Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship reached a major milestone on Saturday morning when it departed the shipyard hall it was being constructed in and was floated outside.

Ship building Meyer Werft shared photos of Odyssey of the Seas being pulled out of the shipyard by tugboat and docked just outside the hall.

Now that Odyssey of the Seas is docked outside, more work will be done to add features to her, including the addition of the North Star observation pod.

The North Star is a glass observational pod attached to a giant arm that guests can board to get 360-degree views from 300 feet above sea level.

The ship's move today is a major milestone in the construction of any cruise ship.

Earlier this week, the finishing touches to the ship's undercarriage were being done when new propellors were added to the propulsion units.

Once complete, Odyssey of the Seas will join Royal Caribbean's fleet as the second Quantum Ultra class cruise ship and split her time between Europe and North America.

Odyssey of the Seas is scheduled to be delivered to Royal Caribbean in Spring 2021.

After her inaugural season in Europe, Odyssey will then continue its inaugural year in Fort Lauderdale, FL with 8- and 6-night Caribbean itineraries.

Odyssey has been under construction since the steel cutting ceremony in February 2019, but delivery was delayed due to the impact of the global health crisis.

Royal Caribbean joined in on the Black Friday offers with its own offers, but the question is did it save people money on their cruise vacation?

Royal Caribbean has two Black Friday offers that run the entire week between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, and offer deals on cruise fares as well as pre-cruise purchases.

Each year, many cruise fans wait in anticipation of what offer might be available, and until the actual promotion begins, it is impossible to know how significant the actual savings will be.

Royal Caribbean's Black Friday 2020 offer

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

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

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

Both the cruise fare sale and the Cruise Planner sale run through early next week, so you do not have to book on Black Friday or Cyber Monday to take advantage of the offer.

Did anyone save money?

Like most Royal Caribbean promotions, savings vary from person to person. There is rarely any one promotion that gives an across the board discount.

Depending on if you had something booked already, or were looking to book a new cruise today, the perceived discount differed.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers shared their experiences on the message boards, and the general consensus was there were deeper discounts on the cruise add-on purchases, than the cruise fare promotion.

Luckily for USFFrank, the deal on the non-alcoholic beverage package came out quite cheap, "For my Harmony of the Seas cruise next November, the refreshment package is $18.00. That's the cheapest I've ever paid for that particular beverage package going back several cruises and I'm surprised it's this low nowadays."

Lovetocruise2002 bought a drink package as the only deal she ran across, "Nothing stands out on any of my sailings either.  All I did was grab the drink package for 2 sailings (later in 2021) in case what some of us suspect holds true (that those prices will jump once sailings resume)."

USCG Teacher did not find better deals today because they had take advantage of previous sales, "So far this Black Friday has been a bit of a dud for me.  The All Access Tour went from $130 to $90, so that was great, but no savings to be found anywhere else.  That said, I had already repurchased most of my items back during the past Cruise Planner sale and found some really terrific deals then."

Most people that talked about what they found indicated prices for cruises were at what they paid already, or higher, because these smart planners had booked earlier and taken advantage of previous price drops.

Royal Caribbean allows guests to take advantage of a price drop and reprice their cruise with no penalty up until final payment date. This includes guests from around the world, thanks to a more flexible Best Price Guarantee program that was altered earlier this year.

As long as the price drops for the same ship and sail date that has been booked previously, and it is before final payment date, you can take advantage of the lower price while simultaneously ensuring the price does not jump up.

Why were there not better deals?

While Black Friday conjures up notions of bargain-basement super low prices on appliances, clothing, or electronics, cruise fares do not have such drastic price swings.

In fact, the cruise industry sees its most aggressive pricing during the early part of the year in what the industry refers to as "wave season".

Wave season takes place between January and March, and is a reflection of the fact most people book their cruise vacations during the early part of the year. Essentially, unpleasant winter weather and an empty calendar for the coming year lead many to look to book a cruise.

In order to jump on the increased demand, cruise lines tend to roll out their better promotions during wave season in order to convince people to book.

In addition, Royal Caribbean has monthly sales and promos throughout the year that keep the prices moving.

Certainly Royal Caribbean is not one to shy away from joining in the Black Friday buzz, but cruise fare pricing is not the same as televisions, phones, or video games.

If you have credit card reward points burning a hole in your pocket, you can use them to help reduce the cost of a cruise vacation or even get it for free.

Unlike redeeming credit card points for flights, there is not as straight forward an option for getting a free cruise with your credit card.

Outside of Royal Caribbean's branded credit card (more on that later), the option to use rewards for cruises is not nearly as simple.

However, there are a few ways you can leverage your credit card points to make your cruise vacation cheaper.

Pay down the cost of the cruise

Unfortunately redeeming reward points for a cruise is not as simple as booking a flight, but you can definitely still leverage all of those points you earned.

The easiest thing you can do is use a credit card that gives you points that can be applied directly towards purchases you make on travel and/or any purchase.

Many credit cards will let you apply your points towards your credit card balance for the month, thereby offsetting the cost of the cruise. This has an additional benefit of allowing you to partially pay off the cruise if you do not have a lot of points. Other credit cards may offer cash back instead, which can also reduce the cost.

Moreover, you can use this strategy effectively by using points to pay off the deposit, and then apply more points later at regular intervals with payments or waiting for the final payment.

Example:

• $500 initial deposit to secure the fare
• $1000 payment a few months later
• $500 payment next month
• $1200 final payment 90 days before the cruise

Each of those payments could potentially be on different credit card billing cycles, and you could apply rewards points to each one.

Read more: 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Redeem your points for a cruise

There are a few credit cards that offer travel rewards that can actually be used to book a cruise.

Rewards programs, such as American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou, offer these options, but there is a small catch.  When you book them, you have to book through the credit card's travel agency. This means if you have a travel agent you regularly use, or prefer to book cruises on your own, you have no choice but to go with the credit card company.

Usually the price of the cruise is presented in cash, and at checkout there is option to apply some or all of your credit card points to cover the cost of the cruise.

Get a free cruise with Royal Caribbean's credit card

Royal Caribbean offers its own branded Visa Signature credit card, where you can earn points towards free cruises (as well as other benefits, like onboard credit).

Like all company-specific cred it cards, the rate at which you earn points is worse than general travel rewards credit cards, and you are of course limited to just Royal Caribbean cruises.

If your mission is to only earn free cruises on Royal Caribbean with credit card points, this is the simplest method of doing so.  However, you will get more bang for your buck with other rewards cards.

Read more: Is the Royal Caribbean credit card worth it?

Use points to bring vacation cost down

If none of these options seem to be a great fit, you can always fall back on using your credit card points to help bring down the overall cost of your cruise vacation.

If you have to fly to your cruise, you can redeem your points for flights and reduce another significant cost.  

You could use credit card points towards individual purchases, such as cruise add-ons, like shore excursions or drink packages.

These add-ons can be purchased through Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner website before the cruise begins.

Read more: Should you buy pre-cruise purchases now or wait to buy it onboard?

When cruise ships restart sailings, they will have sweeping new health protocols and policies that are unmatched in the rest of the travel industry.

Perhaps no other industry is taking as many precautions and adopting new rules in order to protect the health of its customers and workers than the cruise lines.

While the airlines have adopted some new rules to keep its passengers safe, new cruise line health protocols are going to greatly exceed those basic safeguards.

Of course the experience on a cruise ship is not exactly the same as on an airplane, nonetheless, the cruise industry is going above and beyond the new health protocols airlines have adopted that claim to be safe for flying.

Limiting ship capacity vs. leaving middle seat open

The basic step airlines took to socially distance its passengers was to leave the middle seat open on its airplanes (a step most airlines are about to get rid of), but cruise ships are going to leave up to half of their rooms unsold to foster social distancing.

When cruise ships restart operations, they will not come close to filling their cruise ships.  One of the health protocols that the Healthy Sail Panel proposed, and adopted by the cruise industry, is to limit how many passengers are able to go on a cruise ship in order to allow for appropriate physical distancing on board.

The exact percentage of a ship's capacity that will be reduced will depend on the size and design of each cruise ship, but when Quantum of the Seas restarts cruises in Singapore in December, Royal Caribbean will reduce the capacity to no more than 50% occupancy.

In fact, the first Quantum of the Seas sailing will only have about 1,000 passengers onboard a ship that can regularly handle 4,905 guests.

In addition, other forms of social distancing will be enforced, including reduced capacity at dining and other public venues, staggered embarkation and check-in and the addition of more options for entertainment such as additional show times to allow for social distancing.

While many airlines quickly adopted leaving the middle seat open as a policy, a number of airlines have either removed or plan to remove that policy. At one time, Frontier Airlines announced it would charge passengers a fee, starting at $39, to ensure the middle seat next to them would remain empty. 

100% testing on cruise ships vs. no testing at all

If you go on a flight today, you can walk right into the airport, through security and onto your airplane without any tests. Cruise ships have promised to test every single person and crew member.

All lines that are members of the Cruise Lines International Association have committed to 100 percent testing of all passengers and crew prior to embarkation on ships that carry more than 250 passengers. 

One of the goals of the Healthy Sail Panel is to make being on a ship as safe as or safer than being in your own home town.

The onboard medical care offers guests and crew members daily temperature checks, fast and free SARS-CoV-2 testing capabilities onboard, and complimentary in-stateroom medical evaluations.

Royal Caribbean has also added more doctors and nurses in their shipboard Medical Centers and enhanced its state-of-the-art equipment to provide high quality care.

No other section of the travel industry has 100% testing, which separates Royal Caribbean (and other CLIA member lines) from the rest of travel.

Air circulation

Modern airplanes maintain clean air by circulating a mix of fresh air and air recycled through HEPA filters. Royal Caribbean says its HVAC system continuously supplies 100% fresh, filtered air from outdoors to all indoor spaces.

The air is drawn from one side of the ship for cooling and ventilation, then removed via exhaust on the opposite side of the ship.

This continual intake of fresh air replaces the air in any space, with a total air change up to 12 times an hour in staterooms, and about 15 changes an hour in large public spaces.

Upgraded MERV 13 filters capture aerosols 0.3 to 1 micron in size — fine enough to filter coronavirus, colds and flu.

CDC oversight vs no oversight

Since March, the cruise industry has had to answer to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and faced an uphill battle for proving it can operate safely. The airlines have encountered no such government restrictions.

For many months, the CDC shut down the cruise industry while airlines were able to continue operating unabated and with no new rules imposed by the government.

Only recently has the CDC provided a new pathway for cruises to receive permission to cruise again, assuming each cruise ship can demonstrate it can function in a safe manner under a series of strict checkpoints and requirements.

The framework for conditional sailing is meant to potentially allow cruise ships to sail again while not putting the public health at risk.

Enhanced sanitization

Both airlines and cruise lines have committed to cleaning surfaces, but cruise ships will ensure they have medical grade cleanliness onboard.

Airplanes treat their planes with antimicrobial technology that can disinfectant surfaces onboard.

Cruise ships have also adopted new cleaning standards to ensure every ship is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected prior to every voyage, and consistently and frequently throughout a sailing. 

Royal Caribbean has said frequently touched areas like elevators, escalators, stairways, and promenades will be cleaned every two hours and gangway rails every 20 to 30 minutes during busy times.

Staterooms are cleaned daily only while guests are out of the room, and particular attention is paid to frequently used items and surfaces.  Hospital-grade disinfectants are used daily to clean all high-touch surfaces.

Like on airplanes, touchless Purell hand sanitizer and wipes dispensers are available for use by guests.

Pullmantur Cruises, which is partially owned by the Royal Caribbean Group, might be able to survive filing bankruptcy and selling off its fleet of cruise ships in order to return next year.

Europapress reports Pullmantur has reached an agreement with the Royal Caribbean Group to allocate the necessary funds so that it could restart operations eventually. 

In fact, restart plans could involve acquiring two Celebrity Cruises Millennium Class cruise ships as part of the plan. The ships would provide significantly more balcony staterooms than Pullmantur's old fleet had.

The financial filings did not disclose which of the Millennium class ships might be headed to Pullmantur.

The business plan filed in Spanish bankruptcy court includes offering Future Cruise Credits for guests that were booked on Pullmantur to be used on either Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises. Refunds would also be made available if the customer prefers.    

"We believe in the possibilities of a shipping company of the stature of Pullmantur and we are working intensively on the business plan with the aim of betting on the viability of the company," said bankruptcy administrator Francisco Vera.

Pullmantur was one of the early victims of the cruise industry shutdown, and filed for bankruptcy protection in June 2020.

 Two former Royal Caribbean ships, Monarch of the Seas and Sovereign of the Seas, were sold to a Turkish scrapyard.

Odyssey of the Seas received her propellers this week, which means she is one step closer to completion.

Meyer Werft shipyard shared new photos of the underside of Odyssey of the Seas that now features propellors attached to the azipod units.

The azipod propulsion units were installed on Odyssey of the Seas back in May 2020, but this week, the propellors were installed.

May 2020

November 26

In comparing the photos from May to this week, you can also see the painting and finishing touches made to the underside of Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship.

Odyssey of the Seas will be the company's Quantum Ultra Class cruise ship, and is scheduled for delivery some time in the spring.

Read more: 5 ways Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas will be different from other Quantum Class ships

Odyssey has been under construction since the steel cutting ceremony in February 2019, but delivery was delayed due to the impact of the global health crisis.

It is not known yet when her float out date will be, nor when her sea trials might commence.

Royal Caribbean Group confirmed in its third quarter earnings report that Royal Caribbean Group has allocated funds for delivery of Odyssey of the Seas during the first quarter of 2021.

Royal Caribbean is less than a week away from its first cruise ship in over 8 months sailing again, and rehearsals are underway onboard.

Quantum of the Seas will begin cruises on December 1 from Singapore, and the entertainment staff are getting back into their routines with rehearsals onboard the ship.

Photos by Nick Weir

Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, shared photos of the cast practicing aboard the ship on twitter.

The cast can be seen wearing masks alongside their flamboyant costumes, which Weir joked was "a showbiz first".

In addition, Mr. Weir mentioned the tech equipment is operational again and fully operational.

Royal Caribbean will begin sailing with Quantum of the Seas on cruises with no port stops, which are also limited to residents of Singapore. These 3- and 4-night sailings begin on December 1, 2020 from Singapore.

Read more: Here's what Royal Caribbean will require guests to do for first cruises back in Singapore

Royal Caribbean has received permission from the Singapore government to conduct these sailings, which are pilot cruises that must meet all requirements and guidelines for safe cruising.

These first Quantum of the Seas cruises are round-trip cruises from Singapore with no port stops.  They are also sailing at reduced capacity of up to 50%, and open to only residents of Singapore.

When cruises resume in Singapore, a variety of comprehensive new health protocols will be implemented onboard Quantum of the Seas including:

• Testing and screening
• Upgraded Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems that enhance filtration
• Stringent cleaning practices
• Reduced capacities for greater physical distancing
• Expert medical care and onboard facilities

These protocols will continuously be evaluated and enhanced as new procedures and advancements in technology become available. 

The first sailing on Quantum of the Seas on December 1 is capped at about 1,000 guests.

It has been just about 4 weeks since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lifted the No Sail Order and opened up a way for cruise lines to receive permission to sail again, and Royal Caribbean has been very active in preparing for that goal.

While a lot of what Royal Caribbean plans and is working on remains behind the scenes, there have already been a few notable changes made since the No Sail Order was lifted.

Here are five important changes Royal Caribbean has made since the No Sail Order ended in just the first month.

Cancelled more cruises

I think we all hoped that when the CDC got rid of the No Sail Order, cancelled cruises would be a thing of the past, but they are still happening.

Off the bat, December 2020 cruises (excluding Quantum of the Seas in Singapore) were cancelled to provide more time for Royal Caribbean to prepare for all of the new regulations and requirements in the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order.

The extra time is intended to thoroughly train staff and crew on new health and safety protocols, while also conducting a number of trial sailings to stress-test these measures in real-world conditions.

Before cruises can fully resume, the CDC has outlined a series of steps that need to occur before cruise ships can begin taking passengers onboard.

The framework for conditional sailing is meant to potentially allow cruise ships to sail again while not putting the public health at risk.

It is not clear yet how long it will take before Royal Caribbean (or any cruise line) can receive permission to offer cruises, but clearly Royal Caribbean feels more time is needed to get it right.

Many are expecting more cancellations, but Royal Caribbean has not announced anything yet.

Added the virtual safety drill to mobile app

One of the best changes coming to Royal Caribbean is the new Muster 2.0 drill that replaces the traditional muster drill.

The new virtual safety drill is part of Royal Caribbean's app, which Royal Caribbean describes as a "completely re-imagined onboard guest safety briefing".

Travelers will be able to review the information at their own time prior to setting sail, eliminating the need for the traditional large group assemblies. 

After reviewing safety information individually, guests will complete the drill by visiting their assigned assembly station, where a crew member will verify that all steps have been completed and answer questions. Each of the steps will need to be completed prior to the ship’s departure, as required by international maritime law.

One on the cruise ship, guests have a set time (indicated by a timer in the app) during which muster drill must be completed by all of the passengers and, in response, a message is transmitted to each mobile device that the muster drill has commenced.

Volunteers can sign up for a test cruise

So many cruise fans wanted to help test out the new health protocols that Royal Caribbean began taking volunteer sign ups.

The cruise line has a form set up for adults only (18 years or older) to enter basic information about themselves.

While Royal Caribbean is working with the CDC to determine how the test sailings will operate, they have decided to begin gathering information from those who have shown interest.

In less than a week, Royal Caribbean received over 100,000 people sign up as a volunteer for its test cruises through an online form.

Royal Caribbean has not announced any plans on when its test sailings might begin, nor how volunteers will be picked.

Cruise with Confidence was extended again

We will all have more time to change our mind about any cruises we book thanks to an extension in the Cruise with Confidence program.

Royal Caribbean has extended its Cruise with Confidence cancellation policy to now include sailings through January 31, 2021.

The popular program allows guests to cancel a cruise for any reason up to 48 hours before a sailing is scheduled to depart in exchange for a future cruise credit. Today's announcement means an additional two months of flexibility for guests.

Ordinarily, guests would incur a penalty for canceling a sailing beyond the final payment date, which is typically 90 days before a sailing commences. Cruise with Confidence provides a great deal more flexibility to change minds with no penalty.

Cruises longer than 7 nights are on hold

Just this week, Royal Caribbean decided to stop selling cruises longer than 7-nights while it figures out how to handle the ones currently scheduled.

The CDC's Framework for Conditional Sailing Order stipulates that cruises longer than 7 nights and call on a U.S. port are not allowed while the CSO is in effect.

Therefore, Royal Caribbean sailings between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, 2021 are "temporarily paused" while Royal Caribbean determines what to do with them.

More information about the fate of these sailings will be coming "in coming weeks" once Royal Caribbean has an update to share.

There is nothing like Royal Caribbean's biggest and most expansive cruise ships, the Oasis Class ships.

There are four Oasis Class ships currently (with Wonder of the Seas joining the fleet in 2022), and they each offer so much for guests to do on vacation.

If you have a cruise booked on one of these incredible cruise ships, here is a list of must-dos that will not cost you anything extra!

Watch a Broadway show

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

Every Oasis Class ship has a full length Broadway show onboard that you can see over and over again.

Performances are found in the Royal Theater and unlike seeing a musical in Times Square or at home, there is no extra cost to them.

• Oasis of the Seas: Cats
• Allure of the Seas: Mamma Mia
• Harmony of the Seas: Grease
• Symphony of the Seas: Hairspray

Play Laser Tag

Ships available: Symphony, Oasis.

At special laser tag sessions, Royal Caribbean transforms Studio B into a glow-in-the-dark arena that invites everyone to see if they can conquer the, "Battle for Planet Z".

Guests can put on  special laser tag vests, grab a laser tag gun and head into the arena for a fast-paced team-game that rewards the group that works well together and coordinates their efforts.  Just like laser tag on land, Battle for Planet Z is a high-energy race with bragging rights for the rest of the cruise on the line!

Zip line

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

Every Oasis Class ship has a zip line over the Boardwalk neighborhood where you can traverse the 82 foot long distance while looking down on passengers below.

The zip line is set up nine decks above the sea, and it is an exhilarating ride across.  It is also a very quick ride, so if you have never done a zip line before, this is a great primer.

Note that guests have to weigh more than 75 pounds, but less than 275 pounds, as well as be at least 52" tall.

Ultimate Abyss

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis

If you are looking for a great family friendly thrill, check out the Ultimate Abyss slide.

The Ultimate Abyss is a dry slide (no water, you ride down on a mat) and will take you more than 150 feet above sea level as you twist and turn down 10 decks at about 9 miles per hour.

It looks scarier than it is, and worth giving a try.

Watch an AquaTheater show

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

One of the classic experiences available only on an Oasis Class ship is the AquaTheater shows.

Known for a combination of theatrics, dance, and high dives, the shows in the AquaTheater are set in an open air amphitheater at the aft of the cruise ship and have become a very popular show to see.

Between the acrobatics, high dives, and music, there is a lot to enjoy during these half hour performances.

Be sure to get tickets (no cost) in advance via the Cruise Planner site because seating is very limited.

Ice skating

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

It may sound odd that you can go ice skating on a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean, but you can do just that on an Oasis Class ship.

Throughout the cruise, open skate sessions are held in Studio B, where you can rent a pair of skates and safety equipment for no additional cost and take to the ice.

Passengers must wear long pants and must sign a waiver to participate.

Plunge down a water slide

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis.

Water slides are bound to put a smile on just about anyone because it is such a fun cruise ship activity.

The Perfect Storm trio of water slides offer two racer slides and a champagne bowl slide that are included in your cruise fare.  As you slide down any of the slides, you will twist and turn three decks into a splashy finish.

Check out the art

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

Every Royal Caribbean ship features a large and varied art collection onboard that you can see throughout your cruise.

Located in hallways, stair cases and everywhere inbetween, each Oasis Class ship has an extensive art collection that you can peruse on your own.  This is a great sea day activity for the whole family, and each ship has a different theme to the art onboard.

Splashaway Bay

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis (Allure of the Seas has H2O Zone, which is somewhat similar)

While older kids and adults may enjoy going down the water slides, younger kids will absolutely love Splashaway Bay aqua park.

Kids will find fountains, buckets, sprays and even slides that will leave them as drenched as enamoured with all the fun.

It is a great spot for kids to cool off, and there is even a Splash Pad for toddlers use.

Ride the carousel

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

Your Oasis Class cruise is not complete without enjoying a ride on the carousel in the Boardwalk neighborhood.

Inspired by turn-of-the-century carousels, Royal Caribbean commissioned hand crafted carousels to be made for all of its cruise ships.  These are beautiful rides that are equally as fun to ride as they are to enjoy their beauty.

There is also an ADA-accessible chariot, which means everyone can enjoy it.

Be sure to ride at night as well to enjoy how beautiful the carousel looks when lit up.

Mini-golf

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

You must challenge the family to at least one round of putt-putt while on any Oasis Class ship.

You can play on the green as often as you like, while enjoying some beautiful views of the ocean that surrounds you.  No reservations are required, just show up and grab a putter and ball. 

Like the carousel, be sure to try out night time mini golf one evening to mix things up.

Drop the kids off at camp

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

Adventure Ocean is Royal Caribbean's award winning supervised (and complimentary) children's programming at sea and it is the perfect escape for kids.

Kids will love the array of fun activities onboard and parents will enjoy some time apart from the kiddos!

Flowrider

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

Every Oasis Class ship features two Flowrider surf simulators, where you can challenge yourself to master the art of riding a surfboard.

This is a free activity, so all you have to do is show up and wait your turn in line. 

In addition, Royal Caribbean offers private and group lessons for a nominal fee, if you feel the need to learn quicker.

Even if you have no interest in surfing, there is seating available to watch others give it a try.

See an ice show

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

Royal Caribbean puts on some must-see shows in Studio B on its ships every sailing.

Each ship offers a different ice show, and they tell a lovely story while showing off some incredible feats of ice skating.  Many of the skaters are former Olympic and national skating competitors.

Enjoy a snack at El Loco Fresh

Ships available: Symphony, Oasis.

If you consider yourself a lover of Mexican food, be sure to grab a few bites at El Loco Fresh.

The grab-and-go Mexican quick service restaurant is conveniently located on the pool deck, and you will have your choice of tacos, burritos and quesadillas. 

There is also a large salsa station where you can add all sorts of toppings to your chips!

Enjoy a walk through Central Park

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

An iconic part of any Oasis Class ship is Central Park.

Located in the heart of the ship on deck 8, this is an open air park that features living plants, shrubs and trees, and is a quieter district of an otherwise busy cruise ship.

At night, the park features live music performances, as well as beautiful lighting.  

Central Park is also where you will find specialty restaurants you can dine at for lunch or dinner (extra cost) or Park Cafe (complimentary) for meals and snacks throughout the day.

Free breakfast at Johnny Rockets

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

One of my favorite Oasis Class secrets is you can enjoy a complimentary breakfast at Johnny Rockets.

All Oasis-class ships offer this option, but many guests are unaware that breakfast is served here, nor that it is included with your cruise fare (Johnny Rockets has a cover charge for lunch and dinner).

The Johnny Rockets breakfast menu is a traditional American breakfast, with pancakes, omelettes, French toast and the like.  

Johnny Rockets tends to be not very crowded for breakfast, because many guests are unaware of this option, and it also has a large seating capacity (indoor and outdoor seating options).

Sing karaoke

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

Whether at the Open Air Club or Spotlight Karaoke (Oasis), you will find a fan-favorite activity on any cruise ship: karaoke.

Guests can pick a song from a library of choices and then take the stage to show off their vocal range (or maybe lack thereof).

Enjoy a parade

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

On the Royal Promenade, you can take in a parade during your cruise.  

Royal Caribbean's entertainment staff perform a parade during the cruise that feature colorful and larger-than-life costumes that are a fun diversion from the usual activities.

Be sure to arrive early, as seating is limited along the Royal Promenade path.

Find the Small Wonders

Ships available: Oasis, Allure.

Hidden all over Oasis and Allure of the Seas is a series of art displays known as "Small Wonders", where you will find 42 natural wonders positioned all over the ship.

When you find one, there will be something that looks like a periscope or telescope that if you peer into, you will find these tiny three dimensional pieces of art.

This is a fun activity for kids or adults to try to find them all and it is one of those hidden gems many guests simply overlook.

Hint: if you give up and cannot find them all, Guest Services can provide you with a list of them all to help!

Virtual reality games

Ships available: Oasis, Symphony.

Royal Caribbean's smart phone app is free to use onboard the ship, and features a few virtual reality games that you can play in the Boardwalk neighborhood.

Once in the Boardwalk, look for the various game posters near Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.  Launch the app, select the icon that looks like a circus tent and then point your camera towards the poster.

Watch the ship's wake

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

Looking for somewhere that is shaded and is quiet and a great spot to sit and relax?  

Head to deck 5 and go all the way to the aft of the ship.  You will find chairs that have a great view of the ocean and are usually devoid of other passengers. You can also access this area by going behind the AquaTheater and going down the stairs.

Enjoy a drink on the Rising Tide Bar

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

There is something undeniably cool about a bar that moves between decks, and on Oasis class ships, the Rising Tide bar does just that.

The Rising Tide Bar continuously moves between the Royal Promenade and Central Park, offering some great views while you enjoy your favorite cocktail.

Order a drink and enjoy the view as the bar moves between decks. Be sure to wave to the people around you as you depart.

See a robot make a drink

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis.

The Bionic Bar is as appealing to watch as it is to enjoy a cocktail crafted here. You will find quite often many guests simply watching the robots in action, although there is usually plenty of folks ordering drinks as well.

The idea is simple: guests place orders via tablets and then can watch the robot bartenders start mixing the cocktails. Bionic Bar combines two big trends, robotics and mixology.

The single armed robot will get the ice, mints and lemon and then squeeze and shake them to make your drink. Eventually, there wont be a limit on what the drinks the robots can make. The customization is what Royal Caribbean is aiming for.

Tackle the rock climbing wall

Ships available: Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure.

One of the signature onboard activities that Royal Caribbean has become well-known for is the rock climbing wall. 

Just like the Flowrider, Oasis Class ships have two rock walls that you can try, including different tracks for different experience levels.

 It is usually open most of the day for kids and adults to enjoy.  Royal Caribbean provides all the safety equipment that you will need, including helmets, harnesses and shoes.  You just need to bring a pair of socks.

Climbers need to be at least 6 years old and sign a waiver.  Climbing the rock wall is free and no reservations are required.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believes going on a cruise ship is among one of the riskiest forms of travel during the current global health crisis, but has turned a blind eye to air travel and the complete lack of testing, distancing, or protocols to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Over the weekend, the CDC raised its warning about going on a cruise ship to the public to the highest level possible. Meanwhile, Thanksgiving holiday travel is beginning to peak and the CDC has held airports and airlines to no strict protocols.

While the cruise industry remains completely shutdown in North America with impossibly high standards instituted by the CDC, neither airports nor air travel have had any shutdown or forced regulation related to health protocols.

Crowds at Sky Harbor: The day after the CDC recommended people cancel their Thanksgiving travel plans, #azfamily viewer Ed Westerfield caught this scene of passengers waiting at their gates pic.twitter.com/r9gIhWlbek

— Max Gorden (@Max_Gorden) November 21, 2020

This double standard perfectly exemplifies how cruise lines are being unfairly targeted by the CDC, while air travel has faced no such restrictions despite being chiefly responsible for the spread of COVID-19 from continent to continent and country to country.

While the CDC did urge Americans to stay home for the holiday, millions will still fly around the United States and there are no stringent regulations placed on airports or airlines like there are for cruise ships.

HOLIDAY TRAVEL SURGE: Americans are ignoring the CDC's calls not to travel for Thanksgiving.

Health experts warn that the estimated 50 million Thanksgiving travelers will send the deepening COVID-19 crisis into an even faster -- and deadlier -- tailspin.@krisvancleave reports pic.twitter.com/ct0z7Hizv6

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) November 23, 2020

CBS News reporter Kris Van Cleave said more than three million have been screened at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints since Friday. Sunday was the busiest day at airport checkpoints since March 16, and AAA expects up to 50 million Americans to travel.

Meanwhile, cruise ships remain unable to operate until the CDC signs off on a cruise ship demonstrating it can operate in a completely safe environment. Cruise lines are committing to 100% testing for all passengers and crew, enhanced HVAC and air circulation, and a multi-faceted approach to mitigate the risk of spread on a cruise ship.

In the executive summary from the last No Sail Order, the CDC Director warned cruise ship travel should not occur because it would facilitate the spread of the virus.

If unrestricted cruise ship passenger operations were permitted to resume, infected and exposed persons disembarking cruise ships would place federal partners (e.g., Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard), healthcare workers, port personnel, and communities at substantial unnecessary risk.

The same concern regarding cruise ship travel is affecting air travel without any of the safeguards.