Royal Caribbean Blog

A piece of Royal Caribbean's early history is headed to the trash heap.

Celestyal Cruises confirmed it is going to scrap Celestyal Olympia, which started her cruising life as Song of America.

Song of America was Royal Caribbean's fourth ever cruise ship.

Evidently the old ship will be replaced by a ship that Celestyal just bought that was built in 2003. The 42,000 ton ship from AIDA Cruises will take over offering short three- and four-night cruises around Greece.

Up until now she was the last of Royal Caribbean's original fleet to still be in service somewhere.

Read more: What happened to Royal Caribbean's first cruise ships?

Ordered in 1979 and built in 1982, Royal Caribbean’s Song of America cruise ship was over twice the size of Sun Viking at 37,584 GT. Song of America had a capacity of almost1,500 people, and was one of the Royal Caribbean’s largest ships at the time.

At the time of her launch, she was the third largest passenger vessel afloat.

She was built at the Wartsila shipyard in Helsinki, Finland.

She was the first ship to be built with the Viking Crown Lounge providing 360 degree views around the ship.

Read more: 8 ways Royal Caribbean changed the cruise industry

Song of America's expanded sun bowl, featured for the first time on any Royal Caribbean ship, two swimming pools.

Another first for Song of America was the first ship to introduce the concept of putting staterooms towards the front of the ship and public spaces towards the aft so that cabins were furthest from the ship's engines.

Song of America initially sailed Caribbean cruises from Miami to Nassau, San Juan, and St. Thomas, but she later ran cruises from New York to Bermuda.

She spent 17 years with Royal Caribbean until 1998 when Song of America was sold to Sun Cruises, although the ship was chartered back to Royal Caribbean until 1999.

Renamed the MS Sunbird, the former Song of America was based in the Mediterranean. She was sold to Louis Cruise Lines in 2004 and operated under the name MS Thomson Destiny.

In 2012, she began operating under the name Louis Olympia, homeporting from Piraeus, Greece.

In 2014, Louis Cruise Lines re-branded to become Celestyal Cruises and the ship was renamed Celestyal Olympia.

A launchpad for the future

In many ways, Song of America was the catapult Royal Caribbean would use to reach the modern era of cruising.

While the 1970s had been a boon for Royal Caribbean, the 1980s were a slower time for the company. Royal Caribbean wanted to recapture the leadership edge it had achieved in the early 1970s.

In 1984, Royal Caribbean had 11% of the cruise market share, whereas NCL had 14% and Carnival had 15%.

The success of Song of America led the cruise line to ponder what would be next. Economies of scale, already realized onboard Song of America, were clearly the wave of the future.

Miami management felt that if anything, they should proceed cautiously, producing a slightly larger Song of America with a 1,600-passenger load. But the committee overseeing the construction of a new ship argued for even greater expansion, constructing a larger ship altogether. 

That larger ship would end up being Sovereign of the Seas, and Song of America was used as a base for where to start planning such a ship.

The passenger count, which started at about 1,800, would be 2,673 total occupancy, more than double of Song of America's capacity.

Sovereign would also inherit the Viking Crown Lounge concept that was first introduced on Song of America.

Royal Caribbean will launch its own streaming service for a subset of its cruise passengers going on the world cruise.

The Ultimate World Cruise will take 274 nights on Serenade of the Seas that will visit more than 150 destinations in 65 countries and 11 great wonders of the world.

Passengers could book either the entire 274-night cruise or one of four 2-3 month segments.

It will be Royal Caribbean's first cruise that goes around the world, and a voyage that long is bound to have some down time.

The service, called Royal Flix, will stream movies for guests to watch that are sailing on the world cruise.

There's no cost to use the streaming service as long as you've purchased a Royal Caribbean WiFi package.

Read more: Royal Caribbean WiFi: Guide to Internet at sea

One guest on the cruise posted a screenshot of the service that has a bare bones interface serving up films.

The service is not available off the ship. Guests simply connect to Serenade of the Seas' internet and access the service.

There's no indication if Royal Flix will make it to other Royal Caribbean cruise ships, or even if it will remain available once the world cruise is complete.

Offering a movie streaming service is one of many pluses Royal Caribbean has added for this length of a cruise.

All guests participating in the Ultimate World Cruise, or one of the segments, will receive the an unlimited drink package for each guest, wash and fold laundry service for up to three bags per state room per week, Gratuities and Voom surf and stream for two devices per stateroom.

The cruise begins in Miami on December 10, 2023 and through September 10, 2024.

Royal Caribbean's first world cruise ever

Up until now, Royal Caribbean never offered a world cruise. In fact, it rarely offered long voyages. Most of its cruises tend to be less than two weeks.

Royal Caribbean is best known for weekend and week-long cruises in the Caribbean, Europe and Alaska.

Even among the cruise lines that offer world cruises regularly, Royal Caribbean's is longer than most.

Most world cruises visits 20 or 30 countries and takes three or four months.

Royal Caribbean's will visit more than 150 destinations in 65 countries and 11 great wonders of the world.

"How many more times would I have this opportunity?"

Pat Bell lives in Anchorage, Alaska and jumped at the opportunity to book this world cruise for the entire duration.

He'll be sailing with his wife Carmela, and they've been married for 25 years.

Up until this cruise, the longest cruise they had taken was a 10-night cruise for their honeymoon.

"I can always find a thousand reasons why I can't do a cruise this long, but I will always kick myself in the pants for not grabbing the opportunity," he said when I asked him why he booked this cruise.

"Plus, how many more times would I have this opportunity to do something like this?"

When I asked him what he is most excited for on this cruise, he replied, "the stories, meeting new friends, and the adventure of seeing the world."

There are certainly challenges with being away for this long.

He is a small business owner, who also has up to 36 apartments to manage, "We are blessed to have our oldest son take care of our house, the apartments, and do the accounting work for our business."

I asked what sort of concerns does he have with such a cruise this long, and he mentioned things like cell phone coverage, medical emergencies, rough seas, not packing enough, and having access to money.

"I'm sure there will be more changes as we travel on this adventure. Just need to go with the flow and enjoy the stories that will come from this adventure. Good and bad."

I also asked about medications and managing his health on the cruise, "We are lucky we don't have to take any medications, but Royal Caribbean says to make sure to bring medications and prescriptions, which can be filled in other countries.

"We did buy a small medical kit to take with us and a blister kit for all the walking we will be doing. We also purchased Geo-Blue medical insurance in addition to our travel insurance."

He mentioned there will be a dentist onboard the ship.

"What attracted me to cruising the world with Royal Caribbean was all the places they plan to go, where I don't have to unpack and repack each time we move to another city.

"Plus, Royal Caribbean is packing a lot of port stops in this 274-day cruise. I believe our longest days at sea is only 5 days in between ports. Also, I get to try the local food while still having the cruise ship meals as my comfort food."

I asked what his plans are for the cruise on shore, and he said there are seven complimentary world wonders tour: Chichen Itza Ruins (Cozumel, Mexico), Seal Bay (Falkland Islands), Machu Picchu (Peru), The Great Wall of China, Taj Majal (India), Petra (Jordan), and The Roman Colosseum (Italy).

He said they were recently informed that Crown & Anchor Society is giving them four additional free excursions to Montevideo (Uruguay), Taiwan (China), Ephesus (Turkey), and Cork (Ireland).

Royal Caribbean has suspended all excursions to Nassau’s Blue Lagoon Island following a deadly boating incident in the Bahamas. The cruise line announced that it has suspended all excursions to Blue Lagoon Island through November 23, 2023. 

The cruise line offers a variety of excursions to Blue Lagoon Island, including snorkeling, beach breaks and encounters with dolphins. 

On November 14, 2023, a ferry boat filled with Royal Caribbean cruise passengers heading to the popular shore excursion in Nassau experienced rough seas and began to take on water. The double-decker boat slowly capsized, sending distressed passengers into the turquoise sea.

Unfortunately, the incident at Blue Lagoon Island turned fatal with one passenger, a 75-year-old American woman, passing away.

Royal Caribbean confirmed that the incident occurred during a shore excursion. Independence of the Seas was the only Royal Caribbean ship docked in Nassau on the day of the incident. 

In a notification from Royal Caribbean to guests who pre-booked excursions to Blue Lagoon Island, the cruise line said, “ We are currently working with local authorities to evaluate the boating incident that took place during a shore excursion. In light of the incident, we have decided to cancel all Blue Lagoon tours through November 23, 2023”

Guests booked on Blue Lagoon Island excursions through Royal Caribbean will receive a full refund for canceled excursions. There are no other excursions in Nassau currently impacted by the incident. In the communication to guests, Royal Caribbean reassures customers that safety is the top priority for the cruise line and apologized for any inconveniences caused. 

It’s unclear at this time whether further excursions to Blue Island Lagoon will be suspended. Presumably, the investigation could result in more Royal Caribbean excursions In Nassau to be canceled pending the results of the investigation. 

Many cruise ship passengers choose to travel to Blue Lagoon Island during visits to the port. The beautiful island is located about three miles northeast of Nassau, which is the capital of the Bahamas.

Details surrounding the terrifying incident

According to Nassau police, the ferry departed  for Blue Lagoon Island from Paradise Island around 9:30am. There were approximately 100 passengers onboard the ferry during the incident. As the ferry was approaching Blue lagoon Island, the boat reportedly hit a large wave and water started to flood the ferry. 

Police chief superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told Nassau Guardian ”The vessel experienced rough seas in the area, which resulted in the boat taking on water and becoming submerged in waters just outside of Blue Lagoon.”

The local authorities also shared that emergency teams from the island arrived quickly to the scene to assist the distressed ferry. Luckily, the boat was near shallow waters and did not submerge completely.  

Following the incident, local authorities reported a 74-year-old woman from Colorado sadly died in the incident. One report cites a police statement sharing that authorities attempted to rescue the woman from the water while the ferry was sinking, but she was unresponsive. CPR was reportedly performed after the passenger was taken to a dock, but she was pronounced deceased at the scene. All other passengers were safely rescued but two people needed additional medical attention. 

Videos on social media show the chaos

All over social media, videos began to surface of the ferry incident from passengers onboard the vessel. One TikToker, Kelly Schissel, chronicled the chaos onboard the Blue Lagoon Island ferry. 

“Our boat is sinking. So that’s fun. Everybody’s freaking out” says Kelly Schissel while showing the ferry capsizing.

In the background of the TikTok, you can hear screams from fellow passengers onboard the doomed ferry. Passengers can also be seen wearing life jackets and huddling to one side of the ferry. 

Kelly shares that she’s on the top floor of the ferry while simultaneously filming the ferry slowly submerging into the Blue Island Lagoon. “[We are] literally sinking,” she says in the TikTok.

In a second response video, the TikToker continues to share that guests on the bottom level allegedly heard the captain laughing about trying to do a donut-like maneuver by whipping the aft around quickly in a circular motion. While approaching the shore of Blue Island Lagoon, Kelly shares that she also thought the captain was maybe trying to show off with a quick maneuver. 

“I just don’t think it worked out the way he wanted it to” theorizes Kelly.

While the ferry continues to take on water, Kelly’s original TikTok shows many passengers panicking while still onboard the vessel. One passenger can be heard screaming amid the chaos. At one point, a male passenger jumps into the sea and encourages others to do the same. In Kelly’s TikTok video, passengers can be seen in orange life jackets jumping into the choppy waters of the Caribbean Sea from the listing ferry. 

In the comments section of her TikTok, Kelly shared that she safely made it off the ferry. She continued to share that the Blue Lagoon Island ferry appeared closer to the shore than it actually was, contrary to many peoples’ perception. 

The TikToker recounts how passengers were left without instructions during the incident.

In a second video, Kelly recounts the incident, sharing that the ferry captain made a sharp turn that sent everyone towards the front of the ship. When it was clear that there was an issue, Kelly said people started to panic and freak out.

Since Kelly was on the top deck of the Blue Lagoon Ferry, she said it was difficult to understand the severity of the situation initially. 

“Then one of the crew members that was downstairs ran upstairs. She is crying. Freaking out. Absolutely bawling while grabbing a life jacket.”

Throughout the incident, Kelly shares in her TikTok that the crew members were hysterically crying and did not provide any guidance or instructions. Eventually, guests started to jump into the ocean when it was clear that instructions would not be provided.

“It was actually pretty rough waves, so a lot of people were just trying to stay above water, even with their life vests on,” says Kelly in her second TikTok video. Although the water was warm and the weather was good, she shares that the seas were very choppy, which made the situation worse. 

The doomed vessel settled on the shore with the top half of the vessel above the waterline. After guests were brought ashore by other vessels, Kelly states that the survivors received hot dogs, chips and water. 

For many cruisers, Blue Lagoon Island is a popular destination while docked in Nassau, Bahamas. 

Royal Caribbean previously offered many excursions to Blue Lagoon Island. When Matt from Royal Caribbean Blog visited the island on a shore excursion a few years ago, he found at least nine different excursions that included a visit to the Blue Lagoon Island. 

Excursions to Blue Lagoon Island include a variety of options with shore excursions through Royal Caribbean. These include beach day passes, dolphin swim encounters, stingray experiences, Segway tours and more. 

Blue Lagoon Island is surrounded by pristine blue seas and white sandy beaches. There are multiple beaches across the island and many activities for guests to enjoy. Given the close proximity to Nassau, Blue Lagoon Island has been a popular destination for cruisers on shore excursions.

Experienced cruisers know that the port you choose to sail out of has a big impact on your embarkation day experience. 

After experiencing the thrill of setting sail from the bustling large ports of Port Canaveral and Miami on my first two cruising adventures, I decided it was time to explore a new Florida port. 

For my third cruise, I embarked on a 5-night Radiance of the Seas sailing, departing from the smaller, more intimate port in downtown Tampa.

If you’re considering sailing from a smaller cruise port like I did, here’s what you can expect from embarkation day out of Tampa, Florida. 

I didn’t prepare as carefully as I usually do for embarkation day

While picking an earlier check-in time saves you from waiting in line, I didn’t make it a priority for this cruise.

My friend and I checked in on the app only about a week before the cruise, so we had to select a later check-in time in between 12:00 P.M. and 12:30 P.M. 

On previous cruises, I have arrived a little earlier, but I was glad I got the chance to experience the later time block on embarkation day. 

Additionally, my friend decided to fly into Tampa to meet me the very morning of the cruise: arriving at about 8:00 A.M.

Usually, we recommend flying in the night before your cruise, to ensure that nothing goes wrong and you can still make it onto the cruise ship in time.

However, my friend had no issues, and we still had several hours to spare before our cruise.

My friend and I ordered an Uber to arrive at the port around 12:00 P.M. 

Despite our looser planning, all went well, and we arrived right on time! 

When we arrived at the port, finding the terminal was complicated

Located in downtown Tampa, right next to the aquarium, this port was filled with cargo ships and other cruise ships. 

Whereas my cruises out of Port Canaveral and Miami had a much more international presence, it seemed like the Tampa port attracted a lot of native Floridians. 

Once I was onboard, almost everyone I talked to seemed to come from somewhere in Florida.

When I first arrived, I thought it looked crowded for such a small port. Little did I know that would become the theme of the day.

Our Uber driver had to circle around a couple terminals to find the correct one. While we waited in the car, we completed the mandatory safety briefing on the app so we wouldn't have to do it once we got onboard. 

At the Tampa port, Royal Caribbean uses both terminals 1 and 3, depending on which ships are in port. Since Grandeur of the Seas was embarking on the same day, Radiance of the Seas was located further down at Terminal 3.

It was hard to navigate through—we had to go around aquarium parking and other terminal entrances—but thankfully, security guards stood at several locations to give us directions.

Finally, our Uber driver was able to pull into the port and drop us off at the entrance. 

Immediately, a porter stopped us and took our bags. This was one benefit of being at a smaller terminal: we were able to find a porter and hand off our bags right out of the car’s trunk!

However, the experience became a lot harder from there.

We had to wait in line for an hour before we could even enter the terminal

We got in line to go up the stairs or escalator to enter the terminal. However, as soon as we got in line, we saw that the stairs and escalator were closed off, and staff were preventing people from walking up. They said that it was so crowded inside the terminal that we had to wait down the stairs to prevent it from getting congested.

After about 10 minutes, staff opened up the escalator and allowed us to walk up. However, the lines only grew longer from there.

The lines stretched out past the entrance onto the outdoor level of the terminal.

We had to walk around the building to even get in line, and the lines only grew longer from there.

We stood in the heat for quite some time, waiting for the line to even move forward into the shade.

I found myself regretting not packing my sunglasses in my carry-on. As time went on, it became more of an issue of survival, and I wished I had packed more water and snacks.

As Florida tends to be in the middle of the day, it became very hot and sunny.

I started to worry that some people would start to pass out. If I was feeling overheated, how much worse would the elderly and children feel?

I could hear babies crying behind me in line, as the line started to stretch on even longer and wrap around the outside of the terminal.

However, one positive aspect of sailing out of this port is that we had a beautiful view of downtown Tampa, the water, and the palm trees as we waited. 

Since Radiance of the Seas is the smallest ship I've sailed on so far—only carrying 2,300 passengers—I was surprised that such a small ship would have longer lines than I’m used to. 

As we surveyed what looked like hundreds of people in line with us, I heard someone behind me say: “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

It was an hour before we even made it inside the terminal and into the blessed relief of shade and A.C. 

Once we made it inside the terminal, the process went much faster 

After that, however, things went smoothly: staff checked our passports and SetSail Passes before we got into a fast-moving line through security. 

The security there told us that it was a very hectic day, but I still found myself wondering why such a small ship would have so many people in line. 

That seems to be the disadvantage of sailing out of a smaller port: there is not a lot of space for people to wait, especially indoors. 

After that, a crew member checked our passports and SetSail Passes again, and we entered one last checkpoint where a crew member examined our SetSail Passes.

It was easy sailing after that last checkpoint: we just had to exit the terminal, walk up the gangway onto the boat, and find our muster station.

This part held most of the ease I was expecting from embarking on a smaller boat. It was quick and easy to enter the ship and find our muster station. We received a short safety briefing from the crew member at our station, made sure that we had already completed the safety lessons on the app, and we were free to go.

After arriving at the terminal at 12:00 P.M., we finally finished checking in at 1:30 P.M. It was the longest embarkation process I’ve experienced so far. 

But now that the process was completed, my friend and I could explore the ship and head up for lunch at the Windjammer.

We were ready for the adventure to begin! 

Everyone wants to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise, including getting a deal on their drinks.

A Royal Caribbean drink package is expensive, so it's natural to want to limit how much you spend. While drink packages offer the convenience of unlimited beverages during your entire cruise, the upfront cost gives some people pause.

Unfortunately, some people think they can "beat the system" and devise ways to cheat Royal Caribbean's drink package. It's one of those they want their cake and eat it too situations, where the prices and rules regulating the drink packages compel some to look for ways around it.

Trying to cheat the package can get you in serious trouble with the cruise line, and you risk various penalties. 

We've heard all the excuses why circumventing the rules is okay to do: it's expensive, requirements for all adults to buy it if one does, a need to buy it for the entire sailing, and more. The reality is it's Royal Caribbean's decision on what the rules are, and it's not negotiable.

I don't recommend trying any means of cheating Royal Caribbean, and I'm only sharing these methods as a warning of what not to do because you can get in serious trouble.  Consider yourself warned.

Share drink benefits

The oldest and most common way people cheat the drink package is to buy the drink package and then order drinks for others who don't have the package.

Royal Caribbean is quite clear that the drink package benefits are only for the person that buys them, but some people still do this.

If you're caught sharing drinks with someone who doesn't have the same drink package as you, you risk having your entire drink package purchase cancelled without a refund.

Remember, bartenders have seen it all and you're far from the first person to sneak drinks to someone else. Moreover, there are cameras all around the ship.  So the chances of being caught is quite high.

Sneak booze onboard

There are so many videos on TikTok showing how to sneak alcohol onboard your ship as a way to save money and avoid buying a drink package completely.

Royal Caribbean prohibits you from bringing beer or liquor onboard at all. It's one of the prohibited items not allowed.

TikTok is full of cruise hacks to show anyone how to smuggle booze onboard.

The most common strategy is to fill bottles of mouthwash or shampoo to conceal it. Another way is to put the booze in a flask and hide it on your body as you embark the ship.

Other crazy ideas include liquid-holding bras, fake beer bellies, umbrella or binocular flasks.

Many of these ideas are tedious to set up, cumbersome to execute, and could you get in serious trouble with the cruise line.

Easy hacks to save money on a drink package

Trying to get around Royal Caribbean's rules is a recipe for ruining your vacation.

However, there are some legal ways to "cheat" the Royal Caribbean drink package using a few creative strategies.

Bring your own wine

You're allowed to bring one bottle of wine (or champagne) per adult on embarkation day, and this can save you a lot of money.

Bringing your own wine means you can pay retail price for your wine, instead of the prices the cruise line sells them for onboard. Plus, you can bring your favorite brand of wine, rather than being limited to what is on your ship.

Royal Caribbean supposedly charges a corkage fee to open a bottle of wine ($15 corkage fee per bottle), but in my experience it is rarely enforced.

Nonetheless, bringing your own bottles of wine can save a lot of money if all you're interested in is wine.

Book your drink package early and reprice

Did you know when you buy a drink package before the cruise, you can always take advantage of a lower price later?

The tried-and-true strategy for getting the lowest price for a Royal Caribbean drink package is to keep checking for lower prices up until embarkation day.

Royal Caribbean runs drink package sales all the time, and there's always some kind of a discount applied.  The key is to know when to buy the drink package before your cruise and periodically check for a lower price.

My advice is ignore the advertised percentage off that you see, and look at the total cost when you add it back to your cart as if you were buying it again.

If the price is lower, you can easily cancel your original purchase and then immediately re-buy it at the lower price.

Using this strategy, you can easily save hundreds of dollars.

Call Royal Caribbean to ask for a different drink package

One reason people want to cheat the Royal Caribbean drink package is because they think it's unfair that another adult in their cabin has to get the alcohol package if they get it, but there's a workaround to it.

If you try to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package on the website, you'll notice Royal Caribbean forces you to buy it for all the other adults in the same cabin.

You can call Royal Caribbean and let them know the other adult(s) in your cabin do not want the drink package, and instead, they'll allow them to buy the Royal Refreshment package, which includes just non-alcoholic beverages.

This will save a lot of money for someone who cannot or does not want the full unlimited package.

Book adults in separate rooms

If you're taking advantage of one of my favorite cruise cabin hacks and booking two or more cabins instead of putting everyone in a single cabin, be sure to assign adults in different cabins.

As an example, let's assume you have two adults and two kids and you're going to book connecting cabins because it gets you more room, separation from your kids, and an extra bathroom at a lower price than a suite.

Instead of booking the kids in one cabin and the parents in the other cabin, book one child with each parent in the room.  That way, when you go to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, it won't force the second person to buy it because minors don't have to get a drink package!

Don't worry who's technically booked in which cabin. Royal Caribbean doesn't care which cabin you actually stay in, just that you're booked.

Look for free drinks around the ship

Another strategy is to rely on some of the free drinks you can get around your cruise ship.

Throughout your cruise, there will be different events held where you could get free alcoholic beverages.

Every cruise is different, but there are a few events common to almost every Royal Caribbean sailing:

• Art auctions have free champagne
• Top Tier events for Crown and Anchor Society members have complimentary beverages
• Liquor tasting events
• Extra cost brunch events that include champagne

This hack works best for someone that wants to be more opportunistic in how they save money and get free drinks.

Tip the bartenders

I think you should always tip waiters and bartenders for good service, but there's an added possible benefit to this gesture.

Some bartenders might give you a free drink after you tip them. Never expect a free drink as a result of offering them gratuity, but it has been known to happen.

It works best when you get to know a particular bartender or waiter and order drinks from them throughout your cruise. 

I would not expect to get many free drinks this way, and giving them a tip is about rewarding their service.  Make sure you're clear on that this isn't a quid pro quo situation.

Drink in ports of call

Odds are cocktails and beers are going to be cheaper on land in the ports of call you visit than on the ship.

If you limit your onboard consumption and spend more on drinks on land, your money will go further.

There's usually a myriad of bars near the port where your cruise ship docks, and plenty more in the surrounding area. There are beach bars, restaurants, and even carts selling drinks that could be significantly cheaper than what you'll find on the ship.

Moreover, you'll have a wider selection of drinks. This is especially important to beer drinkers who covet having access to different brands or beer types.

Order a bottle of liquor to your cabin

Royal Caribbean sells a limited selection of liquor that you can have delivered to your cabin.

There's only a few brands, and it comes in a small quantity meant to use for mixing with a soft drink, but this could be just what you want in lieu of a drink package.

If you go to the Royal Caribbean Gifts and Gear website, you'll find a few liquors to buy (as well as wine and beer brands):

• Bombay Sapphire
• Bacardi Gold
• Absolut Vodka

You'll get a 375 ml. bottle delivered to your stateroom, along with some cans of soda to mix with it.

Gamble enough to get free drinks in the casino

An interesting strategy to get free drinks on your cruise instead of buying a drink package is to spend that money in the casino.

Royal Caribbean has a customer loyalty program specifically for the casino, where if you accrue 2,500 points or more in the casino, you'll move to the Prime level and be able to get unlimited free drinks in Casino Royale for an entire year.

Read more: I gambled enough in Royal Caribbean's casino to get free drinks and a cruise

You get points depending on how much you wager gambling. There isn't an exact calculation, but the more you wager, the more points you earn.  Moreover, you'll earn points faster playing slot machines than table games because slots can be more easily tracked.

Gambling responsibly is more important than free drinks, but if you were going to spend time in the casino anyway, this could be a way to double down on your casino habit and get free drinks as well.

If you're ready to dine in elegance and style, Royal Caribbean has the perfect new restaurant for you.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is set to debut in early 2024, and among the many new concepts is a high-end supper club.

The Empire Supper Club was announced months ago, but reservations were not available.  Today, Royal Caribbean opened up reservations to the general public.

Prices across multiple Icon of the Seas sailings list it at $200 per person. Bookings are available immediately from the Cruise Planner website.

If you have the Unlimited Dining Package, you can pay an additional charge of $130 to eat at the restaurant.

Deluxe Beverage Packages, Crown and Anchor coupons or Star Class guests, can enjoy this experience at the standard cover price.

It's arguably Royal Caribbean's most elegant restaurant to date, and will serve multiple courses while music is played. The cruise line says you can expect an evening of, "evening of glitz and glamour" with your meal.

Step into the sophisticated style of this intimate space and embark on an eight-course journey. Traditional American fare like oysters Rockefeller and modern renditions like Wagyu New York strip topped with shaved fresh truffle transcend eras and expectations. Each musical number and every libation is carefully curated and perfectly paired to complement each course, from upbeat "Beyond the Sea" to a bittersweet Campari spritz. 

The combination of live music with the jazz band, along with the premium menu is what's going to distinguish this restaurant from other specialty restaurants.

Tony Abou-Ganim has worked with James Beard Award-winning chefs, Bellagio and more to come up with the meals and cocktails.

It's an intimate dinner experience, where table sizes are limited to parties of 2 to 4. If your party is larger than 4 people, you'll be seated at separate tables.

What's included with Empire Supper Club

For the price, you might be curious what you get.

Each meal is an eight-course experience, where you'll enjoy a cocktail paired with the music being played by the jazz band. Non-alcoholic options are available upon request.

There will be a three-piece band playing to provide entertainment.

There will be appetizers such as oysters Rockefeller deliciously dressed with chorizo béarnaise, sundried Roma tomatoes and micro basil.

Royal Caribbean's lists an entree as Wagyu New York strip, topped with fresh truffle and coupled with fondant potatoes, sautéed morels and green peppercorn sauce.

When you get to dessert, you can look forward to the Chocolate Beehive, comprised of a trio of ganache layers, salted caramel toffee and mango sauce.

Gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegetarian options available.

Special rules for the Empire Supper Club

There's also a set of expectations if you choose to dine at the Empire Supper Club, which are important to consider before booking.

Timing

Doors open 10 minutes prior to the start of the meal, and the cruise line implores guests to be on time to ensure the programming is set correctly.

Royal Caribbean says the meal will last 2-3 hours, and to plan your evening accordingly.  In my opinion, that means don't ask for a quick meal to make a show.

Dress Code

Formal wear is required to dine at Empire Supper Club.

Suggested attire include suit jackets, slacks, cocktail dresses, formal pantsuits, and formal jumpsuits.

An array of suit jacket sizes will be available for guests who may need to borrow one.

Age restrictions

There is no age limit or restriction to dine at Empire Supper Club, but Royal Caribbean says the experience is designed for adults.

Pricing remains the same for guests opting for non-alcoholic beverages.

A different dining experience, and a different price

If you're quick to compare the price of the Empire Supper Club to other Royal Caribbean specialty restaurants, the cruise line would tell you that this is unlike anything else offered.

The price of $200 per person is more than double many other specialty dining venues on Icon of the Seas, but those restaurants are not in the same league as Empire Supper Club.

The combination of premium food, paired cocktails, and live music, put Empire Supper Club in a different category of dining. It's intimate nature, dress code requirements, and inflexibility with changes to the menu are indications that this is not just another dining experience.

Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, said this restaurant is something completely different from what we may have seen in the past, "Empire Supper Club is what I would say is the most elevated dining experience we've created at Royal Caribbean."

He referred to it as a, "full immersive dining experience".

"It really is an elevated food experience that's tied together with a really elevated beverage experience."

Sometimes picking a cruise ship to sail on can feel like picking your favorite child: you don't have one, but sometimes you prefer one over the other for different reasons.

It can be daunting to choose between different cruise ships for a vacation, and even I can sometimes find myself second guessing the decision.

I recently sailed on one of Royal Caribbean's smallest cruise ships for a few important reasons, and it provided me an affordable cruise to the places I wanted to visit, even if it did not have all the bells and whistles of other ships.

Radiance of the Seas is the oldest Radiance Class cruise ship, having launched on June 15, 2000.  Cruise ships that reach the 20 year plateau are becoming far more commonplace than it used to be, so age is not the factor it used to be in evaluating how good a cruise ship is.

Read more: Why you can't trust online reviews of cruise ships

Radiance is also on the small end of Royal Caribbean's fleet.  She has a capacity of 2,501 guests and a length of 961 feet.  Compared to new cruise ships, like Wonder of the Seas, she is in a different category of cruise ship layout and feel.

Ultimately, I picked Radiance of the Seas because it was the right cruise ship for what I wanted: an inexpensive getaway cruise to ports of call in Mexico from a convenient homeport.

Here's why my cruise on Radiance of the Seas ended up being a great choice.

Inexpensive last-minute fare

It seems like a last-minute cruise deal is getting harder and harder to find because of rising cruise prices.  Royal Caribbean is seeing exceptional demand, and that means there's less incentive to offer a lower price.

I booked this cruise exactly 31 days before embarkation, and got a Category 4D balcony stateroom for $1,390.79 (including gratuities), plus $50 onboard credit.  

Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

This was a 5-night cruise that visited two ports of call in Mexico, Costa Maya and Cozumel.

I could have gone with a category 2V inside cabin instead for $1,063.79  (including gratuities), plus $50 onboard credit.  I decided the extra $300 was worth having a balcony and more space.

Read more: 8 reasons a balcony cabin is worth it to book on a cruise

I didn't set any records for the lowest cruise fare ever, but considering I booked the cruise just a month before sailing, I think it's a pretty good price for a last-minute cruise in 2023.

At the time of booking, there were very few options that worked for the timeframe I wanted, but more important, I was going to pay more for them too.

Cruises from other ports around Florida had higher prices and worse cabin choices.

My cabin had lots of space, and the private balcony was so nice to have on the two sea days we had.

I was in cabin 8516, located near the forward elevator bank. There were no noise issues to contend with, and it was very convenient to have an elevator so close by.

Not only does a balcony cabin get natural light from the sliding glass door, but I was able to spend time on my balcony with the fresh air or a view from in my room if it got too hot.

Convenient homeport

Radiance of the Seas is spending the winter cruise season in Tampa, Florida, and it's one of my favorite ports to sail from because of how easy it is.

Tampa does not get the bigger cruise ships that you'll find in South Florida or even across the state in Port Canaveral, but it's such an easy process to cruise from there.

Besides the fact I can make the drive in a little over an hour from my house, the port is set up with a valet parking option that costs just $15 more than parking in the cruise terminal garage. 

The terminal itself is a no-frills embarkation experience, and I've always found it to be quick and easy. 

I arrived for my noon check-in time (which I picked from the Royal Caribbean app) and there were no lines at all to contend with. All they had to do was check paperwork and send me on my way.

While the embarkation process is just as easy at other Florida homeports thanks to Royal Caribbean's utilization of its app to speed up the process, the folks working in the cruise terminal have done their best to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Lots of dining choices

Given how old Radiance of the Seas is, I was surprised how many dining choices it has.

There are four different specialty restaurants on Radiance of the Seas, plus the Chef's Table.

• Chops Grille
• Giovanni's Table
• Izumi
• Samba Grill

When you're choosing between a small or big cruise ship, often the variety of dining choices is one consideration as big ships are known for having more.  

However, with four specialty restaurants in addition to the complimentary Windjammer and Main Dining Room, I was impressed by the variety.

Whether you decided to eat at any of the specialty restaurants or not, it's nice how many options there are on a ship of Radiance of the Seas' age and size.

Ports in Mexico

A major reason I wanted to go on Radiance of the Seas was for the opportunity to sail to Mexico.

Anecdotally, it seems like there are far less cruises going to Mexico than the Eastern Caribbean. Or at least, I keep subconsciously choosing Eastern Caribbean routes.

I wanted a cruise that went to the Western Caribbean so I could review my two favorite beach shore excursions: Maya Chan and Paradise Beach.

Plus, I really enjoy cruises that go to Mexico because of the food.

At home, I eat plenty of Mexican food, but there's nothing like getting the real thing in Mexico. I enjoy the beautiful scenery there as well, but Mexico's food is my favorite among any Caribbean port.

An additional benefit to Radiance of the Seas was the amount of time we had in port.

In both Costa Maya and Cozumel, we were docked for the full day.  As an example, in Costa Maya we were in port from 8am to 5pm, whereas Mariner of the Seas came in on the same day, but did not arrive until 11am.  They did stay until 7pm, but in my experience so many businesses close up once you get to around 5pm.

Being that Radiance of the Seas was closer to Tampa, our distance was shorter than a cruise from Eastern Florida, and I loved having a full day in each port of call.

Fastest internet at sea

If having fast internet on a cruise ship is important to you, Radiance of the Seas is a great choice.

Royal Caribbean's investment in Starlink internet service has been a game changer, especially now that they seemed to have optimized their networking to better handle the traffic.

I was first blown away by how well Starlink worked when I was on Serenade of the Seas last month, which is another Radiance Class ship.

On Radiance of the Seas, the internet was almost as good as Serenade, but so much better than just a few months ago when I was on other, larger ships.

As someone that relies on the internet heavily, it was so nice to have a reliable connection for the entire cruise.

The Bahamas and Caribbean are two of the most popular year-round cruising destinations. 

It can be hard to decide between the two, as both promise pristine beaches with turquoise waters and white sand. 

Depending on the itinerary you choose, you might be able to visit both. Some 7-night Caribbean cruises also call at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas. 

Here's what you should know about Caribbean vs. Bahamas cruises to help you determine which you will like better. 

Caribbean cruises tend to visit more ports of call

Compared to The Bahamas, the Caribbean has more ports to visit and is divided into three different regions: Eastern, Western, and Southern. You can take three Caribbean cruises and visit new and exciting destinations each time! 

It's not uncommon for ships to sometimes include a stop in The Bahamas on these longer itineraries.

Icon of the Seas, for instance, is scheduled to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay on every Eastern and Western Caribbean cruise between January 2024 and April 2026. 

Possible ports of call in the Eastern Caribbean include San Juan, Puerto Rico; La Romana, Dominican Republic; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis; and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

Western Caribbean cruises sail to Mexico, Jamaica, Belize, Grand Cayman, and Honduras. 

Related: Best shore excursion in every Caribbean cruise port

The Southern Caribbean is the furthest from the United States, so if you sail from Florida, you should expect the itinerary to be at least eight nights. San Juan is a popular embarkation port for more port-intensive Southern Caribbean cruises as well. 

Destinations here include the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao), as well as St. John's, Antigua; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Castries, St. Lucia; St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Bridgetown, Barbados.  

The majority of Caribbean cruises tend to be around a week since the islands are located further than The Bahamas. Did you know that Nassau is less than 190 miles away from Miami?

That being said, it's possible to find sailings that are longer and shorter! If you find one that's less than a week, it will usually only visit one or two ports of call, whereas those that are around a week visit anywhere from three to four. 

The Bahamas are great for a quick getaway

Since The Bahamas are located just off the coast of Florida, you will find numerous 3- and 4-night itineraries, making this region a great escape for a quick getaway.  

Historically, Royal Caribbean has deployed older ships for these short sailings. This is changing with Utopia of the Seas, as this brand-new ship is advertised as "The World's Biggest Weekend" and won't start her inaugural season with longer cruises to the Caribbean. 

Related: Best things to do in Nassau on a cruise

While The Bahamas are an archipelago comprised of over 700 islands, most sailings visit the same few. Whether it is a 3- or 4-night cruise from Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale, or Miami, your itinerary will likely visit Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Longer sailings to The Bahamas depart from more northern ports like Baltimore and Cape Bayonne in New Jersey. Even so, the only major difference is the addition of a stop in Port Canaveral, rather than another island in The Bahamas, as well as more sea days. 

Occasionally, you may find a cruise that stops in Bimini or Grand Bahama Island. These sailings, however, tend to be on older ships, such as those within Royal Caribbean's Vision Class. 

The overall cost of a cruise to The Bahamas is less

When comparing prices, the advertised rate for a shorter cruise to The Bahamas will be less than a 7-night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. 

Additionally, you won't have to pay as much in add-ons, either. Typically, Royal Caribbean Wi-Fi packages are around $20 on the Cruise Planner. On a 4-night cruise, that would add up to be around $80, whereas you could spend as much as $140 on a 7-night sailing. 

When browsing available sailings in July 2024, a 4-night cruise to The Bahamas onboard Freedom of the Seas starts at $521 per person for an interior cabin.

Freedom is also scheduled to go on a 6-night Western Caribbean cruise the same month, but pricing starts at $858 per person. This is roughly a $340 difference for two extra nights onboard!

Related: Bahamas cruise guide

You'll also pay less in gratuities. As of November 11, 2023, the automatic service gratuity for those in standard staterooms (i.e., interior, ocean view, balcony, and Junior Suites) is $18.00 per person, per day. Guests in suites are subject to higher rates, or $20.50 per person, per day. 

For a 4-night cruise in a balcony, you'll pay $72 per person, whereas those on a 7-night cruise will pay $54 more per person, or $126 each. 

The Caribbean has a greater variety of shore excursions

The Bahamas is primarily known for its beautiful beaches, and while that doesn't mean you cannot find exciting excursions, the Caribbean has a greater variety of options that aren't beach-based. 

While visiting Jamaica, for instance, you can either go zip-lining or visit the famous Dunn's River Falls. On the same cruise, you can visit ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico or attend a salsa making class. If you want to relax, both ports have beaches nearby as well. 

Even ports in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean have some pretty unique options. While visiting Curaçao, for instance, I opted to take a tour of the island and got to visit the Hato Caves, The Curaçao Museum, and the liqueur distillery at Landhuis Chobolobo. 

In St. Maarten, you can visit Pelican Peak and ride a 1,500-foot zip line or take an ATV/jeep tour of the island. 

Since the Caribbean is made up of different countries, you will have the option to experience different local cultures, too. 

Related: I've been on 12 Caribbean cruises, and I see passengers making the same 14 mistakes. Here's how to avoid them

All cruises to The Bahamas depart from the East Coast, whereas some Western Caribbean sailings depart from Texas and Louisiana

There's no denying that airfare can be expensive. A family of four can easily spend over $1,000 in pre-cruise transportation when flying from their home state. 

When planning a Caribbean cruise, many people automatically think that they have to sail from Florida. Royal Caribbean, however, also offers voyages from Galveston, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana. 

If you live in Dallas, you're only 4.5 hours from the port in Galveston, meaning you won't have to worry about booking pre- or post-cruise flights. 

Those coming from the West Coast might find also more affordable flight options since Houston is not as far as Florida. Either way, a shorter flight is always a win! 

Your best bet for warm weather during the winter is the Caribbean

During the winter months, The Bahamas are subject to the occasional cold front. In January, the average high is around 79 degrees, while the average low drops to 64.

I visited Perfect Day at CocoCay twice in January 2023, and while the second visit was a tad warmer, I was rather chilly both times considering I was in The Bahamas! In fact, it was too cold to get into the ocean during the first visit. 

Some of the best months to visit The Bahamas are November, late April, or early May. Not only do all of these months fall outside of the Atlantic hurricane season, but they're also less likely to experience a cold front. 

Plus, since these months fall outside of the peak season, you will find lower cruise fares!

Since the Caribbean is further south, it stays warm all year. During the months of December, January, and February, they will be less hot and humid than during the summer, when islands can see daily highs exceeding 90 degrees!

Related: When is the best time to go on a cruise?

I recently stayed in windowless interior cabins onboard Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas and Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Celebration. 

While Carnival Celebration is the newer ship of the two, Symphony of the Seas is the larger one, measuring over 44,000 gross registered tons more. As of November 2023, she is the second-largest cruise ship at sea. 

I traveled alone on both cruises, meaning that I had to pay the dreaded single supplement fee. My cruise fare included gratuities on Symphony of the Seas in January totaled $1,400. I paid $500 more, or $1,900, for my 7-night sailing onboard Carnival Celebration in mid-October.

In terms of square footage, my cabin onboard Carnival Celebration was nine square feet larger than my room on Symphony of the Seas, with the latter measuring 149 square feet. However, despite the additional square footage, I felt like the space in my room on Symphony was better utilized. 

Not only did I have a small dresser with drawers to store my clothing in addition to two closets, but there also was a nicely sized sofa. There was no other seating option in my stateroom on Celebration other than a small stool that could be tucked underneath the vanity. 

Regardless, I was impressed by the amount of storage space in both staterooms. Due to the drawers, however, I felt I was able to keep my belongings more organized in my inside cabin on Symphony. 

Additionally, the placement of the closets maximized the amount of available floor space. Despite this cabin being smaller, it felt larger than my room on Carnival Celebration! 

The vanities were equipped with more than enough outlets and USB ports to charge my devices. Celebration's stateroom had three American outlets and four USB ports, while Symphony's vanity area had three American outlets, two USB ports, and a single European outlet. 

Since there was a small dresser, the vanity space in my stateroom on Carnival Celebration was larger. I also liked the wide shelves attached to the side of the closet, as the single shelf above the desk on Symphony of the Seas was rather narrow.

I was only able to store sunglasses and other small miscellaneous items there. 

The nightstands beside the bed on my Carnival cruise were small, metal tray-like pieces of furniture, each with a single USB port above them. My cabin on Symphony also had two nightstands; however, they were wooden, with only one of them having a USB port close by. 

One of the largest drawbacks was that the stateroom's telephone was placed on one nightstand, rendering it pretty useless. I appreciated how the telephone in my cabin on Celebration was attached to the wall. Of course, this meant that if someone wanted to call me, I would not be able to answer it from bed. 

This might be controversial, but I preferred the bathroom in my Carnival cabin. While there was less floor space than the ensuite onboard Symphony of the Seas, I found the shower to be larger and appreciated how it was not rounded. Plus, the counter was wider, albeit not as long. 

Both, however, were modern and updated. Neither had a curtain, which can be found on all classes of Carnival ships except the Excel Class, and there was enough space for all of my toiletries and cosmetics. 

Royal Caribbean's showers come equipped with a shampoo/body wash combo, while Carnival provides two different products.

Personally, I'm not a fan of any cruise line-provided products and would recommend bringing your own shampoo and body wash on any cruise that you go on. 

During my time on both ships, I found the water pressure and temperature in the shower to be more consistent onboard Carnival Celebration.

While on Symphony of the Seas, the water pressure was neither great nor awful, and I had issues with the temperature. In the mornings, I was unable to get hot water, sometimes having to wait twenty-five minutes for it to heat up. In the evenings, the water was always scalding hot. 

The television in my stateroom on Carnival Celebration was hung on a small wall directly opposite of my bed near the adjoining door, whereas the one in my cabin on Symphony of the Seas was hung on the wall above the dresser. I was also able to rotate it to see it from either the bed or sofa. 

The door connecting my stateroom to the one beside me was just one complaint I had with my room. Another large one was the exposed pullman bed that constantly jetted out from the wall, making the space feel more cramped. While there was enough space for myself in this interior stateroom, I cannot imagine trying to cram three people in it! 

As standard in the cruise industry, both rooms were outfitted with mini-fridges and safes. The mini-fridge in my cabin on Symphony of the Seas had three adjustable shelves and a single bin shelf on the mini-fridge's door. There was a single adjustable shelf in the mini-fridge on Carnival Celebration, as well as two bin shelves on the door.

They were both located near the vanity; however, it was hidden behind a door in the dresser on Symphony, whereas it was exposed on Carnival Celebration due to the lack of a dresser. I never had an issue with the functionality of either. 

Overall, I found both interior staterooms to be well-appointed and comfortable for a weeklong cruise. If, however, I was presented with a choice, I think I would choose Symphony of the Seas' cabin over Carnival's, simply because the smaller room felt larger due to the way the stateroom was designed. 

It's not too early to book a Royal Caribbean cruise for 2025 or early 2026.

Royal Caribbean has released its new 7-night Caribbean cruises for the 2025-2026 Caribbean season.

In addition to the 2025-2026 Icon of the Seas cruises already released, Royal Caribbean posted cruises on six other ships.

The new itineraries are loaded into Royal Caribbean's website and available for immediate booking. 

Here's a breakdown of what's new.

Adventure of the Seas will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida and offer 6- and 8-night Caribbean cruises.  Some will go Western, while longer ones will visit the Eastern or Southern Caribbean.

Grandeur of the Seas will be based in Tampa, and offer 7-night cruises to The Bahamas and Western Caribbean.

Harmony of the Seas will sail from Galveston, Texas and offer 6, 7, and 8-night Caribbean cruises.

One change with this itinerary is you will be able to sail from Galveston and visit Perfect Day at CocoCay in addition to ports in Mexico, if you sail on the 8-night cruises.

Icon of the Seas will continue to be based from Miami, Florida and alternate between 7-night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day at CocoCay and 7-night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day at CocoCay itineraries.

Independence of the Seas will offer 7-night Caribbean cruises from Miami, Florida.

Oasis of the Seas will be based from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and offer 6 and 8-night Caribbean cruises.

Rhapsody of the Seas will split her time between Tampa and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

While in Tampa, Rhapsody will sail to the Western Caribbean. In San Juan, she will offer cruises to the Southern Caribbean.

More Caribbean cruises coming next month

As you can see, there's still pieces of the deployment puzzle left to be unveiled, and we can expect more cruises to be released in early December.

Royal Caribbean will release the second phase of its 7-night Caribbean cruises during the week of December 4th.

What does that mean exactly? No one is exactly certain.

There's speculation among cruise fans Star of the Seas sailings will be released in this phase, with the expectation she will be based out of Port Canaveral. Royal Caribbean has made no confirmation or announcement in regard to its plans for Star of the Seas.

Star of the Seas will be the second Icon Class cruise ship, and could become the world's largest cruise ship if she is built slightly larger than Icon of the Seas.

The only facts we really know about Star of the Seas is that it will start sailing sometime in Summer 2025.

When will the other 2025 itineraries be released?

More Royal Caribbean cruises will be posted in the coming months.

• Week of December 4, 2023: 7-night Caribbean (Phase 2)
• Week of February 12, 2024: Short Caribbean, Los Angeles & Northeast 
• Week of February 19, 2024: Long Caribbean

Keep in mind the sailings could be released at any point within that week, and not necessarily on the first day of the listed week.

Why it's a good strategy to book a cruise now for 2025

It might seem crazy to book a cruise today for over two years from now, but it's one of the best money-saving strategies out there.

Cruise ships book quickly, and the more cabins that sell out, the higher prices go. So booking a cruise now can lock in a better fare than you might find next year.

Moreover, booking early gives you the choice of almost any cabin on the ship.

Certain highly desirable cabins, such as suites, get booked faster than others.  You could get the perfect room now that satisfies what you're looking for in cabin location, category, or size.

Read more: Royal Caribbean suites guide

Combine the lower prices with bargain hunters looking for suites, and you'll find a lot of veteran cruise fans booking up highly sought after cabins on popular sailings, such as holidays.

Planning on booking a 2025 cruise? These stories will help:

• 5 things to look for before you book a cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• Should I take a short or a long cruise?
• Why you shouldn't book the cheapest cruise you can find
• The best time to go on a Caribbean cruise