Top 10 best ways to spend $100 on a Royal Caribbean cruise

In:
31 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

If you are looking for some ideas on how to splurge on your Royal Caribbean cruise without breaking the bank, here are my top picks for how to spend less than $100!

Each of these items costs less than $100 per person, and offers a different and fun way to enhance your cruise vacation.

Sushi making class

One of the most enjoyable activities I have ever done on a Royal Caribbean ship was trying the On A Roll sushi making class.

This is a combination of learning the basics of sushi making, along with a lot of food.  It is really more of a meal than an educational experience, but it provides a fun way to learn how to make a few different types of sushi.

If you like sushi at all, this is well-worth trying out and be sure to come hungry.

Specialty restaurant dinner

When in doubt, eating is a great idea for how to spend some money and Royal Caribbean's ships offer exquisite specialty dining options.

The complimentary food onboard is great, but sometimes you want something different, and a dinner out at a specialty restaurant is a great way to spend $100.

Each restaurant has its own pricing, but most restaurants should cost less than $100 for two people to dine there (although a few will cost more).  

Giovanni's Table, Chops Grille, Jamie's Italian, Portside BBQ and Izumi sushi should all come in right around that $100 mark for two guests, and you will walk away very satisfied.

If you plan to eat at more than one specialty restaurant, consider instead buying a specialty dining package (although it will likely cost more than $100).

WOWbands

At just $5 each, a WOWband is a must-buy for me on any cruise I sail on these days.

WOWbands are RFID bracelets that are available on most Oasis and Quantum Class ships.  They work in conjunction with your SeaPass card to provide convenient access to your room, charging options, and being able to check-into activities.

Considering the low cost, I think it is well-worth it, and the bands can be exchanged for new bands on future sailings (most of the time).

Coco Beach Club access

If you can book the Coco Beach Club at Perfect Day at CocoCay for less than $100 per person, then I think this is a great way to spend the money.

The private Coco Beach Club enclave debuted in early 2020 and its popularity shot up rapidly along with the price.

The service, ambiance and upgraded food and amenities all make a day at the Coco Beach Club totally worth it, if you can get it at the right price.

For $100 or less per person, I think it is worth booking.  If the price comes in higher than that, I would probably consider booking a CocoCay cabana instead.

Sip. Tour. Brunch.

Another relatively new option has garnered rave reviews by many cruisers, the Sip Tour Brunch.

This activity combines unlimited champagne with a backstage tour of the ship's galley (the cruise ship's kitchen).

Not only do you get to see how Royal Caribbean manages to serve up thousands of meals for guests everyday, but you get to enjoy brunch in the Main Dining Room complete with unlimited sparkling wine.

Up, Up & Away helium balloon ride

The Up, Up & Away helium balloon ride is a great way to splurge during your visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay without spending a lot of money.

Up, Up  & Away will take you up to 450 feet up in the air to provide the highest vantage point in The Bahamas. The views at the top are incredible, and you can maneuver around the balloon to take it all in.

Be sure to bring your camera, because you will find some amazing photo opportunities.

Learn how to decorate cupcakes

A really fun family activity is the Sprinkle Time Cupcake Decorating Class, which allows anyone to try their hand at making really fun cupcakes...and then eating them.

If you enjoy watching those cooking competition shows where people create awesome looking desserts, this is the next-best way to live out your dream of being one of those chefs.

In 45 minutes, you will learn how to make a fun looking over-the-top cupcake that is appropriate for guests of all ages.

Stateroom decorations

If you are celebrating a special occasion on your cruise, you can buy stateroom decorations that will be delivered and set up for you onboard.

There are stateroom decorations for an anniversary or birthday, and it can be a great surprise for that special someone since Royal Caribbean will set it up before you arrive.

You can find the stateroom decorations options on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site under the "Gifts & Gear" section of the "Internet & More" category.

Onboard photo

While $19.95 for one photo is a lot of money, I do think getting that perfect family portrait that you can hang on your wall or put on your mantle is definitely worth it.

Each night of the cruise, there will be photographers around the ship to take your photo. There is no cost to take the photos, and later you can stop by the Photo Gallery to see how the prints came out.

If you spot one that you really like, you can buy it to bring home.  

I like that there is very low pressure to take the photos or to buy them, and getting a good family photo that you will want to show off later is worth $20 in the grand scheme of things.

Escape room

One of my favorite onboard activities is the escape room games that are available on more and more Royal Caribbean ships.

Each escape room challenges guests to solve a series of puzzles and clues in a limited amount of time.

Every escape room is different, and it is a completely different kind of cruise ship activity than you will usually encounter onboard. It is especially fun if you have a large family or group that enjoys competition.

How to contact Royal Caribbean for help with a cruise cancellation or refund

In:
31 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Whether you are new to Royal Caribbean or struggling to get a resolution to your current situation, sometimes we all need a little more help to get pointed in the right direction for answers.

Months of cancelled cruises have not been an easy transition for any cruise line, including Royal Caribbean, but there are some easy steps for getting answers if you are trying to sort out options, or get an update on your refund status.

Getting basic questions answered

Your catch-all place to get questions answered is by contacting Royal Caribbean directly for reservation updates, status questions, and other customer service inquiries.

The most straightforward method of contacting Royal Caribbean is to call them on their toll-free number at 800-256-6649. 

If you have taken at least one Royal Caribbean cruise in the past, you should call the Crown and Anchor Society number for (sometimes) faster service at 800-526-9723.

If you have a question about a specific reservation and booked with a travel agent, you will need to contact your travel agent for those concerns.

While phones are easy, contacting Royal Caribbean on social media has proven to be a very effective and quick way to get answers too. 

You can send the cruise line a message on their Twitter and Facebook pages for answers as well. Not only does this save you a phone call, the social media team is very responsive in providing answers to a myriad of questions.

Refunds and Future Cruise Credits

Refunds are not an instant process, but many cruisers have reported it taking a number of weeks to be processed.

The good news is refunds are flowing and being processed, but some of the older cancellations strangely take the longest to get through. It is far from perfect, but they are getting better and better at it.

According to Royal Caribbean's website, in most cases, refunds will post to the original form of payment about 7 to 10 days after they’re fully processed. However, some refunds may take up to 30 days to post. 

Work with your travel agent

First and foremost, if you booked your cruise with a travel agent, be sure to work that person to get things sorted out.

Your travel agent has new digital tools they can access to check on the progress of a refund request, as well as be able to reach out to the right person at Royal Caribbean for further inquiries, such as if the refund amount is incorrect.

Contacting Royal Caribbean directly

If your cruise was booked directly with the cruise line, then you will need contact them for status updates.

If your cruise was cancelled by the cruise line, you can avoid waiting on the phone to cancel by using an online form. If you want a FCC, there is nothing extra to do, as it will automatically be selected for you by a certain date. 

If you want to cancel, request a refund, or rebook under Lift & Shift, use the online form to process it.

You can always call Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society number at 800-526-9723 to also get updates and questions answered.

More helpful information

If you have more questions about canceling your cruise (or if Royal Caribbean cancels it for you), here are some helpful resources:

Royal Caribbean Post Round-Up: August 30, 2020

In:
30 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Welcome to this week's edition of the Royal Caribbean post round-up, where we summarize all of the Royal Caribbean news and information from this week into one handy-dandy post! There is plenty of great content to enjoy, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's round-up!

Royal Caribbean fans were relieved to hear that Grandeur of the Seas will remain in the fleet after all.

Plans to transfer Grandeur to Pullmantur Cruises has been cancelled due to Pullmantur's dire financial situation.

No new sailings have been announced yet, but more details are expected to be announced soon.

Royal Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 369th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Sharla talks about her first cruise to Alaska.

This week's cruise story features Sharla recalling her first visit to Alaska on Explorer of the Seas, and which memories stand out from her first time visiting this area.

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

Harmony of the Seas Captain's message to guests: ready to welcome guests back

The Captain of Harmony of the Seas took to Twitter this week to share a short message to guests that he and the crew cannot wait to welcome back guests onboard.

In the short video, Captain Johnny Faevelen drove around the Central Park neighborhood on his scooter while showing off the ship.

While Captain Johnny's message contains no new information on when or how Royal Caribbean might start cruising again, the sentiment has resonated with cruise fans who are equally eager to get back onboard.

Royal Caribbean cabins to avoid

In:
29 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Before you think all cabins are the same when booking a cruise, take a moment to look over these really common cruise ship cabin mistakes.

The stateroom you pick is an important decision, because it is where you will spend the most time during the cruise, so choosing where it is located is an important decision.

No matter which type of stateroom you book, a top concern from cruisers is if they're making a poor choice in which room they select.

With a little bit of extra research, you can avoid blunders that I hear about from cruisers time and time again.

Not looking what is above or below your room

Perhaps the biggest concern is picking a room that experiences "noise bleed", where noise from another venue can be heard in the room.

Royal Caribbean's staterooms do a pretty good job at muffling nearby noise, but no cabin is soundproof.

Before you book a room, look at the ship's deck plans and look what is above and below your stateroom.  Ideally, you want other staterooms on either deck and not public venues like pools, restaurants or other public venues.

Keep in mind that is not the worst thing if there is a public venue on a deck above or below your room, but it is a best practice if you can avoid it.

Room location if you are worried about getting seasick

The sensation of movement affects everyone differently, but it is a mistake to book a stateroom all the way forward or all the way aft if you are prone to motion sickness.

Getting seasick on a cruise is something a lot of first time cruisers are worried about, and while there are a lot of easy remedies in case it occurs, picking the right room can greatly help as well.

Ideally, you want to book a stateroom that is on a low deck and centrally located to lessen the feeling of movement. While balcony rooms are a good idea, you want to be on the lowest deck, with a room that is the most midship available.

Try to avoid higher decks, as well as cabins at the very front or back of the ship.

Distance to walk

On the bigger Royal Caribbean ships, where your room is in relation to the rest of the ship is a consideration to account for as well.

The proximity of your room to elevators, pools, Royal Promenade, and other popular areas can play a factor in picking the right room for you.

If you think you might spend a lot of time at the pool deck, picking a room on a deck closer to the pool deck might make more sense to avoid the hassle of going back and forth to your room across the ship.

Similarly, if you have mobility concerns, picking a stateroom closer to the elevator banks would be a good idea.

Trying to put everyone in one room

Families going on a cruise often try to book a room that can accommodate everyone in one room. This may seem like the logical solution, but you should consider booking two (or more) smaller rooms instead.

While there are lot of cabins that can fit 4 people in one room, it may not be the most comfortable situation (plus the fact you are all sharing one bathroom).

Instead, consider booking two connecting rooms that have a common inside door between them.  Not only will this provide more room, physical separation and an extra bathroom, it may not be that much more money than trying to book one of the larger rooms.

Looking at only the price

We all have a limited vacation budget, but looking only at the price when choosing a cruise ship cabin is a big mistake.

You will want to look at more than just the price when choosing a cabin, including where it is located and what is (or is not) included with the room.

Your cabin is one part of the vacation where paying a little bit more for a higher category or better location can make a huge difference in your cruise enjoyment.

Rooms that have noise bleed

Promenade view cabin

Certain staterooms can have more than normal noise from public venues nearby, and that might be an issue if you're someone that goes to bed early or is a very light sleeper.

Royal Promenade View cabins are available on Freedom Class, Voyager Class and Oasis Class ships and they have cabins that face inward towards the Royal Promenade. Each of these rooms has a large bay window that looks out to the Promenade, but this window is not soundproof.

Promenade cabin

In the evenings especially, there can be noise emanating from the bars and parties below to your room.

In addition, these windows mean people can see into your cabin, so it's important to always keep the blinds drawn if you want privacy.  This is another reason Promenade view rooms may not be desirable.

Centrum from Rhapsody of the Seas

On the Vision & Radiance Class ships, the first few cabins from the Centrum can also deal with noise bleed, as the Centrum is home to loud music in the evening.  

Cabins below the pool deck

Liberty of the Seas pool deck and chairs

A good rule of thumb is to try to avoid a cabin that is one deck below the pool deck.

Music isn't the issue with these cabins, rather, noise from chairs being arranged tends to be heard in the room. In the early morning, crew members re-arrange deck chairs for the coming day. Unfortunately, the noise created by dragging heavy lounge chairs across a deck tends to be heard in the rooms below the deck.

Light sleepers or anyone that enjoys sleeping in could have a problem with rooms in this location, so try to book a cabin with another stateroom above your cabin.

Obstructed view cabins

Balcony

It may be tempting to save money by booking an obstructed view cabin, but buyer's remorse sets in quickly.

Obstructed view cabins are rooms that have some physical structure blocking at least part of your balcony or porthole window view. Usually, these are lifeboats.

Obstructed view cabins

On Voyager and Freedom Class ships, aft balcony rooms have an obstructed view due to the metal structure on the back of the ship. You can still see the ocean, but it's not completely open either.

Connecting cabins (if you don't also book the connecting room on the other side)

Connecting door

Connecting cabins are a fantastic option for families, but if you aren't booking both rooms on either side of the common door, you're making a mistake.

The issue is the common door between the two staterooms is not soundproof and is actually quite easy for noise to pass through.

While the door will remain locked if you don't know the person in the other room, you're going to hear a lot of what's happening in their room and they'll hear what you're up to as well.

Look at a deck plan before booking any cabin, and avoid booking connecting rooms if you aren't going to book both cabins.

New fast and easy COVID-19 test drives Royal Caribbean stock up

In:
28 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean Group stockholders have seen a nice bump this week in the cruise giant stock price, thanks in part to good news of a new COVID-19 test.

Abbott Laboratories announced on Thursday a "fast, $5, 15-minute, easy-to-use COVID-19 test" that has resulted in a two-day rally for cruise line stocks.

Royal Caribbean Group ($RCL) closed on Friday up 5.30%, at a closing price of $70.13. Share prices have been rocketing up since Thursday morning's announcement.

Fast and cheap testing

On Wednesday, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) to Abbott for its BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Card. 

The test costs $5, involves just a nasal swab, and results can be delivered in 15 minutes without any special equipment.

In addition to being cheap and fast, it is easy to use since the BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Card works in concert with NAVICA, a new application for iPhone and Android devices that gives people with negative tests an encrypted digital health pass.

Theoretically, a cruise line like Royal Caribbean could insist guests take the test before admitted on a cruise by using the app.

According to Abbott, around 2.9% of patients taking the test receive a false negative when they're actually infected. About 1.5% of people who are not infected will receive a false positive. 

Abbott is manufacturing BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Cards at scale in two new U.S. facilities. The company will begin shipping the test cards in September and expects to deliver at a rate of 50 million tests per month by October. 

Testing part of the strategy

While full details have not yet been released, Royal Caribbean has said COVID-19 testing is likely to occur.

Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley recently commented that testing is going to be one aspect of the protocols to expect onboard.

"Testing is part of the thinking that we have not yet reached a point in our protocols where we're ready to publish and release for for discussion," Mr. Bailey started, "But it's very likely that testing will occur."

The winning combination

Taking into account Abbott's testing, along with a slew of new vaccine news, Wall Street seems to think the dual-pronged approach that addresses developing a vaccine as well as preventing infection is a good sign for the cruise lines.

A pair of new vaccine candidates from VBI Vaccines was also announced on Thursday, joining a field of other vaccines in various stages of testing.

In short, the more news about promising and effective testing and vaccines, the more positivity the market is showing cruise lines might get back to business sooner than later.

Note: Matt Hochberg has no position in any of the stocks mentioned, nor does he own any cruise line stock.

Should I take a short or a long cruise?

In:
28 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Does it make more sense to go on a short cruise or is your money better spent on a longer sailing?

Royal Caribbean offers cruises of various lengths, with short 3 or 4 night sailings all the way up to cruises that exceed 14 days.  Which is the right choice for you and what are the differences between these cruises?

Here is a breakdown of why you might want to take a short or a long cruise.

Price

How much your cruise costs is a major factor in picking any vacation, so not surprising it should be the first consideration when debating a short cruise or a longer cruise.

In general, short cruises tend to have a lower overall cruise fare cost compared to longer cruises. A cruise that only goes a couple of days is going to be fairly affordable for most, and provides an inexpensive entry into the world of cruising.

Longer cruises may cost more overall, but their price per-night may actually be cheaper than some short cruises. Of course, multiplied out over sailings that can double or triple the length of a short sailing, and you will still pay more overall.

In general, I believe it is a mistake to book cruises purely based on price, but it is important to not only consider the bottom line price. Look at how much you would be paying for each night of the cruise to see which is a better value.

Places you will visit

Going on a cruise means visiting various ports of call around the world, and you will absolutely see more of them on a longer sailing.

Short sailings might have one or two ports to visit, while longer sailings can visit significantly more ports during their voyage.

Moreover, longer sailings means your ship has the ability to visit more exotic destinations. The more nights of a sailing, the further out your ship can potentially sail. 

If you are interested in visiting places out of the ordinary, a longer sailing will get you there.  

Shorter sailings do have an advantage of being generally close enough to very popular ports of call, including a cruise line's private destination. Nearly all of Royal Caribbean's short sailings visit Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

How much importance you place on the ports your cruise will visit may play a significant role in picking a short or long cruise.

Relaxing or party cruise?

Another generalization between short vs. long cruises is the atmosphere onboard.

Longer sailings are going to provide more time onboard the ship, which means more time to relax while onboard. Longer cruises tend to have more sea days, and that can mean more relaxing.  

Of course, Royal Caribbean cruise ships are known for packing plenty to do onboard, so a cruise over 7 nights does not mean there is not always something going on or parties each night.

Short sailings tend to attract younger guests who are looking to get away for a long weekend, especially during times of the year when school is out of session.  

Royal Caribbean is a family cruise line that has a good mix of guests of all ages, regardless of the cruise length, so 3 or 4-night cruises are not exclusively kids, while 7-night or longer cruises are not filled with just baby boomers. You may just find different attitudes toward why they booked the cruise.

Objectively, a shorter sailing means you have less time onboard to experience everything your ship has to offer. Royal Caribbean's ships are designed to be destinations in and of themselves, and that means there is a lot of fun things to do onboard. On a short cruise, you will be hard pressed to find time to work it all in, which may simply be a good reason to book another short cruise later.

Ship age

If you want to cruise on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ships, you will almost certainly have to book a longer sailing.

In order to maximize the earnings potential of a new cruise ship, Royal Caribbean will schedule its newest ships to offer sailings of 7-nights or longer. 

The age of a ship is not the be-all and end-all of what makes a "good ship" or a "bad ship",  but if you want to check out the latest and greatest Royal Caribbean has to offer, a longer sailing is likely what you will have to book.

That is not to say a short sailing has to be on a floating relic. Royal Caribbean spends millions of dollars investing in their fleet, and ensuring their ships have more in common than different.

In fact, some ships offering short cruises to The Bahamas have some of the most impressive recent refurbishments. This means while they may be older, they still offer a lot of fun (and at a lower price).

Is a short or longer cruise better?

Ultimately, the decision to do a short or longer cruise depends on what you want from the vacation.

Short cruises are budget friendly, offer a fun atmosphere, and will fit nicely into a long weekend.  

Longer sailings will mean more time to explore the ship, more exotic destinations and potentially cheaper per-night costs.

Depending on what factors are important to you, there can be clear decisions for either type of cruise.

In general, I advocate longer cruises simply as a means to enjoy a longer vacation. Short cruises seem to go by in a flash, and while they are better than no cruise at all, all things being equal, a longer sailing feels more fulfilling.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman: "We closer to the other side of this crisis every day"

In:
28 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain spoke openly about about the state of the industry in a recent video posted, seeing "encouraging" progress in the cruise industry.

With the cruise industry in the midsts of a 5-month long shutdown and more to come, a positive outlook is always a welcome change of pace.

Mr. Fain talked about the bright spots of good news coming out of cruising, that leads him to believe things are getting better.

"So we're not through this yet, but there are more bright spots and bits of good news than there have been for quite a while," Mr. Fain remarked, "We are closer to the other side of this crisis every day."

In addition to news about different vaccines and treatments, Mr. Fain was happy to see some European cruise lines successfully resume operations.

"In Germany, our joint venture company, Tui Cruises, has been operating cruises since late July. In Italy, MSC Cruises started operating last week and has attracted a lot of really very positive publicity. We understand Costa Cruises is starting operating there in just a few weeks."

Slow return of cruises

Mr. Fain emphasized the strategy of cruises starting back up "slowly and methodically", and the need to learn from these first cruises back.

For a few months, Royal Caribbean Group executives have emphasized the need to start cruises slowly and with the right procedures in place.

In early August, Mr. Fain spoke about this topic during an earnings call with analysts where he emphasized the importance of making sure cruises are safe before they start up again.

"It's fair to say that there is still a lot of uncertainty against this backdrop. We will not rush to return to service until we are confident that we have figured out the changes that we must make to offer our guests and crew strong health and safety protocols with the enjoyable experience that they rightly expect."

Top ways you cannot use your Royal Caribbean future cruise credits

In:
27 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

As a result of so many cancelled cruises, guests have the choice of turning their cruise deposits into future cruise credits that can be redeemed later, but you should be aware of a few important limitations on how these vouchers can be used.

Navigator of the Seas pool deck during sunset

For most people, future cruise credits are a flexible and lucrative way to hold onto their deposits and cruise fare costs, and turn them around to be used on a Royal Caribbean cruise in 2021 or beyond. Royal Caribbean has even given guests bonus credits when they cancel a cruise.

While future cruise credits work well for most people, you should be keenly aware of the FCC rules to ensure you know exactly if a future cruise credit is the right choice for you.

You cannot get more Future Cruise Credit if Royal Caribbean cancels your cruise later

In order to put traveler's minds at ease with so much uncertainty, Royal Caribbean introduced the Cruise with Confidence program where guests can cancel their cruise at any point up to 48 hours before the cruise in exchange for a 100% future cruise credit.

If you choose to cancel on your own, and later on Royal Caribbean cancels that sailing and offers guests 125% future cruise credit, you cannot take advantage of that more lucrative offer later.

Credits taken from the Cruise with Confidence program are not refundable at any point in time, even if Royal Caribbean subsequently cancels the cruise.

Additionally, Cruise with Confidence Future Cruise Credits have no cash value and cannot be exchanged for a refund.

So you can either cancel with the Cruise with Confidence offer, or see if Royal Caribbean will cancel your cruise later.

Freedom of the Seas aerial photo while at sea

You cannot use future cruise credits between brands

While Royal Caribbean International is one of many cruise lines owned by the Royal Caribbean Group, your cruise credits cannot be used on another sister cruise line.

Cruise credits from a Royal Caribbean International sailing cannot be used towards a sailing on Celebrity Cruise Line, Silversea or Azamara.

You cannot use more than one future cruise credit per guest

This is the most surprising caveat for many guests, but you are limited to one FCC per guest.

At this time, only one FCC can be applied to each guest in a reservation. Future Cruise Credits are not stackable.

Royal Caribbean now allows guests to combine FCCs.

Sports deck aerial photo of Symphony of the Seas

You cannot use future cruise credits towards taxes or fees

When Royal Caribbean calculates your future cruise credit, they based it on the total cruise fare paid by the guest, minus taxes and fees (those extras get refunded).  Similarly, you cannot apply a FCC towards those extra costs.

FCCs do not cover taxes & fees or other booking components - such as prepaid gratuities or transfers. Taxes/fees must be paid using another form of payment.

You cannot convert a Future Cruise Credit into onboard credit

Another common question is if you can apply a future cruise credit to a reservation, and use any leftover credit for onboard credit for that sailing.

If the value of your FCC exceeds the cruise cost, any remainder credit will be re-issued for the remaining balance in a new voucher. You cannot convert it to onboard credit.

Should I book a guarantee stateroom on a cruise?

In:
27 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Guarantee staterooms are a tempting offer: pay less for a cabin without the ability to choose the exact location, but is it worth it?

Many cruisers find the lower price very appealing, but are concerned they are making a mistake by playing roulette with their stateroom location.

Here is what you should know about guarantee staterooms on a cruise, and if they are worth giving a try.

What is a Guarantee Cabin?

A guarantee stateroom is when Royal Caribbean (and most other major cruise lines) give you a discount on a particular category of rooms in exchange for giving up the ability to choose your exact room.

This means once you book, you do not know the exact room assignment. At some point in the weeks leading up to the cruise, your stateroom assignment will appear.

In addition, the cruise line promises at least that category of room, which means there is a slim chance you could be upgraded.

The exact discount you can expect for opting for a guarantee room depends on the sailing.  When you select a category of rooms, you are given the option of going with a guarantee room or choosing one, at which point you can see the savings by going with a guarantee.

Guarantee cabins are a tool the cruise line uses to help fill in the gaps of unsold staterooms. There are simply some rooms that are less likely to get booked, so guarantee rooms help close that gap.

When do you get your stateroom assignment?

There is no definitive timeframe when your cabin actually gets assigned.  It can happen at any point leading up your actual sail date.

Royal Caribbean states a guarantee room assignment is made at some point between 5-30 days before sailing.

Most of the time, a few weeks before the cruise your room is assigned. In some rare cases, the assignment process has taken up to a day or two before the cruise sails, but these are rare.

There is no notification when it occurs, you just have to log into Royal Caribbean's website and check if a room number now appears.

Is a guarantee cabin worth it?

It can be a good deal to book a guarantee stateroom, but it depends on the discount and your tolerance of cabins.

First and foremost, the discount should make you feel comfortable booking a guarantee.  If the price difference is negligible, then you are better off picking your own room.

Equally important is the idea you are okay with your stateroom being somewhere on the ship that is out of your control.  Cruise ship cabins are designed to be as well-appointed and noise-free as they can be, so the odds are you will not end up with an awful room.

If you are very particular about where your stateroom is, then a guarantee cabin is not for you. However, if you are flexible with the room location and want to get the lowest possible price (with maybe a chance at an upgrade), then going with a guarantee is not a bad plan.

Royal Caribbean cancels all Australia & New Zealand cruises until November due to Coronavirus

In:
26 Aug 2020
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean Group announced it will cancel all sailings departing from Australia and New Zealand on or before October 31, 2020.

In addition, Royal Caribbean suspended China itineraries on Spectrum of the Seas through the end of September and Quantum of the Seas through October 1, 2020.  

The announcement made on Thursday morning in Australia matches the cancelled cruise status in North America and Europe.

Royal Caribbean issued a statement that the decision to cancel cruises in Australia was made out of a necessity for safety.

The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit is our top priority. As we work with health and government authorities toward this shared goal, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises will be extending the suspension of sailings to include those departing from Australia and New Zealand on or before October 31, 2020. We will be reaching out to our guests and travel partners to share further details and address any questions or concerns they may have.

The announcement comes weeks after Royal Caribbean Group executives hinted there was a chance cruises could resume first in Australia.

Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley noted that while cruise operations are suspended until November, Australia and China are the exceptions.

"It may well be possible that we'll resume operations in China and potentially Australia before the end of October."

Mr. Bayley was quick to add that "there's some possibility" of it happening, but far from a certainty.