Royal Caribbean Blog

Just as they say, all good things come to an end. Today is the last day of our 12-night cruise; we are making our way back to Rome with one final sea day.

I’m always shocked how quickly time flies when I’m on vacation. I wish the work week could go by this quickly!

We gained back 2 (much needed) hours of sleep last night thanks to a combination of European daylight savings and losing an hour last week when we made our way to Israel.

I’ll take an extra hour of cruising any day! Although, it was confusing when I woke up and looked at my phone's time since I didn’t know whether it had updated for the time change.

Fortunately, I had no place to be today so it didn’t really matter the time.

Captain’s Corner and Breakfast

Angie and I worked our way out of bed around 10am, which was really noon for our body’s time. We’ve either been getting up early and spending all day exploring or we’ve been sleeping until noon on sea days, there hasn’t been much of an in between!

We enjoyed breakfast in Cafe 270 right as Captain’s Corner started. I’ve never attended this event, so it was nice to tune in as I sipped on my boozy Irish coffee.

Last day of vacation means you have to go out with a bang, right?!

We watched a little behind the scenes video about the crew’s living quarters. The captain also answered questions from passengers in the audience. It was a nice event, although Angie and I don’t seem to remember too much of what was discussed.

One interesting point the captain made was regarding last night’s medical emergency. Around 1am there was an alpha call. The captain said today that we sailed faster through the night to get to the Straight of Messina quicker for the passenger to be evacuated by coast guard.

The captain said our medical facility onboard was a better option for the passenger to be stabilized rather than having them evacuated by helicopter, as the helicopter doesn’t have as much medical care available during transport.

Galley Tour

During this time, mom was enjoying bottomless mimosas during her tour of the galley!

Last night, our head waiter asked if anyone was interested and mom said she actually would enjoy a tour like that!

She said when arriving in the dining room, everyone was required to wear a mask and sign a waiver. The tour started with an explanation of the chef scarf colors and how they indicate how long the chef has been onboard and different specialties; for example, a red scarf means the chef understands dietary restrictions while yellow scarves are reserved for new people in training.

Mom told us they serve 6,000 dinner rolls per service per day! That’s about 2 rolls per person per meal. The kitchen has a ‘magic machine’ that transforms dough into perfectly sized balls to bake in seconds.

Apparently, the pastry and bakery shifts are 24 hours each. The chef also explained how shorter cruises have all the fresh produce needed for the entire cruise while longer ones, like ours, need to restock for fresh produce at some point during the cruise.

Mom said the kitchen was absolutely spotless with the stainless steel shining everywhere she looked.

Straight of Messina

After Angie and I listened to the captain speak in Cafe 270, we met up with dad in the Solarium to watch our ship sail through the Straight of Messina. We sailed through the Straight in the early morning during our sailing to Israel, so none of us witnessed the passing.

The Solarium filled up quickly with other people wanting to watch us sail the Straight. We had spots right against the window, which was perfect! I used this time to finalize my blog from the night before.

We watched as the pilot came on to guide us through the Straight. There was also a moment when the ship halted for a coast guard ship to sail alongside and take off the sick passenger.

About this time, we decided to have another round of cocktails. I enjoyed a mudslide, which was creamy and delicious.

Angie decided to switch it up and tried a smoothie from the Solarium bar. We were surprised to find smoothie and juice options at the Solarium Bar. There were also protein drinks available.

I had one last visit to El Loco Fresh for a final cheesy chicken quesadilla. The pork meat looked tasty as well, so I gave that a try. The last day of a cruise always inflicts this sense of urgency that I need to do it all and try everything since it’s your last chance.

My quesadilla tasted extra delicious. I’ve honestly probably had more quesadillas in the last 12 days than I’ve had in the last decade!

Mom and dad played a round of cribbage during the passage sailing. We also heard all about mom’s galley experience and tour during the time!

After lounging in the Solarium for a while, it was time to pick out our 4 free pictures that we get with our Diamond Plus benefits. This is a nice perk that we always take advantage of.

I have never seen on-demand printing stations on a cruise ship before! It’s nice that you can order your picture and then within a few minutes, the kiosk prints your picture.

NextCruise Experience and Packing

By this time, I was about ready to head to NextCruise for my 3:30pm appointment. My husband and I are planning a trip for next June on Jewel of the Seas from Amsterdam to Iceland.

I never used to take advantage of NextCruise since I didn’t fully understand the perks. Having a reduced deposit of only $200 is a win for me, as my husband’s schedule is very unpredictable with the military. You can take advantage of any current promotional pricing and get onboard credit.

Although I had an appointment, I still had to wait about 25 minutes to meet with a consultant. It was pretty busy, to say the least. Once I was able to met with one of the consultants, we had the reservation booked within 15 minutes.

I was also eager to book after seeing Royal Caribbean Blog's post about the American Express offer for spend $1,000 and earn 25k reward points - which I had on a few of our cards.

Iceland, here we come! Having another exciting cruise booked in the future always helps ease the post-cruise depression. This was especially necessary as I went back to our stateroom to start packing.

We don’t fly out tomorrow from Rome, which makes packing a little bit easier. I wasn’t concerned about weight or liquids, so it was really just a scramble to pack things away as quickly as possible so I could get back to enjoying my final day.

Last Evening Onboard

Before our last dinner in the dining room, we went to have one last cocktail at Lime & Coconut Bar to see our favorite bartender. The sun had just set in the distance.

Since we were the only ones there, we asked Dwayne (‘Dwa’) about tipping; for example, we figured our Diamond drink vouchers would provide the bartender with an automatic gratuity in the same way as if we purchased a drink.

Dwayne explained that the free drink vouchers do not provide any gratuity unless the passenger provides an additional tip on the receipt or gives a cash tip.

We took this opportunity to provide Dwayne with a tip for taking care of us for the sailing and wished him well.

For the last supper, we enjoyed a variety of pot pie, chicken tikka marsala and prime rib. Mom went out with a bang ordering 3 servings of crispy coconut shrimp and escargot. She was pleased to see the escargot improvement after talking with the head waiter. 

Angie and I enjoyed both the dark chocolate brownie and pavlova for dessert, which are two of our favorites.

There wasn’t much entertainment for the final evening, as we still needed to finish packing and make sure our suitcases were out in the hallway on time.

It’s always a sad feeling to see the suitcases line the hallway - you know the end is near.

The biggest commotion of the evening was when mom couldn’t find her Seapass card; that’s a first for all of us! She had to spend about 30 minutes in line at Guest Services to get a replacement card.

As the night came to a close, we all reflected on our favorite memories from the cruise. Of course, Israel was the highlight for all of us. There was an overarching gratitude from everyone that we all stayed healthy and had such positive experiences.

That's a wrap on our 12-night Holy Land cruise. It's crazy when you plan and look forward to a cruise for so long (years in our case), and it finally happens. Time always seems to go too quickly. We are thankful for the opportunity to spend this quality time together experiencing such rich and diverse history. 

Thanks to everyone for following along during our cruise - it's been so rewarding sharing our experiences with all of you and reading your comments!

Stray Observations

As I mentioned, there are a lot of people doing back-to-back cruises with this sailing. Approximately 30% of the people on this sailing are staying on the ship for the transatlantic! The next sailing will return to Fort Lauderdale with stops in Italy, Spain and Portugal before crossing the Atlantic. These cruisers found out not too long ago that they needed to take a test, although it’s complimentary of Royal Caribbean.

There’s certainly been a noticeable increase in coughing within the last few days, but I have only heard of one person testing positive on this cruise.

It seems like there’s other illnesses circulating, as we’ve all come down with some sort of cold during this cruise. We were relieved to see all of our home tests be negative.

Service onboard has been incredibly attentive across the board. Additionally, the ship is impeccably clean. There was never one moment where the hand sanitizers were empty.

And just like that, today was our last port stop during this incredible 12-night sailing on Odyssey of the Seas!

Today, we were docked in the island of Crete, Greece from 7am to 3pm. This was our shortest port stop and we did not have an excursion booked. Instead, we chose to get off the ship on our own so we could have some flexibility. We knew we would be tired today after all the long days we've had, and didn't want to take a 7am excursion!

Since all aboard was 2:30, we decided to get up at 8:30 so we could explore Chania.

The last time I was in Crete was on my honeymoon cruise and the last time my parents were here was on our first Mediterranean cruise about a decade ago. Both times, we went to the beach so we decided today to spend time in Chania, as I heard from fellow RCB writer Jenna that the town was very charming!

Shuttle to Town

Angie and I had breakfast at Cafe @ 270, where we both enjoyed breakfast sandwiches and coffee to start the day. Mom and dad dined in the Solarium Bistro and had omelets to order.

We were off the ship by 10am and chose to take the shuttle into town that was provided conveniently at the port. Jenna said this summer that the shuttle was complimentary but times must be tough because they were charging $6 per person round trip.

We didn’t mind paying the $6 for direct transport into the city, although we saw a couple get on the bus and yell that they refused to pay. The driver looked like he didn’t feel like picking a fight so he just rolled his eyes. Makes me laugh that someone would spend all this money to do a cruise but then scuff about spending $6 each to take the shuttle!

Driving through Crete, we were a little less than impressed. It felt more run down than the other ports we’ve visited.

The shuttle dropped us off in Chania in the city center. We started walking towards the Venetian Harbor, passing through many shops on the way.

Since we’ve all done a little bit too much shopping, we were on the hunt for some cheap suitcases.

Normally, I bring a small duffle in my checked luggage to bring back all my new treasures while traveling without paying for overweight luggage. I didn’t anticipate shopping as much I did during this cruise, so it’s pretty necessary for me to get another bag.

Lots of Shopping

Whoops - don’t tell my husband back home!

Since I’d already come to terms with the fact that I’d need another suitcase, I let myself go and did even more shopping.

Mom, Angie and I enjoyed shopping in a local leather store where we all got matching pairs of sandals. Dad sat outside on a bench checking football scores while we tried on a myriad of shoes. 

We enjoyed walking around the side streets in the old town, taking in the sights. We saw plenty of other cruisers enjoying the old town as well.

This area was much nicer than the port area and the streets that we drove through to get to the city centre. Based on the view from the ship in the morning, we didn't have super high expectations - especially in comparison to Rhodes and Santorini, which were beautiful port areas.

I also found plenty of other lovely shops to support during our walk to the harbor. We’ve been certainly helping the Greek economy the last few days with our shopping.

Old Venetian Harbor

Upon arriving at the harbor, I was stunned by how beautiful it was! I hadn’t done a ton of research for this port since most of our energy went into planning for Israel, so I was really surprised by the beauty.

We enjoyed walking all along the harbor and snapping pictures while doing so. We decided to walk along the shore, lined with shops and restaurants.

To nobody’s surprise, I did a little more shopping to get all the final gifts and souvenirs that I had been holding off on getting. I grabbed a few little olive oil presents for friends and family back home, along with my obligatory magnet for every place I travel.

I love coming home from big adventures and adding my new magnets to the fridge; seeing the collection grow warms my heart!

As we walked along the harbor, we found incredible views of the lighthouse across the bay. The waves were crashing along the harbor and even getting the walkway wet a few times.

The views were simply too beautiful not to take a ton of pictures, especially as dad spent about 15 minutes trying to find a nearby bathroom to use. The lighting was perfect with the backdrop of the lighthouse in the distance. We even saw a fisherman catch his biggest fish of the day!

Getting Lost in Town

When I first did research on Chania (admittedly, this morning during breakfast), I punched in 'Venetian Harbor' on my Apple maps and tagged the location for us to visit later. I told the family we had to go to my pinned location after wandering around the water and taking pictures with the lighthouse.

My lack of research was showing, as we were unknowingly at the Old Venetian Harbor; yet, my map was showing there to be another nearby location with the same name. Since we don't mind a little walking, we made our way to the pinned location I had on my phone. 

Well, we ultimately ended up on some side streets away from the main attractions. Everyone was questioning my navigation skills, in which I insisted the map showed another location of interest for us to see. We arrived to a corner on a side street with nothing that appeared like Venice but rather a residential area with no other tourists around. 

Either way, I led us astray and into the side streets. A quick Google search of 'Old Venetian Harbor Chania' revealed that we had been actually walking around the harbor just before - hence why it was so beautiful! 

We were just a few blocks away, so we made our way back to the harbor area and into the shopping streets once more. This was our last chance to get souvenirs!

Since we didn’t get started too early in the morning, we opted to work our way back to the ship so we didn’t feel rushed with all aboard time. We found a deal on 2 hardshell suitcases so my parents could have an additional suitcase and I will have one too.

The shuttle was packed with people heading back to the ship since we only had about an hour until the last shuttle would depart for the day.

Back Onboard

Back on the ship, we went to the Windjammer for a bite to eat. We actually have not had lunch in the Windjammer until today! There was a nice selection of food, although it was very busy because everyone must have had the same idea.

We opted to find an outdoor spot on the top deck; there’s a nice set of chairs tucked away on the top deck by the SeaPlex. We had the sun shining while still being in the shade so it was a lovely spot to sit.

I was up very late last night working on the live blog and had way too many pictures from Santorini to sort through and edit. We enjoyed the autumn breeze and watched the ship pull away and start our journey back to Rome.

Angie, dad and our new friend Brice decided to take a whirl at the bumper cars. They did 2 rounds and Angie said she was much more cautious this time! Mom and I had too much trauma from our first day when we left bruised, so we opted to head back and get ready for formal night.

While getting ready for dinner, Angie was getting dressed and turned around in a black dress. I told her not to wear my dress tonight, as I was planning to wear it for formal. She insisted that it was her dress, yet I knew that I was planning to wear the exact same dress.

Low and behold, we have the exact same dress that we planned to wear tonight so we chose to embrace the twinning moment. Mom smiled when she saw and said she hadn’t seen us in matching dresses since Christmas when we were little girls.

Dinner and The Effectors

We walked into dinner to find the ship rocking and rolling. All of us were shocked to see how big the waves looked from the table, as the dining room is on Deck 3. Luckily, the movement subsided as the night went on.

Dinner tonight was excellent with beef tenderloin, lobster and baked Alaska. We enjoyed talking with the table next to us and mom was convinced to join the galley tour tomorrow on our sea day.

Mom and I sported our new sandals from Chania for the evening - such a fun souvenir!

Our evening wrapped with an evening show in the Royal Theatre called The Effectors. The superhero-themed show used some really impressive digital effects, including choreographed drones. I really liked the show, as it had a nice variety of music that included some recent pop songs.

We all agreed the show was excellent, from the costumes to the music to the overall stage production! This was my first time seeing this show. This show really leans into utilizing technology in its entertainment performances - and I think it really elevates the experience.

Was there a clear-cut storyline for us to follow along? Not necessarily. Most of the show involved each member of The Effectors showing off their superpowers with the help of the stage technology.

Either way, it was quite entertaining and definitely showed off the technology capabilities of Odyssey of the Seas.

Tomorrow, we have one final day sea day before we arrive back to Rome. We will need to certainly spend some time packing since we’ve gotten very comfortable in our cabin at this point! I also have an appointment at NextCruise to potentially book an upcoming cruise next summer to Iceland from Amsterdam.

We are blessed with 2 extra hours of sleep tonight, as we gain back the hour we lost last week AND we get an extra hour due to daylight savings occurring in Europe!

Happy (almost) Halloween! I don't have any bad Halloween themed puns to include here, just the latest Royal Caribbean news to catch up on before you hit up the neighborhood for candy.

You can now book a cabin on Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship.

Icon of the Seas sailings from Miami are now available for booking on Royal Caribbean's website.

It appears the maiden voyage in late January 2024 is already sold out, but you can book other cruises through April 2025.

Icon of the Seas will sail year-round, 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Miami. Every cruise will visit Royal Caribbean’s private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay, The Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean News

• 7 of the most cutting-edge features coming to Icon of the Seas
• More people just booked Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship than ever before
• Royal Caribbean updates: first ship uses renewable fuel, Galveston & more
• Allie live blogged her Odyssey of the Seas Mediterranean cruise 
• Save up to 35% on pre-cruise purchases with Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner sale
• Get up to 25,000 rewards points from American Express with this new offer

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

One of the most common questions asked is if someone that has only done big ships will enjoy a smaller ship.

This week's podcast episode is a dive into what you should know about venturing away from Royal Caribbean's biggest ships and trying a small ship.

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

New RCB Video: 30 Do's and Don'ts for the first day of your cruise

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — 30 Do's and Don'ts for the first day of your cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Is Allure of the Seas the "worst" Oasis Class ship?

Allure of the Seas is the only Oasis Class cruise ship that doesn't have waterslides, the Ultimate Abyss, and many other ship wide enhancements, so does that make Allure a bad choice?

Often there are comments posted online about how Allure of the Seas feels outdated, so is that really the case?

Jenna sailed on Allure of the Seas to see for herself how the ship stacks up.

The secret crew-only areas on a cruise ship

Have you ever wondered what the crew areas of a crew ship look like?

Guests aren't allowed to ever go to these areas of the ship, which leaves a lot of people wondering what it's like there.

Bryan James works on Wonder of the Seas and shared a glimpse of what his cabin and crew restaurants, laundry, and stores look like.

How to communicate with other friends and family on your cruise

Whether your kids, siblings, friends, or neighbors on the same cruise as you, there's going to be a need to send a message while on a ship. So what's the best way to do communicate with someone on a cruise ship?

We've got a list of common and useful ways of doing being able to easy contact someone, with each method coming with pros and cons. 

How to plan a Royal Caribbean cruise on any budget

Royal Caribbean cruises are affordable vacations for guests of pretty much any budget, which makes them an attractive way to vacation.

Whether you are going all out, counting every last penny, or looking for a reasonable value, there are options that should fit into any family spending plan.

Here is a look at tips and tricks for how to plan a memorable cruise vacation on a low, moderate, and high budget.

Wow - I can’t believe it’s already Day 10 of our 12-night cruise. Today was our second to last port and it was wonderful day in the the idyllic Greek island of Santorini.

Santorini is best known for its charming village of Oia, located at the end of the island and scattered with gorgeous blue-domed buildings on the cliffside. It’s certainly a bucket-list destination for many because there’s no other place like it in the world!

Although I’ve been to Santorini twice before, this was the first time that Angie and my parents have visited the island. We chose to do a shore excursion through Royal Caribbean that visited the town of Fira, village of Oia and a local winery.

I know that visiting Santorini can be logistically challenging. First, it requires tendering to the island from the ship. When you tender from the ship for independent exploring, it drops you off near Fira. Once here, you are left to either take a cable car, walk up a ton of stairs or ride a donkey.

You can also take the speed boat to Oia from the port of Fira, which is what I’ve done previously.

I was a little worried about my parents having to deal with the cable car or donkey scenario in Fira, so we thought the excursion route would be best. We booked an excursion that had a bus ride to and from the port, which I felt would be the most enjoyable experience for everyone.

After the fiasco in Masada (trying to take a cable car with thousands of people) and knowing there would be 5 ships in port today, I was hopeful the shore excursion would alleviate some of those logistical pains.

Breakfast Views and Tendering

Since our tour had a meeting time of 9:45am, Angie and I woke up and had breakfast in the Windjammer. We were greeted by sweeping views of the island of Santorini as Odyssey of the Seas pulled into its anchoring spot.

We always enjoy breakfast in the Windjammer for its wide variety and we couldn’t stop looking at the island. Even if you choose to stay on the ship for the port of Santorini, you could enjoy the beautiful views all day.

I stopped for a quick coffee in the Diamond Club before meeting with our excursion group in the Royal Theatre.

Within 20 minutes, our tour group was called and we made our way to the tendering spot. I noticed that the excursions used a tender at the front of the ship while tenders for independent explorers (i.e. not on a RCL shore excursion) simultaneously left from the back of the ship.

The tender ride was lovely with views of the ship and island. It was a really nice vessel and took no more than 10 minutes. Our tender was brought to the Athinios Port while the other tenders from the ship dropped off passengers at the port near Fira with the cable car.

Parade and Shopping in Fira

We boarded a bus with the branding “Santorini Luxury Travel” - which was honestly anything but luxury!

While we sat in the very back, there was a clanking noise from the overhead bin while the bus weaved its way up the cliff on switchbacks. We couldn’t hear anything our tour guide said because the clanking was so loud at the back of the bus.

We arrived in Fira right at the start of a local parade! Today was a national holiday in Greece, so there were flags all over the island. It was fun to see the parade happenings while we walked around Fira for some free time.

Because of the parade, the bus had to park further away from the town than normal. We didn’t mind the walking, but some with mobility issues were grumbling about the inclined walk

We took this hour of free time to do some shopping and watch bits of the parade. I also enjoyed a little gelato while wandering the streets. It was a nice way to start our day!

Of course, everywhere you look, there are simply breathtaking views of the island and the Mediterranean Sea. You just can’t help but take pictures around every corner while walking around Fira.

The white buildings, the purple flowers and the deep blue ocean make for some truly beautiful pictures. We couldn’t help but take some photos with a backdrop that looks like a painting.

Winery Stop

After our free-time in Fira, we walked back down to the bus and told the bus driver to turn up his microphone so those of us in the back could hear him talk.

We were part of a line of tour buses made our way to the Santo Wines, which is a local winery on the island. Santorini is the oldest vineyard in Europe. This was a nice and scenic winery where we could sample 3 different wines. We all enjoyed the dessert wine, which was very sweet.

There was also a table of snacks including cheese and tomatoes. Lucky for us, Angie snagged a bunch of cheese cubes before they ran out that we could enjoy with our wines.

As with everywhere on Santorini, the views were stunning. As I sat there and drank my dessert wine overlooking the cliffside, I thought to myself that I am truly living the dream! How does it get better than this?

What a blessing it’s been to share these memories with not only my family, but also with everyone reading on Royal Caribbean Blog.

Although I could have spent all day at the winery, time was limited and we were shuffled back to the busses for our journey to the main attraction: Oia!

Village of Oia

When you see pictures of Santorini, you are most likely seeing pictures of the beautiful village of Oia with the blue domes overlooking the sea. This is what you come to see in Santorini!

I knew from experience that Oia would be crowded with tourists - both times that I’ve been to Santorini (once on a cruise and once on a land-trip), it’s been super congested in Oia. The alleys are small and everyone wants pictures of the same spots.

Our bus parked and we walked up the steps by the guidance of our tour director. We were greeted by the most breathtaking view of the island from both sides, along with a view of our ship and the sea below.

Everyone was awe-struck by the beauty. It’s truly like nothing you’ve seen before.

I had an unexpected encounter with a group of travelers right as we entered Oia. I saw two people wearing Semester at Sea hoodies. Excitedly, I told the group that I sailed with Semester at Sea in college 7 years ago during Fall 2015.

Semester at Sea (a study abroad program that sails around the world on a ship while you take classes at sea) is one of those life-changing experiences that bonds people together.

They said they were students on the current voyage and the ship was docked in Athens! I told the group how I also traveled to Santorini during my voyage; it was such a cool and nostalgic moment that I never anticipated happening. Such a small world!

After chatting for a bit, I met up with my family down the road as they were taking in the sights. We continued to wander the streets.

If we saw a bunch of people congregating in one place, we figured there would be a nice view worthwhile so we joined the crowds.

Along everyone else on the island, we took many pictures with the views of the village in the distance. Some of the spots we found were on cobblestone edges where it would be easy to lose your footing and fall. We were careful not to step back too far, as everything on Santorini is on the cliffside.

Santorini is like a postcard coming to life; you almost can’t believe you’re seeing it person.

We only had about 1.5 hours to wander around Oia and we had already shopped while in Fira. Instead, we used our time in Oia to take pictures and walk around the streets.

Everything is so quaint and charming, although flooded with people everywhere you look. This was still quite busy considering we were visiting in the off-season, although there were 4 other ships in port today.

We ventured to a place called Lolita’s Gelato, which is where my husband and I went on our honeymoon. Angie, dad and I enjoyed a scoop of ice cream to top off our time in Santorini. I told the owner how I visited his shoppe a few years back and showed him pictures - he was grateful for my return!

Santorini Sunset

Following our time in Oia, the bus drove us back to the Athinios Port. We had the option of getting off in Fira and taking the cable car or donkey ride back down, but no one on the bus opted for this.

The tender was waiting for us at the port and promptly departed once our bus unloaded and boarded the tender boat. I couldn’t believe it was actually a little chilly during the ride back to the ship, so I sported my new Santorini hoodie.

We took even more pictures of the island and ship as it anchored in the harbor. We were grateful for a nice tour that alleviated the logistical issues we were worried about. I would say it was worth the money to take this excursion, especially traveling with my parents.

A few people shared stories about the cable car being swamped with people in a way that couldn't be believed. We also heard from a couple who took donkeys down for $10 each, but the donkey leader forced them to get off after only making it about two-thirds of the way down. When the donkey leader forced them all to get off the saddles, one lady was stuck and ended up falling into donkey poop.

Hearing stories like reassures our decision that the excursion was a good idea, although those do make great stories!

Back onboard, we grabbed pizza at Sorrento’s and made our way to the top deck to watch the sunset.

Santorini is famous for its world-class sunsets; I told my family that we needed to be late for dinner tonight because the sunsets are simply unforgettable.

We grabbed a cocktail at Lime & Coconut from our favorite bartender, Dwayne (or Dwa as patty calls him), and snapped many pictures of the stunning sunset. The sun peaked over a tiny island in the distance and lit up the ship and island with a warm golden hour.

It was a beautiful moment that I will cherish. Of course, we took many pictures because the lighting and scenery were simply too beautiful to not capture the moment in time.

Dinner Onboard

After our Santorini Sunset, we made our way to dinner in the main dining room again. Mom was pleased to find her nightly escargot was improved after her casual conversation with the head waiter last night.

The head waiter, Jayson, came back to our table tonight to ensure everything was up to standards. Mom told him how she noticed the changes in her escargot and we thanked him for being so attentive.

We all enjoyed our meals in the dining room tonight, along with our fun conversations with the table seated right next to us. It was nice to enjoy the window views as Santorini started to light up after the sun went down.

Following dinner, there was little entertainment available tonight, presumably because we did not leave until 9pm tonight. It’s nice Royal Caribbean has a late-night stay in Santorini to provide everyone with ample time to see the island and watch the sunset.

Tomorrow, we will be in our final port of Chania, Crete. We are only docked from 7am-2:30 tomorrow, so we are hoping to get off the ship by 10am to explore. We do not have any plans other than walking around the harbor.

Until tomorrow, happy cruising!

While Icon of the Seas may have dominated the cruise news cycle over the last week, there's other Royal Caribbean news you should know about!

Given how large a company Royal Caribbean is, there's plenty of moving parts and we wanted to make sure you were up to date with all of this week's remaining Royal Caribbean news.

If you ever have a news tip, feel free to email it to [email protected] for possible inclusion in a future update!

First U.S. cruise ship begins using renewable diesel fuel

Navigator of the Seas is the first major cruise line in the United States to use a renewable diesel fuel.

Not only is Navigator the first ship, but Royal Caribbean Group is now the first major cruise line operator to sail a cruise ship from a U.S. port with this new kind of fuel.

The renewable fuel being used by Navigator of the Seas contains less carbon than traditional marine fuels. While this fuel is produced from renewable raw materials, the production process for this fuel makes it molecularly identical to traditional marine gas oil — creating a "drop in" fuel that can be safely used with the ship's existing engines.

Royal Caribbean will continue using lower carbon fuel to meet part of the Los Angeles-based ship's fuel needs as it evaluates the feasibility for long-term use. The cruise line's goal is to expand its usage to other ships across the fleet. 

For the trial, Royal Caribbean Group has partnered with World Fuel Services to supply the renewable fuel to Navigator of the Seas. The Jankovich Company will deliver the fuel on behalf of World Fuel Services to the ship while at the Port of Los Angeles. Once fueled, Navigator of the Seas will set sail to Mexico.

In addition to testing the use of biofuel aboard Navigator of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Group is set to debut the cruise industry's first hybrid-powered ship in summer 2023, as part of Silversea Cruises newest class of ships, the Nova class.

Royal Caribbean Group is also working to reduce emissions while at port by investing in shore power on its ships and collaborating with key cruise ports for its use.

This is in addition to a previously announced deal to bring shore power to PortMiami and a new zero-energy cruise terminal in the Port of Galveston, Texas.

Royal Caribbean Group schedules third quarter business update

Royal Caribbean Group announced it has scheduled a conference call with investors to discuss its third quarter results and provide a business update.

The call is scheduled for 10am Eastern Time on Thursday, November 3, 2022.

The call will be available on-line at the company's investor relations website, www.rclinvestor.com.

Local artist partners with new Royal Caribbean cruise terminal

When Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal in Galveston opens next month, you'll see art sourced from local artists.

Royal Caribbean wants to celebrate local art and culture, so they teamed up with Houston-based Piper Faust Public Art to assemble a slate of Texas artists to consider for this unique opportunity. They picked a design concept by the husband-and-wife team of Brad Oldham and Christy Coltrin of Brad Oldham Sculpture.

The Galveston Beach Trio sculpture, which is forged in stainless steel and lost-wax bronze, will welcome guests at the cruise line's new terminal facility.

The larger-than-life sculpture depicts a musical trio inspired by the rich musical heritage of the historic port city. Galveston has been home to musicians like Grammy Award-winning bass-baritone singer and songwriter Barry White, as well as local artists like Joyce Fields, who played piano for nearly 20 years at Sunday brunch at the historic Hotel Galvez, and Joe Pena, the guitarist known as the Granddaddy of Galveston Rock and Roll.

Joshua Carroll, vice president of Destination Development at Royal Caribbean Group, talked about this new deal, "Our passion lies in sharing the world's incredible destinations with our guests, allowing them to experience cultures from around the world, including the places from which their travels begin."

"Showcasing the history and culture of Galveston was our top priority in establishing this art installation in our new terminal, and we're thrilled to partner with Brad Oldham Sculpture to bring this vision to life."

Royal Caribbean's new terminal opens on November 9, 2022.

Hello from the beautiful Odyssey of the Seas; it's Day 9 of our cruise, which means we only have 3 days left. The time has been flying by with our busy days exploring new ports (and countries!).

I am happy to report that I have a new favorite Greek island - Rhodes! After our busy days in Israel, we did not have an excursion planned for today so we could have freedom and flexibility to do what we wanted.

We woke up to a stunning view of Rhodes outside of our balcony!

Since we weren’t on a tight timeline, we enjoyed a slow morning with breakfast at Cafe 270. This was one of our favorite places when we cruised on Spectrum of the Seas back in 2019, and I am surprised we have yet to eat there on this cruise.

They have a wonderful selection of grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches and burritos, along with a bagel bar. There’s also a coffee cart located in 270, making it an easy place to grab breakfast.

Afternoon Shopping in Rhodes

With some quick research on Rhodes, everything online said the cruise port is located very conveniently in the old town.

Getting off the ship, we could immediately see the old town that was surrounded by a stone wall.

I found a few different locations within walking distance that I wanted us to check out starting with the Castle of the Old Town.

We walked through an old town entrance and found ourselves surrounded by lovely streets with tons of shopping and restaurants. Unfortunately, following the map on my phone to the Castle of the Old Town led us to a dead end on a side street. We looked around and saw nothing resembling a castle.

Fortunately, there was plenty to still see and lots of shopping that was close by so we went back to the main pedestrian

Mom and I were in heaven with all of the shops, especially the jewelry shops. We found a lovely shop owned by a Greek family who made unique bracelets, rings, earrings and necklaces. I think mom and I spent nearly an hour shopping inside this single shop with the owner helping us finding the perfect pieces.

The shop owners were so warm and welcoming! They said mom was their best customer of the day.

Dad roamed the streets by his lonesome self until we finished our shopping; of course, he wasn’t entirely pleased with how much time and money we spent.

Wandering Around Old Town

Back to our self-guided walk of the old town, we chose the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes. Say that 10 times fast!

We weaved through the streets, often getting distracted by how many photo opportunities presented themselves in this charming city!

At the Palace, we enjoyed taking some photos and ran into some friends from the ship that we spoke with for a little while. It was $10 to enter the Palace, so we opted just to enjoy the outside of what we could see from the castle.

We also met a nice family from Austria that told us how lovely the marina walk in Rhodes is, so we set that as our next destination.

After exiting the Palace, we walked through a really wonderful courtyard with greenery, flowers and views of the palace.

As we made our way to the sea, we walked out of the old city and into the newer area. We found an H&M and stopped in Starbucks for a quick resident and bathroom stop.

Marina and Rhode Windmills

We found ourselves strolling along the sea with incredible views of the ocean, Fort St. Nicholas and the Three Windmills of Rhodes. We could also see Odyssey of the Seas, along with 3 other small ships, in the port.

Fort St. Nicholas is located at the end of a short walkway-like pier that expands from the marina. It looked like a great spot to walk with sweeping views of the ocean.

This also gave us an up-close look at the Three Windmills of Rhodes. One of the windmills was missing its actual windmill, which was interesting.

I enjoyed taking some really fun pictures with the windmills and ocean views while dad climbed on the rocks with Angie and mom found some locals to strike up a conversation with. She enjoys talking to friendly locals and asking all about their city and economy.

The locals explained that Rhodes is one of the biggest Greek Islands and relies almost entirely on tourism for its economy. He also talked to us about the island’s problem with gypsies begging for money in the city, which have become more of a problem in recent years.

We didn’t walk to the end of the jetty but admired Fort St. Nicholas from afar and a display of European flags that lined the walkway.

Scammers at Saint Paul’s Gate

After mom finished conversing with the locals, we set our sites for the Temple of Aphrodite but stumbled upon the very charming St. Paul’s Gate!

Entering the gate, we found a staircase that allowed us to climb the ramparts and see sweeping views of the harbor. Angie, dad and I climbed the steps to walk around while mom admired from the safety of the ground level.

At one point, two gypsies started screaming at each other, disrupting our peaceful moment taking in the ocean views.

We continued to explore the area, in which we ran into more cruise friends who offered to take our family picture. We found cute little nooks to take pictures and enjoyed admiring the views.

Apparently, Saint Paul’s Gate is one of the most intricate gates in Rhodes and connects the old town to the harbor.

While I was snapping some pictures of Angie and Mom off in the distance, I turned around to see a gypsy yelling in my face. I was taken aback since I had not engaged in any sort of conversation or eye contact with the women. From years of traveling (and getting scammed before), I know it’s best to be persistent in not engaging with them.

She started to scream to NOT take her photo. I looked at her confused and showed her the picture of mom and Angie, I said to her that she wasn’t even in the photo and I wasn’t interested in photographing her.

She screamed even louder, “YOU LIE - YOU’RE A PSYCHO! I see you use your phone to take my picture!!!!” And I walked away insisting that I did not take her picture nor was I interested in taking her photo.

I was worried she was using this as an opportunity to pickpocket by creating a scene, but she didn’t take anything from me.

As we left the area, we saw the gypsies approach two men and place bracelets on their wrists - in which they proceeded to yell and expect the men to pay them for the bracelets. They prey on anyone who shows them compassion or makes eye contact!

As I was writing this blog, I found a few people noting online having the same experiences with these women. Some of the comments are from ten years ago - so these same women have been scamming people for almost a decade. It is too bad, as it does take away some of the beauty of the gate.

Souvlaki and Shopping in Old Town

Once we could decompress after the gypsy debacle, mom and I decided we had worked up an appetite for some gyros or souvlaki. When in Rome!

We walked by the Temple of Aphrodite as we looked to find something to eat near the port.

Back in the old town, we ran into our friends from earlier who recommended a spot that was right down the road. There was a quaint seating area with flowers and booths covered with colorful pillows.

We ordered 2 pitas for mom and I to enjoy while Dad tried baklava for the first time. Everyone enjoyed the chicken souvlakis and we appreciated a moment to sit down, refresh and rest after walking about 3 miles.

There was even a musician who came over to play the guitar - bringing a smile to all of us at the restaurant.

Following our souvlaki indulgence, Mom and I had more shopping to do in one of the leather stores before finding even more cruise friends in the old town. We love meeting so many kind people from the cruise and our rowdiness must make it easy to identify us in a crowd!

We decided to make our way back to the port since it was around 4:30.

Lime and Coconut

Once back onboard the ship, we dropped off our shopping bags in the room and spoke to our wonderful stateroom attendant, Waylan. We’ve been so impressed with the service we’ve received on this cruise. The entire staff onboard has been excellent and so attentive.

We decided to head up to the Lime and Coconut Bar to see our favorite bartender, Dwayne. Mom has been referring to him as ‘Dwa’ during this cruise; she met him on the first day and couldn’t see his entire name tag when he asked her to guess his name so she said ‘It must be DWA’!

‘Dwa’ whipped up four cocktails for us, including a mudslide for me, Miami Vice for dad and Bailey’s Banana Colada, which is Angie’s latest drink obsession. The cool drinks tasted so good after all the walking we did today.

The sun was starting to set over Rhodes as we enjoyed happy hour cocktails on the top deck. We reflected on another great day of our cruise and marveled at the perfect weather.

I concluded that Rhodes might be my new favorite Greek Island of all the islands I’ve visited (including Santorini, Crete, Corfu and Rhodes). The city was so charming and very clean. I’d love to return and visit the acropolis and other areas of the island.

Evening on Board

It was 6:00PM before we knew it, so we went to dinner in the main dining room. Tonight we tried a variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts but most of us found that it wasn’t our favorite meal of the cruise.

Angie was the only one who thoroughly enjoyed her entire meal tonight; she ordered the chicken wings, pork chop and berry crumble.

Dad and I found the Beef Trio to be a little tough while mom didn’t love her goat cheese tart or fisherman’s pie.

We mentioned to the server that we found the meat to be a little tough and shortly after, the head waiter came over to talk to us. We certainly aren’t picky or ones to complain, so we weren’t expecting to speak to the head waiter.

He was asking intently about the entree’s issues to ensure he understood the issue, although we emphasized that we have been happy with all of our food thus far. We were impressed by how concerned and quickly he came to address our comment.

After dinner, the rest of the family went to watch a magician performance in the Royal Theatre. Since I stayed up late (like 1 am) to finish yesterday’s blog after a busy evening with entertainment, I opted to come back and get some work done.

They greatly enjoyed the magician, so I will have to go watch his performance tomorrow night!

I enjoy having the quiet time to myself to go through photos and write today’s live blog.

Tomorrow’s Plans

Tomorrow, we are in Santorini, Greece! I’ve been to Santorini twice before. The first time I came to Santorini was during college when I did Semester at Sea; I flew to the island from Athens and spent a few days exploring.

The second time I visited Santorini was with my husband when we did a cruise from Venice for our honeymoon. During that visit, we did our own thing and took the speed boat and bus to Oia and walked down from Fira.

For this visit, we have a shore excursion through Royal Caribbean. I think this will be more relaxing for mom and dad not having to worry about logistics on our own.

I read that there will be a few other ships in port, so it could be busy. We also will need to tender to the island, so having the shore excursion should make that easy. Our tour includes visits to Oia (where the classic blue roofs are!!), a winery and Fira before returning to the ship.

I have never visited the wineries in Santorini, so I am excited to see what that’s all about!

The description of the tour makes it sound like we will be driven to Oia from the port and return to the port by bus; it does not mention the cable car or donkey walk down from Fira on the hilltop, so I am hoping that means returning to the port will not be an issue.

I am crossing my fingers that our good luck continues tomorrow! Mom, Dad and Angie have never visited Santorini and I know they are looking forward to it. This is an exciting port for many, as Santorini is an iconic Greek Island and a world-class destination for many.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s adventures! Until then, goodnight everyone!

A lot of people want to sail on Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship. So much so, it broke the cruise line's high water mark.

Royal Caribbean just set a record for how many cruises people booked in a single day when it put Icon of the Seas on sale.

The cruise line reported the single largest booking day in its entire history when reservations opened for the the first Icon Class ship.

As of the publishing of this article on Thursday, all of Icon's inside, balcony, and suite cabins were all listed as sold out for the inaugural sailing. The only category left was ocean view cabins, and I could only find one cabin to choose from.

The inaugural Icon of the Seas sailing is a seven-night cruise from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean on January 27, 2024.

Royal Caribbean has been riding a wave of excitement for its new ship ever since they revealed what Icon of the Seas will look like and what sort of features guests can enjoy onboard.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley was astonished by the high demand, "The enthusiasm and excitement for Icon are undeniable in more ways than one."

"The incredible response we have received from our loyal guests, vacationers new to cruising, crew members and travel partners continues to come in, and this is just the beginning. We can’t wait to share more of what Icon has in store in the coming months."

Royal Caribbean wants to lure families away from land vacations

Icon of the Seas is more than just the new biggest cruise ship in the world: it's a shot across the bow to all the typical family vacation destinations on land.

Icon of the Seas will be the first in a new class of cruise ship that has placed a greater emphasis on family travelers.

The ship will break records along the way with its 250,600 gross ton size, making it larger than the current holder of that record, Wonder of the Seas.

Part of why Icon will be bigger is to allow more families to enjoy the ship. You'll find more cabins that have extra capacity to accommodate third or fourth passengers in the room so that parents with children can sail together.

Moreover, the ship has an entire neighborhood dedicated to young families with the Surfside neighborhood, which is an outdoor pool and splash area.

Royal Caribbean wants Surfside to be a destination for families that they can spend most of their day at, with splash areas for babies and kids, pools and lounge spaces for parents, family-friendly eateries and shops, and a bar with "mommy and me" matching mocktails for kids and cocktails for grownups.

While speaking to reporters last week, Mr. Bayley said the ship is all about moving deeper into the family market, "We’re really focused on family and as you move into Icon, our focus on family is probably at the highest level it’s ever been."

"We know that every single week, throughout the whole year, we have a significant percentage of young families that sail with Royal Caribbean. It skews on the big Caribbean cruises and it skews on products that are connected to a drive-in home market, but that market is quite powerful."

"Young families is a big market and we think it’s an under-served market."

To that point, Icon of the Seas is a move to attract people who like to take the kind of family vacation where everyone of all ages can have a good time while being together.

Mr. Bayley talked about this importance when designing the ship, "The beauty of Icon is that its size, scale and the totality of the combination of the neighborhoods and the experiences that we offer fit all of our demographics within what we call the multi-generational family space."

Big spaces and new features

While the Surfside family neighborhood has garnered a lot of attention, Royal Caribbean did not spare on innovation.

There are eight neighborhoods across the ship, which Royal Caribbean thinks will offer something for guests of all ages.

Chill Island has a variety of pools to consider, including the first swim-up pool and bar at sea.

Nearby Thrill Island features the largest water park ever built on a cruise ship, with a record six waterslides.

Adults can find solace in the new Cloud 17 area reserved just for guests 16 and older.

And then there's The Hideaway, which has a suspended infinity pool that aims to offer a resort pool vibe.

Launching in January 2024

Whether you were part of the record setting day or are considering booking now, you're still going to need to wait a while before Icon of the Seas enters service.

Icon of the Seas is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.

She is expected to be delivered to Royal Caribbean sometime in late 2023, and then engage in a series of trials before prepping the ship to welcome customers onboard.

Royal Caribbean will base the new ship in Miami until at least mid-2025.

Looking for more information on Icon of the Seas? Check out our latest articles on this new cruise ship:

• Ultimate guide to Icon of the Seas cabins & suites
• Royal Caribbean reveals spectacular design for new Icon of the Seas cruise ship
• 7 of the most cutting-edge features coming to Icon of the Seas

Before you head out to trick or treat, you might be able to save money on a drink package or shore excursion.

Royal Caribbean will routinely offer sales on pre-cruise items every few weeks in an effort to bump sales, while at the same time offering potential discounts on popular items.

In almost all cases, buying a package or add-on before the cruise will save you money compared to waiting to book it onboard. It's quite rare for the price onboard to be cheaper than if you had pre-purchased.

It's a good idea to check the final price rather than looking at what percentage off is being advertised.

The Halloween Sale is valid on purchases made between October 26, 2022 – Tuesday, November 1, 2022.

It applies to all sailings between October 30, 2022 – August 31, 2023 (excluding Spectrum of the Seas and charter sailings).

Here is what is included during the sale:

Beverage: Up to 40% off

• Classic Soda Beverage Package: 30% Off onboard prices
• Classic Soda Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Over 30% Off onboard prices
• Water Bottle Pacakage: 40% off onboard prices.
• San Benedetto Water Cans: 40% off onboard prices.
• Evian Water Bottles: 40% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship
• Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship.
• Refreshment Package: Discount varies by ship.

Shore Excursions: Up to 25% off

• Shore Excursions: Discount varies by ship.

Internet: Up to 50% Off

• VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
• VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
• The Key: Discounts varies by ship

Dining: Up to 50% Off

• Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 9N sailings: Discount varies by ship

Gifts & Gear: Up to 20% Off

• Anniversary Decorations with Champagne
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Chocolate Cake & Strawberries
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Vanilla Cake & Strawberries
• Inky Beach Set
• Inky Beach Towel (TicTacToe)
• Inky Travel Set
• Red Wine and Cheese
• Royal Caribbean Beach Towel
• Strawberries with Champagne
• White Wine and Cheese
• Anniversary Decorations
• Happy Birthday Bright Style
• Winter Blanket

Photo Packages: Up to 65% off

• Photo Packages: From 5 - 100 Print and/or Digital Options: Discount varies by ship.
• Photo Package: Private Photo Session: Discount varies by ship.
• Photo Package: All Digital: Discount varies by ship.

Spa: Up to 30% Off

• Spa Packages: Discount varies by ship.

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

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

More helpful information

• Should you buy pre-cruise purchases now or wait to buy it onboard?
• 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• How much should I budget for a cruise?

Hello from the beautiful and calm Mediterranean Sea! It’s Day 8 onboard our 12-night sailing on Odyssey of the Seas. We are making our way to Rhodes, Greece for our next port.

We were all grateful for his sea day to relax and rest after 3 very busy days in Israel. As Angie and I snuggled into bed, we both breathed a sigh of relief that we could sleep in without setting an early alarm.

The two of us didn’t get our morning started until 11:30am this morning. It was just what we needed!

Reflective Morning

I woke up feeling both refreshed and grateful for the incredible days we had in Israel.

As I mentioned, we’ve heard quite a few stories of people who had unfortunate luck during our time in Israel - like broken arms, twisted ankles, cancelled tours, scamming taxi drivers, getting left behind or lost, etc.

While these are all risks of life and traveling, there’s great disappointment that comes with highly anticipated trips that don’t go as planned. I know for many that this trip is once in a lifetime and that can make it even harder when things go amiss.

Hearing these stories makes me feel so thankful we had 3 amazing days touring and exploring Israel - everything for us went according to plan. It seems like others were not as lucky and I have a heavy heart for those who missed out due to things beyond their control.

My advice for anyone planning to do a Holy Land cruise is to book excursions through Royal Caribbean, especially on the first day for ease of immigration. If you book an independent tour, I would do research for alternative options in case your first plan doesn’t come to fruition.

Many people I spoke to that had canceled tours or they were left behind felt like they didn’t have any other options. It’s difficult to find something last minute - but being on the cruise forums and Facebook groups can help provide options.

Finally, pack your patience. From following blogs and other forums from previous sailings, there seem to be more logistical things that can go wrong with Israel compared to other sailings (like very strict immigration).

Afternoon and Sexiest Man Contest

It was nice to have nowhere to be today and no plans. The only breakfast available was in the dining room, so we opted for Sorrento’s pizza instead.

We met up with mom and dad in the promenade area and enjoyed some pizza for breakfast - all of us having slept well and feeling refreshed.

After, Angie and I decided to put on our swimsuits and head up to the pool deck. We found chairs next to mom and dad in the Solarium so we opted to grab a drink and hop in the pool there.

It was unexpectedly cold so we didn’t last long before heading to the hot tub.

By this time, the International Sexiest Man Competition was starting! We couldn’t miss out on this one for obvious reasons. Our cruise director joked that they might have to cancel due to lack of eligible participants - we laughed at that!

Have no fear though - 7 different men entered the contest to keep us all wildly entertained.

I grabbed a cheesy chicken quesadilla from my new favorite place, El Loco Fresh, and a Lime & Coconut cocktail to watch the exotic poolside show.

The men put on a great show with the pool deck erupting in cheers. We had dancing, splashing, muscle flexing and even a little twerking. Given the age demographics on this sailing, the participants were about what I expected!

The winner was a sweet older man named Steven from Montana who touched the hearts of everyone when he mentioned his grandchildren, his late wife and how he would create world peace if given the chance.

In an ironic spin, I think he was actually the most muscular of all the participants!

Trivia and Dinner

Angie and I made our way back to the cabin so we could get ready for dinner and General Knowledge Trivia in the Schooner Bar beforehand.

We joined forces with new friends and RCB fans from Ohio. Although we didn’t win the coveted Royal Caribbean water bottle prize, we had fun trying!

Angie and I had drinks in Boleros to kill time before dinner. I tried the Painkiller and Angie tried an off-the-menu drink known as the Bailey’s Banana Colada. We got to see the sunset while sipping on our cocktails.

Dinner tonight was excellent. Mom had 3 appetizers, including one of her favorites - the Seafood Cake. For dinner, we had chicken parmesan, beef short rib, steak and mushroom risotto.

We finished dinner with delicious desserts - Mississippi Mud Pie, lemon tart and apple blossoms.

Throughout dinner, we enjoyed getting to know those sitting at the table next to us. The table is located so close to ours that you can barely walk between them, so it feels almost like we are dining with them each evening.

Evening Entertainment

Following dinner, we all attended the evening show in the Royal Theatre. The performers also showcased their talents last night, but I was too tired to attend.

The rest of the family enjoyed it so much they went back for a second time. The couple performed a series of acrobatic moves in a stunning show. We all enjoyed seeing them twist and turn in ways that didn’t seem humanly possible.

Immediately after, we went to 270 to see a show called The Book. This uses the 270 space for a spectacular show that includes storytelling with cutting-edge technology.

Although we all struggled slightly to understand the storyline, the performers did an excellent job. It was electrifying, colorful and energetic as the performers danced, twirled, and sang.

There were even some acrobatic moves when performers were flung from the ceiling and danced.

The show was incredible with stunning visuals. Dad described it as sensory overload and joked that he felt like he was on drugs during some of the portions!

The late show means a late bedtime for us as I finish this blog.

Tomorrow we are in Rhodes, Greece. I have been to Greece a few times, but never to this island. I’ve heard wonderful things and luckily the ship docks right near the old town.

We plan to independently explore the island tomorrow and hopefully that’s a good choice.

Until then, good night from Odyssey of the Seas!

There’s no doubt that working on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship is a unique job, but what is life actually like in the crew-only areas onboard?

Aside from the 2-hour behind-the-scenes tour offered by Royal Caribbean, most guests have no idea what life is like in the crew-only areas of the ship.

It’s possible to catch a glimpse of a crew-only stairwell from the hallway or peek down into the crew-only bar from the Promenade deck, but most of these “secret” crew areas are left up to our imagination.

In the age of social media, however, we’re able to learn more about the life of crew members onboard Royal Caribbean ships. Several crew members run YouTube and Tik Tok channels, and today we’re going to go behind-the-scenes on what was the world's largest cruise ship at the time, Wonder of the Seas.

Wonder of the Seas crew member's Tik Tok

Bryan James works onboard Wonder of the Seas as the guitarist and vocalist in The Mason Jar Bar. When he isn’t singing country tunes in Royal Caribbean’s newest restaurant and bar, you can find him making videos for his Tik Tok following of almost 700,000.

While all of his Tik Toks revolve around life on a cruise ship, he has several that focus on the day-to-day life of crew members onboard. In these videos, we can catch a glimpse of crew-only areas and learn more about the hangout spaces, food, and cabins reserved for crew members.

Let’s take a look at six of James’ Tik Toks to learn more about life for crew on Wonder of the Seas.

#1: Secret hangout in the ship’s funnel

Located at the very top of Wonder of the Seas is the ship’s funnel, but did you know that this is a crew-only hangout space?

Accessible from a crew-only stairwell is a spacious deck with views of the ship’s aft and Sports Court. The hangout space has tables and chairs, allowing crew to relax with expansive ocean views.

James states that “It’s like a secret hangout that’s by the funnel of the ship… and not even by the funnel. I mean, it’s like… in the funnel and it’s so pretty.”

@bryanjames.music Who's sneakin round the crew areas? #royalcaribbean #wonderoftheseas #cruiseshipcrew #🛳 #cruiseship ♬ original sound - Bryan James

#2: Shop for crew members

Crew members on Wonder of the Seas can purchase items like snacks, toiletries, laundry detergent, and other day-to-day essentials in a “secret” shop reserved just for crew members.

James mentioned that this shop was extremely helpful when crew members were not allowed to disembark the ship during the pandemic. Now that crew members are able to disembark in port, they can choose to purchase items at the onboard shop or in local stores in port.

When asked about the prices at the crew-only shop, James mentioned “It’s not too bad! There are weird taxes being overseas right now so everything is about 30 percent more expensive than it should be.”

In front of the shop appears to be a dining and lounge space for crew members, as seen in James’ Tik Tok.

@bryanjames.music What other below deck areas do you wanna see? #cruiseshipcrew #belowdeck #wonderoftheseas #cruiseship ♬ original sound - Bryan James

#3: What is the food like for crew members?

A major part of going on a Royal Caribbean cruise is dining at the ship’s restaurants, but what type of food do crew members eat onboard?

James gave an insight into dining options for Wonder of the Seas crew members on a recent Tik Tok, where he mentioned that “it changes quite a bit.”

In his Tik Tok, we can see a crêpe station at the buffet. This is similar to the live cooking stations we passengers see in the Windjammer buffet. This section seems to change day by day; he explains that this area sometimes offers other made-to-order dishes like fried rice or pad thai.

In addition to the live cooking station is a standard buffet, which has a salad bar, fruits, cheeses and cold cuts, and a section of hot foods like meats and side dishes.

James also shows an extensive selection of desserts, many of which are the same desserts you’ll find in the guest dining areas onboard. Crew members dine in the crew-only dining space located near the buffet.

@bryanjames.music Would ya trade the guest buffet for this one? #cruiseship #cruiseshipfood #cruiseshipcrew #royalcaribbean ♬ original sound - Bryan James

#4: “World’s smallest cruise ship cabin”

Bryan James moved into what he called the “world’s smallest cruise ship cabin” earlier this year as Wonder of the Seas geared up for its inaugural voyage in March.

He gave followers a behind-the-scenes look at where crew live, which is, unsurprisingly, quite different from the ship’s biggest guest suites 15 decks above.

James lived in a single room, which had one twin bed, a tv, mini fridge, small wardrobe, drawers above the bed, small desk, sink, toilet, shower, and full-length mirror. The bathroom is shared between two cabins.

The cabin is anything but spacious. In fact, he later shared in another Tik Tok that “I can touch every single wall at the exact same time!”

Not every crew cabin is the same size, however, and many crew members share a room. In another Tik Tok, James’ friend Zoe shared her crew cabin and it appears much more spacious. It also has a virtual balcony.

@bryanjames.music A biiiittt smaller than I expected. #cruiseshipsinger #cruiseshipdancer #cruiseshiplife #cruiseshipcrew #cruiseship #cabintour #🛳 ♬ Wii - Mii Channel - Super Guitar Bros

#5: A day in the life on a cruise ship

We caught a few more glimpses of crew life onboard Wonder of the Seas with a “Day in the Life” Tik Tok from Bryan James.

What you may not know about cruise ship operations is that there are frequent training, drills, and events for crew members.

James explains how, on this day, he had a CPR training in the morning followed by the weekly crew drill, during which crew members practice the ship’s safety procedures. Following the safety drill was a crew meeting in the Royal Theater led by the captain to discuss how the ship is doing.

After an afternoon in port, Bryan and a fellow crew member headed to the crew laundry room. Crew members have access to self-service laundry machines unlike guests.

Later in the evening, we see the crew members enjoying a crew-only party in the Solarium followed by a game of foosball in a crew-only space.

@bryanjames.music Looking for suggestions of where to hide the duck. #royalcaribbean #wonderoftheseas #symphonyoftheseas #utopiaoftheseas #iconoftheseas ♬ original sound - Bryan James

#6: Lifeboat drills for crew members

Our last Tik Tok doesn’t show a secret crew space per se, but Bryan James revealed an interesting snippet about lifeboat drills for crew members on his Tik Tok channel.

He mentioned how crew are randomly selected to test the capacity of the lifeboats on Wonder of the Seas. During this test, crew members must put on lifejackets and board the lifeboat, and red dots in the lifeboat indicate where to sit.

He jokes how “It’s just as hot, sweaty, and uncomfortable as it looks, but technically I’m getting paid to do this, so I guess it’s not too bad!”

@bryanjames.music How do we know the lifeboats still work? Pack em up with crew members. #cruiseshipcrew #royalcaribbean #belowdeck #wonderoftheseas ♬ original sound - Bryan James

If you're interested in learning more about life for Royal Caribbean crew members, be sure to follow Bryan James on his Tik Tok channel at @bryanjames.music for more videos!