Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean has removed one benefit of its customer loyalty program for its top tier members.

One of the published benefits of Diamond Plus members has been access to the Concierge Lounge on ships that lack a Suite Lounge, including:

• Quantum of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Radiance of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Grandeur of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Rhapsody of the Seas
• Vision of the Seas

In case you're wondering, it takes 175 points to reach Diamond Plus status. Generally speaking, you'll get one point per night of the cruise, and suite guests get two points per night. 

In an email to Crown and Anchor Society members, Royal Caribbean it has decided to rescind access due to overcrowding in the lounge.

"While we are excited for the growth of our program, we must remain mindful of our onboard operations to ensure that we continue to deliver the award-winning experience you know and love.

In practice, this benefit had been mostly taken away anyway, since the line reserved the right to prohibit access to Diamond Plus members if there were too many members onboard.

Royal Caribbean explained this reality necessitated the change, "Access has been largely based on guest count and lounge capacity levels, which are assessed on a voyage-by-voyage basis."

"Due to high counts of top-tier members on most sailings, we have had to limit access to the Concierge Lounge altogether."

"This means that beginning on sailings departing on or after December 16th, 2022, both Concierge and Suite Lounge access on all ships will be limited to eligible Suite guests and Pinnacle Club members only."

Of course, Diamond Plus members still have access to the Diamond Lounge spaces.

Slow march to this point

While today's change on paper means less benefits than before, the reality was Concierge Lounge access had been on its way out for a long time up until today.

Whenever Royal Caribbean built a new ship or refurbished a vessel, they would add a Suite Lounge instead of a Concierge Lounge, which brought the number of ships with a Concierge Lounge down to less than half the fleet today.

Moreover, the ever increasing popularity of going on a cruise and the subsequent rise of loyal cruisers lead to more demand for this benefit than before.

As stated by the cruise line in today's announcement, the benefit had already been rescinded on a sailing-by-sailing basis for many cruises.

It's been observed by other Crown and Anchor guests that Royal Caribbean had established hard counts for Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club guests, and once a ship has Crown and Anchor members over that predefined threshold, that level is restricted from the Concierge Lounge.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader twangster shared as a Pinnacle Club member, he's observed crew tracking how many people are in the lounges, "Multiple ships I've sailed recently asked all guests to badge in and out of the Concierge Lounge/Suite Lounge." 

"They were collecting data on how many guests, suites or otherwise, were actually using the facility and how long they stayed.  By gathering data they would have a basis to make additional policy updates. "

As an example, he shared a conversation he had with the Suite Concierge about the number of people onboard, "On Quantum in Alaska during the second Alaska cruise for this year, the suite concierge told me that Diamond Plus numbers were over the threshold all summer long."

"The first projected date that could allow them access to the Concierge Lounge was in September, but that is subject to change as the ship continues to book up."

It's official: Royal Caribbean will revamp its main dining room menu with a look and offerings beginning in January 2023.

After a few weeks of testing on Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean has confirmed a new menu will replace the existing menu, beginning in January.

This is the first new dining room menu in over five years for the cruise line.

Royal Caribbean cautioned that the exact menu selections may change, so test menus that have been used so far may not be the final product.

New menu arrives in January

Royal Caribbean had been quietly testing a new menu on Symphony of the Seas, which was first spotted in November.

Over the last few weeks, the cruise line sought to capture guest feedback about the changes and make appropriate tweaks.

Speaking at the naming ceremony on Wonder of the Seas this weekend, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley confirmed the new menu changes are going to proceed forward.

"We got all the written feedback. I think the food and beverage team has done an amazing job in making sure we're responsive to that. Our plan is to is to roll out the new menus starting in January," Mr. Bayley said when a travel agent asked for further information on the test.

Mr. Bayley also talked about hesitation related to a new menu.

"We're very thoughtful and conscious about any changes that we make. But we do think that where we're heading with the new menus is going to be better and more enjoyable."

In an exclusive interview, Linken D'Souza, Global Vice President Culinary, Dining & Beverage, talked in greater detail about the new menus.  He added that the current plan is to begin the new menu deployment in January, and by early February, it should be available on all ships across the fleet.

"We'll get that data back really probably by the end of December. We'll review that over the holidays. And then as we come back, post the New Year's week, we will start a deployment on the new menu across the fleet."

"It'll probably roll fairly quickly because we want it to be consistent across the fleet as quickly as we can."

Making dinner faster

Why the change? The top reason according to Royal Caribbean is swiftness of service.

In responding to a question about the new menu, Mr. Bayley said that a top complaint from passengers has been how long dinner can take some times.

"It's also fair to say that we get a lot of feedback from customers who do want to have a slightly faster service."

He was quick to add dinner is not planned to become as fast as possible either, "I would say there is no intention to rush somebody through that dinner."

"It's your choice and all you have to do is tell your waiter, 'I don't want to rush service. We want to enjoy our time.'" 

Adding to Mr. Bayley's point, Mr. D'Souza explained the issue with how long dinner can sometimes take, "today, our dining experience takes 120 plus minutes, in some cases for larger parties, at least 95 minutes for a party two. That's a really long dining experience."

So how long should dinner take? Royal Caribbean thinks the magic number is around 75 minutes.

"The first thing will help us do is improve the speed of the pace of the meal," Mr. D'Souza explained.

"Not hugely, but let's call it about 15 minutes is what we're seeing, which is a significant reduction, gets us much closer to that 75 minute target for what our guest experiences is really what what we have looked at in the research. And they said that's kind of what the guest ideal dining experience time."

"Hotter, fresher, more consistently plated, beautiful food"

Besides speed of service, Mr. D'Souza thinks this new menu will result in a better experience for guests.

"I think holistically, when you look at both the service experience we create with the theming of the nights and then the food that's layered in and then the consistency. And quality improvements that you're going to see hotter, fresher, more consistently plated, beautiful food."

He admitted up until now, that has not been the case and it bothered him, "my frustration with that is I want to deliver a more consistent and great quality experience for our guests versus a hit and miss experience."

An updated menu also allows the dining experience to be more consistent, which is a major concern for Mr. D'Souza.

"You make a French onion soup that doesn't taste the same on every ship or look the same, and frankly, that's not acceptable to me."

"I would rather our guests have a very clear understanding and expectation of what they're going to get. And they either love it or hate it. That's okay. But if you love it, I want it to be the same amount of love for that dish. Whether you came today and you came 16 months back and you ate once in the Caribbean and next time in Europe, it should taste exactly the same."

Easing the load on crew members

An ancillary benefit of the menu is the realities of the legacy menu and its impact on the workload for crew members.

"Frankly, the workload for the crew, it's not manageable anymore with the amount of special requests."

"We're putting some structure on the process to really be more diligent in how we how we operate the dining space."

He also acknowledged that there are a lot of new crew members, and the restart process since 2021 has been a challenge that didn't exist years ago.

"We have more what we call new roles in our business than we've ever had. And these are new employees who have the depth and length of experience. So we've got a lot of new employees who simply are still learning."

Final menu not set yet

While the plan is to have the dinner menus change across the fleet beginning in January, the exact menus are not set yet.

Mr. D'Souza talked about the timeline for finalizing the menu, "The menu that is currently on Symphony will go through some iteration from the themes themselves to the items that guests like."

"The theme nights you've seen are not necessarily theme nights that you're going to see when we launch. So there may be some modifications based on the feedback."

In fact, there will be additional themed nights for longer sailings.

According to Mr. D'Souza, they are also working on menus for 8, 9 and 10 night cruises.

Feedback so far from guests

Royal Caribbean has received lots of reviews of the menu changes from its passengers, both loyal cruisers and first timers.

According to Mr. Bayley, consumer research teams were sent onboard Symphony of the Seas during the trial to talk focus groups of customers.

"We always do find that when you do these changes, you get, especially with our loyal customers who are very much used to their routine, we do get more feedback and sometimes negative feedback from our loyal customers because they like, they enjoy the way it was," Mr. Bayley explained when talking about the menu change.

"But we also find that our new customers and new to cruise enjoy the new menu."

"We're working our way through it. We're very responsive to the feedback."

You might be curious what the feedback looks like, and Mr. D'Souza provided additional context.

Royal Caribbean has a team of six people onboard the ship that are doing in-person meetings with guests, along with the email surveys that have been sent out to many more. The team onboard has met with at least 30-40 guests every day of the cruise to get their opinions.

"Overwhelmingly, the feedback for all of the teams, has been exceptionally positive."

Guests not happy with the change? Try it first

Mr. D'Souza appears keenly aware of the initial negative comments he read online when the new menu was first spotted, but he hopes people will judge the menus onboard the ship and not just in the vacuum of the internet. 

"We understand that it's going to be some people who are not really thrilled about all the changes."

"What I would ask for is I would ask for the opportunity for people to really try the experience themselves and not prejudge it before they've been on the ship."

He added that when the new menus roll out in January, the offerings are not set in stone. Additional feedback will be reviewed to make further refinements.

"We don't stop taking feedback after we start the new menu."

"If there's four or five modifications we can make, we'll iterate and make those changes. If there's a theme that's not working and we're seeing a lot of dissatisfaction on a specific day within the cruise period, we'll review that experience."

Good news, we are all one week closer to our next Royal Caribbean cruise!  In case you missed any of the Royal Caribbean fun from this week, here is our weekly round up!

Icon of the Seas reached its next major construction milestone this week.

The new ship was floated out of the dry dock and into its outfitting dock at the Meyer Werft shipyard.

Essentially, Icon has moved from a dry dock to a wet dock.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean CEO: Chat feature in app will be free starting in 2023
• Royal Caribbean adds price tracker feature in new cruise search update
• 22 new trademarks that are probably things to do on Icon of the Seas
• Answers to Wonder of the Seas questions our readers wanted to know
• Best cabins to book for an Alaska cruise
• New Royal Caribbean Sky Junior Suite with benefits: average or epic?
• How different is a 3-night vs 4-night cruise?
• How much does a cruise cost?

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 478th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, featuring a look at Matt's cruise on Odyssey of the Seas.

Matt is back from an 8-night Odyssey of the Seas cruise to the Southern Caribbean and shares what he liked and didn't like about this cruise.

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: How 'Back To Normal' is a Cruise?

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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 — How 'Back To Normal' is a Cruise? — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

7 TikTok cruise tips and if they actually work

I reviewed 7 cruise tips shared by people on TikTok.

Just like anything on the internet, just because it's on the internet, doesn't mean it's true.  So I wanted to check out the top cruise advice to see which tips were being shared and if I agreed with them or not.

I found 7 popular videos that cover various aspects of going on a cruise with tips and tricks that I thought were worth evaluating since they had fairly high view counts.

Royal Caribbean reveals new restaurants, bars, and activities on Icon of the Seas

More venues were revealed that we can expect to see on Icon of the Seas.

A variety of bars, restaurants, and activities were shared by Royal Caribbean that not only announced what they are, but also shared new concept art for each one.

5 real-life places that inspired Royal Caribbean cruise ship design

Did you know some of Royal Caribbean's best known activities and onboard features were ideas that came from places in the real world?

When new cruise ships are being designed, ideas come from different sources, including well-known locales.

Here are five things on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that you could recognize as being similar or alluding to places you may have visited.

Allure of the Seas was the world's largest cruise ship at one point, and she remains one of the best Royal Caribbean cruise ships you can pick to sail!

Allure of the Seas is a destination within itself that offers more than enough to do, experience, and eat for guests of all ages. From adrenaline-filled activities like surfing and zip lining to enjoying world class, diverse cuisine, there’s no shortage of ways to keep busy onboard.

If you’re considering a cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, be sure to read through this planning guide to ensure your cruise vacation is off to a great start. Let’s jump in!

Allure of the Seas overview

Allure of the Seas is the second ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class, and her inaugural sailing was on December 1, 2010.

She is currently the fifth largest cruise ship in the world, with a length of 1,187 feet and gross tonnage of 225,282. Allure of the Seas has a capacity of 6,780 guests and 2,200 crew, bringing her total capacity to 8,930 passengers!

Allure of the Seas neighborhoods

Like all Oasis Class ships, Allure of the Seas is split into neighborhoods, each with their own activities and amenities. These neighborhoods help spread out crowds and provide unique experiences around the ship.

Here are the neighborhoods found on Allure of the Seas:

1. The Boardwalk, an outdoor neighborhood with a carousel, arcade, candy and ice cream shop, hot dogs, Johnny Rockets, and Mexican restaurant
2. Pool & Sports Zone, the top decks of Allure of the Seas with pools, hot tubs, and signature activities on the Sports Court
3. Central Park, a quieter, outdoor oasis with plants, trees, and flowers. Central Park is also home to three specialty restaurants, retail stores, and bars
4. The Royal Promenade, the main indoor thoroughfare on Allure of the Seas with bars, lounges, shopping, and dining venues
5. Entertainment Place, the hub of entertainment venues with an ice skating rink, theater, casino, comedy club, jazz club, and nightclub
6. Youth Zone, home to Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean kids programming
7. Vitality Spa & Fitness, a spa, salon, and fitness center

The distinct neighborhoods on Allure of the Seas mean there is something for everyone onboard, whether you're looking to relax at Central Park or get your adrenaline pumping on the Sports Court.

What makes Allure of the Seas different from other Oasis Class ships?

Allure of the Seas is the only “original” Oasis Class cruise ship left, meaning she has not received her amplification and therefore does not have several features and activities found on other ships in the class.

Other Oasis Class cruise ships have features like water slides, the Ultimate Abyss dry slide, Royal Caribbean’s newest restaurants, and escape rooms.

While Allure of the Seas may not have these activities and amenities, she offers plenty of unique opportunities not found on other Oasis Class ships, including a Brazilian steakhouse, champagne bar, Sabor Mexican restaurant, and more.

Related: The Oasis Class features that are only left on Allure of the Seas

Allure of the Seas dining & beverage

Like all Oasis Class cruise ships, there is no shortage of places to eat on Allure of the Seas. Everything from hot dogs to hibachi and tacos are available, and you’re sure to find something to please everyone in your travel party.

Complimentary restaurants are available onboard, but there are also several options for specialty restaurants. Specialty restaurants come at an extra charge, but they offer cuisines and cooking styles not found elsewhere on the ship, and can offer a more upscale dining experience than the complimentary venues.

Allure of the Seas complimentary dining options:

• Main Dining Room
• Windjammer Cafe
• Solarium Bistro
• Park Cafe
• Cafe Promenade
• Sorrento’s Pizza
• Boardwalk Dog House
• Wipeout Cafe
• Vitality Cafe
• Coastal Kitchen (suites only)
• Room service (continental breakfast only)
• Johnny Rockets (breakfast only)

Allure of the Seas specialty dining options:

• Chops Grille
• Giovanni’s Table
• Izumi Hibachi & SUshi
• 150 Central Park
• Sabor
• Samba Grill
• Vintages Wine Bar
• Cups & Scoops (cupcakes and ice cream)
• Starbucks
• Johnny Rockets (lunch and dinner)
• Chef’s Table

You may want to consider purchasing a dining package if you plan to eat at specialty restaurants on Allure of the Seas.

Related: How to know if you should buy a Royal Caribbean dining package

Allure of the Seas has two restaurants found on just a few Royal Caribbean cruise ships: Samba Grill and Sabor. Because these restaurants are only found on one or two other cruise ships, they can offer a unique dining experience for those who cruise frequently with Royal Caribbean.

Related: I tried Royal Caribbean’s least well-known specialty restaurant: here’s what I thought

Allure of the Seas Bars & Lounges

Just like dining venues, there’s no shortage of places to find a refreshing drink on Allure of the Seas. Whether you’re in the mood for a soda, cocktail, smoothie, or glass of wine, you’ll find plenty of places to get a drink onboard.

One unique feature on Allure of the Seas is the Champagne Bar, which offers a selection of martinis. One of the most popular is the Cucumber Martini, made with cucumber, basil, Monin lemongrass syrup, Sweet and Sour, and Grey Goose vodka.

Another classic bar on Allure of the Seas and other Oasis Class ships is the Rising Tide Bar. This bar travels up and down 3 stories from the Royal Promenade to Central Park, making for a unique drinking experience.

Other bars on Allure of the Seas include:

• Pool & Solarium bars
• Wipeout Bar
• Trellis Bar
• Vintages Wine Bar
• Dazzles Lounge
• Schooner Bar
• On Air Club
• Bow & Stern English Pub
• Sabor Bar

If you plan to enjoy several drinks every day of the cruise, it may be worth purchasing a beverage package. Royal Caribbean’s drink packages are unlimited, so you can enjoy as many drinks as you’d like without worrying about the cost per beverage.

Related: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

Shows & Entertainment

All Royal Caribbean cruise ships are known for offering top-notch, complimentary entertainment, but Oasis Class ships take entertainment to the next level. With diving performances, ice-skating, a Broadway show, and endless live music choices, there’s plenty of ways to keep busy on Allure of the Seas.

In the AquaTheater guests can enjoy Oceanaria, an undersea-themed production combining aerialists, acrobats, and high divers. From acrobats standing on each other’s heads to jumping off a diving platform 30 feet in the air, the show is sure to impress all guests.

One of the best entertainment features on Allure of the Seas is the full-length Broadway musical, Mamma Mia. This 2.5 hour production is included in your cruise fare and is a highlight of the cruise for many passengers.

There’s also Ice Games, the signature ice-skating show in Studio B, which features a talented international ice cast who spin, dance, jump, and flip on the ice. The show is inspired by Monopoly and is a “game” in which cast members roll a dice, taking them to different areas onboard Allure of the Seas.

Outside of signature production shows, you’ll find live music and other events happening throughout the cruise, including:

• Guitar music at the English pub
• Piano music at Schooner Bar
• Jazz band at Jazz of 4
• Live music in Central Park
• Game shows
• Trivia
• Karaoke

To find out more about what is happening onboard each day of the cruise, be sure to download the Royal Caribbean app and check the daily schedule. Making reservations to signature production shows is important, too, and it’s recommended that you do so as soon as you get onboard on embarkation day.

Related: 30 Do’s and Don’ts for the first day of your cruise

Pool deck

With a capacity of nearly 7,000 guests, it’s important to have plenty of pool space on Allure of the Seas, and you’ll find several areas to keep cool on warm Caribbean days.

The pool deck on Allure of the Seas has three main pools, one pool area for kids, and several jacuzzis.

Parents with young children will enjoy the H20 Zone, a splash park featuring water geysers, a small whirlpool, and hot tubs.

The main pool areas are open every day of the cruise, although they may occasionally be used for activities like the belly flop competition, pool volleyball, fitness classes, swimming laps, etc.

Related: Everything you wanted to know about Royal Caribbean’s pools

Also on the pool deck are four bars, a suites-only sun deck, and an area for live bands to play reggae, rock, and contemporary hits throughout the day.

Solarium

In addition to the main pool deck is an adults-only Solarium for guests aged 16 and above. Inside the Solarium is one pool and four hot tubs, two of which cantilever over the side of Allure of the Seas. Padded lounge chairs and other comfortable seating are also available.

Related: Everything about Royal Caribbean’s Solarium

The Solarium is also home to the Solarium Bistro, a complimentary dining venue open for breakfast and lunch, and Samba Grill Brazilian steakhouse in the evenings.

Signature activities on Allure of the Seas

Oasis Class ships offer fun for all ages, and there are a variety of signature activities included in your cruise fare, including:

• The FlowRider, a surfing simulator for boogie boarding and standup surfing
• The zip line, soaring guests over the ship’s Boardwalk neighborhood
• Allure Dunes mini golf
• Sports Court for activities like soccer, basketball, pickleball, etc.
• Ping pong tables
• Ice skating in Studio B
• Carousel

There are also two arcades located on Allure of the Seas, but these come at an extra cost.

In addition, you’ll find a variety of activities throughout the day such as scavenger hunts, pool games, Boardwalk carnival, Royal Promenade parades, and more.

Adventure Ocean

Allure of the Seas offers Adventure Ocean programming for kids aged 6 months to 17 years. Kids are split into the following age groups:

• Royal Babies & Tots (6-36 months)
• Aquanauts (3-5)
• Explorers (6-8)
• Voyagers (9-11)
• Teen club (12-17)

Adventure Ocean programming is complimentary with the exception of Royal Babies & Tots, which has an hourly fee, and childcare after 10 PM.

Each age group has their own room for activities, and there is also an Imagination Studio for arts and crafts and a science lab for educational experiments. In addition, child-friendly movies are shown throughout the cruise at the Adventure Ocean Theater.

Teens have access to their own private lounge, The Living Room, and the Fuel Teen nightclub. There is also a private outdoor deck space for teenagers to enjoy.

Allure of the Seas staterooms

Allure of the Seas offers both traditional cruise ship cabins and a few alternatives only available on Oasis Class cruise ships. Each category offers a different layout, size, and experience, and there’s a stateroom to fit any budget.

Before picking a stateroom category for your cruise on Allure of the Seas, it’s important to consider your budget, what you’re looking for in a cruise experience, and which cabin will fit your family best.

Take a look at a few of our tips & tricks on picking the best stateroom for your cruise:

• What’s the best cruise ship cabin for my family?
• What is the best room on a cruise ship?
• Avoid these mistakes when picking a cruise ship cabin

On Allure of the Seas you’ll find interior staterooms, oceanview rooms, balcony cabins, and suites.

Interior cabins are the most budget-friendly option, meaning you can save money on the cruise fare and put it toward excursions, drink packages, dining packages, spa treatments, and other pre-cruise add-ons.

Related: I tried the best inside cruise ship cabin hacks to see how well they worked

Oceanview cabins have a porthole looking out toward the ocean, and they can be another budget-friendly option while having the benefit of a window view.

Balcony cabins are the most common choice for cruisers, and Allure of the Seas has three types of balcony cabins:

• Ocean View Balcony cabins
• Central Park Balcony cabins
• Boardwalk Balcony cabins

Central Park and Boardwalk Balcony cabins are unique to Oasis Class cruise ships. Unlike an ocean view balcony, they don’t offer a full ocean view, but they look out into their respective neighborhoods.

Central Park balconies allow guests to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the ship’s park and listen to live music in the evenings. Boardwalk balconies, on the other hand, offer a more lively atmosphere and come with a partial ocean view.

Related: Are Boardwalk balcony cabins too loud?

A variety of suites are also available on Allure of the Seas, from a basic Junior Suite to lavish AquaTheater and Loft Suites.

Allure of the Seas offers the Royal Suite Class, an upgraded suite experience featuring a suites-only restaurant, Coastal Kitchen, suite sun deck with daybeds, suite lounge, and access to a Royal Genie (in select cabins).

Related: Royal Caribbean suites guide & review

Allure of the Seas itineraries

Allure of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral until until July 2024, where she will offer 3 and 4-night cruises to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Oasis Class cruise ships rarely sail itineraries shorter than 6 or 7 nights, so having regularly scheduled short cruises on Allure of the Seas makes for an excellent getaway on one of Royal Caribbean’s most impressive cruise ships.

What’s “missing” on Allure of the Seas?

Most comparisons of Allure of the Seas to other ships in the Oasis Class revolve around the fact that the ship is “missing” several activities, bars, and dining venues found on other ships. These include:

• The Ultimate Abyss, Royal Caribbean’s dry slide which plummets guests 100 feet from the Sports Court down to the Boardwalk neighborhood
• Waterslides
• Bionic Bar, the futuristic bar serving cocktails made by robotic bartenders
• Escape Room
• Laser Tag
• Wonderland, an eclectic specialty restaurant
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade

Personally, having these features missing does not make Allure of the Seas any less desirable to me. I rarely use the onboard waterslides or Ultimate Abyss, and while an escape room is fun, I can keep busy with other activities onboard. Plus, you can still find a zip line, sports court, 2 FlowRiders, Adventure Ocean programming, a carousel, and other kid-friendly activities on the ship.

That being said, not having waterslides could be considered a downside of Allure of the Seas for some passengers. Whereas other Oasis Class ships have three waterslides in addition to small slides at Splashaway Bay, Allure of the Seas does not have even one.

While there is more than enough to keep kids entertained on Allure, if your kids can’t wait to check out the waterslides onboard a cruise ship, it’s probably best to pick another ship in the Oasis Class or spend the day at Thrill Waterpark if your Allure cruise visits Perfect Day at CocoCay.

As far as dining and lounge venues are concerned, I did not have any complaints with what was available on Allure of the Seas. Being an Oasis Class ship, Allure of the Seas has a ton of places to eat and drink onboard even if she hasn’t been amplified.

Related: The Oasis Class features that are only left on Allure of the Seas

As someone who cruises frequently, it was refreshing to see a range of dining options on Allure of the Seas not found as commonly on other Royal Caribbean ships. I preferred my meals at Samba Grill and Sabor on Allure of the Seas much more than my dining experience at Wonderland (which can be found on other Oasis Class ships).

Related: I tried Royal Caribbean's least well-known specialty restaurant: here's what I thought

So perhaps we shouldn’t look at Allure of the Seas in the context of what’s missing, but what makes the ship unique.

What I loved about Allure of the Seas

Diamond Lounge location

One of the best perks of being a Diamond member in Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society is access to the Diamond Lounge.

Related: Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program info, tips & secrets

On every other Oasis Class ship, the Diamond Lounge is tucked into a room on Deck 4 with no windows. It’s not somewhere I enjoy spending time, as I’d rather be hanging out somewhere with an outside view.

On Allure of the Seas, however, this space has massive windows overlooking the Boardwalk neighborhood and ocean. 

Sabor Mexican restaurant

Something else I loved on Allure of the Seas was Sabor, Royal Caribbean’s Mexican specialty restaurant.

I didn’t have the highest expectations when I made a reservation at Sabor. Not only do I live in an area of the US with wonderful, authentic Mexican food, but I was on a cruise visiting Mexico. Surely the food at Sabor couldn’t compete with the food I enjoyed in port, right?

In reality, Sabor exceeded my expectations and I was kicking myself for waiting until the last day of the cruise to dine there.

We savored a meal of guacamole (customized to your spice preference!), pico de gallo, quesadillas, fish and chicken tacos, and queso fundido.

Despite feeling completely stuffed after way too much guacamole, I made room for a mouthwatering dessert of cinnamon churros, banana and chocolate chimichanga, flan, and cafe con leche.

Endless guacamole, tacos, and churros? Yes, please!

Entertainment options

The ship’s AquaTheater show, OceanAria, may have been the best AquaTheater show I’ve seen yet. It had a huge focus on acrobatics, including an insanely impressive acro yoga performance. I wish I had seen the show more than once! While all AquaTheater shows on Oasis Class ships are entertaining, I enjoyed OceanAria the most.

Additionally, the ship’s Studio B show, Ice Games, was one of my favorite ice skating shows to date. I have a hard time understanding the plot of most ice skating shows, but Ice Games was easy to follow. The show revolved around a Monopoly game in which the cast members (or guests!) rolled a die that would transport the set to an area of Allure of the Seas.

The ice skating rink changed from Giovanni’s Table to the Boardwalk and Arcade, and the whole show was beyond fun to watch!

Central Park

Something I love about sailing on the “older” ships in the Oasis Class (Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas) is that the plants and trees in Central Park have had over ten years to grow. The park is full of tall, lush trees and massive plant walls that are much more impressive than on the newer Oasis Class ships.

As someone who loves spending time in Central Park, I liked how the space felt more integrated with nature on Allure of the Seas compared to the newer ships.

Related: Top 10 Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas insider tips & secrets

Cheaper pricing

Perhaps the best benefit of cruising on Allure of the Seas is that prices are often the lowest of any Oasis Class ship. Because she has not been amplified and thus lacks activities like waterslides and new dining venues, Royal Caribbean prices her itineraries at a reasonable cost.

My 6-night cruise, for example, was $1152 for two guests in a Boardwalk balcony cabin including gratuities. At $192 per night ($96 per person, per night), I felt it was a great deal for sailing on one of Royal Caribbean’s biggest cruise ships.

Considering a cruise on Allure of the Seas? Check out more of our advice for planning the best cruise vacation:

• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?

Before you sail on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, you might be have the same questions as our readers do about this cruise ship.

Wonder of the Seas entered service in March 2022, and recently returned to Port Canaveral to begin offering year-round cruises from her homeport. Her return to Florida has a lot of cruisers excited to try out the world's largest ship for the first time.

Royal Caribbean invited me to sail on Wonder of the Seas for a quick two-night sailing to commemorate the ship's official christening ceremony, and I wanted to answer as many questions as I could from our readers.

I asked readers on the Royal Caribbean Blog Facebook page what questions they have about Wonder of the Seas so that I could try to answer them all.

Here's all the Wonder of the Seas questions they have and answers to them all!

Can you book shows before the cruise begins?

It depends when your sailing occurs.

Up until recently, the ability to book shows was not an option pre-cruise.  However, Royal Caribbean seems to have changed that policy for sailings beginning in December.

Entertainment is available to reserve for Quantum and Oasis class ships 30 days before the sailing via the Royal Caribbean website.

What are your top 3 must-do’s and what to skip on Wonder of the Seas?

I spent a lot of my first day on Wonder of the Seas thinking of a good answer to this question.  

My three must-dos are:

1. Eat brunch and see a show in Mason Jar

I didn't know I needed Southern American food in my life until I ate at Mason Jar.

Chicken 'n waffles, red velvet pancakes, stuffed French toast and plenty more "don't tell mom what I just ate" dishes make a meal here worth the price of admission.

Equally fun is the Country Trio band that performs here. You don't have to be a mega Country music fan to enjoy the live entertainment.

2. Effectors 2

Truthfully, all the shows on an Oasis Class ship are worth seeing, but Wonder of the Seas has a brand new show that is a follow-up to the original Effectors show that I first saw on Odyssey of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's original productions have continuously outperformed the previous show with each new ship, so do yourself a favor and see the shows.

3. Get a drink at the Vue Bar

I love what Royal Caribbean has done with the pool deck on Wonder of the Seas, especially the addition of the Vue Bar.

The Vue extends over the side of the ship to offer fantastic ocean views. 

The panoramic views are worth the visit.

Why is there no Broadway show on Wonder of the Seas?

I think there's two reasons why there's no Broadway show on Wonder of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean will tell you it's because they're ability to produce in-house shows is at a level that rivals shows you'd find in Las Vegas or New York, and it allows them to craft a production that matches up well for cruise ship audiences.

To their credit, there's truth in what they're saying. Whether it's Voices, Effectors, or a host of other recent shows you may have seen on ships, Royal Caribbean Productions have evolved quite a bit from just musical medleys that we saw years ago.

Royal Caribbean won't say, however, cost is probably another reason.

Any Broadway show you want to have on a cruise ship costs money, and you have to remember Wonder was being built and launched during the pandemic and following more than two years of billion dollar loses. 

I could be totally wrong, but it's my opinion that developing an in-house show would cost them less than purchasing the rights to a Broadway show.

So given how far the cruise line has come with its own stuff and the financial situation they're in, it makes sense.

Are they offering the all access tour?

Yes, the All Access Ship Tour is available once again to book.

I took the behind the scenes tour on Mariner of the Seas, and it's an intriguing add-on for anyone that's wanted to see a cruise ship's bridge, controls, galley or more.

With that many people on board, does it feel incredibly overwhelming?

This is my third time on Wonder of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas feels incredibly manageable.

The Oasis Class ships are designed to distribute guests easily throughout the ship and it really does work once you get onboard the ship.

After the hustle and bustle of the first day, things settle down considerably and it's easy to forget the capacity of the ship because of how many things there are to do, which draws people in many directions.

How is the location/setup of Windjammer compared to other Oasis class ships?

Royal Caribbean built its largest Windjammer ever on Wonder of the Seas and it's a welcome change.

On other Oasis Class ships, the Windjammer wasn't as large because there were so many other venues available to draw passengers away. 

However, on Wonder, Royal Caribbean recognized its guests like having the Windjammer as a primary option and greatly expanded its footprint as a result.

Like other Oasis Class ships, the Windjammer is on a high deck. But the layout means much more seating and lots of cooking stations.

How is the embarkation in Port Canaveral?

Embarkation is super easy in Port Canaveral.

Just like Royal Caribbean's other new generation of cruise terminals, the process of embarkation and disembarkation is so much easier than how it is has traditionally worked.

The key to making embarkation very easy is to complete all the pre-cruise check-in information in the Royal Caribbean app prior to the first day.

If you enter all the information in the app before the cruise begins, you will never stop walking through the terminal.

Is there still a non smoking room “Golden Room” up and running in the casino?

Yes, there are many slot machines to choose from, along with a couple of table games.

The other interesting aspect of the Golden Room is that it's non-smoking.

What food is included on Wonder of the Seas and what is not included?

Here's a list of the restaurants included with your cruise fare on Wonder of the Seas:

• Main dining room
• Sorrento's
• Windjammer Marketplace
• Cafe Promenade
• Boardwalk Doghouse
• Park Cafe
• El Loco Fresh and Cantina Fresca

And here's the restaurants that cost extra:

• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar (extra cost)
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade (extra cost)
• Hooked Seafood (extra cost)
• The Lime & Coconut (extra cost)
• Izumi (extra cost)
• Wonderland (extra cost)
• 150 Central Park (extra cost)
• Johnny Rockets (extra cost)
• Starbucks (extra cost)
• Sugar Beach (extra cost)
• Chops Grille (extra cost)

I would love to see information about the unique things on Wonder compared to her sister ships

Wonder of the Seas is the fifth Oasis Class cruise ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, but she has several key differences.

While she shares many of the same restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues as other Oasis Class ships, significant enhancements were made to her design and layout.

You can view all the differences between Wonder and the other Oasis Class ships.

I would love a picture of the Central Park balconies directly above the Trellis Bar

Voila!

It looks like Royal Caribbean is about to drop a fee it had been charging guests.

Royal Caribbean's app has a chat feature that currently costs $1.99 per guest, per day to use it.

While at a question and answer session aboard Wonder of the Seas on Thursday, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley told travel agents in attendance the line will remove the cost to use the chat feature.

According to travel agents in attendance, Mr. Bayley said the change will go into effect beginning January 1, 2023.

Following up on a promise

This isn't the first time Mr. Bayley talked about removing the fee for the chat feature.

At a similar event held on Odyssey of the Seas in 2021, Mr. Bayley said the cruise line would change the chat feature to free.

 "I remember that we had a lot of arguments internally within the company about a dollar ninety nine."

"I'm tempted to say we'll drop it, but nobody seems to be reacting against it. So we'll we'll drop it. Yeah. I think that will be good."

It now appears that promise is coming to fruition. 

Why a free chat feature makes a difference

By making the chat feature free, this opens up the function to many more passengers.

Since most guests do not purchase an internet package, that limits communication options for passengers while onboard a ship.

Moreover, having a free chat feature allows kids to use the chat feature without their parents having to spend anything extra.

How Royal Caribbean's chat feature works

The chat in Royal Caribbean's app works very similar to other texting apps you may have used in other apps.

Royal Caribbean's chat offers one-to-one guest chat, along with group chats.

Once onboard the ship and logged onto Royal Caribbean's Wi-Fi  network (no internet package required to use the app), other guests will show up as offline or online but are only online if they have the app opened and to the “chat” window.

If your travel agent linked your reservation before sailing with a friend or family the will automatically show up in your list of contacts. You also have the option of adding other guests.

Royal Caribbean's app is available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.

Icon of the Seas is sitting in water for the first time.

The new cruise ship is under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, and earlier today the dock where she is located was filled with water to continue to the next phase of construction.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com commissioned these photos of Icon of the Seas floated out to share with all of you what this process looks like.

Since these are exclusive photos, please do not redistribute these photos. Feel free to share a link to this article instead.

Essentially what a float out means is when the dry dock is filled with water and it becomes a wet dock. 

Last month, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider added the float out allows the ship to move forward so another cruise ship can be built behind it.

"It's a super exciting and super momentous occasion for a new ship, especially a new class of ship, because, this will be the first time it ever floats. And so, as you can imagine, that's a pretty big milestone," Mr. Schneider said when talking about the float out process.

More than 10,000 people in Finland and abroad have participated in the construction and design of the Icon of the Seas

In addition to the transition from dry dock to wet dock, we also have a look at the construction progress being made with Icon.

Looking to the back of the ship, we can see water slide supports being installed for the Category 6 water slide.

We can also see more of the aft superstructure installed, along with the name of the ship beginning to be written.

At the front of the ship, the AquaDome is installed, and more progress is being made with cabins installed and other top deck work.

What's next for Icon of the Seas?

The latest timeline Royal Caribbean provided for the Icon of the Seas construction has work continuing at the shipyard for a few more months.

In May or June 2023, sea trials will commence. This is when a cruise ship's navigational and technical systems are tested and it is the final part of cruise ship construction prior to delivery.

Everything from the ship's propulsion, to navigation, to engines are tested before it can be ready to join the fleet.

Following the sea trials, delivery will take place sometime in the second half of 2023 and that's when the ship changes ownership from the shipyard to Royal Caribbean.

The inaugural Icon of the Seas sailing will be January 27, 2024.

When completed, the ship will be the world's largest cruise ship and Royal Caribbean's first ship to use liquified natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology. The ship is 1,188 feet long and can accommodate up to 5,610 passengers at double occupancy (7,600 passengers if you maxed out every bed).

Meyer Turku is building three Icon class ships. Icon of the Seas is the first of these, and the next one will be completed in 2025 and the third in 2026.

Royal Caribbean announced new venues coming to Icon of the Seas when the ship launches in early 2024.

Icon of the Seas will have more than 40 food and beverage concepts, with 23 of them completely new to Royal Caribbean.

More venues were announced today that show off new concepts coming to the ship.

Let's look at everything Royal Caribbean released:

Desserted milkshake bar

The new Desserted will allow passengers to choose from a lineup of milkshake concoctions, including spiked options for the adults. 

Surfside Eatery

Surfside Eatery will debut as the dedicated buffet in Surfside, the new neighborhood designed for young families.

More Royal Caribbean firsts include a spot for a quick stop between adventures, Surfside Bites, and specialty restaurant Pier 7 for beachside favorites.

Pier 7

Adults and kids alike can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at the new Pier 7.

This is a specialty restaurant that will serve up beachside bites like mango shrimp tostadas and surf ‘n’ turf. 

Lemon Post Bar

The Lemon Post will debut as the bar for the whole family, with a menu of options for grownups and another for kids. 

Lost Dunes mini golf

We knew Icon of the Seas would have a mini golf course, but now we know more details behind it.

Lost Dunes is located in the Thrill Island neighborhood.

It's described as, "At Lost Dunes, the whole family can join the fun and find their way around a course of shipwrecks, plane crashes and fallen palms."

Basecamp

Basecamp will also be located in Thrill Island, this is a new bar concept that has a walkup window and bar.

It will be located near the Category 6 water park.

Arcade

Royal Caribbean cruise ships all have an arcade, and the arcade in Surfside neighborhood is designed to appeal to kids and adults.

 Adventures include a variety of games at the Arcade, like retro-style favorites.

Carousel

Little kids can enjoy a beach-themed carousel. 

More in store includes a slideable, climbable Playscape and the Splashaway Bay aquapark. 

Adrenaline Peak

Royal Caribbean has reimagined the rock climbing wall with Adrenaline Peak.

This one features the cruise line’s highest vantage point yet, racing lanes for friendly competition and endless ocean views.

Launching in 2024

Icon of the Seas doesn't sail with passengers until January 2024, but has already sold extremely well.

Icon of the Seas is scheduled to be delivered in late 2023 and begin sailing in January 2024.

The first sailing of Icon of the Seas, a seven-night voyage out of Miami to the Eastern Caribbean, is scheduled for Jan. 27, 2024.

The ship will alternate between Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean itineraries.

Debuting on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is the new Sky Junior Suite, the fleet’s first Junior Suite to offer exclusive benefits usually found only in higher category staterooms.

Sky Junior Suite benefits include Suite Neighborhood access, all-day dining at two suites-only restaurants, free wifi, and concierge service. While these benefits will surely enhance your cruise vacation, are they worth the extra cost?

Let’s take an in-depth look at the new Sky Junior Suite to help you decide if it’s the right fit or if you’re better off sticking to a regular Junior Suite.

Sky Junior Suite details and benefits

The Sky Junior Suite will only be available on Icon of the Seas, which is set to launch in January 2024. There are eight Sky Junior Suites available on the ship.

The suite has occupancy for four guests and comes at 322 square feet with an 80 square foot balcony. Although the suite does not have a separate bedroom, it does have a separate dressing area in the room and a full bathroom with a tub.

While guests in regular Junior Suites still receive double Crown & Anchor Society points each night of the sailing and enjoy more living space, additional benefits are slim. Because of this, many cruisers prefer to classify Junior Suites as a large balcony room compared to a suite.

Related: Royal Caribbean's Junior Suites: What you need to know

The Sky Junior Suite, however, takes Junior Suite benefits to the next level by offering Sky Class benefits.

What are Royal Caribbean’s Sky Class benefits?

Sky Class is the second tier in Royal Caribbean’s Royal Suite Class, a suite program available on Quantum, Oasis, and Icon Class cruise ships.

Sky Class benefits:

• Dedicated Check In Line
• Priority Boarding
• Coastal Kitchen Dinner
• Royal Caribbean Bathrobes for use onboard
• Luxury Bathroom Amenities
• In Room Lavazza Espresso Coffee Maker/Tea Service
• VOOM Internet
• Concierge Service
• Exclusive Signature Activities
• Suite Lounge/Concierge Club Access
• Priority Departure

Related: What are the Royal Caribbean suite perks?

Onboard experience

While the list of Sky Class benefits available in a Sky Junior Suite provides a peek into what you’ll experience on Icon of the Seas, let’s dig deeper into these benefits to see just how much they can impact your onboard experience.

Suite Neighborhood access

One of the best benefits of staying in a Sky Junior Suite is access to the Suite Neighborhood, a private enclave reserved exclusively for suite guests on Icon of the Seas. Sky Junior Suites are the only Junior Suite category to have access to the Suite Neighborhood.

Located in the Suite Neighborhood is a suite sun deck, private pool, Coastal Kitchen restaurant, and Mediterranean-style casual eatery. It’s an enclave away from the hustle and bustle found elsewhere onboard, and offers a more upscale experience than the ship’s other pool and dining areas.

Related: Icon of the Seas: itinerary, features, and more

Plus, the Sky Junior Suite is located within the Suite Neighborhood, providing easy access to the neighborhood’s amenities.

Coastal Kitchen

Coastal Kitchen, Royal Caribbean’s suites-only restaurant, is another benefit of staying in a suite. For guests in most Junior Suites, however, dining at Coastal Kitchen is only available for dinner (subject to availability).

Guests in Sky Junior Suites, on the other hand, can dine at Coastal Kitchen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Suite Lounge cocktails and hors d’oeuvres

Complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are available each evening in the Suite Lounge on Royal Caribbean ships. This is another benefit of staying in a Sky Junior Suite as opposed to a regular Junior Suite.

In a Sky Junior Suite, you can enjoy alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages each evening without spending hundreds of dollars extra on a drink package.

Concierge Service

Sky Junior Suite guests have access to the Suite Concierge, who acts as a personal Guest Services member for suite guests. The Suite Concierge can help guests with billing discrepancies, dining reservations, priority disembarkation, etc.

Related: 10 Surprising things you didn’t know the Royal Caribbean concierge can do for you

VOOM Internet

Another great benefit of staying in a Sky Class suite as opposed to a regular Junior Suite is the VOOM internet included in your cruise fare.

If you stay in a regular Junior Suite and plan to purchase an internet package for 2 guests in the room, this can easily cost $140 per person on a 7-night cruise. By staying in the Sky Junior Suite instead, you’ll save $280 on internet packages.

Price difference: Junior Suite versus Sky Junior Suite

With the added benefits and enhanced onboard experience of a Sky Junior Suite comes higher cruise fares. Just how much can you expect the price difference to be between a Junior Suite and Sky Junior Suite?

You can expect a Junior Suite to run anywhere from $5800 to $6800 total for two guests on a 7-night cruise. Sky Junior Suites range from around $9200 to over $11,000.

Related: Is a suite on Royal Caribbean worth it?

Therefore, compared to a regular Junior Suite, a Sky Junior Suite can cost anywhere from $3000-$4000 more total for 2 guests on a 7-night cruise.

Sky Junior Suite vs larger Sky Class suites

If you’re interested in receiving Sky Class benefits on Icon of the Seas, should you reserve the Sky Junior Suite or spend more for a larger, more opulent suite?

Let’s take a look at the price difference between the Sky Junior Suite and other large suites on Icon of the Seas. These prices are for two guests on a 7-night sailing in February 2025:

• Sky Junior Suite: $9,235
• Grand Suite: $13,003
• Sunset Suite: $14,963
• Owner’s Suite: $24,523

Booking a Sky Junior Suite can save you $5000 or more while still receiving the same benefits as other Sky Class suites. Because of this, the Sky Junior Suite can be an attractive option for any Icon of the Seas cruise.

Average or Epic? Our thoughts on the new Sky Junior Suite

The Sky Junior Suite may cost more than a traditional Junior Suite–and significantly more than a standard balcony stateroom–but you’ll receive Sky Class benefits at a fraction of the cost of other Sky Class cabins.

There’s no concrete answer when it comes to deciding if a Royal Caribbean suite is worth the cost. Depending on your budget and vacation style, a suite could be a necessity or an out-of-the-question upgrade.

Related: Guide to Icon of the Seas cabins and suites

All things considered, the Sky Junior Suite is much more lucrative than a regular Junior Suite. Regular Junior Suites are more similar to standard cabin categories than a suite; if you’re looking for a ship-within-a-ship concept on Royal Caribbean, a regular Junior Suite might be a disappointment.

Therefore, if you’re already spending, say, $6800 on a Junior Suite and see a Sky Junior Suite for $3000 more, it’s not too big of a price difference to receive the added Sky Class benefits.

Access to the Suite Neighborhood, all-day Coastal Kitchen access, and Suite Lounge benefits will certainly add to the enjoyment of your cruise vacation, making a Sky Class Junior Suite an enticing cabin option.

More Royal Caribbean suite tips & tricks:

• 5 signs you’re ready to move up to a suite on a cruise ship
• 5 best cruise ship suites on Royal Caribbean
• A beginner’s guide to sailing in Star Class
• What is the most expensive suite on Royal Caribbean?
• Royal Caribbean suites guide & review

Short cruises are the perfect getaway, but how many days should you choose?

I recently did a back-to-back cruise on the Independence of the Seas. The first cruise was the four night sailing, the second was the three night voyage.

While not my first time doing a back-to-back sailing in order to extend a weekend sailing, I started thinking about the differences between these seemingly similar cruises.

I was curious if that one extra day made that much of a difference. It turns out, it was more than I expected.

Itinerary

A four night cruise will typically leave Monday afternoon and return early Friday morning, whereas a three night cruise will leave on Friday afternoon and come back Monday morning. This can be the biggest deciding factor as to which sailing to choose.

If you work Monday through Friday, it may be more beneficial to take a weekend sailing as the four day will take up almost an entire work week.

Both itineraries included Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay as ports of call.

The only difference being a day at sea on the four night sailing.

Price

You may be surprised to find out that four day cruises are less expensive than the weekend sailings a majority of the time.

While I don’t know the exact reason for this, I would speculate that it’s because it’s easier for people to sail on the weekends thus, it sells out more often. Simple supply and demand.

Day at Sea

The four day sailing has a day at sea built in and that really makes it feel more relaxing.

I’ve always felt very rushed on a three day cruise. Embarkation day is crazy on any ship. You have to check in, go through security at the port, do your safety briefing, get acclimated to the ship and figure out what activities you’d like to do. The next two days you’re in port and before you know it, your cruise is over.

The extra sea day is perfect to be able to enjoy the ship or just relax.

If you’re a fan of the casino, it will be open the entire day. Plus, there are offerings on that sea day that aren’t available on the weekend cruises.

Sea Day Brunch

On a three day sailing, the dining room is open every day for breakfast for approximately two and half hours. It serves your typical fare of eggs, pancakes, omelets etc.

However, the four day sailing has a sea day brunch that extends into the afternoon. You will find the same breakfast offerings as other days but also on the menu are lunch items including cheddar and potato soup, a charcuterie plate, the Royal burger and chicken and waffles.

Captain’s Corner

The Captain’s Corner is a question and answer session with the senior officers.

Ours featured the Captain, the Hotel Director and the Chief Engineer. The cruise director and his staff walk around the room with microphones and allow passengers to ask anything they’d like about the company, the ships or questions that are specific to the officer’s positions.

This is a favorite activity of mine that I never miss. I’m used to seeing it offered on seven day sailings. I don’t think I’ve even seen it on a shorter itinerary so this was a treat.

All Access Ship Tour

I love that the ships have started bringing back the all access tours. Each one is customized a little different however, parts of the ship you may see include the galley, the laundry facilities, crew corridors, the engine rooms and the navigation bridge.

There was a morning and afternoon tour listed on the four night sailing. It was not offered at all on the three night cruise.

You can check your cruise planner on Royal Caribbean’s website prior to your cruise to see if it’s available for your specific sailing. I would highly recommend booking it before you board.

Read more: Royal Caribbean brought back the behind-the-scenes tour: here's what it's like

Motion

If you are concerned with motion sickness on a sea day, then four night sailing is perfect for you.

Since there is an extra day built into the itinerary, the ship doesn’t have to travel as fast to get to the Bahamas. There were times I swear the ship was just slowly drifting to its next destination. I didn’t feel the ship move once.

Atmosphere

There was a completely different mood between the three and four night sailings. The three night cruises have a reputation of being a “party” vibe and that’s pretty accurate. If you’re looking for a more lively atmosphere, that’s the sailing for you.

The three night was filled with a younger crowd. There were birthday parties, bachelorette parties and even a wedding on that sailing.

In contrast, the four night sailing was more subdued. There was more of a mature crowd. In fact, I don’t think I saw more than a handful of children on board. It was definitely quieter and more relaxed.

Final Thoughts

As I mentioned earlier, we were on a back to back sailing. I was surprised to see Independence of the Seas offer the special lunch in the main dining room for repeat cruisers on turnaround day. I hadn’t experienced that since the return to service. It was at the same time as the Key guests lunch but we were in different parts of the dining room. I don’t know if the menu was the same.

So, is the three of four night sailing better? Really, any cruise is a great cruise so you can’t go wrong with your choice.

I would love to be able to do more of the four nights. That sea day really made a difference in the cruise feeling more relaxed and much longer than just one extra day.

More information

• Guide to Weekend Cruises
• Why taking a weekend cruise is a great escape
• Is it worth it to book a short 3-night cruise?
• Why you shouldn't book the cheapest cruise you can find
• How do I pick the perfect first cruise?