Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas sailed away from her new homeport near New York City on Sunday.

Luckily Hurricane Henri shifted enough to the east for the ship to safely depart Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Royal Caribbean shared photos of Oasis sailing away, with the New York City skyline in view.

Oasis of the Seas had her lights on during her evening departure, and sailed past Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.

The cruise line's plans to bring Oasis of the Seas to the Northeast was originally planned for 2020, but the global health crisis forced a delay.

The ship is sailing on her 6-night test cruise, where the ship will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas before turning around to come home.

Watch #OasisoftheSeas sail under the Verrazano Bridge pic.twitter.com/cRWIz8UCG7

— Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) August 23, 2021

Assuming the test cruise goes well, the test cruise will be what the ship needs to get approval from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) to sail with paying customers.

Oasis of the Seas is scheduled to restart sailings with paying passengers beginning on September 5 from Cape Liberty.

Oasis will offer seven-night sailings from Cape Liberty with stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau in the Bahamas, and Port Canaveral, Florida.

Read more: Top 10 Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas hidden secrets

Thanks for joining us for another weekly look at all of the Royal Caribbean news from this week.  The late-summer heat is still on, and we have plenty of Royal Caribbean news to share from this week.

The Bahamas issued an emergency order on Thursday that says cruise ships will not be allowed to enter ports in the Bahamas if there are unvaccinated passengers on board aged 12 and older without a medical excuse.

Royal Caribbean subsequently said it will now require all passengers 12 and older to vaccinated because of the new Bahamian policy.

Royal Caribbean's new policy says any ship departing from any U.S. port and visiting The Bahamas on and after Sept. 3, guests who are 12 and older must provide proof of vaccination in order to sail. This also applies to itineraries that include Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean News

• Wonder of the Seas began her sea trials
• Royal Caribbean CEO gives update on cruise ship restart, Covid on ships, limiting capacity and more
• CDC warns high risk people not to go on a cruise ship
• Spotted: Royal Caribbean charging to reserve pool deck casitas on Odyssey of the Seas
• I tried the at-home Covid-19 test that Royal Caribbean accepts
• First Oasis Class cruise ship restarts sailings in Europe
• Royal Caribbean gets CDC approval for Mariner of the Seas to sail
• Oasis of the Seas test cruise from Bayonne to begin this weekend
• Royal Caribbean added a weather station to Perfect Day at CocoCay
• Royal Caribbean breaks ground on new cruise terminal in Galveston
• I’m going on my first cruise: Here’s what I think I should do
• Royal Caribbean could be first cruise line to restart cruises in Tampa by October
• Best things to do on Royal Caribbean while there is limited capacity onboard
• What changes has Royal Caribbean made to eating on a cruise since restarting?
• The 7 most important links on Royal Caribbean's website
• Royal Caribbean offering up to 35% off Cruise Planner purchases with Soak up the Savings sale

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 419th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt gives answers to questions people are searching the internet for.

Something a little different this week, as Matt looks at some commonly searched internet searches related to Royal Caribbean and shares his answer.

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.

Video: When should you get a Covid test before your Royal Caribbean cruise?

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: When should you get a Covid test before your Royal Caribbean cruise?

25 things you need to know for your first day on a cruise ship

Have a cruise coming up and wondering what to expect once you get onboard?

The first day of the cruise is a busy and exciting time, so to make it as smooth as possible, I've got a list of the most important things you need to know about embarkation day.

This list has the most important things you should (and should not) do to ensure you have a great first day onboard!

The  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has approved the onboard health protocols for another Royal Caribbean cruise ship to sail.

After completing a test cruise earlier this month, Royal Caribbean announced on Saturday Mariner of the Seas has received its Conditional Sailing Certificate to start cruising.

Mariner of the Seas becomes the latest ship to pass the CDC's stringent requirements in order to obtain permission to sail from the United States.

With the certificate, Mariner of the Seas will be ready to welcome paying passengers onboard for her first sailing from Port Canaveral on August 23.

Latest: Another @RoyalCaribbean ship receives its CDC Conditional Sailing Certificate to start cruising. #MarineroftheSeas has the green light to sail from @PortCanaveral to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau on Monday, Aug. 23 ??️ | More on Mariner: https://t.co/YPDZEwZGq2 pic.twitter.com/O5eMgET9sR

— Royal Caribbean PR (@RoyalCaribPR) August 21, 2021

For sailings on Mariner of the Seas from Port Canaveral before September 1, 2021, the cruise line strongly encourages all eligible guests age 12 and up to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before sailing. 

All unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 must undergo 2 more Covid-19 tests at the cruise terminal and prior to disembarking.

Guests under 2 years of age will not be tested.

Beginning September 1, 2021, all Royal Caribbean guests age 12 and older are required to present proof of Covid-19 vaccination with the final dose of their vaccine administered at least 14 days before sailing. This requirement will remain in effect until further notice.

All crew onboard all ships in the fleet will be fully vaccinated.

Guests who have been vaccinated will have full access to venues onboard, and will not need to wear a face mask at vaccinated-only venues. Here is a list of venues and activities available to vaccinated-only guests, as well as everyone.

Mariner of the Seas will become the 13th ship in the fleet to restart operations, which means exactly half of Royal Caribbean International's fleet is back in operation.

Other ships that have restarted sailings include: 

• Quantum of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas

Mariner of the Seas will offer 3- and 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay sailings from Port Canaveral.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a new warning on Friday to anyone who is at high risk of severe complications from Covid-19 not to go on a cruise, even if they are fully vaccinated.

According to the CDC's website, the warning applies to Older adults, people with weakened immune systems (including people who take medicines that suppress their immune systems) and people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions, because they are more likely to get severely ill if they get Covid-19.

"Severe illness means that a person with COVID-19 may need: hospitalization, intensive care, a ventilator to help them breathe or they may even die," according to the CDC's website

Why the change? The CDC says the new advice follows several coronavirus outbreaks that have been reported aboard cruise ships.

"The virus that causes Covid-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters aboard ships, and the chance of getting Covid-19 on cruise ships is high. Outbreaks of Covid-19 have been reported on cruise ships."

While there have been cases of Covid on cruise ships, protocols onboard have proven to contain the cases to just a few passengers. In many situations, cases were limited to families traveling together.

Royal Caribbean acts quickly with contact tracing and additional testing to quarantine and safely repatriate those passengers home, often via private jet transportation.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said earlier this week there are typically one to two passengers that test positive for the illness on a typical sailing.

Mr. Bayley went on to say that due to the high levels of vaccinated passengers and frequent testing, a cruise ship, "is literally one of the safest places on the planet."

The new warning did not result in a change of the agency's Covid-19 levels, leaving cruise ships at level 3 or "high".

The CDC's 4-level system categorizes destinations, including international destinations and United States Territories, into the following four levels:

Level 4: Very high level of Covid-19
Level 3: High level of Covid-19
Level 2: Moderate level of Covid-19
Level 1: Low level of Covid-19

The new warning is in addition to the agency's previous guidance that unvaccinated passengers not go on cruise ships.

Due to Bahamian law, Royal Caribbean now requires anyone over the age of 12 to be fully vaccinated in order to go on a cruise. Children 11 and under do not have a vaccine option, and are allowed to sail albeit with additional requirements and protocols.

The world's largest cruise ship is one giant step closer to her launch.

Photo by Bernard Biger / Chantiers de l'Atlantique

Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas departed the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Naizaire, France to begin a 4-day voyage to test the vessel out.

According to the shipyard, seven dozen tests will be carried out onboard to test out the ship's performance.

The shipyard will evaluate the ship's speed, fuel consumption, stability, noise and vibration measurements to ensure the ship is operating correctly.

Photos by Christophe Dedieu

The plan is for Wonder of the Seas to spend 4 days at sea, and return to Saint-Naizaire on Tuesday, August 24 with the tide at around 5am.

Wonder of the Seas will become the largest cruise ship world, and can accommodate 6,800 passengers and 2,400 crew members. She has a length of 362 meters and a width of 66 meters for a weight of 230,000 tons and a draft of over 9 meters.

She is the fifth Oasis Class cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet, and has 100 cabins more than Symphony of the Seas.

Photo by Gwen

This is the third Oasis Class ship built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Naizaire, France (Harmony and Symphony of the Seas).

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. 

Wonder of the Seas will sail from Shanghai and is scheduled to begin cruises in Spring 2022.

What are sea trials?

Sea trials are tests of a cruise ship's navigational and technical systems, which are the final part of cruise ship construction prior to delivery.

Everything from the ship's propulsion, to navigation, to engines are tested before it can be ready to join the fleet.

Sea trials range in duration, sometimes one or two sessions is common.

The sea trials are conducted with a combination of Royal Caribbean crew members, as well as shipyard workers. 

Royal Caribbean recently approved the Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Card Test for a pre-cruise test, and it got a lot of readers excited that they might have a new convenient option in the days leading up to their cruise.

As you may be aware, Royal Caribbean requires all passengers to bring a negative Covid-19 test result to the cruise terminal, regardless of vaccination status. 

This test must be taken no more than two days prior to sailing and must be arranged by each guest at their own expense with an accredited test provider.

Depending on where you live and other factors, getting a test appointment is not a simple task, and being able to conduct a test at home is a convenient alternative to going to the pharmacy.

So how well do these tests work, and how long does it take? Many cruisers wanted to know, so I decided to try it out for myself and see.

Royal Caribbean accepts the Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test because it is supervised and administered remotely via a video session. 

Royal Caribbean updated its policy to specify Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Card Test is acceptable, while the Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Antigen Self Test if taken at home and not supervised by a medical professional is not accepted.

I reached out to the folks at eMed to get more information about their product, and they provided me with a pack of six home tests. eMed sells tests in six packs, which brings the price down to $25 per test.  

There is also an option to purchase the BinaxNOW™ Home Test from an eMed partner such as Walgreens (currently available in select Los Angeles, New Jersey and New York retailers) or Optum.

It is a good idea to have more than one test in case of an inconclusive test result, as well as to have additional test kits for other family members. You will need one test kit per person.

According to the company, the shelf life has been extended for the BinaxNOW™ Home Test by the FDA and it is remains useful for up to 12 months from the manufacturing date. 

This particular at-home test requires a prescription, which can be obtained when you fill out the form online during the ordering process.

First and foremost, when you get the test, be very certain not to open the box until instructed to do so during the video call.

Once you are ready to take the test, you just sign up for an account on the emed.com website and click the link to start a test.

There were reports of massive waits to speak with someone to get the test done, but I waited perhaps 30 seconds before it was my turn for the test. In fact, I had to disconnect a few times because of an issue with my computer's webcam, and was able to jump right back in immediately each time.

My advice is to do the test on a phone, or a computer with an attached webcam, so that you can easily move the camera around while seeing what is on the screen.  During the test, the proctor will ask you to show them yourself, identification, and the test itself.  Often, they need to see you doing whatever it is you are being directed to do, so being able to easily move the camera is important.

After verifying the test is intact, you will be directed to add a few drops of the test solution to the test card and then swab your nose.

You will be directed to swab both nostrils five times. The swab needs to only go up about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch, so no "brain tickler" tests required.  I felt no discomfort.

After you swab both nostrils, you place the swab into the test card and wait 15 minutes for the results.

The test card has a spot for two lines.  One line means you are negative, two lines means you are positive.

After 15 minutes, you and the proctor look over the results and confirm the outcome.  

Results are available instantly email, as well as through the NAVICA app. There is also a QR code provided to be shared via text, email and other methods.

The test can be used on children as young as four years old when samples are collected by an adult and for all people aged 15 years or older.

Having done an antigen test at a local pharmacy and now at home, the experience is pretty much the same. At CVS, the nurse had me swab my nose as well, so it is fundamentally the same process.

Without a doubt, the home test is extremely convenient, and the fact you can buy a few to have on hand for future cruises or for any potential exposure concerns in your everyday life is a really nice option.

Moreover, you could take the test much closer to your sail date. This is helpful for someone who is flying to their destination and wants to take the test the day before they sail.

You can now check just how perfect the weather is anytime you like at Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean has added a new weather station that is publicly accessible via the Weather Underground website.

Weather Underground is a community of over 250,000 weather stations that allows just about anyone to add their sensor's outdoor readings with Weather Underground.

Royal Caribbean Chief Meteorologist James Van Fleet shared the news that the weather sensors are functional and online.

The sensors are placed at the top of Thrill Waterpark, which is the tallest waterslide in North America, and provide the public with real-time weather information from this corner of The Bahamas.

"Yessssss!!! I am thrilled to share with you that our Royal Caribbean Weather Sensors on top of the Water Slides at CocoCay are now online!", Mr. Van Fleet posted on Twitter.

You can access the weather station information anytime by visiting the station link on Weather Underground.

As excited as cruise fans are to be able to check how much better the weather is at CocoCay than at home, many also asked Mr. Van Fleet when they might be able to see just how much better the weather is.

Quite a few people asked when a webcam might be added, to which Mr. Van Fleet responded adding a webcam is on his wish list, but would be something to tackle "once we are a little farther down the road of being back in business."

Hours after The Bahamas issued a new policy requiring cruise ship passengers 12 years old or older to be fully vaccinated, Royal Caribbean has updated its September cruise protocols to match.

Bahamas Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis signed an order on Thursday that will not allow a cruise ship to to enter a port in The Bahamas, including a private stop, if they anyone 12 years old or older is not vaccinated, beginning September 3, 2021 and runing through November 1, 2021.

As a result of this change by The Bahamas, Royal Caribbean announced it will now require passengers 12 and older to be vaccinated.

For cruises departing from any U.S. port and visiting The Bahamas on and after Sept. 3, guests who are 12 and older must provide proof of vaccination in order to sail. This also applies to itineraries that include Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Travelers unable to show proof of vaccination will be unable to sail.

Those of our guests under 12, who are currently ineligible for the vaccine, can still cruise with us as long as they continue to provide a negative test result at boarding and follow certain health and safety protocols.

In a statement, the cruise line said it was committed to complying with regulations, "Royal Caribbean’s top priority is maintaining everyone’s well-being while complying with federal, state and local laws as we always have. We will continue to evaluate and update our health and safety measures as circumstances evolve."

The new policy change applies to cruises out of Florida, as other departure ports have required passengers at least 12 years old to be fully vaccinated since August 1.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley posted on Facebook a summary of the new policy and how it affects the cruise line.

"The Bahamas has introduced a Executive order which only allows cruise ships to enter any Bahamian port (including private destinations) only if all guests over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated. Effective September 3rd."

"So what does it mean? Along with the USVI order a couple of weeks ago, it means all of our ships sailings from Florida and from all USA ports and ports around the world require all eligible guests to be fully vaccinated."

Only kids (under 12 from USA ports) who cannot yet be vaccinated can sail subject to testing and protocols."

The move may leave some wondering how much of an impact will requiring adults to be vaccinated have on Royal Caribbean's business.

During Royal Caribbean Group's second quarter earnings call earlier this month, the company said in the month of July Royal Caribbean sailed with around 92% guests vaccinated, which was while the cruise line still allowed guests ages 12 to 16 to sail unvaccinated.

September health protocols

In addition to announcing the change in vaccination policy, Royal Caribbean released its health protocols for cruises from September.

Royal Caribbean has been releasing its health protocols for its cruise ships one month at a time to ensure guests have an idea of what changes and requirements will be expected of passengers.

The protocols for September sailings from Florida mirror the August protocols, minus the new vaccination rule.

Testing

All guests age 2 and older — regardless of their vaccination status or the length of their cruise — will need to take a COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) with an accredited test provider, such as a drugstore chain or diagnostic lab, no more than 3 days before arriving at the terminal and show their negative test result upon arriving. 

In addition to the pre-cruise test, kids will take one or two more tests, depending on the length of the cruise. Royal Caribbean’s test provider will administer these, at no cost to guests.

At the Terminal

For all cruises, kids will take a complimentary PCR test when checking in at the terminal. Registration details will be sent via email in advance.

Prior to Disembarking

For cruises that are 5 nights or longer, kids will take a complimentary antigen test onboard before the cruise ends. Vaccinated guests who require a COVID-19 test for re-entry into their country may receive one onboard as well. Guests will be notified onboard about how to register for this test.

Masks

Masks are required for all guests to be worn, regardless if they vaccinated or not (except those under age 2, who do not need to wear a mask at any time).

Masks are NOT required to be worn:

• In open-air areas of the ship, unless you are in a crowded setting.
• In the pool or any activity where they may become wet.
• At venues designated for vaccinated guests only, such as select bars, lounges, restaurants and shows.
• In your stateroom when you are with your traveling party.
• While visiting our private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay, unless you are in a crowded setting.
• By any guest under the age of 2.

Masks ARE required to be worn:

• While indoors in public areas of the ship, unless seated and actively eating or drinking.
• While visiting public ports of call, where local regulations may require them.

Some venues and nightlife events will be for vaccinated guests age 12 and up, only. Masks won't be required in these venues. Vaccinated parents are invited to enjoy these experiences while their kids are living it up at Adventure Ocean.

It appears The Bahamas has passed a new emergency order that would prohibit cruise ships from visiting any port, including private islands, unless everyone who is at least 12 years old or older is fully vaccinated.

Bahamas Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis signed an emergency powers order that will not allow a cruise ship to to enter a port in The Bahamas, including a private stop beginning September 3, 2021, unless certain conditions are met.

The new order seems to require anyone over the age of 12 to be fully vaccinated in order to visit any part of The Bahamas by cruise ship.

Known as Emergency Powers (Covid 19 Pandemic) (Management and Recovery)(No.2)(Amendment)(No. 8) Order, 2021, the order has the potential to pit cruise lines that allow adults to be unvaccinated to sail, in a problematic situation.

These conditions include:

• The ship transmits a full passenger manifest which discloses the vaccination status of all persons onboard
• All passengers who are twelve years old and older were fully vaccinated prior to embarking on the cruise ship at the start of the voyage
• The health protocols previously submitted to the Bahamian government have been complied with.

The order has three exceptions:

1. The crew, contractors and any non-revenue passenger of that cruise ship and whatever protocols that were previously agreed to between the Government of The Bahamas and each cruise line in relation to its crew, contractors and non-revenue passenger shall remain in effect
2. A cruise ship attempting to call at a port in an emergency, or in other exigent circumstances approved by the Government of The Bahamas
3. An unvaccinated passenger who is ineligible for the COVID-19 vaccination due to medical contraindications. 

Royal Caribbean, as well other cruise lines, operates a private island destination in The Bahamas.

UPDATE: Royal Caribbean announced for cruises departing from any U.S. port and visiting The Bahamas on and after Sept. 3, guests who are 12 and older must provide proof of vaccination in order to sail. 

Perfect Day at CocoCay, located in the Berry Islands chain of The Bahamas, has been the centerpiece of Royal Caribean's North American restart process, with nearly every ship on the eastern shore of the United States making a stop there.

While Royal Caribbean requires all passengers to be fully vaccinated over the age of 12 on sailings from Seattle, Bayonne, and Galveston, sailings from Florida allow unvaccinated passengers due to Florida's law that prohibits companies from denying service to someone based on their vaccination status.

Adventure of the Seas has been sailing from Nassau, Bahamas since June, and also requires all guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to sail.

Earlier this month, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) challenged that law and won a preliminary injunction against the State of Florida.  Florida is appealing the verdict, and it is unclear if NCLH's victory applies only to that company or if other cruise lines need to would have to file a motion to intervene and become involved in the lawsuit which NCLH filed.

The U.S. Virgin Islands passed a similar law earlier this month to require all cruise passengers ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated in order for the ship to be allowed entry into the port.

As a result of the Virgin Islands' law, Royal Caribbean requires all guests ages 12 and older to provide proof of vaccination in order to sail on itineraries visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands. Guests unable to show proof of vaccination on sailings visiting the Virgin Islands will not be allowed to sail.

Guests under the age of 12, who are currently not eligible for the vaccine, will be able to sail with a negative test result at boarding and must follow certain protocols.

One year ago, I knew next to nothing about cruising. Three days from now, I will be boarding my first ever cruise!

Over the past year, I’ve edited around 100 videos for the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel. When I started working with Royal Caribbean Blog, I’ll admit that I was quite clueless about the cruise industry and thought that most of these cruise stereotypes were true.

Having been to twenty countries on five continents, it’s not like I hadn’t traveled before. However, a cruise seemed like a whole new ball game. Are cruises boring? Do I have to dress up? Is a cruise only for “old people”? I was very uninformed about the cruise industry.

Needless to say, after my first week working with Royal Caribbean Blog, my views on cruising completely changed! I soon found myself browsing Royal Caribbean’s website and daydreaming of tropical cocktails at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

So when Matt asked me to join him on Mariner of the Seas’ first revenue sailing, I immediately said yes and began preparing for my cruise.

After my research, here’s what I think I should do to ensure a successful and unforgettable first cruise experience:

Research protocols in advance

Traveling during the pandemic is almost always unpredictable, but Royal Caribbean is putting forth a great effort in order to ensure that travelers are prepared for their upcoming cruise.

There is a list of updated protocols on the Royal Caribbean website where you can learn about what is required of you before and during the cruise in order to keep everyone onboard safe.

One of the latest protocols is that Royal Caribbean requires proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within three days of sailing. I scheduled my test at CVS about two weeks in advance in order to ensure I could get tested without any added stress.

Fly in the day before my cruise

One of the biggest pieces of advice I’ve read about cruising is to fly in the day before your cruise departs.

While it might be tempting to reserve an early morning flight that should get you to the cruise terminal in time, the truth is that this is way too risky due to the uncertainty of cancellations and delays.

Therefore, I’ll be flying to Florida the day before my cruise departs so that I can leave a little buffer room in the case of any travel mishaps. And hey, I get to extend my vacation by one day, so how can I complain?

Read more: Why you shouldn't fly to your cruise the same day it begins

Pack wisely

If there’s one thing I absolutely dread about going on vacation, it’s packing.

On a regular vacation, I can always stop into a local store and purchase anything I forgot. On a cruise ship, though, I don’t think it will be that easy since I’ll be in the middle of the Caribbean!

Luckily, there is a ton of advice online that is helping me create a packing list better suited to a cruise. A couple things I am packing that I usually don’t pack for a land vacation are motion sickness medication and a USB hub so I can charge several devices at once. I’m also packing a few dressier outfits in case I run across any dress codes onboard.

Read more: The worst cruise packing mistakes to avoid

Look at the Cruise Compass

Royal Caribbean provides a Cruise Compass on every sailing that gives a detailed look at everything happening onboard. And while I am generally someone who goes with the flow while on vacation, I want to make sure I don’t miss out on any fun events happening on the ship.

I browsed a few past Cruise Compasses and I am very impressed with the amount of activities and events that Royal Caribbean offers each day. I can’t wait to get onboard and see what’s in store for my sailing!

Use the Royal Caribbean App

I have the Royal Caribbean app installed on my phone and it is already proving to be immensely helpful.

On the app, I can look at deck maps, dining information, activity locations and times, my daily calendar, and much more. I think the app will also prove to be useful during the check-in process, since I can use it to show my SetSail pass at the terminal, complete the required wellness check, and do the e-Muster drill.

Ask for the special menus in the Main Dining Room

From what I’ve researched, Royal Caribbean has excellent options when it comes to dietary restrictions, whether Kosher, gluten free, and even vegan! Apparently Royal Caribbean even has a special Indian cuisine menu in the Main Dining Room.

I eat primarily a vegetarian or pescatarian diet, and while there are many options onboard, I may also ask for a special menu to see what other options are available. It’s important to note, though, that some dietary restrictions may require a 90-day notice so Royal Caribbean can ensure that they can accommodate you.

Bring workout clothes

If there’s one thing I can guarantee about my upcoming cruise, it’s that I’ll probably be eating a lot. Whether endless soft serve ice cream on the pool deck, unlimited pizza at Sorrento’s, or an extra helping of garlic bread at dinner, I’d say I’m pretty excited about trying all of the delicious cuisine onboard.

However, I’ll definitely be packing some workout clothes so I can hit the gym and work (some) of it off. Now… will I actually get off the pool chair and go to the gym? I guess we’ll see.

Carry a small amount of cash

From what I understand, I’ll be making any extra purchases onboard using my SeaPass card, but I plan to bring around $100 in USD for any “extra” purchases that may arise while on my cruise.

I paid my gratuities in advance, but I want to keep some cash on hand for extra tips or purchases I make on land. Tipping protocol seems to be a little confusing, so I’ll be reviewing some tipping and gratuity advice before my cruise to make sure I don’t mess this up!

Even though I’m a cruising newbie, I think I have a pretty good idea of what to expect onboard a Royal Caribbean ship and am excited to set sail in just a few days. Be sure to subscribe to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel to stay up to date with live broadcasts and brand new video content from Mariner of the Seas!