Royal Caribbean Blog

If you’re a loyal cruiser with Royal Caribbean, you know it’s pretty rare to find a Caribbean sailing that doesn’t stop at Labadee or CocoCay. Both of these ports are actually private islands owned by Royal Caribbean and are frequent stops for the cruise line when sailing the Caribbean.

To be honest, anytime I saw CocoCay as a port stop for a cruise, I’d scowl at the thought of wasting a port stop at Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. There were plenty of other islands that I’d rather spend my time and money visiting. 

Lackluster First Experience

Back in 2009, I cruised with my family onboard Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas on a weekend cruise to the Bahamas. One of our stops was CocoCay - and to say it was pretty lame is an understatement. 

After tendering to the island from the cruise ship, my family and I walked onshore to find an underdeveloped island surrounded by rocky shores. There were some lounge chairs scattered around the beach. We found a few places to shop while walking around the island.

Overall, It was pretty dull and lackluster. I was just 14 years old and my sister was 12 at the time. There wasn’t much to do on the island, so my parents bought us tickets to ride the waterslide. 

After a few less-than-thrilling rides on the blowup waterslide, we tendered back to the ship and opted for lunch at Johnny Rockets. The whole family agreed that the island was nothing special and we certainly wouldn’t go out of our way to return. 

Because of our underwhelming experience, we’d avoided any itineraries with stops at CocoCay. For years, we would look for cruise itineraries that didn't include CocoCay.

Second Chances

Fast Forward to February 2022, my family had a cruise planned onboard Harmony of the Seas with stops in St. Maarten, St. Thomas and - yup, you guessed it - CocoCay! 

After Royal Caribbean’s major renovations were finalized in 2019, it appeared that the private island received a well-deserved facelift. We were excited to give the renovated island another chance after our first visit more than 13 years earlier.

The bar was set pretty low based on our prior visit, but we had heard from many people that the island had been transformed into a great port stop. Seeing beautiful pictures and videos of Perfect Day at CocoCay made the island seem like a new Caribbean island oasis. 

First Impressions

As we sailed into port, we could easily spot the Up, Up and Away balloon soaring above the blue sea. The colorful flags from the port could be seen blowing in the wind. It was a beautiful, warm day for our last port stop. 

The island looked as bright and vibrant as the many pictures and videos I had seen online. We could already see from the ship that the island was way more developed than before. It almost felt like we were pulling up to a resort!

My mom is notorious for choosing to stay on the cruise ship when we dock in ports that she’s uninterested in. She said that CocoCay was so lame before that she might stay on the ship. Luckily, we convinced her to give the island a try, as she could easily head back to the ship if she wasn’t enjoying her day. 

As we walked along the pier under the colorful awnings, we were immediately impressed by the new CocoCay. The island was glistening with white sand along the ocean.  There was a shuttle running from the ship to bring guests to the amenities; however, we enjoyed walking along the ocean.

To start, it was a welcome change that we didn’t need to tender to the island this time. It saves so much time when you can just walk off the ship and get your day started!

Oasis Lagoon

With a little research, we decided our first stop would be Oasis Lagoon. Plenty of signage helped direct us towards the lagoon, which is actually the large freshwater pool in the Caribbean.

Even better, there was a swim-up bar in the Oasis Lagoon. My sister snagged a lounge chair that was partially submerged in the lagoon. There was great music pumping from the DJ across the lagoon. 

We were amazed at how large the lagoon was! There were tons of chairs and umbrellas surrounding the pool. The swim-up bar was our first stop after getting settled. The day called for pina coladas!

One of the perks of visiting Royal Caribbean’s private island is that you can continue to access your internet and beverage package! We were ready to indulge in our daily allowance of 5 Diamond + drinks. 

The Oasis Lagoon was so much fun, we ended up spending most of the day here. With great music and plenty of drinks, we were having a great time relaxing.

Even more fun - we had an unexpected Royal Caribbean Blog staff meeting! As fate would have it, Matt himself was cruising with his family onboard the Freedom of the Seas and docked right next to our ship. This was actually our first time meeting in person, so it was a fun coincidence.

Funnel Cake

After a few drinks at the pool, it was time to find something for lunch. We walked through the large buffet area on our way to the Oasis Lagoon, but we were looking to try something a little different. 

We’d heard Snack Shack was a great place to grab lunch, so we headed towards South Beach. Having so many options for food was another welcomed change. Everywhere we looked, there was either a bar, buffet or ice cream machine!

We ordered chicken sandwiches at the Snack Shack, along with mozzarella sticks and french fries. But, we were all the most excited about the funnel cakes! That crispy, powdery cakey goodness hit the spot on our last day of vacation.

Everything we ordered at the Snack Shack was delicious. The chicken sandwich with pesto mayo tasted like a Chick-fil-a sandwich.

An insider tip - don’t leave your food unattended! My dad sat down with his french fries and hot dog before getting up to snag some ketchup. About 15 birds swarmed the table and tried to steal as many fries as they could. 

Shops and South Beach

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While enjoying our lunch, we marveled at everything CocoCay had to offer. South Beach had so many activities for those looking to do more than have a cocktail at the beach. You can find activities like volleyball, basketball, snorkeling, paddle boarding and ping pong. 

We also enjoyed shopping around the many stalls that adorned touristy shirts, magnets and beach bags while polishing off our funnel cake with an ice cream cone. There were plenty of shops for those looking to support the local economy, as the stalls were all operated by locals. 

Final Thoughts

Perfect Day at CocoCay blew all of us away! The whole family truly enjoyed our day at CocoCay. Even my mom, who typically hates spending her day at the beach, said she loved the island and was very impressed. 

It was obvious that Royal Caribbean invested heavily in making its private island a destination that cruisers will want to visit. I can totally understand how people love to visit CocoCay repeatedly. 

The entire day was very laid back and relaxing. Everything at CocoCay is so easy, making it feel like a true day of vacation. There was no need to worry about transportation or logistics - you walk right off the ship and you’re right where you need to be! 

I loved being able to use my daily drinks at the island too. Oasis Lagoon was the perfect place for us to spend the day relaxing w drinking and dancing Next time, I’d love to visit the floating bar on South Beach. 

We saw so many families having a great time too, which is easy to do with all the waterslides, waterparks and activities. CocoCay is certainly a great spot for families with kids of all ages. 

I honestly wish I could transport my 14 year old self to the new CocoCay! That big blowup waterslide from the old CocoCay couldn’t even compete with all the new amenities offered.

If you haven’t visited the new Perfect Day at CocoCay, or you’re avoiding it like we were, think again! I promise you’ll be impressed by everything that Royal Caribbean has done to make the island an amazing destination. 

Royal Caribbean has released updated North American health protocols for cruises departing on or after March 18, 2022.

This includes updated shore excursion requirements for unvaccinated children and their families.

For departures on or after March 18, 2022: all guests, regardless of vaccination status, may visit most ports freely or book a shore excursion.

A few ports still require an excursion to go ashore, regardless of your vaccination status. 

Those ports are:

• Barbados
• Falmouth
• St. Lucia
• Dominica
• St. Vincent

According to the cruise line, all guests going ashore must still follow local health and safety guidance when visiting each port of call. Unvaccinated children should expect to wear their masks while ashore, avoid crowded areas, and maintain physical distance whenever possible.

Up until now, families with unvaccinated children had to take only Royal Caribbean shore excursions and were not allowed to take private tours.

The rest of the protocols for North American cruises remains unchanged.

North America Cruise Ship Protocols

Here are the Covid protocols for U.S. sailings (excluding Puerto Rico).

Vaccines

All guests 12 and older must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before sailing.

Children aged 5 to 11 are not required to be vaccinated.

Royal Caribbean recommends children that become eligible for vaccination receive their vaccine before sailing.

Children with one dose of a two-dose vaccine do not count as fully vaccinated for the purpose of a sailing.

Testing

Pre-Cruise: All guests 2 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result.

• Vaccinated guests: PCR or antigen test must be taken no more than 2 days prior to sailing.
• Unvaccinated children ages 2 to 11: PCR test must be taken no more than 3 days prior to sailing — but not on boarding day. Antigen tests are not accepted for unvaccinated guests.
• No testing required for guests under age 2.

Certificate of Recovery: Instead of a negative pre-cruise test, a Certificate of Recovery and a positive PCR test taken between 11-90 days prior to our sail date can be provided to sail with us. To learn more, check out our dedicated FAQ here. Please note: we will not accept a Certificate of Recovery in the place of a vaccination record. Additionally, some ports of call do not accept Certificates of Recovery for the purposes of debarking and enjoying the destination.  

Embarkation Day: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 will take a complimentary antigen test for COVID-19 during check-in. Registration details will be sent via email in advance.

Onboard: For sailings that are 5 nights or longer, unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 will take a complimentary antigen test prior to debark. Sailings longer than 10 nights may have additional onboard testing requirements. Registration details will be provided onboard.

Masks

Masks are optional for vaccinated guests and are expected for unvaccinated children.

Masks will be required in Adventure Ocean, in the terminal, and may be required at various destinations. Guests under 2 years old don’t need a mask.

Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas has started cruising, and while I've done my best to share what the new cruise ship is like, some questions remain.

While I have shared a lot of information about the cruise experience in live blogs and a look around the ship, there are still questions cruise haves have about going on Wonder of the Seas

I asked for which questions folks still have, and I'll do my best to answer as many as I can right here.

Does the Solarium have a pool?

Yes, there is a pool in the adults-only Solarium on Wonder of the Seas.

While the pool may look more like a pool on a Quantum Class ship, there is definitely a pool to wade in and enjoy to cool off.

How do you rank the new southern food restaurant compared to other specialty dining and should we expect to see it on other ships in the future?

The Mason Jar is a brand new concept for Royal Caribbean, and based on the first two weeks, it seems to be a big hit.

First and foremost, I appreciate variety. Having a completely new concept offers everyone more choices in where to dine, with little overlap in cuisine.

I'm certain Royal Caribbean is evaluating how well the concept is received and future ships certainly could have a Mason Jar onboard if demand keeps up at its current pace.

Do they have a Broadway show on Wonder of the Seas?

No, there is not a Broadway show on Wonder of the Seas and Royal Caribbean has made no indication one is coming.

However, an additional featured production show is coming to the new ship later this year.

Effectors 2 will be a follow-up to the hit show first seen on Spectrum and Odyssey of the Seas, which has the cruise line's own brand of super heroes singing and dancing their way around the stage to show off the power of music.

Thoughts with the noise from the pool movie at night being heard in Central Park?

One change Wonder of the Seas has compared to other Oasis Class ships is the addition of a movie screen on the pool deck, which can be seen and heard below in Central Park.

Some of the first cruisers reported the sound of the music and movies shown on the movie screen can be heard quite clearly in the neighborhood 7 decks below.

I haven't stayed in a Central Park balcony room on Wonder of the Seas, but I have walked through the Central Park neighborhood plenty of times to hear a song or part of a movie played on the big screen.

My initial reaction was on all Oasis Class ships, you can easily hear music from the pool deck down in Central Park, so this is not a new phenomenon.

If you're someone that goes to bed on a cruise ship before midnight, perhaps this might cause a noise bleed issue in your room. 

Personally, I'm not in my cabin enough at any time of the day for this to be a major impact.  But if you're sensitive to noise, or perhaps need to get to bed early on some nights, booking an ocean view cabin might be a better choice.

What's the difference with the suite neighborhood?

Royal Caribbean has revamped the suite neighborhood on Wonder of the Seas. In short, it's much larger than traditional suite sun decks and offers more to do there.

You'll find a full bar, pool, and comfortable seating. More importantly, there's abundant shade.

Biggest differences & positives or negatives compared to Harmony of the Seas?

When it comes to all Oasis Class ships, you'll notice the shows and dining varies the most among the Oasis Class ships.

I think the pool deck is noticeably different on Wonder, and I love the new seating options there and general look.

Harmony has more shows onboard, including a Broadway show. That's not a knock against Wonder's shows. Rather, it's just simple math that Harmony has more shows.

What exactly is the Playscape?

It's a mix of a few different family-friendly activities in one.

You'll find mini golf, slides, and things to climb and bounce on. It seems to be a better fit for younger kids than older kids, but children make their own fun.

Is there an escape room on Wonder of the Seas?

Not yet.

There is a sign for it outside of Adventure Ocean on deck 14.  From what I'm hearing, they're working on building it out.

No word when it might open.

Australia will finally end its ban on cruise ships from operating in its waters due to Covid-19.

The Australian government announced it will not renew its ban on international cruise ships arriving and departing from Australian ports as of April 17, 2022.

Similar to the United States last year, Australia had a ban in place since early 2020 that prohibited foreign-flagged cruise ships from operating.

Based on medical advice, the government came to the conclusion it was time for the ban to end.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the decision allow the ban to lapse is based on medical advice and it is now up to states to reopen ports.

"On the basis of medical advice and with the agreement of National Cabinet, lifting the cruise ban is consistent with the reopening of Australia's international border and shows that we have successfully navigated Australia's emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic," Mr Hunt said.

Cruise ships sailing from Australia will have to adhere to a series of requirements:

• Enhanced pre-arrival reporting and identification of COVID-19 risk through more questions of passengers and improved processes.
• Amendments to the Biosecurity (Negative pratique) Instrument 2016 to ensure cruise vessels always arrive in negative pratique (that is, permission to unload passengers and cargo).
• Stress testing of the emergency response system in relation to cruises.
• Engaging with the cruise industry on safe resumption.
• Passengers will be required to be double vaccinated.

According to the cruise industry, Australia's cruise ship ban cost the economy $10 billion.

Ships returning

Royal Caribbean told local media in Australia that its ships won't return to Sydney until October 21st, with the first due in Brisbane on November 9th.

Royal Caribbean’s Quantum and Ovation of the Seas are committed to an Alaska season until September.

"We are delighted that after two years, we have an approved pathway to work with state governments to determine the roadmap for a safe return," a spokeswoman said.

Other cruise lines will return to Australia, with some making it back as early as May.

Carnival Cruise Line will begin cruising from Sydney on October 5th.

P&O Cruises will restart on May 31st with the Pacific Explorer.

Holland American Line's Noordam will sail from Sydney beginning on November 12.

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth will arrive on November 7 in Perth.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lowered its warning level to just a level 2 risk.

After reaching a level 4 warning earlier this year, the CDC has lowered its warning level now two times.

The level 2 warning means it there is a "moderate" risk of Covid-19, which is based on statistics that show the agency has seen 50 to 99 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.

This means essentially that there has been a marked decrease in Covid-19 cases on cruise ships operating in the United States.

At a level 2 warning, the CDC simply advises everyone to make sure you are up to date with Covid-19 vaccines. Those that are not and are at increased risk for severe illness from Covid, should avoid cruise ship travel.

The four warning levels are as follows: 

• Level 4: Very high level of COVID-19
• Level 3: High level of COVID-19
• Level 2: Moderate level of COVID-19
• Level 1: Low level of COVID-19

Prior to this change, cruise ships were at level 3. The CDC lowered the warning from level 4 to level 3 on February 15, 2022.

In order for cruise ships to get to level 1, they must have fewer than 50 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past 28 days.

The good news comes nearly two years to the day when Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines voluntary shutdown in March 2020 due to Covid-19.

Ready to move forward

Plummeting Covid cases on cruise ships is not news to the cruise lines, who are eager to move past the restart phase and back into normal operations.

Royal Caribbean’s senior vice president of hotel operations, Mark Tamis, talked about the prospects of moving past Covid last week while on Wonder of the Seas, "We are back and it’s the greatest vacation and safest there is."

"We’re not saying the return to cruising anymore, because we’re officially back."

"We’re back to bold."

A big part of cruising's success has been its reliance on proven health protocols throughout the pandemic.

Royal Caribbean requires guests aged 12 and older to be fully vaccinated and are asked to provide a negative test result taken no more than two days prior to boarding (or 3 if they are unvaccinated).

Unvaccinated children 11 and younger are required to test prior to sailing and are required to book an antigen testing appointment onboard the ship prior to departing. Unvaccinated children are only allowed to take approved Royal Caribbean shore excursions.

Crew are fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible, and Royal Caribbean states that they are regularly tested. 

The Mason Jar is Royal Caribbean’s newest specialty restaurant, found only on Wonder of the Seas.

The Mason Jar highlights southern cuisine, but does not focus on just one region of the south. Instead, the menu features dishes from throughout the American south, each with their own special touch.

When I first heard Royal Caribbean was opening a southern restaurant on Wonder of the Seas, I wasn’t sure what to expect. A southern style restaurant on a cruise ship? I was skeptical of how Royal Caribbean would pull off the diverse cuisine and flavors of the south.

So when I boarded Wonder of the Seas for the inaugural sailing last week, I immediately made reservations at The Mason Jar. During my cruise, I tried out the restaurant for both brunch and dinner to see what The Mason Jar has to offer.

Location and initial impressions

Stepping into The Mason Jar is like entering a no-frills country kitchen in the American south. The farmhouse decor of the restaurant, which features country-inspired art, checkerboard napkins, and pillows, gives a very homey feel to space.

The location of The Mason Jar is fantastic, as it is located on Deck 15 with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean. Many specialty restaurants on Wonder of the Seas are located within Central Park or in other areas of the ship with limited ocean views, so I especially loved where The Mason Jar was built.

Something Royal Caribbean has been doing lately with its new specialty restaurants is incorporating a restaurant and bar combo. This happened most recently on Odyssey of the Seas with Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, where guests can choose to dine on the restaurant side or enjoy drinks and small bites at the wine bar.

The same concept was added to Wonder of the Seas with The Mason Jar. The Mason Jar Bar is located adjacent to The Mason Jar restaurant. Unlike the restaurant, reservations are not needed to enter the bar and it is open throughout the day.

The bar side of The Mason Jar is designed like a sprawling southern porch, with padded rocking chairs and a large porch swing. A live country band performs at the bar most evenings (and some afternoons) of the cruise.

The Mason Jar brunch review

The Mason Jar is open for brunch on sea days only, from 10am to 2pm, and the menu serves both savory and sweet dishes.

The menu is broken into three sections: Eggs N’ More, Somethin’ Sweet, and Handhelds.

Eggs N' More

• Meemaw’s Fried Chicken N’ Waffles
• Smoky Deviled Eggs
• Spinach N’ Pimento Cheese Omelet
• Salmon-Avocado Toast
• Southern Breakfast
• Breakfast Biscuits
• Blueberry Johnny Cakes
• Charred Watermelon Salad

Somethin’ Sweet

• Peanut Buttery Banana Overnight Oats
• Sweet-Tooth Cinnamon Roll
• Stuffed French Toast
• Red Velvet Pancakes

Handhelds

• Classic Po’boy
• The Southern Burger
• Crispy Chicken Sandwich

As this is the first restaurant serving a brunch menu in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, I had high expectations when entering The Mason Jar.

Brunch at The Mason Jar begins with two appetizers: Pimento Cheese and Saltines and Jalapeño Cornbread. Both are served with cajun butter or whipped honey butter. The cornbread is a personal favorite of mine, offering a perfect mix of sweet and savory bites.

For my main course, I ordered a stack of Red Velvet Pancakes, which came topped with a sweet cream cheese glaze. The red velvet flavor came out beautifully with every bite, each having the perfect amount of cream cheese icing.

I would say the pancakes had more of a cake texture than that of a fluffy pancake. In fact, they tasted like a mix between a slice of red velvet cake and pancakes. I did not mind this and thoroughly enjoyed the pancakes, but if someone is looking for a buttery, fluffy pancake this may not be the best choice.

Other members of my party ordered the Sweet-Tooth Cinnamon Roll and Meemaw’s Fried Chicken N’ Waffles. 

The cinnamon roll was perhaps the most picture-perfect cinnamon roll I’ve ever seen. It was quite large, but I probably would not order just a cinnamon roll for brunch. Instead, I think it’s a good idea to order one cinnamon roll as an appetizer (or dessert!) to share with the table. 

The Chicken N’ Waffles is one of the most popular items at The Mason Jar. A golden waffle topped with fried chicken and sweet maple syrup, it offers an ideal mix between sweet and savory flavors.

Brunch at The Mason Jar exceeded my expectations. Both the classic and reimaged southern-inspired breakfast dishes are packed with flavor, and by having a wide range of items on the menu, all guests will be able to find something new to try.

The Mason Jar dinner review

Dinner is the main meal at The Mason Jar and is open every evening. The dinner menu is broken into three sections: Lil’ Plates, Hearty Plates, and Meat n’ Two Fixin’s.

Lil’ Plates

• Pimento Cheese
• Lobster N’ Crawfish Gumbo
• Smoky Deviled Eggs
• Fried Green Tomatoes
• Blueberry Johnny Cakes
• Crab Beignets
• Caesar Salad
• Charred Watermelon Salad

Hearty Plates

• Shrimp N’ Grits
• Blackened Cajun Catfish
• Chicken Pot Pie (vegetarian option available)
• Classic Po’boy
• Crispy Chicken Sandwich
• The Southern Burger

Meat n’ Two Fixin’s (guests choose one meat and two sides)

• St. Louis-Style Ribs
• Beef Brisket
• Meemaw’s Fried Chicken

The sides at The Mason Jar are coleslaw, sweet potato fries, cajun fries, mashed potatoes, mac n’ cheese, and collard greens.

Each dinner at The Mason Jar starts with a plate of jalapeño cornbread and buttermilk biscuits. Served with cajun and whipped honey butter, I found these so delicious I could have eaten the entire plate!

For appetizers, my table shared Pimento Cheese, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Crab Beignets. Some appetizers at The Mason Jar can be eaten individually, but many are made for sharing. 

The beignets, dusted with Old Bay and served with creamy crab dip, were a highlight of the meal, offering a perfectly fluffy and airy texture.

For my main course, I ordered the pot pie. I ordered the vegetarian option, which was stuffed with a creamy filling of potatoes, carrots, and peas topped with a buttery crust. Pot pie is a classic comfort food not available elsewhere on a Royal Caribbean ship, and I enjoyed the hearty flavor, with the flaky crust being especially tasty.

Other members of the table ordered the Blackened Cajun Catfish.

The sides at The Mason Jar may have been my favorite part of the meal, though, particularly the Cajun Fries. These come served in a shareable bag and are coated with a generous dusting of cajun seasoning. Just like the cornbread and biscuits earlier in the meal, I probably could have eaten the entire bag of fries myself!

Meals at The Mason Jar are definitely on the heavier side, so this is not the place to go if you are hoping to have a healthy meal. That being said, I had a fantastic dinner at The Mason Jar and felt it offered one of the more unique dinner menus on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Desserts at The Mason Jar

Like all Royal Caribbean specialty restaurants, The Mason Jar has its own signature dessert menu. The Mason Jar’s dessert menu does a great job incorporating southern-inspired flavors.

The following desserts are available at The Mason Jar:

• Cherry Pie
• Warm Bread Puddin’
• Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Twice-Fried Oreos
• Gone Bananas

Ice cream is also on the dessert menu, with flavors including georgia peach, maple-candied bacon, and bourbon butter pecan.

As someone with a huge sweet tooth, I was eager to try dessert at The Mason Jar. Friends of mine recommended I order the Warm Bread Puddin’. Made from croissants and raisin bread soaked in vanilla-bourbon custard, it is served with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Bread pudding isn’t something I would normally order, but I am glad it was recommended to me because it was one of the best desserts I had all week on Wonder of the Seas!

Others at the table ordered Gone Bananas, a layered pudding dessert with roasted bananas, vanilla pudding, and graham cracker crumble. While they thought the flavor was great, they mentioned the ratio of pudding to bananas and graham crackers seemed a bit off. They much preferred the bread pudding.

Matt from Royal Caribbean Blog loved the Twice-Fried Oreos, which are coated in funnel cake batter, fried, and dusted with powdered sugar. If that isn’t sweet enough, they are served with a side of chocolate sauce for dipping.

The Mason Jar Bar review

The drink menu at The Mason Jar Bar has a focus on bourbon and fresh flavors. The drinks are all quite unique, most of which incorporate liquors and ingredients not as common at other bars onboard Wonder of the Seas.

The following signature drinks are available at The Mason Jar Bar:

• Mississippi Moonlight, made with blackberry moonshine, fresh blackberries, and lemonade
• Southern Belle, made with bourbon, fresh mint, lemon juice, blueberries, and club soda
• Mint Julep, made with bourbon, homemade mint simple syrup, fresh mint, and dusted with powdered sugar
• The Stubborn Mule, made with bourbon, lime juice, and ginger beer
• PB&J Old Fashioned, made with Skrewball peanut butter whiskey and bourbon, strawberry jelly and walnut bitters, and garnished with a mini PB&J
• Far From Manhattan, made with brown sugar bourbon and angostura bitters topped with a slice of candied bacon
• No Joke, Smoke & Coke, a smoked drink made with bourbon on the rocks and Coke
• Pretty as a Peach Tea, made with bourbon, fresh brewed sweet tea, and ripe Georgia peaches

I tasted the PB&J Old Fashioned, which is one of the most popular drinks at The Mason Jar. It was a little strong for me as I’m not much of a whiskey/bourbon drinker, but everyone else I met could not stop raving about it!

I also tried The Stubborn Mule, made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, lime juice, and ginger beer. It was a bit sweeter than the old fashioned, so I much preferred the mule.

Some of the most unique drinks at The Mason Jar are the dessert milkshakes and floats. Both non-alcoholic and alcoholic options are available. The floats combine vanilla ice cream with a choice of soda or chocolate milk stout. Non-alcoholic milkshakes are available in chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry.

The signature milkshake is the All Shook-Up. Made with Skrewball peanut butter whiskey and Blue Chair banana cream rum, the shake is topped with whipped cream, brown sugar, and caramelized bananas. It’s certainly a unique drink and one that guests with a sweet tooth must try while at The Mason Jar Bar.

The bar also features a late night menu, where guests can order food from The Mason Jar kitchen starting at 9pm. A select number of appetizers, entrees, and desserts are available, which come priced a la carte. The late night menu is included in Royal Caribbean’s dining package.

Should you try The Mason Jar for brunch or dinner?

The short answer is… you should try both! While some menu offerings are the same at brunch and dinner, the majority of the menu is different. To try all that there is to eat at The Mason Jar, I recommend dining there during both brunch and dinner.

If you have to select only one, though, my recommendation is to dine at The Mason Jar restaurant for brunch, but order items from the late night menu at the bar later in the cruise. Because the late night menu features many of the same dishes you will find on the dinner menu, you will have the chance to try both brunch and dinner selections at The Mason Jar.

You should also make sure to visit The Mason Jar in the evening when the band is playing at the bar. The Mason Jar offers a more intimate atmosphere than listening to music in a more crowded area onboard, such as the Royal Promenade. Plus, you'll have time to try all of the venue's new drinks!

How much does The Mason Jar cost?

The Mason Jar is a cover charge restaurant, meaning you pay one price and can taste as much as you want. The late night menu has dishes ranging from $3 to $9.

Brunch comes with a cover charge of $24.99 and dinner $39.99. Kids aged 6 to 12 can dine at The Mason Jar for $10.99, and kids under 6 for free.

I had a wonderful dining experience at The Mason Jar overall, and it is definitely a must-do on your next cruise on Wonder of the Seas.

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Have you ever thought of holding and petting a sloth, monkey, or iguana? 

Many families look for animal encounter opportunities while in a port call, and we decided to try out one of these tours while on a visit to Roatan on Wonder of the Seas.

We booked Royal Caribbean's Easy Monkey, Sloth & Iguana tour while onboard the ship so my kids could check off this item from their must-dos. I was a little more hesitant about being that close to some of these animals, but I decided to try it out for my kids.

Description

The tour begins at the pier after disembarking our ship in Roatan. A group of 17 people in total boarded a bus and we went on our way.

A guide narrates the tour, along with the driver onboard.

There are three stops along the way:

• Sloth, monkey & parrots
• Iguanas
• Market

The trip to the the first stop is perhaps 10 minutes, and you walk outdoors to a series of enclosures.

The first enclosure are guinea pigs, followed by sloths, then parrots, and finally monkeys.

In each enclosure, you walk inside and a guide hands the animal to you, with the exception of the monkeys.  The monkeys do their own thing and will jump on or off you as they scatter around.

The sloths and monkeys are by far the most popular part of this tour, and you have enough time for everyone to hold the sloth, guinea pig, or parrot and then take photos and take it all in.

On our tour, there was no set time limit or anything. In fact, I found the guides to be quite laissez faire about how long anyone holds each animal.

The sloths are the most docile of the animals to interact with, so even animal-phobes, such as myself, can tolerate it.

The parrots might nip once or twice to see if you have food, but my kids enjoyed the birds on their arms and heads.

With the monkeys, you don't really hold any unless they want to be held. On our visit it rained, and evidently that sends the monkeys into a bit more of a frenzy than normal.

The next stop is a short bus ride down the road to the iguana sanctuary.

Here, you will find dozens of iguanas mulling about. You are given large leaves to feed them. The key is to hold onto the leaf while you feed them, but drop it once they get to the stem.

Rain usually sends iguanas running for cover, but there were enough that didn't mind the shower if it meant getting fed.

There's also a tarpon area to feed fish a short walk away.

The final stop is the Maccaw Market, which has drinks, souvenirs, food, and even a chocolatier.

It's a nice looking market area to pick up a souvenir or something to eat.

The entire tour was just around 3 hours from start to finish, although the shore excursion said it would be 4 hours. I think the discrepancy is because the tour assumes longer waits for each stop. On our day in Roatan, we were the only cruise ship in port.

Comments

Overall, this shore excursion delivered exactly what we wanted: time to hold, be with, and see sloths, monkeys, and iguanas.

Our guide was knowledgeable and talked just about every minute of the tour.

I appreciated that the group size was small enough that we did not have too much time standing around waiting for others. Whether or not this would have still been the case if there were 2 or 3 other ships in port with us, remains to be seen.

If you're looking for an easy tour to meet these cute animals, then this excursion is exactly what you want.

The cost for each person was $59.99.

Happy weekend! We hope you remembered to Spring Forward! Here’s all the Royal Caribbean news this week!

The big news this week is all about the biggest cruise ship in the world.

Wonder of the Seas set sail on her maiden voyage from Port Everglades, and that gave all of us our first peek at what this new ship is all about.

Wonder of the Seas has eight neighborhoods, has capacity for 6,988 guests and 2,300 crew members, and features the "tallest slide at sea," as well as a 10-deck-high zip line and a huge poolside movie screen.

We sailed on Wonder of the Seas to share with you a look at what it's like onboard.

Short cruises on Oasis Class cruise ship will be offered for the first time

Royal Caribbean will soon offer 3- and 4-night cruises on an Oasis Class cruise ship for the first time ever.

Allure of the Seas will begin offering short sailings in late 2023 instead of 7-night cruises.

Traditionally, Oasis Class ships sail 7-night cruises.  These are the biggest cruise ships in the world, and by offering so much to see and do onboard, Royal Caribbean always sailed them on the longer sailings.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 445th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, that previews the major projects coming up for Royal Caribbean.

When will we be able to book Icon Class? How soon can we visit the Royal Beach Club in Nassau? Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider answers these and other burning questions cruisers want to know.

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: Wonder of the Seas ship tour

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 — Wonder of the Seas ship tour — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Interesting facts you might not know about Wonder of the Seas

In-between all the buzz about the largest cruise ship in the world, there are a few changes and tweaks Royal Caribbean has made.

While these may not be the "I can't believe they did that" type of changes, I thought these were interesting enough to share for someone that goes on Wonder of the Seas soon to know about.

Certificate of Covid recovery option now available for pre-cruise test

As a backup in case someone continues to test positive well after symptoms subside and isolation protocols are followed, Royal Caribbean will accept a certificate of Covid-19 recovery.

Guests sailing out of these ports will now have the option to submit a Certificate of Recovery if they have had Covid-19 at least 11 days before sailing, however, some restrictions do apply.

If you have a cruise booked on Wonder of the Seas, there are a few hidden secrets to know about before you set sail.

As the world’s biggest cruise ship and fifth Oasis Class ship, Wonder of the Seas provides an extensive variety of choices for dining, entertainment, and relaxation. Exploring the entire ship can seem overwhelming, and it’s easy to overlook unique features, dining options, and areas to hang out onboard.

After walking up, down, and around the ship for the past few days, I’m sharing the top 10 hidden secrets to know about before your cruise on Wonder of the Seas.

Astronauts onboard

Wonder of the Seas, like all Royal Caribbean ships, has an elaborate and diverse art collection. From a gigantic purple dragon spanning ten decks in the ship’s atrium to art pieces in every stairwell onboard, there is no shortage of inspiring art to discover.

One of the most unique art features is a set of three astronauts scattered throughout the ship. One can be found in Central Park peering through glass into the Royal Promenade below. Another is found at the Boardwalk, hanging on the rock climbing wall. The third astronaut is located at the movie screen seating area on the pool deck.

Finding the astronauts can be a fun way to explore the ship for guests of all ages, and they make for a great photo opportunity as well.

Late night bites at The Mason Jar

If you’re looking to try Royal Caribbean’s newest specialty restaurant, you can taste select menu items on a late night menu.

Late night menu prices range from $3 to $9 and include crab beignets, fried green tomatoes, and the crispy chicken sandwich. The menu is available every day starting at 9pm.

This can be a great option for those wanting to try just a few items from The Mason Jar, or for those who are unable to dine at the restaurant for brunch or dinner. As The Mason Jar is in high demand as the newest restaurant in the fleet, reservations can fill up quickly.

Late night bites at The Mason Jar are included in Royal Caribbean’s dining packages.

Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen menu items at Giovanni’s Wine Bar

Similar to at The Mason Jar, you can order menu items from Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen at the wine bar next door. The kitchen is open from 12pm to 10 or 11pm each day.

Menu items include four types of pizzas as well as appetizers like fried lasagna, calamari, and Italian stromboli. Two popular desserts, Go Bananas and Mamma’s Tiramisu, are also available.

Unlike at The Mason Jar, ordering food at the wine bar is not included in the dining package, and menu prices range from $3 to $12.

Virtual Balcony in the Diamond Lounge

The Diamond Lounge on Wonder of the Seas is located within the Entertainment Place neighborhood on Deck 4. Because the space does not have any windows, Royal Caribbean added two virtual balconies. This helps give those in the lounge an idea of what the weather is like outside without having to leave the lounge, and it also provides a nice view.

USB plugs in bars

Select bars and lounges onboard have USB charging plugs and hooks for bags or purses, including Playmakers, Schooner Bar, The Mason Jar, and Giovanni’s Wine Bar.

Having USB plugs available in common spaces onboard is great for those needing to charge devices or use a laptop. In addition, the hooks are helpful for guests wanting a secure place to put their purse or jacket while at a bar.

Quiet seating on Deck 17

On other Oasis Class ships, the outdoor deck space on Deck 17 was reserved for the Suite Deck. Because Wonder of the Seas has a separate suite neighborhood, though, this space is now open to all guests.

Comfy loungers and pool chairs are available here, and the area tends to be much less crowded than other areas on the pool deck. While this area is prone to high winds, it’s a nice spot to relax while enjoying the sun and ocean views.

To access this area, walk all the way forward on Deck 16 (the upper pool deck) and go up the stairs.

Seating and game area on the running track

Located on each side of the running track is an outdoor seating and game space with excellent ocean views.

One side of the ship has a few tables and chairs, shuffleboard, and a ping pong table. The other just has seating areas. Not many guests know about this area, so there are rarely many people here, and it’s a tranquil spot to enjoy ocean views without the crowds.

To access these areas, head to the running track on deck 5 and walk forward. Depending on the side of the ship, the seating area will be on the right or left side.

Solarium bridge wings

In the Wonder of the Seas’ Solarium are two bridge wings that extend over the edge of the ship. These can be a nice spot to watch sailaway or catch a sunset while at sea.

Unlike other outdoor deck spaces onboard, the Solarium bridge wings usually do not get very crowded. To access the bridge wings, head to the very front of the Solarium.

Less crowded seating at the Windjammer

Unlike on other Oasis Class ships where the Windjammer is quite small, the Windjammer on Wonder of the Seas is the biggest in the fleet. It wraps around the Boardwalk neighborhood on Deck 15, offering views of the ocean and Boardwalk below.

There are main seating areas at the Windjammer on each side, which can get crowded during peak dining times.

If you walk all the way to the back of the Windjammer, though, you will find a smaller seating area that tends to be much less crowded.

There is also a separate entrance to the Windjammer that can be accessed near the lower area of the Wonder Playscape on Deck 15.

Private teen deck

Teenagers aged 13-17 onboard have access to Social 100, an outdoor deck exclusively for teens. Located on Deck 17 next to the waterslides, Social 100 features a private hot tub, non-alcoholic bar, selfie area, games, and comfy seating.

This is a fantastic spot for teenagers to hang out and relax with new friends while at sea. 

In addition to the outdoor deck, teens also have access to the indoor Social 100 area located on Deck 16. The indoor space features a gaming area, comfy seating, vending machine, books, and foosball tables.

Today is the last day of our cruise, and there was no better place to celebrate the end of Wonder of the Seas’ inaugural sailing than at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

In an attempt to avoid the crowds at the Windjammer before everyone disembarked the ship, I headed to Solarium Bistro for breakfast. Whereas the Windjammer would be packed with guests eager to quickly eat and get off the ship, Solarium Bistro was much more relaxing.

Today’s experience at Perfect Day at CocoCay was going to be quite different than normal. Whereas I usually spend the day at Chill Beach or Oasis Lagoon, today I booked the Swimming Pigs Tour excursion.

Outside of the Coco Beach Club and Thrill Waterpark, I had never done an excursion at CocoCay before. I was curious to experience what extra activities are offered to guests, and the Swimming Pigs tour seemed the most unique.

The excursion met at the far end of Chill Beach next to the jet ski area. Here, we boarded a small boat and sailed to Treasure Island, a small private island located just a few miles from CocoCay.

We arrived at the island to pigs and piglets swimming in the ocean, running around the sand, and, of course, eating.

Animal tourism can be a highly debated topic, so I chatted with one of the directors on the island to learn more about the pigs and organization.

There are around thirty pigs total on Treasure Island. The brown and black spotted pigs are native to the Bahamas and were brought from Cistern Key, a small island located right next to Treasure Island. Other pigs on the island were brought to Treasure Island from further away during the tourism reopening.

The pigs have access to an acre and a half enclosed pig area, and they are free to do what they want on the island. If a pig does not want to come to the beach when visitors are on the island, that’s fine.

Each pig is fed veterinary grade cornmeal in the morning and night, and there are five freshwater drinking areas for the pigs on the island.

Upon arrival to Treasure Island, we were given a brief lesson on how to interact with pigs to ensure safety of all guests and animals. Following that, we made our way to the beach, where we were able to get in the water and swim with pigs.

Usually visitors are not permitted to use their cameras or phones on the beach with the pigs, but the photographer was not present today so everyone was permitted to take their own photos. 

Time on the beach with pigs lasted about 45 minutes, and guests were also able to interact with pigs that walked to the Observation Deck above the beach.

The cost of the Swimming Pigs Tour was around $100. It was certainly an interesting excursion, although I’m not sure it is entirely worth the cost. There are so many exciting activities to do at Perfect Day at CocoCay that booking an excursion is not totally necessary.  Plus, $100 can get you full access to Thrill Waterpark or perhaps even the Coco Beach Club, which lasts all day as opposed to just two hours.

That being said, this can be a nice excursion choice for animal lovers or those who have been to CocoCay several times.

Upon arrival back to Perfect Day at CocoCay, I headed to the swim-up bar at Oasis Lagoon. Wonder of the Seas was docked next to Freedom of the Seas today, where there are apparently nearly a thousand college students onboard for spring break. Because of this, Oasis Lagoon turned into a massive party.

I spent around an hour at Oasis Lagoon, but it got far too loud for me so I decided to walk to the beach instead. I spent some time at the far end of South Beach, where there were fewer crowds and quieter music. The weather today was fantastic, with plenty of sun and a nice breeze.

Lastly, I attended a happy hour at the Coco Beach Club for media guests on Wonder of the Seas. I hadn’t been to the Coco Beach Club in a while, so it was nice to enjoy the facilities and views.

Back onboard, I caught a few glimpses of Royal Caribbean’s construction on Hideaway Beach, the adults-only beach coming to Perfect Day at CocoCay in fall 2023.

We said goodbye to Freedom of the Seas and CocoCay as Wonder of the Seas began the journey home to Ft. Lauderdale.

For dinner tonight we went back to Izumi sushi. The menu at Izumi features not only sushi dishes, but also a variety of bowls and noodles. At our table, we enjoyed plenty of sushi as well as chicken teriyaki and yaki udon.

The evening ended with country music at The Mason Jar followed by acoustic guitar at the pub. It will be sad to say goodbye to Wonder of the Seas tomorrow, but I am already looking forward to my cruise next month on Oasis of the Seas!

Have you seen our full ship tour of Wonder of the Seas? Check it out on the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel:

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Stray observations

The DJ music is extremely loud at Oasis Lagoon, and while it is great while at the pool, I wish it was quieter elsewhere on the island! I wanted to escape the noise while relaxing on the beach, but it was difficult to find an area that did not have loud music coming from Oasis Lagoon or a speaker. 

Today was my first time at CocoCay with bigger crowds than what I had experienced during the cruise restart. I was used to having most chairs empty on the island, but it took me a while to find an empty chair at Oasis Lagoon! I ended up having to put my towel down on the ground while I swam. It’s a good idea to get on the island early to ensure chair space at the pool. This was not a problem at the various beaches I went to today.