Royal Caribbean Blog

Guests on select Adventure of the Seas cruises in 2021 received emails from Royal Caribbean that their cruises have been shortened by a day due to pier construction delays.

A number of guests took to social media to share copies of an email they received from Royal Caribbean to inform them of a change in their Adventure of the Seas sailing.

Citing "pier construction delays in the Galveston terminal", the cruise line has altered the planned 5-night Western Caribbean itinerary to a 4-night sailing.

Thanks to Kimberly Coker for providing this screenshot

Guests on affected sailings should be contacted via email.

Royal Caribbean has offered these guests three options:

• Stay on the new 4-night Western Caribbean sailing departing from Galveston
• Rebook to a different 5-night Adventure of the Seas sailing later in 2021 or 2022
• Cancel for full refund

Guests have until  September 17, 2020 to make a decision on which option they would like to choose. If nothing is chosen, they will automatically be moved to the new 4-night Western Caribbean sailing departing on the same day as the original cruise.

Royal Caribbean has also created a form to process which option they would like in order to bypass waiting on the phone. The form must be filled out by September 17.

The crew on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship see a lot of things in their time onboard, including guests making mistakes along the way.

Former Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises employee Pippa Madden worked on a few different cruise ships for 8 years, and shared what she saw as important tips for guests when they go on a cruise.

Here are eight things to do, avoid, or simply be aware of, for your cruise vacation.

Be kind to the crew

This may seem obvious, but do not be rude to crew members.

The crew works incredibly hard and if there is a policy or rule you do not agree with, remember that crew member is not the person who created it.

As Pippa noted, "It's pretty straightforward, but it will get you way further than if you are rude or get angry. Be nice to them."

Tipping is important

There is a saying that "money makes the world go round", and it applies to life on a cruise ship too.

The crew onboard are there to work hard and service the guests who come aboard, and tipping when appropriate is not only a way to reward good service, it also goes a long way to making the crew happier.

"That's why the majority of people out there is for the money, so make sure you tip."

Pippa added that if you wish you can personalize your reward with a gift of some kind, if you wanted just the recipient to enjoy it individually. That is a well-appreciated option to give back to a crew member that went above and beyond for you. 

Avoid getting sunburned

If there is something that all crew members cringe, it is the cruise ship guest that sees someone dressed very nice on formal night along with a major sun burn.

Nothing ruins your beautiful cruise photos like a giant red sun burn, not to mention how painful it can be to the person who has it.

"I can't really recommend it enough, especially that first formal night, make sure we ladies have sun cream and do not get burnt."

Fill out the post-cruise survey

As soon as your cruise is over, Royal Caribbean sends guests a survey to get their thoughts on the sailing, and this is an incredibly critical tool for any crew member.

Pippa recommends taking a photo of your favorite crew member's name badges so it will be easier to remember their names (and how to spell it) for that survey.

The results of the survey go directly back to the manager of any crew member named in the survey, and this goes a long way towards promotions.

Guest etiquette

In terms of etiquette, Pippa noted a few questionable choices guests make on cruise ships that they probably would not do if at a land resort.

She started off by saying it is not a good look to wear your swimwear around the ship in public spaces, such as restaurants or the casino.

In addition, if you are a bar or lounge, do not put your feet up on the furniture.

"It's like, you wouldn't do that in normaly on land, like in a restaurant or casino."

Avoid Guest Services on the first or last day of the cruise

The two times you will find the longest lines at Guest Services are on the first and last day of the cruise, so avoid Guest Services on those days if you can.

Pippa recommends if it all possible, take care of any issues you have on other days of the cruise to minimize your waiting.

Don't lie to Adventure Ocean staff

Some guests will try to tell the Adventure Ocean staff that their child is about to turn a certain age in order to move them up to the next group, but these lies are silly considering the staff has every child's age in front of them.

"Do not tell white lies or fibs to Adventure Ocean staff, because they know the birth dates of the kids."

You can tip the casino dealer

Pippa worked a lot in the casinos on cruise ships, and tipping the dealer when you are winning is something you can and should do.

"So if you win, the dealer wins. And of course, the dealer wants you to win because then they will win."

Australia has extended its ban on cruise ships entering Australian waters until mid December.

The ban, which includes overseas travel, was announced on Thursday by Australia's Federal Health Minister, Greg Hunt.

An emergency period of the Biosecurity Act of 2016 will be extended until December 17, 2020. It was previously set to expire on September 17.

The order encompasses restrictions on overseas travel, the entry of cruise ships into Australia, the supply and sale of certain essential goods and retail stores at international airports.

"The extension of the emergency period was informed by specialist medical and epidemiological advice provided by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC)," according to a statement from Mr. Hunt.

"The AHPPC has advised that the international and domestic COVID-19 situation continues to pose an unacceptable public health risk," he said.

The announcement by the Australian government follows Royal Caribbean's decision a week ago to cancel all of its cruises departing from Australia and New Zealand on or before October 31, 2020.

Royal Caribbean's fifth Oasis Class cruise ship is scheduled to be floated out on Friday of this week.

Photo by PO-ND

Ouest France reports Wonder of the Seas is under construction at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and will be floated out on Friday afternoon.

Following her float out, she will be transferred to Basin C on Saturday morning, weather permitting. The shipyard scheduled the move for 7am local time in order to take advantage of the high tide.

The future largest cruise ship in the world will move from Basin A, where she has been under construction since the beginning, and move to Basin C, where work on the interior of the ship will take place for six months.

Wonder of the Seas has no operational engines yet, so tugs will move her the 450 meters. The move should not last more than an hour.

Space for Wonder of the Seas in Basin C is available due to MSC Virtuosa moving out of the area.

Delivery of Wonder of the Seas has been rescheduled to 2022 due to the impact of the current health crisis. 

When Wonder of the Seas does debut, she is scheduled to begin sailings from China.

During a meeting of the Port of Galveston Trustees on Tuesday, it was revealed that Royal Caribbean plans to begin construction of its new cruise terminal in Galveston in April 2021.

The Port Director of the Port of Galveston, Rodger E. Rees, spoke during the meeting in his regular Port Director update and mentioned that Royal Caribbean "insists" it will begin work on its delayed cruise terminal on April 1, 2021.

"We're having ongoing conversations with Royal Caribbean, and they are very much insistent that they will begin construction according to plans." Mr. Rees told the board during the meeting.

Mr. Rees subsequently was discussing contingency plans related to other work in the port and said, "When I mentioned this and brought this up to Royal, Royal basically said we intend to be in construction April one."

In late March 2020, Royal Caribbean asked the Port of Galveston to delay the start of the new cruise terminal by one year.

In April 2020, the Galveston Wharves Board Meeting approved a delay in construction of Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal, with a new target completion date for the terminal is September 1, 2022. 

The new Terminal 3 will be built on 10 acres of land at Pier 10, and will be used exclusively by Royal Caribbean.

Cruise Terminal 3 updates

In addition to the timeline for construction to begin, the Port Director provided a few other tidbits of updates related to construction efforts for the new terminal.

• The design of roads and infrastructure for the East End Cruise Corridor is ongoing.  This includes roads to Terminal 3.
• Design of utilities to support Royal Caribbean's Cruise Terminal 3 is 90% complete.
• Traffic study is 90% complete.  
  • The study will recommend upgrading Old Port Industrial Road to accommodate traffic to Cruise Terminals 1 & 2, and using Harborside Drive for traffic to Terminals 3 & 4.  The traffic study determined that a lot of vehicle traffic arrives at the port from hotels along the beach.

Many thanks to RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Galveston Steve for assisting in reporting information from the meeting.

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

The Sun's Out Sale's On sale runs between September 2 - 9, 2020 and is valid on sailings from November 1, 2020 - May 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: Discount varies by ship.
• Dasani Water Cans: 40% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship.
• 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: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes MJ)
• 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. (Excludes MJ, VI)

ACTIVITIES: 20% off

• All Access Ship Tour: (Excludes BR, NE, OY, QN)

 GIFTS & GEAR: Up to 20% off (Excludes OY, QN, VY)

• 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)

SPA & FITNESS: 30% Off

• Spa & Fitness (Only included on AL, HM, ID, MA, NV, OA, SY)

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's new list of health recommendations for keeping guests and crew members safe onboard was expected by the end of August, but the new policies will not be released until some time after the CDC open comment period ends.

The Royal Caribbean Group assembled a blue ribbon panel of health experts, known as the Healthy Sail Panel, which are tasked with guiding Royal Caribbean with new recommendations on how to start cruising again safely.

When the Healthy Sail Panel was announced in early July, the timeline for the getting the first set of recommendations to Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings was by the end of August 2020.

"The panel hopes to provide initial recommendations to the cruise operators by the end of August."

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reached out to Royal Caribbean for clarification on when the new policies might be released, and a statement provided by Royal Caribbean International's Public Relations department said they are now waiting for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) open comment period to conclude.

“The Healthy Sail Panel is working diligently on recommendations for cruise health and safety. The CDC’s open comment period ends on September 21 and the panel is taking that additional time to do its work.”

In late July, the CDC began taking comments from the public that it says it will be used to inform future public health guidance and preventative measures relating to travel on cruise ships.

The CDC has been steadily sharing comments it has received on its website that include a wide array of responses, ideas, and commentary.

Who is the Healthy Sail Panel?

The joint venture between Royal Caribbean and Norwegian has assembled health experts that come from many different backgrounds and experiences working with or for the U.S. government.

Serving at the head of the new panel will be Governor Mike Leavitt, former Secretary of the U.S. Department Health and Human Services (HHS), and Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Nine other experts serve on the panel, with expertise in public health, biosecurity, epidemiology, hospitality and maritime operations.

The panel will work alongside Royal Caribbean's new Public Health & Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Calvin Johnson, who will lead the company’s public health initiatives and oversee our response to health crises. 

Read more:All the health policies Royal Caribbean has confirmed or hinted once cruises resumes

The proverb, "experience is the best teacher" is a famous proverb of Julius Caesar, and it applies to so many aspects of life, including going on a cruise.

I reached out to other Royal Caribbean cruisers to get their single best piece of cruise advice they ever received to share with you here.

There is tremendous value in hearing a tip or bit of advice that positively impacted your vacation.  I know that hearing tips or tricks from other cruisers has made my cruise experience significantly better.

In just 24 hours, I received over 450 responses from cruise fans that run the gamut of guidance, from pre-cruise planning to onboard activities to saving money.

And so, dear cruisers, I share now some of what was posted, conveniently organized.

Pre-cruise

Before the cruise begins (or is even booked), here are some sage words of wisdom from our readers to start off on the right foot.

• "Use a travel agent" This is a mantra Jonathon Pelissero shared that I have always felt strongly about, because it provides so much helpful advice and resources at no additional cost to you.
• "If you don't live close enough to the port, book a hotel room for the night before your cruise." Jorge X. Arnoldson is absolutely right about the importance of not letting a travel delay impact your ability to get to the cruise.
• "Don't listen to bad reviews. People like to complain about everything.  Go with an open mind. And just enjoy it." I completely agree with Lynne White's approach to cruising the right way.
• "I learned the hard way, pack only about 1/2 of what you think you will need." I still struggle with this solid advice from Tim Bennett, but it makes sense.
• "Book super early. You get more time to pay for it, Royal Caribbean takes partial payments!" I think Iuliana Scott's shared a very helpful way to budget your cruise vacation with this tip.
• "Pack a first aid kit and extra meds of all sorts never know what you will need." My wife has always done this, and it has saved us a lot of money and time later.
• "You can find videos of your ship, itinerary and room on YouTube." This is a very good way to learn about your ship, excursions or even your stateroom. Thanks Melissa Bachman.
• "Prepay as much as you can, so you aren't constantly thinking about the cost of the cruise while on the cruise." This is such a helpful way by Debbie Stubbs Harris to keep your cruise budget spread out and make the entire vacation affordable.

Embarkation

The first day of your cruise is super exciting, so make sure it goes exactly as planned.

• "Get to the cruise port and board earlier than they say." I always follow John Degaris' advice that the check-in times are suggestions, and not enforced. Better to arrive early and start your vacation sooner.
• "Take two bottles of wine in your luggage." Graham Tilley noted you are allowed to bring up to two bottles of wine per stateroom on the first day of your cruise, which can save you a lot of money.  
• "Pack swimsuit and sunscreen in your carry on."   This is such a good suggestion by Kayleigh Meagher  to beat the crowd to popular pool deck activities (Flowrider, water slides, etc) on the first day.

Staterooms

Your room is where you will stay for the duration of the cruise, and there are lots of ways to maximize your space here.

• "Put the little table from your room in the wardrobe to make more room and another shelf in the wardrobe." Great advice by Donna Gracen on how to free up space in your room.
• "When traveling with kids, don't book a suite book an adjoining room." I think Renee Anne's advice is spot on for families. You get an extra bathroom, more space, and more privacy.
• "Magnet hooks are great for extra hanging areas (think hats, swimsuits, sweater)." Another good tip for getting things out of the way by Francine Brown.
• "Put a white board on your door so other friends or family members can leave a note of where they are going." So many families follow this tip by Jane Hontz to keep connected in a low-tech manner.
• "Suitcases fit under the bed." Not only will this suggestion by Shari Arsenault 'LaForme' save you space, it will get your luggage out of view for the cruise.

Things to do onboard

Royal Caribbean cruise ships are packed with activities, events and things to do.  Here is some advice our readers gave on keeping it fun and manageable.

• "Don’t try to do and see everything!" Jerry Blanton is right that you have to prioritize what you really want to do first, and then come back for another cruise later to do the rest.
• "Wear your tightest clothes first, and have loose ones for the second week." If your cruise is long, or you are doing a back-to-back sailing, this advice from Tina Cowdery is probably very practical.
• "Towel Clips for the pool chairs." This suggestion by Shannon Caldwell was echoed by a number of others who like having them when they are lounging on the pool deck.
• "If traveling with kids, get them involved night one in Adventure Ocean." I can tell you from personal experience that Philip Dickson's point is very accurate. Getting kids there on the first day allows for everyone to meet each other and get acclimated.
• "If you are physically able, take the stairs instead of elevator, helps keep off the extra food weight." I think Jasmine Angel's advice is a good rule of thumb when for easy ways to burn a few extra calories.

Dining

When it comes to eating on a Royal Caribbean cruise, there is lots of good ways to maximize your experience, or simply save you time or money.

• "Find a table in the buffet first, and take turns getting food" This is such good advice by Daniel Smith Jr. when dining at the Windjammer, especially during breakfast when tables go quickly.
• "Buy the drink package" So many cruisers said they recommend buying the unlimited drink package to save money in the long run.
• "If you want 2-3 items on the menu because you can’t decide, order them all and share with others at the table!" I love this advice by Anni Reynolds, because it is not only a good suggestion, but also something many cruisers are unaware you can do without extra cost.
• "Try any food that looks interesting to you. Try things you don’t think you’ll like. Chefs are top notch & you might be surprised!  Food is unlimited & if you don’t like something they’ll bring you something else." Never be afraid to try food, because on a cruise ship you are not paying per item. Well said, Kristen MamaBadger.

Shore Excursions

Exploring the places your cruise ship visits is a major component to the cruise, and there are some ways to ensure you get to experience it all without problems.

• "Be back on board an hour before we set sail from ports." Whenever I go on shore, I make sure to be back at least 2 hours early, but Nick Spears' advice is very good.
• "Don't book excursions thru the ship, too expensive. Book local." I think it is worth considering excursions through the cruise line and from third-party companies, but I agree with Nicole Harris you can save money by booking with a third-party.
• "Going to ports that offer things you enjoy. Do a little research before you pick the itinerary." Where your ship visits is an important consideration, and Denise Mackerell Tuckett's tip is a very good piece of advice on ensuring you are matching your interests with where your ship sails.
• "Bring zip lock bags" This is a really helpful way if you have wet swim suits, for making ice packs and other things by Merri Brown-Smith.
• "You don’t have to take an excursion when in port. Just getting off at port and looking around is great also." A very astute observation by Diana Foley-Paiement that you can just walk around in the port area if no excursion jumps out at you.

The Lighting Round

And finally, a grab bag of wise words that do not need further explication. If the advice fits, wear it.

• "Be kind to the crew. A smile and a hello goes a long way, even it's a maintenance crew member." - Beth Ballard Bean
• "You can listen to others' opinions or recommendations of ports or ships; but, don't judge till you've tried it yourself!" - Cindy JM Li
• "Book another one" - Michael Gucker
• "Get out of the Caribbean and cruise the world." - Ken R. Miller
• "To go & not be in the mindset that cruising isn't for me!"  - Kimberly Coker 

There is a brand new construction photo of Odyssey of the Seas that was released to the public on Tuesday.

Photo by Meyer Werft

The Meyer Werft shipyard released the photo of Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship, which is located in Hall 6.

The delay in getting a new photo follows the shipyard shutting down operations for six weeks due to the current health crisis.

Odyssey of the Seas is scheduled to begin cruises in April 2021 out of Rome. She was originally going to debut in November 2020, but those plans were delayed.

Royal Caribbean's second Quantum Ultra Class ship will begin with cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean for the summer season.

She will then continue its inaugural year in Fort Lauderdale, FL with 8- and 6-night Caribbean itineraries.

Among the many features coming to Odyssey of the Seas include:

• SeaPlex - the largest indoor space for recreational activities at sea
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade with club-level views of the SeaPlex
• Reimagined Adventure Ocean kids program and a maxed-out teen lounge with gaming consoles, music and movies
• Teppanyaki restaurant
• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar
• Two-level pool deck will feature two open-air, resort-style pools and four whirlpools with shady casitas and hammocks
• FlowRider surf simulator
• Skydiving with Ripcord by iFly
• North Star glass capsule
• Robot bartenders at Bionic Bar

So you want to book a cruise and start off by sorting prices by lowest first?

Big mistake.

It may seem like a logical starting place for a first time cruiser to try to find the absolute lowest price for a cruise, but looking only at price to determine which cruise to take is likely to set you up for disappointment later.

The lowest price ignores other important choices

Royal Caribbean has 28 ships in its fleet and they are anything but identical. If you find the lowest price and book based on that, you are overlooking a lot of important factors that can make or break a great vacation.

Royal Caribbean prices its cruises based on the time of year, how new or updated a ship is and the itinerary it sails. Newer ships command higher prices, while older ships tend to offer lower prices. The great variety of activities, things to do, stateroom choices, and itineraries means there is so much that you may want on your ship that price alone cannot control.

It seems a lot of first time cruisers will see a television commercial or a video online that shows off the amazing things you can do on Royal Caribbean, but will not realize not every ship has water slides, a Central Park neighborhood, certain specialty restaurants, or Broadway shows.

The biggest regret I hear from someone going on their first cruise is they wish they knew their ship had (or did not have) a certain feature or thing to do. 

While how much a cruise costs is going to be important to a lot of people, it should not be the primary consideration.

Lower prices and the weather

You might have done your homework and researched to find the best Royal Caribbean ship for you, and now feel confident to find the cheapest possible price for that cruise. That still could be a mistake.

After Royal Caribbean determines its cruise pricing between each ship in the fleet, the next major consideration is time of year, and that has more to do than just when kids are in school or not.

While the school calendar does impact cruise ship pricing (cruises tend to cost more when school on vacation since more families drive up demand), the weather plays an important role too.

Specifically, when the weather is less-than-ideal, prices will dip lower to make up for the weaker demand.

Prices are typically low during the fall months because of hurricane season, as well as prices for Alaska cruises in May and September will be cheaper, but you may find significantly colder and/or wetter weather waiting for you.

There is never a guarantee that you be able to book any cruise and get perfect weather, certain times of the year will be cheaper because it is rains more, is colder, or even susceptible to hurricanes.

It is very important you recognize why a cruise one particular week or month is cheaper than another, and be okay with the trade offs.

More:

• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?

Bottom line

When it comes to picking a cruise, look for a ship that offers the fun things to do you absolutely want to have on a ship, sails to the places you want to go, and is not compromising too badly on the weather.

Everyone has a budget, and we all want to get the best value possible from our vacation, but paying a little bit more for the kind of awesome cruise vacation you expect based on reviews, commercials, and experiences from friends is worth it to avoid the wrong sailing.

Royal Caribbean's variety of ships and sailings is both a tremendous benefit (lots to choose from), but also a potential pitfall if not properly considered.

If you are worried that you might be setting yourself up for a mistake, be sure to consult with a good travel agent.  Travel agents should cost you nothing extra to use (the cruise line pays them), and they can be a wonderful resource in recommending the perfect ship for your family.

Save money where you can, but look beyond the price to find a great Royal Caribbean cruise.