Royal Caribbean Blog

Choosing an Alaska cruise itinerary doesn’t boil down to just cruise ports. You’ll also want to consider which of Alaska’s colossal, majestic glaciers you’d like to visit.

Two of the most beloved places visited on an Alaska cruise are Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay National Park. While visiting either location offers the chance to see some of the most spectacular scenery in Alaska up close, they each offer different experiences, pros, and cons.

Let’s take a look at what each glacier experience has to offer so you can decide which glacier you want to visit on your Alaska cruise.

Hubbard Glacier

Imagine standing directly in front of a 30-story building made of ice. That’s what you’ll experience from a cruise ship visiting Hubbard Glacier, and you’re sure to be awe-inspired.

Hubbard Glacier is located in Wrangell-St.Elias National Park and Preserve. It starts in Canada’s Yukon Territory at Mt. Logan, the second tallest peak in North America at 19,850 feet. The glacier flows over 75 miles to reach Disenchantment Bay in southeast Alaska.

At 400 feet tall and six miles wide where it meets the ocean, Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in North America. Unlike many other glaciers in Alaska, Hubbard Glacier is rapidly advancing at around 80 feet per year.

Due to its rapid growth, Hubbard Glacier has been nicknamed the Galloping Glacier. Its fast advancement results in frequent calving as chunks of ice break off the glacier.

Visiting Hubbard Glacier is a multi-hour experience, with ships sailing first into Yakutat Bay followed by Disenchantment Bay en route to the glacier. Sightseeing occurs for about three hours as the ship makes a 360 turn in front of the glacier, allowing guests to view its magnificent face from anywhere onboard.

Glacier Bay National Park

Glacier Bay National Park is the 6th biggest national park in the United States. At over 3 million acres, the national park is roughly the size of Connecticut!

There are a whopping 1,045 glaciers located in Glacier Bay National Park. While most glaciers are located far into the mountains, cruise itineraries can visit up to 6 glaciers in one day in the park.

Here are the glaciers most commonly visited on a scenic cruising day in Glacier Bay:

• Margerie Glacier
• Grand Pacific Glacier
• Red Glacier
• Lamplugh Glacier
• Johns Hopkins Glacier
• Gilman Glacier

The longest glacier in Glacier Bay National Park is the Grand Pacific Glacier at 40 miles long. The fastest is Johns Hopkins Glacier, which can advance up to 15 feet per day.

When you visit Glacier Bay, park rangers will board the ship to provide information on the park’s scenery and wildlife.

Depending on the cruise line, this can include formal presentations in onboard lounges, commentary on the loudspeakers, a children’s educational program, and an informational desk you can access throughout the day.

Itineraries to Glacier Bay include a full day of sightseeing in the National Park. Ships typically enter the bay in the early morning, cruising slowly for two hours before reaching the glaciers.

Once at the glaciers, cruise ships spend around four to five hours exploring the scenery before turning around and making the two hour journey back into the open ocean.

Does Royal Caribbean offer cruises to Glacier Bay?

Royal Caribbean does not currently offer cruise itineraries to Glacier Bay National Park. While the cruise line was offered an agreement with the park to offer Glacier Bay itineraries from 2019 - 2029, Royal Caribbean did not sign the agreement.

That being said, you may be able to book a flightseeing shore excursion to Glacier Bay. These tours typically depart from Icy Strait Point and fly over the park.

Related: How to choose the right Alaska cruise itinerary

There are many other glaciers you can visit on a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska, however, including Hubbard Glacier, Dawes Glacier, and the twin Sawyer Glaciers. There’s also the chance to visit other glaciers while in port, such as the famous Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.

Which glacier is better for wildlife?

Both Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay offer the chance to spot wildlife including harbor seals, humpback whales, and seabirds. While wildlife sighting is never guaranteed, you have the chance to spot wildlife while visiting either glacier.

Related: What is the best time of year to see wildlife in Alaska?

A plus of visiting Hubbard Glacier is the chance to book the “Hubbard Glacier Wilderness Explorer” excursion. This tour brings passengers aboard a small excursion boat, allowing guests to travel closer to the glacier while spotting wildlife. A guide is onboard to provide insight on the region’s ecology and wildlife calling the region home.

If we have to pick the best glacier for wildlife viewing, though, it would be Glacier Bay. As cruise ships spend more time in Glacier Bay than at Hubbard Glacier, you have more time (and chances) to spot wildlife.

Which glacier should I pick for my Alaska cruise?

Deciding between Glacier Bay National Park or Hubbard Glacier comes down to a few main considerations.

The first decision you’ll have to make if you’re a loyal Royal Caribbean cruiser is whether or not you are open to sailing on another cruise line. Because Royal Caribbean does not sail to Glacier Bay, you’ll have to sail on a cruise line like Princess, Holland America, or Norwegian.

Glacier Bay is undoubtedly impressive, however, and if visiting the park is on your bucket list, it’s worth sailing on a cruise line other than Royal Caribbean.

Related: Best things to do on an Alaska cruise

Hubbard Glacier, on the other hand, can still make for an excellent addition to an Alaska cruise itinerary. While only one glacier instead of multiple glaciers, Hubbard Glacier dominates the landscape more dramatically than any glacier at Glacier Bay.

Plus, while Hubbard Glacier may offer shorter sightseeing times compared to a day in Glacier Bay, this can be perfect for families. Days at Glacier Bay are long, often starting in the early morning and lasting until dinnertime. Kids may not want to spend the whole day looking at the scenery, so Hubbard Glacier can be a more condensed yet still beautiful experience.

While there’s no ‘best’ Alaska cruise itinerary, you can’t go wrong visiting either glacier. In fact, you may even be able to find itineraries visiting both glaciers in one cruise!

Tips for visiting glaciers on an Alaska cruise

No matter which glacier you visit on an Alaska cruise, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared so that you have the best viewing experience possible. Here are our top tips & tricks for viewing glaciers on an Alaska cruise.

Find the best spot to watch the scenery

Whether visiting Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, or any of Alaska’s other magnificent glaciers, be sure to find the best spot to watch the scenery.

You can view the scenery from your balcony, the pool deck, Promenade deck, the helicopter pad, or any other place onboard with windows.

Prior to your itinerary’s scenic glacier viewing day, scout out a few of the best places to view the glacier. While you may opt to view glaciers from your balcony, you might want to consider somewhere onboard with more panoramic views, such as the pool deck or helicopter pad.

Be flexible

Nothing is guaranteed when cruising, and it’s always important to be flexible to ensure you don’t end up disappointed.

Alaska’s weather is unpredictable, and it’s not entirely uncommon for cruise ships to cancel or modify glacier viewing times in order to keep guests, crew, and the ship safe.

While ships successfully visit glaciers more often than not, there’s always the chance your glacier viewing day may not occur.

Bundle up

Packing for an Alaska cruise means layers, layers, and more layers.

When preparing to view a glacier on an Alaska cruise, be sure to bundle up to ensure you don’t get too cold while viewing the glacier.

Related: Alaska cruise packing list: What to pack for your sailing

Our advice is to wear pants (leggings or jeans), a base layer (long-sleeve shirt or sweater), a rain jacket, and a hat. It’s always better to wear more than you need and take layers off rather than be too cold while viewing the glacier.

Most importantly, don’t forget your camera!

Planning an Alaska cruise? Discover our best advice:

• 50 Alaska cruise tips you should use
• How far in advance to book an Alaska cruise
• When should I book my Alaska shore excursion?

Happy Sunday and Happy Thanksgiving weekend! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday with family and friends! There is a lot of Royal Caribbean news to share this week.

Mistakes can happen to anyone, but there are some mistakes that will ruin your cruise vacation.

More than likely you'll have a great time on your cruise and enjoy the experience, but there are some pitfalls that can wreak havoc with your plans.

By knowing what these are, you can bypass the worst kind of cruise mistakes.

Survey shows possible new main dining room menu

There's more evidence that a new main dining room menu is on its way.

Royal Caribbean sent past guests an email survey with options for a new main dining room menu, and asked them for feedback.

The survey not only included a look at a possible new menu, it also asked for feedback on the main dining room experience overall.

New video: Things you'll notice when cruising on an older cruise ship

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Things you'll notice when cruising on an older cruise ship — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

How much cash should you bring on a cruise?

Before you get on a cruise, how much money should you bring with you?

While Royal Caribbean is a cashless ship for most transactions, there are still quite a few good reasons to have cash with you.

Both onboard and off the ship, having at least some cash will make things easier for you.

Why booking my excursions in Europe with the cruise line was the best decision

Is it better to book tours through the cruise line or on your own?

There's compelling reasons for both, but on a recent European cruise, Allie found clear reasoning to go with Royal Caribbean's shore excursions.

She booked 4 tours through Royal Caribbean and feels it was the absolute best decision she could have made.

Guide to Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package

Ready to enjoy all the specialty dining on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship?

Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package provides all the specialty dining restaurants you can handle, and there are important distinctions when purchasing this option you should know about.

From getting the most value out of it to costs, here's the important details about the Unlimited Dining Package.

The last day of our cruise is here, and being an 8-night cruise instead of a 7-night, it's like having a bonus to the cruise.

I set the alarm late so we could all sleep in on the last day. I figure it's good to get some extra sleep today when tomorrow we all have to get up early.

Once we did get up, we were able to take a quick run up to Solarium Bistro for breakfast.  On the way there, we saw it was another beautiful day.  Weather has been great all week, so I'm grateful for the pleasant weather.

Today was the Captain's Corner, where the Cruise Director and Captain answer questions from guests.

The questions were about topics such as how the ship works, crew member life, and background of the Captain.

Right after it was the entertainment Q&A event.  It was listed as for Top Tier Crown and Anchor members, but anyone could go.

We tried to go to Playmakers for lunch, but the combination of World Cup and College Football meant every table was full.  After waiting to see if anyone would leave, we relented and went to the Windjammer for lunch.

While I might have liked another order of nachos and burger, the variety of food in the Windjammer is a win with me.

We saw a family event in Adventure Ocean for kids to do a science experiment, where kids are given a rock and use water to uncover the fossil hidden inside.

My youngest enjoyed it, and it was something nice to do.

Back in the cabin, I wanted to sit out on the balcony, but it was warm. So I went up to the pool deck to enjoy an afternoon drink.

I went to the Lime & Coconut bar to try out the signature drink there named after the bar.  One of our writers here on RoyalCaribbeanBlog, Allie, loves this drink, so I wanted to give it a try.

After 3 of them, I can say it was a solid choice.

By this point in the afternoon, I was ready for a nap!

Just like yesterday, I woke up to a lovely sunset outside my balcony.

Dinner brought us back to Giovanni's Italian Kitchen.

Just like the other two times we ate here, the food was great and really hit the spot.

After dinner, we went to see The Effectors.

This is an original Royal Caribbean production, and while I've seen it before, my kids have not.  Plus, we're going to see Effectors 2 on Wonder of the Seas next month, so it was good to refresh my memory.

This is a great show and I think it might be the best show in Royal Caribbean's fleet right now.

After dinner, I went up to Playmakers for a drink.

We had a great time on Odyssey of the Seas and would love to sail on her again.

Thanks for following along in these live blogs!

Whether you want Royal Caribbean alcohol prices or Royal Caribbean drink prices, here is your complete list to know how much they will cost before they get onboard.

We present here our list of Royal Caribbean drink prices that are regularly updated to give you the best idea of how much enjoying a drink will cost you.

Keep in mind Royal Caribbean adds an 18% gratuity charge to each drink order.

This information was last updated on August 31, 2025.

This information is valid for Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Icon 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, Ovation of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Star of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas.

The price you will pay for a drink is made up of two components: the drink price and gratuity. Royal Caribbean charges an automatic 18% gratuity to drinks ordered, so there's no extra math for you to do. 

If you have a drink package, gratuity is included with your package price so there's nothing extra once you buy the beverage package.

If you are looking for ballpark Royal Caribbean drink prices, here is what you can reasonably expect (prices listed below are before gratuity):

The drink of the day is a cocktail that gets about a 25% discount from its normal price.

Every day there is a new drink of the day, which is advertised in the Cruise Compass daily newspaper, as well as on signs at various bars. You can always ask the bartender at any bar what the drink of the day is.

You can expect the drink of the day to be a fruity, crowd-pleasing cocktail that has wide appeal.

It is worth noting the drink prices across Royal Caribbean's fleet do vary to some degree. Specifically, drink prices on Oasis or Quantum Class ships are usually a bit more expensive (50 cents to one dollar more) than on other ships in the fleet.

Not to worry, an unlimited Royal Caribbean drink package still includes most drinks.

The prices for drinks are consistent, regardless of where your ship sails from. So the drink prices on your ship in the Caribbean will be the same as a ship sailing in Europe.

If you're paying for drinks without a drink package, you can order more than one drink at a time. If you have a drink package, expect to be able to order one drink per drink package at a time.

Royal Caribbean Fleetwide Drink Menu

Taste of the Caribbean

Dark ’n Stormy
Goslings Black Seal rum and Goslings ginger beer
14.00

Goombay Smash
Malibu Coconut rum, Kraken Black Spiced rum, orange juice and pineapple juice
14.00

Papa Jac
Bacardi Superior rum, passion fruit syrup and lime juice
14.00

The Painkiller
Pusser’s Navy rum, coconut syrup, pineapple juice, orange juice and a dash of nutmeg
14.00

Rum Punch
Captain Morgan Original Spiced rum, Mount Gay Eclipse rum, guava and passion fruit syrup, pineapple juice, lime juice and a float of Kraken Black Spiced rum
14.00

Planter’s Punch
Myer’s Original Dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice and grenadine
14.00

Light & Lively

Pineapple Guava Sangria
Danzante Pinot Grigio, guava and passion fruit syrup, pineapple juice and lime juice
14.00

Scarlett’s Tropical Sangria
Castle Rock Pinot Noir, guava and passion fruit syrup, pineapple juice and lime juice
14.00

Tropic Like It’s Hot
Sparkling wine, guava and passion fruit syrup, lime juice and sparkling grapefruit
14.00

Make Me Blush
Lillet Blanc, Beefeater Pink gin, peach, lemon juice and club soda
14.00

Demure Paloma
Lillet Blanc, Mijenta Blanco tequila, agave, lime juice and sparkling grapefruit
14.00

Botanical Breeze
Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit & Rose vodka, St-Germain Elderflower liqueur, lime juice, mint and sparkling grapefruit
14.00

Crisp & Refreshing

Love Story
Beefeater Pink gin, lavender syrup, blueberry purée, lemon juice, pineapple juice and club soda
14.00

Berried Treasure
Tito’s Handmade vodka, blueberry purée, cranberry juice, lime juice and ginger beer
14.00

Handcrafted Margarita
Espolón Silver tequila, Cointreau, agave syrup, lime juice and muddled limes and oranges with a salt rim
14.00

Yuzu the One
Hendrick’s gin, yuzu purée, lemon juice, pineapple juice and tonic
14.00

Curaçao Cosmo
Malibu Coconut rum, blue curaçao and pineapple juice
14.00

Cool as a Cucumber
Bombay Sapphire gin, St-Germain Elderflower liqueur, simple syrup, lemon juice, muddled cucumbers and club soda
14.00

Cozumel Sunrise
Jose Cuervo Gold tequila, mango, lime juice and grenadine
14.00

Strawberry Blonde
Tito’s Handmade vodka, St-Germain Elderflower liqueur, strawberry, lemon juice and mint
14.00

Strong & Spirited

Passion Spritz
Aperol, vodka, sparkling wine, passion fruit syrup and lemon juice
14.00

Blackberry Lemon Drop
Ole Smoky Blackberry moonshine, simple syrup and lemon juice
14.00

’Rol and Rye
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee rye whiskey, Aperol, simple syrup and lemon juice
14.00

Teqkil-Ya Zombie
Espolón Reposado tequila, Bosscal mezcal, cinnamon syrup, grenadine, lime and grapefruit juices and tiki bitters
14.00

Kentucky Summer
Buffalo Trace bourbon, St-Germain Elderflower liqueur, mango, lime juice and mint
14.00

Royal Caribbean Wine Prices

Wines

Sparkling

Chandon Brut, “Classic,” California, USA
Glass 12 / Bottle 58

Chandon “Garden Spritz,” Mendoza, Argentina
Glass 12 / Bottle 58

Santa Elvira, Prosecco, Veneto, Italy
Glass 8 / Bottle 40

White/Rose

Beringer, White Zinfandel, California, USA
Glass 8 / Bottle 29

Château d’Esclans, Rosé “Whispering Angel,” Côtes de Provence, Provence, France
Glass 14 / Bottle 55

Kim Crawford, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Glass 12 / Bottle 54

Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Sauvignon Blanc, California, USA
Glass 10 / Bottle 35

Danzante, Pinot Grigio, delle Venezie, Italy
Glass 10 / Bottle 40

Penfolds, Chardonnay, “Koonunga Hill,” South Australia
Glass 9 / Bottle 35

Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay “Vintner’s Reserve,” California, USA
Glass 11 / Bottle 42

Château d’Aussières, Chardonnay “Aussières,” Vin de Pays d’Oc, Languedoc, France
Glass 9 / Bottle 33

Red

Meiomi, Chardonnay, California, USA
Glass 10 / Bottle 35

Caymus Conundrum, White Blend, California, USA
Glass 16 / Bottle 61

Meiomi, Pinot Noir, California, USA
Glass 10 / Bottle 35

Josh Cellars, Pinot Noir, Central Coast, California, USA
Glass 12 / Bottle 47

Terrazas de los Andes, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
Glass 14 / Bottle 56

Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Merlot, California, USA
Glass 10 / Bottle 35

Meiomi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
Glass 10 / Bottle 35

Château d’Aussières, Cabernet Sauvignon, “Aussières,” Vin de Pays d’Oc, Languedoc, France
Glass 9 / Bottle 33

Murphy-Goode, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA
Glass 11 / Bottle 42

Torres, Ribera del Duero, “Celeste,” Crianza, Castilla y León, Spain
Glass 11 / Bottle 42

Non-alcoholic wine

Natureo Sparkling, Spain
Glass 10

Cero Coma Blanco, Spain
Glass 10

Ariel Chardonnay, California
Glass 10

Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon, California
Glass 10

Natureo Syrah, Spain
Glass 10

Royal Caribbean Beer Prices

Beers

Blue Moon Belgian White
7.99

Bud Light
7.49

Budweiser
7.49

Coors Light
7.49

Corona Extra
7.99

Dos Equis
7.99

Foster’s Oil Can (750ml)
9.50

Heineken
7.99

Michelob Ultra
7.49

Miller Lite
7.49

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA
7.99

Paulaner Weissbier
7.99

Red Stripe (473ml)
8.25

Stella Artois
7.99

Stone Delicious IPA (gluten-reduced)
7.99

Other

Angry Orchard Hard Cider
7.99

Strongbow Hard Cider
7.99

Truly Hard Seltzer
Wild Berry or Strawberry Lemonade
7.49

Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea
7.49

White Claw Hard Seltzer, Mango
7.49

Non-alcoholic

Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic Belgian White
6.99

Heineken 0.0 (Non-Alcoholic)
6.99

Sam Adams Non-Alcoholic Just The Haze IPA
6.99

Blind Tiger Sparkling Mocktails (Non-Alcoholic)
Lavender French 75, Side Car Mimosa or Southside Mojito
9.00

Spirits and Liquor prices

Vodka
Absolut 10.99
Absolut Citron 10.99
Absolut Vanilia 10.99
Belvedere 12.99
Grey Goose 12.99
Ketel One 11.99
Stoli 10.99
Elit by Stoli 12.99
Tito’s Handmade 10.99

Rum
Appleton Estate 10.99
Bacardi Superior 10.99
Bacardi Reserva Ocho 12.99
Captain Morgan Original Spiced 10.99
Goslings 11.99
Kraken Black Spiced 9.99
Leblon Cachaca 10.99
Malibu Original 9.99
Mount Gay Eclipse 11.99
Myer’s Original Dark 9.99
Pusser’s Navy 12.99
Pyrat XO 13.99
Ron Zacapa 12.99

Mezcal
Ilegal Joven Mezcal 10.99
Bosscal Mezcal 12.99

Gin
Aviation 10.99
Beefeater London Dry 10.99
Beefeater Pink 10.99
Bombay Sapphire 11.99
The Botanist 11.99
Hendrick’s 12.99
Tanqueray 10.99

Tequila
Jose Cuervo Gold 9.99
Patrón Silver 11.99
Don Julio Blanco 10.99
Espolón Blanco 10.99
Mijenta Blanco 11.99
Casamigos Silver 13.99
Patrón Reposado 12.99
Don Julio Reposado 10.99
Espolón Reposado 12.99
Mijenta Reposado 13.99
Komos Reposado Rosa 24.99
Patrón Añejo 13.99
Don Julio Añejo 16.00
Mijenta Añejo 19.99
Dobel Diamante Cristalino 13.99
Don Julio 1942 25.00
Komos Cristalino Añejo 27.99
Komos Añejo Reserva 31.99

Whiskey & Bourbon
Buffalo Trace 10.99
Bulleit 11.99
Maker’s Mark 11.99
Woodford Reserve 12.99
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee 10.99
Gentleman Jack 12.99
Templeton Rye 10.99
Rittenhouse Rye 10.99
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye 10.99
Seagram’s 7 9.99
Canadian Club 9.99
Jameson Irish 10.99
Fireball Cinnamon 9.99
Screwball Peanut Butter 9.99

Scotch
Chivas Regal 12YR 10.99
Dewar’s White Label 9.99
Glenfiddich 11.99
The Glenlivet 12.99
Johnnie Walker Black Label 10.99
Johnnie Walker Double Black 11.99
The Macallan 12YR 14.00

Cognac
Hennessy V.S 10.99
Rémy Martin V.S.O.P 12.99

Apéritif
Aperol 10.99
B&B 10.99
Campari 10.99
Fernet-Branca 10.99
Jägermeister 10.99
Pernod 10.99
Pimm’s 10.99

Liqueur
Baileys Irish Cream 10.99
Chambord Black Raspberry 10.99
Cointreau 10.99
Disaronno Amaretto 10.99
Drambuie 10.99
Frangelico 10.99
Grand Marnier 10.99
Kahlúa 10.99
Midori Melon 10.99
Sambuca 10.99
Southern Comfort 10.99

Non-Alcoholic Offerings

Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Sprite, Fanta Orange, Ginger Ale, Tonic
3.50

Red Bull Energy Drink
Regular, Sugarfree or Yellow Edition (Tropical)
4.00

Cranberry, Grapefruit, Orange or Pineapple Juice
3.50

Cocolove Coconut Water
4.95

Lush Life
Seedlip Garden 108 non-alcoholic spirit, blueberry purée, lemon juice and club soda
10.00

Mai Spice
Seedlip Spice 94 non-alcoholic spirit, orgeat syrup, lime juice, mango and orange juice
10.00

Peach Perfect
Seedlip Grove 42 non-alcoholic spirit, peach, lemon juice and pineapple juice
10.00

Espresso No-Tini
Seedlip Spice 94 non-alcoholic spirit, chai tea concentrate, espresso mix and half & half
10.00

Mule Kickback
Seedlip Grove 42 non-alcoholic spirit, lime juice, tropical mix and ginger beer
10.00

Blind Tiger
Lavender French 75, Side Car Mimosa or Southside Mojito
9.00

Natureo Sparkling, Spain
10.00

Cero Coma Blanco, Spain
10.00

Ariel Chardonnay, California
10.00

Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon, California
10.00

Natureo Syrah, Spain
10.00

Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic Belgian White
6.99

Heineken 0.0
6.99

Sam Adams Non-Alcoholic Just the Haze IPA
6.99

Zero Proof Mocktails

Berry Press
Strawberries, lavender syrup, lemon juice and club soda
7.00

Passion Starlight
Passion fruit syrup, lemon juice, pineapple juice, lemonade and mint
7.00

Coconut Lime Refresher
Coconut syrup, lime juice, lemonade and mint
7.00

Crave the Wave
Guava and watermelon syrup, lemon juice, cranberry juice and club soda
7.00

All Aboard Spritz
Desert pear syrup, lime juice, cranberry juice and club soda
7.00

Berry Necessary
Cranberry juice, blueberry purée, lime juice and ginger beer
7.00

Tiger’s Tale
Coconut and watermelon syrup, lemon juice, club soda, mint, strawberry and watermelon
7.00

Tropical Crush
Pineapple juice, mango and Red Bull Yellow Edition
7.00

Passionista
Guava and passion fruit syrup, lime juice and club soda
7.00

Watermelon Mint Lemonade
Watermelon syrup, lemonade and mint
7.00

Yuzu Sunrise
Orange juice, yuzu purée, lemon juice and pineapple juice
7.00

Lush Life
Seedlip Garden 108 non-alcoholic spirit, blueberry purée, lemon juice and club soda
10.00

Mai Spice
Seedlip Spice 94 non-alcoholic spirit, orgeat syrup, lime juice, mango and orange juice
10.00

Peach Perfect
Seedlip Grove 42 non-alcoholic spirit, peach, lemon juice and pineapple juice
10.00

Espresso No-Tini
Seedlip Spice 94 non-alcoholic spirit, chai tea concentrate, espresso mix and half & half
10.00

Mule Kickback
Seedlip Grove 42 non-alcoholic spirit, lime juice, tropical mix and ginger beer
10.00

Complimentary Drinks on Royal Caribbean

Guests who are Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club Crown and Anchor Society members also receive complimentary drinks each day.

Royal Caribbean has revamped its offerings to allow at least 4 beverage vouchers for Diamond and higher guests in Crown and Anchor, which are good all day and at any bar (except Starbucks).

• Diamond: 4 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)
• Diamond Plus: 5 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)
• Pinnacle: 6 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)

Each cruise, Royal Caribbean will hold "welcome back" parties for its Crown and Anchor members.

At each event, complimentary alcoholic beverages are served and it can be a great way to enjoy free drinks while hearing about what is new and exciting about Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean Beverage Packages

One way to lock in the price of your Royal Caribbean cruise is to purchase a drink package.

The unlimited alcohol package allows guests to enjoy as many beers, cocktails, and other alcoholic drinks as they like for a fixed daily price.

Deluxe Package: $60 - $125 per guest, per day (plus 18% service charge)

Guests can choose between beer, wine by the glass (up to $14 value), mixed cocktails, frozen cocktails along with premium coffee, premium tea, bottled water (sparkling and still), freshly squeezed juice, fountain sodas with the Coca-Cola souvenir cup.

More about Royal Caribbean drink prices and packages

Here are some more helpful articles about Royal Caribbean drinks and the unlimited alcohol packages:

• Should you buy the unlimited alcohol packages?
• Which Royal Caribbean drink package is right for you?
• How to purchase Royal Caribbean's unlimited alcohol packages

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After four port days in a row, having a sea day feels great.

As Odyssey of the Seas makes her way back to Port Everglades, we have two sea days to enjoy and that means relaxing and doing any of the onboard activities we may have missed.

Once we got out of bed, we hit up Solarium Bistro for breakfast.

Just like on day two of this cruise, we like Solarium Bistro because it's relatively uncrowded and has a good selection of food.   My youngest likes it because it has doughnuts.

After breakfast we heard the Stowaway Piano player in one of the elevators, so we tracked him down and went for a few rides. Odyssey's elevators are air conditioned (most other Royal Caribbean ship elevators are not), so it was nice to get a few rides in.

Next up was a Quantum Class ship must-do: bumper cars!

The line looked long, but it took maybe 15 or 20 minutes before we got our turn.

I found a Perfect Day at CocoCay bumper car, so we went straight for that one.

For lunch, we went to Giovanni's Italian Kitchen.

Their lunch menu is slightly different from the dinner menu, and my kids really like this restaurant.

After lunch we headed to the Schooner Bar for Disney trivia and it was packed to the brim!

There are a few kinds of trivia that are always crazy popular on Royal Caribbean: Disney, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. I might be missing some others, but they really need to add more of these kinds of trivia given how popular they are.

By this point, I was ready for an afternoon nap and it felt great!

After waking up, I was greeted by a perfect sea day sunset.

For dinner, we had booked Izumi sushi.

On Odyssey, the sushi and hibachi parts of Izumi are separate restaurants.

The food was great, and I was happy with all the sushi options while my family ordered the non-sushi items.

I wanted to mix up our post-dinner plans a little, so I went to Boleros for a drink and music.

Boleros primarily plays Latin music, but in the early evening it has other performances here and it was perfect for sitting back and enjoying music without it being a party or super loud.

That evening, we watched the crew members put up the ship's Christmas tree.

It took them a couple hours, but before the end of the night, the tree was up.

Tomorrow is another sea day!

Could this be what the next version of Royal Caribbean's main dining room menu looks like?

Royal Caribbean sent past guests an email survey with options for a new main dining room menu, and asked them for feedback.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Shannon Apodaca shared screenshots from the survey, which asked a variety of questions regarding the main dining room experience.

The example menu is for a French night theme, and it features both a new layout and new choices on the menu.

The survey then asked for ratings of each dish and how appealing they were to the respondent. 

Also included in the survey were questions about the main dining room experience overall, such as:

• How many minutes is too short, just right, and too long for dinner in the main dining room?
• What proportion of the menu would you prefer to contain familiar vs new dishes?

Then the survey asked for the top 3 things you look for in the menu items:

• Wide variety of dishes
• Lots of dishes to choose from
• Familiar items
• Healthy options
• New items I've never had
• Easy to understand descriptions
• Small portions
• Listing of all ingredients in each dish
• Sourcing of ingredients
• Exotic options

Next was a question about top 3 things in particular do you look for in the service of the main dining room:

• Gets to know me
• Anticipates my needs
• Doses not rush my service
• Offers suggestions
• Quick Service
• Friendly staff
• Bring samples to try
• Goes above and beyond
• Provides detailed description of menu items
• Refills drinks promptly
• Same server each night

Finally, it asked for guests to share the ideal main dining room atmosphere, in terms of lighting, table settings, music, silverware and more.

Following up on ship testing

This survey is being conducted in conjunction with a real-world example of the new menu taking place on Symphony of the Seas.

As we reported first, Royal Caribbean has changed the main dining room menu on only Symphony of the Seas to trial out the new menu.

Thanks to Thomas Napolitano for providing these menus

The new menu layout is part of the test, along with a change in the lobster portions provided.

Royal Caribbean says the impetus for making the change is for the guest experience in an effort to simplify the dining room menu, which would allow the service to speed up.

In short, Royal Caribbean is looking for a way to make the dinner experience in the main dining room more predictable and efficient.

The last port of call on our Odyssey of the Seas cruise takes us to Curacao.

Since the distance between our previous stop of Aruba and Curacao is quite short, the ship docked around 8am and we had a full day to enjoy the island.

We had no plans for the day other than not going to another beach.  After three beach days in a row, the family wanted something different. With that in mind, we decided to just wing it and see what happens.

Breakfast was in Cafe @ Two70 for how quick we can get in and out for time onshore.

Odyssey of the Seas docked a reasonable distance from downtown, with an easy walk from ship to shops.

The day started out cloudy and quite humid. As the day went on, we had an occasional light rain shower, but the clouds eventually cleared. The humidity, however, did not go away.

Before you can get to the real part of downtown, you have to go over a pontoon bridge. This bridge will sometimes move to make way for boat traffic, which is a neat sight to see.

Once downtown, we started meandering to look for souvenirs and anything else interesting. We had no agenda, just see where the streets would take us until the kids complained too much.

We ran across Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue , which is the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas.

We had visited it a few years ago as part of a Royal Caribbean shore excursion, but the kids are older, so we decided to poke our heads in again.

At first, I just wanted to give the synagogue a couple of dollars to see the inside of the temple and take another glimpse.

The first synagogue building was purchased in 1674, and the current building dates from 1730.

Something else unique about this building are the sand-covered floors.

There's also a small museum that tells the story of Jewish community in Curacaco, dating back to the late 15th century.

We continued our walk around town and get to the main square, where the kids took an ice cream break.

We did some more shopping before stopping for lunch at a restaurant along the water.

The food was nothing special, but the views of the water were nice.

At this point, the humidity was a bit too much, so we decided to head back to the ship.

We rested up for the evening, as it was Thanksgiving.

The ship didn't do a ton for Thanksgiving, but it covered the basics. There is a special menu in the main dining room and a few Thanksgiving activities in the Cruise Compass.

Prior to dinner, we took the kids to get a drink from the Bionic Bar.  

They loved watching the robots make the drinks. I find the drinks too sweet for my taste, but they loved it.

Next was dinner in the main dining room. We were on My Time Dining because when you book the Unlimited Dining Package, you automatically get moved to My Time to free up a table in traditional dining.

The earliest time you can book is 6:45, but we wanted to dine with our friends in the first seating of dinner at 5:30.

We got downstairs at 5:30 and asked and they said to come back at 6 once they knew who the no-shows were.  Sure enough, we were seated at a table right next to them at 6pm.

It's hard not to appreciate the beauty of the main dining room on Odyssey of the Seas because it's a different look than dining rooms across the fleet.

There's the normal main dining room menu, along with a special Thanksgiving menu.

I had to get turkey, along with the butternut squash soup.  My wife opted for the honey baked ham.

After dinner, we went to the Schooner Bar for "Name That Tune: Thanksgiving songs".  If you're like me, you can't think of any inherently Thanksgiving songs.

Sure enough, the idea was song titles that could double as Thanksgiving references, as opposed to songs synonymous with the holiday.

We weren't sure where to go next, so we headed up to Playmakers to watch the evening NFL football game between the Patriots and Vikings.

We didn't intend to stay for the whole game, but had a good time so did so anyway.

I rounded out my evening with some time in the casino before heading to bed.

Tomorrow is a sea day.

Payments on cruise ships have almost entirely gone digital, but there are still a few situations where cash comes in handy. Knowing how much cash to bring on a cruise can help you plan your vacation budget and avoid pesky ATM fees along the way.

Here’s what you should know about cash on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Do I need cash on a cruise ship?

Cash is rarely required on a Royal Caribbean cruise, as all payments onboard are made via your SeaPass account. Prior to your cruise, you’ll connect your onboard account with a credit or debit card, and all payments will be charged to that card at the end of the cruise.

You won’t require cash for 99% of purchases on a cruise, whether specialty restaurants, cocktails, or souvenirs. Plus, you’re never required to make any extra purchases in the first place if you take advantage of the complimentary options available on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Related: What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare

When will I need cash on a cruise ship?

Although cash isn’t required for onboard purchases, there are a few scenarios where you’ll want to have cash available.

Tipping crew members

Something you will need cash for on a Royal Caribbean cruise are any extra tips you give to crew members.

While you pay daily gratuities before your cruise ($16 per person, per day in most staterooms), many cruisers like to give something extra. Whether $2 to a bartender, $20 to your waiter, or $50 to your stateroom attendant, it’s common to tip crew members extra for excellent service.

Tipping extra is not necessary, and there’s no right or wrong amount to give a crew member. Some guests may bring $200 extra for gratuities whereas others may bring $50.

Having small bills handy is helpful if you plan to tip crew members throughout your sailing.

Port days

The time when you’ll need the most cash on a cruise vacation is when you’re in port. Whether in Mexico, St. Maarten, Italy, or Vanuatu, having cash is recommended. Although cards are widely accepted, you may still encounter establishments that do not accept card payments.

And while you don’t need to visit a port with $1000 in your wallet, you’ll want to make sure you have enough money to account for expenses throughout the day.

Depending on what you plan to do in port, you might need cash for the following:

• Taxis
• Restaurants and cafes
• Museum entrance fees
• Beach chair rentals
• Souvenirs

We recommend bringing around $100-200 in cash with you on a port day. This should provide enough money for transportation, food, and small souvenirs in port.

Can I use my credit card while in port?

You’re welcome to use a credit or debit card to make purchases in ports of call whenever possible. However, you’ll want to make sure you’ve notified your bank that you will be out of the country.

If you haven’t notified your bank, they will usually send you a fraud alert or temporarily freeze your card.

How to get cash on your cruise ship

If you forgot to bring cash on your cruise, there are a few ways to get it once onboard.

First is the ATM. All ships have at least one ATM onboard, which is usually located in the Royal Promenade or Centrum. ATMs usually charge a $5-6 fee per transaction.

Depending on your bank, the ATM transaction fee may be waived. If you want to avoid any ATM charges, though, you can theoretically take money out via the casino.

If you go to any slot machine, you’re able to transfer money to the game via your onboard account, which is connected to your credit or debit card.

If you transfer money to the slot machine and immediately cash out, you can take your cashout slip to the casino cage and receive the listed amount in cash.

Which currency do I need on a cruise?

Which currency you should bring with you on a cruise depends on your departure port and itinerary.

If you’re sailing from the United States to the Caribbean, US dollars are widely accepted in popular cruise ports. You can choose to pay in local currency, too, but obtaining money in 3+ currencies before a cruise is not necessary.

You’ll often receive change back in local currency even when paying with USD. If you buy a $5 souvenir with a $20 bill in Mexico, for example, you’ll receive change in Mexican pesos.

Cruises from Europe and Australia will still use the US dollar as the official onboard currency, but you should make purchases in port with the destination’s local currency. If cruising from Australia to the South Pacific, Australian dollars are widely accepted.

To avoid currency confusion, especially if you’re traveling to multiple countries on one cruise, we recommend using a credit or debit card to make purchases in port whenever possible.

More tips & tricks for planning your Royal Caribbean cruise:

• 30 Do's and Don'ts for the first day of your cruise
• The 20 worst cruise mistakes that will ruin your cruise vacation
• The best cruise itineraries for every type of traveler
• How to plan a Royal Caribbean cruise on any budget
• Best shore excursion in every Caribbean cruise port

It's kind of amazing that we were in the Dominican Republic yesterday and we'll make it down to the Southern Caribbean the next day.

Aruba is the next port of call, but we weren't due in until 1:30pm.  So today was half sea day, and half port day.

Since we had a sea day start to the day, we took things easy and slept in. My wife had a spa massage booked for the morning, but the girls and I slept in a bit.

Eventually we made it to the Windjammer for breakfast.

After eating, I took the kids up the SeaPlex to try out a Royal Caribbean original video game where you have to move your body to move the character.

Like other arcade games, it costs money, but it was a fun thing to try out.

As Odyssey of the Seas approached Aruba, we got ourselves ready to go once we docked.

We booked day passes to the RIU Palace resort through Resortforaday.com, which includes admission to the resort and is all-inclusive.  This means we can use the pool and beach, as well as enjoy unlimited drinks and food at a couple restaurants.

Walking off the ship was super easy.  In fact, we've had no lines at all walking off or coming back onboard the ship.  Maybe we're just getting lucky with times, but the process has been handled well.

Our time in Aruba was from 1:30pm to 11:30pm, giving us an afternoon and evening in port.

There were taxis waiting as we walked off the ship and took the short 10 minute ride to the resort. 

We checked in at the resort lobby and got wristbands for the day and cards to get towels. It's always so much easier if we don't have to schlep towels back and forth from the ship, especially when the towels are wet at the end of the day.

The pool is large, with various depths and features. The pool was so large there was no issue with it being overcrowded at all.

We were able to easily get chairs at the pool, and the hotel buildings provided shade for where we wanted to sit.

Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are included, and there is a large swim up bar in the pool, as well as a dry bar on the other side. There are also waiters that walk around periodically to take orders, but I found the waiters to be quite infrequent.

The resort is situated on Palm Beach, and the walk from pool to beach is just a few steps.

All the beaches in Aruba are public access, but the chairs and palapas are reserved for hotel guests.  

Palm beach is lovely, and it did not disappoint with white sand that felt very soft. Water was warm and as you can see in these photos, quite beautiful.

As afternoon turned to evening, we got to enjoy a beautiful sunset right on the beach.  While I generally prefer pools to beaches, I spent a lot of time at the beach, especially when the sun started to set.

For dinner, we had access to either the sports bar or the buffet restaurant.  It's worth noting you need to be dry and not have sleeveless clothing to go into the buffet. It's not listed in the day pass buying process, but I saw someone else mention it in a review, so we packed clothes to change into.

The buffet restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and is quite expansive with tons of choices. Even the pickiest eaters will find something here.

We had a great time at the RIU Palace, and while not cheap, delivered on the fun we were hoping for.

We took a taxi ride back to the ship and showered once back onboard.

Still in port, we decided to go up to Playmakers for a drink and a bite to eat. One nice thing about having the unlimited dining package is you can stop in for just a bite since we weren't going to eat at Playmakers otherwise today.

We ran into one of our favorite waiters, Jessica, working in Playmakers.  It's always a pleasure when you can reconnect with crew members you had a good rapport with in the past.

Tomorrow we will be in Curacao.

Today we visited the Dominican Republic for the first time, which makes it a nice change of pace.

I've had many cruises with scheduled stops to a port in the Dominican Republic, but they always ended up being cancelled.

Today, we are visiting La Romana, which is on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic.

Odyssey of the Seas wasn't due in until about 10am, so we took our time in the morning and grabbed breakfast at Cafe @ Two70.

As the ship pulled into La Romana, the mountainous countryside stood out immediately.

Prior to the cruise, I booked a private boat charter through a website called GetMyBoat. It's a third-party listing of boats you can charter, and this one sounded like a perfect fit.  It was 3 hours of having the boat to ourselves, and it comes with a crew, lunch, and a few stops along the way.

The boat left from Punta Cana, which is about a 45 minute car ride away.  The company that chartered the boat arranged for an additional cost transportation to and from the port. Carlos was waiting when we disembarked and met us in the taxi lot.

I believe we docked a little early, so we were able to walk off the ship earlier than I anticipated. There is a small port area with lots of shops you can browse as you walk out (or back in as you return).

We met Carlos who had a large passenger van and he got us on our way.  The kids loved when he hooked up his phone to the Bluetooth and played their favorite songs.

I didn't realize Punta Cana was as close as it is to La Romana, primarily via highway. 

Once we got to the beach, Carlos dropped us off at the main building for the company that owns the boats they charter.  We signed the necessary paperwork and were taken right away to the beach to board our boat.

We had booked a 60 foot long boat that has 2 levels, 2 bathrooms, and even a water slide off the back of the boat.

Our visit would take us to a snorkeling spot and a swimming spot to enjoy. Along the way we would also visit a dolphin park. All the stops are at various areas just off the coast, so there's no long commute times on the water.

Since it was reserved just for us, the boat felt very large with tons of space.  And since it was our own charter, as soon as we were ready to go, the captain pulled up anchor and we were on our way.

Our first stop was a snorkeling area, where the boat provided all the equipment.  You could optionally just hop in the water for a swim without snorkel gear if you preferred to just be in the water.

One of the crew members escorted us around the water and helped the kids.  There was a strong current, so there was a lot of swimming required.

After we got back onboard, it was time for lunch.  I paid extra to get an upgraded lunch option for the kids, so we had burgers, chicken kabobs, and fruit.  Later we were served chips and salsa.

Also included were soft drinks and rum punch and rum and cokes. We had the option to BYOB as well, with a stop at a liquor stand before boarding the boat.

We passed by a dolphin park, which meant we could see dolphins swimming around in their enclosure from our boat.  We didn't go in or anything, so it's merely a quick minute long stop to glance.

Next up was our swimming stop, where we could get in the water that was about 4 or 5 feet deep. 

This proved to be best time of the day, because the kids loved going down the water slide over and over again and we all got time to relax in the water.

After the swim, we started heading back to shore.

I loved our time because it delivered exactly what was promised. We got back to La Romana with 2 and a half hours to spare, which is always my primary concern when doing a tour on my own far from the port.

The crew were great, and having the boat to ourselves was fantastic. It felt special and I only wish we had more time during the tour. In case you're wondering, the boat cost $688, and then it was an additional $300 for the roundtrip transportation and upgraded lunch.

Carlos drove us back and we browsed a few shops at the port before getting back on the ship.

After showering, it was time for dinner at Wonderland.

My kids wanted to eat at Wonderland because they've never dined there and thought the whimsical nature of the restaurant sounded fun. I have to admit I would have preferred dining elsewhere.

As it turned out, the kids loved the experience.  The kids menu was a homerun, and the main menu items ended up being really good.  Plus, the kids loved the schtick more than I thought they would.

I even found the food better than I remembered, and I don't think anyone regretted going to Wonderland.

After dinner, my wife and I did a little window shopping around the Royal Esplanade before hitting up the casino for a bit.

Tomorrow we will be in Aruba.