Royal Caribbean Blog

Black Friday is not only a major retail sales event, but the cruise lines get into the action as well with their own set of deals and promotions.

Royal Caribbean has not revealed what its 2023 Black Friday deals will be, nor if we can expect any kind of Black Friday promotion.

While we wait to see what deals might be offered in 2021, here is a look back at the last few Black Friday offers to get a sense of what has been offered in the past. It is important to note that past promotions are not indicative of what might be coming this year.

What is Black Friday?

If you are unaware, Black Friday is a major sales event in primarily the United States, where there are major sales the day after the Thanksgiving holiday to kick off the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season.

Traditionally, retailers offer their best deals of the year on Black Friday in order to kick-start their best sales times, and you typically see crazy low prices on consumer electronics and other goods.

The cruise lines have gotten into the spirit of the event, by offering their own promotions.  Cruise lines typically have their best offers in the early part of the year during Wave Season, but since so many consumers are looking for new sales, Royal Caribbean has offered some too.

Black Friday 2022

Royal Caribbean's Cyber Week Sale in 2022 ran between November 17 - November 22, 2022.

There was a 30% off every guest and Kids Sail Free offer. 

The Cruise Planner sale ran between November 18, 2022 and November 25, 2022. It had:

• Up to 30% Off all access tour
• Up to 50% off beverage packages
• Up to 50% off shore excursions
• Up to 35% off internet packages
• Up to 50% off specialty dining
• Up to 20% off gifts and gear
• Up to 65% off photo packages
• Up to 30% off spa

Full 2022 Black Friday offer details

Black Friday 2021

The Cruise Planner sale ran between November 23 - December 1, 2021. It offered:

• Up to 50% off beverage packages
• Up to 50% off shore excursions
• Up to 60% off internet packages
• Up to 55% off specialty dining
• Up to 55% off gifts and gear
• Up to 70% off photo packages
• Up to 30% off spa

Full 2021 Black Friday offer details

Black Friday 2020

Royal Caribbean's Cyber Week Sale in 2020 ran between November 24 - December 1, 2020 and offered a bundle of savings, with up to $550 off cruise fares.

Guests could combine the Cyber Week Sale with the November monthly offer, which provided 60% off the second guest, and kids sail free.

In addition, there was a Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale on pre-cruise add-ons, like drink packages, shore excursions, wifi and more.

Black Friday 2019

Royal Caribbean offered a Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal in 2019, although it was effectively the same offer. 

The Cyber Weekend sale ran between November 27 - December 2, 2019.

• 60% off second guest
• Instant savings up to $300 off
• Kids Sail Free

In addition, there was a Black Friday sale on pre-cruise purchases such as up to 50% off Beverage Packages. Plus, up to 65% off Internet, up to 30% off Shore Excursions, up to 55% off Dining Packages, and up to 40% off Gifts and Gear.

The Cyber Monday Cruise Planner sale runs between November 27 - December 3, 2019.

Black Friday 2018

Royal Caribbean's Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal in 2018 offered a very similar deal to the 2019 offer.

The Cyber Weekend sale ran between November 22, 2018 – November 27, 2018.

• 60% off second guest
• 30% off third guests and higher in same room as first two qualified guests
• Instant savings up to $300 off
• Kids Sail Free

The 2018 Cyber Monday Cruise Planner sale offered up to 40% off pre-cruise purchases, including up to 40% off drink packages, up to 25% off excursions, up to 60% off internet and 20% off specialty dining.

The pre-cruise planner sale ran between November 23, 2018 - November 27, 2018.

Black Friday 2017

The Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal in 2017 had a sligtly different combination compared to 2018-2019.

• 50% off second guest
• 25% Savings for 3/4 guests “Kids Sail for Less”
• Up to $400 Onboard Credit per stateroom
  • The extra $100 was for booking more than six months in advance

The 2017 Black Friday Sale on Cruise Planner purchases offered up to 30% off everything in the store, such as beverage packages, shore excursions and more.

Black Friday 2016

The 2016 Black Friday through Cyber Monday Super Sale ran between November 26 - 28, 2016.

• 50% Reduced Deposits
• Up to $300 Onboard Credit per stateroom
• BOGO 50% off with 25% savings for 3rd and 4th guests
• up to $100 Onboard Credit per stateroom

There was also a Cruise Planner sale in 2016 for pre-cruise purchases on beverage packages, shore excursions and more.

Black Friday 2015

In 2015, Royal Caribbean offered slightly different offers for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Black Friday offered:

• 50% off second guest
• 50% reduced deposit
• Up to $300 per stateroom onboard credit
• 25% off 3rd and 4th guests in a room
• One Voom internet package for one device on Anthem, Harmony, Allure, Oasis, Freedom, and Enchantment of the Seas on sailings departing between May 1 - September 30, 2016.

The Cyber Monday sale was essentially the same as the Black Friday sale, but with a bit more onboard credit.

• 50% off second guest
• 50% reduced deposit
• Up to $400 per stateroom onboard credit
• 25% off 3rd and 4th guests in a room
• One Voom internet package for one device on Anthem, Harmony, Allure, Oasis, Freedom, and Enchantment of the Seas on sailings departing between May 1 - September 30, 2016.

Should you wait until Black Friday to book a cruise?

If you want to get the best possible deal, your best bet is to actually book a cruise or cruise planner purchase now and rebook if the price goes down later.

There is no telling what Royal Caribbean's Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals will be in 2020, but the best strategy for getting the lowest price is to book now at current rates and then compare to thee new prices if/when a deal is announced later.

By booking now, you can lock in the current rates. If there is a better sale between now and Black Friday, you can always get a price adjustment.

One of the overlooked, yet quite significant, benefits of the Cruise with Confidence program is Royal Caribbean's Best Price Guarantee has been expanded.

This means guests can now take advantage of price drops after final payment date, up until 48 hours before the cruise, and it applies to all countries.

Price variances will result in a rate adjustment if requested outside of final payment or a non-refundable onboard credit when inside final payment period.

Pre-cruise purchases for drink packages or excursions are even easier to cancel and rebook to take advantage of a lower price.

Since you can take advantage of price drops later, you do not have to worry that you missed a better deal in the weeks leading up to Black Friday.

Odyssey of the Seas cost Royal Caribbean nearly $1 billion, and it has so many things for everyone in your group to do that there's no room for being bored.

Whether you are into dining, activities, events, or games, there is a lot to see and do across Odyssey's sixteen decks.

Having a good time on Odyssey of the Seas doesn't mean you have to pay extra for fun either.  Royal Caribbean includes a great deal of things to do that are included with your cruise fare.

Here is my list of 15 free things to do when you sail on Odyssey of the Seas.

1. Find the stowaway piano player

Live music is something Royal Caribbean does well, and Odyssey has a really fun approach to hearing live music with the stowaway piano player.

Unlike other musicians onboard that have scheduled sets in a specific location, the stowaway piano player performs in random places at random times. The idea is you can stumble on him and literally run into a great performance.

The reason why the piano player is referred to as a "stowaway" is because the story Royal Caribbean tells is the piano player snuck onboard and is playing music for fun while avoiding getting caught.

Since there is no published times to find the stowaway piano player, keep an ear out for music emanating from an usual direction and then follow the tunes.

2. Bounce on the Sky Pad

Odyssey of the Seas has its own Sky Pad, where you can bounce along on a trampoline to a virtual world.

After being hooked up to bungee chords, you put on a virtual reality visor and explore a virtual world while bouncing up and down on a giant trampoline!

There are three different games to try, including being transported to another time and planet to bounce over moon craters or compete in intergalactic games.

If you prefer, you can do this without the virtual reality helmet and instead look out over the ocean as you leap toward the sky.

3. Splashaway Bay

While there are no water slides on Odyssey of the Seas, kids can splash around at Splashaway Bay.

This aqua park is designed for kids to enjoy, and does have a few short slides to enjoy, along with drench buckets, geysers, and pretty much any excuse to get soaked.

On sea days, you will find kids running through Splashaway Bay over and over again.

4. Go surfing

If you ever wanted to learn to surf or boogey board, Odyssey of the Seas has a Flowrider surf simulator on the back of the ship you can try.

The FlowRider is a simulator that sends water a very high speed across a small area that mimics what it is like to surf on the ocean.

Each guest takes a turn until they wipe out, and staff assist in trying to improve everyone's skills.

5. Climb the rock climbing wall

Any Royal Caribbean ship will have a rock climbing wall, where you can try your best to reach the top and ring the bell.

This is a great personal challenge that also has the added benefit of providing some fantastic views of the ocean from. Don't worry about safety, because you are harnessed in at all times.

6. Take a ride on the North Star

North Star is a signature Quantum Class ship feature, where you can board an observational pod and go up more than 300 feet above sea level to see everything around you.

North Star moves slowly, and provides incredible views of the ship below and everything else around you for miles.

Rides on North Star cost extra on sea days, but it is still complimentary on port days.

Be sure to reserve a ride as soon as you can via the Royal Caribbean app to ensure you have a spot.

7. See what it feels like to sky dive

Plenty of people want to try sky diving, but having to jump out of an airplane seems a bit much. Luckily for them, Ripcord by iFly solves that problem.

After a safety briefing and putting on a flight suit, guests take turns going in the air tube where high powered fans provide the sensation of what it is like to sky dive.

Trained instructors are with you the whole time in a totally controlled environment.

RipCord is going to be one of those experiences that you tell your friends and family about when you get home because it's not too often you get to experience something like this.

8. Bumper cars

There is a lot to do in the versatile SeaPlex, but the signature event held here is bumper cars.

This multi-deck facility offers basketball courts, ping pong tables, dance floor, circus school, dodge ball arena and even bumper cars to ride.

Strap into your car and then see how fast you can go while evading others, or be that guy and try to slam into as many others as you can.

Sometimes the bumper car sessions are themed, like "90's Bumper Cars" or teens-only sessions.

9. Soft-serve!

No matter how old you are, or what you're doing, a quick pit stop for free ice cream is a great idea.

You will find a soft serve frozen yogurt station on the pool deck where you can have as many ice cream cones as you like.

Complimentary ice cream can also be found in the Windjammer (among other places), which has a wider selection of flavors.

10. The Book

"The Book: Seven Chapters, One Adventure" is an original Royal Caribbean production that loosely tells a story of a librarian who explores the chapters of a book through song, dance, and music.

The Book is about a librarian who's in his mysterious library and he takes a few chapters from his favorite books, and then puts them into one bespoke book to take the audience on a journey.

The show features robots, performers dropping out of the ceiling, contortionists popping out of baskets, and the stage itself transforming throughout the performance.

11. Watch a game at Playmakers

The food and drinks at Playmakers Sports Bar are not free, but there is nothing stopping you from enjoying this space and all the games being shown without paying a dollar.

Across the dozens of televisions, you will find any game the ship receives, and when there is a big game being broadcast, this is the place to go. Sports fans will love the ambiance of Playmakers, and there is nothing quite like rooting your favorite team along with a crowd of other sport fanatics.

12. Poolside movie

Did you know you can watch recent blockbuster films on Odyssey of the Seas?

A giant screen at the pool deck plays recent flicks for no additional cost, which means you can watch it from a nearby chair, the pool, or the hot tub.

13. Showgirl: Past. Present. Future

Another must-see show on Odyssey is "Showgirl: Past. Present. Future", which pays homage to the dance style Las Vegas showgirls have made famous for decades.

A showgirl is a female dancer or performer in a stage entertainment show, and Las Vegas is famous for utilizing show girls in their acts, going back as early as the 1940s. Traditionally, Las Vegas Showgirls are classically trained dancers with skills in Ballet and Jazz dance.

Performed in the Royal Theater, Showgirl packs in a lot of energy and plenty of songs you likely know the words to.

14. Effectors

Speaking of shows to see, add The Effectors to the list.

Royal Caribbean added this new show at the end of October 2021, and it incorporates the superhero genre into Royal Caribbean's entertainment lineup.

Some superheroes are known for powers like ultra-fast speed, laser vision and titan-strength — but The Effectors draw their powers from their ability to create. Now, this band of heroes will have to face off against the ruthless Crash™, their arch-nemesis who’s bent on stopping the show and destroying the world. 

15. Silent party

Every evening features different music and parties, but one of the most fun has to be the HUSH Silent Party.

Held in the Music Hall, guests are given headphones to wear, which can be tuned to one of two music stations. Put on the headphones, choose your music, and then rock out.

Depending on which station you select, the color of your headphones change so you know who's listening to which track. Since everyone is wearing headphones, in reality everyone is dancing in a room without any music playing unless you have the headsets.

16. Watch a gameshow

Onboard Odyssey of the Seas you will find different gameshows you can play or be a part of, and see how far your fellow guests will go to win.

Shows such as Majority Rules, Blankety Blank, Family Feud and more are offered during your sailing.

These shows have no additional cost, and it's up to you if you want to participate or just watch the fun from the audience.

17. Karaoke

There is nothing quite like karaoke because you get all sorts of guests who step up to the mic to belt out their favorite songs.

There is usually karaoke on every night of the cruise held in the Music Hall and there is no cost to watch or sing.

18. Complimentary gaming lessons

The casino is about as far from free as you can get on a cruise ship, but the staff do offer complimentary lessons if you want to learn how particular games are played.

These sessions are about educating guests on how table games work, including crap, blackjack, and more. 

If you have ever wondered how the games are played, but are not ready to put money down to try yet, then these complimentary gaming lessons in the casino might be a good (and free) start.

19. RED

If you are looking for the best nightclub party on Odyssey of the Seas, check out RED - A Nightclub Experience.

Held in Two70, RED is planned to be the party onboard with all the hits, dimmed lights, and yes, lots of red lights all around.

20. Test your knowledge in trivia

Perhaps one of the most well-known cruise ship activities, there are multiple trivia contests held every day of your cruise.

Trivia is primarily held in the Schooner Bar, and there is usually a theme to each session. Music, geography, Broadway, and even pro wrestling, you will find all sorts of topics to tackle.

Teams of guests compete to get the most correct answers, with the winning team walking away with a novelty gift, such as a highlighter or pen.

Read more: Top 10 Odyssey of the Seas frequently asked questions

What is your favorite thing to do on Odyssey of the Seas? Have you sailed and tried one of these? Share with us your top picks in the comments below!

Happy Sunday! Temperatures may be dropping, but there is plenty of Royal Caribbean news to share.  This is your weekly summary of all the Royal Caribbean news from this past week, perfectly fitted for your consumption.

Wonder of the Seas was delivered to Royal Caribbean this week, marking her arrival as part of the fleet.

The new largest cruise ship in the world departed the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire on Friday.

Wonder of the Seas' next stop is Marseilles, France, where she will get some finishing touches before she begins sailings in March 2022.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean releases 2023 deployment schedule
• Don't expect Royal Caribbean to extend flexible cancellation terms again
• Royal Caribbean cruises in November 2021: What to expect
• Royal Caribbean files trademarks for names the cruise line has been using for years
• 7 things worth checking again on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Guide to Hideaway Beach adults-only beach at CocoCay
• Royal Caribbean adds validation to Covid-19 vaccine card photo uploads in app
• Why your teens (and you) will love a cruise vacation
• Why Cruises are Great for People with Anxiety

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 429th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is available to enjoy, where Matt walks through how to use the at-home Covid-19 test that Royal Caribbean accepts.

The Abbott at-home test is a convenient and easy way to get your pre-cruise test done, and Matt shares what you should know about taking the test for the first time.

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

New RCB Video: Royal Caribbean updates how full cruise ships will be!

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 — Royal Caribbean updates how full cruise ships will be! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Cruising to Alaska: What I Did Right and Wrong

Everyone makes mistakes on a cruise, especially if it's your first time taking a cruise to Alaska.

Jenna recently sailed on Ovation of the Seas to Alaska, and there were several things she did right, but also several mistakes too.

From packing for Alaska's unpredictable weather to rushing to make a flight home, here are a few takeaways and lessons learned from her Alaska sailing.

Royal Caribbean took delivery of its newest ship, which has become the largest cruise ship in the world.

Wonder of the Seas was delivered to Royal Caribbean at some point last week, and departed the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire on Friday.

The newest cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet is headed to Marseilles, France, where she will spend some time to get additional work done.

Delivery of a cruise ship means ownership of the vessel is transferred from the shipyard to the buyer, Royal Caribbean.

Photos by @loirepilot

While the ship now belongs to Royal Caribbean, her first sailing is not scheduled until March 2022.

Construction on Wonder of the Seas began in April 2019 with a steel-cutting ceremony.

Wonder's debut was pushed back from 2021 to 2022 due to the global health crisis. The impact of worldwide port and shipyard closures has created delays in the construction schedule and delivery of Wonder. 

The pandemic not only impacted Wonder's delivery date, but also where she would sail from. Instead of sailing from Shanghai, China to become the first Oasis Class cruise ship to be homeported in Asia, she will now sail from the United States and Europe initially.

Chantiers de l'Atlantique General Manager, Laurent Castaing, celebrated the delivery of Wonder, "At our yard, we are aware that we have designed and built one of the most exceptional ships in the history of the cruise market."

"Wonder of the Seas is a unique synthesis of innovation, state-of-the-art technologies, and savoir-faire of thousands of engineers and skilled workers. This splendid ship is really a symbol of the faithful and fruitful partnership we have established with Royal Caribbean International for nearly four decades."

Le dernier salut nazairien de l’atlas des mers. La cité flottante quitte son chantier naval #saintnazaire #WonderoftheSeas pic.twitter.com/qws0kcwDvY

— Thierry Hameau (@ThierryHameau) November 5, 2021

World's largest cruise ship

At 236,857 gross tons, Wonder of the Seas is the fifth Oasis Class cruise ship and takes the title from Symphony of the Seas as the biggest in the world.

Wonder of the Seas is 1,188 feet in length and has a maximum passenger capacity of 6,988 passengers, in addition to 2,300 crew.

In fact, Wonder has 100 cabins more than Symphony of the Seas.

Not only is Wonder of the Seas bigger than her sister Oasis Class ships, she has an extra neighborhood onboard dedicated just to suite guests.

The eighth neighborhood offers Royal Suite Class guests private spaces, such as an exclusive deck with its own pool, bar and plenty of sun loungers, as well as nooks for lounging.

Read more: Wonder of the Seas tour

In case you're wondering, Wonder of the Seas is not the last Oasis Class ship. A sixth Oasis Class ship that is yet unnamed is expected to have her inaugural cruise in the second quarter 2024.

What's next for Wonder of the Seas

The inaugural sailing of Wonder of the Seas is scheduled for March 2022, when Wonder of the Seas departs from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

She will then transition to the Mediterranean, beginning May 2022.

You might know you should book certain things, or check-into other things on your Royal Caribbean cruise, but did you know there's an advantage to going back in later and doing it again?

Things can change when it comes to planning a cruise in the weeks and months leading up to the sailing, and sometimes it can be worthwhile to double check there is not a better deal or option available.

Whether it can save you time or money, Royal Caribbean will sometimes adjust what it offers and those that take the extra step to go back into the Cruise Planner, booking engine, or app may end up benefiting from these updates.

Here are the top things that definitely worth checking again, even if you already took care of it earlier.

Earlier check in times

The time you can check-in for your cruise on embarkation day can sometimes get additional options after check-in opens up.

Ever since Royal Caribbean began enforcing check-in times, getting an early time has become important to many cruise passengers because they want to maximize the amount of time onboard the first day.

While check-in times will open up for everyone on a certain date leading up to their cruise (right around 45 days before your cruise departs), Royal Caribbean has been known to open up earlier times later on.

It is becoming somewhat common for earlier check-in times to suddenly appear, many days after check-in times were first available. There's no notification or alert of these earlier times, you just have to check back periodically.

The good news is you can easily go back into the check-in process in the app and select a new time.

In the app, below the "View SetSailPass" button is a link to "Edit Check-in". Click that and then click "Arrival Time" to see if there are any earlier times to select.

You will have to repeat this process for every guest on your reservation.

Price drops on your cruise fare

It is hard to beat the feeling of saving a lot of money, and you should be checking the price of your cruise regularly to see if the price has dropped.

Up until your final payment date, if you see a lower price for the same cabin category on the sailing you are booked on, you can get the difference refunded back to you.

With Royal Caribbean's enhanced Best Price Guarantee, you can get the difference as onboard credit if you spot the lower price after final payment date.

If you do see a lower price, contact your travel agent to have them re-price it for you.  If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean, then it is up to you to contact the cruise line to make the adjustment.

Read more: Do cruise prices drop?

Price drops on pre-cruise purchases

Just like cruise fares, the price you paid for drink packages, wifi, shore excursions, and more can all get lower in price.

Royal Caribbean makes it easy to cancel and rebook something before the sailing in its Cruise Planner website.

If you spot a lower price than you paid, you can instantly cancel your previous purchase and then go back and re-purchase it for the lower price.

If you used onboard credit to pay for some or all of it, the onboard credit will come back instantly to your account after you cancel the previous purchase.

There can often be wild swings in prices for certain pre-cruise purchases, especially the drink package, CocoCay cabanas, and wifi.

Read more: How to cancel and rebook pre-cruise purchases on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner

New shore excursions

Depending on when you booked your cruise, Royal Caribbean could add more shore excursion options later.

What to do in the ports you visit is always a popular topic, and shore excursions can be limited depending on the port and how many other guests are booking excursions.

Royal Caribbean does sometimes add new tours to choose from. This is especially true if you checked tours more than a year before your sailing is scheduled to begin.

In addition, if a guest cancels a tour, suddenly a previously sold out excursion is bookable again.

Read more: How to book a Royal Caribbean shore excursion

New health protocols

Consumers have no choice but to be vigilant about staying up to date with new health protocols these days, and you should keep an eye on the health protocols for your cruise leading right up to embarkation day.

In short, health protocols can (and often do) change often. Technically, you should get an email with any update to health protocols but do not rely on that.

Instead, check back on Royal Caribbean's website for any new health protocols, especially in the month leading up your sailing.

Ignorance is never an excuse, and too often there is a family that misses their cruise because they were unaware of a change to testing or vaccine requirements.

Read more: This should be your approach to getting a Covid test before your cruise

Cancelled staterooms

Whether for a price drop or option not available before, it is a good idea to check if new staterooms have opened up for your cruise.

The best time to check if there are new stateroom options or a lower price is right around final payment date.

Since a lot of people will have to decide at final payment date if they want to actually go on the cruise or cancel it, this is when you typically see the most cabins come back on the market to book.

If there is a better room location, or more desirable cabin category that you have had your eye on, it behooves you to check back for rooms that someone else cancelled.

Room assignment

If you booked a guarantee stateroom, it may be worthwhile to check not only if a room has been assigned, but where it is and if you can move it.

After booking a guarantee stateroom, Royal Caribbean will assign you a specific cabin.  You have the option of changing that room assignment to another unsold cabin of the same category.

It needs to be the same room category, but checking your room assignment again after booking may get you a better location than you were previously given.

Royal Caribbean regularly trademarks names and phrases it intends to possibly use for a new offering in the future, but they recently filed trademarks for a number of names that they have been using for years.

In paperwork filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Royal Caribbean Group filed four trademarks for things guests who have sailed on Royal Caribbean cruise ships for years would easily recognize.

The reason for a company to trademark anything is to protect them so competitors cannot steal creative ideas, names, or symbols from other businesses.

Royal Caribbean Group filed trademarks for these terms recently:

• RCTV (October 14, 2021)
• Cruise Compass (October 19, 2021)
• RCG (October 22, 2021)
• Royal Caribbean Group (October 19, 2021)
• Royal Caribbean Group logo (October 28, 2021)

RCTV is the abbreviation for Royal Caribbean's in-house television programming. Certain crew members working on RCTV manage the programming, as well as film select events onboard for broadcast onboard.

Cruise Compass is the name of Royal Caribbean's daily newspaper that lists all of the events and important information for the day onboard.

Passengers onboard can browse the Cruise Compass in the paper version or the digital version found in the cruise line app.

Read more: First time cruiser's guide to Royal Caribbean's Cruise Compass

Royal Caribbean Group is the business name of the company that owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and other brands.

RCG is the abbreviation of Royal Caribbean Group.

Read more: Who owns Royal Caribbean?

How important are trademarks?

When Royal Caribbean trademarks something, how important is that to cruise fans?

Historically, Royal Caribbean uses trademarks for two purposes: protect names and slogans it is using, or protect names and slogans it might use.

In many cases, trademarks can provide a glimpse of plans the line has in the future, but not every trademark is necessarily an indication of a direction the company will go.

Royal Caribbean has trademarked many different cruise ship names over the years that it never used.  Usually names get registered in a batch, and perhaps one ends up becoming the name of an actual cruise ship.

Last year, Royal Caribbean trademarked a name for its own brand of face mask, but ultimately decided not to do anything with it.

Read more: 8 things Royal Caribbean trademarked but never did anything with

In other cases, trademarks gave us a heads up on plans the line had before an announcement came, such as emuster, Chilla Thrilla beer, and venues on Wonder of the Seas.

We now know when Royal Caribbean will open up new 2023 bookings.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed, released part of the new deployment schedule, although it is not complete.

The partial deployment schedule will cover Alaska, Europe, and 7-night Caribbean sailings.

• Week of November 29, 2021: Alaska
• Week of December 6, 2021: Europe
• Week of December 13, 2021: 7-night Caribbean

Royal Caribbean promises more release dates will be announced soon for 2023 sailings from the Northeast, Los Angeles, Short Caribbean and more.

All itineraries are subject to change without notice.

What is a deployment schedule?

The deployment schedule is the plan for when Royal Caribbean will open select sailings for sale.

There is no indication of which day, just the week the new itineraries will become available to book, but it could be on any day of the noted week.

Guests will commonly misconstrue the new cruises to come out on the exact day, rather than at some point during the week.

When the new sailings are available, it is common for the new itineraries to be entered into the booking system first, and the website second. This means in some cases cruises are bookable earlier if booked over the phone or with a travel agent, even if they do not appear on the website.

What should you do now to prepare?

If you are in the market for a cruise during one of these new deployments, you will want to keep an eye out for once cruises go on sale.

Royal Caribbean typically allows Crown and Anchor Society members a 24 hour head start on the general public, but since anyone can sign up for Crown and Anchor Society, there is no excuse for waiting.

Talk with your travel agent in the days leading up to the new deployments coming online so you can jump on specific bookings and book them.  

One of the best strategies for the lowest prices is to book a cruise as soon as it goes on sale.  Hard-to-find staterooms are also available during this period, so now is the time to lock in a studio room or a suite.

Planning on booking a cruise in 2022-2023? These stories will help:

• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?

Royal Caribbean just extended the ability to cancel a cruise reservation at the last minute for a future cruise credit, but that may be the last time the cruise line extends this generous offer.

The Cruise with Confidence program is the name of the offer for guests who can cancel their cruise even after final payment date, up to 48 hours before a ship is scheduled to sail in exchange for a future cruise credit.

The program was introduced at the start of the global pandemic so passengers could feel assured they could change their mind closer to sail date.

Speaking to travel agents during a webinar, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed said she does not think the Cruise with Confidence program will get extended again.

"This is a program that's been going on for some time. I do believe this is probably going to be the last extension of it," Ms. Freed told travel agents.

The reason for Cruise with Confidence likely not getting extended again? Ms. Freed said bookings are stronger now, "We are seeing such active bookings right now that I'm not sure we need to continue it much longer."

Royal Caribbean did extend Cruise with Confidence to include allow passengers to cancel up to 48 hours before you sail and get a future cruise credit valid to book by April 30, 2022 and sail by December 31, 2022, or one year from the original sailing date, whichever is later.

Cruises must be booked on or before December 17, 2021 to qualify for Cruise with Confidence.

Without Cruise with Confidence, guests would incur a penalty for canceling a sailing after the final payment date, which is typically 90 days before a sailing begins. Cruise with Confidence provides a great deal more flexibility to change minds with no penalty.

Also part of the Cruise with Confidence program is the Best Price Guarantee, which allows guests to reprice their sailing up to 48-hours prior to the sail date if the price drops.

Anyone who has booked a cruise already, or will do so before December 17, will have the Cruise with Confidence program included with their reservation.

If having this flexibility is important to you, be sure to book a new sailing, or change a ship or sail date before December 17th to qualify for Cruise with Confidence.

Protocols

Ms. Freed also talked about onboard protocols as Royal Caribbean begins to get back to full capacity again.

Last week, Royal Caribbean Group executives told Wall Street by the end of the year, the company plans to get its ships back to normal capacity again.

"I just want to give you a little bit of the updates on protocols," Ms. Freed said during Wednesday's webinar. "We're going to start phasing all of this out because as we are getting back to service with our entire fleet.  We're always looking at what the CDC is saying and the public health standards."

Ms. Freed's comments echo what Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley told investors last week.

"Some of the protocols that we have in place will naturally fall away as the pandemic moves further and further in the rearview mirror."

"I think as we move into '22, hopefully what we'll see is is the protocols become easier and less cumbersome for our customers."

Air Canada, the nation’s largest airline, is making it easier for Canadians to get pre-travel Covid testing, which is great news for cruisers flying to the United States.

The airline recently announced that they are selling a portable test kit for both molecular and antigen testing. These kits allow for a self-administered test which will be monitored by a health professional via a mobile device, with results in 45 minutes.

Mark Nasr, Air Canada's Senior Vice president of Products Marketing and E-commerce noted "We are pleased to offer our customers the most comprehensive range of travel testing options that will make travelling abroad easier and more predictable"

This provides Canadian travellers with added flexibility, especially with varying testing requirements for flying.

Testing requirements

Currently, there are specific testing protocols for both flying and cruising. The latest testing requirements for Canadians flying to the United States for a Royal Caribbean cruise:

Flying to the United States - Canadians, aged 2 and over, flying to the U.S. must provide a negative Covid test within 3 days of their flight. More specifically, the test must be performed no more than 3 days before the first scheduled departure time in the flight itinerary. For flights to the U.S., either an antigen or molecular test(such as PCR test) is accepted.

Pre-cruise testing - Cruisers must provide testing 2 days before the sail date. The day a passenger sets sail is not included as one of the days you count back from. For kids under 12, there are additional testing requirements as noted on the cruise line's website. It is important to note that supervised telehealth tests are not accepted for unvaccinated guests (kids under 12), they must be completed in person.

Return to Canada testing - For the return trip home, travellers must have a negative COVID-19 molecular test (PCR, RT-PCR, NAAT, RT-LAMP) result. The test must be taken a maximum of 72 hours before the departure of their last direct flight to Canada.

How the test kits work  

Air Canada has partnered with Switch Health, which currently provides in person testing through clinics and airports in Canada. For the portable kits, they are currently offering both antigen and molecular (RT-LAMP and PCR), available for purchase via Air Canada’s website. These are accessible for purchase pre-trip, shipped to the desired Canadian address.

Travellers need to register the kit by creating an account prior to testing. When ready to test, log into the account with government issued identification such as passport or driver’s license. Access to the internet and a mobile device with a camera is required to join the telehealth session to complete your test. Telehealth sessions are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Participants will be guided through the testing process by a health professional. Results will be uploaded to the account within 45 minutes with an official electronic report suitable for travel verification.

At this time, Royal Caribbean is not yet accepting these tests, but they do provide travellers with more options when flying to and from the United States. 

How to order

The kits are available for purchase through Air Canada’s website under “Covid 19 testing locations”. This is fulfilled in partnership with Switch Health.

Currently, there is special pricing for Air Canada's Aeroplan members (the airline’s loyalty program ) with promotional pricing of $79 CAD for two Antigen tests. An RT-LAMP test kit is priced at $149 CAD and a RT-PCR for $159 CAD. In addition, members will receive 500 bonus Aeroplan points for the purchase of a kit. For those who are not currently members, signup instructions are included on the site. Additionally, tests can be purchased using existing Aeroplan points through the Aeroplan e-store.

Free shipping is included, mailing within 5-7 business days, or express shipping for 1-3 business days, for an additional $15 CAD.

I recently shared extra tips to help prepare for a cruise in the case that you have anxiety, and several comments from readers really hit home. So many people in the US, and globally, suffer from anxiety and other mental illnesses, and this can make vacation planning so tough. 

Why, though, if you have anxiety, would you want to plan a vacation where you’re essentially stuck on a ship full of people in the middle of the ocean? Let’s break down together the reason why this is actually a DREAM vacation, and not a nightmare scenario.

Financing

Let’s start with the big one:  money.

I don’t know about you, but nothing makes me feel more anxious than big expenses. Vacation is one of those--it’s one of the few times a year we get to escape work, kick back, and not think about real life, so we want to make it as enjoyable and memorable as possible--and that costs money.

When we were “land-tripping,” we’d save up for our trips, but because we had to open our wallet at every stop (gas station or flight, hotel, restaurant, tourist trap, etc), the anxiety about how much we were spending never left me. I was constantly calculating how much we were spending, ordering the cheapest thing on the menu, forgoing that glass of wine with a romantic dinner, skipping out on places we wanted to go because it was the end of the trip and we were cashed out. 

With a cruise, we start planning at least a year in advance. A deposit goes down, and we can set a payment plan and add it to our monthly budget right up until Final Payment Date.

Along the way, there are sales on excursions, drink packages, internet, etc that we watch out for. That way, we don’t have to buy everything all at once.

We also usually put it on a credit card, so we can earn points. By this point (I have under a month left to my next cruise!), the only thing I have left to pay for are some cruise wardrobe refreshes, and toiletries.

Once I get on the ship, we will carry cash to tip our favorite bartenders and waitstaff (most gratuities are included), and we will have a few minor expenditures in port, but mostly, there aren’t any money worries. I can totally relax in that sense.

Planning

While we are on the subject of planning, you can do as much of that before the trip that you want, as well.

Like I said, there are always sales for excursions well in advance of the cruise, so we will sit down and figure out what we want to do in port. Is it a beach stop, like Coco Cay & Labadee; or a tour port like San Juan? Do we want to just walk around and do our own thing, or actually purchase an excursion? We are even staying on ship for one of the ports this time. 

There’s also plenty of activities on ship too! You can plan a trip to the spa, or a galley tour. What shows do you want to see? Some entertainment you can’t fully schedule beforehand, but looking at past Cruise Compasses from similar sailings can help you feel less overwhelmed by all the activities when you are onboard.

Remember, your Sea Day plans can always change. Leave some room for spontaneity--you may end up spending 3 hours drinking chocolate martinis on the Rising Tide with a fellow cruiser, instead of going to that trivia game you planned on...not that I know from experience or anything. 

There's more space than you think

The number one thing I hear from fellow anxious travelers, when I mention cruising, is this:  “I could never do that, I’d be so claustrophobic, being surrounded by water, on a boat with thousands of other people.” And I cannot blame them, because that’s exactly what I thought when Mr. Mills approached me with the idea for our first cruise. But these ships are huge. Small cities, really.

Royal Caribbean is a master of traffic control, so there are very few times you will be in a crowd. There’s only two times I can think of when I have felt overwhelmed by a crowd on a ship: 

1. Muster Drill, which was in the Pre-COVID days when we all had to gather in the same area for the safety information. Now it’s on your phone, so that is no more
2. Getting off the ship first thing in the morning on a busy port day. That’s easily remedied by waiting an hour or two after the gangplank opens, but Mr. Mills and I are early risers, so I mostly just grin and bear it. 

As for the ocean, it was a little intimidating the first time out. We like to keep the live ship tracking map up in our stateroom, so we can see where we are. This helps because I can see what islands are around us at any time. You almost always can see other ships off in the distance too, so you rarely feel alone.

By the end of that first cruise, I was totally in love, and now I find the ocean so peaceful. I crave that peace when I’m away from it, and it’s been a VERY long 2 years.

Travel with a home base

Cruising is one of only two vacations that I know of (RVing being the other), where you travel with your own home base.

Imagine visiting three different countries in a week, but never having to move hotel rooms, drive between them, check customs between each country, etc. Instead, you have one giant floating all-inclusive resort that takes you there.

So often with anxiety, we get in our heads that these big trips aren’t worth it, because they are so overwhelming. But because you have a place to go back and rest, it makes it so easy! There are often days where I will go out to port in the morning, come back and take a nap, and then find some fun activity to do in the afternoon before dinner. 

Staff prepared to help you

Lastly, Royal Caribbean’s staff is the absolute best I’ve ever come across in the service industry. They make you feel at ease from the moment you step into the terminal. If you have any concern, they will do everything they can to put it to rights.

As anxious people, we naturally have a tendency to avoid asking questions or causing a stir if something isn’t to our liking, but I have found every single person to be extraordinarily helpful and genuinely kind. The staff wants you to enjoy your vacation, and they will do what they can to make that happen. 

I did not want to go on our first cruise. I tried to get Mr. Mills to book an all-inclusive resort instead, but we had a special deal for Royal Caribbean. I was so nervous, and was sure I was going to be miserably anxious and overwhelmed the entire time. I came out of that experience not only happy we went, but absolutely in love with cruising.

In my opinion, it is the best vacation someone with an anxiety condition can take, because there’s so much preparation that is done to make sure you have a good time. Give cruising a chance, and come back and tell me how it goes! I can’t wait to hear from you!