Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean thinks you'll find some of the best bar fun possible when it launches its next cruise ship.

Cruise ship passengers will find more than 40 bars and hot spots on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, which will be the first vessel in the line's Icon class and the next "world's largest cruise ship."

Royal Caribbean announced more than 15 of the bars and nightlife experiences on Icon of the Seas today. There is a combination of returning favorite bars as well as new concepts, such as dueling pianos, coffee-infused cocktails, or a new new walkup champagne bar.

More than 40 venues

There will be no shortage of places to wine, dine, and drink on Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean will have more than 40 venues on the ship, including a few new concepts, like Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues in Central Park and Dueling Pianos in Royal Promenade, and spots to grab a drink and mingle before a show like the Rye & Bean coffee bar in AquaDome and the Bubbles champagne bar in Central Park.

Making a return on Icon of the Seas are bars that cruise fans have come to love on other ships, such as from Trellis Bar and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.

Here's a list of the bars and nightlife coming to Icon of the Seas:

New concepts: Entertainment & Drinks

Dueling Pianos – In Royal Caribbean’s first dueling pianos bar, it’s the battle of the baby grands at the hands of two talented pianists who take song requests to bring high-energy performances of crowd-favorite hits to the Royal Promenade – the heart of Icon. 

Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues – The new spot fills the open-air Central Park with live performances of soulful classics and jazz pop tunes, inviting music lovers to take it all in from indoors or as they stroll by the thousands of real plants during Jazz in the Park. 

Location: Deck 8, Central Park

Pricing: Complimentary

Capacity: 71 indoor, 16 outdoor seated

Rye & Bean – Matching the transformational experiences in the AquaDome, this new coffee shop offers everything from classic cups of joe to espresso cocktails. It’s a cozy morning hangout with endless ocean views by day and a buzzing bar with views of deck-defying entertainment in the AquaTheater by night.

Location: Deck 15, AquaDome

Pricing: A la carte or with Royal Caribbean drink package

The Overlook and Overlook Pods – The elevated lounge and first-of-their-kind nooks at sea take nights out and hangouts to another level.

The wraparound windows in the AquaDome bring the ocean center stage during the day, and at night, the cruise line’s marquee aqua shows are just a few steps away.

The Overlook Lounge will have 160 degree views of the ocean and it's right above the ship's bridge.

The next-level pods are where friends can lounge with a drink, play classic board games and kick back to live music, too.

Location: Deck 14 & 15, AquaDome

Pricing: A la carte or with Royal Caribbean drink package

Capacity: 112 (lounge), 52 (pods) seated

New Concepts: Ambiance

1400 Lobby Bar – The new meetup spot – inspired by the history of shipbuilding – is where vacationers can start to make memories as soon as they board, with a mix of daytime and evening sips developed with renowned mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, who's worked with James Beard Award-winning chefs, Bellagio and more.

The venue’s also the first to open the vibrant Royal Promenade to the outdoors with an ocean-facing terrace. 

Location: Deck 5

Capacity: 67 interior, 18 exterior seating

Bubbles – It’s three cheers at the new walkup champagne window in Central Park, where glasses of mimosas, prosecco, Bellini and even bottles of bubbly are on tap morning, noon and night. 

Location: Deck 8, Central Park

Hours: 7am - 10pm

Returning venues

The Attic, inspired by Manhattan’s dark and intimate comedy clubs with adults-only live shows.

Location: Deck 6, Royal Promenade

Capacity: 159 seated

Music Hall, to rock out to the house tribute band in a two-story venue.

Location: Deck 3 & 4, Royal Promenade

A larger Trellis Bar in Central Park, with a new look and an all new menu featuring pre-dinner appetizers.

Location: Deck 8, Central Park

Capacity: 12 seated

Boleros, the lively club that brings the heat with Latin flavor.

Location: Deck 6, Royal Promeande

Capacity: 85 seated

Schooner Bar, where pianists set the tone for pre-dinner drinks and nightcaps. 

Point & Feather – The neighborhood English pub on Royal Promenade has a new open layout, games – and tournaments – of darts and sips joining the signature lineup of pints and the live guitarist at the center of it all.

Darts are complimentary

Location: Deck 5, Royal Promenade

Capacity: 104 seated

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade – The returning favorite, serving up gameday bar fare and ice-cold beers, is where vacationers can catch their home teams on dozens of screens and play arcade and tabletop games. 

Location: Deck 6, Royal Promenade

Capacity: 107 seated

Spotlight Karaoke – Aspiring singers take the stage in front of the crowd or in a private room with their friends and family at this fan-favorite karaoke spot on Royal Promenade.

Complimentary karaoke venue with bar. Private karaoke rooms available to rent.

Location: Deck 5

Capacity: 106 seated

Pushing for new hot spots

It's clear Royal Caribbean wants Icon of the Seas to offer more places to enjoy a drink, as well as be entertained.

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

Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza talked about the opportunity to bring new ideas to Icon, “We’ve set out to introduce a new kind of vacation in every sense and taken a blank slate to create an unparalleled blend of ways vacationers can celebrate and make memories whatever their mood, vibe and style."

"From all-new venues and bolder favorites to new iconic drinks on every menu, zero-proof cocktails and twists to classics, there’s something for everyone to make the most of their nights out on Icon of the Seas."

Icon of the Seas launches in 2024

When it begins sailing, 20-deck 7,600-passenger Icon of the Seas will officially become the biggest cruise ship in the world, taking the title from its current holder, sister ship Wonder of the Seas.

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

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

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

Nine times out of ten, the earlier you book a cruise, the more money you’ll save. No one wants to waste money, but unfortunately, booking a cruise just a few months later than another passenger onboard could see you spending hundreds of dollars more for the same cabin, sail date, and cruise ship.

I recently sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas for a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise. I booked my February cruise in early September—162 days before the sail date—and spent $1,656.

Just a few months later, my fellow Royal Caribbean staff member Elizabeth decided to book a separate cabin on the same sailing of Symphony of the Seas. She booked her room in mid December—59 days before the sail date—and spent $1986.

Both of our cruise rates reflect the total price for two adults in an interior cabin including taxes, fees, and gratuities. My cabin was only $828 per person, whereas Elizabeth’s was $993 per person.

Suffice to say, when Elizabeth found out she spent hundreds of dollars more than me for the same exact cruise experience, it was a bit of a letdown.

Money wasted is never ideal, especially when you could have saved money by just booking a few months earlier. Saving money on your cruise fare means stretching your budget further, freeing extra funds for that amazing shore excursion, spa treatment, or drink package.

Let’s dive in to share how you should approach the cruise booking process to avoid paying more than other passengers on the same sailing.

Booking your cruise early to save money

In general, the cheapest cruise fares are found as soon as Royal Caribbean releases new itineraries. Cruise itineraries are released around two or three years prior to the sail date.

Keeping an eye on when new cruise itineraries will be announced will help you snag the best deals. Two easy ways to do this are to sign up for Royal Caribbean’s newsletter or follow our newsletter here at RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com.

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

As more and more people book a cruise, the price of that cruise is likely to increase over time. Not only that, but certain cabin categories can sell out, which might force you to either book a more expensive stateroom or downgrade to a cabin you would rather avoid.

What about last-minute cruise deals?

Some people prefer waiting to book a cruise with the hope of finding a last-minute cruise deal. In the case of Elizabeth’s sailing on Symphony of the Seas, this strategy would not have worked.

She booked within the cruise’s final payment date, which is after all passengers had paid the cruise in full. If there was a last-minute deal offered, it almost certainly would have been offered around the same time Elizabeth booked the cruise.

Related: Ultimate Guide to last-minute cruise deals

Royal Caribbean only offers last-minute deals if a certain cruise has low demand, but this did not appear to be the case with Symphony of the Seas.

If you do want to find a last-minute cruise deal you definitely can, but you’ll have to remain flexible on ship, sail date, and destination. Finding a cheap last-minute cruise is not something you can necessarily plan for; it’s more about the luck of finding a deal than anything else!

Book with a travel agent

I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve saved money simply by booking my cruise with a travel agent. As someone who always preferred booking vacations on my own, I’ve been blown away by the service and convenience a travel agent provides.

Whenever I find a cruise I’m interested in booking, I send the cruise information to my travel agent. More often than not, she either responds back with a lower price than I found on Royal Caribbean’s website, or the cruise fare includes a generous amount of onboard credit.

By booking with a travel agent, I often save more money than other passengers who booked a cruise on their own. Whether $50 or $200, any dollar saved is another dollar to put toward cruise add-ons like shore excursions and specialty dining!

Related: Top 5 things to look for in a good travel agent for your cruise vacation

Not only can using a travel agent save me money on cruise fare, but it saves time. Whenever I have a question or concern, all I need to do is email my travel agent, and she will be the one who contacts Royal Caribbean instead of having to do it myself! Time is money, after all, and I’ve saved hours upon hours of time by using a travel agent instead of booking on my own.

If I’m being honest, when I first started cruising I didn’t even know people still used travel agents to book vacations. After seeing the amazing service they provide, though, I can’t imagine not using one for my cruise, especially if I’m looking to find the best cruise deals!

Check frequently for a drop in the price of your cruise

One of the best Royal Caribbean hacks to save money on cruise fare is to reprice your cruise. Royal Caribbean allows you to reprice your cruise until final payment date if you notice a lower fare.

Repricing a Royal Caribbean cruise means checking if the price of your cruise has lowered since you booked the sailing. If you booked a cruise for $3000 and notice a few months later that the price has dropped to $2500, the lower price will be honored on your reservation.

You can find out if a price dropped by searching for your sailing on Royal Caribbean’s website or contacting your travel agent for an updated quote.

You should know that Royal Caribbean’s website does not specifically mention this repricing policy. In fact, the Royal Caribbean website states that you can take advantage of a lower fare within 48 hours of booking your cruise.

That being said, we have had no problem repricing our cruises until final payment date. If you notice a price drop, simply contact your travel agent or call Royal Caribbean directly to take advantage of the lower fare.

Related: 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Let’s take a look at a common scenario to highlight why it’s important to reprice your cruise and save money.

Two passengers—let’s call them John and Peter—book a Royal Caribbean cruise at the same time. Both book a balcony cabin on the same Oasis of the Seas cruise and pay $1500 each.

Four months before the cruise, however, John notices the price has changed to $1350 for a balcony cabin on his sailing. Noticing this change, he contacts Royal Caribbean (or his travel agent) and has the price readjusted, saving $150 total.

Unfortunately, Peter never checked the price of his cruise again after he made the initial booking, so he paid $150 more than John for the same cabin on the same cruise!

As you can see, taking advantage of repricing your cruise can make the difference between paying more or less for a cruise than another passenger. No one wants to pay hundreds more than someone else for the same experience, so checking the price of your cruise every so often is recommended.

Why saving money matters on a cruise

For my 7-night sailing on Symphony of the Seas, I spent $330 less than what Elizabeth paid for her cabin. With that money saved, I was able to spend extra on specialty dining and shore excursions without breaking the bank.

On my cruise, I spent a total of $60 on specialty restaurants and $150 in port—and that’s before I accounted for the onboard credit I received by booking with a travel agent.

At $210 total, the amount of money I paid extra on top of my cruise fare was still less than the amount Elizabeth paid for just her cruise fare. Booking just three months earlier than she did allowed me to spend that money on additional ways to enhance my cruise experience.

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

If Elizabeth had booked her cruise earlier, she could have put the $330 extra she spent toward her flight, travel insurance, or a pre-cruise hotel stay. Essentially, she "wasted" hundreds of dollars just because she booked a few months later than me!

If there’s anything I learned from this experience, it is to always book my cruises as early as possible. Although snagging a last-minute cruise deal is always a possibility, it’s best to plan further in advance to ensure you get the lowest possible price.

Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society is arguably one of the best loyalty programs in the cruise industry. 

Rewarding loyal customers is a common practice not just in the cruise industry, but in the travel sector as a whole. Airlines, hotels and car rental companies all have some-sort of loyalty program that rewards customers who continue to choose their brand over and over again.

After just one cruise, you can start accumulating points towards earning status with Royal Caribbean. Typically, each night spent on a Royal Caribbean cruise will earn you one point towards your loyalty status. If you stay in a suite or cruise solo, you can earn double points towards your status. 

Below is a breakdown of the Crown and Anchor Society’s status levels, starting with the lowest tier of Gold Members.

The highest tier of membership you can reach with Royal Caribbean is dubbed the Pinnacle Club, which you achieve after earning 700 points. Loyalty can pay off in the long-run and this is especially true with Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society. As you move through the program’s totem pole of statuses, the benefits become more lucrative. 

Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program has some incredible perks that would be considered not under-the-radar benefits. In particular, top-tier members earn daily, complimentary drinks for Diamond members and above. These members also receive access to a special Diamond Lounge, which hosts nightly appetizers and daily breakfast with specialty coffees. Pinnacle Club members even receive a complimentary cruise!

Of course, these are all major perks of choosing to cruise with Royal Caribbean time and time again. But, most Royal Caribbean cruisers might not even know about all of the other perks that are available through the Crown and Anchor Society. 

Here’s a list of our favorite under-the-radar perks of the Crown and Anchor Society.

Complimentary internet

Cruising with access to Wi-Fi onboard is crucial for many, especially those of us who cruise often. Internet can be expensive to purchase onboard. The Surf and Stream package, which is the fastest service onboard, starts at $25.99 per day, per device. If you want to purchase internet for a 7-day cruise, this means you’ll be spending around $180 for access to the internet throughout your voyage. 

All members of Crown and Anchor Society are eligible for complimentary discounted Internet onboard. Platinum and Emerald members will receive a 15% discount any onboard internet purchases; even Gold members (who only need 3 cruise points) can receive a 10% discount on internet purchases. 

Once you reach Diamond status, you start to receive even better benefits with complimentary internet access. Diamond guests receive one complimentary day of Surf + Stream while Diamond Plus receive two complimentary days. This can also transfer to a discount of equivalent value, from $25.99 for Diamond to $51.98 for Diamond Plus. 

Top-tier Pinnacle Club members receive free unlimited Surf and Stream internet on their cruises for the entire duration of their cruise, which amounts to huge savings on each cruise!

BOGO specialty dining

There’s plenty to eat and drink onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, but I’ve found that I am increasingly drawn to the specialty dining experiences while cruising. I enjoy the change of pace, the ambiance, the high-quality food and the impeccable service.

Crown and Anchor Society’s top-tier members can receive complimentary speciality dining onboard their cruises. Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Members each receive a BOGO deal to buy any specialty dining restaurant on the first or second night, and receive complimentary dining for the second guest. (Note, this does exclude Izumi Hibachi and Teppanyaki, Chef’s Table and Hooked Seafood). 

Considering every member receives this discount, you can save pretty big money with this complimentary BOGO offer. For example, my husband and I each have this BOGO voucher, which means we can essentially get an entire specialty dining meal comped between the two of us. 

I’ve also found that as long as you pre-pay for the specialty dining on the first or second night, the hosts will normally let you dine at a later date as long as it’s been paid for during the voucher timeframe. 

Platinum members and above can each receive a complimentary coffee beverage with a purchase of a specialty dining purchase. 

Finally, top-tier Pinnacle members receive Coastal Kitchen access and daily breakfast in a specialty dining restaurant throughout their cruise. Coastal Kitchen is designed as a top-tier dining option for suite guests, so this is a very nice benefit to receive. 

Priority access and seating for events

Royal Caribbean is known for building mega cruise ships that can hold thousands of people onboard. They don’t call ‘em the world’s biggest cruise ships for nothing!

With so many people onboard, it can sometimes be difficult to find seating at popular shows, events and entertainment offerings. Some of Royal Caribbean's biggest ships require reservations for shows, but others do not require any reservation - and events can be equally as popular. 

Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members of the Crown and Anchor are given propriety access and seating at theater shows, Ice shows and AquaTheater events. This can be a huge perk that many overlook because it doesn’t have a monetary value; however, it’s really nice to arrive to a show right on time and not worry about finding a seat.

I’ve even had luck with attendants allowing others in my party to sit in the section who were cruising with me but didn’t have the same status, if there were open seats. 

Exclusive events

On each Royal Caribbean cruise, you can almost always find Crown and Anchor Society hosting a Top Tier Event during the cruise. This exclusive event normally features free champagne, but I’ve also been invited to events with morning mimosas and special pastries or baked goods.

Platinum members and above will receive an invite to this exclusive event in their stateroom for a designated date, time and location of the Top Tier Event. 

On my recent Odyssey of the Seas cruise, the Top Tier Event was a special Icon of the Seas reveal, which was highly-anticipated at the time. This was an exciting event with luxurious baked goods and free drinks. 

Not everyone goes to these events, but it’s a nice offering that Royal Caribbean wants to recognize loyalty members on each cruise. The free alcohol is a bonus for sure! You can also usually meet the Captain or other Senior Officers during the Top Tier Event. 

If the event fits in my schedule, you can often find me there. Who doesn’t like being recognized and thanked for their loyalty?

Complimentary bottled water

While this might seem like a small perk, I always appreciate boarding my cruise and finding complimentary bottled waters waiting for me on the vanity. 

Bottled water is not free onboard, so it’s nice to have disposable bottles that can be used around the ship. I often use these to take ashore too so I don’t have to lug my personal water bottle around. 

In addition, I travel with LiquidIV (or equivalent hydration packets, like these Propel electrolyte packets) because I want to stay as hydrated as possible. I hate adding these packets to my personal water bottle because I am not able to wash it for a few days. It’s much easier to use bottled water to add my hydration or flavor and toss the bottle when I’m done. 

Note, we receive a small commission if you purchase from these affiliate links while it costs you nothing extra. 

Discounts on balcony staterooms

One of the best perks for booking your Royal Caribbean cruise is receiving a Crown and Anchor discount on Balcony and Suite Staterooms. Anyone with a status of Platinum or above is eligible to receive a balcony or suite discount when booking their stateroom. If booking online, you simply need to enter your Crown and Anchor number to have the discount automatically applied. 

I can’t tell you how much money this has saved me over the years! I’ve been able to upgrade my inside guarantee cabin to a balcony for the same price because of this Crown and Anchor discount. A quick look at recent reservations from the last year unveil a savings of $150 on a 4-night sailing and a $326 discount on a 12-night European cruise last summer, just to name a few. 

Upon review, the discount received varies on your loyalty status and when you are booking your cruise relative to the sail date. Those who book more than 6 months in advance receive bigger discounts than those booked within 6 months of sailing.

However, I’ve also seen prices drop more significantly as a sailing gets closer and after final payments are made, which can be a good time to upgrade or book your stateroom with this discount. 

In fact, I just upgraded from an inside guarantee to a balcony guarantee for just $300, which is the lowest price I’ve been able to lock-in for an upcoming Iceland cruise. For a scenic cruise, I think this is totally worth it and the balcony discount saved us $326. 

Dedicated Loyalty Service Desk

Waiting on the phone or holding for hours is not a great experience for anyone. When Royal Caribbean runs certain sales and promotions, the call center can get very busy, which can make it difficult to get ahold of anyone. 

Royal Caribbean’s Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members can call (800) 526-9723 to reach the dedicated line for Crown and Anchor members. Those outside of the US and Canada should call (541) 285-9723. 

The desk is not open 24/7, so be sure to call during business hours: M-F from 9am-10PM EST and weekends from 9am - 8pm EST.

Just recently, I tried to call on a Sunday evening to upgrade my inside stateroom to a balcony, as I mentioned above. It was a 2-hour wait so I gave up. Two days later, the sale returned and I called during business hours to the dedicated loyalty desk. The entire call took 8 minutes and I had already made the payment to upgrade and received confirmation. This is a HUGE timesaver and benefit that might fly under most peoples' radar. 

Status Match Program

If you’re a member of Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society, you can also receive some pretty awesome status match perks with other cruise lines and travel companies. 

Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor members can receive reciprocity benefits with sister-brand Celebrity Cruises. Those with a status of Platinum or above will receive status match when sailing on Celebrity cruise ships. 

For example, as a Diamond Plus member, I just sailed on Celebrity for the first time and received Elite-level benefits, which included free drinks, discounted internet, free laundry, and more. I absolutely loved my first Celebrity cruise experience and receiving benefits was a huge perk for the onboard experience. 

There are other companies that will provide some level of reciprocity with your Crown and Anchor status as well. Most notable, your Crown and Anchor status will be matched at MGM Rewards. Emerald and above will receive Gold status at MGM while lower tiers will also receive some status perks. Simply visit an MGM Rewards desk at any MGM Rewards destination to validate your status. 

Finally, all of Crown and Anchor Society members can receive Hertz Gold Plus Reward points as well. For the purposes of this article, I followed instructions through Royal Caribbean’s website and entered information on Hertz’s website to sign up. The link from Royal Caribbean pre-populated a few fields during the sign-up process.

Hertz Gold Rewards includes Skip the Counter and E-Return access, which can save time at the airport. You will earn points with rentals and receive Ultimate Choice benefits.

Complimentary Photos

While phones are becoming very sophisticated with picture-taking capabilities, there’s a hint of nostalgia when it comes to taking and purchasing cruise photos. Personally, I love getting the welcome abroad picture which has the sail dates, itinerary and ship because it’s a great memory keepsake. 

Diamond members and above each receive a complimentary photo of any size during every single cruise. The 8x10 pictures are upwards of $25 onboard now. I always pick out a picture on the last day of the cruise (or two pictures if I am sailing with my husband who also gets a free picture).

Gold through Emerald members receive a discount on photos in which buying 1 photo earned a 50% discount on a second photo. 

With so many cruise pictures, I decided to get this photo album where I can keep all of the cruise pictures in an orderly fashion (this one fits up to 8x10 photographs). I was running out of space to hang up all of the photos; and let’s be honest, some of those cruise pictures are NOT wall worthy!

This photo album has sticky pages, so I can simply place the printed cruise photos in there without needing to tape or glue anything. I know I won’t have time to scrapbook these days, but it really is a nice keepsake to have all of your cruise photos in an easy album.

You also have an option to download the digital file of your photo, which can often make more sense than lugging home a physical photo. 

Single Supplement Reduced Cruise Fare

If you’re someone who cruises solo, paying double occupancy can be a huge blow to your budget. Royal Caribbean provides top-tier loyalty members with discounts for reduced cruise fares for single supplement rates.

Diamond Plus members with 340+ points and Pinnacle members can received a reduced rate for solo cruising from 200% to 150%. For solo cruisers, this can amount to big savings!

Complimentary and Discounted Laundry 

It can be tough living out of a suitcase, especially if you’ve traveling for a while. Royal Caribbean does not offer any self-service laundry options; instead, you have to send in your laundry to be washed and folded by crew members. Platinum and above members receive anywhere from $5 to $10 discounts on wash and gold laundry for sailings 5+ nights or longer.

Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members can receive one free $34.99 wash and gold bag on cruises longer than 5+ nights. This is a super nice perk, especially on those longer itineraries where you desperately need some clean clothes.

My husband even likes to send out his laundry towards the end of the cruise so he can bring home a bag of clean clothes, meaning we don’t have to wash them when we get home. He simply places the clean clothes in a separate packing cube from the dirty clothes, which our future selves are always grateful for. 

This was a busy week with Royal Caribbean news, and we have a summary of all of the news from this week to make certain you did not miss any of it.

Earlier this week, Royal Caribbean announced it will remove the Sky Pad from all of its ships.

No reason was given why, but the venue will be replaced with an unnamed new activity.

Beginning March 31, 2023, Royal Caribbean will begin removing the trampoline experience.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean sets new world record, plus more news!
• How Royal Caribbean is adding a water park to a new cruise ship
• Celebrity Cruises Captain's Club loyalty program info, tips & secrets
• How much does it cost to build a cruise ship?
• Best Fort Lauderdale hotels near the cruise port
• The Best Time To Visit Alaska
• Where to find cheap last-minute cruises

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 492nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt reviews his recent Wonder of the Seas cruise.

Matt sailed on Wonder of the Seas almost a year after the ship debuted, and shares what stood out from his spring break cruise.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: What it's like to sail on Royal Caribbean's NEWEST vs OLDEST cruise ships

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — What it's like to sail on Royal Caribbean's NEWEST vs OLDEST cruise ships — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

6 things I did in advance to prepare for a stress-free vacation

After spending a week on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, I greatly benefitted by doing 6 important things to ensure a relaxing cruise.

After years of cruising, it's become apparent to me how important just a little planning ahead of time can do to improve your vacation experience.

Looking back at thee cruise, these are the things Matt did on Wonder to eliminate hassles before they could ever occur.

How to use Royal Caribbean loyalty perks to save money on a Celebrity Cruise

Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society program is such a good loyalty program, it even benefits you if you sail Celebrity.

Because Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are owned by the same parent company, the two cruise lines actually have a status reciprocity program. Celebrity’s Loyalty Match program allows cruisers to receive comparable benefits from Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Program when sailing on Celebrity cruise ships. 

Allie found her years of Royal Caribbean cruising saved her money on her first Celebrity cruise.

11 reasons to get as early a check-in time as possible for your cruise

The earlier you get onboard your cruise, the more quickly you can start the vacation you’ve been dreaming about for so long.

Beyond just starting your vacation earlier, though, are a range of other benefits you can experience by boarding earlier than most other passengers.

Here are the top 11 reasons to get as early a check-in time as possible for your cruise.

Most people are awestruck by the size and amenities of today’s modern cruise ships, but how much do they cost?

Cruise ships are often referred to as floating cities. With upwards of twenty decks, a length of over 1,000 feet, and thousands of cabins, it’s no surprise that building a cruise ship is expensive.

Even when accounting for inflation, most new cruise ships built in the early 1990s would cost only around $300 million today. As cruise ships became even bigger in the 2000s, the average cost exceeded $500 million.

Today’s newest cruise ships can easily break $1 billion dollars, although construction costs can vary widely depending on the ship’s size. In fact, almost all cruise ships with a capacity of over 3,000 passengers cost over $750 million to build!

Why do cruise ships cost so much money to build?

Most major cruise lines launch a new ship nearly every year. Here are some of the estimated construction costs for recent ships:

• Wonder of the Seas: $1.35 billion
• MSC World Europa: $1.25 billion
• Norwegian Prima: $850 million
• Carnival Celebration: $1 billion
• Celebrity Beyond: $900 million

All of these ships fit over 3,200 passengers. In fact, the Carnival Celebration, MSC World Europa, and Wonder of the Seas have a capacity of over 6,000 passengers!

With so many passengers onboard, cruise lines need to ensure they are building enough cabins, dining venues, and entertainment spaces to satisfy all customers. This requires extensive market research, during which cruise lines design the ship’s layout and amenities.

Royal Caribbean has a spacious innovation lab for use throughout the research process. It includes a virtual reality room where designers can immerse themselves “inside” the cruise ship’s design.

After a thorough research process, construction on the cruise ship begins, which typically takes between 12-18 months. This involves an intricate process of building the ship in blocks which are later added together (think Legos!).

The manpower to build a cruise ship cannot be understated. For instance, there are over 3,000 people working every day on the construction of Icon of the Seas, set to be the biggest cruise ship in the world when she launches in 2024!

Refurbishing older ships versus buying new ships

Many cruise lines choose to refurbish older ships to modernize the vessel’s activities, amenities, and cabins. This is much less expensive than building a new ship from scratch, so it can be a cost-effective way to improve older cruise ships in order to increase demand and revenue.

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, for example, completed a $165 million amplification in 2019. This modernized the ship by adding new activities like waterslides, additional dining venues and lounges, and new cabins.

Refurbishing—or amplifying—the cruise ship was nearly eight times less expensive than building a new cruise ship, and the refurbishment was able to increase demand for the vessel.

Related: Does it matter how old your cruise ship is?

Royal Caribbean tends to only amplify its ships built after 2000. Norwegian Cruise Line, however, has refurbished ships that were built in the 1990s.

Norwegian Sky, built in 1996, underwent a major refurbishment in 2019 that added updated cabins and eight new dining and lounge venues, including Starbucks and a new Italian restaurant.

In the past, cruise ships over twenty years old would often be sent to the scrapyard. With the popularity of today’s refurbishment programs, though, cruise lines are choosing to maintain their vessels for longer amounts of time instead of replacing each vessel with a new ship.

What was the most expensive cruise ship ever built?

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class cruise ships are the most expensive cruise ships to ever be built; they’re also the biggest cruise ships in the world. Each Oasis Class cruise ship cost between $1.3 to $1.45 billion.

It’s likely that Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas will become the most expensive cruise ship ever built. Early estimates of the build are around $2 billion, but an exact number is not yet known.

Icon of the Seas will boast impressive features, including:

• The Category 6 waterpark with six record-breaking waterslides
• An indoor AquaDome for impressive entertainment shows
• Chill Island pool deck, with a swim-up bar and the largest pool at sea
• Surfside, a family-focused neighborhood with kid-friendly restaurants and activities

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

Building Icon of the Seas is no small feat, and it will surely be one of the most popular cruise ships in the world when it launches.

Mass market ships versus luxury ships

Ships from mass market cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival, generally have a lower cost per berth than luxury cruise ships.

As an example, Carnival’s newest ship, Carnival Celebration, cost $900 million to build. With a maximum of 6500 passengers, this brings the price per berth to around $138,000.

To put this into perspective, the Regent Seven Seas Splendor, a luxury cruise ship built in 2020, reportedly cost over $600 million. With a capacity of only 750 passengers, though, the price per berth was over $800,000!

Construction costs of a luxury cruise ship can rival that of larger ships, leading to much higher cruise fares. A cruise on the Seven Seas Splendor—an all-suite ship—can start at over $1,000 per person, per day.

Why aren’t cruise ships built in the United States?

Even though the cruise industry is most popular in North America, most cruise ships are built in Europe instead of the United States. Whether at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland or at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France, the majority of today’s modern cruise ships are built overseas.

The main reason why cruise ships are not built in the United States is due to cost. Given that most large cruise ships cost upwards of one billion dollars, cruise lines try to find the most cost effective option.

Related: Why aren’t cruise ships built in the United States?

Both labor costs and material costs are much higher in the United States compared to other countries. The shipyard industry receives subsidies in the European Union, which helps to keep labor and construction prices down.

Additionally, cruise ships are foreign flagged. In order for a cruise ship to be U.S. flagged, most of the material onboard must be built and manufactured in the United States, and this can add a much higher cost to the overall construction.

In search of a cheap cruise? Some of the lowest cruise fares can be found on sailings booked at the last minute. Whether a 3-night weekend cruise or a 15-night transatlantic cruise, it’s possible to find cheap last-minute cruises at any point during the year.

Last-minute cruises refer to any cruise departing within the next 90 days. Most cruise lines require final payment to be made 75-90 days before the cruise departs, and if they haven’t sold enough cabins by this point, the price may drop.

The trick to finding a cheap last-minute cruise deal is to remain flexible. If you keep your mind open to a wide variety of destinations, ships, and sail dates, you can almost always find a great deal.

The good news is that finding cheap last-minute cruises is easy. Several websites provide detailed lists of cheap cruises you can book, and little effort is required in order to find the best and most affordable cruises.

Here are our favorite ways to find cheap last-minute cruises.

Royal Caribbean website

The most straightforward way to find last-minute cruises on Royal Caribbean is directly on the cruise line’s website. Royal Caribbean’s website has a Last Minute Cruises page where they list the best deals on cruises.

Last-minute deals are organized by port and destination, and you can search for last-minute deals to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, and Alaska. Royal Caribbean will list their best last-minute cruise deals on this page, so be sure to check periodically for any new sailings that pop up.

Related: How to find the cheapest cabins on Royal Caribbean

However, you can also use Royal Caribbean’s traditional search engine to find last-minute cruises. Filter the cruise dates to sailings within the next few months and change the results to populate from “Price lowest to highest.”

By doing this, you can see a list of the cheapest cruises departing in the next few months. You can also filter by departure port, destination, number of nights, and ships.

Going, Going, Gone

Another way to find cheap last-minute cruises on Royal Caribbean’s website is the Going, Going, Gone flyer. This flyer is published weekly (usually late Monday) by Royal Caribbean and lists cruise deals departing within the next few months.

You can find the flyer on Royal Caribbean’s website here.

The flyer lists the ship name, sail date, itinerary, embarkation port, and special rates for cabins. Not every cabin category will offer a great deal on the flyer—one sailing may offer a cheap deal on a balcony cabin whereas another has a promotion on interior or oceanview cabins.

Suite deals, however, are not found as often as standard cabin categories.

We recommend checking the Going, Going, Gone flyer late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. The flyer is not updated throughout the week, so certain sailings and cabin category promotions can sell out quickly.

Vacations to Go

Vacations To Go has what they call a 90 Day Ticker on their website, and this is one of the easiest places to find all last-minute cruise deals in one place. All cruises on the 90 Day Ticker set sail within the next 90 days, allowing you to make the most of any cheap cruise deals available.

On the ticker, you’ll find a long list of sailings organized by destinations around the world. Destinations include Alaska, Antarctica, the Arctic, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific U.S., the Panama Canal, South America, transatlantic, and transpacific cruises.

Under each destination is a list of cruises with the following details in each row:

• Number of nights
• Sail date
• Embarkation and disembarkation ports
• Cruise line and ship name
• Ship rating
• Price

The 90 Day Ticker lists cruises for a number of cruise lines, from mass market lines like Royal Caribbean to more upscale lines like Silversea. At the top of the ticker, you can click on each column name (Nights, Sailing Date, Cruise Line, etc.) to filter the results in alphabetical order.

Using Vacations To Go’s 90 Day Ticker is a valuable resource for those without a set plan for a last-minute cruise. Hundreds of cruise itineraries are on the ticker, which gives you the chance to discover the best deals much easier than you could by visiting each cruise line’s website individually.

You do not have to book a cruise through Vacations To Go in order to use the ticker. The resource is completely free, but you will have to provide your email to sign up and access the list of cruises.

Cruise Critic

Cruise Critic's website has a Find a Cruise page where you can easily compare prices from multiple websites. This is another great way to find cheap last-minute cruises, as you can filter the results by destination, departure port, departure month, cruise line, ship, cruise length, and more.

Once you click Find a Cruise, a list of cruises will populate. Cruises will be automatically sorted by the “Popularity” filter; to have cruises ordered by price, select “Price” in the dropdown menu instead.

Each cruise on the Find a Cruise search results lists the following:

• Sail date
• Number of nights
• Name of cruise
• Cruise line
• Price per person
• Price per person, per night

Not only is this tool helpful for finding cheap last-minute cruises, but it’s a fantastic way to find cheap cruises several months and years into the future as well. Although you can find the same deals on the Find a Cruise page as you can on Royal Caribbean’s website, the search and filter tools are a little more intuitive.

How to book a cheap cruise

In addition to the Royal Caribbean website, Vacations To Go, and Cruise Critic, you can find cheap last-minute cruises on a variety of other websites.

Popular travel websites like Expedia, Priceline, and Costco Travel all have extensive lists of last-minute cruise deals. You’ll also find many smaller websites and travel agencies with pages of cheap cruises you can book at the last minute.

Just because you find a cheap cruise deal on a particular website, though, does not mean you have to book the cruise from that website. If you find a cheap cruise deal on Vacations To Go, for example, you are not obligated to book the cruise from them.

Instead, you can search for the cruise directly on Royal Caribbean’s website or contact your travel agent to book the cruise for you. Because these tools are free, they provide an easy way to find cheap deals, but it’s up to you how you would like to book the cheap sailing you find.

As always, we recommend booking a cheap last-minute cruise with a travel agent. They can help to answer any questions you have about the sailing, organize ground transportation and pre-cruise hotels, and contact Royal Caribbean in case of any issues or concerns you encounter before, during, and after your cruise. 

Related: Top 5 things to look for in a good travel agent for your cruise vacation

Travel agents cost nothing extra and are extremely helpful during the cruise booking process, especially when booking a cruise so soon in the future.

Is a last-minute cruise worth it?

Is booking a last-minute cruise worth it, or is it better to book a cruise further in advance?

In most situations, booking a cruise early is the better choice. Booking as early as possible means you can (usually) find the lowest prices and you can take advantage of repricing the sailing if you spot a lower price before the final payment date.

Booking a cruise early also gives you the most choices in stateroom options. If you’re hoping to sail in a certain type of cabin—whether a suite or solo room—it’s better to book early before these categories sell out.

Not only that, but airfare tends to be cheaper when booked further in advance, and booking a cruise early gives you extra time to handle logistics at home, whether reserving a dog sitter or requesting vacation time from work.

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

This isn’t to say, however, that a last-minute cruise is a bad idea. Planning a spontaneous, last-minute vacation is exciting, whether you’re sailing to Florida or France. Instead of spending months (or even years) anxiously waiting for your cruise vacation, you’ll be heading to your cruise before you know it!

Moreover, even though booking far in advance usually means finding the best deals, it’s not guaranteed. It’s possible to find a cheap last-minute cruise for a lower price than the sailing was ever listed at before.

For those flexible on ship choice, embarkation port, itinerary, and cabin category, booking a cheap last-minute cruise can lead to a memorable, affordable vacation. Ultimately, being on a cruise ship is always better than being at home!

Planning a last-minute cruise? Check out more of our tips and tricks:

• Are last minute cruises really cheaper?
• Why booking a last-minute cruise isn’t always a great idea

When is the best time to visit Alaska? This is one of the first questions people ask when planning an Alaska cruise because they want ideal conditions for their trip.

For such an exciting vacation, it’s understandable to want to pick the best time to visit Alaska. After all, Alaska cruises put a focus on exploring the outdoors like no other cruise itinerary, and passengers want to make the most of their time amongst the state’s glaciers, mountains, and wildlife.

Most Alaska cruises occur from early May to late September each year, although some cruise lines may offer sailings from April to October.

The beautiful, wild landscape of Alaska is an ideal destination for a summer vacation. From mid-June to mid-September, the average temperatures are perfect for outdoor activities, ranging from 60°F to 67°F - cool enough to be comfortable in the warmer months. During this time of year, the long days and bright sunshine make lovely conditions for being outdoors.

The weather, activities, and cost of an Alaska cruise can vary greatly from month to month. Certain times of the year may see little rain and higher prices whereas others may have chillier temperatures and fewer crowds.

Here’s the best time to visit Alaska if you want to encounter the most favorable weather, cheapest cruise fares, fewest crowds, and best wildlife viewing opportunities.

The best time to visit Alaska for good weather

One of the main considerations people make when planning an Alaska cruise is the weather. Alaska’s weather can be unpredictable, but with the right preparation (and packing), you can have an amazing cruise at any time of the season.

May is the driest month during the southeast Alaska cruise season, but spring temperatures can be a bit uncertain. You may encounter sunny days with relatively warm temperatures or you can experience cold, rainy days. Generally speaking, the later into May you cruise to Alaska, the better chance you have at nicer weather.

Related: What it’s like to go on an Alaska cruise in the early season

Mid June to late July tends to bring the most favorable weather for an Alaska cruise. During these months, temperatures are usually in the mid 60s and days are long, with between 14 and 18 hours of daylight. Like May, June and July tend to encounter less rain compared to late summer and fall.

August can still offer comfortable temperatures for exploring Alaska cruise ports, but rain is much more common. More than half the days of the month in August experience rain, so packing appropriate water-resistant clothing is recommended.

It’s important to note, though, that rain can occur during any month on an Alaska cruise, so you shouldn’t let the possibility of rain deter you from booking your sailing during August. Plus, August still offers plenty of daylight, especially during the first half of the month.

As fall approaches in September, weather is more volatile. You should expect temperatures with a high in the mid 50s and more rain than any other month of the cruise season. Despite the weather, this can be a fantastic time to book an Alaska cruise, as cheap cruise deals are common and the start of fall foliage and snow makes scenic cruising days particularly beautiful.

Related: What it’s like to go on an Alaska cruise at the end of the season

The best time to visit Alaska for wildlife

You can spot wildlife at any time of the year in Alaska. Truthfully, there’s no “best” time to see wildlife, and it varies greatly from month to month.

The best time to visit Alaska if you want to see bears is from July to September. During these months, bears are commonly spotted along Alaska’s streams.

Related: What is the best time of year to see wildlife in Alaska?

These months coincide with Alaska’s annual salmon run, so many bears are feasting on the abundance of salmon in the streams and creeks. This makes your chances of spotting a bear higher than other times of the year.

If you’re hoping to spot whales in Alaska, you’re in luck, as whales call Alaska home from late April to September each year. You have a great chance at spotting whales at any time on an Alaska cruise, but certain months have a higher chance at spotting one species of whale over another.

Related: Alaska cruise whale watching guide & tips

Gray whales are some of the earliest to arrive in Alaska each year, and they can be spotted in late spring. Orcas are more likely to be seen in May and June, whereas humpback whales are most common in June and July.

Other wildlife, including sea lions, otters, and eagles, can be spotted year-round in Alaska.

The best time to visit Alaska on a budget

If you’re looking for a cheap cruise deal to Alaska, you’re almost guaranteed to see the lowest prices during shoulder season. Alaska’s shoulder season runs from May to early June and from mid August to late September.

During these months, there is less demand for Alaska cruises due to more unpredictable weather, shorter hours of daylight, and the fact that these times of year coincide with the school calendar.

Related: How much does an Alaska cruise cost?

Because of less demand, you have a great chance at finding a cheap cruise deal to Alaska, especially if you’re flexible on the ship, embarkation port, and sail date. You can often find deals for under $600 per person, including taxes and fees. At less than $100 a day, visiting Alaska during the shoulder months offers an amazing value.

That’s not to say you can’t find cruise deals to Alaska during the busy season in June, July, and August. The further in advance you book your Alaska cruise, the better chance you have at scoring a lower price.

Plus, when you book an Alaska cruise far in advance, you have more opportunities to reprice your cruise before it begins. Royal Caribbean allows you to reprice your sailing up to final payment date. If you spot a lower price, you can readjust your cruise fare to the new, lower price. This can save you money on an Alaska cruise whether you sail in May, July, or September.

Related: Tips for taking an Alaska cruise on a budget

The best time to visit Alaska’s interior

When you book an Alaska cruise, you can choose between a round trip and one-way cruise itinerary. Round trip cruises depart and return to the same cruise port—either Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia.

One-way itineraries, on the other hand, start in Vancouver and end in Seward, Alaska and vice versa. There are two main advantages with a one-way Alaska cruise:

• The opportunity to visit more ports, including those more remote such as Hubbard Glacier
• The ability to start or end your cruise in Alaska’s interior, making destinations like Denali National Park & Reserve just a short drive away

Most passengers who book one-way Alaska cruise itineraries tack on several days in interior Alaska before or after their cruise. You can book these cruises from May to September each year, and each month comes with its own set of advantages.

Related: Best Alaska cruises for every travel style

Traveling interior Alaska in May is fantastic for wildlife viewing. It’s also one of the driest months, and there will be fewer crowds compared to the peak summer season.

June and July are also great months to spot wildlife in interior Alaska. Visiting Denali National Park & Reserve during this time brings long days (up to 20 hours of daylight!) and temperatures in the mid 60s. The mountainsides and meadows spark a wonderful green color during these months.

As fall approaches, colors begin to change and temperatures lower. Days tend to be comfortable whereas nights are chilly; there’s even the possibility of snow in these months.

However, as the school year begins, there will be fewer crowds in Alaska, leading to more competitive pricing on travel and lodging. You may even see the aurora borealis (northern lights) during the fall as well.

The best time to visit Alaska for fewer crowds

Alaska cruises are extremely popular. It’s estimated that around 1.5 million passengers visited the state by cruise ship in 2022!  As cruises to the Last Frontier continue to increase in popularity, many people are wondering how to avoid crowds on an Alaska cruise.

The best time to visit Alaska with fewer crowds tends to be in either the very early or late cruise season. Sailing to Alaska in early May or mid to late September brings far fewer crowds compared to June, July, and August.

Related: Top ways to avoid crowds on an Alaska cruise

Most people want to cruise to Alaska during the warmest months of the year, whereas the shoulder season sees less demand. Not only will you encounter fewer passengers in the very beginning or end of the season, but you’ll see fewer ships in port.

Royal Caribbean, for example, sends four ships to Alaska each year. The first ship to arrive starts offering cruises in late April, but other ships don’t start offering cruises until the second week of May.

Therefore, with only one Royal Caribbean ship sailing in late April as opposed to four, there are over 10,000 fewer passengers cruising in Alaska each week.

Even if you sail to Alaska during the most busy time of year, there are a few ways to avoid the crowds. We recommend getting off the ship as early as possible on port days to begin exploring before the crowds arrive. Walking around Alaska’s cruise ports is much calmer at 8AM compared to later in the morning and afternoon.

Likewise, exploring ports on your own can give you more flexibility with avoiding crowds. Without a tour, you are free to explore anything of interest, whether it means doing a quiet day hike or renting a car with your travel party. Getting off the beaten path is a sure-fire way to enjoy Alaska without as many crowds.

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

Finally, booking a balcony cabin is an excellent way to enjoy extra privacy on an Alaska cruise. Instead of watching Alaska’s scenery on a busy pool deck, you can enjoy the views from the comfort of your own balcony.

When should I cruise to Alaska?

As you can see, there’s no correct answer as to the best time to visit Alaska. Your budget, interests, and travel preferences can all influence your decision on the best month to book an Alaska cruise.

For most travelers, however, we recommend cruising to Alaska in June or July. The warm temperatures (for Alaska standards), long hours of sunlight, and ample wildlife viewing opportunities make these months hard to beat.

Sure, cruising to Alaska in the peak summer months may be more expensive, but you can still find great cruise deals by booking far in advance and repricing your cruise often.

Related: 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Like any cruise vacation, cruising to Alaska is all about keeping an open mind and about keeping your expectations in check. If you expect to see whales every day, encounter little rain, and have every Alaska cruise port to yourself, you’ll likely end up disappointed.

No matter the month you sail, it’s important to be flexible when planning an Alaska cruise. Going with the flow allows you to make the most of your time in this beautiful destination whether it’s early May, late June, or mid September.

In March 2023, I spent a week on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. I had a great family spring break vacation, and I know I greatly benefitted from some pre-cruise planning.

After years of cruising, it's become apparent to me how important just a little planning ahead of time can do to improve your vacation experience.

While you could simply show up to the cruise ship and have a good time without any forethought, planning out a few aspects of your vacation adds a lot to the experience and avoids some common cruise pitfalls.

On a ship as big as Wonder of the Seas, you're also competing in a way with your fellow guests for opportunities and things to do onboard. From dining, to entertainment, to waiting, there's a limit on how much you can do onboard and I firmly believe your time on a cruise ship can be optimized.

In retrospect, here are five super simple things I did before my cruise began to eliminate hassles before they could ever occur.

1. I did everything in the pre-cruise check-in

When you step foot into the cruise terminal, your cruise vacation begins and ideally, your time in the terminal is as quick as possible so you can get onto the ship.

Royal Caribbean has made it super simple to breeze through the check-in process by making the entire process digital via the Royal Caribbean app.

First and foremost, at 45 days before my cruise, I grabbed an early check-in time to ensure we could likely get onboard first. It's a good idea to set a calendar reminder to get a time right away, because a lot of people will be vying for those early times.

Next, complete every step of the check-in process before the cruise.  

1. Scan your passport
2. Take a selfie photo
3. Add your emergency contact info
4. Add a credit card

If you don't do these things at home, you're going to do it at the terminal with the agent.  It feels like the agents often struggle with their tablets working correctly, and it just wastes time.

Because we did everything at home, every terminal representative we encountered merely had to look over our paperwork, verify it was all there, and sent us on our way.

Your vacation time is precious, so don't waste it in the cruise terminal.

2. Booked my shows early

If you're sailing on an Oasis or Quantum Class ship, you can pre-book shows and you really need to do this as soon as it becomes available.

While you can probably still get into the shows without a reservation, having a reservation really makes the entire experience so much simpler.

At around 30 days before your cruise, the shows will become available to book and it's complimentary to book shows.

It's quite clear enough people have gotten the memo about booking shows that times go quickly, so you'll want to book it right away. Put a calendar reminder for this time too.

By having the show reservations, there was no concern once onboard if we would be able to see a particular show time or having to waste time standing in a standby line.

3. I took a ride share to the port instead of parking

This tip was not part of my original plan, but I was really glad to have taken a Lyft ride to the port instead of driving myself.

The day before the cruise, we discovered a nail in the tire of our family car and there wasn't enough time to get it patched before we left the next morning for the cruise.  As a result, I decided to use Lyft instead.

We live about an hour from Port Canaveral, so driving to the port so we've almost always driven ourselves in the past.

The reason why I'm including getting a ride to the port on this list is because the parking situation in Port Canaveral (and other Florida ports) has become much more of a problem than in the past.  In short, the parking lots at the port seem to be fuller than ever before.

Wonder of the Seas departs from Terminal 1, and the main garage was already quite busy when we got there. There are more ships and bigger ships sailing than in the past, and the overflow lots are now the norm instead of the exception.

By taking Lyft, we pulled right up to the terminal, dropped our luggage with the porters and we walked right into the terminal.  It was a breath of fresh air compared to having to wait in the traffic to get back into the terminal and find a spot.

If this sounds like a "first world problem", it definitely is, but we saw the backup to get into Terminal 1 only get worse as the day wore on. 

4. I did traditional dining instead of My Time Dining

While 5pm is earlier than I would like to have dinner, the ease of which it is to have a fixed table and time seems to greatly outweigh the downsides to My Time Dining.

My Time Dining is great since you can eat at different times during your cruise. This is super helpful when you have a later day in port, but there's also more waiting and it always seems the people waiting to get in for My Time Dining look annoyed.

To be fair, our family has always done traditional dining when we eat in the Main Dining Room, but since this article is about how to be stress-free, there's no doubt having a set time every day with no waiting is the definition of that.

When it was our dinner time, we walked right into the Main Dining Room and sat at our table. We had menus in hand and a drink order being taken shortly thereafter.

I'm not advocating no one should do My Time Dining, rather, I think traditional is just easier.

Read more: My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

5. Pre-booked my shore excursions

It feels like waiting to figure out your plans on shore the day you get to the port is becoming a new mistake.

Royal Caribbean's shore excursions seem to be selling out much faster than in years past, and if you try winging it with a vendor in port, there's just too much ambiguity as to what the experience could end up being.

The issue is exacerbated in Perfect Day at CocoCay because Royal Caribbean's marketing machine has been so effective in getting the word out. The result is everything other than a floating mat is sold out months before the cruise begins.

Prior to the cruise, we made reservations for shore excursions in St. Thomas and St. Kitts and we not only loved both of our tours, but I was glad to not have to deal with trying to navigate a last-minute tour decision.

Whether you book a tour through Royal Caribbean or on your own, it's a good idea to plan it out well before the cruise begins and to have a plan in place so that you can be assured you'll it's all waiting for you when you arrive.

More information:

• Top 10 cruise ship shore excursion mistakes to avoid
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• When do shore excursions become available to book for my Royal Caribbean cruise?

6. I took naps

This is such a small thing, but taking a nap really makes your day seem more care-free.

We had three sea days on this sailing, and I found myself taking a nap every day of them right after lunch.  While there is indeed so much to see and do on Wonder of the Seas, I relished a refreshing doze in my cabin.

It certainly helped with any FOMO that I had been on Wonder of the Seas a few times already, but if your goal is have an easy going time of things, I really think a good nap helps a lot.

Plus, taking a nap meant I had more energy for evening activities. Especially late-night fun in the casino or bars around the ship.

Sometimes it's the little things that can put yourself at ease during your trip.

I think Royal Caribbean has arguably one of the best loyalty programs in the cruising industry.

The Crown & Anchor Society is the cruise line's program that rewards cruisers for showing loyalty to Royal Caribbean. After just one cruise, you can start earning points towards different tiers of status with the cruise line. 

As someone who has cruised almost exclusively with Royal Caribbean for my entire life, I am currently a Diamond Plus member of the Crown and Anchor Society. Reaching this status a few years ago, the program’s lucrative benefits are a huge selling point when I look to book future cruises. 

Notably, the complimentary daily drink vouchers are a huge perk of having Diamond Plus status. I receive five daily drink vouchers each day of my cruise; for my husband and I, this saves us hundreds to thousands of dollars on each cruise. 

We also enjoy discounted internet, free laundry service, a complimentary photo, BOGO specialty dining and more as Diamond Plus members.

Although I love cruising with Royal Caribbean, I was been eager to try sailing on sister-brand Celebrity Cruises for quite some time; however, I wasn’t sure if the onboard experience would feel lackluster without some of the lucrative benefits that I’m used to receiving on Royal Caribbean. 

Because Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are owned by the same parent company, the two cruise lines actually have a status reciprocity program. Celebrity’s Loyalty Match program allows cruisers to receive comparable benefits from Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Program when sailing on Celebrity cruise ships. 

On my recent 4-night spring break sailing, I used my Royal Caribbean loyalty perks onboard Celebrity Silhouette for the first time - and it saved me a lot of money. This was my first cruise with Celebrity, so I didn't know what to expect. 

Here’s how the programs compared and how much money the benefits saved me. 

To start, Elite status is the highest tier of Celebrity's loyalty program, Captain’s Club, that you can receive through the reciprocity program. 

Royal Caribbean’s three highest tiers of loyalty - Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle - can only receive Elite member status on Celebrity Cruises through the reciprocity program. To reach Elite Plus or Zenith status, you must earn points by sailing on Celebrity’s cruise ships and earning the status. 

Similarly, Captain’s Club highest members - Elite Plus and Zenith - can only receive Diamond status when sailing on Royal Caribbean cruises.

It's important to note that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises each have their own points structure. To reach the next tier with Celebrity, I would need to earn at least 750 Captain’s Club points on my own; however, I’d continue to receive Elite-level benefits through reciprocity until then. 

Below is a breakdown of how Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor status translates to Captain’s Club status with the reciprocity status match program. 

Technically, I boarded Celebrity Silhouette as an Elite member with 0 Captain’s Club points, as I had not sailed on a Celebrity Cruise before.

When booking this cruise, I wanted to make sure I received the benefits I was entitled to. Enrollment in Celebrity’s loyalty program, Captain’s Club, was seamless. 

Anyone who is in enrolled in either Royal Caribbean’s or Celebrity’s loyalty programs will automatically receive benefits while sailing on either cruise line. 

Celebrity’s website states that anyone in Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor program that is not enrolled in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club program should confirm enrollment before booking their cruise. I decided to call the Loyalty Service Desk to make sure I was enrolled in Captain’s Club before booking my first Celebrity cruise. 

Calling Celebrity Cruises was easy and they quickly confirmed my enrollment in the program. The agent also provided me with my Captain’s Club number at this time. Investigating further, I actually found the Captain’s Club number on Royal Caribbean’s website under Profile -> My Loyalty. I believe this is automatically populated, but I would suggest confirming your Captain’s Club number before booking your cruise. 

I provided the Captain’s Club numbers for both me and my sister when booking the Celebrity Cruise through our MEI travel agent. I was able to login to Celebrity’s travel portal and it showed my Elite status in the profile already. 

Once we boarded Celebrity Silhouette for our weekend cruise, we found an info sheet in the cabin with information about our Captain’s Club Elite membership benefits. 

Although the benefits are not necessarily one to one, we were pretty pleased with the Elite benefits that were listed on the sheet. It was a relief to see the Elite status on my SeaPass card and knowing that my benefits transferred correctly. 

Most importantly, I was happy to see on the benefit list that we would still receive complimentary drinks through Celebrity’s happy hour for Captain’s Club members! In addition, we were invited to join Captain’s Club Coffee Lounge everyday from 8am to 10am in Tuscan Restaurant. This was described as a coffeehouse style breakfast with snacks and pastries. 

The info sheet also stated that there would be a Captain’s Club Celebration on the final night of the cruise. This invitation said we could join the exclusive event for live music, drinks and special appearances from the Captain and Senior Officers.

Finally, we were invited to a Private Departure Lounge during disembarkation from 7:30am - 9am in Tuscan Restaurant. 

One of the first things I always do when I board a cruise ship is purchase internet for the entire voyage with my loyalty discount. 

Although disconnecting on a cruise is so relaxing, I simply need to have internet for my remote jobs. The flexibility of being able to work anywhere is incredible, but I do need to have high-speed internet purchased when I sail on a cruise to ensure I keep up with work when necessary. 

I am still holding out hope for the day that Internet is free on cruises, especially considering I can get free high-speed internet at almost anywhere these days!

On Royal Caribbean, as a Diamond Plus member, I receive two free days of Internet onboard or a $50 discount for the entire voyage. For this reason, I usually wait to purchase my Wi-Fi until I am onboard shorter cruises to ensure I get my discount, unless I can get a better price in the Cruise Planner beforehand. 

For a 4-night cruise, it’s usually around $51.98 for me to have high-speed internet on Royal Caribbean, as it’s priced at $25.99 per day. 

Unlike Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises provides a percentage discount on Wi-Fi packages; sadly, high-speed internet is more expensive at $35 each day. As Elite members, we received a 30% discount on our Internet package, which I purchased on the first day. 

Unfortunately, high-speed Internet on Celebrity was almost double what it would cost on a 4-night Royal Caribbean cruise! I received a $42 discount, but it was still nearly $100 for the duration of the 4-night voyage. 

Shockingly, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have the exact same Wi-Fi coverage through satellite-provider Starlink. 

In this sense, the price discrepancy between the two cruise lines is quite confusing for me. I was paying nearly double for the exact same provider coverage.

On a longer voyage, the 30% discount would be more sizable (in dollars) than the static $51.98 discount received on Royal Caribbean; however, the increased cost of $10 more each day on Celebrity will likely wash out any major savings when comparing the two. 

For example, a recent 12-night cruise on Royal Caribbean cost me $259.90 for the high-speed service with a savings of $51.98. On Celebrity Cruises, the same Internet would cost me $294 with a savings of $126. Although the savings is more, the overall cost of Internet is still higher. 

I’ve actually wished that Royal Caribbean would provide a bigger discount on longer cruises for top-tier loyalty members. When I take a 12-night cruise, it would be great to receive a 30%-50% discount on internet service, although any discount is still awesome. 

Technically, you have the potential to save a lot more money with Celebrity’s Captain’s Club internet discounts, but the increased cost of coverage needs to be taken into consideration. The internet coverage was consistent with what I’ve experienced on Royal Caribbean cruises, which is expected since the provider is the same. 

Another great perk on our Celebrity cruise that saved us a lot of money was the nightly happy hour with complimentary cocktails. 

Paying for cocktails and alcohol on a cruise can get very expensive. Not to mention, drink packages can nearly double the cost of your cruise and you have to drink around 5 cocktails each day to breakeven. 

Celebrity does not offer the easy-to-use drink vouchers like Royal Caribbean for loyalty perks. Instead, the cruise line has a nightly happy hour that serves complimentary drinks from 5pm-7pm.

This is very reminiscent of Royal Caribbean’s old happy hour in the Diamond and Concierge lounge, which was phased out after the pandemic and replaced with daily drink vouchers.

The happy hour was not limited just to a certain lounge. We were able to enjoy complimentary drinks from a set menu throughout the cruise at almost every bar, except the Craft Social and World Class Bar. 

On the set menu for happy hour, you could choose from a variety of simple cocktails and liquors. The bars specifically set out the menu each evening from 5pm-7pm. Throughout the cruise happy hours, we probably enjoyed 10-12 cocktails between the two of us. 

At a minimum, this saved us at least $100-$120 on our cruise! You can have unlimited cocktails during happy hour, so I will definitely choose a later dining time on my future Celebrity Cruise to take advantage of this happy hour. 

My sister and I enjoyed multiple cocktails each evening during happy hour and most enjoyed Sunset Bar. On our final evening, we sipped on a fruity concoction from the bartender while listening to live music while we sailed away from Nassau and back to Miami. 

Oddly, the first day of the cruise was excluded from the Captain's Club happy hour, which was a bit of a bummer.

During the first day of our cruise on Celebrity Silhouette, we were bummed to find out that there was no happy hour for Captain’s Club members that evening. 

The flyer in our cabin specifically stated that the Captain’s Club Cocktail Hour was excluded on embarkation day for whatever reason. Excluding embarkation day isn’t a huge deal, but when compared to Royal Caribbean’s daily voucher allowance that starts on the first day, it is notable. 

On a longer sailing, it also isn’t that big of a deal; however, we were only sailing on a 4-night cruise, so that meant we had only three evenings to take advantage of our benefits, so it was a bit more restrictive in that sense.

Instead, we purchased martinis at the famous Martini Bar on the first night of the cruise while we watched the bartenders perform impressive tricks with the martini glasses.

The martinis were not cheap, as they were $17 each including gratuities. We decided just to have one drink in anticipation of our happy hour kicking in the following evening. We loved the atmosphere of the Martini Bar and enjoyed the DJ playing music throughout the evening. 

Each morning, we could choose to dine at Tuscan Grill for Captain’s Club coffeehouse breakfast, which included cocktails and specialty coffees.

On the third morning of our cruise on Celebrity Silhouette, we decided to try out the Captain’s Club breakfast to see what was offered. This was located in Tuscan Restaurant, which is a specialty dining venue. 

I was thrilled to see I could get my morning latte during the coffeehouse breakfast - and even more excited to see mimosas, Bellinis and Bloody Marys on the menu. The breakfast menu was small with simple offerings like pastries, oatmeal and bagels. 

Receiving a free morning latte saved me $7 - something I wish I had known on the first morning of the cruise. I paid for my specialty coffee the first two mornings in the buffet and could have come here instead.

While I wasn’t necessarily in the mood for a mimosa on this morning, I was excited to see complimentary morning cocktails on the menu. Theoretically, I could have drank way more for free each day on this Celebrity cruise compared to my 5 drink vouchers on Royal Caribbean.

Between the unlimited cocktails, complimentary specialty coffee in the lounge and the nightly happy hours with cocktails, there would be absolutely no need for a drink package on Celebrity for me. 

On the final day, we enjoyed complimentary access to the Persian Garden thermal spa with our Elite status. 

One of the coolest perks with our Elite benefits was complimentary access to the Persian Garden thermal spa. We were able to access the thermal spa during one port day of the cruise as Elite members. We opted to do this on the final day of our cruise while we were docked in Nassau.

When I asked how much a daily pass during a port day would cost to the thermal spa, we were told it’s normally $39.95. 

For the two of us, this was a savings of $80! Whether we would actually pay this much to enjoy the thermal spa is up in the air, but I absolutely loved the ambiance and experience. We relaxed in the warm thermal chairs while also trying the different showers, saunas and steam rooms.

To my knowledge, this is not something offered on Royal Caribbean; but, it’s a perk that I really did enjoy on my Celebrity Cruise. 

As Elite members, we also could have received other benefits such as a free scoop of gelato, complimentary laundry, discounts on photos and more.

Elite members receive a slew of benefits onboard Celebrity cruise ships, including some that we didn't even have time to pursue. 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling my best on the final evening so we didn’t make it to the Captain’s Club exclusive event. I wish this had been hosted on another evening so we could see what it’s all about, but we will save that for a future Celebrity cruise!

Since this was a short 4-night sailing, we didn’t utilize all of the Elite benefits that we were afforded. We had to squeeze in as much as we could! On a weekend getaway, it’s not necessary for me to do laundry most of the time. We also didn’t take a singe professional photo, and this is not something I would pay for even with a 40% discount. 

I was also very satisfied with the complimentary dessert offerings in the buffet and dining room that I never craved gelato from Cafe al Bacio; however, my sister did receive her free scoop on the last day and felt it was the same quality as we were served in the buffet. 

Although Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises do not offer identical benefits, it’s still worthwhile to enjoy the reciprocity perks.

The most important loyalty benefits that I receive on Royal Caribbean include the discounted internet and complimentary daily drinks. I also enjoy the BOGO specialty dining and free professional photo, although these are not make-or-break benefits for me.

Most notably, our biggest savings came from not having to pay for cocktails or specialty coffee - other than our martinis on the first night. We loved the nightly happy hours hosted throughout the ship and appreciated the flexibility of going to almost any bar onboard. 

Additionally, receiving a 30% discount on Internet was appreciated, although the cost of internet was unexplainably more expensive. 

We also enjoyed our complimentary visit to the thermal spa during the ship’s visit to Nassau. Since we’d been to Nassau many times, enjoying the spa was a great way to enjoy our afternoon and do something more relaxing onboard the ship.

Overall, I was pleased with the Elite benefits on my Celebrity Silhouette cruise - and it saved us a lot of money. The savings would certainly compound on a longer Celebrity cruise with the reciprocity status matching, which is something to keep in mind. 

There's only a few days left to experience the Sky Pad before Royal Caribbean retires it.

In an update to travel agents, Royal Caribbean announced it would replace the venue with an unnamed new activity.

Beginning March 31, 2023, Royal Caribbean will begin removing the trampoline experience.

It's not clear what will replace it, but it will become something else.

"Starting in April, the Sky Pad will retire the bungee Virtual Reality experience and become a new versatile venue for exciting onboard activities."

Royal Caribbean says  all of the activities hosted in the Sky Pad venue will continue to be complimentary and included in your cruise fare. This sounds like the large yellow sphere structure itself will not be removed (at least not immediately), but the trampolines will be likely taken away.

Royal Caribbean did not say why they are making the change.

The Sky Pad is a trampoline where guests put on a virtual reality visor to engage in a game as they jump. 

Once inside, participants bounce up and down on the trampolines with the aid of the bungee cords. As you jump on the trampoline, you jump in the game. 

Similar to the FlowRider surf simulator and sky diving simulator, it was meant to offer guests a gravity-defying fun top deck experience.

The first cruise ship to get the Sky Pad was Independence of the Seas during her Royal Amplification, and it spread to a few other ships.

The ships with a Sky Pad include:

• Independence of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas

In 2019, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended Sky Pad on all ships as part of a safety review. It's unclear if that pause was related to a guest that was injured on the activity and sued Royal Caribbean.

While on Mariner of the Seas, the guest's harness snapped off and he fell to the deck.

What will replace the Sky Pad?

Royal Caribbean did not say what we can expect to find in the space going forward.

One thing is certain: whatever does go in the space will not have an additional cost and included in your cruise fare.

Royal Caribbean's signature activities

While the Sky Pad may be going away, there's still other great activities you can look forward to enjoying onboard.

Royal Caribbean is known for the array of onboard activities, including a few "I can't believe they put it on a cruise ship" offerings.

Miniature golf courses, surfing simulators and basketball courts are common on the biggest Royal Caribbean ships.

Rock wall

With varying difficulty levels, the rock wall is suitable for both kids and adults alike. 

Royal Caribbean makes sure your safety is paramount - that’s why we provide all the essential safety equipment including helmets, harnesses and shoes for every climber. All you need to bring are a pair of socks! 

Climbers must be at least 6 years old and complete a waiver prior to climbing. Best of all, it’s free and there’s no need to make advance reservations! 

The rock-climbing wall has been designed with both novice and experienced climbers in mind. For those looking to take their skills up a notch, there is advanced climbing sessions and speed-climbing competitions.  Royal Caribbean also hosts teen tournaments, which are a great way for young adventurers to explore their limits safely. 

Surf Simulator

Ready to catch that perfect wave? Royal Caribbean has you covered! With the incredible FlowRider surf simulator onboard some of their ships, you can experience the thrill of surfing in a controlled environment without ever having to leave the comfort and safety of your cruise ship. 

The FlowRider is a self-contained artificial surf area with an incredible 34,000 gallons per minute pumped in order to create realistic waves. Whether you’re looking to try boogie boarding or stand-up surfing, there’s something for everyone. 

Best of all, it’s open for free during scheduled periods during the day. Plus, if you want more than just free play time, private and group lessons are also available for an additional fee. 

But before you hop on board, be sure to check out the height requirements: 52 inches for boogie boarding and 58 inches for stand up surfing. 

Currently, the FlowRider is available on Quantum class, Oasis class, Freedom class and select Voyager class cruise ships. 

Zip Line

Ready to soar like an eagle?  Then you’re looking at the right attraction.  Oasis class ships boast a thrilling zip line that offers a bird’s eye view of the Boardwalk neighborhood.  This isn’t for the faint of heart; it stretches out a whopping 82 feet between two points and rises 9 decks high in the air. 

In order to participate, guests must be at least 52 inches tall and weigh no more than 275 pounds; children must also meet minimum weight requirements — 75 pounds or higher — for their own safety.  Plus, it’s free to use!  All you need is a signature on the waiver before boarding your flight. 

Carousel

Located in the Boardwalk of Oasis Class ships, this full-sized, traditional carousel was hand-crafted and designed with turn-of-the-century carousels as its basis - right down to the very last detail. The original artwork scenery panels on the rounding boards feature custom painted scenes that pay homage to seaside boardwalks of the past. 

But, this is more than just a stunning tribute - it’s also a lot of fun!  18 figures are suspended from stainless steel poles along with one ADA accessible chariot created from poplar wood. There are 11 traditional carousel horses, including one Royal Caribbean lead armored horse complete with the crown and anchor logo. 

Water slides

Royal Caribbean has a wide variety of water slides that can offer the perfect mix of thrills and relaxation.

If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush, they have some awesome speed and racing slides. There's also a spiral water slide on some ships that take you spiraling around each other until you reach the pool below.

Sky diving simulator

Are you looking for an unforgettable adventure while on your next cruise? Look no further than Ripcord by iFly! Located on board the ship, passengers can experience the thrilling sensation of skydiving without having to jump out of a plane. 

The complimentary flight starts with a short video tutorial teaching the basics of skydiving techniques. After that, all you have to do is change into the provided skydiving apparel and get ready for an action-packed one minute ride in the Ripcord by iFly wind tunnel! 

For those looking for an even more exciting experience, two minute rides are available at The North Star at a cost of just $49.99 per person. Advanced flying classes may also be offered onboard which comes with a separate fee. 

North Star

Onboard any of Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class ships, you'll find a unique experience that allows you to take in all the wonders of the sea from above. The North Star is a glass-enclosed observation pod that rises 300 feet above the deck of your ship, offering breathtaking 360° views of the horizon and beyond. 

The best part? During port visits, access to The North Star is completely free! You can book a time slot for yourself and up to three guests throughout most of the day. 

While at sea, each ride up The North Star comes with a cost of $29.99 per person, but it's well worth it for one-of-a-kind sights from up high. Soar above your cruise ship and take in stunning views that could only be made possible by this amazing feat of engineering!