Royal Caribbean Blog

Dreaming of a European cruise vacation? It doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might think.

Sailing along the French Riviera, Greek Isles, and Norwegian fjords sounds nice and all, but it’s easy to assume that even entertaining the idea could have your bank account screaming for help.

Cruises remain an affordable vacation choice for millions of passengers per year, as they offer a fantastic value for those onboard. Food, select beverages, entertainment, thrilling activities, and visits to exciting ports are all included in guests’ cruise fares. As another plus, passengers can customize their experience to fit any budget, whether they’re cruising in a basic interior room or multi-story suite.

The truth is that cruises to Europe are not necessarily budget breakers, and just like any cruise destination, there are countless ways to save money on a European itinerary.

Before putting your vacation dreams to the wayside, consider using these 9 helpful tips to save money on a European cruise. That perfect Instagram shot could become a reality, after all.

Sail during the shoulder season instead of the summer

One of the easiest ways to save money on a European cruise, by far, is to book your cruise during the shoulder season instead of during the peak summer months.

Royal Caribbean’s European cruise season runs from May to October each year, but the most popular time to book is in June, July, and August, coinciding with school holidays. Unsurprisingly, these months see the highest cruise fares, along with the highest airfare prices.

Related: The worst months to cruise to Europe

If your schedule is flexible, consider booking a European cruise in May, September, or October rather than during the summer. While this might not be possible for those traveling with kids, it will almost certainly result in significant savings.

A $1,300 flight to Athens in July might only be $800 in May. The lower price, coupled with a cheaper cruise fare, could potentially save you over a thousand dollars per person!

As another plus, you’ll usually encounter fewer crowds and more pleasant temperatures in the shoulder season, too, which could make your overall experience more enjoyable.

Choose your itinerary wisely if on a tight budget

Before booking a European cruise, take a close look at the ports you will visit. Each cruise port offers pros and cons, especially those in Europe, and it’s important to be aware of what to expect before booking one itinerary over another.

Western Mediterranean cruises tend to visit bigger cities, such as Rome, Barcelona, and Naples. Although this means you can visit some of Europe’s most famous and historical sites, it also means you'll be shelling out a pretty penny for shore excursions.

You can expect to spend around, or even over, $200 per person for an excursion to visit sites like the Colosseum and Vatican City in Rome. When traveling with a family, these costs will quickly add up.

Related: How to save money on cruise excursions

Although these destinations are undoubtedly worth a visit, consider whether you want to rush the experience on a short port day, or if you’d like to return when you can devote more time to these remarkable destinations. Plus, you will spend a fraction of the cost to visit these tourist sites on your own compared to with a cruise excursion.

Sure, you don’t need to book shore excursions at these ports, but if you’re only visiting the destination once, it would be a shame to not see the top attractions.

Therefore, instead of trying to knock off Europe’s biggest cities in a single day, why not book an itinerary that visits less busy destinations? A cruise to Split, for instance, will drop you off directly in the town center, allowing for stress-free exploration without the need to spend extra.

Similarly, cruises to Norway offer charming towns and breathtaking landscapes within a stone’s throw of your cruise ship, meaning you won’t have to spend hundreds on shore excursions to make your port day memorable.

Research cheap and free things to do in each port

On the subject of forgoing expensive excursions in favor of exploring on your own, be sure to research budget-friendly activities in your ports of call before disembarking on a port day.

All European ports offer free and low-cost things to do, from visiting immaculate cathedrals to strolling along quaint seaside promenades. Europe’s cities are far more historic than what you might be used to at home, and simply wandering the narrow streets admiring the architecture is enough to occupy many visitors!

Related: 7 ways to have a great time in port without a cruise ship shore excursion

One of the easiest ways to discover what to do in port is to make a simple Google search. If your cruise visits Palma de Mallorca, search “How to spend one day in Palma de Mallorca” on Google. This should populate a wide range of articles highlighting the city’s top attractions, restaurants, points of interest, and general advice for visitors.

If you would prefer an excursion, search for tours from independent providers rather than booking directly through the cruise line. Using websites like GetYourGuide or Viator will likely be cheaper than booking a similar excursion on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner, allowing you to further stretch your budget.

Take public transport to the cruise terminal over private transfers

Many cruise ports in Europe are convenient to reach by public transit, and this can be a cost-effective way to reach the cruise terminal for those on a budget.

For cruises from Southampton, for example, you can board an 80 minute train directly from London to the city, which usually costs around £20. Upon arrival at the station in Southampton, you can walk 15 minutes to the port, or hail a taxi for the short ride. Taking a taxi all the way from London can be over £120.

Related: I'm a budget cruiser. Here are 8 easy strategies I used on my recent Royal Caribbean cruise to save money

Similarly, if you're embarking in Civitavecchia, you can take the train directly from Rome to the port city in under 50 minutes, which costs about €11. Once you get to the train station, hop on the port shuttle bus for around €6. Taking a taxi from central Rome, on the other hand, will cost over €100.

Note that, when choosing how to get to the cruise port, it’s important to calculate the amount of people in your group before deciding between a private transfer and public transport. If you’re traveling with a large group, it could be more cost effective to arrange a taxi or shuttle to the port instead.

Book your flights to Europe with points

Stockpiling credit card points? Why not use them on a flight to Europe?

For savvy travelers, redeeming points from credit cards can be an easy way to save thousands on a flight to Europe.

Whether you have a popular credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or an airline-specific card, it’s easy to earn points and miles for everyday purchases throughout the year.

Depending on your origin airport, destination, and time of year you travel, you could book a round trip flight to Europe for as little as 30,000 points, although spending 50-60,000 points is more likely.

Save for a few taxes and fees on the ticket, booking your flight with points is an easy money-saving trick for a European cruise. Plus, it allows you to save your budget for other aspects of the experience, such as a pre-cruise hotel stay and shore excursions.

Forgo cruise add-ons in favor of eating and drinking in port

You might be tempted to book add-ons like specialty dining packages and drink packages for your cruise, but consider skipping these purchases when visiting Europe.

When in the Caribbean, many passengers enjoy drinking cocktail after cocktail on a sunny sea day or at one of Royal Caribbean’s private destinations. Others enjoy the elevated dining experience of specialty restaurants, allowing guests to widen their cuisine selections during the cruise.

These add-ons can surely enhance a cruise experience, but they aren’t entirely necessary when cruising to Europe. European port days are often longer than those in the Caribbean—and have fewer sea days—thus lessening the amount of time you are onboard to utilize these add-ons.

Related: Must-eat foods on a cruise to Italy

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars for use solely onboard, allocate that money toward food and drink in port. Whether tasting an authentic pasta dish in Italy, a glass of sangria in Spain, or a chocolate crepe in France, you will not only save money, but have the chance to try unique dishes and cuisines around Europe, too!

Book your cruise far in advance, or look for a last-minute deal

Most passengers will snag the lowest prices on a Royal Caribbean cruise by booking far in advance, regardless of their cruise destination.

New European itineraries are released each fall for cruises taking place two years in the future. For example, summer 2026 itineraries would be released in the fall of 2024. By staying up to date on when Royal Caribbean releases itineraries, you can not only find the widest range of cabin options, but you’re likely to see the lowest prices.

Even if your cruise fare does lower after you book, you can always reprice your cruise until the final payment date by contacting Royal Caribbean or your travel agent directly to update your booking with the lower price.

Related: Pros and Cons of booking a cruise early vs last-minute

One way to find last-minute deals is to browse Royal Caribbean’s Going, Going, Gone rates. Each Monday, the cruise line updates this webpage with a list of last-minute deals available.

The list only updates once a week, though, so if you check the list on Saturday, it could be outdated, as other customers may have already booked the last cabins available.

Sail on an older, smaller cruise ship

It’s tempting to book your next cruise on one of Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest ships, such as Wonder of the Seas or Icon of the Seas. If you’re cruising within Europe, however, a smaller ship might be a better choice.

Each summer, Royal Caribbean sends several of its smallest and largest vessels to Europe, from Vision Class ships like Enchantment of the Seas to massive Oasis Class ships.

Although the biggest ships offer the most variety in entertainment, cabins, restaurants, and onboard activities, the prices usually reflect these added amenities.

Related: 12 differences between the big and small Royal Caribbean cruise ships

Smaller ships, on the other hand, are typically priced lower, but they still offer a comfortable stay with Royal Caribbean’s signature feel. You may not find the latest and greatest activities and production shows, but even the smallest ships offer a variety of cabins, dining choices, and pools to keep cruisers satisfied.

Plus, most European cruise itineraries tend to be port-heavy, with most 7-night itineraries offering only one or two sea days. You will likely spend far less time onboard compared to, say, a Caribbean cruise, which might make splurging on a bigger ship a waste for those on a tight budget.

Finally, consider flying into a major airport and taking a regional flight to your cruise port

Shocked by airline prices to Europe in the middle of the summer? If so, consider broadening your search.

Just because your flight leaves from Rome, Athens, or Amsterdam does not mean you need to fly into those cities for your cruise. Transportation within European cities can be extremely affordable and convenient, with budget airlines and high speed trains servicing much of the continent.

If your cruise leaves from Civitavecchia, for instance, but the flight to Rome is way out of your budget, don’t be afraid to search for flights to other cities like Milan, Venice, or even somewhere as faraway as London!

You can travel between cities in Italy on high speed rail within just a few hours, or hop on a quick flight from a city like London to Rome instead.

If you choose this option, be sure to account for the cost of getting from one city to another to make sure you’re actually saving money. If the flight to London is $700 and the flight to Rome is $1,500, why not take the more adventurous route?

Of course, be sure to allocate enough time between flights in order to make it to your cruise embarkation city on time. You’ll also want to research transportation costs from one city to another before booking your flight to ensure it will actually result in savings.

Last week, I went on a 7-night cruise on Icon of the Seas, which is the world's largest cruise ship.

To get the cheapest possible price, I booked an interior stateroom through the guarantee cabin process.

The total cost came out to $2897 (including pre-paid gratuities), which was divided out for two people over seven nights. That breaks down to $207 a night, per person.

Icon of the Seas is the world's current largest cruise ship, standing at a whopping 20 total decks and weighing 248,663 gross tons. 

Read more: Should I book a guarantee stateroom on a cruise?

She has 2,805 staterooms, and mine was assigned a few weeks before the cruise.

I received an Interior Plus category room, which is described on Royal Caribbean's website as having "a deluxe closet and dressing area."

"There's no such thing as overpacking in these staterooms," the deck plans read.

The website indicated the room measures 157 sq. ft. in total, but I was excited to see how it felt in person and as a home for the next seven days.

Because I opted for a guarantee cabin instead of picking a specific cabin, I assumed the leftover cabin choices would result in a less desirable location.

I received stateroom 10411, which is located far forward on deck 10.

Although this was close to the forward elevators, the deck was so crowded with staterooms that it was difficult to get orientated for the first couple of days.

We kept getting lost on the way to the stateroom, confused by the winding halls and multiple elevators.

Although I didn’t suffer too much seasickness from being so far forward, I did find that the room location was extremely noisy.

Sometimes we would hear stomping feet from above, or loud bangs coming through the walls.

It was so loud that I woke up in the middle of the night multiple times, thinking that someone was knocking on the stateroom door.

But the pitch black darkness you can only get in an inside stateroom and comfortable beds made it easy to fall back asleep.

When I first opened the stateroom door, I was shocked at how tiny living space was.

It narrowly fit the two stateroom beds and single armchair with a footrest.

This room was decorated with cute tropical paintings. Everything looked clean and bright, with warm lighting that spoke to how upgraded the room was.

With the two beds split apart, each one had a small shelf with a lamp on top. They were comfortable and clean beds, with large, fluffy pillows. 

The beds were what I expected, but I did feel like the blankets were lighter and more comfortable than on older Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

Read more: 5 busted Icon of the Seas myths

The stateroom’s television faced the beds.

When I was preparing for my cruise, I eagerly looked forward to the possibility of casting from my phone to the smart TV. 

Casting allows you to send movies and shows to the TV with your phone, projecting them onto the wider screen, but it is only available on Royal Caribbean’s newer ships, such as Wonder of the Seas.

Since Icon is the cruise line’s newest ship, I fully expected the TV to also have casting abilities.

However, it did not, limiting us to watching the 25 free channels, which included sports, news, kids' shows, and Royal Caribbean information.

Beside the television there was a touchscreen temperature control unit. This modernized unit could adjust the temperature of the air conditioning, as well as change light settings.

With a touch of the finger, we could choose between four adjustable moods: morning, evening, movie, and sleep.

I enjoyed playing around with these settings and appreciated the fact that it saved me the trouble of going around to adjust each lamp and light switch individually.

Just in between the television and the main stateroom door, I found the door to the bathroom.

If I had been disappointed by the stateroom’s size, the bathroom made up for it.

It was wide, with a long sink and ample shelves.

Three shelves sat below the sink, and three shelves sat to the upper left.

There was also a deep drawer to the left of the sink and above the trash can, which I didn’t even need to use because the space had so many storage options.

Opposite the sink sat the toilet and a series of shelves going all the way down the wall.

Even with two people traveling for seven nights, we did not get close to filling up all the shelving space in this bathroom.

The best upgrade to this cabin—one that a comedian onboard even mentioned during his set—was the increased size of the shower.

I’m used to tiny, tube-like showers on Royal Caribbean ships, that have a tunnel so small that opening the door takes up all the space.

This shower was about twice the size of the typical showers I’ve been used to, and it even had a seat to the left. 

There was enough space in the shower to move around, bend over, and even sit down.

Although the water pressure was a little low, the water got hot quickly and made for an enjoyable shower.

As I walked back and further into the room, I saw the reason for the main room’s smaller size.

Typically most inside staterooms have one large area with the beds, chairs, closet, and desk/vanity combination.

However, in this Icon stateroom, the sleeping area and the closet and vanity area were divided into two separate spaces.

Past the bed on the far wall, I walked into a doorway.

This deluxe dressing area stored the room’s combination desk/vanity, a long desk with a ring light surrounding the oval mirror.

Below the desk, there was a drawer for storage and a beanbag chair to sit on.

This style of chair is another new aspect of Icon of the Seas. I thought that they were plenty comfortable, but I missed having a chair with a back on it so I could throw towels or jackets on top.

To the right of the vanity, I found the tall closet. One of my favorite aspects of the room was how this closet brought together almost all the storage elements into one space.

Read more: I took the inaugural cruise on Royal Caribbean's newest ship. It was a giant party, but not everything was totally ready

The first compartment was a tall hanging area, perfect for long clothes like dresses or suits. The second compartment also had hangers for shorter clothes like jackets.

At the bottom of the closet, there was a small safe on top of a wide shelf space.

Below that, two black metal baskets were set inside shelves, and to the right, I found the small cooler.

It helped to have one space to store all my clothes, items, and food.

However, the baskets were a confusing addition to the room. 

They didn’t seem to fit well in the shelves: they were heavy and slid harshly over the wood below. They didn’t slide as easily as a drawer, and I had to pull them all the way out if I wanted to get an item out of the basket.

In the end, I placed the basket on the larger shelf space above and used the shelves below to fold and stack my clothes.

The safe was small—barely the size of a book—so I was only able to fit my passport inside. All other valuables had to go unprotected.

The cooler, however, kept drinks, milk, and sandwiches just cold enough.

At the end of this small vanity room was a full-length mirror, the perfect complement to the classy lighting in this clothing area.

I loved this one area to get dressed and ready in, but recognized that it made the stateroom feel smaller overall, by becoming divided into two areas instead of one large one.

The stateroom also had more charger options than typical Royal Caribbean ships. Usually, the only chargers are located above the stateroom’s desk. 

But on Icon, I found charging ports at the desk, below the TV, inside the bathroom, and on the left bedside table.

Although the cabin was small, I was happy overall with the comfort, convenience, and organization of the stateroom.

Royal Caribbean is offering a one-day promotion on its very popular unlimited drink packages.

On Monday, May 6, Royal Caribbean is advertising up to 45% off beverage package purchases made via the Cruise Planner website or by calling Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean drink packages offer a flat fee for as many beers, wine by the glass, soda, or cocktails you'd like during your cruise.  There are also other drink packages that do not include alcohol. Guest that purchase a drink package are able to enjoy unlimited drinks each day of their cruise, including at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee!

This deal is in honor of "National Beverage Day".

Deal basics

To get this offer, you need to either log into your Royal Caribbean account and go to the Cruise Planner or call Royal Caribbean to purchase a drink package.

The sale is valid for sailings departing May 9, 2024 through May 31, 2025. It's only available to bookings made May 6, 2024.

It applies to all three of Royal Caribbean's drink packages: Deluxe Beverage package, Refreshment Package, and Classic Soda package.

Keep in mind if you buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, if you have multiple guests 21 and older staying in the same stateroom, all adults will be required to purchase their own package. This is done to help reduce the sharing of benefits. 

Celebrity Cruises is also offering its own deal for today only, with up to 35% off with its National Beverage Day Flash Sale.

Celebrity's offer is for select sailings departing May 10 – March 28, 2025, excluding Celebrity Beyond June 23rd, charter sailings and holiday sailings.

Will this offer save me money?

Despite the flashy name for the sale, there's no guarantee the actual price of your drink package will be any different.

Royal Caribbean runs promotions throughout the year on its cruise add-ons, and there seems to be sales just about every week.

The difference with this sale is that it's being advertised more prominently, and it's just one day.  Plus, the promise of up to 45% off is intriguing.

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

To find the discounted rates, log into the My Cruises section of the Royal Caribbean web site, and navigate to the Cruise Planner section for the sailing you are interested in.

Once logged in, navigate to the Beverage section and look for advertised rates. You will likely see something similar to this: 

There's certainly no harm in checking if the price of a drink package for your particular sailing has gone down at all.  When it comes to Royal Caribbean sales, it's best to ignore the percentage off advertised, and focus on the total price when you add it your cart.

Remember, the pre-cruise price is almost certainly going to be better than the price onboard the ship if you wait to book it once you board the ship.

Read more: When is the best time to buy a Royal Caribbean Drink Package?

If the price of the drink package is cheaper than what you bought previously, you can cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the drink package again with this discount.

Beverage package purchases made online can be canceled and full refunded at any time, up until about 3 days before your sail date.

Advantage to pre-purchasing a drink package now

If you are going to get a drink package, your best bet is to book it now to lock in the price.

One common mistake among cruisers is waiting to book a drink package, either because they want to see if the price will continue to drop or they hesitate to book.

Read more: 9 incredibly easy cruise mistakes to avoid

The reason waiting to book a drink package until closer to your sail date is a mistake is because the price could go up, and then you would end you paying more than you originally saw it listed for online.

Instead, you should book the drink package at whatever price you see it for online before your cruise.  Remember, you can always cancel it if you change your mind later, up to 48 hours before your cruise begins.

By booking the drink package now, you lock in the price and protect yourself against a price increase while still being able to take advantage of a price drop.

What's it like when a cruise ship sails without any passengers onboard?

It's quite rare for a cruise ship not to be full with paying passengers to enjoy all the fun activities, restaurants, and ways to relax. The cruise industry is quite profitable, but it requires its ships to sail with every cabin sold in order to generate revenue from the cruise fare, but also the lucrative add-ons guests inevitably purchase.

For the last few days, Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas has been on her way from Port Canaveral, Florida to Galveston, Texas without a single passenger onboard, and that is quite rare.

The ship is in the process of transitioning from one homeport to another, and the Cruise Director has been sharing bits and pieces of what it's like.

Marc Walker is a legend among cruisers, for having been a well-known and well-liked Cruise Director.  The Cruise Director's job is to ensure guests are having a great time by orchestrating entertainment from morning to night, every day of the cruise.

The ship's entertainment includes live musicians, dance parties, trivia, competitions, and activities.  The Cruise Director is even responsible for the ship's Adventure Ocean youth programming, more commonly referred to as "kids camp".

Even though there are no passengers onboard, crew members are still working onboard, albeit in a different atmosphere.

A laid back approach to work

On Mr. Walker's Facebook page, he's been sharing photos of glimpses of what's happening on Mariner during this usual sailing.

The cruise began like all Royal Caribbean sailings, a buffet lunch.

Even though there were no passengers onboard, the ship's buffet that is usually for passengers was opened up to crew members.

"The crew for the next 4 days will experience the Windjammer Marketplace for breakfast, lunch and dinner! We have an amazing F&B team here," Mr. Walker posted.

In fact, the ship's Captain even joined in by serving his fellow crew members.

Later, his entire staff got to pose for a photo on the helipad, which is a rare opportunity for everyone working under the Cruise Director to gather in one spot.

This included:

• Theater Cast
• Ice Cast
• Adventure Ocean
• Activity Staff
• Technicians
• Stage Staff
• Musicians
• Sports Staff
• Senior Staff 

One policy that changed for crew members on this sailing without guests is that uniforms aren't necessary.

Mr. Walker posed in a t-shirt for one photo.

Work is still happening on Mariner. After all, it needs to be ready for passengers when it arrives in Galveston.

The non-revenue sailing means not only do crew members not have to wear their uniforms, but they can address areas that might be difficult to get to ordinarily.

Mr. Walker shared a look at one of his meetings, where the crew went through their routine, but in casual clothing.

Mr. Walker did not document everything that's different about life on a cruise ship without passengers. It's merely a glimpse of his work.

Over the years, other ships have done similar activities and we've seen guest areas opened up to crew members as a way to reward them.

There were auctions for being able to stay in a passenger cabin, enjoy guest activities, and crew member parties.

Why are there no passengers onboard

You might be wondering why Royal Caribbean doesn't have any paying passengers on this particular sailing.  After all, there's probably some people who would want to pay to take a one-way cruise to Texas.

The cruise line hasn't said why, but the answer is likely based in maritime law.

Royal Caribbean wants to shift where Mariner of the Seas homeports, from Port Canaveral to Galveston. Changing homeports is common within the cruise industry, because the needs one cruise market can change.

This game of "cruise ship musical chairs" isn't instant, and it takes a few days for a ship to get from one homeport to another.  In the meantime, that means no cruises from either homeport.  Moreover, if they had paying passengers on the open-jaw sailing, it would take even longer to get from Florida to Texas, because the ship would need to make port stops along the way.

So why can't the ship just sail from Port Canaveral to Galveston with no stops, so that it can transition to its new home and make some money along the way? It's against United States maritime law.

All of Royal Caribbean's cruise ships are flagged in a foreign country, including Mariner of the Seas. 

The Passenger Vessel Service Act (PVSA) of 1886 requires foreign flagged cruise ships to call on a foreign port if sailing a closed-loop cruise form the United States.

This means, cruise ships cannot sail from Port Canaveral to Galveston without visiting a port of call outside the United States.

The justification for both the PVSA is to protect the U.S. Merchant Marine (the licensed (officers) and documented (trades) personnel on the ships) and to protect U.S. shipyards that both build and repair the ships.

Frankly, my opinion is it's an outdated and protectionist law, but it's the law of the land.

Since there's no passengers onboard, the PVSA regulations do not count.

Stay up-to-date with all the Royal Caribbean news from this week with our roundup of all this week's news.

One of the best things about Icon of the Seas could be coming to more Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

Passengers on Allure of the Seas noticed a Royal Caribbean team working on testing destination elevators.

Destination elevators are a more efficient type of elevator first added to a Royal Caribbean ship with Icon, and it's substantially reduced waits.

Royal Caribbean News

• First look at Royal Caribbean's new weekend party cruise ship
• New Royal Caribbean cruise ship to begin sea trials
• Royal Caribbean confirms cruise ship fixed its propulsion problem
• Passenger on 9-Month Cruise Is Half Done and Shares Surprising Things
• My Alaska cruise was cancelled after I boarded the ship
• 8 Royal Caribbean cruise questions guests are too embarrassed to ask
• I went on Harmony of the Seas cruise ship and these are the 7 mistakes I saw people make
• What is the wellness check?
• We asked our readers their favorite snack on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 532nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, previewing the new beach club concept.

Royal Caribbean has plans for two Royal Beach Clubs (Nassau and Cozumel). What are they and what can you expect?

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.

I hate these things about a cruise

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 — I hate these things about a cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Lessons Learned After Trying a Mediterranean Cruise

After a few Caribbean cruises, Calista tried a European cruise, and it was different in many ways.

Planning a Mediterranean cruise is unlike a Caribbean cruise in many regards, especially logistics within the trip.

Here are the important lessons she learned trying a European cruise.

Things I Don't Pay Extra for on Royal Caribbean Cruises To Save Money

Money saved by not spending it is more money to for your next cruise!

While a lot is included in your cruise fare, Royal Caribbean has a seemingly endless amount of add-ons that you can pay extra for to enhance your cruise experience.

Here are all the things you could skip paying for in order to save money for later.

Why you should book a 2025 cruise now

The days of waiting for a last-minute cruise deal might be behind us.

After last week's earnings call with investors, it's clear Royal Caribbean Group is seeing record demand that shows no signs of slowing down.

If you're going to take a cruise vacation next year, you should consider booking it now, rather than waiting.

Answers to your really dumb cruise ship dining questions

In case you're wondering, there's no shame in asking questions about eating on a cruise ship that you may be too embarrassed to ask.

What seems like basic knowledge to frequent cruisers can cause confusion for first time cruisers. So much confusion, unsurprisingly, leads to a lot of questions about dining on a cruise ship.

To make your first cruise experience stress-free, we’re answering 17 of your really dumb cruise ship dining questions.

What is Royal Caribbean's wellness check, and why is it required before your cruise?

The check-in process encompasses a few steps, with the wellness check being the final step.

Royal Caribbean’s app provides an efficient guide to checking in online. Similar to how airlines provide online check-in, you can prepare for your cruise all on the app.

Before your cruise, you can create an account on the app or website, and use your information to prepare for the cruise.

The cruise line heavily emphasizes the importance of completing all the steps of the check-in process before your cruise to make embarkation day as smooth as possible.  No one likes waiting in line, especially if they could get that time back being on the cruise ship.

Read more: 15 Royal Caribbean boarding process tips for a fast embarkation

For guests’ health and safety, the wellness check is one of those steps.

The wellness check involves a series of health questions

Essentially, the wellness check is to ensure you're not getting on the cruise ship in poor health. 

Unlike the rest of the check-in process, you can only do the wellness check the day before your cruise.

At noon on the day before embarkation day, you will receive a notification from the app to complete the wellness check and answer some required health questions.

Until you complete this questionnaire, a message in the app will read “not yet cleared to board.” All guests must complete these health questions to be allowed to board.

Again, adults can fill in the information for any passenger under 21 years old.

Royal Caribbean’s website states that “It is required that each guest answers the set of questions within 24 hours of arrival at the port for their sailing in order to qualify to board.”

Once you are prompted, open up the app by touching the notification.

The health questions will vary depending on the requirements of the port you’re sailing from. All the COVID-19 specific questions have been removed from the wellness check.

Be sure that you answer these questions accurately—you should be honest and keep in mind that you can’t change your answers after submitting.

Over the years, the exact questions have changed.  When Royal Caribbean restarted sailings in 2021, there were many more questions. Most guests currently report they are being asked the following: 

1. Will you be 23 or more weeks pregnant at any point in your cruise?
2. Have you experiences any of these symptoms within the past 24 hours: Fever Chills, Muscle Aches, Fatigue, Sore Throat, Nasal Congestion, Runny Nose, Cough, Difficulty Breathing, New Loss of, Nausea, Vomiting, or Diarrhea?

You should answer the questions truthfully, as lying about it sets yourself up for disappointment onboard the ship should your condition worsen. Plus, you're putting others at risk by knowingly being sick and spreading germs.

Once you complete these questions, your wellness check is done!

Simply press submit and you will have access to your SetSail Pass.

From here, you can add it to your Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Pay for quick access on embarkation day.

If you are completing check-in on the Royal Caribbean website, you can print out your Set Sail Pass.

Your SetSail pass is your temporary card until you get your SeaPass on embarkation day. 

Even if you’re not able to add the SetSail Pass to your phone—or the battery dies—the check-in agents will still be able to look up your reservation.

At the cruise terminal, all you need to do is show up and proceed through security.

At the terminal, the gate agent may ask if your answers on the questionnaire are still accurate, or if you’re currently experiencing any cough, fever, or chills.

Either way, you’ve already completed your wellness check by answering the questionnaire on the app.

Will I be denied boarding if I answer "yes" to any of the questions?

If you answer yes to any question, the app will deny your ability to board, but that's not necessarily the end of the story.

If you accidently selected "yes" and instead of "no", you can call Royal Caribbean's Resolutions Department at 1-800-205-9812. Alternatively, you can simply explain your situation when you arrive at the cruise terminal.

If you're more than 23 weeks pregnant, it's not safe for you to go on a cruise. Cruise ships don't have the proper facility to care for a pregnant woman and/or her baby for someone that far along in their pregnancy.

One of the easiest ways to save money on your cruise vacation is by limiting your spending in the first place.

While a lot is included in your cruise fare, Royal Caribbean has a seemingly endless amount of add-ons that you can pay extra for to enhance your cruise experience.

However, new cruisers want to know: how can you tell which add-ons are important, and which will be a waste of your money?

As I’ve gained experience in cruising with Royal Caribbean, I’ve learned which add-ons are a waste of money, and what I can avoid spending on.

While I love to splurge and have a great cruise experience, some extra-cost items are only a waste of money.

With the knowledge of which ones are worth it, you can skip the scams and avoid getting a long bill at the end of your sailing.

In the end, saving money on unnecessary items allows you to spend more on other luxuries, or even to put towards your next cruise.

From specialty dining to shore excursions on Perfect Day at Cococay, these are the Royal Caribbean add-ons I never pay for.

Specialty restaurants

On my first cruise, I went crazy trying various specialty restaurants.

However, I’ve come to learn that the complimentary cruise cuisine is just as tasty!

Steaks at the Main Dining Room taste almost the same as those at the extra-cost Chops Grille, and the Windjammer has fried fish similar to what’s served at the Mason Jar.

Even when the dishes are different, the complimentary venues serve tasty food that you can't find at specialty restaurants.

Not only that, but dining at free venues like the Windjammer and the Park Cafe also grants you a lot of freedom to choose when you eat and what you wear.

You can often serve yourself, and avoid having long meals with eager waiters.

I’ve come to appreciate all the complimentary cuisine onboard Royal Caribbean.

And since reservations at a specialty restaurant can range from $30 to $200 per guest, I’m saving tons of money each time I choose to eat a free meal.

Read more: How does specialty dining work on Royal Caribbean?

Extra-cost activities

Royal Caribbean ships have countless onboard activities for guests to experience.

However, you have to stay alert, because not all these activities are free!

For example, I’ve gotten excited seeing a cupcake decorating or sushi-making class in my Cruise Compass schedule, only to find out that the classes cost over $30 per person.

To avoid spending money on activities that cost extra, make sure to double-check the prices in your Cruise Compass.

Instead of wasting your money, go ahead and find free activities, whether that’s lounging by the pool, watching a movie, or enjoying a workout in the gym.

Balcony staterooms

The idea of staying in a stateroom with a balcony is tempting. You could have a private star-gazing area, a space to feel the wind in your hair, and dine in front of the sea.

Balcony cabins are also a little more spacious for couples or families who want more privacy.

But if you’re willing to give up these amenities, you can save hundreds of dollars.

Read more: Inside cabin vs. balcony room on a cruise ship

Let’s take an Alaska vacation as an example. Say you want to cruise from Seattle to Alaska on Anthem of the Seas. 

If you look forward to 2025, you’ll see that the 7-night May 30th sailing is listed at $838 per person for an interior cabin.

Jumping up to a balcony cabin raises the price to $1,291 per person—a $453 difference.

If you were to cruise with two people to Alaska next year, you’d save almost $1000 by booking an interior cabin instead of a balcony.

While the costs vary depending on the cruise, an interior cabin will always give you the cheapest cruise fare option.

Over my many cruises with Royal Caribbean, I’ve sailed the majority of them in inside guarantee cabins—and I plan to keep doing so.

Read more: I always stay in an inside cabin on a cruise ship. Here's why I actually like these rooms

Saving money with my cabin choice pushes me to explore more onboard the ship, getting out of the room and only returning to sleep. 

I highly recommend an inside room as an easy way to save money on a cruise. 

If you need to view the ocean or feel a breeze, just head out and up to the pool deck.

Spa treatments

The first time I saw Royal Caribbean’s spa prices, my jaw dropped.

I had considered booking a couple’s deep tissue massage until I saw that it cost more than $450 for 100 minutes.

In contrast, a 5-star spa located near my home offers the same treatment for less than $360.

Since then, I’ve opted out of booking any spa treatments on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Save your money, and choose a luxurious spa treatment once you’re back on land.

There are plenty of other activities you can experience on a cruise, including free spa tasters that are offered onboard.

If you need other ways to relax, try soaking in a hot tub, lying down on a sunny beach, or taking a nap in your dark cabin.

Your wallet will thank you.

Onboard shopping

Much like the Vitality spa, almost all the shops onboard Royal Caribbean ships have higher prices than on land.

Whether I’m looking at toiletries, medicine, or some new jewelry, I’m careful not to buy anything unless it’s absolutely essential or on sale.

Once, I forgot to pack seasickness medicine and decided to shop onboard.

I ended up buying an essential oil mix for around $15. Painfully, I had the same essential oils sitting (for free) at home.

Before you spend money in those onboard shops, consider whether you can buy those items anywhere else. 

I guarantee you, it will be cheaper.

Add-ons at CocoCay

Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas is a tropical paradise.

With bars, pools, beaches, waterparks, and even wildlife, there are endless adventures to experience.

Read more: What to do at CocoCay? 18 things to try on your visit

However, there’s no reason to spend any extra money while visiting this island.

From tram rides to beaches, there are dozens of free activities and dining venues available.

I’ve stopped buying any shore excursions for sale on Perfect Day at CocoCay, having learned to save my money and enjoy the complimentary venues.

Coffee

As a coffee addict, I’m here to inform you that you don’t have to spend extra on Royal Caribbean coffee.

Yes, there are cafés onboard. These cafés usually serve Starbucks coffee, with a selection of specialty lattes and milks.

However, there’s no reason to waste money on extra-cost coffee, whether it’s hot or iced.

Royal Caribbean’s free brewed coffee is about the same quality, and you can request any special milk you need onboard.

Add your own sugar and milk or cream, and you have an adequate coffee drink.

Laundry 

Royal Caribbean does not provide any self-service laundry services onboard.

If you want to do any laundry throughout your cruise, you’ll have to pay extra.

The cost depends on which service you select, but the most basic service—a wash and fold package—costs $34.99 per bag of small clothing.

This cost can really add up, especially if you want to wash clothes for more than one person.

Instead of spending $35 per bag of clothing, you can save money by packing efficiently, and leaving the washing until after the vacation.

By packing lots of re-wearable, light clothing, I avoid doing laundry at all, making my cruise an even more relaxing vacation.

Another option is to pack detergent packets and do small clothing items in your sink.  There is a clothes line in the shower to dry your clothes.

I don’t have to worry about any household chores, nor do I have to pay someone else to do them for me.

When getting the best price for your cruise, getting the timing right is critical.

Vacationers are used to seeking last-minute deals on cruises when planning their cruise, but bookings for cruises has been so red-hot for the past few months that new booking records are being set and then eclipsed regularly.

In a call with Wall Street analysts, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty shared how 88% of cabins for all of 2024 are booked up, leaving spares choices for a 2024 cruise.

"We only have about 12% load factors left to build for the year," Mr. Liberty said during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts.

That leaves very few rooms left for this year's cruises, but the incredible demand this year is opening the door for Royal Caribbean to take advantage of this by raising prices even more next year.

"That will provide opportunity for us to a degree this year. But what that I think means in terms of the opportunity into 2025 and beyond is very appealing," he went on to say right after sharing the fact about load factors.

Later in the meeting, Mr. Liberty pointed out that new cruise bookings for 2025 would soon eclipse bookings for this year, "we're getting close to the point where we'll soon be taking more bookings for '25 than we are for 2024."

Why you should book a 2025 cruise now after Royal Caribbean's comments in their meeting

If there's one takeaway for cruisers from Royal Caribbean Group's earnings call, it's that new cruise bookings aren't slowing down, and you're going to be competing with more people than ever for a cruise.

Here are the big reasons why you should book a 2025 (or 2026) cruise following last week's meeting:

More people than ever are cruising

The cruise market is attracting new cruisers more so than ever before. 

The amount of people who have never taken a cruise and booked one grew by 16% year over year. On top of that, the rate of repeat customers returning is over 30% higher compared to 2019. 

When you have loyal customers coming back over and over again and add onto it a healthy serving of new customers, it leads to very full cruise ships.

Read more: Millennials are taking over cruise ships

High demand means higher prices

Cruise ship inventory is fixed, so as inventory drops, prices tend to go up.

Cruise fares can change at a moment's notice based on demand, which means as more cabins are booked up for a given sailing, the price of remaining cabins can go up.

In May 2023, Mr. Liberty divulged the company withholds cabins to manage prices and ultimately drive up revenue.

"We used to kind of put everything out there and all the suites would be sold basically right off the bat. And then you would kind of work your way down to the inside cabins," he explained.

Read more: What are the different types of cabins on a cruise ship?

"Now we hold back inventory and we release it, based off of the much more sophisticated revenue management models that we have today."

With this approach to pricing, you can expect higher prices the closer to the sail date you get.

Generally speaking, the best prices for a cruise are when a new sailing is put on sale and all the cabins are open to book. Inventory is at its highest, and prices only go up as rooms get booked.

Cruise itineraries are usually released around two years in advance. The first batch of new cruises go on sale around November and December, and the rest come out in February, March or April.

In short, booking a 2025 cruise now is probably going to get you a lower price than if you wait.

Read more: 15 ways to get a deal on a cruise

Less cabin choices later

Prices aside, the other reason to book a 2025 cruise now is to get the stateroom type you want.

One major disadvantage to waiting for the last-minute to book a cruise is you're at the mercy of the leftover cabins that haven't sold yet.

Suites are usually the first cabin category to sell out, because there are relatively far fewer than any other cabin category.  Those that would be in the market for a suite would want to book earlier than ever to be able to get one.

Moreover, other desirable cabins that are not in a bad location or simply offer enough space for everyone also sell out quickly.

Read more: The rare cruise ship cabins that everyone wants to book immediately

Being able to get the right stateroom choice that you prefer is a compelling reason to lock in a booking now.

Bottom line

In just the last two quarters, Royal Caribbean Group has reported gangbuster demand for cruises, and that trend doesn't show any signs of slowing down.

Higher demand means it's less likely there will be a last-minute deal and more likely sailings will sell out far earlier than usual. 

Consumers looking to secure a cruise vacation in 2025 will want to act quickly in order to head off higher prices down the road while getting the stateroom category they prefer.

And if you're really smart, you'll book that early 2026 cruise now too.

A propulsion issue forced Royal Caribbean to cancel an Alaska cruise after guests boarded, including Kayla Hildebrandt.

The April 26 sailing of Radiance of the Seas was scheduled to sail a 7-night Alaska cruise, but an issue with the ship's propulsion caused initially a delay of departure, and then a full cancellation.

The last-minute cancellation disrupted the well laid out plans of those booked on the cruise, but it's difficult to fathom the impact unless you were directly affected.

Kayla shared her perspective of the experience, as well as what to consider for anyone else in the future who might experience something like this.

When a Cruise Gets Cancelled – Making the Best of It

As the years have gone on, there are two main times of year I tend to cruise: 

1. in late April/early May for my birthday 
2. in late September/early October, for our anniversary. 

This year – I decided I wanted to do something a bit more adventurous – a cruise to Alaska on a Radiance class ship, which is my favorite class.

Little did I know at the time – but this would truly become a bit of a roller coaster adventure. 

Spoiler alert: It turned out fun anyway.

Pre-Embarkation

Due to a bit of hectic work travel, I wound up heading out to Vancouver about 12 hours after arriving home to Cincinnati from Halifax on a business trip. This resulted in both severe overpacking and a significant loss of sense of the current time. Nonetheless, we made it out to Vancouver without issue. 

I had seen the emails from Royal Caribbean indicating that Radiance of the Seas had been having issues, but I thought nothing of it at the time. Ship issues aren’t super uncommon, and in more than 25 cruises, I’d never had one actually cancel over simply changing the itinerary. 

My husband and I agreed to go along with it and see what happened. We enjoyed an incredible pre-embarkation meal at Elisa in downtown Vancouver and our stay at the Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver.

Embarkation Day

We boarded during our 10 AM boarding window as scheduled, and again, without much concern. We made our way through the pin-ball boarding process that seems to be Canada Place in Vancouver and sat in the rows with the rest of our excited cruisers.

While we were waiting, one of the managers announced in the rundown about boarding that he expected that the required repairs wouldn’t be completed today – but he hadn’t received anything official yet. This is the first point that I started to think, “we’ll be seeing changes.” 

I’ll also admit, with all the work travel, I hadn’t thought to check online (as I normally would have) to see what had happened on the previous sailing. Either way – we agreed: just go with the flow and got on board.

On the Ship

For this cruise, we booked into cabin 3500, an ocean view cabin all the way forward on the starboard side of the ship. 

While not quite a balcony like I constantly hear recommended for Alaska sailings, we had a huge bright window that allowed us to check out what was going on directly outside and get some sunlight in the room. 

The room had tons of space – even with the amount I had overpacked, I had no issue unloading and finding space for all our things. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of clever storage on the Radiance class. I’d happily book this category again to save a few dollars to put towards fun excursions.

Once we had a quick chance to explore the ship and sit down to grab lunch at the Windjammer, we finally got word that we’d be missing Juneau and staying in Vancouver an extra two days.

While my initial thought was to spend some time exploring Vancouver, the staff quickly clarified that we would all need to stay on board due to customs regulations. 

Again, no problem. This was also our first cruise that we had not done a drink package of any kind and having given up alcohol a few years ago, we were pretty happy about the option for Pellegrino and Diet Coke while enjoying our stationary time on board. 

We proceeded to enjoy the rest of our first day by getting a deep tissue massage, grabbing dinner in the dining room, and heading to bed early. After coast-to-coast travel, I was very tired.

We knew that we’d be shifting a bit down the coast to a quiet cargo port overnight but waking up to the misty and rainy mountain views that surround Vancouver still made for quite a sight. 

After some breakfast and coffee in the Crown Lounge, we settled in for a movie day: back-to-back viewings of Dune 1 and 2, with a break in between for lunch and a nice walk around deck 5. Even when stationary on a ship that is undergoing repairs, it still makes for a relaxing afternoon. 

During our lunch walk, they announced that Wi-Fi would be free for the next two days. This is when it hit me something big was about to change.

It was halfway through Dune 2 that the captain finally announced that the cruise was cancelled. 

I’ll admit, I felt very sad at that moment. This was my birthday cruise, and a trip I had been looking forward to through months of work stress. 

In that announcement, the Captain included all the important details: we’d need to disembark the following morning, and Royal Caribbean would be issuing a letter to all cabins very shortly with details (we saw that letter on our door within the hour). 

The very first thing I did was to book a hotel for the next night and change our flights around to get back home.

After some processing time, I realized it was a reminder that things aren’t always going to go to plan, and things like this aren’t in our control. The only choice we get is how we react to it. 

So, after chatting in the Centrum over Heineken 0.0s, we made a couple decisions:

• We’re going to stay in Vancouver for an extra 2 days to explore the city.
• We’re going to use our FCC to book a New Year’s Eve cruise – something else we’ve always wanted to do, and something to look forward to on my first winter break of graduate school.

By the time we talked through our plans for Vancouver and for our new sailing, we were giddy and wanted to spend the rest of our time on board the ship to the fullest. 

We wound up having an insanely fun dinner at Izumi (big shout out to Ronald, Jelly, and Adonis!) and set to enjoy the rest of our time in Vancouver, a city we wound up absolutely loving.

Final Thoughts

If I could go back in time and have a do-over, I don’t think there’s much that I would change. 

While I’m still very sad I didn’t get to see Alaska this year, I believe I’ll have another opportunity to go, and this cancellation provided an additional opportunity to get to know Vancouver, which is truly a very cool city.

Additionally, I would gladly book Radiance or one of her sister ships again.

The experience provided was my own and while I felt that we handled it well in the circumstances we had, I felt bad for others that traveled in from Europe or Australia for the experience. That’s a lot of travel time sunk into an experience that you didn’t expect to have changed so significantly. 

Most others we encountered onboard carried a positive attitude around the experience, which also impacted our attitude on how we moved forward. Passengers I encountered discussed their alternate plans with us almost happily, though based on the constant line at Guest Services and other voices overheard in the Crown Lounge, I don’t expect that that was everyone’s experience. 

Similarly, the crew being in limbo and the uncertainty of when they’d be able to work with incoming passengers again was a bit sad to see.

I feel that the compensation provided by Royal Caribbean was fair. While we haven’t had the refunds hit our credit card yet, nor have I gone through submitting our hotel and taxi receipts quite yet (not to mention the travel insurance aspect), I do know there’s a lot to process and that this will likely take some time. 

I’m grateful for the promise of a full refund, the paid hotel for the couple of days in Vancouver, as well as the future cruise credit. It took a lot of the sting out of a significant change of plans. 

While onboard, I really do think the ‘open bar’ policy made a difference, even for us as non-drinkers. Since we weren’t at sea, the casino and shops remained closed and the number of bars available were limited, but it was still fun to see people making the best of their vacation together.

Vancouver Recommendations

If you ever find yourself with a few extra days in Vancouver, here’s some suggestions:

• Visit the Vancouver Aquarium
• Explore the sights on foot or on bike around Stanley Park
• Check out Granville Island Public Market
• Take a food tour around Gastown
• Book some local dining – Elisa and Nightengale both offered incredible meals

It's normal to have a lot of questions about booking a cruise because of how personal the different options are during the booking process.

After all, cruise ships are a complex, all-in-one vacation that happens on the ocean, and it's your choice how you enjoy it.

And what should new cruisers know first about Royal Caribbean?

To find out, you won’t have to wade through Reddit posts or wait on hold to speak to Royal Caribbean representatives any longer. 

Here are answers to 8 questions a lot of people are sometimes too embarrassed to ask when it comes to their cruise.

1. Do I really need to pay gratuities?

When you book your cruise, you’ll find an additional gratuity charge will be added to your cruise fare, either before or after the sailing.

If you elect to prepay the gratuities, you’ll pay this in the final price before your sailing.

If not, you’ll receive a charge on your SeaPass account for each day of your cruise.

The service gratuity is currently $18 per person, per day, for guests in non-suite or Junior Suite staterooms.

For guests in Suites, the charge is $20.50 per person, per day.

Read more: Tipping on a cruise ship: what you should and shouldn't do

This charge is based on industry standards, charged for each guest as a way to reward crew members for their service.

While you can remove the gratuities from your account, it is not a good idea. It is split among all the crew members you will encounter on your cruise: waitstaff, bartenders, culinary services staff, stateroom attendants, and the hotel services team.

Because Royal Caribbean crew members work hard to provide exemplary service, these gratuities are a way to reward them.

These are required as part of your cruise fare, but it means that you don’t need to tip crew members individually unless you so desire.

Read more: 10 reasons why I didn't want to go on a cruise, but glad I gave it a try

2. How easy is it to fall off a cruise ship?

Whenever a guest does unfortunately fall off a cruise ship, it becomes a well-reported news story.

So it’s easy for first-time cruisers to fear such a tragedy happening to them.

How likely is it that you could actually fall off a cruise ship deck or balcony?

The reality is that it’s almost impossible to accidentally fall off a cruise ship.

All railings are built to be at least chest-high, around four feet tall. 

Incidents in which someone does fall off a cruise ship usually happen because they climbed on top of a railing or purposely jumped off.

As long as you are following Royal Caribbean rules, it's very unlikely that you could fall off a cruise ship into the ocean.

3. Is the water safe to drink on a cruise ship?

Given that a cruise ship floats and is unattached to typical plumbing systems on land, you might wonder if the tap water is safe to drink on board.

The answer is yes, all the water is rigorously distilled or purified according to sanitation standards approved by the U.S. Public Health Service.

The water is regularly desalinated, treated, filtered, and tested to confirm the water quality.

All Royal Caribbean ships are also inspected frequently for sanitation.

Read more: 15 free things to try on your next cruise

4. Is a Guarantee Cabin worth it?

When you book your cruise, you will have the option to choose your exact stateroom or go for a guarantee stateroom.

A guarantee cabin is when you select the cabin type you prefer (interior, oceanview, balcony, or suite), and Royal Caribbean assigns one to you at a lower price.

You are promised your chosen category of cabin, but give up the ability to choose the exact location.

Usually, cruise lines offer this option as a way to sell less-desirable cabins, and make sure a ship is filled before the sail date.

If you select this option, you will be assigned a specific cabin a few weeks before your cruise.

It’s a great money-saving strategy, but it means giving up control of the exact stateroom you cruise in.

To decide whenever it’s worth it, consider how flexible you are on the location of your cabin, and compare that with the deal you’ll get from booking a guarantee stateroom.

If the deal saves you a good amount of money, or if you’re open to multiple different cabins, booking guarantee is a great idea.

Read more: I took my first cruise ever and here's what I expected vs what actually happened

5. Do crew members sleep on the cruise ship?

Where do the crew members sleep when they’re done working?

Just like guests, the crew members sleep on board during a cruise. 

In fact, their contracts last months at a time, during which they are living onboard.

There are special crew quarters onboard, where crew members share a small cabin with one or more roommates.

The size of the cabins vary, but they run small—definitely smaller than the guest cabins.

Most crew cabins are around 120 square feet.

Crew members also have a separate set of amenities onboard, like a laundromat, crew gym facilities, hair salons, and a separate cafeteria and bar.

Read more: Royal Caribbean crew member reveals what it's like when joining a cruise ship

6. I'm really scared of being out on the open ocean. Am I crazy?

It’s normal to have a fear of the ocean, but some people worry that this might stop them from cruising.

The reality is that a cruise could actually be a great way to confront and overcome that fear.

Cruise ships are incredibly safe—the odds of dying on one are about 1 in 6.25 million.

Cruising is one of the safest forms of travel, especially compared to cars, which we use every day.

Vessels are very carefully built, regulated, and monitored. Ships receive frequent safety inspections, and most cruise lines go above and beyond government requirements.

Not only that, but cruise ships are very large—you won’t feel like you’re floating on the ocean.

They are more like huge hotels, where you’ll have too much fun to even worry about feeling scared.

You don't have to get close to the ocean at all. Instead, you’ll be able to admire its beauty from afar.

If you are afraid of traveling on a smaller boat, just avoid a cruise that uses tenders, which are smaller boats that transport you to shore.

You’ll have a fun, safe time on the cruise ship.

Read more: 15 things I look forward to every time I go on a cruise ship

7. How do I meet the Captain while I’m onboard?

The Captain is responsible for everything on the cruise ship, so will you have an opportunity to meet this important figure?

How interactive the captain is with passengers depends on the captain and the ship, each person is unique.

On some cruises, the Captain and Cruise Director hold a question-and-answer session for guests to ask about the workings of the ship.

After that event, there’s usually an opportunity to meet the Captain.

Some cruises also have a Captain’s welcome aboard reception, during which the Captain makes a toast and takes photos with guests.

To find the time and location of these events, you can check your Cruise Compass or Royal Caribbean app.

8. Will I be bored on a cruise?

Out of all the fears you may have about cruising, this one would be the most unreasonable.

A Royal Caribbean cruise is filled with an overwhelming amount of activities you can take part in, most of them being completely free.

The exact activities vary depending on the ship and sailing, but each day of your cruise is guaranteed to have a variety of activities.

If you’re looking for physical and sports events, check out a rock climbing wall, mini golf, the sports court, the FlowRider surf simulator, water slides, the zip line, ice skating, laser tag, or fitness classes.

If entertainment and shows are more your style, there are games, live music, theater and musical performances, comedians, acrobats, and karaoke nights.

For those who prefer to live on the edge and gamble, each cruise ship has a casino and bingo events.

More activities include nightclub events, movies, parades, tours, and educational classes.  And of course there are multiple trivia contests every day.

Besides all these activities, there are several pools and hot tubs, and a wealth of different venues to try.

Read more: Cruising with teenagers: Will they have fun on a Royal Caribbean cruise?