an hour ahead/back over a period of days if necessary.  

As the months passed, my experience only got richer.

I made new friends, became friends with the crew, and learned how to be a savvy traveler.

By the end, time flew by, and I wasn’t ready to go—it was hard to say goodbye to everyone. I cried when crew left, too!

You really grow close to people in a short time span. I even made friends with people who were on the ship for larger portions and that was nice.

There was one couple that I was friends with during segment two and returned for segment four, so seeing them return was something that I really looked forward to – just like when crew members returned from their time off!  

While on the Ultimate World Cruise, I definitely made new friends that I hope to see again and again on cruises!  

One of my concerns even before taking this trip was that I typically was tired of “ship” food by day 3 of a cruise, and I definitely got sick of the food after 9 months.

And although ship food did become underwhelming, the crew did a great job of trying to mix it up and add new things.

They added peanut butter and jelly and offered different daily specialty “bars” in the Windjammer, like “Make Your Own Pizza”, a Pasta/Noodle bar, a “Tutti”/chopped salad bar, etc.

They also permitted guest recipe submissions and then picked one or more a month.

Plus, it really made a difference that as a Suite guest I had access to Chops for breakfast.

Every single member of the crew there was so kind and helpful that quite often breakfast ended up being my most enjoyable meal of the day—they named my daily fruit plate after me!

I would absolutely book another world cruise. But, sadly, even though my husband booked this cruise for us without any prior conversation, I know that he would not.

Other than not packing so many clothes and driving (not flying) to the cruise port, I’m not sure that I would do much differently because I really evolved as a traveler and cruiser over this trip. 

During the cruise, I developed a whole new skill set of researching ports/locations and planning my own excursions.

I learned so much and I feel that any travels I take from now on will only be richer and more enjoyable because of this experience.

I just wish my learning curve hadn’t been so steep to begin with! 

We went from staying in a unique one-of-a-kind cabin to a Grand Suite. 

Our original stateroom had a few issues and had it not been for a very proactive concierge, I am not sure what would have happened.  

The first big issue was the noise level in our stateroom from the Centrum as it was not created as a stateroom originally but converted to one after being a Suite Lounge. 

Other than developing a system for organizing things, I didn’t do much to make the cabin more comfortable.

We had shelves to store snacks and water—and I brought bins to keep medicine in and other items. I also converted a folding clothes rack into a shelf for clothes by using the plastic bin lids.

We even brought throw blankets from home, but quickly discovered that we didn’t stay in our cabin much to use them.

For the first time in seven months, Royal Caribbean reopened to its private beach destination in Haiti, and the timing couldn't have been better.

Labadee is the name of its private beach, which was closed since early March because of civil unrest in Haiti. 

Read more: Guide to exploring Labadee, Haiti

As Hurricane Milton approached Florida, it wreaked havoc with cruise ships plans.  As Royal Caribbean scrambled to find new places to visit, a few ships went to Labadee.

One ship was Utopia of the Seas, which made its first-ever visit to Labadee. The ship was originally scheduled to visit Nassau, Bahamas before the itinerary update. Instead an extra day was added and the ship sailed to Labadee.

What does Labadee look and feel like after sitting empty for most of 2024? One Royal Caribbean Blog reader, Alex, called it, "better than ever." 

Alex shared their thoughts with us on what it was like to re-visit Labadee.

Seeing Labadee again

All the features and amenities that were there before the shutdown are still there, and the staffing seemed to be at normal levels. 

It was understandable that many would-be guests expected the worst and were apprehensive about coming here, but the people we saw visiting from our cruise ship seemed to love it. 

When the announcement was made on Wednesday at 2pm that we would go to Labadee instead of Nassau, I was completely surprised. The announcement was met with a roar of approval on the pool deck as the Plunge Party was just beginning.

My only prior visit there was a terrible weather day in December 2023, and we felt like we didn’t truly get to experience it properly. So the opportunity to go back, was welcome news. 

At the same time, I was concerned that the port might not be totally ready or the way it was meant to be yet. I assumed there could be staffing issues, certain amenities might not be ready, or that any damage or wear might not have been fully addressed yet. 

I was excited to go, but mentally prepared for disappointment, even if just a little. 

Thankfully, my concerns were unwarranted. Plenty of staff, everything working, plenty of amenities, food, drink, etc. Dozens upon dozens of entertainers and performers were out dancing and singing. I was also surprised by how many photographers Royal Caribbean had out and about. 

It was as though we were at any other beach stop at a private destination and the entertainment was just as visible as the last time we were here nearly a year ago. Also, this stop by Utopia was just second ship to port here since Royal Caribbean made the decision to return.

Many guests have been skeptical about returning here given the U.S. State Department’s “Do Not Travel” status listed for Haiti.

While there has been much discussion and concern online given the political unrest that forced the cruise line to stop visiting Labadee in the first place, cruisers can take comfort in knowing that the port is far removed from the heartbreaking challenges seen on the southern side of the country, some of which persist still to this day. 

While Labadee is not an island (it's a peninsula on the northern coast of the country), it is important to remember that the Labadee is privately operated and controlled by Royal Caribbean, so it is heavily secured. Guests are not permitted to venture beyond the fencing that surrounds the property, and only cruise passengers and employees are permitted inside.

For those that haven’t been, picture a more mountainous version of Coco Cay. It has plenty of beachfront with the same seats, umbrellas, and cabanas that you see in Coco Cay. But it also has hiking trails and significantly more souvenir shopping. 

Your drink package works here just like Coco Cay, which is great since there are several bars in Labadee and often with relaxing, comfortable seating areas (try their signature frozen drink, the “Labadoozie” and thank me later!). Be forewarned that there is no WiFi coverage around the island. 

The food options are excellent and free to all guests, with numerous delicious offerings not found onboard (try the Grandma Chocolate Sponge Cake and thank me a second time!) 

There are also numerous photographers throughout Labadee and as you can see in this post, photo-friendly spots are plentiful.

Truth be told, not only is it comfortable, enjoyable, and my wife and I felt perfectly safe to be here. In fact, we actually prefer it over Coco Cay, if for no other reason than it’s a different port that’s more rare to visit. 

Weekend cruises from Florida can’t make it to Labadee and back, meaning finding itineraries that stop here are less common. We find the service fast and friendly, and quality of the overall product here to be excellent 

We are excited about future visits here now that Royal Caribbean has made its return and anyone curious or interested should be just as excited and ready when their day comes. 

Advice for anyone visiting Labadee soon

If you have a visit coming up to Labadee, here's what I would recommend.

First, don’t be afraid. Every social media post bout Labadee you’ll find people speaking negatively and afraid of the unrest to the south affecting your safety. I feel this is completely unfounded at this point. 

Also, treat it like a visit you’re planning for Coco Cay. What do you like to do on the island? Virtually everything you can do there you can also do in Labadee, so give it some thought for activities and excursion purposes. Cabanas, daybeds, water sports, all fully available. There are more beach chairs here than people on the ship, it feels like, so you don’t even need to rush out early to get a good one. 

Be aware that lunch is only served from 11:30am to 1:30pm, so be sure to plan accordingly. 

Also bring cash for the local vendors. Labadee has tons and many have nice souvenirs. 

Tipping on a cruise isn't new, but many are questioning why it's not part of the cruise fare.

Royal Caribbean announced this week it will increase the daily gratuity rate it charges passengers by 50 cents per day, per person.

It's not a major increase, and it's in line with the cruise line's more or less annual gratuity rate change. But a major debate erupted online as to why gratuities are still charged as if they're an optional cost.

"May as well be shouting into the wind, but stop separating gratuities and just put it in your pricing," is what one user on the Royal Caribbean sub reddit posted. It's a sentiment a lot of other people seem to share.

As of right now, gratuities are an extra cost beyond the base cruise fare. If you book a cruise and do nothing else, every person in your cabin would be charged automatically the daily gratuity rate every night of the cruise.

• $18.50 per person, per night for standard cabins
• $21.00 per person, per night for suites

Royal Caribbean says customers can prepay gratuities before the change takes place on November 1 and lock in the old rate for any existing bookings they have.

Those gratuities cover your stateroom attendant and dining room staff during the cruise.  The automatic nature of it means there's no awkward tipping at the end of the cruise, as was the tradition for many years.

Tipping on a cruise extends beyond the automatic daily gratuities, because Royal Caribbean also charges gratuity on many onboard purchases. If you order a cocktail or get a spa appointment, there is an automatic 20% gratuity added onto that purchase (up from 18%).

Gratuities are one of the top hidden costs of a cruise vacation, and Royal Caribbean's increase has sparked debate if it's time to roll them into the fare.

Fierce opinions

Should tipping be included in the cruise fare? Many people shared their thoughts on the matter.

"Tipping is stupid," wrote sonuyosrox. "It should be included in the price. It's not my responsibility to pay your staff. On top of that I don't even know where the tip is going."

Sweetydarling77 pointed out, "That’s exactly how it should be and how it is if you book from Australia. They have to include gratuities in the price here, as it should be."

That user is correct. Royal Caribbean includes gratuities in the cruise fares for certain countries already, where tipping is not part of their culture.

"If the cruise line can arbitrarily raise gratuities then it's not a gratuity. It's a fee," added carefreeguru.

User midtreblebass thinks Royal Caribbean could learn from other lines, "I think they need to seriously consider what Virgin is doing. Make it part of the cruise fare, so that everyone pays into it."

"I'm on team just pay your employees directly and leave me out of it and put the gratuities into the price of the cruise," wrote ZacPetkanas.

"Rising gratuities and declining services is a hard pill to swallow."

What some passengers do instead of tipping

Royal Caribbean provides a recourse for anyone who isn't satisfied with the service they receive on a cruise by allowing them to remove the gratuities once onboard the ship.

If a passenger goes to Guest Services, they can request to have the gratuities removed from their account.

"Gratuities may be modified in the guest’s sole discretion by visiting the Guest Services desk onboard at any time prior to the morning of disembarkation."

This option is meant for passengers to pay cash tips instead, either because they prefer to give out cash or they want to adjust the gratuity rate.  Usually because service has been so good, they want to reward a crew member.

The online debate about tipping lead to if it's ethical to remove gratuities and not tip, either to save money on the vacation cost or on principle that tips should be earned for over the top extraordinary service.

"Tipping is something you do out of your heart. If they don't feel like tipping then it is totally OK not to tip. People really need to stop guilt tripping others into tipping," wrote sonuyosrox.

User twaggle countered that until the policy changes, not tipping hurts the wrong people, "Because whether it’s stupid or not or you hate it or not you still agreed to it by purchasing the voyage."

"I’m all for hating it, but putting your foot down literally only hurts the lowest man not [Royal Caribbean]."

Why Royal Caribbean doesn't want to offer all-inclusive prices

The debate of including more in the cruise fare isn't new, and Royal Caribbean's top executives have certainly considered the options.

During the 2024 President's Cruise, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley indicated there were no plans to include more in the cruise fare.

The cruise line has found from its internal research that the brand needs to give everyone the decision of what they want to be included in their vacation.

His rationale was how tipping is viewed in certain countries, such as the United States.

"Because of the scale of our brand, we need to give everybody the choice," Mr. Bayley said.

Bayley, who's lived in the U.S. for decades, joked, "You're just you're trained to tip for everything. You tip for this, tip for that."

"I'm Americanized, [so] when I go to the UK and I go to the pub with my sister and we have drinks, they bring the change and she puts it in her pocket. And I'm like, what is the matter with you?"

Mr. Bayley did not mention it, but not including gratuities in the cruise fare also helps with marketing cruise fares. By keeping the base fare lower, it's more attractive when customers are pricing out a vacation.

You can take a cruise from Baltimore, offering a convenient option from the Mid-Atlantic region.

Many cruisers limit their searches to massive ports like Miami, Cape Liberty, and Port Canaveral. Recently, however, I discovered the appeal of cruising from a smaller port like Baltimore, Maryland.

The Maryland Cruise Terminal is located just 40 miles from the heart of Washington D.C., making it convenient for cruisers from the DMV area to access.

Not only that, but it’s 10 miles from the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The proximity means guests can skip the commutes associated with larger ports, such as Los Angeles.

This wasn’t my first time cruising from a smaller port. Earlier this year, I embarked on a 5-night cruise aboard Carnival Elation from Jacksonville, Florida. Despite the port being far smaller than Miami, I wasn’t impressed with the experience.

The embarkation process took around 40 minutes, whereas when boarding ships as large as Symphony of the Seas, I was on board within 15 minutes of arriving at the terminal.

The Maryland Cruise Terminal offers a more intimate cruise experience compared to the bustling hubs home to the world’s largest ships. While the facilities were a bit outdated, check-in was smooth, with short lines and friendly staff eager to help expedite the process.

With just one Royal Caribbean ship calling Baltimore home year-round, there are some cons to choosing this port. For instance, the itineraries are more limited.

Ports like Miami and Port Canaveral have multiple ships departing weekly, and Baltimore has just one: Vision of the Seas. If you have a specific week off, you may not be happy with Vision’s scheduled itinerary to The Bahamas when you were hoping to visit Bermuda.

Moreover, if you’re desperate to try one of the cruise line’s newer, larger vessels, you’ll be disappointed with the experience on Vision, one of the smallest and older ships in the fleet.

Still, I had a great experience sailing from Baltimore, Maryland, and would happily jump on another opportunity to cruise from this charming port on Vision of the Seas.

Flying into Baltimore was a breeze

Residing in the Charlotte area means I brave the Charlotte Douglas airport whenever I travel—it’s not for the weak! Not only is the ongoing construction a hassle, but flights to Florida tend to be on the expensive side. It’s not unusual for a roundtrip flight to Fort Lauderdale or Miami to cost upwards of $400 or $500.

While I technically could drive to Baltimore, I’m not a fan of long car rides. If it’s over 4 or 5 hours, I’ll start scouring Google Flights in advance to look for deals on airfare. I was relieved when I discovered flights to Baltimore were much more affordable. My friend booked her flight about two months before me, spending around $155 on roundtrip airfare from CLT to BWI. Still, I wasn’t upset at my $248 flight!

The airport was well-organized, too. It was easy to locate the rideshare pick-up zone, and we had no trouble being assigned a Lyft driver to our pre-cruise hotel. 

Plenty of affordable hotel options near the airport

In the end, I decided on the Springhill Suites BWI Baltimore Airport for just $122.09. Arriving around 6:30pm, we didn't need a hotel with a ton of amenities, and the Springhill Suites served its purpose as a clean, safe pre-cruise stay. 

Plus, the rate included complimentary breakfast, so we could fuel up before heading to the terminal. However, if you’re not a fan of typical continental breakfast options, there are several places within walking distance, including Dunkin', Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, and Adamm's Airport Deli.

Read more: The costly cruising mistake newbies make planning their first cruise

We relied on Lyft for transportation in Baltimore

Having lived in New York City for two years, rideshare prices don't usually shock me. Ordering a Lyft or Uber from the Upper West Side to my downtown studio used to cost anywhere from $40 to $80, depending on the time of day. While I've found rideshares to be more affordable in Charlotte, I'm always weary when traveling to a bigger city. 

Overall, I found the prices for our Lyft rides in Baltimore quite reasonable. The most expensive of our five trips was from the terminal to the airport on disembarkation day. The 26-minute ride was just $34.10, including a tip. 

The night before, we decided to venture into Baltimore proper to explore the area and try some famous Maryland crab. Even our 25-minute ride back to the hotel at 10:00pm was only $23.74. 

Read more: I'm a driver for Uber and Lyft — here are the top things riders should know for getting to their cruise ship

On embarkation day, I noticed there was a long line to enter the parking lot

With Baltimore being less than 45 miles from Washington D.C., it's an accessible embarkation port for those residing in the DMV area. 

Traveling via plane can be hectic—and expensive. As such, cruising from Baltimore is a great way to keep transportation costs to a minimum if you live nearby. 

Parking at the terminal costs just $20 per night for passenger cars and SUVs. Advanced reservations aren't required, and parking rates are payable upon arrival by credit card. The terminal accepts VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. 

The check-in process was quick and efficient

Having sailed from Jacksonville, I wasn't expecting Baltimore's terminal facilities to be as updated as the newer buildings in Florida and Galveston. However, despite being an older terminal, I was surprised by its efficiency and cleanliness. The staff were also friendly and helpful, making the check-in process smooth and hassle-free. 

After going through security and having the port agents check our travel documentation, we were onboard Vision of the Seas in what felt like no time at all. My friend and I headed straight to the Windjammer for lunch before locating our inside cabin to drop off our carry-on bags and explore the ship. 

Because we had to sail through the Chesapeake Bay to reach the Atlantic, the casino and onboard shops were closed the first evening

I was disappointed to learn we couldn't test our luck at the slot machines on embarkation day. Similarly, we couldn't browse the onboard stores until Day 2. However, we made the most of our first day on the ship. 

My friend wanted to attend the spa raffle and decided to book a last-minute treatment after hearing about the 75-minute full-body massage with hot stones for $150. While she was pampered in the spa, I took in the sights of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. 

We were advised to finish our gambling and shopping by 6:00pm on the last night of the cruise, too. When heading back to my cabin to shower and pack, I ran into a woman in the elevator who said she was in a hurry to buy last-minute souvenirs! 

Disembarkation was just as easy as embarkation

Since our flight wasn't until 3:40pm, we weren't in a hurry to head to the airport, so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the Main Dining Room, hanging out until our group was called. The process went faster than expected, and our group was called by 8:45am, along with all the other remaining groups onboard. 

Locating our bags was easy, and we were quickly assigned a Lyft driver. I also appreciated the terminal's pick-up area, as all cars were instructed to pull into a parking spot to pick up their passengers. This helped keep the area organized and reduced congestion. 

I loved my cruise onboard Vision of the Seas and would consider sailing from Baltimore again

Between the cheap flights, easy port access, and seamless embarkation/disembarkation process, my experience cruising from Baltimore was pleasant, even with the limitations of a smaller port.

I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed my time on Vision! With fewer onboard amenities, I relaxed more than on mega-ships. Instead of trying to cross off the zip line, water slides, ice skating rink, and FlowRider from my must-do list, I settled into the Solarium, basking in the quiet atmosphere that allowed me to unwind and enjoy the views.

Not only that, but the dining experience was far superior compared to the larger ships I've sailed on recently. Izumi was mindblowing, and even the quality of the Main Dining Room food was impressive. 

Hurricane Milton is disrupting the cruise industry beyond changes in ports, as three different Royal Caribbean ships are stuck at sea.

Guests onboard Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, and Adventure of the Seas were all due back into port on Friday, but that is now not possible.

The combination of Hurricane Milton and port closures are why these ships will need to delay their return.

October 10 Update: Independence of the Seas will be delayed by a day returning to port.

Guests booked on the October 10 sailing received a letter that because Port Miami is closed, their departure will be delayed by a day.

Independence will not return to Miami until Friday, October 11.

In addition, their scheduled stop in Labadee has been replaced with Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The Captain of Utopia of the Seas announced to guests because of the hurricane, Utopia will not return on Friday.

Instead, Utopia will head to Royal Caribbean's private destination Labadee on Thursday, with the plan it will return to Port Canaveral on Saturday.

Guests that were booked on Utopia of the Seas for the sailing originally set to depart on October 11 received an update their cruise is delayed until Saturday.

An email sent to guests explained the situation. "Due to the closure of Port Canaveral, our previous sailing will be delayed in returning. As a result, our sailing will now take place on Saturday, October 12, 2024, and we'll have to skip our visit to Nassau, Bahamas."

The cruise terminal in Port Canaveral will be closed until 3pm, and the ship will sail at 7pm.

With one less day, the weekend sailing will only be two nights.  Understandably, that's left some people questioning the point of having the cruise at all.

"2 day cruise sounds like torture, what's the point," posted Ashley Ingram.

Sammie Klopf wrote, "36 hours is just silly they should cancel and refund."

Another person added, "36 hr cruise is ridiculous. [Obviously] the weather can’t be helped but it seems like [Royal Caribbean] just doesn’t want to refund anyone. What a waste."

Adventure of the Seas is also getting extended by a day.

Royal Caribbean will bring Adventure of the Seas back to Port Canaveral on Saturday, October 12 at 2:30pm.

The impact to the next sailing that was originally scheduled for October 11 is a change in itinerary, along with the shortened sailing.

"Due to the closure of the Port Canaveral, our previous sailing will be delayed in returning. As a result, our sailing will now take place on Saturday, October 12, 2024, and we'll have to skip our visit to Willemstad, Curacao," a letter to guests booked on the cruise said.

While Utopia and Adventure are trying to return to Port Canaveral, Grandeur of the Seas is in an even more precarious position as the Port of Tampa Bay is unlikely to re-open soon due to being in the path of Hurricane Milton.

Royal Caribbean is working on contingency plans if the cruise ship cannot return to Tampa. 

“Due to the predicted impact of the hurricane to Port Tampa Bay, our Port Logistics team has secured a couple of backup plans for safety and to ensure that we are prepared,” said in a communication to guests on Grandeur of the Seas.

“Should Tampa not be available, we are currently evaluating Port Canaveral and Port Everglades as potential options for debarkation and transportation home."

Port Everglades is located in Fort Lauderdale on the east coast of Florida, and far enough away from the worst aspects of the hurricane.

The distance between Port Everglades and Tampa is about 262 miles by car.

Port Canaveral is also on the east coast of Florida, but closer to Tampa, at only 127 miles away by car.

No decision has been made yet, but guests are being given an hour of complimentary internet access as well as a survey to help firm up travel plans.

“A final decision will be made on the status of the ports post-storm. We are committed to keeping you posted every step of the way. Hopefully, everything remains the same."

Hurricane Milton is a major hurricane

Hurricane Milton is a Category 4 storm, with sustained winds of 130 mph that is set to cross the Florida Peninsula.

Milton is expected to make landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast late tonight or early Thursday morning, with devastating impacts from storm surge, flooding rain, possible tornadoes and damaging winds.

The National Hurricane Center said in a special advisory "Milton's exact landfall location is not possible to predict even at this time, particularly if the hurricane wobbles during the day and into this evening."

When the storm crosses Florida on Thursday, it should remain a hurricane.

Royal Caribbean is doubling down on the private island experience by announcing a new, bigger and bolder beach day, and this one is in Mexico.

Perfect Day Mexico will open sometime in 2027, transforming the port of Costa Maya.

Royal Caribbean has hinted it has big plans to develop an ambitious cruise day experience for its passengers, and it's positioning it in the Western Caribbean to compliment the already popular Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

Perfect Day at CocoCay was the cruise line's expansion of its existing private island, but it overhauled the beach day experience to offer so much more.  Multiple beaches, pools, adults-only areas, new dining offerings and more were all added, and it was an instant home run with cruise ship passengers who loved the variety of choices and high quality offerings.

Now Royal Caribbean wants to expand that magic with a second offering.

Where will Perfect Day Mexico be located?

When Perfect Day Mexico opens in 2027, it will be where cruisers currently refer to the port of Costa Maya.

The port was originally built specifically for cruise ships to have another place to go in Mexico's Caribbean coast. Mahahual is the name of the village adjacent to the port.

Royal Caribbean has signed an agreement to acquire the Port of Costa Maya, and they've also been on a journey to buy lots of adjacent land for about about a year. 

According to the cruise line, the total project will encompass 90 hectares, with is about 220 acres. That's roughly double the size of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Not all the land is developable, and Royal Caribbean is paying special attention to preserve environmental protected areas, such as nearby mangroves. About 100 acres is in development under the current plan, and the rest is for conservation.

Royal Caribbean wouldn't talk number of passengers, but today, Costa Maya can accommodate up to four megaships.  While other cruise lines will still be able to dock there, there are days where four Royal Caribbean ships could conceivably be there at once.

Given that berthing capacity, it stands to reason Perfect Day Mexico will have a higher capacity than Perfect Day at CocoCay, and thus, be bigger in size.

During construction, the port will remain open to other cruise lines, and remain open to other lines even after Perfect Day Mexico opens. Only Royal Caribbean passengers will have access to Perfect Day Mexico, while other lines will proceed to a transportation center to go off on shore excursions.

Activities and things to do during a visit

It's too early to get details of what exactly Royal Caribbean will have inside Perfect Day Mexico, but suffice to say, the popular parts of CocoCay will be brought over.

Specific details will be coming in the "coming months", but they did say in a statement that you can expect "an all-new, thrilling waterpark; jaw-dropping pools and beaches; restaurants, bars and more spots for all tastebuds; music; and more."

Expect a bigger reveal with more details sometime in Spring 2025.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider said their research shows customers want a place that feels like it's part of Mexico. In the same way Royal Caribbean leaned into a Bahamian flair to CocoCay, they'll want to evoke a Mexican vibe to this Perfect Day experience.

There will be different areas around Perfect Day, similar to the neighborhood concept on Royal Caribbean cruise ships.  They are bringing over everything that is core to Perfect Day at Cococay: adults-only area, a chill area, a thrill area, and a family area.

This means there will be beaches, pools, and even a water park, among many other ideas the team is dreaming up.

One area we know is being acquired is the Mayan water park located near Costa Maya today. That land will be part of the future site, although Royal Caribbean will develop its own water park.

"There will be new experiences inside of that. Some, to be honest, we're literally still exploring," Mr. Schneider said while discussing what cruisers can expect.

He said his team is "obsessing right now" over what cruise ship passengers would want in a day in Mexico, "we stay highly in touch with our customer and we design and build with our customer."

Suffice to say, Royal Caribbean wants to build on the success of what's already successful at CocoCay, but make it bigger and better in Mexico.

Mr. Schneider admitted plans for the project are still being finalized, and design work is still in the "preliminary" phase. Royal Caribbean has been working with the Government of Mexico for the past nine months leading up to today's announcement.

Mr. Schneider confirmed Celebrity Cruises will be welcomed to have their passengers visit Perfect Day Mexico, just as they began doing this year at CocoCay.

Something else shared is a passenger could opt to do their own shore excursion outside of Perfect Day Mexico if they preferred. In fact, Royal Caribbean will sell shore excursions.

When Perfect Day Mexico opens in 2027, the initial ambition is it will open in once, and not in phases like CocoCay did.  

Building up their Western Caribbean portfolio

It's no coincidence that Royal Caribbean has chosen the Western Caribbean for the site of its next private destination.

Perfect Day Mexico will compliment the previously announced opening a Royal Beach Club in nearby Cozumel.  It's quite common for Royal Caribbean ships to visit both Cozumel and Costa Maya currently, and that would add a one-two punch of great experiences for their customers.

Royal Beach Club Cozumel will open sometime in 2026, and this is an extra-cost option exclusive to Royal Caribbean customers where they can find great views, with great access to water.

Unlike Perfect Day Mexico, the beach club is not included with the cruise fare.

Admission into the beach club will include access to swim-up bars, pools cabanas to rent, snorkeling, kayaking, restaurants, and street markets.

More details on what experiences will be offered there are still forthcoming.

Royal Caribbean also built a massive new cruise terminal in Galveston, Texas that opened in 2022. Cruises from Galveston almost exclusively visit ports in the Western Caribbean.  The terminal is capable of handling Royal Caribbean's biggest ships, including the Icon class.

Of course, cruises from Florida go to Mexico too, adding to the value of a strong playbook of exclusive and enticing Royal Caribbean properties.

Hurricane Milton's wrath has changed so many cruise ship itineraries, even as the storm approaches landfall in Florida.

Cruise ships have been altering their plans for a few days now, but because of the storm's enormous size and changing forecasts, more changes are still occurring.

Forecasters say Hurricane Milton will make landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm.

The storm is expected to cross central Florida while heading toward the Atlantic Ocean. 

Royal Caribbean already modified the itineraries for 8 of its cruise ships, and one ship has had to change their plans twice to avoid the hurricane.

Harmony of the Seas, which is one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, departed Galveston, Texas on October 6 and had to skip a port call in Honduras. They replaced it with a stop in Costa Maya, Mexico.

Yesterday, passengers were informed that plan had to change again because the widening storm meant a visit to Costa Maya would be impossible.

"To maintain a safe distance from the storm, and its widespread impacts, we've decided to adjust our heading and find smoother seas before resuming our original course towards Cozumel, Mexico," a letter distributed to passengers read.

Instead, Harmony will skip Costa Maya and remain at sea. That means just one port visit in total for the entire cruise.

Royal Caribbean will do everything it can to avoid the impact of a tropical system to their passengers, crew, and ship.

While under no obligation to do so, Royal Caribbean also provided passengers extra onboard credit worth one day's value of their original cruise fare price.

Harmony's change is emblematic of what's happening to many other ships as they change course to avoid Hurricane Milton.

More ships avoiding Hurricane Milton

Even the world's biggest cruise ship has had to change its plans because of the storm. Here's what's changed so far:

Icon of the Seas will skip a visit to Royal Caribbean's private island on Friday and instead stay out to sea.

However, Icon will stay docked in port longer in St. Thomas and St. Kitts until sunset.

Adventure of the Seas originally was to spend Wednesday at Sea and visit CocoCay on Thursday. Instead, the ship will visit Turks & Caicos on Wednesday and have a sea day on Thursday.

Mariner of the Seas dropped a visit to Cozumel, Mexico on Tuesday and remained at sea instead.

Symphony of the Seas re-arranged their itinerary. It was supposed to visit Port Canaveral, Florida, Nassau, Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay. Insted, Symphony will go to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and Royal Caribbean's private destination of Labadee.

Wonder of the Seas skipped a visit to Roatan, Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico. Instead, Wonder will visit Cozumel on Day 6 and Falmouth, Jamaica. 

Utopia of the Seas swapped it's schedule to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay on Tuesday and then wait to visit Nassau until Thursday.

Grandeur of the Seas went from a cruise to Mexico to a cruise that just visited The Bahamas. Instead of visiting Costa Maya and Cozumel, the ship is visiting Nassau as the only port destination.

Independence of the Seas will skip a scheduled stop in Cozumel and instead go to Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic.

More changes possible after the storm passes

Even as Hurricane Milton is on the brink of making landfall and cruise ships are well out of the path, there are question marks that remain for what will happen in the coming days.

The hurricane will cut across Central Florida, and that means its rain and winds will affect four of the major cruise ports in Florida in one way or another: Tampa, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) and PortMiami.

The U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for managing access to any cruise port in Florida, and they control if ships of any size can enter the port. This depends on the weather conditions.

Once the storm passes and a port is closed, the Coast Guard will conduct an inspection of the waters to verify it's safe to reopen to ships. That could take a few hours or days, depending on the damage.

Port Tampa Bay and Port Canaveral are already closed, and that has a potential impact to a few ships.

Adventure of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas are both scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on Friday to conclude a sailing and start the next one. No word yet on any changes to either ship's plans.

Guests on Adventure of the Seas received a letter in their cabins the ship will have a slightly delayed scheduled arrival of 8AM on Friday (delayed from 6AM) into Port Canaveral.

We were suppose to have a sea day on Wednesday and be at CocoCay on Thursday, but that's been cancelled with a new stop at Turks & Caicos on Wednesday (tomorrow) and a sea day on Thursday with a slightly delayed scheduled arrival of 8AM on Friday (delayed from 6AM) into Port Canaveral (assuming the port is open). 

Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) and PortMiami remain open for the time being.

After six months on pause, Royal Caribbean is now cruising to Labadee, Haiti again.

In March 2024, the cruise line cut visits to its private beach due to internal strife within Haiti.

Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private beach area, is a walled-off, exclusive beach on a peninsula in northern Haiti. 

Located 130 miles north of the capital, Port-au-Prince, Labadee has been closed out of "an abundance of caution," according to the cruise line.

Photo by Andrew Lyon

Royal Caribbean announced that the decision was intended to prioritize the safety of its guests and crew members.

"Please know that the safety and comfort of our guests are always our highest priority," it announced. "Our Global Security and Intel Team is closely monitoring the evolving situation in Haiti."

The cruise line has teams that carefully observe the geopolitical situations in all its destinations to ensure guest and employee safety.

After closely monitoring the situation in Haiti, Royal Caribbean has prepared for a return to Labadee this fall.

Cruise ships will begin sailing to the region on October 8th.

"We have no further changes to our sailings at this time," the cruise line confirmed.

Adventure of the Seas visited first

Adventure of the Seas departed from Port Canaveral, Florida on October 5th on a a 6-day, round-trip, Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day at CocoCay cruise.

She visited Labadee, Haiti today, October 8th.

Adventure of the Seas is the first Royal Caribbean ship to visit Haiti since March 2024.

Guests on the sailing reported things looked great, and no concerns.

Photo by Andrew Lyon

"Labadee was beautiful. The staff was great and super appreciative to see us," Tom Knotek wrote on Facebook.

Koritney Ashmore wrote, "We went and ventured around. Feels safe to me! Nothing alarming at all!"

Lisa Hively-Knotek added, "Felt safe and it's beautiful."

Other Royal Caribbean ships scheduled to visit the port soon include Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas.

Freedom of the Seas is currently on a 7-night Western Caribbean sailing, scheduled to call upon Labadee on October 9th and to return to Fort Lauderdale on October 13th.

Independence of the Seas will visit Labadee on October 12th as part of a 4-night short Caribbean cruise out of Miami, Florida.

Royal Caribbean currently has no plans to cancel cruises to Haiti.

Haiti is still under a Do Not Travel advisory

Haiti has been under the U.S.'s highest travel advisory possible since March when unrest in the form of crime, kidnappings, and killings began. The U.S. State Department renewed its Level 4 Travel Advisory this September, still telling citizens the country can not help if they fall victim to a crime.

According to the State Department, protests, demonstrations, and road blocks are common.

"Do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care," the website states.

"The U.S. government is very limited in its ability to help U.S. citizens in Haiti. Local police and other first responders often lack the resources to respond to emergencies or serious crime."

Earlier this year, armed gangs protesting the political unrest coordinated attacks on police stations, prisons, and the international airport in Port-au-Prince.

Violence has besieged the area since, causing over 53,000 people to flee the capital city.

Haiti declared a state of emergency on March 3rd, and the country's Prime Minister resigned on March 12th.

Since then, food shortages and violent crimes are still taking place across the island.

Is it safe to cruise to Labadee?

These warnings and news reports mostly center around the capital of Port-au-Prince, which is more than a six-hour drive away from Labadee.

Labadee is a private beach located in a remote area on the northern coast of Haiti.

Most of the unrest is occurring further south, near the capital and other populated cities.

Read more: The crew member only beach at Labadee and it's where no passengers can go

Royal Caribbean also employs a private security force on its private beach area and promises guests that safety is a priority.

Guests aren't permitted to leave the area, and won't be able to book third-party excursions.

Guests visiting ports such as Nassau, Bahamas, or Cozumel, Mexico can book outside shore excursions or even explore on their own. However, Labadee is more similar to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas.

All excursions in Labadee must be reserved directly through Royal Caribbean, but that doesn't mean options are limited. Passengers can experience waterslides, roller coasters, beach cabanas, kayak adventures, and speedboat tours on the 260-acre site.

The cruise line also brings all its food and supplies onshore from the ship, rather than importing them from elsewhere on the island.

Less than one year after their last gratuity increase, Royal Caribbean is set to increase gratuities for passengers once again.

Starting November 1, 2024, the cruise line will raise the daily gratuity rate by 50 cents per day, bringing the new rate for standard cabins to $18.50 per person, up from $18.00, and suites to $21.00 per person, up from $20.50. It is the same amount for all passengers, regardless of age. 

However, if you've already booked your sailing, you can prepay your gratuities in advance to lock in the current rate and save money. If you wait until you're onboard and are cruising after Nov. 1, you will be subject to the higher fare. 

Standard staterooms include interior, ocean-view, and balcony cabins, as well as Junior Suites. Sky Junior Suites, Grand Suites, and above are considered full-scale suites and will be subject to the higher gratuity rate.

Travel agents were informed of the change in a weekly newsletter sent via email. 

"Starting November 1st, Royal Caribbean will increase gratuities by $0.50 per person per day. The daily gratuity is shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants, and other hotel services teams," the notice reads.

"Guests booked prior to November 1st, 2024, can opt to add prepaid gratuities before sailing to take advantage of the current rates. If they'd prefer to pay onboard, their gratuity charge will be applied to their onboard account at the new rate."

Royal Caribbean last raised their gratuities in Nov. 2023. Before that, the daily charge was $16.00 per person for standard cabins and $18.50 for suites. 

All Royal Caribbean sailings booked on or after November 1, 2024, will automatically reflect the increased rate. 

Moreover, Royal Caribbean quietly increased the service charge for salon and spa services. According to their website, an 18% gratuity will automatically be added to beverage and beverage packages, room service and mini-bar purchases, and specialty dining and specialty dining packages. 

However, pre-cruise and onboard spa and salon purchases are subject to a 20% service charge. This matches Celebrity Cruises' salon/spa policy. 

What are gratuities?

Daily gratuities are to ensure hardworking crew members are tipped throughout the voyage. Rather than carrying around spare dollar bills and being responsible for managing tips, major cruise lines automatically add a daily gratuity to passengers' onboard accounts to simplify the process. 

Guests also have the option to prepay them in advance to help split up the cost of their vacation. Since the gratuities are added to your overall cruise cost to be paid by the final payment date, you can better budget for your vacation and avoid any surprises once onboard. 

As exemplified by the second increase within the past year, prepaying gratuities can also help save money. If Royal Caribbean does increase the cost, those who have already prepaid their tips are grandfathered in, meaning they won't have to pay anything extra. 

If you are booked on a Royal Caribbean cruise and wish to lock in the current pricing, call 866-562-7625 before Nov. 1. Guests who made their reservation through a travel agent should contact them as soon as possible. 

Are passengers required to pay gratuities? 

Royal Caribbean stipulates that gratuities are at the discretion of each guest. To make the process easier, they automatically add the suggested daily gratuity amount to each passengers' folio account; however, guests may visit Guest Services once onboard to adjust the amount. 

"We hope guests find these suggested amounts to be an accurate reflection of their satisfaction and are grateful for their generous recognition of the Royal Caribbean staff," reads their FAQ. 

What's the gratuity rate on other cruise lines?

Guests in standard staterooms on Celebrity pay $18.00 per person, per day; $18.50 for Concierge and Aqua Class cabins; and $23.00 for The Retreat. 

Carnival Cruise Line charges $16.00 per person, per day, for standard cabins, while suite guests pay $18.00 per person, per day. 

Norwegian has some of the pricey gratuities for a mainstream cruise line, with passengers in standard and Club Balcony cabins charged $20.00 per person, per day. Suite guests (including those in The Haven) pay $25.00 per person, per day. 

The recommended daily rate for Disney Cruise Line passengers in standard cabins is $14.50 per person, per day. The rate for guests booked in a Concierge stateroom or suite is $15.50 per person, per day. 

The adult-only Virgin Voyages includes gratuities in their cruise fares.  

Related reading: 

• Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise?
• Why do I have to pay gratuities for my toddler?

I recently spent 4 nights in an inside cabin while aboard Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, the Utopia of the Seas.

Just launched this summer, Utopia of the Seas is the latest iteration in the record-breaking Oasis Class ship.

The seventh Oasis Class vessel is breaking new records of her own: Utopia is the first Royal Caribbean mega-ship to debut offering only 3 and 4-night cruises. 

A sailing on Utopia promises 'The World's Biggest Weekend' on one of the largest cruise ships in the world.

My cabin for the voyage was a small, windowless interior cabin that was assigned to me because I opted for a guarantee cabin instead of picking my own room.  This saved me some money, while giving up the specific choice in cabin location,

The total cost was $1342 with gratuities included, which breaks down to $167 per person, per night.

A few weeks before the sailing, I was assigned cabin 11415, an interior connecting stateroom that spans about 150 square feet.

Typically, I avoid booking connecting rooms because you're liable to get noise leakage from the strangers next door.

This cabin was assigned to us as one of the unsold staterooms, proving that connecting cabins are less desirable if you're not booking with another group.

I was concerned about hearing noises or sounds coming through the connecting door, but, by the end of the sailing, my fears were assuaged.

We didn't hear many loud noises from the next door—the only noise bleed occurred when people were walking in the hall and we could hear them from the stateroom.

The cabin itself provided a comfortable, dark spot to sleep in. Here's a look inside.

Although the room looked the same size as many other interior cabins I've stayed in, I noticed this can had newer amenities.

All of the lights were bright, the air conditioning and television had modern touches, and the entire cabin felt clean and new.

I appreciated the layout, which made it easier to share a small stateroom between two people.

When I first opened the door, I was greeted with the bathroom door to my right and the closet on the left. 

The bathroom was a small space decorated with light blue flowers and purple tiles. It held a long sink, a toilet, and a tall shower with a glass door.

The bathroom was super small, and only accommodated one person at a time—you and your travel buddy won't be brushing teeth side by side.

However, it had plenty of storage space, from shelves to hooks, that made it easier to spread out and not feel cramped.

While I liked the length the sink offered for me to spread out my belongings, the curved, smooth surface made it easy for water to spill. The counter area seemed to be wet for the majority of the cruise.

The four large shelves to the left of the sink, and a long shelf underneath it, ensured that I had plenty of other locations to place toiletries.

I'm always impressed by the water pressure and temperature on Royal Caribbean ships, but Utopia of the Seas had a particularly fancy shower attachment.

These modern amenities made showers an enjoyable experience, even within a tiny bathroom space.

Read more: 5 things to know before sailing on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas

Opposite the bathroom, I slid the doors open to the closet.

The closet featured two sliding doors with separate sides.

Read more: I spent $2,223 for 3 nights in a 191-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin

The left half held a hanging space with hangers and an extra rod at the bottom. The right half had a series of six shelves and the stateroom's securely locking safe.

Beside the closet was the television, installed above a set of drawers and table. 

The TV had around 20 free channels, as well as movies available at an extra cost.

I appreciated that multiple channels would stream or show re-caps of events happening onboard, which was a great way to take advantage of a short sailing.

When I got back to the stateroom after dinner or late at night, I could turn on the television and see the highlights of events I missed or had to leave early.

Each of these five drawers was deep and wide, leaving me plenty of space to store all my clothes and books.

The largest bottom compartment held the stateroom's mini-fridge/cooler, which doesn't have a cooling component but can keep food and drinks fresh.

Usually, Royal Caribbean's stateroom coolers are too thin to hold a wide plate or glass fully. Utopia of the Seas appears to have solved that problem: I found that this cooler was the perfect shape to store all my drinks and wider dishes.

Next, the end of the stateroom held the two twin-sized beds. If we wanted to, we could have requested these to be pushed together into a King size bed, but my sibling and I preferred separate beds.

These beds were small, but super comfortable, with plush pillows and cooling sheets.

The stateroom also had... wait for it... charging ports next to the beds!

Older Royal Caribbean staterooms tend to lack charging space, especially right next to the beds. Usually, I'll have to charge my phone and other devices across the room. 

On Utopia, each bed featured its own three-shelf bedside table, complete with a lamp, two USB ports, and one two-prong charging port.

I also chose the bed that featured the stateroom's phone, which guests can use for free to contact crew members and venues, or at an extra cost to make international calls.

Facing the beds—in a corner of its own—was the stateroom vanity. The mirror featured a bright ring light above a desk space, charging ports, a comfortable chair, and a trash can under the table.

The vanity held even more charging ports, offering a range of options to plug in at least five devices.

These stateroom changes made me think of Royal Caribbean's recent ban on multi-outlet plugs. On ships like Utopia of the Seas, guests might not have a problem charging devices on single plugs. 

While the cheaper price is a good reason for booking interior cabins, I also genuinely enjoy sleeping in them. The simple, windowless spaces make for the perfect quiet space to crash after a long day of cruise ship activities.

I could sleep through the morning in the dark stateroom.