Royal Caribbean Blog

There are a number of different types of cabins on a modern Royal Caribbean cruise ship. Something to suit every budget and preference.  

Balcony rooms are the most prevalent cabin type, but for those who don’t think they need a balcony as they just won’t spend time on it, an oceanview (outside view) stateroom provides some natural light and views, at a more affordable price.

There is no right or wrong answer as to which is best, and the pros and cons vary by ship and sailing.

Here are some factors to consider when selecting an oceanview versus a balcony cabin.

Price

Price is an important consideration for planning any vacation and travelers want to get the most they can within their budget.

Oceanview and balcony rooms vary in price, but generally, a standard oceanview room is less expensive than one with a balcony. The cost gap varies from ship to ship and sailing to sailing.  For some itineraries it is as small as $50 per person, for others, it can be $500 per person.

For a family of 4 that can add up to a lot of money that can be used for other activities like shore excursions, specialty dining, or drink packages.

Read more: Interior vs Balcony staterooms on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Advantage: Oceanview staterooms

Room Size

All cabins are not created equal.  Balcony staterooms are slightly larger than those with an oceanview but again differ between ships, so it is important to know what you are getting. It is always a good idea to have a look at the ship’s deck plans to review room features and location prior to booking.

As an example, on the Symphony of the Seas, currently the largest ship sailing in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, most oceanview rooms are 179 square feet whereas a standard balcony cabin is 182 square feet, plus  50 square feet of balcony space. Not a lot of difference in the actual room size.

By contrast, on the Adventure of the Seas, part of the Voyager class, a standard oceanview is 161 square feet and a balcony room is 198 square feet plus 46 square feet of balcony space. A bit more of a difference in size.

While it sounds like a balcony room is a runaway win, there are the family oceanview cabins to consider.

On many Royal Caribbean ships there are family oceanview rooms, which are usually located at the very front or very rear of the ship and offer a ton of living space, meant to be shared by families of 4 or more guests. 

These family rooms have only portholes, but can include an extra bathroom and separate sleeping area for the kids.

These family oceanview rooms are a great alternative to a suite, or even two connecting rooms, provided you can snag one before they get booked up.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Perks of a balcony

A standard balcony room will typically have 2 chairs and a table. There are partitions that separate guests from their neighbors, and some can have obstructed views by a portion of a lifeboat, equipment, or part of the ship.

Some guests see great value in having a balcony. With Royal Caribbean offering free continental breakfast room service, cruisers can savor a more relaxing start to their morning on their balcony or enjoy the fresh sea air breezes flowing through the cabin.

Read more: Balcony room on a Royal Caribbean cruise: Is it worth the price?

The itinerary is also a consideration. How much time you will relax on your balcony may vary depending upon whether you are sailing in the Caribbean or traveling north on a voyage to Alaska where even in summer the temperature may only reach the low 60s.  Some trips like the Mediterranean cruise may only have 1 sea day, providing much less time to use a balcony.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Room Availability

Oceanview cabins just aren’t as plentiful as those with a balcony on most cruise ships.

On the Symphony of the Seas, only 6% of cabins are oceanview, whereas 65%  have balconies (not including suites). Adventure of the Seas has more, with oceanviews making up 14% of total rooms. A little more choice makes them a little easier to get.

There are also a few larger oceanview rooms, such as the Ultra Spacious Ocean View, which has 328 square feet and sleeps 6, a great option for a larger family not wanting to get two cabins There are also a number of accessible oceanview rooms.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Location

Balcony rooms are located throughout the ship. Some people have strong preferences about location, preferring midship or lower level decks, especially for those who suffer from sea sickness.

Oceanview rooms don’t necessarily have the same selection, on the Symphony of the Seas, most are concentrated in the bow (front) of the ship, especially on lower decks. The new Odyssey of the Seas, has oceanview cabins on various decks, providing more options for location.

Given the limited number of oceanview cabins on cruises, you are more likely to get the desired location with a balcony.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Cruise Length

The duration of your cruise can be a major factor in deciding which stateroom category makes more sense.

The difference in prices between oceanview and balcony can be more significant on longer cruises. If you want to splurge for a balcony, a shorter cruise with savings of less than $50 per person, might be the time to try it and assess the value for yourself.

For a longer cruise of 7 nights or more, guests will have more time to spend on their balcony, however, the cost differential will be higher.  Look out for deals on repositioning cruises, with great deals on all rooms, including balconies, because they are harder sailings to fill.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Verdict

Whether it is worth it for you and your traveling party to pay more for a balcony stateroom depends upon your preferences, budget, and how much time you will be spending in your room and use your balcony.

If you like having extra space with views, balcony staterooms score points. And if you don’t get to travel very often and want to experience a little extra and treat yourself, it can be a good way to go. Sitting on a balcony, with peaceful ocean views can be a great opportunity to de-stress and recharge on vacation.

For those who want to maximize their budget (and maybe travel more) the savings from an oceanview room can be put to use elsewhere. There are plenty of public places onboard to relax and enjoy the sea air. And if you have a busy, port intensive itinerary, a lack of balcony may not be missed.

The Royal Caribbean app is an integral part of a cruise experience. Most passengers onboard will find themselves using the app multiple times a day to reserve shows, see what dining venues are open, check their account balance, and much more.

The Royal Caribbean app is free to download and is available on both Android and iOS devices. To download the app, simply head to the App Store or Google Play store. Once you have the app downloaded and opened, you will be prompted to sign in with your Royal Caribbean account. You do not have to have an internet package to use the Royal Caribbean app.

Knowing the ins and outs of the app’s features can make your cruise vacation a lot smoother. Let's jump in and take a look at the features on the Royal Caribbean app.

Calendar and Planner

When you open the app, you will be brought to the main page which is home to your daily planner, calendar, and helpful information for your cruise. This page is the main hub for the app and is where you can see the daily schedule of activities onboard.

To view the schedule of activities and events, swipe up on the words “Daily Planner”. Here, you can scroll through each day to view everything happening onboard. You can also select the “filter” button to filter by category, such as entertainment, fitness, and activities.

If you see an activity that looks interesting, you can press “Add to Calendar” to add it to your own personal calendar within the app. This can be a great way to keep those activities that interest you organized, and you will also receive a notification on your phone thirty minutes prior to a scheduled event.

Another thing you can do in the Daily Planner is reserve activities, shore excursions, and entertainment. Our recommendation is to open the Daily Planner shortly after embarking the ship and look for any activities or entertainment that require a reservation.

Popular activities like the North Star and RipCord by iFLY offer both complementary and paid options, but the complimentary reservations usually fill up very quickly. Shows can also fill up quickly, so it is a good idea to make reservations early to help ensure you can see and do everything you want on the ship.

Royal Caribbean usually adds activities to the Daily Planner in the days leading up to your sailing, so it may appear blank if your sailing date is further away.

Also located on the main page of the app are buttons that bring you to pages where you can access check in, safety, health, dining, and account information. Here is a brief overview of each of those pages:

Safety

The safety page is very important, as this is where you will complete the eMuster drill prior to sailaway. Royal Caribbean’s new eMuster is a three step process in which you watch a safety video, listen to the emergency horn, and visit your muster station once onboard the ship.

Our recommendation is to complete the eMuster as soon as possible once onboard. You may even choose to complete the first two steps before arriving at the terminal so that all you have to do once onboard is visit your muster station.

Check out our full article on the new eMuster drill for a more in-depth look at the process.

Health

Royal Caribbean is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy experience for every passenger. The health page lists information on embarkation requirements, onboard protocols, and port and shore excursion limitations. It also provides information on what to do if you are feeling unwell onboard.

This is a great place to browse prior to your sailing to ensure you are aware of all current protocols and documentation requirements. Protocols can change frequently, so knowing what is required of you before you show up at the terminal will make sure you do not run into any unexpected surprises.

Royal Caribbean will also send out regular emails detailing current protocols and health information, so checking your email frequently can be another way to stay updated.

Check-in

The check in page is where you can complete the check in process prior to embarkation.

On this tab, you will input your documentation and contact information, as well as select an arrival time at the terminal for embarkation day.

Before you check in on the app, be sure to have your passport and vaccination card on hand.

Account

The account page is where you check your account balance throughout the cruise. It can be a good idea to check this page periodically to ensure you are aware of how much you are spending onboard and that there are no mistakes.

If you notice any unexpected or incorrect charges, you can get them resolved at Guest Services.

Dining

Feeling hungry? The dining page is the most convenient way to learn about which dining options are available onboard.

You can see which restaurants and venues are open, make dining reservations, and view restaurant menus. 

Digital key and stateroom controls

Select Royal Caribbean ships offer a digital key option, where you can choose to open your stateroom door using your app in addition to your SeaPass card.

In addition, some staterooms may offer stateroom controls, where you can control the temperature, lighting, curtains, and television through your app.

Virtual Reality Games

Depending on the ship, there may be other pages available to you in the app.

For example, on Quantum class ships, you can use the Two70 button to participate in Expedition Two70: An Augmented Reality Feature.

On Oasis class ships, you can click on the games button, head to the Boardwalk neighborhood, and point your phone’s camera at game posters near Playmakers to launch various games on the app.

Deck Maps

Another useful feature on the app, especially on the first day of your cruise, is the ability to view the ship’s deck maps. You can access this page by clicking on the small ship icon near the top of the screen.

The deck maps page offers detailed, deck by deck plans of your particular ship. We recommend browsing through the deck maps prior to your cruise to familiarize yourself with the ship’s layout and offerings. Whether you need to meet at a restaurant for dinner, find the Escape Room in time for your reservation, or you simply get lost, the deck maps can point you in the right direction.

Also located on the deck maps page are buttons for activities, dining, entertainment, shops, shore excursions, spa, fitness, and services. Each of these selections will bring up a list of what is offered onboard in each category, along with where on the ship a particular place is located. If you click on the Windjammer, for example, you can read a description of the venue and click the “Find on Deck” feature to see exactly where the Windjammer is located on your ship.

Profile Page

The avatar icon near the top of the screen brings you to your individualized page where you can access information on your profile, stateroom, check in, reservation, dining, internet, and recent charge activity. You can also access your SetSail Pass from this page, as well as switch between sailings on the app if you have multiple cruises booked.

Chat Feature

In the top right corner of the app, you will see a message icon. This is how you access the app’s chat feature. The chat feature allows you to chat with other guests onboard without having to purchase an internet package. This can be a good option for large groups who need a way to contact each other throughout the day. However, this feature is not free and comes at an additional cost of $1.99 per passenger, per day.

Do I need to use the app?

Some passengers may not own a smartphone or are hoping to shut their phone off for the duration of the cruise. While the app is not required, it offers a much more convenient way to access your cruise information, upload and view documents, and reserve activities.

If you’re not using the app, you can make reservations in person, print your SetSail Pass, and browse the paper Cruise Compass to view daily activities, but this will often be more of a hassle than using the Royal Caribbean app.

Those who are looking to stay disconnected on vacation may want to consider using the app but not purchasing an internet package. By doing so, you won’t be distracted by your phone, but will still be able to utilize the app’s features.

The last day of our cruise is another sea day as we travel back to Los Angeles.

The weather today was not nearly as nice as yesterday, with cooler temperatures, clouds, and on and off rain showers.

I woke up and spent some time in the Solarium while catching up on the cruise news from yesterday.

Eventually, I met up with my family for breakfast in the Windjammer.

Mid-morning, there was an event for Top Tier Crown and Anchor members featuring the entertainment staff in the Royal Theater.

This is a Q&A type event, where the Dance and Ice Captains, along with the tech leads explain what it takes to put shows together on a cruise ship.

After I got back to my cabin, I found a casino voucher waiting on my bed, which is the first time I've gotten one of these.

When lunch rolled around, we had hoped to go to Playmakers but it was full with people actually eating there and overflow from Cafe Promenade. Instead, we went to the main dining room.

I enjoy sea day lunches in the dining room, mostly because there is a different menu and I usually find something I like.

I had hoped the weather might improve, but the best we got was a few peeks of the sun before clouds returned.

Frankly, I was content to just relax in the cabin.  We grabbed Starbucks coffee and then chilled out in the room.

I went up to the pool deck in the afternoon just to mix things up, but it was still chilly.

Dinner was back in the main dining room, where we said goodbye to our wait staff and thanked them for a great week.

Overall, I loved this itinerary.  There is so much to see in each of the Mexican Riviera ports, that I think it's worth flying over to see it all.

Certainly the Omicron concerns were an extra layer to this cruise that even a week before I'm not sure we anticipated being an issue. 

As the cruise went on, I adopted a "que sera, sera" mentality. I took all the precautions I could, including wearing my mask many more places than I might have otherwise, such as sometimes outdoors and keeping my mask on in restaurants until I had food.

Ultimately, I wasn't going to let Covid stop me from enjoying my vacation, but I wasn't going to be too cavalier about it either. As I write this on the final morning while waiting to disembark, everyone feels fine and no common signs of Covid.

I have far more concern about going to the airport and on my flight with little to no health protocols than I did at any point in this cruise.

Many thanks to everyone for following along.  I wish everyone a very happy new year and my deepest gratitude for all of your support reading Royal Caribbean Blog.

As we head north from Mexico, we had the first of two sea days on the return journey home.

The last three days has had lots of fun on shore, but today we decided to take it easy and relax.

I got up before the family and hung out in the Solarium for a bit.  The sun was shining, but there was a strong breeze that made it feel chillier.

Something nice offered is you can borrow blankets from the towel station.

Eventually the family woke up and got going, so we headed to the Windjammer for breakfast.

Being a sea day, we just took things easy. A lot of the indoor activities were busier than normal because the cooler temperatures outside forced more inside.

I managed to get my first nap of the day in the late morning.

While the wind may have made the pool deck a little chilly, our balcony felt great with the abundant sunshine and protection from the breeze.

For lunch, my kids got El Loco Fresh while my wife and I went back to the Windjammer.

By this point, I needed another caffeine fix, so I grabbed Starbucks.

Something neat about the Starbucks location on Navigator is the not-so-well-known seating area behind the bar. It has large windows that look out to the ocean and promenade deck.

A few readers have wanted to know about the gym situation, so I took a walk up there.

I couldn't find a crew member to ask directly, but it appears as though face masks are required while working out. There was signage indicating it, and every guest I saw in the gym had their mask on.

When I got back to the room, my kids reminded me I had promised them milk shakes at some point in the cruise, and like any dad, I told them I don't recall promising anything fun like that. They didn't buy it.

Johnny Rockets on Navigator of the Seas is a counter-service location, where you order and go.  Most other ships have Johnny Rockets as a sit down restaurant.

I got the kids milk shakes and onion rings for my wife and I to share.

Back to the room, I started watching a documentary and ran right into the second nap of the day!

I woke up to a lovely sunset right off our balcony.

Dinner tonight was the last of our 3-night specialty dining package, and we went to Jamie's Italian.

The kids love the pasta here, and I decided to try the Jamie's Burger just to mix things up.

We were unable to get the kids into Adventure Ocean, so we left them in the cabin for a little bit to play on their devices.

We rounded out our evening with guitar music in the pub.

Tomorrow is one more sea day.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new warning against going on a cruise ship, raising its warning level to the highest again.

The CDC changed the warning because of the Omicron variant and the increase in cases onboard cruise ships. It recommends to avoid cruise travel, regardless of vaccination status.

The warning level has gone from level 3 to level 4.

The CDC's 4-level system categorizes destinations, including international destinations and United States Territories, into the following four levels:

• 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

This is not the first time the CDC has issued such a high warning. It did so in November 2020 before lowering it to level 3 in June 2021.

According to the CDC, the virus that causes Covid-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters on board ships, and the chance of getting Covid-19 on cruise ships is very high, even if you are fully vaccinated and have received a Covid-19 vaccine booster dose.

The CDC recommends people who go on a cruise should get tested 1–3 days before their trip and 3–5 days after their trip, regardless of vaccination status or symptoms.

Unvaccinated passengers should not only test, but self-quarantine for a full 5 days after cruise travel.  Royal Caribbean does not allow anyone above the age of 11 to sail on its ships if they are unvaccinated.

The CDC's warning

The basis for raising the warning level stems from the Omicron variant and an increase in cases onboard ships.

"Since the identification of the Omicron variant, there has been an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases among cruise passengers and crew reported to CDC. Additionally, there has been an increase in the number of cruise ships meeting the COVID-19 case threshold for CDC investigation."

According to the CDC, cases reported on cruise ships have increased 31 percent over the last two weeks.

This compares to the overall rate of infection in the United States, which has increased 153 percent over the same time period, although it is likely a steeper difference as we know that testing rates are far higher on cruise ships than in the general population.

Cruise ships have strictest Covid protocols

Since restarting cruises in June, Royal Caribbean and the cruise industry have implemented the strictest health protocols of any private business.

Royal Caribbean has gone above and beyond measures enacted by any other industry to ensure guest and crew member safety.

Here is a short list of the protocols required by Royal Caribbean:

• Mandatory Covid-19 vaccination for passengers 12 years and older
• Mandatory mask wearing in all indoor venues unless seated and actively eating or drinking
• Social distancing
• Mandatory pre-cruise test of every single passenger
• Weekly testing of every single crew members
• Unvaccinated children get tested multiple times, including on embarkation day
• Hospital-grade HEPA filter of air circulation on cruise ships

While Covid-19 cases on Royal Caribbean ships have increased recently due to Omicron, none of the Omicron cases have been severe or needed to be taken to a hospital.

Cruise industry reaction

Almost immediately after the CDC raised the warning, the cruise industry fired back.

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) issued this statement defending the cruise industry's work to keep crew members and passengers safe.

"The decision by the CDC to raise the travel level for cruise is particularly perplexing considering that cases identified on cruise ships consistently make up a very slim minority of the total population onboard—far fewer than on land—and the majority of those cases are asymptomatic or mild in nature, posing little to no burden on medical resources onboard or onshore."

"No setting can be immune from this virus—however, it is also the case that cruise provides one of the highest levels of demonstrated mitigation against the virus. Cruise ships offer a highly controlled environment with science-backed measures, known testing and vaccination levels far above other venues or modes of transportation and travel, and significantly lower incidence rates than land."

"While we are disappointed and disagree with the decision to single out the cruise industry—an industry that continues to go above and beyond compared to other sectors—CLIA and our ocean-going cruise line members remain committed to working collaboratively with the CDC in the interest of public health and safety."

Royal Caribbean Group told investors on Thursday that Omicron variant fears have seen an increase in cancellations and reduced bookings lately, but it has thus far only had a short-term impact.

The business update was issued by Royal Caribbean International's parent company as a way to explain what they are seeing as it relates to the bottom line.

Here's a look at the important takeaways from the update.

Omicron

Across the brands of Royal Caribbean Group, the Royal Caribbean Group has carried since June 2021 1.1 million guests with 1,745 people testing positive – a positivity rate of 0.02%. 

As it relates to Omicron, none of the Omicron cases on its ships have been severe or needed to be taken to a hospital. The company believes this is a result of almost everyone onboard having been vaccinated and having a negative test before boarding.

When looking at all variants of Covid-19, Royal Caribbean Group has carried 1.1 million guests with 1,745 people testing positive – a positivity rate of 0.02%.

"Omicron is having a big short-term impact on everyone, but many observers see this as a major step towards COVID-19 becoming endemic rather than epidemic," said Richard Fain, Chairman & CEO.

"We don’t like to see even one case, but our experience is a fraction of the comparable statistics of virtually any other comparable location or industry. Few businesses are subject to such intense scrutiny, regulation, and disclosure requirements by so many authorities, and we welcome that scrutiny because of our commitment to safety. We intend to maintain our goal of delivering the safest vacation on land or sea and will constantly adjust our procedures to accomplish this even in the face of Omicron’s amazing transmissibility."

Impact on reservations

While Omicron has been front page news, so far its impact on bookings has only had a short-term impact.

Right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Royal Caribbean Group, "experienced a decline in bookings and increased cancellations for near-term sailings but to a lesser degree than that experienced with the Delta variant. "

Load factors for sailings in the first half of 2022 remain below historical levels, as expected. However, sailings for the second half of 2022 continue to be booked within historical ranges, at higher prices with and without Future Cruise Credits (FCCs), with strong demand from the critical U.S. market.

Onboard experience

Royal Caribbean also addressed the impact Omicron has had on passengers and crew.

Just like all aspects of travel, the labor supply is being hit hard by Omicron because of the increase in workers testing positive, which means less employees to work.

Similar issues are impacting the company’s onboard service capabilities.  

In addition, the company is experiencing service disruptions at selected destinations and to date has cancelled or significantly modified 16 destination calls out of 331. The company expects these disruptions to continue in the near term and then decline as the world adjusts to the current trends. 

Fain concluded, “We are constantly learning and adjusting as Omicron appears to be ushering in a new phase in the fight against COVID-19."

"We expect these factors to have a negative impact in the short term but are optimistic they will lead us to a more pervasive but less severe health environment. Taken together, this should enable us to produce a strong transitional year in 2022 and a very strong 2023.”

With the cruise industry being targeted by the media for Covid-19 cases onboard its ships, Royal Caribbean sent an email to passengers booked on a cruise over the next few weeks to give them realistic expectations.

A number of cruise ships have reported Covid-19 cases onboard, as well as had to skip ports of call due to the country denying entry, and even cancelling shows onboard its ships because of cases among the performers.

Royal Caribbean sent an email to passengers booked on a cruise between now and January 17, 2022 to inform them that unexpected changes are likely and should be expected.

In the email, Royal Caribbean said the increase of Covid-19 cases from the Omicron variant has caused many changes, "with the increase in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, our public health guidance continues to evolve and we want to let you know what to expect as we prepare to welcome you onboard."

Royal Caribbean also pointed out that its crew members are fully vaccinated and boosted, along with its vaccine mandate for passengers, "All our crew members are fully vaccinated, have received booster shots when eligible, and are tested on a weekly basis with high contact front of house service staff tested every three days.

"All your fellow guests 12 and older are fully vaccinated and tested before boarding. And the small number of children sailing who are 11 and under get a second test at the terminal and are increasingly vaccinated. Typically, your onboard cruise community vaccination rate is in the 95% range."

While the cruise lines implement health protocols that no other form of travel comes close to matching, nothing is foolproof and Covid can still be spread onboard, "Even with such a high onboard community vaccination rate and enhanced protocols in place, there is a possibility of positive cases arising during your sailing, just as there is an inherent risk of COVID-19 anywhere people congregate or gather. "

In terms of ports not allowing cruise ships, Royal Caribbean talked about the collaborative effort they have with these countries, "We also work with local governments in all the ports of your itinerary who are informed of the ship's public health status before arrival and together, we decide if we can debark in their country."

"When we make these decisions, we consider the number of COVID positive cases onboard, and also the number of cases in the destination community along with factors such as the community vaccination status. Should we need to cancel a port of call, we will always do our best to find an alternate destination or work through a resolution for our missed port."

Royal Caribbean also warned guests that changes in onboard activities can occur, including:

• ice skating
• rock climbing
• laser tag
• production shows
• Adventure Ocean

Under the media microscope

Royal Caribbean's email comes in the wake of a great deal of news reports about Covid on cruise ships.

Just like in 2020, many mainstream media outlets are reporting on every single case of Covid on a cruise ship.

Unlike 2020, Royal Caribbean is armed with a slew of protocols and strategies that no other form of domestic travel uses.

Aaron Saunders, the News & Features Editor for CruiseCritic pointed out the stark reality of the lengths the cruise lines go to in order to keep customers safe, unlike airlines, trains or any other form of domestic travel.

To those slagging off cruise ships: ships have vaccine requirements. Testing protocols. Masking rules and HEPA-filtered HVAC systems.

US domestic travel is the Wild West by comparison. Your flight crew may now even be able to return to work only five days after having COVID. 🤦‍♂️

— Aaron Saunders (@deckchairblog) December 28, 2021

Ashley Kosciolek, a travel writer for The Points Guy, feels not only has the media been unfair in its reporting of Covid on cruise ships, but they lack proper knowledge of what the lines are doing, "I've been on 10 since June and would gladly do 10 more."

"I challenge any of the people whining about it to take a cruise. I guarantee they'd eat their words.

Our last port of call on this cruise brings us to Puerto Vallarta.

Interestingly, we changed time zones again and are essentially on Central Time, even though we are still on the west coast of Mexico.

Navigator docked right on time at 8am. Our tour didn't begin until 11, so we let the kids sleep in a bit before getting everyone ready to go.

I had arranged a tour through Royal Caribbean's Private Journeys program for today, which means we have a private shore excursion booked through the cruise line. The plan was to visit Sabal Playa, a beach resort on the north side of Puerto Vallarta.

I went through Private Journeys because at the time, I wasn't sure if my kids would be vaccinated or not. Royal Caribbean doesn't allow unvaccinated people to go on their own tours, so by booking an excursion through Royal Caribbean, I was able to get around the problem.

We walked down to the Royal Theater, just like any shore excursion, and they took us right off the ship to meet our guide in the port area.

The tour included a driver for the day that spoke fluent English, an air conditioned van, and admission into Sabal Playa. The tour did not include food or drinks.

Sabal Playa didn't open until 11:30, so our guide took us on a tour by car of Puerto Vallarta to burn up time.

Along the way, we stopped at a Mexican shopping mall and treated the kids to gelato while I got a coffee.

Back on the road, we headed to Sabal Playa.

Sabal is a combination pool and beach resort, similar in setup to Paradise Beach in Cozumel: pay an admission fee, and get access to the facilities. Food and drink are a la carte.

The grounds were lovely, and their infinity pool was plenty large and heated.

The staff set us up on the beach, which is a short walk beyond the pool on the "lower" level. They gave us chairs and umbrellas to use.

This was our opportunity to go for a swim in the Pacific Ocean, and the sea water was a little chilly, but you got used to it quite quickly.

The views around were stunning with mountains surrounding much of the area. 

There is a good assortment of food and drinks, with mostly Mexican food to choose from. During our stay, we had a couple beers, some drinks for the kids, guacamole, two orders of tacos, and quesadillas and spent $50 for it all.

The food was pretty good as well and freshly prepared. 

Overall, I really liked our visit, and the kids wanted to stay longer when we told them it was time to go.

At the pre-arranged time, our driver took us back to the ship.

The port area in Puerto Vallarta is close to Costa Maya as being the most annoyingly long path to get you through as many shops as possible.

Back on Navigator of the Seas, we showered and got changed for dinner.

For dinner, we went back to the main dining room. They had my favorite variety of Indian curry this evening, aloo gobi.

We dropped the kids off at Adventure Ocean, and then discovered that while the ship departed Puerto Vallarta around 6, the casino did not re-open until 8:15. 

We spent some time in the Schooner Bar to wait the casino out. Eventually it re-opened, and me and my money were quickly separated.

We finished out our evening in the pub.

Tomorrow is a sea day.

Going on a cruise is still a really fun family vacation, even during a pandemic, but it's important you understand the nature of cruising right now and be okay with changes.

If the idea of last-minute changes to rules and protocols bother you, perhaps putting off your cruise a bit longer might be prudent.

Over the last two weeks, cruise ships have been back in the focus of the media following higher-than-usual Covid cases onboard, which felt like perhaps things were regressing backwards instead of moving forward.

The cruise line appear ready to deal with the threat of the Omicron variant and continue forward, but these last two weeks have been a good reminder to anyone thinking of going on a cruise that changes are not only likely, they should be expected.

If you are going to sail on a cruise ship while Covid-19 is a major threat, be prepared and flexible.

Ports refusing ships, new mask rules, vaccine requirements, and who knows what else could affect an upcoming sailing, so it is vital that you not only stay up-to-date with these policy revisions, but not allow them to get in the way of enjoying your cruise.

Early on this summer when the first ships were back in service, I think many cruisers recognized protocol changes were likely and expected them.

Soon thereafter, we got lucky over the summer and fall with relatively few Covid cases onboard and protocols not changing much.  If you went on a cruise ship in October or November, you probably saw the most lax view by guests and crew towards certain requirements.

Covid cases on Symphony of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas served as a wake-up call for the cruise lines, and Royal Caribbean implemented tighter mask requirements along with a renewed emphasis on ensuring passengers follow the rules.

It suddenly felt like I was cruising again in June 2021, as rules were changing often and some cruisers clearly were not pleased with so many last-minute changes.

On the RoyalCaribbeanBlog message boards, there were quite a few comments on rule changes and what to expect. Some positive, and some negative. The bottom line is we got lucky with how smooth things went over the mid-part of 2021, but we're not out of the woods.

What to think about if you have a cruise booked

If you have a cruise booked, or are thinking of booking one, I can tell you I love being onboard and would go again and again because of the blend of a fun vacation with unrivaled health protocols.

I cannot emphasize enough the high likelihood of changes to protocols, rules, and requirements.

If you plan on taking a cruise, you should be open to many changes, even just days before you sail. Royal Caribbean is doing its best to navigate all of the new recommendations and best practices, but it can come at the expense of hitting guests with a new update.

If the idea of seeing an email a few days before you sail with a new testing requirements, or policy shift irks you, you should defer your cruise until a later date. Or even hold back all together for cruises to restart and see a semblance of regularity resume to them.

It's also equally important to keep up with the different rules and requirements. Being unaware of a change isn't going to cut it, and it's only going to lead to frustration on your part.

For some people, the opportunity to go on a cruise ship again is the most important consideration, and change is a way of life, so embracing it means getting back to the vacation they have always enjoyed in the past or want to give a try now.

Others may find the changes, uncertainty, or restrictions, simply too much for now.  In that case, postponing your trip to a later date when there is more predictability to going on a cruise may be the best course of action.

Next up in our Mexican Riviera cruise is a visit to Mazatlan. Unlike Cabo San Lucas yesterday, we have a full day here.

We woke up to the ship already docked and cleared for passengers to disembark. Our tour didn't begin until a little later in the morning, so we got everyone up and ready for breakfast.

After the usual family morning routine of wake up, get dressed, wake up again, wait, wake up one more time, and then up to the Windjammer for breakfast, we disembarked the ship.

The ship docks in a shipping port, so there's nothing but shipping containers to see.  Passengers take a very short tram ride to the other side of the port facility, where there is a typical shopping area to walk through before being able to exit the port.

We did a little bit of window shopping before it was time to meet our tour.

We booked an ATV tour through MazatlanTours.org. Royal Caribbean had very few tours here, so we booked on our own.

The tour guide met us in the port area parking lot and after waiting for one other group, took us on an open air truck ride to the ATV spot.

Navigator docks in "old Mazatlan", and the ride to "new Mazatlan" is about 15-20 minutes.  There is a stark contrast between the two areas, with the ATV location right in the heart of shopping, dining, and things to do. 

We had booked a private ATV tour for the four of us in a 4-seater ATV. Things did not get off to a great start, as the guy working there had to check in everyone that was arriving, as well as set everyone up in their vehicle. Eventually other help arrived, but it was slow going.

Compounding the problem was they didn't know we had a private tour. After realizing the issue, they quickly took one of the guide's out (I think he was going to stay at the shop) and he was our guide.

We got going at this point, and took a ride through Mazatlan to the countryside, where we found off-road trails.

The trails took us through cactus fields, up and down steep "jungle" hills, and eventually to the ocean.

Unfortunately halfway through, our vehicle stopped working.  The guide looked it over, tried a few things, but it would not start back up.  He called in the problem, and we switched to his vehicle while he took a scooter to finish the tour.

We made three (scheduled) stops: at the top of a mountain overlook, at a horse farm for the kids to ride a horse, and at a scenic beach stop.

Overall, I enjoyed the tour, and the kids liked our pit stops more than the ride itself. There wasn't any narration or anything, just an opportunity to drive ATVs and see some of Mazatlan.

After the tour was over, we were ready to eat lunch and I wanted something more authentic than El Loco Fresh. We walked down the main road and found an outdoor restaurant serving tacos, quesadillas, burritos, fish and more.

Everything was prepared on the spot, and it tasted great. Twenty dollars for 5 quesadillas, 3 tacos, a beer, and a few sodas.

We hailed a taxi, which resembles the Hanna-Barbera Speed Buggy animated series vehicle.

On the drive back, our taxi driver pointed out a few sights, including cliff divers.

We got back on Navigator of the Seas and decided to put on bathing suits and take the kids down the water slides.

Navigator of the Seas has two water slides you wont find on any other Royal Caribbean ship: a mat racer slide and a water coaster slide.

My kids liked both slides, but preferred the water coaster.

Back in the room, we took showers and got ready for dinner.

Dinner brought us back to the main dining room.

After dinner, we dropped the kids off at Adventure Ocean and then went to the casino where once again, the Blackjack gods did not smile upon me. I've never seen so many hands where I have 12 and the dealer has a face card showing.

I stopped by the Bamboo Room for a drink before taking a walk outside. The evening weather is so comfortable out, with low humidity and a warm breeze.

We weren't sure what to do next, so we went back to the cabin to do something different: binge a few episodes of Hawkeye. To my surprise, the ship's internet was able to handle the stream without an issue.

To round out our evening, we headed back to the pub for a few drinks and music.

Tomorrow we will be in Puerto Vallarta.

Stray Observations

I'm not the bah humbug type, but the non-stop Christmas music everywhere on the ship is starting to reach a point where I'm getting sick of it. 

I did a speed test of the ship's wifi and as I said earlier, it performs quite well.

Our dining room waiters gave us a belated Christmas card they make every year for the people at their table. It's incredible!

NextCruise has not been staffed/open at all this cruise (or at least, never staffed/open when I've been near).

In the Captain's daily announcement, he commended guests for the very good adherence to the mask protocol onboard. Halfway through the cruise, I have seen nearly every guest following the rules about mask wearing, even wearing masks outdoors in large quantities. It's good to see passengers who understand not only is it the cruise line rules, but the importance for everyone's health.