Royal Caribbean Blog

Merry Christmas! The holidays are here, and so is our weekly round up of this week's Royal Caribbean news.

The big Royal Caribbean news this week centered around a passenger that died soon after being detained for chaotic incident caught on video.

The man allegedly attacked two crew members aboard the Navigator of the Seas and was attempting to kick down a door to a towel room.

According to the man's family, he died shortly after being detained by ship security.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean quietly adds new surcharges to its most expensive suite program
• Royal Caribbean cruisers are getting accidentally hit with a fee. What I do every cruise to avoid it
• Video: Cruise Ship Medical Evacuation 40 Miles From Shore
• I went on a Royal Caribbean ship that is a cult favorite among cruisers to see why they liked it so much
• I spent 70 days on Royal Caribbean cruise ships this year. Here are 6 things I always do onboard
• Why every hardcore Royal Caribbean fan will be on Utopia of the Seas on September 22
• Dancer reveals her tiny crew-only cabin she lives in on a cruise ship
• Royal Caribbean updates: How to ban yourself from the casino, Beach club construction photos and more
• I paid $100 for a specialty restaurant on Royal Caribbean. It was pricey, but I loved the food

Video: 5 big changes coming to Royal Caribbean in 2025

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 — 5 big changes coming to Royal Caribbean in 2025 — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 552nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, with a first-timer's guide to Star Class.

Royal Caribbean's top tier suite program offers a tantalizing amount of service and choices well above anything else you can find on its ships.  So how can you properly take advantage of it all?

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.

A $11,000 suite on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas

Want to experience a mega suite with equally impressive amenities?

The two bedroom AquaTheater Suite on Utopia of the Seas is the least expensive Star Class cabin you'll find, and Jenna got to try it out for the first time.

It has two full bedrooms and bathrooms, along with the biggest cruise ship balcony you've probably ever seen.

Crew member reported overboard from Royal Caribbean ship

Passengers on Vision of the Seas reported a rescue effort to locate a crew member that went overboard.

Reports from the ship indicate the crew attempted to locate the person in the ocean, but search efforts were unsuccessful.

A ship-wide announcement was made to alert crew that someone had gone overboard.  Later, the Captain informed guests it had been a crew member.

Royal Caribbean passenger refused to pay for expensive medication after a severe allergic reaction

A woman complained on TikTok about how much she was charged for medicine on a ship after suffering an allergic reaction.

The woman went to her ship's medical center to get treatment, but balked at a cost of $390 for Benadryl.

She refused to pay it, and her story triggered hundreds of comments from cruisers who reacted to her experience.

6 places I avoid on a cruise ship

Matt goes on lots of cruises, but realized he tends to skip a few venues all the time.

Sometimes these areas he doesn't go to are a matter of personal preference, while other times he thinks it's a mistake to go there.

Everyone has their own cruising style, and it's easy to overlook an area or simply run out of time to get there too.

A cruise ship is my favorite place to vacation, but there are a few areas of the ship I rarely, if ever, visit.

Cruising is a matter of style, and I've learned everyone cruises different. That's part of this vacation's charm: it's not the same experience for everyone. You could get on the ship and spend it all in your cabin, or go and be the life of the party at the different events onboard.

I hate to make generalizations because I try to experience as much of a cruise as I can, but I've found there are a few spots I just don't go to anymore.

It could be because my personal cruising style has changed, or I simply have no interest in it.  Keeping in mind that this isn't meant to be a list of places you shouldn't go. Rather, I'm sharing my own experience.

Call me crazy, but these are the six places I really never go to on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Sports court

Insert your own comment here about a blogger that doesn't spend much time at the sports court, but I'll own it.

Any time of day, I'll see plenty of people playing basketball, pickleball, soccer, or volleyball on the sports court of a ship. I just never had the urge to go.

Royal Caribbean offers organized games as well as "free play", and it's an opportunity to get out and play a favorite game.

I think my disdain for the sports court has less to do with the activities offered, but rather it's usually exceptionally hot on the sports court.  There's no shade and most months of the year, I'd start sweating before my first volley or basket.

I think I've been on the sports court engaged in a game twice that I can recall: when pickleball first got added to ships, I remember playing a game once on Mariner of the Seas.  And the other time was badminton in the SeaPlex on Odyssey of the Seas.

DJ dance parties

Even in my college days, I never loved a really loud dance party.  So it's no surprise I don't get into the offerings on a cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean's dance parties have become quite popular, from the fleetwide Red party to the new offerings on Utopia of the Seas.

One of the sure fire signs you're getting old is when the music at a party always seems too loud, so I guess that's me.

Just like the sports court, there's plenty of other cruisers to take my place at the dance parties onboard.

Royal Promenade dancing

If your Royal Caribbean ship has a Royal Promenade, then there will be a few evenings where there's a dance party held here.

This is more of a "street party" vibe than the DJ music I touched up on earlier.  

My issue with these dance parties is they seem passé and clichéd in the sense Royal Caribbean has been doing them forever it seems, and many are rooted in an aging demographic.

Besides the theme or music preferences, my bigger issue with the Royal Promenade parties is it shuts down everything else on the promenade. It's like the muster drill of entertainment.

Cruising has many traditions, and the street party is one of them that I wouldn't mind see retired. 

Read more: What it was like to go on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the 1970s

Art auctions

Another activity that's seemingly been on cruise ships forever are the art auctions, and this was a "one and done" for me.

To be fair, I'm not a connoisseur of fine art by any means. If you're into all of this stuff, that is wonderful. Just know that it isn't necessarily a bargain — no matter what the salespeople try to tell you.

Read more: I went to the controversial cruise ship activity to see if its reputation is as bad as I've read

Card room/Library

Every Royal Caribbean ship has a few public spaces for gatherings, such as a card room or library.

I understand why these spaces exist, but I'd rather go to the art auction because at least something would be happening there.  I'm not against quiet spaces, but I have no desire to go hang out in one of these places.

If I was going to read, I'd rather go to the pool deck, balcony, or promenade deck seating areas. 

For what it's worth, I think Royal Caribbean also punted on the idea too. Icon of the Seas, their newest ship design, has no library intentionally.

FlowRider

Proving I have no athletic ability, I'll add one more physical activity on a cruise ship you will never, ever find me on.

Royal Caribbean made a name for itself when it added its first FlowRider surf simulator to one of its ships. 

As advertised, you can actually learn to surf on a cruise ship and I've seen plenty of people love it.

It's free to try, and a really neat activity.

I not only have no good sense of balance, but can also foresee my own demise on this thing trying to stand up and then subsequently faceplanting. Bathing suit flying off at the same time, optional.

Most people seem to love trying it out, and I'll gladly watch from the nearby seats.

As Congress remains stuck in how to fund the country, a government lockdown looms large.

If a funding bill isn't passed by midnight on Friday, most federal agencies would stop work, and most government workers would be furloughed, except for those who work in agencies deemed as "essential services."

The good news is federal workers involved in travel are deemed essential, but there could still be impacts to your upcoming trip.

How would the government shutdown affect cruises?

The good news is control of the ports would not be impacted because they are one of those essential groups.

Based on what we've seen in previous shutdowns, agencies like customs and the Coast Guard remain operational. Immigration, border patrol, TSA are all essential government functions and will continue during a shutdown.

Funding to agencies like Customs and Border Protection would be on hold. However, the agents who you typically interact with at cruise ports are considered essential and will be working without pay during the shutdown. 

All federal employees will receive back pay. They won’t be paid during the shutdown, they will get paid when the money becomes available.

The bigger impact is long term, as hiring and training functions get halted. Crucial safety functions like inspections should continue.

Will the shutdown impact air travel?

Just as important as the ship is getting to your cruise, so what should air travelers expect?

It's a mix of good and bad news.  

The government deems agencies like the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration essential services. Also, airport security workers and air traffic controllers will still be required to work even though they will not receive paychecks until the shutdown eventually ends.

That sounds good, but the issue the TSA has faced in the past has been agent no-shows.

When there was an extended government shutdown in 2019, after about two weeks of no pay, FAA controllers and TSA agents started not showing up for work. That lead to delays at security checkpoints and flight times.

A few airports actually shutdown, including airports in Philadelphia, Newark, New York, and Atlanta. One benefit to that was it exacerbated the problem and arguably got the shutdown to end quicker.

What should you do if you have a cruise during a government shutdown?

While no one knows if there will be a government shutdown, how long it would last, and what impact it would have, there's a few good ideas to consider.

First and foremost, you should pack extra patience. If ports are understaffed, inspections by local authorities could take longer to clear your cruise ship.

When a ship returns to port in the United States at the conclusion of a sailing, the ship needs to be cleared before passengers can disembark.

Under normal circumstances, this could be a very quick process.  However, sometimes customs agents want a more thorough look before they can allow passengers off the ship.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Don Goldstein shared an experience where he was on a ship returning to port the day after a shutdown begin, "[We] came into port after a cruise, Port Everglades, I think, and it took us about 4 hours to get off the ship due to lack of ICE staffing at the port."

Can I renew my passport for my cruise during a shutdown?

The Department of State says passport processing is essential and will continue during the shutdown.

However, if a passport office is in a building run by a different shuttered agency, then it could close.

Just like the airports, employees in the State Department would be unpaid during the shutdown and there could be absenteeism issues.

Of all the extra fees that come with a Royal Caribbean cruise, one in particular seems to be more problematic because of how easy it is to get overlooked.

It's no secret that the Royal Caribbean cruise fare does not include everything during your trip. Alcohol, shore excursions, souvenirs, and the spa all cost extra and for the most part, that comes as no surprise to new cruisers.

The one fee that seems to "get" people the most is the unreturned pool towel fee, and it's far more prevalent than you might think.

The cruise line offers as many pool towels as guests would like to use during the sailing, but they all need to be returned before the conclusion of the cruise.

The official policy states, "If guests do not return the same number of towels they checked out, a $25.00 fee per unreturned towel will be added to their onboard account. "

Sounds simple enough, but a lot of cruisers overlook ensuring their towels get back - and they are recorded as returned.

"Check your final invoice, you probably got charged"

On Reddit, IJustWorkHere99 shared a warning to other cruisers why you want to verify you don't have any towels left unreturned prior to the end of the cruise.

This person returned to their ship after a fun day at Royal Caribbean's private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay with towels they borrowed from the ship to use during the day.

Upon returning to the ship, they thought they returned the towels properly, but it didn't get recorded.

"We were met just after security by two crew members accepting pool towel returns. They did NOT scan anyone's SeaPass or write down stateroom numbers for accountability of the towels," the person posted.

According to the post, the crew members were trying to expedite the return process because bad weather had forced everyone back early and they didn't want a huge line.

"They assured us that we would not be charged for the towels and that everyone's' accounts would be zeroized for towels that evening."

Sure enough, it turned out they got charged for the towels.

"Well guess what happened? They charged my mom $25 for a pool towel and they charged me $100 for 4."

A lot of other past cruisers reported similar situations.

"Family we were traveling with on Icon got slapped with the towel fine twice, even though I was with them the entire time that day and watched them scan and return," wrote Julianus.

"We had a random towel charge right before leaving that morning. Still waiting for the credit to come through," added theresketo.

Downtown-Ball6994 actually had $300 in pool towel charges after the cruise ended because of a mix-up in how returned pool towels were scanned, "It turned out that when the attendant scanned my wife’s card, instead of returning the towels that I checked out, it checked out an additional 6 towels to her."

"It took a few days to get the charge removed because they said that they had to call the ship and verify what happened."

What to do if you get charged for towels

The first thing to do is verify there are no unreturned towels on your onboard account before you debark the ship.

To verify you're in the clear, you just need to go to Guest Services and ask them to confirm it.

It takes a few seconds to do so, and you should go over on the last day of the sailing to make sure you're walking off the ship without any surprise charges.

In fact, having Guest Services print out a summary of all your charges on the last day is a good idea to verify there are no surprises waiting for you.

If you don't realize you are getting charged for unreturned towels until you get home, the good news is you can still call and get it fixed.  It just takes longer to process this.

If you returned all checked-out towels but still received a charge, you can call Royal Caribbean's Post Cruise department at 1-800-256-6649 to assist with taking care of it.

It's much easier and faster if you can double-check the charges before you leave the ship.

Why do they charge for towels at all?

You might wonder why Royal Caribbean charges for unreturned towels, and it has to do with reducing waste.

The cruise line doesn't think guests covet towels enough to want to steal them and bring them home. After all, they're not great quality to begin with and have been reused many times.

The origin of the rule has to do with passengers leaving them behind in port, or elsewhere, rather than returning them.

If passengers leave towels behind at a beach somewhere, not only is it wasteful and littering, but it's quite noticeable where the trash is coming from to the locals.

The fee makes sure the towels get back to the ship, and not left for the local population to have to take care of.

Don't pack your own towels

Some people might be reading this article and think bringing your own pool or beach towels is a great workaround, but I think that's overkill for the problem.

Royal Caribbean offers towels for you to use onboard the ship or to bring to a shore excursion, and it's a terrific service (despite the issue of occasionally not recording those towels were indeed returned).

I don't recommend bringing your own towels because not only are they going to take up a lot of room in your luggage, but once they are soiled, it's going to be difficult to properly clean them.

It's my experience wet towels take a long time to air dry, especially if you don't have access to the outdoors.  

Even if you have a balcony, then you need to ensure they don't fly away due to the wind or get soiled again from a passing rain shower.

Let's put it this way: going to Guest Services is a lot easier than packing and caring for a bunch of pool towels.

Seasoned Royal Caribbean cruisers have a special fondness for the Radiance Class ships, particularly Brilliance of the Seas.

Brilliance of the Seas was launched in 2002 and has the capacity for 2,112 guests at double occupancy. Just 848 crew members live onboard.

At 962 feet long, she is a medium-sized vessel in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Royal Caribbean veterans love Brilliance, praising her size, layout, and charm.

As a fan of larger ships like the Oasis Class, I wanted to see what I had been missing.

I booked a cruise on Brilliance this past month, sailing for 7-nights out of New Orleans. The Western Caribbean cruise visited Cozumel, Mexico; Georgetown, Grand Cayaman; and Yucatan, Mexico.

In the end, I enjoyed Brilliance way more than I expected—and I can definitely see why seasoned cruisers love her so much.

Read more: 10 habits of successful cruisers

Brilliance appeals to cruisers who prefer a tranquil vacation

Loyal-to-Royal cruisers who appreciate Royal Caribbean's legacy of luxury, family-centered cruisers love what Brilliance has to offer.

Though smaller in size, she offers amenities such as a cinema, rock climbing wall, gym, and a self-leveling pool table.

The ship also has adult-centered venues that have become favorites across the fleet, like the Schooner Bar and Vintages Wine Bar.

I also noticed an older crowd onboard Brilliance: fewer children and more parents with adult children.

Read more: I spent 10 days in a 170 square foot windowless cabin for $202 per night: take a look inside my Brilliance of the Seas stateroom

The ship’s smaller size fosters a more communal and intimate onboard experience. You start the see the same faces every day—whether it's fellow cruisers at karaoke or the crew members in the Windjammer.

I was able to chat and connect with crew members and even the onboard musicians, making it a memorable cruise. I began to love the atmosphere on Brilliance.

The ship also boasts ocean views and a sun-filled layout

Before my cruise, I saw Royal Caribbean fans on the Internet praising Brilliance's design in particular.

When I got on board, I could immediately see why. Instead of a long Royal Promenade walkway, the ship features a circular Centrum in the middle. It's enclosed by all-glass elevators, and covered in bright lights and patterned panels.

Read more: 6 things I loved and 3 things I hated about my Brilliance of the Seas cruise

On my previous cruise, when I told someone I would be sailing on Brilliance next, she lit up, immediately describing to me how beautiful the Solarium was.

And she was right—the adults-only pool area was adorned with tropical foliage and a rustic, elephant-themed pool deck. It looked almost like the courtyard of an Indian palace.

Not only that, but the walls along the sides of the ship—especially on Deck 6 and the pool deck—offer huge glass windows.

Brilliance of the Seas offers so many ocean views.

One of my favorite places to spend time was the Colony Club. Located past the Schooner Bar, this wide venue featured glass on the back of the ship, as well as comfortable seating in a vintage-brown setting.

Plenty of large windows allow natural sunlight and ocean views to fill the ship.

The entertainment and live performers were incredible, drawing happy crowds

Brilliance of the Seas offered some of the best nightlife I’ve experienced, despite lacking the flashy amenities of Royal Caribbean’s mega-ships.

Multiple live bands, guest musicians, and singers filled the experience onboard with music. I could walk from one venue to the next—the Colony Club to the Schooner Bar to the Centrum—and hear live music in every location.

These performers attracted enthusiastic cruisers, leading to nightly dance parties and a lively atmosphere.

Not only were the live musicians amazing, but the performances onboard, like the Welcome Aboard showtime and Center Stage performance, also featured quality performances. 

From the musicians to the singers, dancers, set design, and costumes, 

it was a feast for the senses, providing awesome entertainment on a cruise ship.

The dining venues onboard Brilliance also served excellent food 

I was surprised by the quality of the food onboard Brilliance.

I dined at the complimentary venues onboard: The Main Dining Room, the Windjammer Buffet, the Park Café, and Café Latte-tudes.

The vessel also features a few specialty venues: Chops Grille, Chef's Table, Giovanni's Table, Rita's Cantina, and Izumi Asian Cuisine.

However, the complimentary food was surprisingly good. The Main Dining Room dishes were served with care, and the Windjammer featured quality ingredients.

I also noticed meals being served that I haven't seen on any other ships in the fleet.

For example, the Windjammer buffet served authentic oxtail on Caribbean night.

The Park Café located within the Solarium served fresh po-boys every night and occasionally served carved roast beef for the popular Kummelweck sandwiches.

Although the dining venues were limited, the food was genuinely delicious and of high quality.

There was one disadvantage: the limited pool deck

Despite Brilliance's beautiful layout, she did have one aspect I disliked. 

The two-fold pool deck—divided into an outdoor section and an indoor Solarium—was small and limited.

With just two pools and three small hot tubs, finding space to swim was often challenging. The hot tubs especially could only fit about five people at a time. At times, I had to wait for space to become available.

On busy sea days, it was hard to find a pleasant spot to swim in. Plus, if anything happened in the pool (like a kid's accident or a medical emergency) everyone onboard was affected, and couldn't swim until the issue was resolved.

Read more: After sailing Royal Caribbean's mega ships, I tried a small ship and here's what I liked about it

However, there were usually enough chairs around the lido and the Solarium to find a place to sit.

Cruisers who prioritize their pool time might want to consider booking a bigger ship.

I love to cruise on Royal Caribbean, and in 2024 I got to cruise the most I've ever done in one year.

This year, I've been on a ship for 70 nights (and have another couple days left before the year ends).

Because I live in Florida, it's logistically easier to get on a cruise ship given how close the major ports are to where I live. Nonetheless, I also flew to New York and Europe to go on cruises in order to expand my options.

After so many cruises, you might think things would get rather repetitive, but I relish certain cruising traditions that I feel obliged to do every time.

On nearly every trip, I have some absolute must-dos that I simply can't skip. No matter how much I cruise, these are the six things that never get old.

Go to the Windjammer for my first meal onboard

It just doesn't feel like a Royal Caribbean cruise to me unless I start things off with lunch in the Windjammer buffet.

While I do occasionally hit up a specialty restaurant first (such as when I have a dining package), I still prefer lunch at the ship's buffet.

This is a cruising tradition going back to my very first Royal Caribbean cruise on Explorer of the Seas. I distinctly remember going to the Windjammer with my family and being amazed how much variety there was.

Besides nostalgia, I don't usually eat breakfast, so by the time I get going and on the ship, I'm pretty hungry and ready for a meal.

While the buffet can get busy on embarkation day, I try to go there before noon to beat the worst of the crowds.

With a belly full of food, I'm ready to start any cruise.

Spend my evenings in the pub with great music

When Royal Caribbean Blog readers ask me where to find me on a ship, I always tell them there's a good chance I'll be in the English Pub most nights.

You'll find a pub on nearly all the ships in the fleet, and they play the kind of bar music hits on a guitar that I really enjoy.

Basically, these are songs you likely know all the words to and likely have heard in many bars before.

Pub singers come in all styles, but my favorite this year had to be Kevin Phillip while he performed on Icon of the Seas.  I'd book a cruise if I knew he was performing on it, because of how talented and engaging with the crowd he is.

The rare exception is when I'm on Utopia of the Seas and the Country Trio is playing, and then I'll skip the pub and head up to the Mason Jar bar.

Seek out my favorite foods

Royal Caribbean executives have said the top two reasons most people go on a cruise is for the destinations and the food, and I can certify I love to cruise for the food too.

Depending on the itinerary, ship, and who I'm cruising with, I'll dine at a variety of restaurants on Royal Caribbean that are included and cost extra.

My wife will attest to the fact I go out of my way to find my all-time favorite Royal Caribbean foods.

In no particular order, here's my cruise ship must-eats:

• French onion soup from the Main Dining Room or Coastal Kitchen
• Popcorn
• Sushi from Izumi
• Indian curry from the Windjammer
• Asian stir fry from the cooking station in the Windjammer

These are deeply satisfying foods that I could probably eat every single day. I'm pretty sure on some cruises this year I did eat one of these every day.

There are other foods I love too, but this is the list of what I can find and seek out on pretty much every ship.

Try to plan at least one epic shore excursion

I'm not sure when this started, but one way I like to spice up any cruise I take is to plan a really fun shore excursion.

I think this was born out of visiting a port of call many times over the course of my cruising career, but I try to book a tour, cabana, private boat, or something else that truly stands out.

It's easy to fall into the same routine on cruises, especially as you repeat itineraries.  So as a way to mix it up and also treat my family, I look for ways to do something a little different.

Royal Caribbean is fond of saying their ships are all about making memories for their guests, and I like to apply that mantra to my own plans. My kids may not remember the umpteenth time we sailed on Mariner of the Seas, but they definitely remember when we do something extraordinary.

Some examples from this year include:

• Chartering a catamaran in Bermuda
• Snorkeling in St. John
• Staying in an Airbnb in London

If you want an easy but really fun shore excursion idea, look into chartering a boat. Whether it's a catamaran, fishing boat, or yacht, they are plentiful and never disappoint.

Take a nap

Call me old, call me boring, but I don't care. I love to nap on a cruise.

I don't usually sleep in, but right after lunch on a sea day, I usually feel a knack to lay down and take a break.

It's not only relaxing, but napping allows me to (probably) stay up later if I'm well rested.

Start planning my next cruise

As the cruise starts to wind down and we approach the last day or two of the sailing, I'll begin looking forward to my next sailing.

I think this is a coping mechanism for dealing with the end of a fun vacation, so starting to look at shore excursions or dining plans is a good distraction.

I'll also take this opportunity to see which of our friends or family could potentially join us.  After all, cruising is more fun with friends!

If you love to cruise on Royal Caribbean, you'll want to mark your calendars in 2025 for the top event of the year.

Each year there are compelling cruises to consider booking, but there's one cruise that Royal Caribbean hosts that gets the most attention for good reason.

The President's Cruise is an annual tradition, where Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley sails on a specific sailing with the open invitation for cruise line fans to join him.

It might seem like a strange idea to go on a cruise specifically to be on a ship with the CEO and other cruise fans, but it's essentially a giant celebration of cruising.

Think of it like the Comic-Con of cruising, where people the super fans come out to see and be seen.

When is Royal Caribbean's President's Cruise in 2025?

Let's get right to it: the next President's Cruise is already scheduled for 2025.

It will be held on Utopia of the Seas on the September 22, 2025 sailing. That's a 4-night Bahamas cruise that sails from Port Canaveral, Florida.

The cruise will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas.

What makes the President's Cruise special?

To understand the appeal of going on a President's Cruise, you have to love cruising on Royal Caribbean. A lot.

The annual event began as a celebration of all things Royal Caribbean and the people that love sailing on the cruise line.

Royal Caribbean is not only one of the biggest cruise lines in the world, it's also incredibly popular. There are passengers that sail with Royal Caribbean dozens of times per year. Some even cruise more than they're on land.

Royal Caribbean has offered a President's Cruise for the past few years, and each year has seemingly been outdone by the previous year with special events, giveaways, and guest stars.

Of course, Mr. Bayley is sailing onboard the ship and there are opportunities to meet him during the sailing. He hosts certain events, and is otherwise around to meet.

A lot of cruisers relish the opportunity to meet him and have a moment to share what they like about the cruise line, as well as hear his thoughts on where the cruise line is headed.

And yes, some will take the chance to bring up issues they see with Royal Caribbean. That's a style he seems to embrace, as Mr. Bayley welcomes feedback.

In addition to Bayley, other top Royal Caribbean executives are onboard as well.  It's basically a who's who of Royal Caribbean's leadership team.

With all those executives onboard, there's extra attention given to just about every facet of the sailing.

And then there are the passengers, many of whom are super cruise line fans.  You won't find a sailing with more top tier Royal Caribbean cruisers that have enormous Crown and Anchor Society point totals.

Special events and surprises

While the President's Cruise is a normal Royal Caribbean sailing, there are a subset of events you can attend that go above and beyond what's typical.

You'll find Q&A sessions that offer behind-the-scenes insights from Royal Caribbean's top brass. There are special performances by musical celebrities, surprise events, and even special shore excursions.

Past musical acts brought on a President's Cruise have included Michael Bolton, Boy George, and Patty LaBelle.

Each day there's usually swag waiting in your cabin that you can't otherwise buy.  Royal Caribbean branded everything, and lots of gifts to bring home.

Why you might be interested

First and foremost, a President's Cruise is going to appeal someone that loves to cruise on Royal Caribbean often.

It's also a one-of-a-kind experience to sail alongside Michael Bayley and other leaders. The access this sort of a cruise provides is really the only opportunity customers have to meet these folks.

Often Mr. Bayley will talk about upcoming ships, innovations, and company plans. 

I think the exclusive events, unique souvenirs, and surprise gifts also factor in highly to consider going. Some of these are published before the cruise commences, but many others are revealed only once the cruise begins.

Then there's the social aspect where the top cruisers get a chance to meet up.

You can meet other die-hard Royal Caribbean fans, and a lot of super cruisers look forward to a President's Cruise like a reunion.

How to book the President's Cruise

Because the September 22, 2025 sailing of Utopia of the Seas is a regular sailing (as opposed to a charter sailing), anyone can book it like any other cruise.

Our preferred travel agency is showing at the time of this article's publishing cabins are still available in all of the four major categories.

An inside cabin starts at $1,213.26 per guest (including taxes and fees).  For two people, the lowest price is $2,426.52. That price would be for a category ZI Interior Stateroom Guarantee, which means Royal Caribbean would pick the cabin assignment.

The cheapest balcony on this sailing is a Central Park View Balcony, which costs $3,372.52 for two people (including taxes and fees).

And if you want to cruise in style, there is still a Two Bedroom AquaTheater Suite that comes with Star Class benefits for $13,572.52 for two guests.

Any Royal Caribbean cruise is likely to sell out sooner or later, so space will be limited and you'll want to book as early as you can before prices go higher and more cabins sell out.

A woman claimed she was on a Royal Caribbean cruise and had an allergic reaction to something she ate, but then refused to pay the high price for medication onboard.

The woman posted a video on TikTok of her swollen face and disdain for the price the cruise ship's medical facility wanted to charge her.

"I've been on the boat for ... not even the full 24 hours and my face is swollen," she said as she took her sunglasses.

She did not say what she ate the triggered the reaction.  She said she said she went to the medical center on her vessel and was told it would cost $390 for Benadryl.

"They do have it, but it costs $390 for them to give me Benadryl," she said.

Cruise ship medical bays have doctors and nurses onboard, and it's effectively a mini urgent care location to treat and triage minor issues.  For major medical issues, the passenger will be taken off the ship to get treatment back on land.

For medical care onboard, they don't accept any insurance.  You have to pay out of pocket and then be reimbursed after the cruise by either your own medical insurance or a travel insurance policy.

Unfortunately, most medical insurance plans don't cover cruise ships because they're outside of their country. 

Luckily for this woman, she said at the end of the video she managed to get Benadryl from another passenger on the ship.

Fierce opinions

The comments for this woman's video exploded with opinions on the matter, as many had differing thoughts of what she should have done in this situation.

Many cruisers talked about how they bring all sorts of over-the-counter medications on vacation with them.

"I take the whole medicine cabinet with me on a cruise because I refuse!," said Deneanne Nicole.

Others recommended asking other passengers, who may have done just that.

"Girl. Go ask folks on the boat. Especially veteran cruisers. They have everything," said Baezivy.

Txfynest recommended, "Go on the Facebook travel group for your boat and ask the group hopefully you’ll be ok till yall port and get something."

Some viewers realized the need to plan ahead as a result of the video, "this is a learning experience for all of us. I need to take meds on my next cruise" gabrielabutcallmegaby commented.

Most of the comments centered around being prepared and bringing the right medications with you, just in case.

In fact, one of the top things cruisers shared they regretted not packing was over-the-counter medication.

No one wants to get sick on vacation, but it happens.

Whether you simply catch a head cold or you have a mild allergic reaction to a bug bite, having a variety of over-the-counter medication can make all the difference. 

The importance of travel insurance

The real debate topic was the importance of travel insurance and how they would have handled the situation.

Toneee22 shared their experience when something similar happened, "I fainted on a cruise was taken 2 the infirmary & my bill came 2 $600. I paid the bill before I left & sent it 2 my insurance company. They reimbursed me $570, so my out of pocket was only the co-pay."

Christina Sanford Hamilton added, "I have travel insurance. Buy it annually and I always take two bags of meds and bathroom stuff."

Travel insurance is technically optional, but it ought to be a must-buy for travelers going on a cruise vacation.

A basic policy from Allianz costs $37 per plan and covers:

• Flight, hotel, and vacation-rental cancellations
• Meal and transportation expenses during delays
• Rental-car insurance
• Medical expenses, including evacuations

The exact cost will depend on how long the trip is, the age of the cruisers, add-on coverages, and other considerations.

Travel insurance also covers you for a last-minute need to cancel a cruise, such as a death in the family or loss of a job.

The best way to compare insurance plans is to go through a travel insurance aggregator. 

My two favorite options are InsureMyTrip.com and TravelInsurance.com. 

Both charge you nothing extra to use their services, so it's free to browse. Plus, they offer ways to compare specific plans from different travel insurance companies against each other.

You probably won't actually need the travel insurance, but if you do, you never want to be in a situation where you're debating getting the health care you need versus the out of pocket costs.

According to a report, a passenger on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was detained for allegedly being violent towards crew members on his ship, and then died shortly after.

Fox 11 reports the passenger is being identified as Michael Virgil, and his family claims he died shortly after being injected "with some sort of sedative."

A video showed the man attempting to break down the door of a cabin, along with threatening other passengers and assaulting two crew members.

The incident took place on Navigator of the Seas as it was about to start a cruise from Los Angeles (San Pedro) to Ensenada, Mexico.

According to the report, Virgil allegedly kicked one Royal Caribbean crew member in the face and punched the other.

Christifer Mikhail told FOX 11, "The gentleman that was drunk said that he was gonna kill us, and then he started chasing us down the hallway."

Mikhail sailed that the crew member who was punched was hit with such force that he "flew a couple feet back."

Several Royal Caribbean security team members were able to eventually detain a tired-out Virgil by using zip ties, handcuffs and either bear or pepper spray, according to the bystander and his video.

Virgil's family says he was injected with a sedative and died within an hour.

Royal Caribbean confirmed the man's passing in a statement to Fox 11, "We are saddened by the passing of one of our guests."

"We offered support to the family and are working with authorities on their investigation."

Virgil’s devastated family told FOX 11 that his shocking outburst was uncharacteristic of the dad, who was on the cruise with his 7-year-old autistic son and his fiancé.

“He didn’t deserve to die over it,” a relative told the station.

FBI investigation has begun

The FBI is now involved in the case and is investigating the fight and death. An autopsy will be performed.

The FBI’s Los Angeles field office issued a statement to USA Today confirming their agency responded as the cruise ship returned to dock on Monday.

The FBI did not have additional specifics to share in regards to how they'll conduct the investigation.

The FBI website describes their jurisdiction on cruise ship incidents as "complicated", "Cruise ship criminal jurisdiction is complicated, and keeping U.S. passengers safe at sea presents unique challenges."

The issue is related to the fact cruise ships are registered in foreign countries and crimes occur in international waters.  Plus, the passengers and crew members may be from foreign countries.

So if there's a crime, other countries may want to investigate it too.

The location of the vessel, the nationality of the suspect or victim, the ownership of the vessel, the points of embarkation and debarkation, and the country where the vessel is registered all determine the FBI’s role and ability to investigate.

Cruisers reactions

News of the incident and the man's subsequent death spread across the internet quickly, with differing opinions on the situation.

On Facebook, many cruisers offered their own speculation as to what could have happened to cause the man to die so quickly.

Michael Snyder posted, "Leaving ugly comments won’t change the facts of this, the guy was out of control but his family he left behind are suffering his loss and very likely embarrassed by his actions no matter what caused them. The people he threatened and assaulted also suffered."

Becca Castro added, "Sad that this happened, sad for his family that was on their with him to witness all this and then deal with this."

Security measures on cruise ships

Royal Caribbean has its own security guide, which is required under the the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act.

Every Royal Caribbean ship is staffed with dedicated security and medical teams to respond to alleged crimes. They are onboard, on duty and available at all times. 

According to Royal Caribbean, crime allegations are reported to law enforcement officials in the next port of call, as well as to the nation where their ships are flagged. 

The company also reports allegations of crime to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and United States Coast Guard (USCG), in compliance with United States laws. 

For a crime such as the man allegedly assaulting with serious bodily injury, US federal law requires Royal Caribbean to report the incident to the FBI by telephone as soon as possible, to the United States Department of Homeland Security electronically and to the USCG in writing. 

A crew member went overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, cruisers have posted online.

Photos have been shared of rescue craft in the ocean near the ship, attempting to locate the person.

UPDATE: The person has been identified as a crew member.

Guests sailing on Vision of the Seas shared updates they received, "it’s certainly a sad day.  We lost a crew member yesterday.  Search went on for about 6-7 hrs, before the Coast Guard could get here and take over," said Gwendolyn Salzman on a Facebook post.

A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson issued a statement, "We immediately launched a search and rescue effort and are working with authorities. We are also providing support and assistance to our crew’s family during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our employee, we have no additional details to share."

Original story below.

The incident has occurred near the conclusion of a Southern Caribbean cruise on Vision of the Seas.

Lori Green, who is sailing on Vision of the Seas, posted on Facebook, "Code “OSCAR” (man overboard) just announced on Vision of the Seas.  Search and rescue has been deployed."

Reddit user blazinearth also took a photo of the search efforts, "Sending my thoughts and prayers to the family during this difficult time."

The report of the passenger overboard occurred around 1pm on Tuesday evening, as the ship was making its way back to Baltimore, Maryland.

At 7pm, a passenger posted on a Facebook page an update that the search is still ongoing, "Still searching for the person who went overboard.  Coast Guard is here now and Captain said at some point the [Coast Guard] will take over the search."

The United States Coast Guard often steps in to help for a man overboard situation. They can run air and naval searches while the cruise ship uses its small craft to assist.

Vision of the Seas is sailing a 12 Night Southern Caribbean cruise that began in Baltimore.

This is one of Royal Caribbean's oldest and smallest cruise ships.

The 1997-built ship offers cruises year-round from Baltimore to Bermuda, The Bahamas, Caribbean and Florida. 

Safety at sea

The chances of falling overboard on a cruise ship are extremely low.

Deck railings on Royal Caribbean cruise ships are at least 42-inches high, which comply Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) of 2010.

In addition, there are thick metal or Plexiglas panels or metal bars are positioned under the railings to prevent people from slipping through. 

When a man overboard situation occurs, the media usually reports on it and it leads some to wonder how it could happen in the first place.

An article from The Points Guy points out cruise ships have railings that are around chest height to ensure passenger safety and to prevent someone from slipping and falling overboard.

"The only way you risk a fall is if you're standing on furniture to peer over the side or climbing somewhere you're not supposed to. It's not possible for you to trip over a door frame or slip on a wet deck and fall off of a vessel."

Passengers going overboard are rare

The chances of a cruise ship passenger going overboard are quite low, but it does occasionally happen.

In a report from Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), there were 212 identified overboard incidents from cruise ships for either crew members or passengers between 2009 to 2019. 

Of these overboard incidents, only 48 (or 28.2%) individuals were successfully rescued. Around 71.8% of people who go overboard from cruise ships are sadly never recovered or located. 

The CLIA report also shows an overall decline in overboard incidents throughout the 10-year period. The overboard incident rate decreased 64% from 2009 to 2019, with an incidence rate of 0.00004 overboard reports per active lower berth in 2019.

The report states, “When compared with the growth in capacity in the industry over the study years, man overboard incidents continue on a downward trend.”