Royal Caribbean Blog

Preparing for an upcoming cruise is one of the most exciting aspects of the planning process. Before any trip, I run last-minute errands to stock up on anything that I might need for my vacation.

While I typically run to Target for my pre-cruise shopping spree, I decided to visit my local Dollar Tree before my recent cruise. I was shocked at how many inexpensive cruise essentials were available for just $1.25. This is a fraction of the cost I normally pay - and finding hidden gems at the dollar store felt like a treasure hunt!

If you’re looking to keep costs down on your upcoming cruise, I highly recommend visiting the Dollar Tree before your next sailing. Here are five must-have items that you should stock up on before your sailing.

1. Travel-Sized Toiletries

The Dollar Tree is a great place to purchase travel-sized products before your next cruise. For just $1.25 each, you can get a variety of name brand toiletries. I stocked up on toothpaste and lotion before my last cruise, but you can also find small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, mouthwash and more.

Also, these smaller items are perfect for anyone looking to save space in their luggage. Because I usually travel with just a carry-on, I rely on travel-sized toiletries to be compliant with TSA requirements.

2. Cabin Necessities

If you’re looking for cruise cabin necessities, the Dollar Tree is a great place to visit. Because cruise staterooms have magnetic walls, you can hang anything magnetic during your sailing. I purchased magnets to hang daily agendas and tickets on the wall, along with magnetic hooks for heavier items.

Other necessities that I found at my Dollar Tree included pop-up hamper for dirty laundry and scented room mist to keep the cabin smelling fresh. 

3. Cleaning and Hygiene Essentials

While you won’t have to worry about actual cleaning on your cruise (you are on vacation, after all), you should plan to pack a few cleaning essentials. I was surprised to find many options at the Dollar Tree for cleaning and hygiene at such a reasonable price.

I prefer to have liquid hand soap for the bathroom in my cabin, so I grabbed a bottle for $1.25 to bring onboard. In addition, I grabbed a 2-pack of hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes, as you can never have too many of these while cruising! Other gems at the Dollar Tree included individually-packaged stain removing wipes, an Oxiclean stain removing pen and a travel-sized laundry detergent to wash laundry in your cabin.

4. Medicine and Health Supplies

I never thought about heading to the Dollar Tree for medication, but I was pleasantly surprised by the selection and prices. It’s a good idea to keep over-the-counter medication in your cabin while cruising, as it will save you time and money if you need anything.

My Dollar Tree had everything from supplements like Vitamin C to name-brand medications like Advil and Tylenol. Generic medication was stocked on the shelves too, including gas relief, antacids, cold and flu medication, anti-diarrhea and laxatives.  There was even a small first-aid kit that would be perfect for traveling!

5. Door Decorations

One practice that’s become wildly popular on cruises is decorating your stateroom door. People are very creative these days with their door decor! If you want to participate in this trend, check out the Dollar Tree for a variety of decorations at an extremely reasonable price.

In particular, my store had multiple aisles stocked full of cute Halloween and fall decor for $1.25. Those who want to decorate on a budget will appreciate the selection of decorations for all occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries, graduation and family reunions. One of my favorite finds was a magnetic dry erase board that we hung on the door of our cabin for fellow cruisers to leave notes!

Getting a better cruise ship cabin is a fun way to make your vacation even more exciting, in part, because you'll get more space and maybe even more amenities.

I will often book a cruise in a certain category room, but as the cruise gets closer, reconsider my cabin choice.  

Moving up to a better cabin might be a reflection of extra cash to splurge, a lower-than-expected price, or a change in our family's needs. It could just be a whim, but whatever the reason, it's a fun feeling to (try and) get a better cabin.

Here's everything you need to know about upgrading your cabin on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Upgrading your room the traditional way

The simplest and most straightforward way to upgrade your cabin is to ask your travel agent to do it.  Or if you booked with Royal Caribbean directly, give them a call.

You'll compare the price you originally paid to the price of the better cabin, and pay the difference.

Royal Caribbean claims you can make these sort of changes up until the final payment date, but in my experience, they'll always take more money if you want to spend more.  Any payments or deposits you've previously made can be applied to the new reservation.

Upgrading in this fashion means you're subject to the prevailing rates and, there could be different booking incentives too.

Ideally, you'll try this method as early as possible because cabins book up closer to your sail date. Likewise, prices go up as more cabins are sold.  The chances of a last-minute cheap upgrade are unlikely, but not unheard of either.

It's not a bad idea to re-check cabin prices a day or two after the final payment date to see if any cabins returned to inventory because someone missed final payment or cancelled.

The easiest way to see if there's a room available to upgrade to is to do a mock booking on Royal Caribbean's website and see what comes up.  

Prices can change at any time, and inventory moves in real-time.  So you could very well spot a good price, call in the upgrade, but realize the room is no longer available. Be sure to act quickly.

One major advantage of this strategy is you get to pick the specific cabin and location, ensuring you know which room you are getting before paying. Unless, of course, you book a guaranteed cabin.

The disadvantage of upgrading your room in the traditional manner is you are limited to which rooms are available at that moment and whatever prevailing rates.  Plus, as you get closer to the sailing, it's less likely there will be cabins to move up to, especially balcony rooms or suites.

Bidding to upgrade your cabin

Another way to move up to a nicer room is to tell Royal Caribbean how much you'd be willing to spend to hypothetically upgrade in a blind auction.

Royal Up is the name of the program where guests get a choice of different cabin categories you can place bids for, and a range of prices to choose from.

The bid amount is per person for the entire duration of the cruise. Offers are based on two occupants per stateroom - only the first and second guest will be charged. 

Typically you can begin placing bids through Royal Up up to 90 days before your cruise begins, and you can expect an email from the cruise line to inform you of the choice. Alternatively, you can check if you're eligible to place a bid on Royal Caribbean's website.

If you're going to place a bid, I'd recommend doing it right when bids open up, rather than waiting.

The other best time to place a Royal Up bid is if there's a chance a lot of people won't make the cruise, such as a hurricane or winter storm elsewhere in the country.  Those sort of incidents spur last-minute cancellations and might be an opportune moment for a snipe bid.

Bidding for a cabin is a bit confusing because of the myriad of cabin choices and prices. How much should you bid? Will it actually save me money? Are these rooms really available?

When you bid for a room, keep in mind this is your offer to the cruise line if a cabin were to open up, how much you'd be willing to pay. Royal Up is a mechanism to handle unsold rooms or rooms that get cancelled at the last minute.  

As for how much to bid, it almost doesn't matter because winning bids are routinely accepted at all ranges.

Bid what you're comfortable with, and understand that room might not actually be available (yet).

The advantage of bidding for an upgrade is you might save a lot of money compared to if you had booked that same room outright initially. This is especially true if you want to bid to upgrade to a different kind of interior cabin.

Aside from the confusion over how much to bid, I think the top disadvantage of bidding for a room is you will have no choice in where the room is located.

Winning bids get the cabin automatically assigned by Royal Caribbean, which could result in a room near a public venue, or being more susceptible to motion.

You should not bid for a cabin upgrade with Royal Up if you have more than one cabin booked, because there's no way to get the new cabins near each other.

How safe are Royal Caribbean's ships when it comes to disease and illness?

Cruise ship travel—like other forms of transport—exposes people to new environments and the risk of illness.

Cruise ships are often criticized for spreading gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses, or risking illness through contaminated food and water.

Because GI illnesses are highly contagious, they can easily be passed through person-to-person contact.

Norovirus, for example, is transmitted when someone ingests particles of vomit or feces from an infected person, such as through consuming food touched by an infected individual, touching contaminated surfaces and then their mouth, or placing contaminated objects on clean surfaces.

The most common symptoms are diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches, abdominal pain, and fever.

Sick people can spread illness to others by touching handrails, elevator buttons, shared utensils, and other people.

Traveling on cruise ships exposes guests to new environments, communal spaces, and high volumes of other people, all of which can exacerbate the risk of illness.

According to the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the center "helps the cruise ship industry prevent and control gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses on cruise ships."

The CDC rated 3 Royal Caribbean ships perfectly clean

Not all cruise ships are operated in the same way, so the CDC randomly conducts inspections on cruise ships throughout the year. The inspection is a surprise, always unannounced.

The CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) gives each cruise ship a rating on a scale of 0-100 once the inspection is complete.

The CDC studies each vessel's sanitary levels, examining common areas such as buffets, kitchens, pools, and playscapes.

Inspectors look at food storage and any sign of vermin on board, as well as detailed aspects like swimming pool disinfection and the water temperature of the dishwasher.

The CDC has inspected a total of 119 ships in 2024, and its report shows data on a rolling 12-month basis. 

While all of Royal Caribbean's ships passed their inspections, three vessels in particular received a perfect score.

The following Royal Caribbean ships have a 100 VSP score according to the CDC:

1. Voyager of the Seas

2. Radiance of the Seas

3. Brilliance of the Seas

Although cruise ships only make up 1% of reported outbreaks of GI illnesses, they tend to make the news whenever an outbreak occurs onboard.

In May of 2024, passengers on Allure of the Seas reported on social media that many guests were falling ill from food poisoning.

On a September 20th sailing in Alaska, 180 cruisers on Radiance of the Seas fell sick in a GI illness outbreak. Three crew members also reported being sick.

Read more: People onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ship report sick from gastrointestinal illness

If the incidents of sick cases make up more than 3% of the ship's total population, cruise ships are required to report the cases to the CDC. These reports often end up making major news in the cruise industry.

A lower score doesn't necessarily mean an unsafe ship

Additionally, non-perfect scores don't mean an unhealthy or unsafe ship.

According to the CDC's VSP index, a score of 85 or lower is unsatisfactory. All Royal Caribbean ships feature a rating of at least 89 or above on the score sheet.

The lowest-rated Royal Caribbean ships are:

• Adventure of the Seas, which received a score of 89
• Independence of the Seas, rated at 91
• Harmony of the Seas, which scored 92

The CDC's inspections and VSP scores are important, but not the only factor in ensuring a cruise ship is clean.

Cruise ships are also mindful of the impact that bad news and excessive press about sickness can have. Royal Caribbean wants its guests to be healthy and enjoy their cruise enough to sail again.

The cruise line uses several plans of action and employs crew members to keep its ships well-maintained and clean throughout the year.

Every vessel, no matter its VSP score, features several health awareness tactics and oversight of outbreak prevention.

Guests on Royal Caribbean ships will spot hand-washing stations, free hand sanitizer, health awareness signs, and even crew members reminding guests to clean their hands.

If guests do fall sick, Royal Caribbean has a series of health protocols to prevent further infection, no matter the source.

Read more: Royal Caribbean eliminated norovirus outbreaks on its cruise ships last year after making big changes

This program, implemented in 2023, includes six tenants:

1. Stop buffet self-service if the onboard norovirus rate exceeds 1.5%
2. More crew training on acute GI symptoms and avoiding cross-contamination
3. More GI training for onboard medical teams
4. Increased oversight of the Outbreak Prevention Plan
5. Switching to PDI SaniCloth Prime hospital-grade disinfectant wipes, which carry a claim against norovirus (Contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use)
6. Contactless tap technology, so crew members don't have to handle SeaPass cards

A Royal Caribbean guest is suing the cruise line and its former crew member, alleging she was filmed by a hidden camera in her stateroom bathroom. 

The class action lawsuit was filmed on behalf of the guest in the Southern District of Florida this Tuesday, as first reported by the Miami Herald.

The guest was only identified as Jane Doe, but the lawsuit was also filed on behalf of "all other similarly situated passengers."

In August, former crew member Arvin Joseph Mirasol was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. 

He was found guilty of filming guests, including children, with hidden cameras while they were naked, in addition to hiding under cabin beds on Symphony of the Seas.

Read more: "I will be checking under the bed now": Royal Caribbean crew member accused of hiding cameras to spy on guests

Federal authorities found images of women and children undressing on his electronic devices, "numerous videos of naked females," as well as child sexual abuse material.

During a post-Miranda interview, Mirasol admitted to pleasuring himself while watching the videos. He told authorities he "wants to control it...but can't." 

Mirasol was also charged with six pending counts of video voyeurism in Florida state court after the Broward Sheriff’s Office interviewed him.

According to the lawsuit, Mirasol captured images of Doe "while undressed and engaging in private activities" during a February cruise.

The guest, Jane Doe, also alleges that Mirasol uploaded images of her to the Internet, including the dark web.

“Upon information and belief, Mirasol transmitted and/or uploaded images of the Plaintiff while undressed and engaging in private activities, to third parties and/or to the world wide web, including, but not limited to, the dark web, without Plaintiff’s prior knowledge or consent,” the complaint states. 

As a result, she has suffered extreme emotional distress, including physical symptoms like insomnia and dizziness.

The lawsuit places the blame on Royal Caribbean for failing to provide sufficient security, training, or supervision to prevent sexual assaults.

The cruise line did not warn guests about such crimes and allegedly did not notify passengers who stayed in cabins served by Mirasol.

According to the lawsuit, there may be up to 960 impacted passengers, who stayed on Symphony of the Seas between December 1st, 2023, and February 26th, 2024.

Royal Caribbean “knew or should have known sexual assaults were reasonably foreseeable considering the prevalence of sexual assaults aboard RCCL’s cruise ships," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit referenced a 2023 incident on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas in which passenger Jeremy Froias installed a hidden camera on a 7-night sailing from Miami, Florida.

Froias was arrested after placing a hidden WiFi camera in the public bathroom between the FlowRider and a bar.

His camera, which was up for 24 hours before security removed it, allegedly depicted more than 150 individuals in various states of undress, including minors as young as four and five years old.

The number of sexual assaults onboard cruise ships rose in 2023, according to the US Department of Transportation. 

Onboard cruise ships embarking and disembarking in the United States, 131 sex crimes were reported to the FBI in 2023.

This is a significant increase from 2022, which saw 87 alleged sexual assaults.

However, the actual numbers could be even higher. 

According to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, more than two out of three of all sexual assaults are never reported.

Of these alleged sex crimes in 2023, 75% were committed by cruise ship passengers (98 in total), and only 27 crimes were committed by crew members. Six of the incidents had an "unknown" perpetrator.

Jason Margulies, an attorney with Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., in Miami Florida, is representing the plaintiff in this case.

Margulies addressed the allegations that Royal Caribbean hasn't been informing affected guests who sailed on Symphony of the Seas.

“If you're a company that's looking out for the best interest of your passengers, and aren't acting in your own financial interests, then you would certainly be telling all these people that they could be potential victims, right?"

"I mean, that's the humane thing to do.”

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, including punitive damages, and a jury trial.

Royal Caribbean emailed a statement to USA TODAY: “The safety and privacy of our guests is our highest priority, and we have zero tolerance for this behavior."

“We immediately reported this case to law enforcement and terminated the crew member. As this is pending litigation, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Utopia of the Seas offers short cruises on a ship with lots to do. How can you make the most of it?

I recently sailed on Utopia of the Seas for a 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay cruise.

Leaving round-trip from Port Canaveral, Florida, I knew I only had a short amount of time to experience everything Utopia has to offer.

Cruisers first criticized Royal Caribbean when it debuted its newest Oasis Class vessel with only short sailings.

However, the cruise line found that first-time cruisers like to start with 3 and 4-night sailings, and Utopia is the perfect ship to draw them in.

With everything from a train car-themed dining experience to waterslides and escape rooms, there are countless activities to try on Utopia of the Seas.

But how can you fit them all into just a few days?

Explore the ship to get your bearings

I always explore the cruise ship as soon as I get onboard, but this is especially important to do on a short cruise on Utopia. 

On such a huge vessel, with so little time, cruisers have to know their way around.

You'll want to get your bearings as soon as you board, in order to find events quickly and ensure you don't miss anything.

It's hard to keep everything in your head, so start out by getting a visual sense of what the ship's neighborhoods and venues look like.

I recommend wandering the whole ship at least once—you don't want to miss anything on the map. 

Sometimes it takes walking around yourself to find hidden locations or decide if a particular venue piques your interest. Don't take the app's word for it—go see each spot with your own eyes.

Reserve specialty restaurants in advance

A specialty meal is worth the extra cost on Utopia. The 5,668-passenger vessel offers quality venues found on few other ships, such as the Mason Jar, Izumi Omakase, Izumi in the Park, and the Royal Railway.

Other specialty venues onboard include Chops Grille, Sugar Beach, Johnny Rockets, 150 Central, Chef's Table, Playmakers, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, Starbucks, Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, and Hooked Seafood.

Dining at an extra-cost restaurant gets you higher-quality food in a themed venue and allows you to see more of the ship during a short sailing.

To ensure that you're able to dine at your favorite locations, be sure to make reservations ahead of time. Specialty restaurants on mega ships can sell out quickly, and you never want to be turned away from a dinner you were looking forward to.

You're able to reserve individual restaurants or bookings as part of a dining package on the Cruise Planner website before the cruise.

If you don't make reservations online, you can also go to any dining venue on the first day of the cruise and make your bookings then. My advice is to pre-book to save time and money.

Hit the top deck activities on embarkation day

The best time to go to the pool, water slides or hot tubs is as soon as you board the ship.

The pool deck is open on embarkation day, including the water slides.  Not only is it available, but it's the best time to experience them because there are least amount of crowds.

Most other passengers haven't boarded yet, are busy exploring the ship, or simply don't have their bathing suits with them.

This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy smaller crowds and shorter lines.  Pack a bathing suit in your carry-on, or just wear it onboard.

Use Royal Caribbean's app to prioritize events

To fit in Utopia's non-stop events, you'll need to have a detailed itinerary.

The Royal Caribbean app will become your source of all cruise information and it works with or without the WiFi package.

Events will be listed in great detail each day of the sailing, including the time, venue, and any associated costs.

I recommend consulting the app frequently to keep track of onboard events.

Read more: 5 things to know before sailing on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas

The Royal Caribbean app allows you to add events to your own Calender, and it will even send you a notification 30 minutes before the event begins.

I also saw events get canceled or change times while on my Utopia sailing, so checking the app frequently allowed me to stay updated.

Pack your carry-on efficiently  

Maximizing a short cruise on Utopia means using every moment you get onboard—including on embarkation day.

This hack takes a little extra planning but can give you hours of additional fun.

By packing your carry-on efficiently, you'll be able to begin activities before your stateroom is ready or your luggage is delivered.

Read more: 6 mistakes to avoid while planning a cruise and sharing a cabin with a friend

Since luggage doesn't get delivered until late afternoon, packing logically will allow you to start enjoying activities as soon as you get onboard.

Pack lightly, but bring medication, water bottles, sunglasses, sunscreen, a swimsuit, and a change of clothes in your carry-on bag.

You'll be able to enjoy lunch, time at the pool, or other activities while other cruisers are still boarding and waiting for their cabins.

View event highlights on the TV

Each Royal Caribbean stateroom has at least one TV, where guests can view 10-20 free channels, purchase movies, or cast from their devices (depending on the ship).

On Utopia of the Seas, you'll find that multiple channels stream or show recaps of events happening onboard.

While I don't prefer to view events on TV instead of experiencing them, you can use this feature to take advantage of shorter sailings.

If you find yourself double-booked, a quick replay of the previous events can catch you up.

When you return to your stateroom after dinner or late at night, you'll be able to turn on the television and see the highlights of events you missed.

Read more: I spent over a week on Royal Caribbean's new Utopia of the Seas. I was impressed by how much was changed for the world's newest cruise ship.

For example, my travel buddy and I stopped in to watch the World's Sexiest Man competition on the pool deck but had to leave to grab lunch before the Windjammer closed.

After that, we went on to the next event, but we didn't get to see who had won the competition!

When we returned to our cabin later that night, the TV's re-run showed us which cruiser was awarded the Sexiest Man.

Get off the ship in CocoCay early

The highlight of any Utopia of the Seas cruise will be a visit to Royal Caribbean's private island, so get more out of it by disembarking early.

You can walk off the ship to Perfect Day at CoocCay as early as 8am, and if you can get going that early, you'll enjoy the best spots on the island.

Not only will there be less people in the pool or ocean, but you can cherry pick the best chairs or day beds. 

Moreover, if you start your day earlier, you can enjoy more time before the crowds arrive later in the morning. If you're feeling like heading back to the ship, you'll have already taken advantage of the least crowded time on the island.

Much has been made recently about cruise ship congestion in Alaska, so Royal Caribbean might have an answer.

Together with an Alaskan Native company, Royal Caribbean Group announced a new partnership to co-develop a new port in Juneau. Goldbelt Incorporated is a urban Alaska Native, for-profit corporation.

Some residents have wanted to limit cruise ship traffic in Juneau, despite the likely negative impact on local businesses. The reason is these locals have found the crowds cruise ships bring to be troublesome.

A resident-written ballot proposition was voted on recently to ban cruise ships on Saturdays, but 60% of voters rejected the measure. Unofficial tallies released by the city found that 2,586 residents voted in favor of the measure and 3,873 voted against it — also a 60% margin.

Royal Caribbean Group's plan would build a new port with the goal of, "strengthening the city's infrastructure while improving traffic congestion downtown and enhancing the local and visitor experience."

The new port would be located on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act land on Douglas Island. Douglas island is west of downtown Juneau and east of Admiralty Island. It is separated from mainland Juneau by the Gastineau Channel.

The project is called, "The Port of Tomorrow" and it is expected to be completed during the 2027 Alaska cruise season.

The port would have two floating berths overlooking the Chilkat Range. 

Once passengers disembark the ship, they would enter a recreated 1800s Alaska Native Tlingit village, where they "will experience Goldbelt Incorporated shareholders' ancestral history through stories, art, songs, dance, and traditional foods."

The existing port in Juneau includes three cruise terminals: the Ferry Terminal, South Franklin Dock, and Marine Park. In addition, ships may anchor and tender passengers ashore when more than three ships are present.

Fixing the traffic problems

In order to leverage the existing whale watching tour operations, passengers would depart directly from West Douglas Island onto whale-watching tours or shuttle boats to Mendenhall Glacier to counter downtown traffic. 

Estimates are it would remove nearly one-third of bus traffic from Juneau's most congested roadways, from downtown Franklin Street to the Glacier Highway, enhancing the overall guest and resident experience, while also paying testament to Alaska Native culture.

Because Douglas Island is located directly in the major shipping routes alongside Steven's Passage, the proposal has other advantages beyond downtown Juneau. 

It promises an environmental advantage, reducing time, speed, and fuel requirements for ships sailing north to Skagway or west to the Gulf of Alaska, making it the most ideal stop-over for routing to Sitka or Seward.

The capital of Alaska cruising

Juneau welcomes more than 1.6 million cruise ship passengers per year, and on its busiest days, 20,000 cruise passengers arrive at the city.

Nearly every major cruise line that sails in Alaska has a stop in Juneau, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Disney, and Viking.

The Alaska cruise season runs between April and October, but Royal Caribbean ships primarily visit between May and September.

According to Juneau's FAQ on the ballot initiative, in 2023, cruise visitors generated $30 million in direct spending and $3.7 million in revenue for the municipal government on Saturdays.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty told Wall Street analysts during a quarterly earnings call in July 2024 that Alaska was one of his company's most sought-after destinations, "Alaska summer itineraries are performing exceptionally well."

In fact, summer Alaska season represents 6% of full-year capacity for Royal Caribbean Group. The company increased their capacity this year as a result of moving bigger ships into the Alaska market.

The cabin you choose for a cruise is where you'll call home for the entire duration of your voyage, so if there's a problem with it, you'll want to do something about it.

To be fair, most staterooms on a cruise ship are free of noise issues. Over the course of my nearly 100 cruises that I've taken, I can count on one hand the amount of times I've had a noise issue in my room.

However, noise issues do happen from time to time, so knowing what to do is helpful in mitigating the problem quickly.

Noise issues could stem from any sort of sources: mechanical, other passengers, wind, just to name a few.

A Royal Caribbean message board user, Couponz, shared an issue in their cabin on Anthem of the Seas that they encountered, "In my stateroom, I hear this loud banging noise that seems to roll with the side-to-side movement of the ship."

If you run into a similar situation, here's what you should know about handling it.

Assessing the source of the noise

The first thing you should do is try to figure out what's causing the noise and where it's coming from.

You'd be surprised how often the source of a noise problem is something you can fix on your own.  I believe one of the most common sources of noise in a stateroom are the hangers in the closet.

Royal Caribbean provides hangers in every stateroom closet, and they can rattle quite a bit (especially if the ship is swaying a bit).

Or perhaps its glasses clinging together, or something else you've left out that is making the noise.

You'll want to determine if the noise is coming from outside the cabin, such as in the hallway or a public area.  Or, if the noise is from coming within your room, such as from the ventilation, plumbing, or in the walls.

Creaking is a somewhat common noise issue on a cruise, especially from the ceiling. As the ship moves, panels move to, and there's a bit of give between them. 

Usually the creaking subsides as movement in the ship does.  On some occasions, I've been able to push firmly against the panel to jostle it to a point where it mitigates the noise.

Regardless, figuring out where the noise is coming from helps in diagnosing the cause, and keying crew members into addressing it.

Immediate fixes

Minor noises, creaks, or thuds can happen.  Just like a hotel room on land that has a loud car going by or the wind rattling a window, most of it can be subtle and short lived.

Many veteran cruisers recommend packing certain devices and aids to use if there is a small noise issue, especially to help them sleep.

A good pair of ear plugs can be a game-changer for keeping you asleep longer.

The Flents Foam Ear Plugs come highly recommended by our readers because they fit well, muffle noise, and you can still hear your alarm go off in the morning. (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Another idea is to download a white noise app to your smart phone that can play the music on loop (“bedtime fan” from App Store is one that a reader recommended).

The LectroFan white noise machine is one such device, and it could be what you need to sleep peacefully (and it can be powered by USB). (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Asking for help

When the issue is beyond your control and it's impacting your ability to sleep or enjoy your room, there's nothing wrong with reporting the issue and seeking help.

Your best bet is to start with your stateroom attendant. He or she works in your room every week, so they know problem areas as well as being up on what's unusual.

If your stateroom is not available, you could go to the Maintenance department. There's usually an extension on your stateroom phone for maintenance or housekeeping.  Either one will result in a technician coming out to check the problem.

That's right, there are a team of technicians on your ship whose job it is to keep up with any maintenance issues.  They wear blue uniforms, and they can be by in under an hour to assist.

Once they arrive to the cabin, show them what the issue is and how or when it occurs.  It's best if it can be reproduced, so if it's intermittent, I'd recommend taking a video of it to show them so they can understand it without waiting around.

If the noise is from another passenger, you'll need to get Security involved.  Once again, I advise taking a video when the noise occurs.

Unfortunately, Security can only truly intervene if they are the ones observing the problem happening.  But a video helps and alerts them to a potential issue, and establishes a report that can be acted on if it continues.

How to escalate a problem

Let's assume the noise issue continues, how do you get it resolved?

As I mentioned, it's best to start with your cabin attendant.  They'll either know of a quick fix or get maintenance involved. But if it continues being an issue, you'll want to escalate the issue.

Ideally, you'd speak with the deck supervisor next. This crew member is in charge of the upkeep of all of the staterooms on your deck (or at least a section). To be honest, it's difficult to know who this person is or how to contact them other than asking your cabin attendant to have them contact you.

You could also go to Guest Services and explain the issue.  I would avoid starting with Guest Services, because they'll just relay the info back to Housekeeping and Maintenance as a first step.

When you speak to Guest Services, explain the issue and what you've done to try to remedy it. Be calm and remember Guest Services isn't causing it. They'll do what they can to assist.

You could request a cabin change if the issue seems habitual, but that's not so simple.  Cruise ships sail completely full these days, so it's rare to have open cabins.  However, it doesn't hurt to ask if you truly believe that will bypass the problem. Just understand there aren't a block of empty cabins available.

If you truly feel like you're not making any progress, ask to speak to the Hotel Director. Guest Services will be able to get them for you.

The Hotel Director is one of the most highly ranked crew members onboard, and they oversee everything involving the hotel side of the operation, including your cabin.

Asking for compensation

Should you get money back if there's a real noise issue?

Compensation for a problem is a bit of a gray area, and really depends on the exact situation. I've seen onboard credit given out for minor and major problems, and then not again.

As an example, when we didn't have hot water in my cabin on embarkation day during the afternoon, I received onboard credit, but didn't get any when a rain shower partially flooded my cabin floor.

In many cases, a supervisor or manager will authorize onboard credit or a future cruise credit without even asking. I think this has been the most common scenario that I've been compensated for an issue.

Keep in mind a noise problem in your cabin does not automatically qualify you for compensation.  If something breaks, there's probably a better argument for it.  But noisy neighbors, the weather, and other things out of Royal Caribbean's control may not warrant it.

Nonetheless, there's no reason you can't ask for it if you feel it's warranted. Don't bother asking your stateroom attendant or the maintenance department for it. You'll want to speak with Guest Services or the Hotel Director.  Ultimately, it's at their discretion and there's no legal obligation on their part to offer you any, per the Cruise Contract you agreed to when you booked your cruise.

Preventative measures for future cruises

In general, there are certain cabins to avoid on a cruise ship as well as the right cabins to choose for a quiet stay.

Ideally, pick a cabin that is one deck above or below other staterooms. Avoid cabins that are one deck above or below a public area, such as a dining room or pool.

Never book a connecting stateroom unless you know the people on the other side of the connecting door.  

Cruise ship cabins are poorly insulated from noise to begin with, but connecting doors are even worse. 

It's totally fine to book connecting cabins when you have both cabins, but don't book a connecting cabin if it's just you in one room. Anecdotally, a lot of RoyalUp bids end up with connecting cabins.

Other typically noisy rooms are cabins that face public areas, such as a Promenade view cabin. 

Royal Promenade View cabins are available on Freedom Class, Voyager Class and Oasis Class ships and they have cabins that face inward towards the Royal Promenade. Each of these rooms has a large bay window that looks out to the Promenade, but this window is not soundproof.

On the Vision & Radiance Class ships, the first few cabins from the Centrum can also deal with noise bleed, as the Centrum is home to loud music in the evening.  

Conclusion

If there's a noise problem in your stateroom, address it early so you can eliminate the problem and enjoy a relaxing rest of your cruise.

I commonly read rants from people that come back from a cruise with noise issues and learn they didn't do anything about it.

A word of warning, be sure to get the issue taken care of onboard.  Some people put up with the noise, and then try contacting Royal Caribbean after the cruise is over for some kind of resolution, especially compensation.

In my experience, getting the issue fixed onboard not only gets rid of the noise, but also is the best way to potentially receive compensation since the crew can assess if the problem is indeed warranting it.

It's likely you will never run into this sort of an issue, but now you'll have the right approach to get it solved.

A 74-year-old man takes his wife that he's been married to for 55 years on a cruise twice a year, and he has no intention of stopping.

Ron Lodowski lives in upstate New York with his wife, Susan, and they love to go on cruises as a way to escape to the tropics and enjoy a carefree trip.

While Millennials lead the post-Covid recovery in travel, baby boomers are increasingly booking trips. That's according to Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty.

In an interview in 2023, Mr. Liberty said Baby Boomers tend to pay more for a cruise (because they prefer higher end accommodations) and they bring their kids and grandkids with them.

"That Baby Boomer is bringing in more of that multigenerational travel, as the grandparents are looking to travel with their kids and their grandkids."

Ron is part of that Baby Boomer generation, and he likes how everything is taken care of on a cruise, "Need a meal? Royal has you covered. Need your cabin or suite cleaned? No problem. Want to see some form of entertainment after dinner? Look no further. Royal Caribbean cruising is one stop vacation shopping."

He didn't start cruising until later in life. His first cruise was in 2008 as a gift to his daughter. While he admits he made a "big mistake" choosing a Carnival cruise as his first cruise, he quickly made the jump to Royal Caribbean and now goes on multiple cruises per year.

"I cruise twice a year, on average, normally, once in March or April and once is September or October," he said.

"Living in the Northeast... these dates tend to extend the warm summer for us instead of having the summer begin in May and end in late August or early September."

I asked Ron for his tips for how to plan the right cruise based on how he likes to cruise with Susan and his family.

Book early

Ron says he picks his cruise based on four criteria: the time of the year, the itinerary, the ship, and lastly the price.

As an example, "With the introduction of the newest Icon and Oasis class ships, the cruise decision based upon ship has jumped ahead of the itinerary."

His first tip for booking a cruise is to book the cruise sooner than later.

"The sooner you book, normally the lower the cruise fare.  If the price does decrease, you can always cancel and rebook as long as it is before the final payment date."

The ability to re-book up until final payment to take advantage of a price decrease is available to residents of certain countries, such as the United States or Canada. It is indeed one of the best ways to save money on a cruise.

"I have done this numerous times and have saved thousands of dollars. Better yet? Have your travel agent do this for you. Their charge is nonexistent, and their service is priceless."

Our team recommends using a good travel agent for the service they provide, as well as the opportunity to save money, just as Ron described.

Splurge

Ron approaches every cruise with a sobering but pragmatic view, "Treat ever cruise like it might be your last cruise."

To that point, he doesn't shy away from spending more on cruise extras.

"Enjoy the specialty dining experience, have that extra cocktail after dinner, treat yourself to a suite with all the suite benefits. Or better yet? Go full out and experience the pampering which you will receive from a Royal Genie. You will never forget it!"

While there are a lot of freebies on a Royal Caribbean cruise, Ron sees cruising as an escape. 

I asked Ron what he'd tell someone else his age about why they should try a cruise. He joked, "I would first tell them to turn up your hearing aid" and then said he would explain how a cruise can transport you to amazing places.

"Cruising is an amazing experience. You get to travel to beautiful, scenic places and once onboard everything which you might want, or need is taken care of by one of the helpful crew members"

He also emphasized the importance of meeting new friends on a cruise, "And most importantly, unlike land vacations, where people come and go, when you are on a cruise, people you meet become your friends for life. I speak from experience. "

Book off season

Ron's last tip is to look for off season rates, which can save a lot of money compared to peak season.

As a retiree, Ron and Susan can take advantage of times of the year when there is less demand because school is in session, and thus, families are reluctant go to on vacation.

"Off season rates, January thru March and September thru November are usually much cheaper, so why not take advantage of these months?"

"You're retired, so you have no job or family to interfere with your vacation plans. You deserve it!"

Going on a cruise in the months Ron mentions can be a great time to go on a cruise for those added savings.

While the Caribbean is a year-round destination, booking a trip during one month over another could be the difference in hundreds of dollars.

Royal Caribbean's new last-minute cruise sale might be the best one we've seen in a really long time.

Almost every week, there’s a list of last-minute deals, though they are often limited and not particularly impressive.

Royal Caribbean's 'Going, Going, Gone' deals this week offer some of the best discounts we've seen.

The flyer offers upcoming cruise deals, typically on sailings that depart within the next few months.

These sales are often only available for two days at a time, with a handful of sailings listed by ship name, sail date, itinerary, embarkation port, and special rates for cabins.

Typically, not every cabin category has a great deal offered, and promotions can sell out quickly over the two days they're listed.

However, the Going, Going, Gone deals released on October 15th, has sailings to consider at some really good prices for a cruise in November or December 2024.

There are 77 different sailings at a discounted price you can consider. Additionally, the sale will last for a week, ending on Monday, October 21st.

This offers cruisers more options than usual and extra time to choose their preferred discounted sailing. One thing to keep in mind is that the discounted rates could sell out at any time and the flyer does not get updated.  So you'll want to act quickly.

Read more: How much does a cruise cost? (2024)

The sale has departure dates ranging from November 1st until December 20th, 2024. Departure ports are all based in the United States, over a range of 18 ships.

Here's how to get the best deal this week.

What sailings are offered?

If you've been looking for a last-minute Royal Caribbean cruise deal, the Going, Going, Gone discounts have some excellent prices for upcoming sailings.

The sailings are offered on 18 different ships, to a variety of United States ports.

The featured ports are Bayonne, NJ (BYE), Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Galveston, TX (GAL), Los Angeles, CA (LAX), Miami, FL (MIA), Port Canaveral, FL (PCN), and Tampa, FL (TPA).

For the months of November and December, you can get a discounted sailing on the following ships: 

• Adventure of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Radiance of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas 
• Wonder of the Seas

The departure dates on this week's Going, Going, Gone flyer all fall between November 1st and December 20th, 2024.

Which are the best deals?

This week's flyer includes some incredible deals, including on sailings on Royal Caribbean's newest ship: Utopia of the Seas.

Cruises on the newest Oasis Class ship are listed for as low as $572 per person in a neighborhood view stateroom—cheaper than the price of a typical interior cabin onboard! 

That's for a 3-night Bahamas and Perfect Day sailing, departing November 1st from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Balcony staterooms on Utopia are also discounted, ranging from $612 to $752 per person, depending on the sailing.

If you're looking to sail an older Oasis Class ship, Royal Caribbean also lists discounted sailings on Allure of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas.

You could sail on Symphony of the Seas for as little as $434 per person in an interior stateroom, departing November 6th on a 4-night Western Caribbean cruise (out of Miami, Florida).

Read more: Ultimate Guide to last-minute cruise deals

Have you been looking for a discounted suite stateroom? 

This week's flyer also offers discounts on deluxe staterooms on Adventure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas.

One of the cheapest sailings in a suite we've ever seen is just $661 per person, on Liberty of the Seas. This cruise departs on December 9th, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day sailing.

As for longer cruises spanning a week or more, 7-night cruises on Radiance of the Seas are listed between $501 and $654 (varying depending on the cabin and sailing) per person.

Adventure of the Seas offers an 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise for as little as $493 per person (in an interior stateroom).

Discounts on longer sailings are also available on Freedom of the Seas, from an 8-night Eastern Caribbean sailing for just $444 per person (in an interior stateroom) to $744 per person in a balcony stateroom.

A 9-night Western Caribbean cruise in a balcony cabin could be yours for $789 per person on Jewel of the Seas (departing on November 29th, from Galveston, Texas).

The fine print

These cruises have some great deals but don't forget to read the fine print. All of the Royal Caribbean's itineraries and prices are subject to change.

Prices listed on the cruise line's website and marketing materials now include all taxes, fees, and port expenses (not including the cost of gratuities).

Governmental departure taxes and fees are additional.

The Going, Going Gone deals are valid only for new individual bookings. Cruisers may not combine these offers with any other promotional offers or discounts, other than Shareholder Benefits, Crown & Anchor benefits, or a NextCruise Onboard Booking Bonus. 

These rates begin on Tuesday, October 15th, and end at 11:59 P.M. on Monday, October 21st.

The prices are listed as per person, in USD, for only the sailings on the flyer. Other stateroom categories, sailings, or dates, are subject to change and may come at different costs.

The pricing is only available for the listed categories and excludes any deluxe accommodations.

Bookings made under the non-refundable deposit program will be subject to a $100 change fee per guest for ship or sail date changes.

You'll want to get onboard your cruise ship as soon as possible to get your vacation started. After all, the price you paid doesn't change if you board at 11am or 2pm.

As a result, you're going to want to get an early check-in time to assure you'll board the ship first.

Boarding a cruise ship is somewhat similar to boarding an airplane. Everyone waits for the ship to be cleared and ready to welcome passengers, and then boarding commences in groups.

Usually suite guests go first, followed by other passengers based on different criteria.

But before you can get into the cruise terminal, Royal Caribbean assigns check-in times to every passenger. It's part of the pre-cruise check-in process, and there are limited slots to each check-in window.

Knowing when to check-in for your cruise can be the difference between an early time and one in the afternoon. While a relatively straightforward process, it's important to know the proper steps as well as what to avoid when checking in.

Getting the earliest check-in time

You'll be able to reserve a check-in time closer to your sail date, and it's imperative to be on the ball to get those early time slots.

Royal Caribbean's online check-in opens 45 days before your cruise is set to begin. 

It's slightly confusing exactly what time check-in opens, because it's 45 days at midnight based on the ship's home port time. Meaning, if you live in New York, but your Alaska cruise departs from Seattle, your check-in time opens at 3am Eastern/midnight Pacific.

In my experience, check-in will open up a few minutes past midnight.  It's rarely exactly at midnight, usually five or ten minutes later.

You can do online check-in via Royal Caribbean's website or their app. Trust me, you'll want to use the Royal Caribbean app and not the website.

The primary reason to use the app is when check-in opens, you can skip right to the check-in times and select a time. The Royal Caribbean website will make you first fill out personal information before getting there.

You'll need to reserve a check-in time for everyone in your party.  After you're done and have the times confirmed, you can go back into the app later and fill out the rest of the personal information.

I know what you're thinking, "do I really need to stay up until midnight to check-in?" and the answer is yes, if you want the earliest time.

If you wait until morning, you'll probably have access to the second or third earliest check-in times.  That's far from terrible, and you'll still be way ahead of people that try to do it later. But if you absolutely, positively need to the earliest time, starting the check-in process at midnight is critical.

The earliest check-in times begin around 10:30am or 11:00am. It can vary from sailing to sailing.

Book a suite

The strategy outlined in this article applies to all passengers, but those staying in a suite have one advantage over other passengers.

Suite guests enjoy a flexible check-in window of plus or minus one hour based on the check-in time you reserved.

This means if you had an 11:00am check-in time via the app, you could check-in as early as 10:00am.

If you book a Star Class cabin, your Royal Genie will coordinate with you a specific time you want to arrive and they will work around your preference. It's the ultimate "fastpass" for checking in, but Star Class cabins will easily cost you five figures.

Keep in mind the check-in times doesn't correlate to boarding time.  It simply refers to what time they'll admit you into the cruise terminal to begin checking in.

It should go without saying that spending the extra money to move up to a suite just for an earlier check-in time almost certainly is not a great value.  But it's a lovely perk to add onto the suite experience.

Purchase The Key

There's one other way to get an early check-in by throwing money at the problem.

Royal Caribbean offers a VIP extra-cost add-on, known as The Key.

Guests that buy The Key get a number of added benefits, including priority access into the terminal on Day 1.

You still select a boarding time during online check-in, but a couple weeks before the cruise, you will get an email that tells you you can board with The Key (usually 11:30 after suite guests) or keep your scheduled time. 

I'm not a fan of purchasing The Key, but it's worth noting it could get you checked-in and onboard faster (among other benefits).