Royal Caribbean Blog

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).

It looks like Royal Caribbean has finally given its customers a feature they've been clamoring for since the inception of a dining package.

Cruise ship passengers can book a dining package, where they can get a bulk discount on specialty restaurants.  Up until now, there was no mechanism to prebook a reservation at a specific restaurant and time before boarding the ship if you had a dining package.

Nearly a year to when they announced plans this upgrade, Royal Caribbean now is allowing guests booking the Unlimited Dining Package to pre-book days and times for restaurants online.

The advantage of this feature is it makes it significantly easier to get reservations instead of running around on embarkation day to make them.

In August 2024, pre-booking was opened up just for Allure of the Seas as a test.  But now it appears the test is available for all ships.

Here's how it works.

Login into Royal Caribbean's website and go to the Cruise Planner for your sailing.

Go to the Dining section, and choose the Unlimited Dining Package.

Click the Reserve button and then select the people you want the package for, and click add to cart.  At this point, you wait for each day's options to open up, with the ability to select times for each restaurant.

Be sure to follow through and make payment for the dining package to lock in your day and times.

There are two catches to its current implementation, keeping in mind Royal Caribbean is constantly working on improving its offerings.

First, the ability to pre-book times appears only available for the Unlimited Dining Package, and not the 3-night dining package.

Second, there does not appear to be a way to pre-reserve restaurants if you have already booked the dining package yet. You could cancel and rebook the Unlimited Dining Package, but you'd be subject to the prevailing rates for it.

Why this feature is so helpful

By allowing passengers to make reservations before they get onboard, it assures them of a specific day and time for their reservations.

Moreover, up until now, passengers had to hustle on the embarkation day to go make reservations.

Not only did this take away from enjoying the start of a vacation, there was usually lines to make a reservation and if someone waited until later in the cruise to book a time, they risk the frustration of restaurants being booked up.

Having to wait until boarding the ship to make dining reservations was the top pain point for passengers that booked a dining package.

With this change, a great deal of frustrations are removed from the cruise planning experience.

This change also benefits Royal Caribbean. If there are less passengers wanting to make dining reservations on embarkation day, they can move staff around to other places and reduce congestion on the Royal Promenade where crew members would wait to take reservations.

Is a dining package worth it?

If you're planning to eat at more than two specialty restaurants on your cruise, there's a good chance a dining package will save you money.

Royal Caribbean offers a flat cost to enjoy as many restaurants as you like with the Unlimited Dining Package, with the caveat if a restaurant is priced a la carte, you can only dine there once per day and with a stipend.

Examples of restaurants priced a la carte include Playmakers Sports Bar, Izumi sushi, and Portside BBQ.

Note that certain restaurants have an upcharge, such as Izumi Hibachi ($15), Chef's Table ($49.99), and Empire Supper Club ($130). 

The UDP doesn't include premium items in the Main Dining Room, the Taste of Royal experience, Celebration Table, or Chops Grille premium cuts. 

I've purchased a dining package about 20 times, and there's no question it can save you money, assuming you eat at the restaurants every night.

An example of how a dining package won't work out financially is if you have busy port day plans or are simply too tired to go to a restaurant for dinner and end up in the buffet or a counter service restaurant.

Likewise, if you're not interested in more than 2 or 3 specialty restaurants, then skipping the dining package makes sense too.

In addition to the Unlimited Dining Package, there are smaller offerings, such as the 3-night dining package, or the Chops + Your Choice package. These offer fewer evenings to dine, but it's cheaper and a good introduction to specialty dining.

Have you ever wanted to know how the crew members live onboard Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship? 

Jordan Bauth, a professional figure skater contracted on Utopia of the Seas has been onboard the newest Oasis Class ship for five months and shared a video to her YouTube channel documenting the crew-only areas. 

Utopia of the Seas launched in July 2024 and is Royal Caribbean's newest ship sailing exclusively on 3- and 4-night voyages to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

While guests enjoy the cruise line's first-ever immersive train car specialty restaurant, tropical Pesky Parrot Bar, and casual poolside bites at The Spare Tire, the crew have their own spaces to unwind and recharge.

Though Bauth's contract states she can venture into the guest areas, she claims to spend most of her time in the crew-only spots. If she does want to hang out in the guest spaces, she must be dressed in her uniform. Sometimes, she even needs to be in formal wear after 6:00pm. 

Here's a peek into where the crew members eat, relax, shop, and more on Utopia of the Seas. 

Helipad

Unlike older Royal Caribbean ships, the helipad on Oasis Class ships is only accessible by crew members. Because of how the vessels were designed, the only way to get there is to go through crew-only areas. 

"I really love the helipad," Bauth says, "It's such a nice way to get some fresh air [and] to get some sunlight on your skin. And it's a really nice way to watch the ship sail into a port and also sail away from a port."

Bauth also mentions that it's an amazing spot for stargazing at night, as there's nothing but open ocean surrounding her. She enjoys watching the sunset here, too. 

To get to the helipad, Bauth has to go to the Deck 6 crew area and take the stairs leading up to Deck 7. 

Outdoor bar

Deck 6 is home to the outdoor bar, where many late-night parties are held. There's usually a DJ playing, and it's also where the crew members can go to smoke. 

Because of that, however, Bauth doesn't go to the outdoor bar much. Instead, she likes to hang out at the crew rec area. 

Crew rec

The crew rec area is where Bauth will unwind after a long day of work. 

If she isn't talking with friends, she might play a game of pool. There are also dartboards, a ping-pong and foosball table, a video game section outfitted with tons of televisions, plenty of comfortable spaces to lounge, and even massage chairs! 

"I also really like hanging out in the crew rec area because it's usually quite quiet, and you do have a bit of service if you want to use your phone," Bauth says. 

Crew pub

The crew pub is located on Deck 4, and this is Bauth's go-to spot for a drink. In addition to a stocked bar, there are some board games available, including Risk, Monopoly, Scrabble, and Chess. 

"I really like the crew pub. You don't really feel like you're on a ship in this area," she explains, "I mean, that's personally what I think." 

Though it's enclosed and lacks natural light, it's tastefully decorated with artwork and televisions where they'll broadcast various sporting events. 

Crew disco 

One deck below the crew pub is the crew disco, which is essentially another bar. 

However, Bauth notes that it's not open regularly. Instead, it's more of a multi-purpose space where Crew Welfare will host events like wine and cheese nights, Latin parties, and more. The space is also used for training. 

Crew dining areas

Crew members have to eat, too! The Crew Windjammer, or crew mess, is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Unlike on smaller ships, there's just one space for the crew to eat. As such, Bauth says the space is "massive" since it can accommodate over 1,200 people. 

While most of the food remains the same, there are a lot of different options. Plus, they'll sometimes have theme nights and food specials, including crêpes and ice cream during lunch, breakfast for dinner, etc. 

Outside of the mess is the crew cafe, Java Cafe. While specialty coffee costs money, the prices are relatively affordable. They have alternative milk options and even a juicer that can make smoothies. 

Bauth explains she spends a lot of time here since she's more productive outside of her cabin. However, she doesn't buy coffee too often and opts to make it in her stateroom. 

Attached to the Java Cafe is "Slopchest," the crew store which is like a "mini 7-11." 

In Bauth's opinion, there's not a ton of stuff to buy, but it's a good place if you need something urgently or have a craving for chips, candy, or ramen noodles. 

Human resources

The HR Center is also located on Deck 2. 

This is where crew members go when they need to resolve a room situation, sign off, or have other issues. It's not open 24/7, so they must pay attention to the operating hours. Still, she notes the staff are friendly. 

I-95

I-95 is the easiest way for crew members to navigate from the front (forward) of the ship to the back (aft) without going into guest areas. They also have access to elevators along the corridor for added ease of travel.

Read more: Take a look inside the crew member cabins on Royal Caribbean's newest mega ship

Crew laundry

When crew members need to wash their clothes, they head down to Deck 1. While there are a lot of washers and dryers, it's a busy spot. 

Crew do not have to pay to use the machines; however, they are responsible for purchasing their own detergent. There are also irons available free of charge. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean laundry services on your cruise

Crew gym and barbershop

Because she's a performer onboard Utopia of the Seas, Bauth visits the gym frequently since she has to log gym hours weekly. However, she usually goes to the guest gym to work out while taking in the ocean views. 

Though she doesn't go to the crew gym often, she notes how the space is quite large and never very busy. 

There's a variety of equipment, too—ranging from treadmills to bikes, rowing machines, dumbbells, yoga balls, and even a punching bag. 

Deck 0 is also where the crew barbershop is. “Because I don’t get my haircut really while I’m on a contract I actually didn’t know there was a barbershop...until a couple months ago," she says. 

The space is outfitted with two chairs, sinks, and outlets. 

Crew linen

Below Deck 0 is where the crew linen is. Bauth isn't responsible for washing her own sheets, so whenever she needs fresh bedding, she simply heads to the crew linen area. 

This location also provides crew members with toilet paper, towels, and cleaning supplies—including vacuums—that are available for rent

One of the top reasons people book a cruise are the places you can visit, including some truly hidden gems.

The Caribbean is a year-round cruise destination that attracts millions of cruise ship passengers, and while most are content with the usual spots, there are unique and less popular Caribbean ports that seasoned cruisers love to visit.

Part of the appeal is these spots are less busy than other ports, and they also offer a more authentic or down to earth stay. While exciting tours that involve an adrenaline rush or busy cities is quite popular, some cruisers prefer a quaint tropical island vibe.

It's also fair to say the more you cruise, the greater your appetite for something different. While I enjoy going to Cozumel, Mexico over and over, it's always a pleasure to mix things up and try somewhere new or different.

In fact, many people that cruise a lot will search Royal Caribbean's deployments for unique itineraries that include a visit to an uncommon port.  Or, they'll opt to take an excursion that brings them to a less busy spot.

Here are three ports that are worth a visit over the usual tourist spots when you take a cruise.

St. John

If your ship visits St. Thomas, you could take a short ferry ride over to neighboring St. John for an unspoiled beach day.

While there are beautiful beaches all around the Caribbean, none can compare to St. John's beaches in my opinion. Between the water color and clarity, it's exactly the look you'd expect from a beach when imagining the Caribbean.

Nearly all of St. John is a protected national park, and that means there's very few people on the island. The beaches are pristine and lack many of the amenities you'd find at a beach in St. Thomas.

There are many beaches to consider around St. John, but the top two for cruise ship visitors tend to be Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay Beach. There are more facilities at Trunk Bay, and it's closer to the ferry station.

The chief downside to St. John is getting there.  Because it requires a ferry ride, you need to time your visits properly to ensure you can get back and forth without being late to the cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean usually offers a few excursions to St. John that include the ferry ride, and it's the simplest way to make a day there. 

If you wanted to get there on your own, you could take a taxi to Red Hook and buy a round-trip ferry ticket.

If a ride over to St. John seems too much, you could take a water taxi to Water Island, which is even closer to St. Thomas, and also quite beautiful.

Nevis

Another "do this, not that" island combination is when visiting St. Kitts and Nevis.

Some cruisers elect to take a ferry over to Nevis, where you can enjoy time at one of the beautiful beaches there.

The ferry ride to Nevis takes about 45 minutes each way, and Royal Caribbean offers excursions that visit Nevis.

You can reach the ferry port on your own by walking downtown. It's about a third of a mile walk from Port Zante, or you could take a taxi.

Once you get to Nevis, a popular choice is to visit Oualie Beach for its black-sand beach.

A non-beach idea for a day in Nevis is to visit Alexander Hamilton's birthplace. The famous founding father of the United States grew up on Nevis until he was about 7 years old.

There's actually a museum dedicated to Hamilton, and it's a popular spot for fans of the musical.

The catamaran excursions that take you to Nevis are probably the simplest way to reach the island. Plus, many end the tour at Sunshine's on Nevis. Try a killer bee cocktail (you won't regret it).

Antigua

Among the Southern Caribbean ports you can visit, my favorite has to be Antigua. It features the idyllic beaches you expect, plus unlike the other islands in this article, no ferry ride!

Antigua claims there are 365 beaches around the island, which means there is one beach every day of the year. I'm not sure that statistic has been fact checked, but they do have a lot of pristine beaches to try.

The benefit of having so many beaches is it spreads people around.  Rather than one or two well-known beaches, you can find a great beach that is less crowded.

Royal Caribbean almost built a beach club in Antigua, but even without that distinction, it's a great beach day visit.

My go-to spot in Antigua is Valley Church Beach because it has powdery white sand, smooth aquamarine water, and fantastic views.

Honorable mentions

There are two other islands I wanted to include, but they're pretty rare to be able to visit on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Nonetheless, if you do have the chance, I would jump at giving it a try.

Anguilla

From St. Maarten, you can take a ferry or catamaran to Anguilla. 

Royal Caribbean offers a "Anguilla Sun, Sand and Sea" shore excursion that will take you to Meads Bay. 

Dominica

Select Southern Caribbean cruises stop at Roseau, Dominica where you can explore the nicknamed "Nature Island".

Instead of beaches, there is a rainforest, tall mountains, and majestic waterfalls to explore.

There are thermal springs, river tubing, rainforests and more to explore.

Antigua is found on only a handful of Southern Caribbean cruise itineraries, so you'll want to dig to find a sailing that goes here.

Royal Caribbean announced a change to one of its conveniences at its private island.

When cruise ship passengers disembark a ship at Perfect Day at CocoCay, there had been an optional tram they could wait for to get a ride from the ship to the arrivals plaza.

As of October 1, 2024, Royal Caribbean has decided to eliminate that service with one exception.

"Beginning October 1, 2024, tram service at CocoCay pier will be discontinued," an official statement in the Royal Caribbean app read.

This effects just the tram service between the where the cruise ships dock and the beginning of the pier.  The trams that take guests around Perfect Day at CocoCay are still operational.

Tram service on the pier was primarily offered as a convenience. Unlike the trams that run on the island, the pier trams were limited and available to those willing to wait for a ride.

According to Royal Caribbean, the walk time down the pier, from ship to Arrivals Plaza, is approximately 6 minutes.

The exception to this change is for guests with special needs.

"Trams for guests with special needs, wheelchairs, scooters, etc. will still be available by the end of the pier (close to the Forward gangways)."

Passengers worried about eligibility for a tram ride

The top concern among cruisers has been what constitutes a special need to qualify for a tram ride.

In the Perfect Day CocoCay Information Hub Facebook group,  Jennifer Kern-Kaminsky wrote, "I just hope they will be accommodating to people with invisible disabilities."

Marcell Fitzgerald added, "Some conditions are exercise or heat induced."

Some people even went as far as to suggest bringing a doctor's note with them on the cruise to prove they qualify for it.

While Royal Caribbean did not specify the requirements for a ride, it seems unlikely proof of a disability is needed. It's probable they will rely on the honor system, and if someone needs a ride, they can simply wait for one.

Accessible options on CocoCay

Royal Caribbean says its private island is accessible.

There are complimentary beach access wheelchairs available throughout the island on a first come first served basis.

Select trams that go around the island are wheelchair accessible as well.

Wheelchair accessible areas include:

• Coco Beach Club: complimentary beach wheelchairs, pool lift, lower counter at the bar, and ramps to the dining area. Pool lifts at the freshwater pool
• Oasis Lagoon: Pool lifts the freshwater pool
• Thrill waterpark: the Wave Pool is wheelchair accessible

Getting around CocoCay

For those able to walk, the walk around CocoCay is quite manageable on foot.

Once a passengers reaches the Arrivals Plaza, they can elect to walk anywhere on the island or take a tram.

Tram service is complimentary and located in front of Thrill Waterpark.

The tram service around CocoCay runs all day with three stops: Arrivals Plaza (near Thrill Waterpark); South Beach; Coco Beach Club/Breezy Bay/Oasis Lagoon; and Chill Island. Guests can board the tram near Arrivals Plaza.

There is a separate tram service to go between the Arrivals Plaza and Hideaway Beach

There are walking paths to bring you to every area of the island. 

Estimated walking distances from the Arrivals Plaza are:

• Thrill Waterpark Less than 1 minute
• Harbor Beach about 3 minutes
• Oasis Lagoon about 5 minutes
• Chill Island about 5-10 minutes
• Breezy Bay at Chill Island about 6-8 minutes
• South Beach about 10 minutes
• Coco Beach Club about 10 minutes
• Hideaway Beach about 10 minutes

The fall temperatures may be dropping, but the Royal Caribbean news from this week is as hot as ever, and we have it all summarized for you in this week's round up!

Royal Caribbean is bringing a new destination to Mexico in 2027.

The next Perfect Day experience will open in Costa Maya, Mexico and it will be even bigger than CocoCay.

Few details have been shared, but expect many different ways to "thrill and chill" during your visit, exclusive to Royal Caribbean passengers.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean is raising gratuities. The change started a debate
• Royal Caribbean begins construction of new cruise ship that doesn't have a name yet
• What’s confirmed for Royal Caribbean’s enormous beach experience in Mexico
• My first Royal Caribbean cruise from Baltimore: Essential tips for Maryland sailings
• The best bar scene is only on two of Royal Caribbean's cruise ships

Hurricane Milton Coverage

Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc this past week, disrupting many cruise ship plans and generating a lot of news in the process.

• More cruise ships divert and dodge as Hurricane Milton tears through
• There are still 3 Royal Caribbean cruise ships waiting to return home after Hurricane Milton
• Hurricane Milton re-routed my cruise ship to Haiti
• At least 3 Royal Caribbean cruise ships delay return home because of Hurricane Milton

Video: 6 Restaurants You Can't Afford to Miss on Royal Caribbean

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 — 6 Restaurants You Can't Afford to Miss on Royal Caribbean — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 546th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is available now: Hola Perfect Day Mexico!

Matt breaks down this week's big news that Royal Caribbean will open a second Perfect Day experience, and what to expect there.

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.

Royal Caribbean is raising the daily gratuity charges

Royal Caribbean notified passengers this week that the automatic service charge it adds to passenger bills would soon rise to as much as $21 per person, per day.

Typically, we see gratuity rates go up once per calendar year and this year's increase is 50 cents per person, per day.

In addition to the daily gratuity, the gratuity for purchases made onboard will also go up, from 18% to 20%.

Royal Caribbean restarts cruises visiting Labadee

Royal Caribbean is now cruising to Labadee, Haiti again.

Adventure of the Seas was the first ship back. Guests on the sailing reported things looked great, and no concerns.

More ships visited Labadee, including Utopia of the Seas because of an itinerary change.

A $1,300 Stateroom on Utopia of the Seas

What does an inside cabin look like on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas?

Our team tried out a small, windowless interior cabin in order to save money.  Plus, the exact location was assigned by the cruise line.

Although the room looked similar in size to many other interior cabins, the newer amenities were quite noticeable.

Four changes coming to Royal Caribbean in 2025

We've almost made it to 2025, and there are some big changes on the horizon.

While there's likely plenty more things that will change next year, we're tracking four big changes that we know about already for Royal Caribbean in 2025.

From new experiences to policy changes, prep for the next evolution of the brand in the coming year.

I quit my job and sold my house to go on a 274-night world cruise

Royal Caribbean's first world cruise sounded like the adventure of a lifetime, compelling Tonya Lathom to drop everything and book it.

She and her husband, Andy, sold their home in Falls Church, Virginia and retired from their jobs in order to sail.

She booked a suite on the world cruise, and got to visit all seven continents and in the process, visited over 60 countries.

The after effects of Hurricane Milton changing cruise ship itineraries isn't over yet.

While the storm passed through Florida on Wednesday and Thursday, there are still three ships that have yet to return because of the storm.

The hurricane disrupted the original travel plans for many ships, but it had the worst impact on ships sailing from Tampa or Port Canaveral.

Wind gusts recorded near Tampa reached 100 mph.\

Those two ports were directly in the path of Hurricane Milton, and the cleanup and repair process takes time. The U.S. Coast Guard inspects each port after a hurricane, and no ships can go in or out until that process is complete and the waterways deemed safe.

Royal Caribbean said those efforts are, "still evolving" and they're doing their best to keep passengers informed along the way.

The good news is there is a plan in place for each of the ships to return, albeit, a few days late.

Enchantment of the Seas

Royal Caribbean extended Enchantment of the Seas by two additional days, and won't return to Tampa until Monday.

Due to Hurricane Milton's impact to Port Tampa Bay, the ship cannot return until then.

The new plan is for Enchantment of the Seas to make it back on October 12. As a result, the next sailing has been shortened by two days.

The former October 12 sailing will be only 5 nights and visit Cozumel, Mexico and Costa Maya, Mexico.

Royal Caribbean described the situation in Tampa as "fluid", "Please know our return to Tampa Bay is fluid, and once our times are finalized, we’ll send an email with updated check-in times."

Royal Caribbean is also working on compensation details to make up for the disappointment, "While these circumstances are beyond our control, we understand that this change impacts your vacation, and we’re truly sorry."

Serenade of the Seas

Another ship based in Tampa, Serenade of the Seas, was supposed to go out on October 11. Instead, she's delayed by two days to October 13.

The revised next sailing will head to the western Caribbean.

Grandeur of the Seas

Similar to Serenade, Grandeur of the Seas will shift to an October 13 departure as well. She was due into port on October 12 originally.

As a result of the change, Grandeur will skip a visit to Costa Maya, Mexico.

Port Canaveral is back open

While the Port of Tampa is close to re-opening, Port Canaveral is operational again.

As of 11:30am on October 11, the U.S. Coast Guard re-opened the port with no restrictions.

Three different Royal Caribbean ships had to change their schedule because of the storm's impact on Port Canaveral.

Both Utopia of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas were due back originally on October 11, but delayed that until October 12.

As a result of that change, Utopia of the Seas dropped its visit to Nassau and will only visit Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

Adventure of the Seas departed on October 12 and removed a scheduled visit to Curacao. 

The new plan is for Adventure to proceed to Oranjestad, Aruba; Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic; and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Lastly, Wonder of the Seas did not have to change the day it returned to port, but did adjust its itinerary to avoid the storm.

Wonder of the Seas skipped a visit to Roatan, Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico. Instead, Wonder visited Cozumel and Falmouth, Jamaica. 

We spoke with Royal Caribbean's lead project developer to get an idea of what passengers will be able to do at the new massive new private beach experience in Mexico.

Perfect Day Mexico is a bold new private island experience (although it's not an island), but the announcement did not reveal many details.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider gave Royal Caribbean Blog an overview of what's coming, with bits of detail hidden throughout the announcement.

There's two reasons why we don't know much yet about Perfect Day Mexico: the cruise line is still in the planning phase, and a bigger announcement will be coming in the spring.

Perfect Day Mexico is about 200 acres in size, with about half that preserved for environmental protection.

There's still a lot of time before anyone gets to visit Perfect Day Mexico, as the project won't open until 2027 (and it's more likely to be later in the year). 

Here's a breakdown of what we know so far is coming to Perfect Day Mexico.

Beaches

Much of what we know about Perfect Day Mexico is based on what has been at the core of the success of Perfect Day at CocoCay, and that starts with beaches.

It's safe to say most people that book a Caribbean cruise have a beautiful beach in mind, and that's going to be at the heart of what Perfect Day Mexico has to offer.

CocoCay has multiple beaches that passengers can choose to visit. Most are included with the cruise fare, although there are a few extra cost beaches too.

There will be a beach club, similar to the Coco Beach Club at CocoCay. The beach club is a limited access beach, that features some upgraded amenities and comes with an extra cost.

Pools

Access to water in Perfect Day Mexico will also include a pool.

Royal Caribbean added a giant freshwater pool at CocoCay with Oasis Lagoon, and we know that Perfect Day Mexico has plans for a pool too.

Their plans don't just call for any old pool.  Their mantra with this idea has been, "great beach, great pool, great food" and there's an emphasis on the word "great".

Royal Caribbean isn't ready to provide any further details on the pool(s) or even size of them, but did promise there will be an opportunity in the future to share more information.

Water park

Mr. Schneider was able to confirm there will indeed be a water park at Perfect Day Mexico.

The water park will be an extra cost venue where guests can enjoy all sorts of slides. The park has been a big success in CocoCay, and Royal Caribbean wants to carry that over.

One detail we do know about the water park is Royal Caribbean purchased the existing Lost Mayan Kingdom water park that is near the port. All Mr. Schneider would say is that land will be part of the future Perfect Day Mexico property, but didn't comment on what, if any, part of the park will remain.

It stands to reason that the water park, much like all of the Perfect Day Mexico project, would need to accommodate the amount of passengers coming ashore on any given day.

Since Costa Maya has four piers, that gives it double the ships that CocoCay can handle, and thus, there's a good chance the water park in Mexico will be bigger than Thrill Waterpark in CocoCay.

Adults-only area

Another successful idea coming to Perfect Day Mexico is an enclave for adults.

Earlier this year, Hideaway Beach opened at CocoCay, which is an enormous adults-only zone. We can expect something similar in Mexico.

Unlike CocoCay, there will not be phases to the opening. The adults-only area and all the neighborhoods will open at once, and that's because they want to be open for the maximum amount of attendance in the first year.

"This will not be phased. We will build everything all at once," Mr. Schneider said.

Helium balloon ride

Another activity returning from CocoCay is the helium balloon ride.

The Up, Up and Away helium balloon takes guests 450 feet above Perfect Day at CocoCay, providing the highest vantage point in The Bahamas.

Not only did Mr. Schneider mention the balloon, but it's included in the teaser logo for Perfect Day Mexico.

It's an extra cost activity, and is provides amazing views of the surrounding area.

Mr. Schneider indicated they will place the balloon somewhere to optimize for the winds, as the balloon cannot go up if it's too windy, "Hopefully it'll operate more hours in different conditions based on where we're actually putting it on the site."

Mexican food

Great food is one of the mantras that Royal Caribbean wants incorporated into Perfect Day Mexico.

No specifics were given on what dining will be there, but Mr. Schneider made it clear they want to be true to the Mexican culture they are embracing.

"in Mexico, Americans have a very clear view of what Mexico is, and they expect that out of whatever we would go do in Mexico."

Transportation center to do other things

While Perfect Day Mexico is at the heart of the project, you can still do your own tour or book a shore excursion to venture out.

A transportation hub will be located nearby so passengers can get on a tour bus or head to Mahahual.

The port itself will remain open to other cruise lines, so passengers on another cruise line will bypass Perfect Day Mexico and head directly to the transportation hub to get on their tour.

"We'll build a boardwalk to the local village, so we'll make the community accessible to other cruise lines."