Royal Caribbean Blog

While we wait for Royal Caribbean to reveal their health protocols for cruises from North America or Europe, rival cruise line Carnival shared their plans.

Carnival Cruise Line revealed its new health protocols for its cruise ships once they restart that include a variety of comprehensive changes for guests and crew members.

Carnival is calling it its "CruiseHealth Program", and it applies to all of Carnival Corporations brands as well. These rules are evolving, and Carnival expects them to change with new insight into public health evolves.

The goal of these protocols is to keep guests, crew members, shoreside employees, and ports ships visit healthy from the global health crisis.

Check-in

• Only booked guests are permitted to enter the terminal and boarding area
• Guests must arrive within their selected time to facilitate physical distancing during the check-in and boarding process 
  • Guests arriving earlier than their scheduled time will not be allowed to enter the terminal until the time of their arrival appointment
  • This also applies to VIFP Diamond/Platinum and Casino guests.

Testing

• All guests and crew will be required to test negative for COVID-19 prior to embarkation
  • Every guest 2 years of age or older will be required to provide documentation of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test taken between 5 days to 24 hours prior to the date of embarkation
  • Guests must provide the original document confirming a negative test result that is legible, identifies the approved and licensed testing entity, sample collection date and type of test, and identity of the tested individual
• Any guest who fails to provide the required documentation or testing at the terminal or on board will be denied boarding or disembarked, and no refund or credit will be issued.
• If at any time within 14 days prior to embarkation, or at any time during the cruise, a guest tests positive for COVID-19, exhibits signs or symptoms of COVID-19, has had close contact with a person confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19, or Carnival otherwise determines in its sole discretion that guest is unfit to board due to risk of any communicable illness, guest shall be subject to denial of boarding, denial of re-boarding, quarantine, isolation and/or disembarkation.
• Under these circumstances, unless the guest has failed or refused to comply with these Policies and Procedures, they will be provided with a Future Cruise Credit. 

Health Screening

• All guests will be required to complete a health questionnaire beginning 72 hours before the date of embarkation
  • Identification of symptoms or potential exposures does not automatically result in denial of boarding
• All guests will have their temperature taken as part of the boarding process
• Any guest who refuses to be tested, screened, or to follow these Carnival COVID-19 Policies and Procedures will be denied boarding, and no refund or credit will be issued
• All guests, but especially those with an increased risk as identified by the CDC, should consult with their own physician about their own risk factors and tolerance

Environmental Sanitization

• Routinely use a safe disinfectant proven to quickly kill novel coronaviruses
• Staterooms and public areas sanitized more frequently with cleaning and disinfection protocols developed in coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
• Ships and terminals undergo more thorough sanitization between cruises
• Expanded disinfection methods using emerging and advanced technologies that are proven effective against coronavirus and other germs

Onboard the ship

• Guests may be required to undergo at least daily temperature checks and must submit to any requested medical screening during the cruise
  • Temperature checks may also be conducted prior to disembarking at a port of call and before participating in certain onboard activities
• Responsible physical distancing for all guests and crew managed by adjusting the flow, timing and size of groups
• Hand Hygiene – Additional hand washing facilities and hand sanitizing stations positioned in high-traffic areas throughout the ship 
• Health Information – providing regular health reminders about the ways to stay healthy onboard and when ashore

Face masks

• All guests over the age of two will be required to wear a mask when indoors except
  • Inside their own stateroom
  • Eating and drinking seated at a table
  • When using the cardio equipment at the gym and physical distancing is maintained
• Guests are required to wear a mask outdoors when physical distancing cannot be maintained
• Masks should have two or more layers and be worn over the nose and mouth.
• Gaiters and bandanas are not allowed, and face shields are permitted when used with a mask.

Social Distancing

• Access to public spaces will be limited and venues/activities will operate at reduced capacity
• Carnival may use a reservation system for our public areas, such as pools, gyms, casinos, restaurants, bars, and entertainment
• Social distancing means staying at least six (6) feet (2 meters) apart from other people who are not the guest’s cruise companions (family or immediate travel group).
• Guests can expect appropriately distanced seating in theaters, dining facilities and other common venues, modified entertainment showings and meal services to control capacity

Contact Tracing

• All guests may be required to provide identifying information and information about certain activities engaged in during the cruise so Carnival can perform contact tracing in the event any person on board is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19.
•  Various location tracking technologies may be used to assist in the collection of contact tracing information such as wearables, video surveillance, transaction data, and photographs taken during the cruise.

Shore Excursions

• Guests will only be allowed to participate in excursions or activities executed and escorted by vetted tour operators who maintain Carnival’s level of COVID-19 controls during the initial return to sailing.
• Shore side visits may be also limited to port areas that have no public access. 
• Self-exploration or non-Carnival sponsored excursions will not be permitted. 
• Carnival may, in its sole discretion, avoid a pre-planned destination should a concern arise regarding the level of COVID-19 community spread in that destination or impose certain restrictions on shore excursions relating to capacity, participation, locations, times, eligible venues and persons with whom the guest may come into contact
• Carnival may offer indoor excursions only if physical distancing, use of masks, and other recommended protective measures can be implemented.
• Any noncompliance by guest or members of guest’s traveling party with Carnival COVID-19 Policies and Procedures shall be grounds for refusal to re-board after going ashore, or other steps deemed necessary in Carnival’s sole discretion to protect the health and safety of others.
  •  If a guest is denied boarding or disembarked due to failure to comply with Carnival COVID-19 Policies and Procedures, they will not be entitled to a refund, credit, or compensation of any kind. Guests will be responsible for all costs and fines, including without limitation travel expenses.

You can read them all here.

What about Royal Caribbean's rules?

Thus far, Royal Caribbean has only announced its health policies for cruises on Quantum of the Seas from Singapore, although most are likely to be carried over to sailings elsewhere in the world.

The Healthy Sail Panel, a joint venture between the Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, has been working since summer 2020 to craft policies for cruise ships to use onboard.

The panel's 74 recommendations have become the cornerstone of the cruise industry's approach to a healthy return to sailing.  But those recommendations need to be converted into policy.

Royal Caribbean has said the new protocols would be issued "relatively soon" for a while, although no timeline for its announcement has been shared.

The delay in seeing Royal Caribbean's rules may be a product of the ever changing approach to the current health crisis.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain spoke recently how the arrival of a vaccine has changed their outlook on the current situation.

"Previously, we expected cruising to resume based on creating a virtual bubble of safety on a ship, even if the rest of the country was experiencing significant spread," he admitted to viewers.

"Today we envision that the key, but not the exclusive factor, will be the vaccines rather than purely the protocols."

Royal Caribbean's work in the two months that Quantum of the Seas has been sailing in Singapore has provided invaluable experience to run through a real-world situation that luckily had no repercussions.

"The false positive gave us a real world chance to test our procedures, and they performed well."

"Such experiences really allow us to test our processes and prepare better for a full operation."

There has been very little news on progress being made by any cruise line to conducting test cruises, and the reason might be because they are still waiting on what to do.

When the U.S. Center for Disease Control Control (CDC) lifted the No Sail Order at the end of October and replaced it with the Framework for Conditional Sail Order, the agency outlined a series of steps required for cruises to be able to progress towards restarting.

The first step was to provide technical instructions on what each ship needs to do in order to prepare itself for test cruises.

Cruise Critic reported that cruise lines were still waiting for those instructions.

In a statement from the CDC to RoyalCaribbeanBlog, the agency confirmed they have not yet delivered that first step.

"Returning to passenger cruising is a phased approach and our current focus is on the protection of crew and working with cruise lines to implement the initial phase requirements of testing all crew and developing onboard laboratory capacity."

"Future orders and technical instructions will address additional activities to help cruise lines prepare for and return to passenger operations in a manner that mitigates COVID-19 risk among passengers, crew members; including simulated voyages, certification for conditional sailing, and restricted voyages."

"We anticipate the next phase of technical instructions (Technical Instructions for Port and Local Health Authorities Agreements) to be released in the next few weeks."

Nearly four months after the No Sail Order was lifted, cruise lines are not much closer to restarting sailings in the United States as they were in the fall.

The realization that progress was slow in terms of getting test cruises going became apparent in various statements by cruise line industry officials.

Read more: Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean test cruises

Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald told investors during an earnings call that they were still waiting on additional guidelines from the CDC for future phases.

Florida Ports Council Vice President of Governmental Affairs Michael Rubin told Florida's Senate Transportation Committee cruise lines are working to meet an “onerous” list of requirements from the CDC.

Prior to cruise ships sailing again from the United States, test cruises will need to be conducted to demonstrate the cruise line's new protocols are effective.

These simulated voyages will require volunteers to be onboard to help go through the variety of scenarios cruise lines need to test.

Read more: Top 14 things the CDC requires cruise ships do on test sailings

The new protocols would apply to crew and passengers and include things such as rapid testing, requiring face masks, social distancing and more.

What are the technical instructions?

When the CDC issued the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order that said any cruise line that wants to restart from the United States needs to apply for a conditional sailing certificate 60 days before a voyage.

First, ships must implement testing and other protocols for the safe return of crew. Non-revenue test sailings will follow, with vessels then required to request and receive approval to resume sailing with passengers onboard.

The CDC promised that further technical instructions will be posted on the CDC's website at a later date.

Read more: Royal Caribbean's Chief Medical Officer explains what needs be done to get approval to cruise again

On its website, the CDC says the instructions are meant to ensure health and safety protections for the crew prior to resuming passenger operations in a way that mitigates the risk of spreading COVID-19.

"The cruise ship operator must conduct a monitored observation period and laboratory testing of volunteer passengers, as directed in CDC technical instructions or orders, prior to embarking volunteer passengers on a simulated voyage."

Other activities as may be listed in the forthcoming CDC technical instructions and orders.

Less than 24 hours after Canada announced it banned cruise ships for a year, Royal Caribbean's website no longer shows cruises to Alaska or Canada available to book.

Canada announced it was extending its ban on cruise ships for an entire year, through February 2022.

While Royal Caribbean has not officially informed guests that sailings that visit Canada in 2021 are cancelled, all potentially affected sailings have been removed from being able to be booked on the cruise line site.

When searching for Alaska sailings, no dates in 2021 are available to search, and New England/Canada cruises are also missing from the available cruises to book.

If cruise ships cannot visit Canada, Royal Caribbean cannot legally operate sailings that do not visit a "nearby foreign port" during the sailing, due to the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886.

Canada made the sweeping ban on Thursday that prohibits any cruise vessel carrying more than 100 or more people from operating in Canadian waters.

Cruises to Alaska or New England that sail from the United States are required to make at least one stop in a foreign port in order to satisfy U.S. law.

Without the possibility of visiting Canada, the Alaska and New England cruise season is effectively cancelled.

There are only two possible ways these cruises could be salvaged:

First, Canada could lift the cruise ship ban if the health situation improves. Canada added in its announcement that if the global health crisis sufficiently improve to allow the resumption of these activities, the Minister of Transport has the ability to rescind the Interim Orders. 

Second, the U.S. could provide a temporary waiver of the Passenger Vessel Services Act.  The chances of that happening seem low based on recent comments by the new U.S. Transportation Secretary.

During confirmation hearings, Pete Buttigieg told the Senate committee that he supports the Jones Act, which is the part of the law that applies to cargo vessels.

"[The Jones Act] is so important to a maritime industry that creates hundreds of thousands of jobs, as well as a shipbuilding industry here in the U.S.," Buttigieg said in response to questioning from Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Senate Commerce Committee’s ranking member.

The 2021 Alaska cruise season looks to be in serious trouble with a new ban just announced.

Canada's Minister of Transport announced on Thursday it has banned all cruise vessels from Canadian waters until February 28, 2022.

Citing the need to keep "Canadians and transportation workers safe and healthy", the government announced two interim orders that prohibit pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters and cruise vessels in all Canadian waters until February 28, 2022. 

Specifically, cruise vessels carrying 100 or more people are not allowed in Canadian waters.

According to Canada's government, cruise ships, "pose a risk to our health care systems."

"As Canadians continue to do their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19, our government continues to work hard to ensure Canada’s transportation system remains safe. Temporary prohibitions to cruise vessels and pleasure craft are essential to continue to protect the most vulnerable among our communities and avoid overwhelming our health care systems. This is the right and responsible thing to do."

Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra added that if the global health crisis sufficiently improves to allow the resumption of these activities, the Minister of Transport has the ability to rescind the Interim Orders. 

Prior to this extension, Canada's ban on cruise ships was set to expire on February 28, 2021.

Not only does the ban affect Alaska cruises, but New England cruises in the fall visit Canadian ports as well during the popular leaf peeping season.

Just like Alaska cruises, New England cruises rely on a stop in Canada to make the visit legal under U.S. law.

In case you are wondering, the penalties for violating the ban include $5,000 per day for individuals and $25,000 per day for groups or corporations. 

Canada banning cruise ships means cruise lines cannot legally offer cruises to Alaska because of cabotage laws that require a foreign port to be visited during the sailing.

Royal Caribbean has three cruise ships schedule to sail to Alaska in 2021.  Quantum of the Seas already had her entire 2021 cruise season in Alaska cancelled in favor of keeping the ship sailing from Singapore.

Cruises sailing from the United States must adhere to the Passenger Vessel Service Act of 1886 (sometimes referred to as the Jones Act).

Even if the United States allows cruise ships to sail again, they would not be able to sail to Alaska without Canadian waters and ports open to satisfy U.S. cabotage laws.

There is some talk of a temporary amendment to the PVSA to allow cruise ships to depart without a foreign port stop, although there has been no progress made beyond proposals. 

The Greatert Victoria Harbour Authority issued a statement in support of the Canadian government's decision to extend the cruise ship ban.

"Cruise will resume when it is safe to do so, when border restrictions are removed, and when people may safely enjoy non-essential travel."

The port authority did concede the decision will, "create a devastating impact on the dozens of local, small businesses that are involved with cruise in Victoria," due to a combination of no cruise ships in 2020 and now another year without them.

The road to recovery for cruise lines is not going to be a swift or easy one.

At a meeting of Florida's Senate Transportation Committee, Florida Ports Council Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Michael Rubin, said it will be a while yet before cruise ship operations return to "significant" numbers.

"I’m not sure we’ll have significant cruise operations until perhaps next year and even beyond that," Rubin told the committee.

"Some of the smaller luxury liners … may not be operating till further than that, until there’s actual vaccines available around the world. We are concerned. We’re hopeful that they’ll allow them to operate at least half capacity here maybe in April, maybe in June. Hopefully, before that timeframe, because this is really, really troubling."

Rubin represents the Florida Ports Council, which is a nonprofit group that represents major seaports in Florida. 

Rubin added that cruise lines are working to meet an “onerous” list of requirements from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with the hope of having some ships operating at half capacity by the summer of 2021.

According to Rubin, one issue that has remained is to figure out is how to handle cruise passengers getting on or off a ship in a port of call.

Mr. Rubin believes some high profile stories about cases on cruise ships from early 2020 are hindering progress to resume operations, "As you know, there was some high-profile incidents of passengers trying to get off and a few deaths out there."

"So, we’re living with those high-profile incidents, and it can’t seem to get past it. … I think all of our ports and the cruise lines are trying to work with the CDC to say, ‘Look, we’re gonna have protocols, we’ll have masks, we’ll sail at half capacity so we can quarantine people if they need to be quarantined.’"

He believes when cruises do restart, the cruise lines will adopt a series of new rules, "I think all of our ports and the cruise lines are trying to work with the CDC to say we’ll have protocols, we’ll have masks, we’ll sail at half capacity so we can quarantine people if they need to be quarantined."

The CDC recently added a new order that requires anyone on a cruise ship to wear a face mask.

Mr. Rubin's comments come a few weeks after Port Canaveral estimated some cruises might return in July. Neither Port Canaveral nor Mr. Rubin's comments are based on any cruise line statements.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain tackled the question of when cruises might restart with the answer everyone has known for months: no one yet knows for certain.

"My answer is consistently, I don't know. But more recently, my answer has been, I don't know, but that's the good direction to be going in."

"It's going to take a while and we just need to be patient."

"But it is happening and these early cruises are going to give us information that will help inform how we can operate safely and that's going to give us all confidence in an earlier and safer restart."

Anyone who has gone on a cruise has likely encountered a problem that in hindsight probably could have been avoided.

Not all mistakes you can make on a cruise are epic disasters, but running into an issue can put a damper on your day and leave you a bit frustrated.

Unfortunately, mistakes happen.  The challenge is knowing what to do when you encounter these problems and adjust to overcome them easily. Here are 10 common mistakes cruisers encounter and how to make it all better.

No plans for what to do in a port

Ideally you would have done a little bit of research into the port of call you are visiting on your cruise to learn about what the popular things are to do there, and which excursion might give you the best value.

If you skipped that step and are on a cruise ship without a clue what to do in the port you are going to visit, all hope is not lost.

This might be a good time to purchase the internet package onboard because 10 minutes of googling could at least point you in the right direction. If the weather looks nice, maybe search for the best beach to visit.  If your crew wants to explore the city, look up the best bars, museums and spot for lunch.

You could also talk to crew members onboard.  Most crew have been to the ports you are visiting many times and can make good recommendations.

If all else fails, you could head down to the Shore Excursion desk to see what tours are available. There may be a line, so be sure to look for a pamphlet with all of the tours available on the desk so you can look at that while you wait to speak to someone.

Read more: A complete guide to picking the perfect shore excursions

Burnout

Believe it or not, but there are some people who think you will be bored on a cruise because there is not enough to do.

The reality is there is a ton, and it is very easy to start ovedoing it.  "Burning the candle on both ends" is the euphemism for waking up early to get the party started, and staying up late so you don't miss a thing.

Trying to do it all can lead to frustration instead of fun, especially if not everyone in your group is on the same wave length as you.

It is nearly impossible to do every single activity on a single sailing, so your best bet is to prioritize the must-do activities onboard and then come back for another sailing later to do more. 

Lots of people have had amazing cruise experiences by sleeping in, relaxing by the pool, and otherwise taking it easy. No one said a fabulous vacation can only be one where you are hiking, ATV-ing, and running around for 7 days.

Read more: Top 9 bad mistakes to make on a Royal Caribbean cruise

No cash

While Royal Caribbean is cashless onboard, you will need cash in the ports you visit.

As someone who relies heavily on credit cards at home, it is easy to forget you need cash until it is too late.

Royal Caribbean provides two easy ways to get cash onboard:

• ATM Machine
• Casino teller

Depending on how much you are taking out, one of these options can be cheaper than the other.  The ATM will hit you with a fee (and likely your bank too), whereas the casino will hit you with a 5% convenience fee.

Read more: The worst cruise packing mistakes to avoid

Billing discrepancies

Whether your gratuities are being charged after you prepaid them, your stateroom is missing something you ordered, or something else is not what you expected, don't lose your cool trying to sort it out.

While many times these issues can be easily resolved with a trip to Guest Services, don't forget your travel agent is still available to assist.

One of the many reasons I love using a good travel agent is because they provide services before and during the cruise.  If there is a billing issue, a quick email (or call if you have WiFi calling) to your travel agent can sort out a lot of issues.

Read more: 10 mistakes travel agents see people make going on a cruise ship

Food service is slow

If you are in the main dining room or a specialty restaurant and it just seems to be taking much too long, you do not need to just "deal with it."

There are plenty of reasons why service can slow down, and sometimes it is a logistical issue, sometimes a technical issue, and sometimes a result of bad luck.

Either way, give your waiter a chance to either address the issue or at least acknowledge things are not going as planned.  But if you are not satisfied, feel free to speak to the head waiter.

You can either ask your waiter to speak to the head waiter, or you could look for them around the restaurant and waive them over.

Calmly explain the issue you are encountering and inquire what they can do to assist.

The staff want your dining experience to go smoothly, and if things go from "a little bit slow" to "what happened to our waiter/food", then you might want to say something.

Read more: The top crew members to find if you have a problem onboard your cruise

Reservations are booked up

If you are trying to get into a comedy show, stage performance or any other ticketed event and it is sold out, do not give up all hope.

Seating capacity is limited in many venues onboard, so shows running out of tickets are not uncommon.

If you are staying in a suite, the first person to speak to is the suite concierge.  The concierge is a great resource in seeing if there are additional show times or even a waitlist to be put on if something opens up.

You can also wait in the standby line for pretty much any show.  Go to the theater entrance 15 minutes before show time and let the crew member admitting guests in you would like to wait to see if there are any no-shows.

Since tickets are free, it is not uncommon for someone who made reservations not to show up because they are having too much fun at the pool or something else onboard.

Read more: When can I prebook entertainment, dining and more for my Royal Caribbean cruise?

You need internet access

Obviously you can purchase internet access on your cruise, but what if you need wifi for one or two quick tasks?

You can purchase a 24 hour pass on the ship for wifi access, but the cost is pretty high.

If you are unwilling to eat the cost of a wifi package on the ship, consider waiting until you get to a port you are visiting.

Many restaurants, bars and cafes offer complimentary internet access if you buy anything.  Some shops even offer completely free wifi, although their performance tends to be mediocre at best.

Ask a crew member onboard for recommendations in ports where you can get free (or nearly free) wifi.

Read more: Royal Caribbean WiFi: Guide to Internet at sea

You get seasick

It is rare, but getting seasick can happen to anyone.

The good news is it is very easily treated and you do not need to shell out hundreds of dollars for a visit to the onboard medical staff.

The simplest way is to go to Guest Services and ask for seasick medicine.  They will give you for no cost a packet of meclizine that will quickly treat the symptoms of being seasick.

If you want to avoid medicine, try going to the Windjammer to get a green apple or a food with ginger.

Be sure to also drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Taking a nap can also help make you feel better while whichever therapy you chose takes effect.

Read more: How to not get seasick on a cruise

Paying full price for a specialty restaurant

You thought you did not need to eat at the steakhouse or sushi restaurant, but then you got onboard and it smells amazing.

There is not a full proof plan for avoiding paying full price for a specialty restaurant, but there are a couple of strategies that might work.

First and foremost, see if you can buy a specialty dining package.  These packages allow you to pay a flat fee to dine at a set amount of restaurants and these will absolutely save you money compared to trying to eat at the same amount and paying the cover charge.

Another strategy is to keep an eye out for waiters that are walking around the ship to get new reservations.  These crew members are easy to spot because they are dressed in their restaurant outfit and holding a menu.

If you spot them, kindly ask if there is any discount if you sign up to eat at their restaurant.  Often they can sweeten the deal if you commit to a reservation on the spot.

Read more: Royal Caribbean specialty dining packages guide

Drink package mistakes

If you buy an unlimited drink package, be sure to maximize the value by doing a few easy things.

Always ask for a bottle of water with a drink order: Even if you aren't thirsty enough for water, you can always get a bottle of water with a drink order.  Bring that bottle back to your stateroom and start stacking them up so when you go on shore excursions, you do not have to pay for water off the ship.

Specify the brand of liquor: When you order a cocktail or mixed drink, ask for which brand of liquor to use. This avoids them putting the cheaper option in your drink.

Use your drink packages at specialty restaurants: Your drink package not only works at bars and lounges, but also in specialty restaurants and the main dining room. 

Read more: How to avoid the most common cruise drink package mistakes

The four most important words for any consumer are "is it worth it", and that applies to cruise ships too.

Each week I answer questions our readers have sent to the RoyalCaribbeanBlog mailbag to answer for the benefit of everyone.

I just booked my first Royal Caribbean cruise, and there are so many tours, packages, and activities I can buy before my cruise begins. Which of these are absolutely worth paying extra for? - Laura S.

Royal Caribbean structures its cruise fare and overall experience to be very modular, and that leaves guests with plenty of addons to consider buying. 

Laura is right that there are lot of choices to consider paying extra for before and during your cruise.

Before your cruise, you can access the Cruise Planner site for the opportunity to purchase many cruise add-ons, which are broken down into a few key categories:

• Shore Excursions
• Beverage Packages
• Specialty Dining
• Spa
• Onboard activities
• WiFi
• Miscellaneous add-ons

The question of which are "absolutely worth paying extra for" boils down to personal preferences in many cases. After all, an unlimited drink package, photo package, or wifi access will all save you money compared to paying for these items individually, but do you want/need all of it?

Generally speaking, purchasing any of these items before your cruise will save you money compared to waiting to buy it onboard.

In fact, the drink package, wifi and even some shore excursions will cost you more if you wait to book onboard the ship.  Some options, like The Key or select photo packages are not available to book on the ship.

Read more: Is it better to book excursions through the cruise ship?

Moreover, waiting to book onboard may run the risk of these options selling out.

At worst, nothing you pre-pay will cost you more compared to onboard. The spa treatments are mostly a wash in terms of saving money compared to booking onboard, but it does allow you to reserve a specific time.

What is definitely worth it to pay extra for?

Assuming you are interested in reaping the benefits, I wanted to share the Royal Caribbean add-ons that I believe will absolutely save you time or money by pre-purchasing, and are indeed worth it. 

Some of these items may not make sense for everyone, like an unlimited drink package if you do not like to drink that much liquor.

Here is a list of my go-to cruise add-ons that I will almost always pre-purchase myself because I think they are worthwhile.

• Unlimited drink package for me and my wife (kids don't need them)
• Wifi package
• Pre-pay gratuities (this is done through your travel agent)
• 3-night or unlimited specialty dining package (depending on the sailing and ship)
• Cabana at Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee

Here is a list of things I think are worth buying once, but not every cruise

• Sushi making class
• Stateroom decorations for a special event
• Chef's Table

And here are two add-ons that I do not recommend purchasing

• The Key - I don't think it as lucrative as it sounds, and there are ways to get a lot of similar benefits
• Arcade credits - You will always end up with leftover credits, and thus, wasted money.

My list is not the end-all, be-all of what everyone should or should not purchase.  You have to decide for yourself which add-ons make sense based on the type of cruise you are on, who you are sailing with, and your preferences.

If you are cruising with a group of friends, a drink package may make more sense than if you are doing a getaway cruise over the weekend. Pre-purchasing shore excursions makes more sense in Alaska or Europe than it does in Nassau, Bahamas. A spa appointment is much more important to newlyweds or someone on their anniversary.

Aside from The Key and arcade credits, I think pretty much anything else you could purchase has the potential to save you money compared to buying it onboard the ship.  To me, that is the definition of being "worth it."  They better question is if you will take advantage of the purchase to get the value out of it.

At last, we have a look at the 2022-2023 deployment schedule for the remaining sailings that have yet to be announced.

Royal Caribbean released a few new itineraries for 2022 in November, but there are still many other sailings that have not been announced.

Royal Caribbean posted the new deployment schedule for cruises  to China, the Caribbean, Australia, and many places that will be revealed in the coming months.

• Week of January 25, 2021: China (Phase 1) Fall 2022 — Winter 2023
• Week of February 15, 2021: Northeast Summer 2022 — Winter 2023
• Week of February 22, 2021: Short Caribbean Summer 2022 — Winter 2023
• Week of March 1, 2021: 7-Night & Long Caribbean Winter 2022- 2023
• Week of March 8, 2021: Australia, South Pacific & Hawaii Winter 2022- 2023
• Week of March 29, 2021: Singapore Fall 2022 — Winter 2023
• Week of April 5, 2021: China (Phase 2) Fall 2022 — Winter 2023

All itineraries are subject to change without notice.

What is a deployment schedule?

Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule are the dates when new sailings will go on sale to the public.

The schedule refers to the week that the cruises will go on sale, and not necessarily a specific date. 

This means at some point between Monday and Friday of that week, the new cruises will be loaded into Royal Caribbean's system.

Usually there is a lag with them, and they first appear in the backend, and then on the website.  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.

A common mistake is for guests to read the date, and assume that will be the first day the sailings on on sale.

What can you do now while waiting?

If you are interested in booking a new cruise when these new deployments become available to book, you will want to keep track of when they show up for booking.

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 posts will help:

• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• Tips for taking a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• Do's & Don'ts of Perfect Day at CocoCay

Royal Caribbean is offering a discount on cruise add-ons, such as drink packages, shore excursions and more, with its new sale.

The Deals on Deck sale runs between February 2 - 9, 2021 and is valid on sailings from May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021.

Here is what is included during the sale:

BEVERAGE: Up to 45% off 

• Classic Soda Beverage Package: 40% off onboard prices.
• Classic Soda Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: 45% off onboard prices.
• Dasani Water Cans: 45% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package: 40% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: 40% off onboard prices.
• Refreshment Package: 40% off onboard prices.

SHORE EXCURSIONS: Up to 40% off

• Shore Excursions: Discount varies by ship.

INTERNET: Up to 65% off

• •The Key: Up to 35% off. Discount varies by ship.
• VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
• VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.

DINING: Up to 55% off

• Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 9N sailings: Discount varies by ship. 

ACTIVITIES: Up to 20% off

• All Access Ship Tour (Excludes Grandeur of the Seas)

GIFTS & GEAR: Up to 20% off (Excludes Ovation of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas)

• Anniversary Decorations with Champagne
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Chocolate Cake & Strawberries
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Vanilla Cake & Strawberries
• Inky Beach Set
• Inky Beach Towel (TicTacToe)
• Inky Travel Set
• Red Wine and Cheese
• Royal Caribbean Beach Towel
• Strawberries with Champagne
• White Wine and Cheese

PHOTO PACKAGES: Up to 70% off

• Photo Packages: From 5 - 100 print and/or digital options: discount varies by ship. (See full terms for exclusions)
• Photo Package: Private Photo Session: discount varies by ship. (See full terms for exclusions)

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain provided a new video update where he talked about the current state of affairs related to the global health crisis, as well as addressing cruises resuming.

Mr. Fain has produced a number of video updates during the cruise industry shutdown that are produced for travel agents, but they provide insight for the public.

Towards the end of this new video update, he tackled the question he is most commonly asked: "when cruising will resume in strength?".

His answer is no one yet knows for certain.

"My answer is consistently, I don't know. But more recently, my answer has been, I don't know, but that's the good direction to be going in."

Mr. Fain sees promise in the fact Quantum of the Seas has been able to restart operations successfully in Singapore for a few months, and other cruise lines have been sailing in Europe.

"It's going to take a while and we just need to be patient."

"But it is happening and these early cruises are going to give us information that will help inform how we can operate safely and that's going to give us all confidence in an earlier and safer restart."

Mr. Fain sees the vaccine and new health protocols as a key component to moving towards a restart, and in the short term, protecting crew members who are still working onboard their cruise ships.

"The vaccines and other steps we are taking are also important to protect the crew. In the beginning, it was really very difficult to ensure that the crew members were virus free. But the new vaccines, testing and other steps are giving us the opportunity to protect them as never before."

Despite the obstacles the cruise industry faces, as well as an extremely long shutdown, Mr. Fain believes there is tremendous demand for cruises.

"People clearly have pent up demand and we can't wait to satisfy it."

"Every day we see signs that people want to get out and away. That pressure will help us once we can reopen and restart."