Royal Caribbean Blog

Norwegian Cruise Line is betting big with its new mega-ship orders. 

The cruise line plans to debut its largest ship class in 2030. Weighing around 226,000 gross registered tons (GRT) with a passenger and crew capacity of more than 8,300, they'll join MSC Cruises in competing with Royal Caribbean's Oasis and Icon Class ships. 

MSC launched its first World Class ship in 2022 and a second, World America, will enter service in Florida in April, sailing from the line's brand-new Miami terminal. 

The four new Norwegian ships will be built by the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. According to Reuters, a source close to the matter said the order was worth over $9 billion. The first of the four ships will be delivered in 2030, with the others in 2032, 2034, and 2036.

Fincantieri is responsible for some of Norwegian's newest builds, including Norwegian Aqua, which is slated to enter service in March. While Norwegian's Prima Class ships aren't the line's largest, they are NCL's most innovative. Norwegian Aqua, for example, will feature the Aqua Slidecoaster, the world's first hybrid rollercoaster-waterslide at sea. 

Currently, Norwegian's largest cruise ship is Norwegian Encore. The 6-year-old ship measures 169,116 GRT, is 1,094 feet long, and can hold 3,998 passengers at double occupancy. Norwegian Encore's gross tonnage makes her slightly larger than Quantum of the Seas, which comes in at 168,666 GRT. Quantum, however, is longer, stretching 1,141 feet.

Norwegian's ambitious mega-ship plans reveal that the line is stepping up its game to compete with the giants of the industry, and they aren't the only ones. 

Read more: How cruise ships got so big

Carnival Cruise Line also announced a new order for mega-ships

Carnival's three new vessels will measure around 230,000 GRT and have more than 3,000 cabins onboard, which is more than any other cruise ship at sea, surpassing even Icon of the Seas which has 2,805 staterooms. 

They will be the largest ships ever built by Fincantieri. The first is expected to be delivered in 2029, with the other two joining the fleet in 2031 and 2033. 

Carnival's largest ship, Carnival Jubilee, comes in around 183,000 GRT and is the line's third Excel Class ship. The Excel Class revolutionized Carnival's offerings, setting a new standard with innovative features an onboard rollercoaster, modern cabins, and more dining options than ever before. 

Still, they're a far cry from Royal Caribbean's mega-ships.

Royal Caribbean is known for having the largest cruise ships in the world

It's a title they've kept in the brand since Freedom of the Seas' launch in 2006. Less than four years later, Royal Caribbean redefined cruising with the launch of Oasis of the Seas in 2009. 

It was the first time a cruise ship measured over 200,000 GRT and introduced several innovative features like multiple FlowRiders, a zip-line, and a huge AquaTheater, setting a new standard for the cruise industry.

While Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships kept the cruise line in the news for over a decade, they once again shook up the game with Icon of the Seas in 2024. That's not all, either. Royal Caribbean is growing the Icon Class with Star of the Seas in 2025 and another ship in 2026. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean CEO explains why mega cruise ships are so popular 15 years after their inception

Getting a good night's sleep is important, even on a cruise vacation.

I usually sleep very well on Royal Caribbean ships, but admittedly, I prefer a firm mattress. 

Everyone has their own personal preference when it comes to beds, so I'm not surprised when some people claim the beds are too firm to their taste.

Longtime cruisers know there's a special request you can make if you need another option, but you need to know to ask for it.

You can ask for a mattress topper

If your cruise ship cabin bed is too hard, you can ask your stateroom attendant for a mattress topper.

There's a limited supply of these, where the stateroom attendant will place one underneath your bed sheets to provide a little more padding.

While it won't transform your bed into a heavenly fluffy pillow, it might help just a little. Cruisers have described them as a very thick quilt, an egg foam mattress topper, or a mattress pad.

Some ships do actually have a memory foam pad. All ships have different toppers sometimes its an egg crate, sometimes its the nice foam ones.

It's been my experience has been if you find the mattress is too hard, asking for a topper has been worth asking for.

The problem is they can run out, so you'll need to act quickly.

There's only a limited supply, and after the first night on the ship, enough people will complain to probably get one.

There's no cost to ask for one, but you need to act quickly.

You can request a mattress topper before your cruise begins

While I've always waited to ask for a mattress topper once onboard, you could submit the request before the cruise begins.

Royal Caribbean has a special needs form that you can fill out up to 30 days before your cruise begins.  This form is really meant for medical needs, but it allows for a mattress topper too.

Alternatively, you can email [email protected] with the request.

Their response will be something like this:

"Thank you for contacting the Access Department regarding the accommodations for your upcoming cruise.

To accommodate your back conditions, we will provide a two-inch-thick micro-fiber pillow top at no additional cost. This item will be placed in your stateroom on the day of sailing. Please note, we no longer provide egg crate mattresses for sanitary reasons."

You just need to provide your ship name, sail date, and reservation number.

DIY approach

If they run out, you could make your bed a little more comfortable with a spare comforter.

You can ask your stateroom attendant for an extra blanket to put under the sheet, and that will provide a little extra cushion.

It's a good alternative if they run out of toppers by the time you ask.

Bring one from home

Rather than play a game of roulette with which topper you'll get, some cruisers have begun bringing their own.

"You can bring your own on! I recommend getting a space bag and a hand pump so you can make it really small to fit in your luggage," is what pundromeda recommends.

Another cruiser shared their strategy of bringing their own, "We bring our own (2 twins). The room steward is happy to put it on the bed for us. At the end of the cruise, we just roll them up and put them in their own duffle bag. Ready for next cruise."

While I've never brought my own, many cruisers recommend the Klymit sleeping pad as an option. (Link contains affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra but I make a small commission if you buy it)

You can also ask for a fan

Something else that might help you sleep better is to ask your stateroom attendant for a fan.

A fan can serve two purposes: cooling you down and providing white noise.

Royal Caribbean won't let you bring appliances on a cruise ship for fire hazard reasons, but they do have fans you can borrow.

There's a limited supply of large standing fans that guests can use for the duration of the cruise.

Alternatively, you could bring a USB powered fan, such as this one. (Link contains affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra but I make a small commission if you buy it)

Suite guests get softer mattresses

Something else worth noting is if you're in a suite on some ships, you can expect a better mattress.

As part of the Royal Suite Class benefits available on the Oasis, Icon, and Quantum Class cruise ships, Royal Caribbean includes "Luxury Pillow Top Mattress and Linen" in the cabin.

It's available for Sea, Sky, and Star Class rooms.

I went on two different cruise ships that sailed to Mexico, and the experience was remarkably different on each.

Royal Caribbean has almost 30 ships in its fleet, and they're far from carbon copies of each other.

In the last two months, I went on Voyager of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas and these are both cruise ships that started cruising before the turn of the century.

While they're only two years apart in age, what it's like onboard each one differs greatly. Equally important is the price difference too.

Both cruises went to the Western Caribbean visited the same port: Cozumel, Mexico.

For me, there was a clear winner in which I'd prefer to go on again.

I ate in the Main Dining Room for dinner on both ships, but I liked the ambiance better on Voyager

Every night I ate dinner in the Main Dining Room on both ships, and it's a favorite place because of the level of service here.

Some cruisers nit pick about the changes to dining on a Royal Caribbean cruise over recent years, but the dedication the crew members have in the Main Dining Room always impresses me.  You can tell they are working incredibly hard to deliver on excellent service.

On both ships, our table's main waiter brought a smile and hustle to their approach. They may not have always been perfect, but they strived to make it better.

On Voyager of the Seas, our head waiter went above and beyond what I'd expect with his attention to our group.  He ensured the service matched our expectations, and stepped in where needed.

Of course, the menus are exactly the same across all Royal Caribbean ships in the Main Dining Room. The main difference was the look and feel of the venue itself.

The Main Dining Room on Voyager of the Seas is three decks high, whereas Enchantment's is two decks.  

While I like the staircase on Enchantment, I think Voyager's Main Dining Room just looks so much more ornate and spectacular. It's bright, very open, and feels like you're dining in a palace.

I had fun on both ships, but there was much more to do at night on Voyager

Because Voyager of the Seas is so much bigger than Enchantment, there's simply more to do onboard the ship.

During the day, I didn't really care or notice the differences.  Both ships have pools, a rock wall, and various activities happening around the ship.

But at night, I noticed the stark contrast between these cruise ships.

While Enchantment of the Seas has a large Schooner Bar, I much preferred having more of the venues on Voyager.

There's an English Pub on Voyager that has a guitarist each evening, and it was my go-to spot.

Plus, the Royal Promenade just seems like there's more happening compared to a ship with a Centrum.

Small things like a better situated casino bar, more expansive dance area in the Viking Crown Lounge, and live music in the Star Lounge seemed to give Voyager an edge over similar venues on Enchantment.

I much preferred the adults-only area on Enchantment

Without a doubt, Enchantment's adults-only space is significantly better than Voyager of the Seas.

The Solarium is enclosed on Enchantment, so that makes it always the perfect temperature.  The Voyager Class Solariums are not enclosed, so when it was cold and rainy on our sea day, it made the Solarium nearly unusable.

Plus, I really like how large the Solarium is on Enchantment. It felt like there was much more space and more chairs to choose from.

One other advantage the Solarium on Enchantment of the Seas has is the fact there's Park Cafe inside it.

You can get sandwiches, salads, and pizza here.  

There's no restaurant in the Solarium on Voyager.

I stayed in a balcony cabin on both ships, but the shower was much better on Voyager

I booked a balcony cabin on each ship, and the experience was quite similar, with one notable exception.

An ocean view balcony cabin is pretty standard across all Royal Caribbean ships.  Apart from the aesthetics of the room, and how many drawers or cabinets there are, these rooms are more similar than different.

The key exception is the shower, which makes one so much worse than the other.

On Enchantment of the Seas, there is a shower curtain, whereas Voyager of the Seas has plastic tubes.

The problem with the shower curtain is it tends to cling to you while you're in there, and that grosses me out.

I can live with the problem, but I greatly prefer the room on Voyager simply for no shower curtain.

I was surprised how much cheaper Enchantment was

You can't compare these two ships without talking price, especially when cruises cost more and more each year.

I paid $3,004.18 for two people on a 5-night cruise on Voyager of the Seas. This was also over New Year's Eve, so there was definitely a premium for the holiday sailing.

On Enchantment of the Seas, I received the room for free because of a casino offer, so I cannot compare exactly the retail price difference.

While both ships offer a good value compared to newer ships, you are likely to find lower rates on Enchantment. In fact, some dates there are sailings that begin at right around $100 per person, per day.

A cruise on Voyager of the Seas will cost you a bit more, which means those on a tight vacation budget will find a better fit on Enchantment.

Overall, I'd pick Voyager of the Seas again

In the end, though both cruise ships offered enjoyable experiences, the fact Voyager of the Seas had more to do and more places to eat made it my clear winner.

Voyager of the Seas has more specialty restaurants, more theaters and shows, and the caliber of its shows are superior to Enchantment.

Surprisingly, I think I prefer Enchantment's pool deck.  The enclosed Solarium and pool bars are definitely better.

I liked my cruise on Enchantment of the Seas far more than I thought I would, but I prefer a ship to offer me more choices in what I can do.

I don't have a cruise booked on either ship in the future, but if I had the choice for a 4- or 5-night Caribbean cruise, I'd like to book Voyager (if I can't simply book both ships again).

Certain foods on a Royal Caribbean ship are well-known favorites that cruisers come back to time and time again, but what about the unsung heroes?

Royal Caribbean cruisers that have been sailing with the line for a few years know there are certain foods that always hit the spot, but it's usually a surprise to new cruisers.

The Main Dining Room serves lobster on the second formal night, but nearly everyone looks for lobster on the menu.  Beyond the usual favorites, there are a handful of foods I think are fantastic choices most people are unaware of.

Maybe on your next cruise you can check out one of these underrated finds and add it to your list.

Toppings bar at El Loco Fresh

One of the best, yet largely unheralded, improvements Royal Caribbean has made to its pool deck was the addition of El Loco Fresh.

I don't think you'll confuse the tacos, burritos, and quesadillas served here, but the beauty of it is how you can customize your food.

After you get your food from the buffet line, there's a toppings bar where you can load it up exactly the way you want it.

There's pico de gallo, guacamole, jalapenos, and a pretty good variety of hot sauces.

I can't tell you how many times I've gone here for a quick bite, even when I've stayed in Star Class.

Filet and lobster at Coco Beach Club

In coming up with this list, there's a few foods at Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas, starting with the Coco Beach Club.

The Coco Beach Club is an extra cost area within Perfect Day at CocoCay that usually costs over $100 per person for a day pass.  That's a high price, but the food might make up for it.

Within the club's sit down restaurant is arguably the best steak and lobster you'll find.

You'll find very large portions that are exactly the kind of lobster or steak you'd imagine when thinking of a great dish.

It's essentially the best surf and turf you'll find across Royal Caribbean.

Secret sandwich

In keeping with our CocoCay faves, since Perfect Day opened, there's been a menu item you have to know to ask for in order to order.

At any of the Snack Shack locations, you can walk up and ask for "the secret sandwich". Given it's name, it has to make this list.

A lot of cruisers know about it now, but it's still something that will turn a few heads when you order it.

It's essentially an amalgamation of two regular menu items: the chicken sandwich and mozzarella sticks, with marinara sauce added on top.

The result is a chicken parmigiana sandwich, and it's really good.  Some people prefer no pickles (because the pickles come with the chicken sandwich), but I kind of like it for the twist on the flavor.

Campfire cookie

If you're looking for an indulgent food that you might overlook, it's by far the dessert at Playmakers Sports Bar.

Imagine a hot skillet that offers spoonful's of marshmallow, ice cream, and cookie together. It's a mess, but probably one of the best desserts Royal Caribbean has ever conjured up.

When you have a chocolate chip cookie with marshmallows on top, it's a great combination.

Because Playmakers is priced a la carte, you can drop in to order just the cookie and only spend $6.  

Mozzarella sticks

One more amazing food on CocoCay has to be the mozzarella sticks.

It's become a meme within our team when someone goes to Perfect Day at CocoCay, to brag about the mozzarella sticks.

While you can get mozzarella sticks on the ship, the ones served at the Snack Shack are a different recipe and they're so darn good.

I think it's the breading that makes it stand out, but we'll order mozzarella sticks with our secret sandwich, every time.

Asian stir fry cooking station

When I walk into the Windjammer, the first place I look are the cooking stations.

I think most cruisers overlook them because they're fixated on the traditional buffet areas. While the food around the buffet is indeed quite good, nothing compares to a freshly prepared dish.

There are a few varieties, but my favorite is the Asian stir fry option. I'll probably forgo food elsewhere in the Windjammer just for this when it's available.

You get to select the vegetables and meat of your choice to be stir fried together with noodles and soy sauce. 

Crepes at Aquadome Market

Royal Caribbean knew it had a hit on its hands when they created their first food hall concept on Icon of the Seas, and the crepe station is by far the runaway winner.

Aquadome Market offers a few types of cuisines to choose from, but the one with the longest line is always the crepe station.

You tell the crew member what you want in the crepe, and they make it on the spot for you.

The result is a delicate and delicious decadent dessert/breakfast/snack. 

Plus it's free!

Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas has reported a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on its current sailing with nearly 100 sick guests onboard.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Radiance of the Seas reported 89 ill guests onboard its current voyage. Additionally, two crew members are reportedly ill with gastrointestinal symptoms onboard. 

The outbreak was reported to the CDC on February 4, 2025, with 4.1% passengers and 0.2% crew members reporting symptoms of the illness. There are currently 2,164 guests onboard and 910 crew members on the vessel. 

Radiance of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s smallest vessels, accommodating around 2,500 passengers at maximum capacity and measuring 90,090 gross tons.

Most guests on Radiance of the Seas are showing symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting - two of the predominant symptoms for gastrointestinal illness. Other common symptoms include muscle aches, headaches, abdominal cramps, or fever.

Radiance of the Seas is currently sailing on a 7-night itinerary to the Western Caribbean. The ship departed from Tampa, Florida on Saturday, February 1, 2025. The itinerary includes stops in Cozumel (Mexico), Roatan (Honduras), Belize City (Belize), and Costa Maya (Mexico). Radiance of the Seas is scheduled to return to Tampa, Florida on February 8, 2025.

Along with these details, the CDC included multiple steps taken by crew members aboard Radiance of the Seas in response to the outbreak. First, the cruise line increased cleaning and disinfection on the ship, based on Royal Caribbean’s outbreak prevention and response protocol.

In addition, the cruise line has collected stool specimens from the gastrointestinal illness cases to be used for testing. This can help identify the cause of the outbreak, which could be norovirus. Ill passengers and crew members have also been isolated to reduce potential illness spread.

Royal Caribbean is consulting with VSP to address the outbreak, which is the Vessel Sanitation Program run by the CDC. Based on the report, VSP is monitoring the situation and reviewing Radiance of the Seas’ sanitation procedures and outbreak response.

Is this an outbreak of norovirus?

At this time, it’s unclear if the gastrointestinal illness outbreak is caused by norovirus. The CDC does not list a causative agent for the outbreak, which is defined as the specific organism responsible for the development of the disease.

However, the CDC states, “Norovirus is often a cause of gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships, but we don't always know the cause of the outbreak when we begin an investigation.”

“Finding the agent that caused an outbreak (causative agent) can take time. When an outbreak occurs, people whose symptoms met the case definition are asked to provide stool or vomitus samples. These samples are tested to determine the causative agent. In this outbreak, samples are pending confirmatory testing,” continues the CDC.

Cruise ships are required to report cases of gastrointestinal illnesses to the CDC. The government agency states, “Reporting gastrointestinal illness is important. When passengers and crew tell the medical center onboard about their symptoms, it helps GI illness outbreaks get detected quickly. This allows steps to be taken to limit the spread of illness.”

Outbreaks of norovirus are on the rise across the U.S.

Norovirus cases have been surging over the recent weeks in the United States based on CDC data. The total number of outbreaks reported in the 2024–2025 season exceeds the range recorded during the same period in the 2012–2020 and 2021–2024 seasons.

The CDC reported 91 suspected or confirmed norovirus outbreaks in the United States for the first week of December 2024. This is the highest number recorded for that week since 2012. Outbreaks of norovirus are most common from November to April with millions of people getting sick each year.

No one knows for sure why norovirus cases are surging this season. YaleMedicine states the current strain was once uncommon in the United States, meaning many people lack immunity to the specific strain circulating. Cases normally surge in the winter months when people tend to congregate inside, particularly around the holiday season.

(Number of Suspected or Confirmed Norovirus Outbreaks Reported by NoroSTAT-Participating States Per Week, 2012–2025)

Norovirus is not respiratory, meaning it does not spread by sneezing or coughing. Instead, norovirus spreads by contaminated food, water or surfaces, making it highly contagious. Because of this, proper handwashing with soap and water is the best way to prevent the spread. Most hand sanitizers don’t work well against the virus.

Radiance of the Seas is the sixth vessel to report an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness, according to data provided by the CDC. The following ships have reported outbreaks in 2025, along with the identified causation agent. 

• Royal Caribbean International: Radiance of the Seas (2/1–2/8/2025) – Unknown

• Princess Cruises: Coral Princess (1/20–2/5/2025) – Norovirus

• Viking Ocean Cruises: Viking Mars (1/10–1/24/2025) – Unknown

• Holland America Line: Volendam (1/4–1/25/2025) – Norovirus

• Silversea Cruises: Silver Ray (1/4–1/20/2025) – E. coli

• Sea Cloud Cruises: Sea Cloud Spirit (1/4–1/10/2025) – Presumed Ciguatera

In contrast, 18 outbreaks on cruise ships were reported to the CDC in 2024. Although norovirus is often called the “cruise ship disease,” only 1% of reported outbreaks are associated with cruise ships. Outbreaks are more common on college campuses, hospitals, and nursing homes where people are living in close quarters.

What is Royal Caribbean’s protocol?

All cruise lines are required to have robust protocols to address illness outbreaks. Royal Caribbean’s health protocols are enacted once a certain percentage of guests report symptoms.

In a statement to USA Today, Royal Caribbean stated, “Enhanced measures have been implemented onboard in an abundance of caution to protect the health and comfort of all our guests and crew.”

These protocols include the following:

1. Stopping self-service in buffets if the onboard rate exceeds 1.5%
2. Enhanced acute GI training for onboard medical teams
3. Switching to PDI SaniCloth Prime hospital-grade disinfectant wipes
4. Enhanced crew training on what to do when experiencing acute GI symptoms and how to avoid cross-contamination in food and beverage service areas

Royal Caribbean could be adding a new California homeport to its plans. 

Test loads for the upcoming West Coast deployment schedule to be released around February 17 reveal that Serenade of the Seas won't offer cruises out of Los Angeles. Instead, the 90,090 gross registered ton (GRT) ship will sail from San Diego, California. 

Royal Caribbean prepares for a new deployment with test loads, where they upload a few select sailings to their website. They aren't bookable, but they give passengers a preview of what to expect. 

Screenshots shared by Southern Dan on Royal Caribbean Blog's discussion board show Serenade offering a 7-night Mexican Riveria cruise on March 28, 2027, from San Diego. 

The test itinerary also reveals that Serenade will call at Laz Paz, Mexico, which is known for beautiful beaches teeming with marine life and a vibrant downtown with a 3-mile-long waterfront promenade.  

Cruises from San Diego aren't necessarily new. Royal Caribbean sometimes begins or ends Panama Canal voyages from the Southern California port. However, Royal doesn't offer regular sailings from San Diego. 

It's more commonly used by lines like Disney, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian.

Other West Coast changes

Voyager of the Seas will supposedly replace Navigator as the year-round ship based in Los Angeles, though Royal Caribbean hasn't made an official announcement yet. 

The Ports America Los Angeles website schedule shows Voyager of the Seas arriving in California on October 5, 2026. 

Test loads seem to confirm Voyager's takeover with an 8-night cruise scheduled on Nov. 5, 2026, including an overnight stay in Cabo. 

Navigator of the Seas is on the schedule through Nov. 5, 2026. After that, the Voyager Class ship disappears from the manifest, whereas Voyager has departures listed through at least December 2026, along with Ovation of the Seas. 

Royal Caribbean already announced they're bringing Quantum Class ships to Los Angeles, with Ovation of the Seas offering regular voyages starting in June 2025. Quantum will join Ovation in October 2025. 

These cruise ships are larger than Voyager Class vessels and offer more modern amenities, including an enclosed SeaPlex, North Star observation capsule, and sky diving simulator. Plus, they're designed to operate in warm and cool climates. 

Effective October 2026, however, it appears Royal Caribbean will reduce to just one Quantum Class ship in Los Angeles, phasing out Quantum of the Seas.

Another test itinerary shows Ovation making a short 3-night cruise to Ensenada on October 16, 2026. 

Growing cruise market

After a decade-long hiatus from Los Angeles, Royal Caribbean's re-entry into the California market has proved to be worthwhile, with executives confirming that Navigator has performed "exceptionally well."

The itineraries to popular destinations in the Mexican Riveria have resonated with seasoned cruisers and newcomers who might not be interested in another typical Caribbean or Bahamian voyage. 

Plus, adding newer ships, like Ovation and Quantum of the Seas, will further strengthen Royal Caribbean’s position in the market. 

Upcoming deployments

There's a lot of exciting stuff forthcoming with Royal Caribbean's new deployments in the next few weeks. Already, they've announced their 2026 Alaska cruises, some of their 2026 European voyages, and Summer & Yearlong Caribbean Northeast cruises. 

Here's an updated list of the upcoming deployment schedule:

• Week of February 10: Europe 2.0
• Week of February 17: West Coast
• Week of February 24: Short Caribbean
• Week of March 3: Seasonal Caribbean
• Week of March 10: China
• Week of March 17: Singapore
• Week of June 2: Australia 

It looks like Royal Caribbean is doing something different and adding a new casino to one of its cruise ships in an unusual place.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas went in for its regularly scheduled maintenance work in January. The ship, built in 2006, arrived in at a shipyard in Cadiz, Spain for a three-week drydock.

Routine drydocks usually just consist of maintenance work, but it looks like a new idea is coming to Freedom.

Updated deck plans within the Royal Caribbean show the ship's wine bar, Vintages, is being replaced.

In place of Vintages is "Casino Royale Non-Smoking".

Royal Caribbean hasn't formally announced a change.

Vintages was the ship's wine bar, where you could find the widest selection of wines.  All restaurants and bars offer wine, but Vintages had the most types and was a bar best known for its comfortable furniture.

The location of the casino is just one deck above the main casino, with a staircase nearby for convenient trips between the two.

The new non-smoking casino won't be nearly as large as the main casino.  Vintages was a smaller location, and from the deck plans, it's clear that it's roughly the size of two shops.

Adding a non-smoking casino to Freedom of the Seas would follow a trend the line first began implementing on the Oasis Class ships.

In 2023, Royal Caribbean began converting the jazz club to a non-smoking casino.  Wonder of the Seas was the first ship to debut this feature, and the conversion process began on the other Oasis Class ships.

The 3,926-passenger ship is getting ready to resume cruises from Fort Lauderdale in February.

Addressing a problem that's plagued the casino for years

Adding a non-smoking casino has been a strategy to offer a gambling location for those that don't want to deal with second-hand smoke.

Royal Caribbean allows smoking in its casinos. Technically, the rule is for active players, but the casino has ended up being a glorified indoor smoking venue in practice. 

The debate over allowing smoking in the casino has been contentious over the years, with many cruise ship passengers voicing their opinions on the matter and it's left Royal Caribbean in the middle.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley spoke on the subject at an event in 2022, admitting, "smoking in the casinos is a bit of a conundrum."

"The dilemma is that there are many people who do want to smoke in the casino. I know that's not a popular response, but it's it's the truth."

"I'm not judging anyone or anything, but there's a large group of people who do want to smoke in the casino."

While there's a non-smoking side to the casino, the odor of the smoke still travels.

The cruise line has not gone as far as banning smoking in the casino outright, providing a non-smoking alternative venue seems to be their new strategy.

By offering a non-smoking casino on the Royal Promenade, it's likely the company wants to attract gamblers who don't want to be around smoking, back to the casino.

More casino space is good business

Offering more casino space means more opportunities to drive up revenue on a cruise ship.

Gambling in the casino is one of Royal Caribbean's top revenue generating businesses.  It's big business, and more popular than ever.

Royal Caribbean Group lumps casino revenues in with other extra cost items, such as drink packages, shore excursions, wifi, and anything else not included with your cruise fare.

In the second quarter, Royal Caribbean Group reported "onboard and other" revenue was $183,000,000 across all brands. That's $14 million more than the same quarter in 2023.

Anecdotally, many cruise fans have taken notice of the special offers made by the onboard casino in order to take advantage of discounted and complimentary sailings.

Freedom of the Seas returns to service this month

With Freedom finishing up its 3-week dry dock, the ship is ready to start cruising again on February 16.

The drydock work included general maintenance for the ship's propulsion, as well as replacement of carpets, and more.

The ship will begin sailing with a 7-night voyage that visits Nassau, St. Thomas and St. John’s, Antigua.

In May, Freedom of the Seas repositions to Miami,

Can you ever be too old to go on a cruise vacation?

As the peak of the Caribbean cruise season begins, many vacationers are headed to warmer temperatures in the tropics to enjoy a cruise.

According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 17% of all cruise passengers from North America were between the age of 60-69, and 14% were 70 years old or older.

The U.S. Census Bureau says over the past 10 years, the population 65 and over increased 34% to 50.9 million. The government projects there will be 94.7 million senior citizens by 2060.

Seniors make up a large contingent of cruisers because they have the time to get away because so many are retired. However, seniors can face increased health risks while traveling.

While an estimated 200 people die on cruise ships each year, the risks are far greater of a medical issue occurring at sea than passing away.

While a major calamity is unlikely, being prepared is a smart plan for any cruiser of any age.

How old is too old to cruise?

Cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, do not have a maximum age limit of any kind. So the choice to vacation is one a person should be making with their health professional.

Given the popularity of cruise ships with retirees and the elderly, the next question is are there risk factors that should be taken into consideration before booking a cruise?

Stan Sandberg is co-founder of TravelInsurance.com, and shared his advice what anyone over 60 years old should be doing before they go on a cruise ship.

"While travel insurance is a smart purchase for travelers of any age, for Baby Boomers and Seniors (together, the over 60 crowd) travel insurance is essential for traveling the world."

According to Sandberg, seniors may not be aware of what might be covered if a medical problem occurred while outside the country, "It's critical for retirees who are on Medicare to check whether their coverage extends to international travel. Standard Medicare plans typically won't provide coverage when the recipient travels outside of the United States. A travel insurance plan with travel medical coverage and emergency medical evacuation coverage is a necessity for those travelers."

To that point, he believes the most important consideration for a Baby Boomer or Senior Citizen is to find a travel insurance plan with a pre-existing condition exclusion waiver.

"By default, most travel insurance plans will exclude losses resulting from a pre-existing medical condition unless the plan offers a waiver. One of the requirements to qualify for a waiver is that the traveler must purchase their travel insurance within a timeframe ranging from 7 days to 21 days from the date they made the first payment or deposit on the trip."

"Other requirements can include purchasing insurance to cover the entire trip costs. Since the definition of a pre-existing condition and the terms to qualify for a pre-existing condition exclusion waiver can vary between plans and providers, we always recommend reading a plan's detailed terms and conditions before purchasing."

Think about mobility

Something else affecting one's enjoyment on a cruise is your mobility.

Getting around a cruise ship is quite easy, as there are elevators to get between decks, and even special cabins designed for guests who have mobility disabilities and other disabilities that require the features of an accessible stateroom.

These special cabins include ramps at bathroom entries; roll-in showers with fold-down benches; handheld showerheads; and raised toilets. 

You can actually call Royal Caribbean's Accessibility Department at 866-592-7225.

Royal Caribbean won't provide wheelchairs, but you can bring your own and be able to use it during your cruise. Wheelchairs and scooters must be stored and charged in your room.

Tips for cruising safely as a senior

Travel insurance is a must-buy for all cruisers, especially seniors, and there are other good tips to consider if you're going on a cruise ship.

You'll want to not just pack all of your medications, but bring plenty of extra too.

Travel delays can occur, and having more medication than you think you need is a good idea.  In addition, be sure pack all the medical supplies you might need, including band-aids, Ace bandages, and over-the-counter medications.

If you require refrigerated medications, fill out the Royal Caribbean Special Needs Form before your cruise begins.

Be sure to pack proper footwear to use around the ship.  Decks can be slippery, especially on the pool decks. You'll want non-slip shoes of some kind.

Make sure you select shore excursions that realistically align with your physical abilities.  

Read the the physical requirements for any tour before booking it, paying close attention to how much walking is required, if there's uneven terrain, and how strenuous the activity is.

Age shouldn’t stop you from cruising

The saying "age is just a number" applies to cruises as well, but you should be prepared.

Ken Klingenberg is a 72-year-old retired paramedic and loves to cruise. He uses a scooter and thinks taking a cruise vacation is a "godsend" for people with mobility or other issues. 

"You get to this beautiful hotel on the water, and let the crew take you to different places while they feed and entertain you the entire time."

One piece of advice for seniors is to work with a travel agent that specializes in senior travel and/or accessible travel.

Brad Whitaker is over 60 years old, and he thinks cruising is a great way to get out of the same old routine for seniors, "Even if you never leave the ship (which is crazy to think you wouldn’t), there are tons of things to do and none of them are the same. Cruising helps you break your mold and enlarge your variety of life."

Plus, Brad uses cruising as a way to make new friends. The over 60 crowd can appreciate the social atmosphere you'll find around a Royal Caribbean cruise, "My wife and I have always met and made new friends on cruises," Brad said.

"I love asking people if I can take their picture with their camera so I can strike up a conversation! I know it’s an over-60 thing, but I do love doing it! Where else can I meet so many people?"

After I book a cruise, there's a sense of euphoria with all the excitement, but it's also when I start planning things out.

While you could probably book a cruise and do nothing else extra and still have a good vacation, I never leave things to chance. I always go through my checklist of important things to do before a cruise begins.

There are some very obvious things to do before any vacation starts, such as reserve a spot in the kennel, book a flight or hotel, or put in time off from work.  But I think there's more than that most people should be doing to avoid an easily avoidable issue later.

In all my years of cruising, I've found the most common problems tend to be ones that are avoidable with some early planning. You can't plan around every possible situation, but you can avoid the biggies.

With that in mind, I wanted to share the 14 things I always do before a cruise vacation so I can leave my house prepared for a great time.

Verify my passport is up to date

You can't go on any cruise without the proper travel documents, so the first thing I do is double check my passport is valid.

Not only does my passport need to valid today, but it needs to be valid when I go on the cruise. Be sure to double check the expiration date is well beyond the cruise you just booked.

I'm a major proponent of booking cruises very early, and sometimes I'll book a cruise up to two years in advance.  So it's critical my passport will be valid.

You don't need to have a passport for most sailings from the United States if you're a U.S. citizen, but I'd recommend everyone get one anyway. 

If your passport is going to expire, get the renewal process going immediately. Most of the time it's quick, but you don't want to discover your passport is invalid for travel the week before your cruise begins.

Find the perfect shore excursion for each port

Like many people, I love to go on a cruise for the places I'm going to visit.  The last thing I want to do is show up to a port and try to wing it, especially if it's somewhere I've never been.

I think a lot of people get excited for the places their ship will visit, and there's a myriad of choices of what you can do in each one.

I'll start researching shore excursion options right around 6 months before the cruise begins.  It doesn't make a lot of sense to do that any earlier because a lot of tour options may not even be available to book yet.

Sometimes the choice of what to do is obvious.  If my cruise stops in Antigua, I'm automatically going to look for a great beach to visit.

But if my cruise goes to Hamburg, Germany or Halifax, Nova Scotia, I'm going to need to learn about what there is to do before I book a tour.

If you have no idea where to start, I'll google "best things to do in ____" or I'll go to YouTube and do a similar search.  Sometimes I'll add "day trip ideas in ____" to ensure the results are ideal for a cruise ship visitor.

Royal Caribbean offers its own assortment of shore excursions, and that can also be a starting point for finding a tour.

No matter which tour I book or if I book through the cruise line, I always make sure I have a plan in place before my ship sets sail.

Buy any cruise add-ons and start tracking the price

One truth within Royal Caribbean is it will cost less to buy a drink package, WiFi, shore excursion, or spa treatment if you pre-book it before the cruise begins.

I'll log into the Cruise Planner website right after the cruise begins and book anything I know I want, such as a specialty dining package.

There's two reasons I pre-book immediately.

First, it will be cheaper than if I wait to buy it on the ship. Royal Caribbean runs sales quite often, and I can always re-price them if there's a lower price later.

If you spot a lower price, just cancel your purchase and then re-book at the lower price.  It's simple and quite effective.

Second, things sell out way quicker than they used to.  This is probably because Royal Caribbean has gotten much better at alerting its customers to what you can pre-purchase.

Things that always sell out include:

• Shore excursions
• Dining packages
• Royal Railway reservations
• Cabanas at Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee

It's a good idea to book what you know you need and think you need.  You can always cancel any of it up until a couple days before the cruise begins.

Make my dining arrangements

Before I step aboard my cruise ship, I want my dinner plans to be in place so I'm not scrambling for where to eat later.

If you booked My Time Dining, then you'll want to make reservations ahead of time in the app or website.

Thanks to the update in Royal Caribbean's dining packages, you can pre-book restaurants.

Buy a travel insurance plan

No matter if I go on a cruise or someone on my team does, we always sail with travel insurance.

You can buy a travel insurance plan immediately after you book a cruise, and it's a solid investment to protect you and your family for unforeseen situations.

In all reality, you probably won't need the insurance, but it's so helpful if you do need it.  And considering travel insurance for one trip is fairly inexpensive, I think it's well worth buying.

Join a roll call

For any cruise longer than a weekend, I'll join a roll call for that sailing.

There's almost always a Facebook group for each sailing, and it's a way to not only meet people on your cruise, but learn helpful information along the way.

The truth about any Facebook group for a sailing is you're going to encounter know-it-alls, complete newbies, wrong information, and fun stories.  But it's worth it simply for the opportunity to see what others are planning, be alerted to changes quickly, and otherwise get excited for the cruise.

In addition, you can join one of the Royal Caribbean Blog roll calls and virtually meet people on your sailing.

Check the dress codes

There will be suggestions of what to wear most evenings in the Main Dining Room, and you should check what they are before you sail.

Don't get too wrapped up in dress codes, because they're suggestions and rarely enforced.  But it can be a lot of fun to get dressed up on a cruise.

While I think the days of people wearing black tie clothing is passé, so many families love to get matching outfits to take photos onboard.

Or if you're sailing over a holiday, now is the time to get that embarrassing St. Patrick's Day beer belly shirt that my neighbor Kenny loves to wear.

Buy all those things on Amazon for my trip I said I'd get

If you're like me, you read a blog post or watch a video about how helpful a certain travel accessory or item is to have and think, "I should get one for my next cruise."

Well, now is that time!

I've left for too many cruises to realize at the airport or hotel I forgot to bring that one thing I wanted to try.

There are all sorts of essentials to bring on a cruise, so consider this your reminder to actually buy them.

Go to the bank to get cash

I'll go to the bank about a week before my cruise begins to have a certain amount of cash with me.

I never have cash in my everyday life because I rely on credit cards, but cash is useful on a cruise.

There are a few times it comes in handy:

• Tipping porters in the cruise terminal
• Gambling in the casino
• Taxis in port
• Tipping bartenders and waiters

How much cash you need really depends on your cruising style.  There is an ATM machine onboard if you truly underestimate your needs.

Complete online check-in

As soon as you can check-in for your cruise online, you should do it.

Royal Caribbean opens the check-in window opens 45 days before a sailing.

First and foremost, you can get a check-in time slot for the time to arrive at the cruise terminal. While check-in times are rarely enforced these days, it's still worth getting one.

Then, you should complete all the steps in the check-in process by using the Royal Caribbean app.  

Completing check-in online saves you time later in the terminal.  When I get to the terminal, I don't want to waste time standing around. I want to get on the ship!

Plus, it might get you a faster way onto the ship!

Add my SetSail pass to my wallet

After I complete online check-in, I add the SetSail pass to my Apple Wallet.

I learned this lesson the hard way a few times, where inexplicably the SetSail pass doesn't load on embarkation day within the Royal Caribbean app.

It's a weird bug, but it happens. But if I have the SetSail pass added to my digital wallet, it works every single time. Plus, it's faster to load when I need to show it.

Pre-book shows

Royal Caribbean allows passengers to book select shows on Icon, Oasis, or Quantum Class cruise ships before the sailing and it's totally free.

This allows you to get into a specific performance at a certain time and it makes planning your evenings a lot easier.

Plus, most shows will sell out and you'd have to wait in the standby line if you don't have a reservation.

You can usually book shows up to 30 days before the cruise begins from the Cruise Planner or Royal Caribbean app.

Watch a video ship tour

Whether I've been on the ship or not, I'll watch a cruise ship video tour on YouTube in the days before the cruise begins.

Part of the rationale is to learn about what the ship offers, and it's also to just get excited about the trip.

We have a lot of full ship tours on the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel, each of which provides visuals of the ship and detailed commentary about everything to expect.

Print luggage tags

Last, but not least, I'll print out luggage tags and affix them to my luggage.

Luggage tags are necessary for getting your bags delivered to your cabin.  You give them to the porters and they take them onto the ship.

You can print the luggage tags by logging onto Royal Caribbean's site and accessing your online cruise documents.

Royal Caribbean has made it easier than ever to prove your casino losses to the IRS, but it's also a sobering reminder for some cruisers.

Casinos on cruise ships are required to report significant winnings to the IRS, which has an impact on income taxes.

In practical terms, that means a situation when you get a slot machine jackpot or a video poker machine payout worth $1,200 or more. When that happens, the casino staff pays you cash on the spot for your winnings and you fill out a form that goes back to the IRS, assuming you're an American citizen.

Of course, you're supposed to technically report all casino winnings to the government, and deduct all loses. In practice, most people don't track their losses in such a manner until they run into a jackpot.

There's a catch: if you can prove you lost more money than you won in the casino, it can help offset those gains on your taxes.

To make that easier, Royal Caribbean made a change this year to get those gambling records much faster.

Royal Caribbean tracks your play when you use your SeaPass card, which offers possibly significant rewards if you gamble enough.

The tracking they do also allows them to provide casino players with year-end win/loss statements.

As of January 31, 2025, Royal Caribbean guests can download win/loss statements from 2020 to 2024.

You can view your own win/loss statement by going to the Casino Royale website.

Royal Caribbean warns, "Please note that this is not an official tax form."

Cruisers surprised by the numbers

Almost immediately after the 2024 reports became available, people started sharing their results, with a combination of both shock and awe.

For many, it was a surprise in how much or little they lost.  Many cruisers were in disbelief at the number provided versus their expectations.

Reddit user btm24 shared a copy of their report, indicating they lost $14,673.22 over the course of the year in the casino.

According to this person, Royal Caribbean's report was "within 20% from my figures."

For that loss, they were able to get 11 "comped" cruises (48 total nights) for the year.  That means btm24 received offers from Royal Caribbean to sail for free on select cruises 11 times.  All they had to pay was taxes and fees.

According to btm24, depending on the exact offer from the casino, what's included differs.  They claim most of the time the offers were for ocean view balcony’s for two people at no cost.

The free sailings are one of the most lucrative benefits of gambling on a Royal Caribbean ship. 

As an example, btm24 reached the Prime level within Casino Royale's loyalty program.

"Every time we sail it’s like cutting off the head of [the] hydra, we get two sailing offers on top of our monthly offers, hear offers etc. It’s inane how decent the comp system is."

In their opinion, the rewards make up for the losses, "100% this is loss not win for me. But I enjoyed it and came in under budget so it all works out."

How much you have to gamble to start getting comp cruise offers?

If you're reading this and ready to start earning "free" cruises from the casino, there's a bit of a learning curve to understanding exactly how it all works.

The simplest strategy is to gamble enough on one sailing to earn enough points to qualify for instant certificates that you can redeem for a sailing.

Basically, you get 1 point for every $5 you wager (not win or lose, just wager) and if you get 400, 600, 1200, 2500, et al points, you can get turn around and book a cruise offer based on the list of sailings at each point threshold.

So yes, to earn 600 points, you'd have to roughly wager $3,000 in one sailing.

You can view the list of cruise tiers online with a clever hack, or wait until you get on the ship and then see the list at the casino host's desk.

While this strategy is easy to accomplish, it requires you to spend enough to get enough points to qualify for a sailing.

What most people want to know is how to get offered a free sailing from Royal Caribbean's casino simply for having gambled on past sailings.

It's important to note no one knows exactly how the truly free comp offers are given out.

At the very least, you need to have gambled some in a casino on a Royal Caribbean ship at some point in the past.

No one really knows exactly how many points and even if you gamble a lot, the rhyme or reason as to why one person gets a casino cruise comp offer and not someone else is elusive.

AB3reddit posted, "Low roller here. I have never made Prime and don’t think I’ve ever made more than 500 points in a single year, but for some reason they do offer me a wealth of the “monthly” free and BOGO cruise offers (mostly just Inside and Inside Guaranty cabins)."