Royal Caribbean Blog

Eating all the delicious food is one of my favorite parts of cruising, and I was excited to get on Independence of the Seas to try it all out.

Independence of the Seas has a variety of quick casual and specialty restaurants onboard for guests to enjoy. While there aren't as many options as the larger Oasis and Icon Class ships, I thought this Freedom Class ship offered a solid selection.

After Independence of the Seas was revamped in 2018, newer features were added, like The Perfect Storm waterslides, FlowRider, an escape room, and more. In addition, new restaurants were added, including Playmakers, Izumi, and Fish and Ships. 

Below is a summary of the dining venues on Independence of the Seas.

Complimentary dining:

• Windjammer buffet
• Main Dining Room
• Cafe Promenade
• Sorrento’s
• Fish and Ships
• Sprinkles

Specialty restaurants and for-charge options:

• Chops Grille
• Giovanni’s Table
• Izumi Hibachi
• Johnny Rockets
• Playmakers Sports Bar
• Sugar Beach
• Scoops by Sugar Beach

Here’s everything my mom and I ate while on our five-day cruise onboard Independence of the Seas, along with our thoughts on each dish.

Main Dining Room

Night one: Welcome Aboard

The “Welcome Aboard” menu features mainly American cuisine. The chef’s recommendations include the crispy crab cake, southern fried chicken, and key lime pie.

For the starter, I ordered the spinach and artichoke dip while my mom got the escargot and crispy crab cake. The crab cake is her favorite Royal Caribbean appetizer, and it did not disappoint.

My mom commented that she wished there was more garlic in the escargot and she would've liked it to be served warmer. I also found that the spinach and artichoke dip wasn't as warm as I would've liked.

For the main course, I got the Southern fried chicken while my mom got the slow-roasted prime rib. The chicken came with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. The chicken was moist, and the honey dipping sauce complemented the flavor. 

My mom liked her medium-well prime rib, which came with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

For dessert, I got the key lime pie while my mom got the Boston cream pie.

We also shared the no-sugar-added dark chocolate custard. My mom is diabetic, so she felt obligated to try the no-sugar-added desserts. 

I always enjoy the key lime pie; it was delicious on Independence. My mom thought the Boston cream pie was OK but nothing to get excited about. We thought the custard was pretty good, especially for being a no-sugar-added dessert, but it would've been even better with some more whipped cream on top.

Night two: A Taste of Italy

Italian night is one of my favorite menus on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The chef’s recommendations for this menu included minestrone, lasagna, and tiramisu.

I ordered the parmesan arancini for a starter while my mom got the garden salad and minestrone. I liked the arancini, but I wished it had more romesco (tomato) sauce.

My mom was surprised at how much flavor the minestrone soup had, so she was happy. She also thought the salad was light and crispy.

Since we had eaten a lot of great food while at Perfect Day at CocoCay, we decided to share the chicken parmesan for our main course. We agreed that the crispy chicken parmesan was good but the spaghetti was not outstanding.

I loved the dessert selections on this menu, so I got the tiramisu and lemon curd tartlet. 

My mom also got the lemon curd tartlet as well as the no-sugar-added coffee pot de creme. 

They were all very good, but the lemon tartlet was the winner for us!

Night four: A Taste of Mexico

The chef's recommendations for this menu were the roasted poblano soup, chili-lime-crusted salmon, and tres leches.

For our starters, we got the grilled sweet corn cakes, tortilla soup, and escargot. The corn cakes are something I would never think to eat while on land, so I liked trying something new. 

My mom thought the tomato-based soup had a nice flavor. She also thought the escargot was better because it had more of a garlic flavor, but it still wasn't as hot as she would've preferred.

I was boring (because I am not a Mexican food fan) and got the grilled chicken breast. This was served with roasted potatoes and vegetables. I was afraid the food would be lackluster, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it. 

I also ordered the mac n cheese from the kid's menu because it sounded too good not to try! Yum!

Mom got the pulled pork enchilada based on our waiter’s recommendation. She thought it was very good and just spicy enough without being too overpowering.

I enjoyed my dessert selection, which was the tres leches with layers of creamy sponge cake.

Mom got the no-sugar-added coconut layer cake. This came with whipped cream and a raspberry sauce, but she was glad she also ordered the no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream to eat with it since the cake was a little dry. She wished the cake had more raspberry sauce.

Every night in the Main Dining Room, we were served a bread basket before the starter. I always had a cheese bun - my favorite!

Day five: Breakfast

On our last sea day, my mom and I had breakfast in the Main Dining Room. Like dinners, this is a sit-down service. On our cruise, breakfast in the Main Dining Room was offered every day, but they served later on sea days. We prioritized coming here for breakfast because it was something different than the Windjammer.

I ordered the ham and cheese omelet along with a fruit cup. My omelet also came with a hashbrown potato and white toast. I thought the omelet tasted the same as the one I would've got in the Windjammer, but I still thought it tasted good.

Mom ordered the market vegetable breakfast bowl, which had two eggs served on top of a bowl of vegetables, cheese, and potatoes.

The whole meal was great, in my opinion. Mom really enjoyed her breakfast bowl and was glad to try something new. In addition to the nice breakfast, we had great conversations with the two tables on both sides of us.

Day five: Lunch

The last meal we had in the Main Dining Room was lunch. On this cruise, lunch in the Main Dining Room was only served on sea days from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

I ordered the mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. I loved these mozzarella sticks, and I think they're better than the ones at Perfect Day at CocoCay!

For the main course, I got the grilled beef quesadilla while my mom got the seafood sandwich. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the quesadilla, but I was happy with how good it tasted. I was impressed! 

Mom enjoyed her seafood sandwich, which included fried shrimp, cod, calamari, coleslaw, tartar sauce, and pickles.

For dessert, we both got the white chocolate mousse, which was garnished with raspberry coulis and ladyfingers. This dessert was amazing and one of our favorites from the entire cruise. I wish they served this at dinner too!

I highly recommend trying the Main Dining Room for lunch at least once during your cruise.

Windjammer

Breakfasts

What we got at the Windjammer for breakfast was similar each morning we ate there.

I would usually order a custom omelet and then grab a hashbrown round along with some cranberry bread. 

Mom would usually get bacon, eggs (either scrambled or overhard), fruit, and cranberry bread. She also gets lots of coffee! 

One morning, she tried the avocado toast and bran muffin. She really liked the bran muffins but she found that the avocado toast was bland.

Night three: Dinner

This night was formal night. We normally eat in the Main Dining Room for formal night, but since we wanted to go to Grease (it was showing during our regular dining time), we decided to go to the Windjammer.

The theme in the Windjammer was “Savor La France” and was described as having, “croque madame, coq au vin, chicken cordon bleu, and french desserts.” Most of the food offered in the Windjammer was also served in the Main Dining Room since it was “A Taste of France” night.

The Windjammer was not super busy, so we were happy to grab a table near the window and watch the sunset while we ate dinner.

Related: Caribbean cruise outfits for women

I definitely wanted to try the chicken cordon blue, so I got that along with some potatoes, green beans, and quiche Lorraine. 

My mom also got chicken cordon bleu, as well as green beans, pineapple, quiche, and a Caesar salad. We agreed that everything tasted fine but not exceptional, which is to be expected at a buffet.

A fun dessert option this night was a crepe bar! I got a crepe with chocolate and strawberries while my mom got one with just strawberries. She also noticed there were no-sugar-added desserts in the Windjammer like there are in the Main Dining Room. 

In addition to the crepe, I tried the apple cobbler which I thought was OK. It just tastes better in the dining room, in my opinion!

Giovanni's Table

We were only planning on eating at Giovanni’s Table once, but it was so good that we came twice! Lunch was $22.99 per person while dinner was $54.99 per person.

Day three: Lunch

We started the meal with a bread basket along with oil and cheese for dipping.

For the "primi," I selected the minestrone while mom had the Caprese salad and crispy calamari. I thought the minestrone was delicious and much better than the Main Dining Room minestrone. 

The Caprese salad, which included heirloom tomatoes, creamy truffled burrata, pesto, and basil, was very good, but we wished there was more pesto.

As for the calamari, my mom loved it! The calamari was huge, probably five times the size of what you’d find in the Main Dining Room. The huge, meaty chunks had a light and crispy coating and were served with tomato sauce, lemon, and garlic aioli. The calamari was out of this world and she couldn't stop talking about how good it was (even to this day)!

Both of us got the seared filet mignon for an entree. This was served with a wine sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, and broccolini. Our waiter challenged us to compare this filet to the one at Chops Grille. He guaranteed it would be better, and we certainly agreed.

The filet was cooked to perfection and was so tender. The mashed potatoes were beautifully presented and tasted great. I thought the broccolini was fine, so I ate more of the meat and potatoes.

In addition to the filet, we selected two pastas to share: tagliatelle carbonara and gnocchi gorgonzola. We both agreed the gnocchi was better than the carbonara. The carbonara was satisfactory but it needed more flavor.

The gnocchi was tossed in a creamy sauce and had spinach and parmesan cheese. It was the best gnocchi I’ve had in a long time!

Now for the best part of the meal. I was excited to get the tiramisu, which had layers of espresso, Kahlua-soaked ladyfingers, and sweet mascarpone cream. It was so much better than the Main Dining Room tiramisu, and it was huge!

Mom wasn't sure what to order, so she tried the lemon and tutti frutti ricotta cream cannoli. She thought it was dull and would never order it again. 

She wanted to try something else so she ordered the "Assorted Italian Ice Cream." We both loved this dessert, as it had layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry Italian ice cream with delicious toppings, including chocolate chunks, strawberries, and pistachios.

Night five: Dinner

Our waiter convinced us to come back to Giovanni’s Table for dinner on the last night of the cruise. He offered us a BOGO offer, so we couldn't say no!

The dinner menu is extremely similar to the lunch menu with only a few small changes. The eggplant parmesan was an appetizer during dinner while it was a main course option on the lunch menu. Also, the beef carpaccio was a new appetizer option during dinner, and the Ossobucco (veal) was a new main entree option during dinner.

I ended up having almost the same meal at dinner as I had for lunch, but I tried a new pasta and main course.

Read more: 7 reasons to eat at specialty restaurants instead of the Main Dining Room on your cruise

For the appetizer, I had the minestrone soup again while my mom got the calamari again (it was still amazing). 

She did try the beef carpaccio too. This thinly-sliced beef tenderloin was tender and flavorful, so she really enjoyed it.

Mom got the filet mignon once again while I tried the chicken piccata. The chicken was served with gnocchi, spinach, and cherry tomatoes. I would recommend it, but I think the filet mignon was better.

We were happy we tried a new pasta this time, the wild mushroom risotto. We also got the gnocchi gorgonzola again because it was that tasty! Comparing the two, the gnocchi was still our favorite.

I got the tiramisu for dessert again and I absolutely loved it. Mom also got the tiramisu and she could hardly eat it after our big meal. Nonetheless, it was still so delectable!

Fish and Ships

This complimentary dining venue is available only on Independence of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas. I had never eaten here before, so I was excited to see what it was like!

Everything here is included, except for the $12 “Fried Lobster Tail Basket and Chips.” There is a selection of:

• Fish and chips
• Chicken fingers and chips
• Fried shrimp and chips
• Crispy fish sandwich

We chose to eat here once we got onboard during embarkation day because we wanted to avoid the busy Windjammer. There was no line at Fish and Ships, so we made the right decision. I ordered the chicken tenders while my mom got the fish sandwich and shrimp. We also shared a creme brulee dessert.

The tenders were so tiny that they shouldn't been called chicken nuggets! They were served with honey mustard and fries. Overall, I thought it was a yummy snack, but definitely not filling unless I went back for more.

Mom’s fish was breaded, fried, and tasty when dipped in the tartar sauce. The coasting was very thick.

I wish more Royal Caribbean ships had this dining venue because having more quick casual, complimentary dining options is ideal, especially on the pool deck.

Sorrento’s

I usually like Sorrento's on a Royal Caribbean cruise. On this cruise, however, I wasn't impressed. Every time I stopped by, there weren't many pizza options and if there were any available slices, they looked dry like they had been sitting out for a long time.

I tried a slice of pepperoni and cheese pizza when I wanted a snack. I thought the pizza was mediocre so I didn’t go out of my way to get it again.

Johnny Rockets

While we didn't have an actual meal at Johnny Rockets, I went there twice to get a milkshake. 

I appreciate that I can use my Diamond Plus drink vouchers on these milkshakes. The first time I got the Oreo milkshake and the second time I got the strawberry one. I loved both of them, but if I had to pick one, I would pick the Oreo shake as being the best.

Mom tried the vanilla shake, which she found to be refreshing.

Crown Lounge

Since my mom and I are Diamond Plus cruisers, we would sometimes stop by the Crown Lounge for a snack. This lounge was never busy because there were only about 125 Diamond cruisers on our sailing.

For breakfast one morning, we wanted to see what the options were. I had a fruit bowl and chocolate croissant while mom tried the bran muffin, fruit plate, and yogurt parfait. She also got a latte at the coffee machine.

We stopped by the Crown Lounge before dinner one night so we could try some appetizers, like chocolate-covered strawberries and chicken wings.

The Diamond Lounge on the Independence of the Seas has such a beautiful view, making anything you eat there just a little better.

Room Service

On the last sea day, my mom wanted to order room service. Room service continental breakfast is free every day of the cruise. She selected an arrival time of 9-9:30 a.m. At 8:50 a.m., she got a call to our stateroom to verify that she was awake and ready to receive her food. Within five minutes, the food was delivered.

She ordered an English muffin, fruit, two pots of coffee, and chocolate milk (for me). She expected the English muffin to be cold but to her surprise, it was still warm because it was wrapped in a napkin. The coffee also arrived hot, which she appreciated.

Related: I stayed in the cheapest, smallest cabin on Independence of the Seas cruise ship. Look inside my 162-square-foot room

Bonus: Hideaway Beach at Perfect Day at CocoCay

During our time at Perfect Day at CocoCay, we had some great food!

We spent our day at the adults-only Hideaway Beach. This new area of the island features a pizza venue called Slice of Paradise as well as a Snack Shack that offers unique dishes.

Mom and I got lunch at Snack Shack, which consisted of the crispy chicken sandwich for me while mom got the coconut shrimp. I made sure to order my chicken sandwich with the secret ingredient: mozzarella sticks! It was quite tasty.

Mom loved the coconut shrimp because they were large, hot, and crispy. She definitely got her money’s worth because she got 18 of them throughout the day! She had been looking forward to the Hideaway Beach coconut shrimp the entire cruise.

Mom also decided to try ceviche for the first time since this is only offered at Hideaway Beach. She found it to be spicy and sour. After one bite, she knew she didn't want anymore!  

We split a funnel cake for our dessert. We loved the crispy texture with the powdered sugar dusting on top. Every visit to CocoCay, we look forward to having a funnel cake.

Before we left to go back to the ship, I wanted to try a slice of pizza. I got the barbeque chicken pizza and thought it was OK. I felt that it tasted similar to the pizza you would find at Sorrento’s, which is nothing to rave about.

More Royal Caribbean dining information:

• 21 Tips for the Best Cruise Ship Main Dining Room Experience
• How does Royal Caribbean dining work?
• Dinner on Royal Caribbean: Early Dinner vs. Late Dinner

The Ultimate World Cruise has garnered a viral amount of attention, and it won't be Royal Caribbean's last.

The 9-month cruise around the world is set to visit 65 countries, more than 150 destinations, and 11 Great Wonders of the World.

The sailing started in December of 2023 and will end on September 10th, 2024.

As of July 11th, the cruise is 213 days into sailing, and Royal Caribbean has already announced its intention for another.

Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International's President and CEO, spoke of the world cruise during a Q&A session on the 2024 President's Cruise.

A cruiser named Mel asked if there would ever be another world cruise: "Is it going to be part of Royal Caribbean's offerings going forward?"

Mr. Bayley applauded the cruise as "a fantastic adventure" and explained what it would take for Royal Caribbean to do another.

Read more: I'm going on Royal Caribbean's first world cruise for 274 nights: Why I booked and what I'm expecting

The Ultimate World Cruise has been "a great success"

Michael Bayley started his response by praising the line's first World Cruise.

"First of all, I think the World Cruise has been a fantastic, unbelievable product for Royal Caribbean to launch and operate. I think it has been a great success."

While this wasn't the first world cruise, this is the first time that Royal Caribbean has done one, making it one of the only big and well-known cruise lines to do so.

Mr. Bayley believes the spirit of the World Cruise is similar to that of Royal Caribbean International itself.

"It's like the ultimate adventure to me," he said. "I applaud and admire everybody who took the Ultimate World Cruise. What a fantastic adventure, once in a lifetime."

What makes the World Cruise so exciting is that it sails around the world, taking passengers to every continent on the planet.

The sailing represents excitement, adventure, and exploration—concepts similar to the cruise line's brand.

Royal Caribbean prides itself on onboard thrills, exciting itineraries, and thrilling vacations, appealing to adventurous travelers and committed cruisers.

"You sail around the world for nine months, and you've got all these incredible places," Mr. Bayley said.

For guests who seek to explore the world on a cruise ship, the Ultimate World Cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see 65 countries.

In addition to the excitement ingrained in such a sailing, this year's World Cruise has garnered a significant amount of attention.

Since its departure, the sailing has gone viral on social media, with cruisers onboard depicting their own "reality series" about life onboard.

Even Mel, the cruiser who asked the question on the President's Cruise, described the sailing as "a massive success in terms of branding and marketing."

Read more: Royal Caribbean's 9-month world cruise is getting attention for "drama", but it's nothing new

Royal Caribbean wants to do another one, despite the challenges involved

Despite the great success of the World Cruise, Royal Caribbean found it a challenging endeavor.

"My team thinks it sucks," Michael Bayley joked, "because it's been extremely complicated and massively expensive."

Read more: A passenger on the 9-month cruise is halfway done and lists what they like and don't like about the trip so far

Mel referenced some of the issues the cruise has faced in her question.

"Some things haven't gone to plan, specifically with the circumnavigation of Africa, and obviously that would come with a massive cost to the organization."

After geopolitical issues in the area of the Red Sea, Royal Caribbean chose to circumvent the area and change "Segment 3" of the voyage.

Passengers voted to sail an "Immersive Africa" experience instead, sailing around the continent of Africa before arriving at the Mediterranean Sea.

The Ultimate World Cruise has also been host to flooding onboard, canceled ports in South America, and the unfortunate death of a passenger onboard.

In addition to changing the cruise itinerary, Royal Caribbean also refunded passengers 25% off their Segment 3 cruise fare. Passengers who didn't want to sail the new itinerary could also receive a full refund for the segment.

Because of these issues, cruising has been an expensive labor for the cruise line.

Mr. Bayley said the management team had to debate the idea of another one. However, despite initial hesitation, Royal Caribbean will do another Ultimate World Cruise.

"The question is when?" Mr. Bayley continued. "We don't know when that is."

Another challenge the World Cruise has presented is that the cruise needs to take place on a different ship, Mr. Bayley says.

"The ship that we picked is a great ship, but we need a ship with more outside staterooms."

The World Cruise is currently taking place on Serenade of the Seas, a Radiance class ship that was launched in 2003 and enhanced in 2012.

Serenade has 1,073 guest staterooms in total, with 61 suites, 517 balconies, 246 oceanview rooms, and 249 inside cabins.

The line's newer ships have a higher percentage of balcony staterooms, so Mr. Bayley believes the cruise line should switch to a newer ship for the World Cruise.

However, it's also not practical to put such a comprehensive itinerary on a big ship, so the cruise would have to take place on a newer, but smaller vessel.

Read more: 12 differences between the big and small Royal Caribbean cruise ships

The next Ultimate World Cruise could be on a new Class

One solution could be for the cruise line to schedule the World Cruise on a Voyager-Class ship.

The Voyager Class is a small class of vessels that debuted in 1999, and runs slightly larger than the Radiance Class.

Not every port can accommodate bigger ships, so a smaller vessel can bring passengers to even more ports worldwide.

However, another option could be to organize it on a new class of ship.

"We're also still working on a new Class of ship," Michael Bayley hinted on the President's Cruise. "So we're trying to figure it out."

Royal Caribbean has hinted at the possibility of creating a new, smaller class of ship.

Calling the idea "Project Discovery," the cruise line wants to update its smaller cruise ships and allow passengers to travel to more ports.

The Captain of Radiance of the Seas commented that the new class of ship would be around the size of the Radiance Class, which have the capacity for around 2,500-2,700 passengers.

When this new line is launched, these ships could be a great option for the Ultimate World Cruise.

They'll be able to travel to more distant ports while also offering a wider selection of cabin categories.

Read more: Why you shouldn't avoid older and smaller cruise ships

While the Royal Caribbean CEO and President didn't give any more details, he ended his comments by assuring cruisers that the World Cruise is here to stay.

"We're going to do another ultimate world cruise, and when we're ready, we'll announce it," he said. "But we need time and we need to find some solutions to make it work for everybody."

Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas is ready to start offering cruises, and reinvent the weekend cruise.

The brand new Oasis Class ship arrived in Port Canaveral on Thursday, and Royal Caribbean Blog received an advanced look onboard to see the new ship.  Work was still be dong to put some finishing touches, but the it's nearly all ready for guests to board for the first revenue sailing.

I walked around the ship, exploring the different neighborhoods and getting a sense of what's new and different on Utopia. 

Enjoy this sneak peek at what you can expect on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship.

Best in the fleet offerings

One thing I picked up on after walking around Utopia of the Seas are the differences from other Oasis Class ships. Some are major, some minor, but overall, Royal Caribbean has packed it with the best ideas, innovations, and offerings to date.

When you board the ship on the Royal Promenade, the first place you'll see is the Pesky Parrot.

On the surface, it sounds like a fun tiki bar, but when you see it in person, you'll realize it was designed to be your go-to hang out spot.

Bright neon colors, painted wood, and even a digital backdrop all combine to make this bar really pop.

In addition to the special menu found only at the Pesky Parrot, there's even an assortment of pina colada varieties that evolve the cruise classic. Try the Pesky's Peanut Butter Pina Colada.

There were two venues that really blew me away visually, Izumi and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen.

Izumi is massive, and is easily the largest in the fleet. Within this space are hibachi tables, sushi tables, and an all-new omakase table.  Think of it like a Chef's Table experience, but just Japanese cuisine.

There's also a sushi take-out window, where you can drop in for a couple of rolls and take it elsewhere on the ship.

As someone that loves sushi, I can't wait to try the omakase table.

Giovanni's is also in a new location, and the design looks beautiful.

Spanning two decks, guests can dine both indoors and outdoors. The outdoor seating should be stunning, considering you're on deck 11 and overlook the Boardwalk.

I wasn't prepared for how lovely a setting it is overall, and how moving a restaurant from Central Park up to Decks 11 and 12 can have such a big impact.

Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer, recently said he thinks Utopia's pool deck will be the best in class.

There's just about every feature we've come to love on other Royal Caribbean ships on Utopia's pool deck.

A giant aquapark, wide-open pools, and multi-story Lime and Coconut Bar that "fits" better into the look of the ship.

The adults-only Solarium is enclosed, meaning better temperature controls. Sadly, the bridge wings are not on Utopia because the space was taken up by the new Solarium suites.  Alas, there's still plenty of great views elsewhere.

I also loved the herd of hippos hidden in one corner of the Solarium.

There's a clear focus on dining on Utopia of the Seas, including a brand new quick service restaurant at the pool.

The Spare Tire has wraps, a sandwich, and something called "tornados". It's complimentary and very convenient for anyone that is enjoying a day at the pool.

Something else different about Utopia is the fact Royal Caribbean has re-claimed the title of longest slide at sea.

The Ultimate Abyss has been extended 43 feet, which makes it longer than the slide on MSC Cruises.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the destination elevators that are on Utopia of the Seas.

These elevators significantly cut down wait times for an elevator on Icon of the Seas, and I cannot wait to utilize them on Utopia.

Familiar favorites around the ship

It's amazing to me how Royal Caribbean can innovate each ship within a class, but Utopia does that quite well.

Chops Grille has the upgraded menu first seen on Icon of the Seas, and a refreshed look inside as well.

150 Central Park is across the way, and I think this has always been a rather underrated specialty restaurant.

Park Cafe has always been my go-to spot for a breakfast bite to eat, especially before we need to head off the ship for a shore excursion.

Central Park has the same layout as on other Oasis Class ships, but the different venues here will be the most notable change.

Entertainment coming soon

The casts of all the shows on Utopia of the Seas were hard at work rehearsing, so I did not get a chance to see those venues.

Utopia of the Seas will have three primary venues for shows: Aquatheater, Royal Theater, and Studio B ice rink.

Read more: Utopia of the Seas entertainment and shows

More similar to Wonder of the Seas than other ships

If you've sailed on Wonder of the Seas, you'll notice more similarities with Utopia of the Seas than other Oasis Class ships.

The casino on Utopia is quite large, and seems to follow the same layout as Wonder.

The Mason Jar is also on Utopia, which is my favorite bar to hang out in during the evening hours. One change they made was to add a wall behind the stage, which I think will help keep the venue cooler.

The Attic and Crown Lounge are in the same location on both ships.

Fans of karaoke will love Spotlight Karaoke, located on the Royal Promenade. 

Cafe Promenade has the new complimentary drink dispensers that are easier to refill for the crew. These were first introduced on Icon of the Seas.

Like all the Royal Promenades, there is a classic car on Utopia. This one is a classic Pontiac, and it looks very neat!

I especially liked the art in each of the elevator atriums.

Exploring the sports deck

I walked around the sports deck on deck 16, and it's a refreshed version of the popular activities you typically find here.

You'll find a sports court, Flowrider surf simulator, zip-line and mini-golf.

Part of the appeal of any Royal Caribbean cruise is how much there is to do onboard, and Utopia will not disappoint.

Adventure Ocean

One area I always see a noticeable upgrade on every new Royal Caribbean ship is in the kids programming spots.

Adventure Ocean is located on deck 14 forward, and the AO Juniors space is quite well-adorned with play areas. Seeing it now, my kids lost out on this space considering the version they had a few years ago.

The teen club was being used for another purpose on this day, but the outdoor teen deck looked like a great place and has a hot tub.

When Royal Caribbean opens its new beach club in Mexico, it looks like it will offer a full day of fun.

In March 2024, Royal Caribbean announced plans to build a beach club in Cozumel, Mexico exclusively for the use of its cruise ship passengers.

It will open sometime in 2026, and be the second beach club operated in a popular cruise port by Royal Caribbean. The first will be in Nassau, Bahamas.

When the cruise line announced Royal Beach Club Cozumel, there wasn't much detail provided.  However, a new sneak peek gives us a glimpse of what Royal Caribbean is envisioning.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider shared new concept art in a webinar with travel agents on Wednesday.

He called this, "real fun, high level directional renders of potentially where we may go," and warned, "these are not anywhere near final."

Water and views

The idea behind all of Royal Caribbean's beach clubs is to combine great views, with great access to water.

"If you think of the DNA of our beach clubs, high volume ports where we go," Mr. Schneider explained. It's designed to have, "great beach, great pool, great food, great service."

Admission into the beach club will include access to swim-up bars, pools cabanas to rent, snorkeling, kayaking, restaurants, and street markets.

Unlike the cruise line's private island in The Bahamas, it's not meant to be for every single passenger on the ship.  Rather, it's an optional extra-cost choice for passengers, in addition to the other shore excursions and activities found around Cozumel.

More to reveal in the future

Royal Caribbean has not yet announced where the new beach club will located in Cozumel, nor other details about what the club entails.

Other questions include pricing, and a full list of features.

With the Cozumel beach club the second in line, the primary focus of the cruise line's attention will be the opening of the Paradise Island Beach Club first.  Moreover, they may look for lessons learned from the first club to tweak the Cozumel club.

More details on Bahamas Beach Club

Mr. Schneider also went over details of what passengers can expect when the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opens in 2025, including a few leaked details.

He wouldn't commit to a date, and danced around the exact opening. 

The beach club will offer 17 acres of beach, pools, and scenery, "The views off the north shore of Paradise Island are nothing but stunning."

There will be three pools, and the club will incorporate a zone concept for the layout: a family zone, a party zone, and a chill zone. Mr. Schneider was quick to point out those will not be the names, just directional design concepts to follow.

Every every zone has a swim up bar, "we're leaning into really great music, great drinks, great water, great views."

Mr. Schneider also included a slide that he claimed wasn't supposed to be there, that has an idea his team is working through.

"We're dreaming of possibly an ultimate family cabana," he said. The concept was to follow in the footsteps of having the Ultimate Family Suite and Ultimate Family Townhouse, which are over-the-top suites that pack in just about everything a family might want in a cruise ship cabin.

Read more: Royal Caribbean has an ultra-luxury suite that can cost over $80,000 per week

Some Royal Caribbean fans have asked for an all-inclusive cruise, but it's not in the cards for the line.

Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, told passengers on this year's President's Cruise that the cruise line wouldn't offer an all-inclusive pricing.

While on the 2024 President's Cruise, Mr. Bayley took to the stage to answer questions posed by cruisers hailing from all over the world.

One cruiser, Gail from Australia, asked if cruises would switch to blanket pricing.

"I've heard a rumor that the pricing structure for cruising in America is going to be changed to an all-inclusive pricing structure," she said. "Is that correct?"

Mr. Bayley dismissed the rumor and replied that it was not.

Royal Caribbean wants its experience to remain adjustable

An all-inclusive cruise would mean that more aspects of the total cruise experience would be included in the base fare, such as beverage packages, specialty dining, and Wi-Fi.

Mr. Bayley assured cruisers that "Royal Caribbean is not going in that direction."

"I don't think we have any plans to roll it all up into one price," he said.

The cruise line has found from research that the brand needs to give everyone the decision of what they want to be included in their vacation.

"Because of the scale of our brand, we need to give everybody the choice," Mr. Bayley stated.

To appeal to its wide audience of cruisers who hail from all over the world and span many generations, the cruise experience should be adjustable for every individual.

For example, about 52% of Royal Caribbean's guests love the beverage package, but 48% don't.

The average cost of Royal Caribbean's most popular drink package is around $65 to $115 per person per day, depending on the sailing.

If Royal Caribbean switched to all-inclusive pricing, it would force 48% of customers (including families and children) to pay for a drink package they won't use.

Read more: Things I Don't Pay Extra for on Royal Caribbean Cruises To Save Money

Instead, the cruise line wants to focus on an affordable price and value for all cruisers. Then, "If you want to buy stuff, buy it. If you don't, don't."

With the current pricing structure, it's easy for cruisers to simply add the products they want, and not pay for anything they don't want to.

In January 2024, Mr. Bayley said keeping the choice of what extras to buy is better for the cruise line's core customers, "We've learned that unbundling is much easier and better for the guest. It also gets the price point in front of the customer, especially for families. And remember family is our is our real core target market."

"When you unbundle everything, it gives people choice and it pushes the pricing closer to their budget, which is a really important thing for families," he continued.

"We feel like the pricing strategy that we have on the bundling, unbundling is the right path to go."

Gratuities won't be included in the base fare, either

When asked if gratuities would ever be included in the base fare or the cost of services onboard, Mr. Bayley said it wouldn't happen, either. 

He explained that another reason for separating pricing is the different cultures around service.

For much of the world, tipping is not a part of the culture and isn't expected by locals.

In the United States, however, tipping is considered normal, even expected.

Bayley, who's lived in the U.S. for decades, joked, "You're just you're trained to tip for everything. You tip for this, tip for that."

"I'm Americanized, [so] when I go to the UK and I go to the pub with my sister and we have drinks, they bring the change and she puts it in her pocket. And I'm like, what is the matter with you?"

Read more: Tipping on a cruise ship: What you should and shouldn't do

While gratuities are required on a Royal Caribbean cruise, they are charged separately from the total fare.

Guests can choose to prepay gratuities before the cruise or to have them added to their onboard account and settled at the end of the cruise.

As of July 2024, the current daily gratuity is $18 per passenger in standard cabins and $20.50 per passenger in Suites (Grand Suite and above).

Instead of including tips within the total cruise fare, Royal Caribbean is transparent about the cost and gives guests the option to decide when to pay it.

The cruiser was referring to the California "Honest Pricing Law"

Royal Caribbean isn't including add-ons in the cruise price, but taxes and fees are now displayed in the total cost.

The cruiser who posed the question implied that cruises in the United States would be changing to a blanket pricing plan.

"I've heard a rumor that the pricing structure for cruising in America is going to be changed to an all-inclusive pricing structure," she said. 

It's possible the reason Gail believed all-inclusive pricing was going to become the norm for U.S. cruisers was the recent pricing law that went into effect.

Senate Bill 478 went into effect on July 1st. 

Also called the "Honest Pricing Law," this bill now requires businesses to include the cost of extra fees within the listed price.

For cruise lines, this means that fares will look a little higher, as they now include the total cost of taxes and fees.

Michael Bayley explained this during the Q&A session: "When we present the price to you, it has to be an all-inclusive price of what you're going to pay for, which means it has to include taxes and fees."

"It's basically a change in the American market. And I think it makes sense, I think."

However, this merely involves including the price of fees. Royal Caribbean still will not have a blanket pricing structure that includes items like the Internet, specialty drinks, gratuities, and spa services.

What's included in my Royal Caribbean cruise fare?

Despite the separate charges, a cruise fare actually includes quite a lot.

Looking at everything that is still included in the base fare, a Royal Caribbean cruise can come at great value.

Amenities that are included in the base fare on every ship include:

• Stateroom accommodations and private bathroom
• Stateroom attendance and daily cleanings (twice a day for suites)
• Dining venues such as the Main Dining Room and Windjammer
• Beverages like coffee, tea, juice, and milk
• Room service continental breakfast
• Children's programming at Adventure Ocean
• Teen hangout areas and programming
• Entertainment such as musicals, live comedy, and magic shows  
• Many onboard activities 
• Sports centers and classic activities
• Access to the fitness center
• Pools, hot tubs, and sun decks

Guests also have the option to choose to purchase extra add-ons as part of their vacation. 

These can be purchased on the online Cruise Planner before the cruise or onboard during the cruise. Some amenities require reservations or prior payment, while others do not.

Read more: Top 30 extra cruise costs that are not included

Cruise amenities that cost extra include:

• Specialty restaurants
• Beverage packages
• Alcoholic drinks
• Specialty coffee
• Gratuities
• Souvenirs
• Spa treatments
• Salon services
• Room service
• Onboard photos
• Shore excursions
• Internet
• Fitness classes
• Select times at Adventure Ocean
• Arcade games
• Casino 
• The Key
• Medical services
• Laundry and dry-cleaning
• Airport or hotel transfers
• Artwork auctions
• Ship-to-shore phone calls

Royal Caribbean has no intention to bundle these amenities into the base cost of a cruise.

Royal Caribbean just revealed everything that will be new and different on Utopia of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's latest iteration in the Oasis Class will sail mainly weekend and 4-night cruises out of Port Canaveral. The idea is to offer the ultimate weekend vacation.

Despite Utopia being the sixth ship within the Oasis Class, there are still a lot of tweaks, changes, and additions to this ship.

As the newest ship in the fleet, Utopia of the Seas exhibits a lot of changes that prove how the cruise line is always improving its vessels.

The 5,668-passenger ship features an exhilarating display of amenities, from thrilling waterslides to the brand-new immersive train car dining experience.

Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer, introduced Utopia's additions and changes during a webinar today.

Here are the top differences you can expect to find on Utopia of the Seas.

First-ever outdoor seating for Giovanni's

Jay Schneider called Utopia's Giovanni's "the best in the fleet."

Taking the place of a two-story Wonderland on Decks 11 and 12, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar will be the first specialty restaurant to have outdoor seating.

"What we're probably most excited about is our outdoor alfresco," Schneider said.

The outdoor seating will be perched over the Boardwalk.

Double the hibachi and an expanded Izumi

Utopia of the Seas will also have an expanded Izumi, allowing for double the hibachi capacity.

During the webinar, Jay Schneider shared that Izumi "will have double the hibachi, a new omakase, and an expanded sushi experience."

The Izumi in the Park takeout window, first introduced on Icon of the Seas, will also be featured in Central Park.

Guests will be able to grab sushi and ice cream directly from this window.

Read more: Utopia of the Seas restaurant and dining guide

The Pesky Parrot is replacing the Bionic Bar

Royal Caribbean is ending the Bionic Bar in its Oasis Class ships.

"It was really fun and novel when it came out, [but] the Bionic Bar is ten-plus years old," Schneider explained.

Plus, human bartenders can make nearly 40 times the amount of drinks robotic ones can in the same time period.

Instead, Royal Caribbean has introduced a reimagined tiki bar in a classic Floridan style.

Schneider called it a "really fun, highly interactive, loud, vibrant" experience.

Additionally, there will be a real parrot inside the bar! Guests are encouraged to go inside and meet "Brian the drunk parrot."

Expanding Park Café

Park Café continues to evolve. Royal Caribbean is expanding the complimentary venue's hours and food offerings.

The concept will be blended even closer into Central Park.

Multi-story Lime and Coconut Bar

Royal Caribbean wanted to continue to develop its open decks on Utopia of the Seas.

"Utopia's open deck will be the best in class," Schneider said.

To this end, the Lime and Coconut will be taken to a new level, with a multi-story design and access from both the forward and aft ends. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean reveals shows and parties for its new mega cruise ship

Expanded Sprinkles

Pool-goers love grabbing ice cream cones at Sprinkles, the complimentary ice cream venue located near the pool deck.

On Utopia of the Seas, this area is also getting an upgrade.

The area has an improved, larger design, and Royal Caribbean is introducing sprinkles on the ice cream for the first time.

Finally, Sprinkles will have sprinkles!

The Spare Tire

Based on guest feedback, Royal Caribbean wanted to add more complimentary food close to the pool and the open deck.

On Icon of the Seas, the AquaDome Market was introduced.

In the case of Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribean is adding The Spare Tire, the line's first food-truck-style eatery.

According to Schneider, "In addition to El Loco Fresh, there will be great complimentary food handed out from The Spare Tire right on the open deck."

Extended Ultimate Abyss to remain the largest dry slide at sea

To stake its claim as the largest dry slide at sea, the Ultimate Abyss has been extended 43 feet.

In addition to that, designers have made the slide even more thrilling. 

Passengers will feel like they're flying right into the Boardwalk before they turn at the last minute.

Redesigned Vitality Spa and Salon

Utopia of the Seas will have a reimagined Vitality Spa.

"We've really elevated the design," and Schneider says the cruise line is very excited about it.

The salon area will also have a new design.

Upgraded destination elevators

Cruisers love the destination elevators as a solution to crowding on giant cruise ships.

This computer-assigned alternative ensures that the elevator doesn't stop on every single floor.

The destination elevators were a popular addition on Icon of the Seas, and have been confirmed as available on Utopia as well. 

Solarium suites

Solarium suites are brand-new staterooms coming to Utopia of the Seas, located above the bridge wings on the ship.

Each suite has 270-degree views of the ocean, essentially the same view the captain gets.

Whether at sea or pulling into ports, guests will have that amazing, sweeping sea view from both the bedroom and the main living area.

The Royal Bling store

There will be a Royal Bling store on Utopia, but it won't be its own dedicated space like on Icon of the Seas.

Instead, Royal Bling will be a niche located inside the Effy store.

Icon of the Seas introduced the Royal Bling product as a way to offer special Royal Caribbean jewelry.

The Royal Railway—Utopia Station

Royal Caribbean guests love a classic dinner and a show, or what Jay Schneider likes to call "eatertainment."

To appeal to this desire and bring something unique to Utopia, designers came up with the idea to bring a train car dining experience to the ship.

"What if we put a train on a cruise ship that could take you to more destinations?"

This brand-new dining experience will be a completely immersive adventure.

Guests will receive a real train ticket in their stateroom, which they must bring to the dining venue.

The area has a classic train station platform, with separately numbered dining cars, and real train steam.

Schneider explained that the goal is to blend entertaining performances with amazing culinary dishes.

Passengers will be able to interact with actors dressed up as Wild West characters.

Once the train leaves the station, guests won't be able to "board" their car, so you'll have to show up on time.

Everyone will be called "all aboard," and the train will leave the station, immersing guests in gorgeous Wild West scenery.

Royal Caribbean won't be moving the goal posts back in terms of reaching its highest loyalty tiers.

Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program, the Crown and Anchor Society, has many tiers, and some cruisers are concerned with how many members are now reaching the top tiers.

One point is gained per night of cruising (or double points for suite and solo guests).

To reach the highest tier, the Pinnacle Club level, cruisers need to have 700 points.

Especially now that Royal Caribbean matches loyalty statuses between its three cruise lines, some cruisers believe that there are too many Pinnacle and Diamond Plus members in the fleet.

During a Q&A during this year's President's Cruise on Oasis of the Seas, one passenger asked if the cruise line would ever raise requirements to make it more difficult to hit the upper most echelons of the Crown and Anchor Society.

Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, who was fielding questions at the event, answered that there is no plan to do so.

Royal Caribbean will not make it more difficult to reach the top tier of the Crown and Anchor Society 

During the Q&A sessions, Amy Weber from Missouri shared that she and her husband reached Diamond Plus during the President's cruise.

"There's concern about Royal raising the qualification for those loyalty levels going forward," she said.

"What do you know about the plans for the loyalty program modifications?"

Mr. Bayley answered that Royal Caribbean has "no plans to do that."

"We're not planning on doing that," he maintained.

Royal Caribbean's requirements for the Diamond Plus and Pinnacle tiers will remain the same.

Read more: Pathway to Pinnacle: How I reached the top of Royal Caribbean’s Loyalty Program

To reach the Diamond Plus level, cruisers need 175 points. To reach Pinnacle, guests need to have a total of 700 points.

Royal Caribbean will not be changing these numbers.

The only requirements that have changed recently are within the loyalty match program.

If a cruiser has 500 Venetian Society Days, the highest level in the Silversea Cruises loyalty program, they will automatically be granted the Pinnacle Club level in the Crown and Anchor Society.

Read more: I tried Royal Caribbean's new loyalty match program. I missed having drink vouchers, but it saved me hundreds of dollars

Are there too many Pinnacle members?

According to Amy Weber, many cruisers are concerned about Royal Caribbean changing the Pinnacle requirements.

This is because some believe there are too many members in the program's highest tiers.

"We have interacted with a lot of other loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers, and I've heard some grumbling about how many Pinnacle and Diamond Plus members there are," she explained.

Michael Bayley also spoke to this point when he answered her question.

"Sometimes we get these comments," he said, "and they're valid comments [but] they're often based upon certain sailings."

Looking at specific sailings packed with more Pinnacle and Diamond Plus members can lead guests to believe that there are an extreme amount of members.

However, Mr. Bayley clarified that on "90% of the sailings, it's just not true."

"You can go on many of our ships many times and there are only a few Pinnacle members sailing with us."

Certain sailings have a higher number of exclusive loyalty cruisers, such as Trans-Atlantic, Trans-Pacific, and President's cruises.

Mr. Bayley pointed out that longer sailings tend to have more Pinnacle members as well. 

"It's logical because as you get to Pinnacle, you're typically getting older." And since older people are usually retiring, they have more time for longer cruises. 

There are no official numbers as to how many Pinnacle members there are, but Mr. Bayley put it into perspective during the Q&A session.

"In the grand scheme of how many people sail with us, next year 7 million guests will sail with Royal Caribbean International. So sometimes it feels like a lot [of Pinnacle members], but it's not."

Michael Bayley says Royal Caribbean is making "extremely positive changes" to loyalty program

As he fielded questions about Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society, Mr. Bayley also emphasized the impact the Royal Caribbean Group unification has had.

By unifying all the loyalty programs within the Royal Caribbean Group family, the cruise line is making several changes to the programs.

Mr. Bayley said that he believes these changes are "extremely positive."

"It makes it so much easier for you to move between brands and, depending upon lifestyle choices, you can stay within the family and get all of the benefits you've earned over time."

Some great improvements have been made within the Crown and Anchor Society, and, according to Michael Bayley, "there's a lot more planned over the next few years."

Read more: 8 things you might not know about Royal Caribbean’s CEO

The cruise line is currently investing in new technology to bring it all together.

Within the next few years, cruisers can expect to "feel happier with the loyalty program."

Mr. Bayley said to look forward to improvements in the accessibility of information and the way the Crown and Anchor Society is presented to guests.

What benefits do Pinnacle members get?

The Pinnacle tier of the Crown and Anchor Society features many valuable benefits for its members.

These include:

• 50% off any glass of wine, beer, or soda (2 coupons per sailing)
• 50% off a Johnny Rockets milkshake (2 coupons per sailing, on select ships)
• Private departure lounge with continental breakfast
• 25% Discount on any glass of wine, beer, or soda
• Buy a specialty restaurant dinner and receive one complimentary non-alcoholic specialty coffee beverage (excludes Starbucks)
• Priority waitlist seating request in the Main Dining Room
• 6 Complimentary daily drinks up to $14 (excludes Starbucks, Bionic Bar, and Desserted)
• Purchase a specialty restaurant dinner cover charge during the first or second night of your cruise and enjoy complimentary dining for the second guest
• 40% Discount on Deluxe Beverage Packages
• Coastal Kitchen access
• $25 off specialty dining on 5+ nights (Oasis & Quantum class only)
• Exclusive daily breakfast at a specialty restaurant
• Free Unlimited surf and stream Internet access for 1 device only for the length of your voyage
• Exclusive Top Tier Event on 5+ night sailings 
• Priority waitlist for Shore Excursions and Vitality Spa services
• Exclusive Backstage Tour on 5+ night sailings
• Crown Lounge access with nightly happy hour
• Priority access and seating at Theater, Ice show, and AquaTheater events
• Cheers with an Officer on 7+ night sailings
• Suite/Concierge Lounge access
• Flexible arrival
• $6 Casino Royale FreePlay
• Buy a bingo package and receive 6 free Jackpot cards
• Robes for use onboard (delivered upon request)
• $5 off $25 dry-clean or press
• $10 Discount on $34.99 wash and fold laundry bag on 5+ nights
• 3 Complimentary welcome waters (per adult)
• Stateroom phone discount rate of $2 per minute
• Chef’s Choice on 5+ nights
• Personalized gift/amenity (per household)
• One Free $34.99 wash and fold bag on 5+ Nights
• Upgraded bathroom amenities
• 30% Discount on a single photo, photo package, or photo book
• One (1) free digital or printed photo of your choice
• 15% Discount on Royal Caribbean logo products sold onboard (min. $25 purchase)
• 20% Discounts on any spa service (excludes Medi-Spa services)
• Complimentary add-on spa treatment (excludes Medi-Spa services)
• Milestone recognition beginning at 140 cruise points (Crystal Block)
• Personalized lapel pin
• Discounts on Balcony & Suite Staterooms
• Exclusive access to call center staff members
• Single supplement cruise fare reduced to 150% from 200%
• Milestone Cruise Certificate valued at the prevailing rate of a 7-Night Balcony Stateroom for 700 and 1,050 cruise points
• Milestone Cruise Certificate valued at the prevailing rate of a Junior Suite Stateroom for 1,400 and every 350 cruise points thereafter

And the Pinnacle status isn't just for older cruisers, despite the time it takes to reach. 

The tier has specific Youth Member benefits, which include:

• 50% off one scoop of Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Parlor (on select ships)
• Surf and Stream internet discount equal to parents’ benefit
• Buy 1 movie rental in your stateroom and receive the second Free
• Spend $15 in Arcade Credits to get $5 off your onboard expense account, or spend $50 in Arcade Credits to get $25 off 
• 6 Complimentary daily non-alcoholic drinks up to $14 (excludes Starbucks and Desserted)

Read more: The Crown and Anchor perks you should use on every Royal Caribbean cruise

A surprising amount of cruise ship passengers bring banned items to their cruise, only to have it confiscated.

Similar to how there are certain items you cannot bring on an airplane, cruise ships prohibit a list of items for security and safety reasons.

The list of prohibited items is posted on the cruise line website, but plenty of people still arrive on every cruise with things that they're not allowed to bring.  

If someone brings a banned item, Royal Caribbean will confiscate it and return it after the cruise is over.  Guests can collect these banned items at a table in the cruise terminal. 

On a recent cruise, I walked by the confiscated items table to see what people were bringing onboard.  Not only was there a wide variety of items collected by the cruise line, but it's clear there are a handful of prohibited items a lot of people still bring on their cruise.

Not only will it be confiscated, but you're wasting your own precious luggage space by taking it with you from home.  In some cases, I'm certain people spent extra money to buy it specifically for their cruise.

Before you pack for your cruise, here are 4 banned items to leave at home.

Read more: 115 item Ultimate Cruise Packing List

Handheld steamers

Without a doubt, the most commonly confiscated item I saw on the table were handheld steamers.

Getting rid of wrinkles in clothing is a top concern for anyone that has nice clothing they want to look their best during the cruise.

Unfortunately, steamers are not allowed because of the fire risk they pose. Steamers fall under the prohibited small home appliances clause of your cruise contract because they constitute a fire hazard. In fact, all cruise lines ban them, not just Royal Caribbean.

Read more: 15 things cruise lines really do not want you to bring on ships

Instead of a handheld steamer, consider packing Downy Wrinkle Release spray, which can work quite well at eliminating wrinkles. (Link contains affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use).

Irons

Just like the handheld steamers, irons aren't allowed either on cruise ships.

Essentially, anything with a heating element is a fire hazard. Irons left unattended could pose that risk, and since they're a home appliance, not allowed on cruise ships.

Fire on a cruise ship is arguably the number one concern because of how quickly it could potentially spread.

You should also know there are no irons provided by the cruise line in your stateroom either. There's no self-service laundry either, so if you want your clothes pressed, you'll need to have them sent out via the extra-cost service offered by Royal Caribbean.

Read more: Does Royal Caribbean have irons? How laundry works on a cruise ship

In addition to the wrinkle release spray mentioned earlier in this article, you could turn on the cabin shower to hot and steam the wrinkles away. 

Power strips

Older cruise ships are notorious for not having enough power outlets.  Considering how many electronic devices people have these days, it's a concern for not having enough outlets.

I observed quite a few power strips on the confiscated items table, and power strips are a fire risk if they overload. It's my experience the security team can't determine which power strips have a surge protector or not, so they all get confiscated.

It seems if the power strip has an electrical outlet on it, there's a good chance it will be confiscated.  Don't be fooled by an item advertised as "cruise safe" because ultimately it's at the discretion of the bag screener to make a judgement call.

What you should pack instead of a power strip is a USB hub, such as this 6 port charger.  (Link contains affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use).

Phones, watches, and even laptops can all be charged by USB, and there's little risk of it being confiscated.

Kettle

You might be tempted to bring a hot water kettle with you so that you can enjoy tea in your stateroom, but these too are not allowed.

Just like other home appliances, Royal Caribbean does not allow these.

The good news is it's unnecessary because there are good alternatives onboard.

You can get hot water anytime from Cafe Promenade, as well as on request from other dining venues.

If you stay in a suite, there's a coffee maker provided in Junior Suite and higher cabins.  Royal Caribbean ships sailing from Europe actually include a safe to use hot water kettle in all cabins by default. 

Read more: 15 things you don't need to bring on a cruise

Celebrity Cruises received 18 awards at the 2024 Wine Spectator Awards, increasing the cruise line's total to 136 over the last 12 years. 

“We are continually innovating and expanding our beverage offerings to remain at the forefront of trends and meet the preferences of Celebrity guests,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. 

“We are honored to receive continued recognition for our elevated wine program from the experts at Wine Spectator," the world’s leading authority on wine anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication reaching about 3 million readers worldwide. 

Celebrity Cruises won nine 2024 Awards of Excellence for the 12th year in a row:

• Opus on Celebrity Reflection
• Grand Cuvée on Celebrity Silhouette 
• Grand Epernay on Celebrity Solstice
• Moonlight Sonata on Celebrity Eclipse
• Silhouette on Celebrity Equinox
• Cosmopolitan on Celebrity Summit
• Metropolitan on Celebrity Millennium
• San Marco on Celebrity Constellation
• Trellis on Celebrity Infinity

They also received the 2024 Best of Award of Excellence for Le Voyage on Celebrity Ascent and Celebrity Beyond; the 2024 Best of Award of Excellence for Tuscan on Celebrity Ascent and Celebrity Beyond; the 2024 Best of Award of Excellence for Cyprus on Celebrity Apex; the 2024 Award of Excellence for Normandie on Celebrity Edge; and the 2024 Award of Excellence for Fine Cut on Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Beyond, and Celebrity Apex.

Guests sailing onboard one of Celebrity's ships have a selection of over 500 wines to choose from

Whether you're a wine connoisseur or a novice, Celebrity's trained sommeliers, who are available in every restaurant, are eager to assist, guiding passengers through the extensive list of onboard wines, including Celebrity's private labels. 

Guests may also choose from various wine-focused programs, such as World Wine Tours, Food & Wine Pairing Workshops, and Destination Wine Tours in ports around the globe.  

The World Wine Tour allows you to sample wines from around the world and learn about regional and varietal technicalities, all from the comfort of your ship. Food & Wine Pairing Workshops educate participants on the fundamentals of food and wine chemistry, including how the two interact. 

Destination Wine Tours are for those who want to immerse themselves in wine-producing areas worldwide. Sampling an Italian wine on the ship differs from the experience of visiting a local winery first-hand! 

Pricing varies; however, on my upcoming Celebrity Ascent cruise, the World Wine Tour and Food & Wine Pairing Workshop start at $55 per guest. The Premium Wine Tasting is more expensive, costing $199 per attendee. 

Seven ships have the acclaimed Cellar Masters onboard

On Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Reflection, Celebrity Solstice, and Celebrity Summit, wine aficionados should explore Cellar Masters, which has a large selection of international wines, all hand-picked by Celebrity sommeliers. 

Cellar Masters was replaced by the Craft Social Bar on Celebrity Equinox. While wines are still available, it's more of a sports bar than a wine bar. 

Both the Classic and Premium Drink Package include wine, but the latter has a more extensive list of wine options

Celebrity's Classic Package is their basic option which includes select beers, spirits, cocktails, liqueurs, frozen drinks, and wines by the glass up to $10 per serving. Though a few wines are available, your selection will be far more limited than if you purchase the Premium Package. 

The Classic Package costs $84.99-$89 per person, per day. Since the Premium Package includes a wider array of beverages, it is more expensive, costing as much as $109 per person, per day. 

However, you can save on your Celebrity drink package by purchasing it in advance through the online Cruise Planner. At the time of writing, for example, the Classic Package was advertised for $67.99 per day on my upcoming Celebrity Ascent cruise. The Premium Package was listed as $79.99 per person, per day. 

If you book a package and later discover the price has dropped due to a pre-cruise sale, you can cancel and rebook for no penalty. You will be refunded the full amount of the original booking. 

Guests who booked Celebrity's All Included fare will receive a Classic Package, as well as Basic Wi-Fi. Both can be upgraded to premium packages through the Cruise Planner or once onboard. You will get a better rate by purchasing the upgrade online, though. 

Your drink package doesn't dictate your ability to participate in one of the onboard wine experiences. They are available to all guests willing to pay extra. Even if you have a package for your cruise, you will have to pay for the wine-focused programs. 

Like with the packages, it's best to reserve your spot for the experiences beforehand, as they tend to sell out as the departure date approaches. If you want until you're onboard, the program you were looking forward to may be sold out. 

Why is the Wi-Fi on a cruise ship so expensive?

Royal Caribbean's VOOM WiFi comes at an extra cost, per device, per day.

When asked if the cruise line would ever give it away like land hotels, Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International explained why it's not the same thing.

Speaking during a Q&A during this year's President's Cruise on Oasis of the Seas, Mr. Bayley fielded questions from cruisers on a variety of topics.

In addition to celebrity performances, customized shore excursions, and exclusive parties, the President's Cruise also hosted a Q&A session. 

During the Q&A, Brad from Idaho asked why the WiFi on a Royal Caribbean cruise is so expensive.

"The standard seems to be worldwide—hotels, restaurants, everywhere you go has free WiFi. Is there any possibility of [Royal Caribbean] getting free WiFi in the future?"

Free WiFi won't happen because Royal Caribbean pays "a ton of money" for Internet coverage

Mr. Bayley was quick to answer that free WiFi isn't going to happen. 

"Are we going to give free WiFi? No."

However, there's a good reason as to why Royal Caribbean charges so much for Internet on its ships.

"We got to pay a ton, a ton, a ton of money for WiFi," Mr. Bayley said.

He took the cruiser's example of hotels and restaurants offering free Wi-Fi to explain why cruise ships aren't the same.

Any hotel or venue on land will be plugged into cable or phone line provided internet package that also services thousands or millions of consumers.

Wi-Fi on land relies on underground and undersea cables, which are faster and cheaper than satellites.

Countries like the United States invest lots of money into creating and maintaining the Internet infrastructure and have millions of customers to help support the cost.

Given that large foundation and competition among providers, it makes sense that free WiFi is offered on land.

In contrast, "There is nothing for the oceans. We can't pull a cable with us." 

This means that ships in the ocean must rely on satellites that orbit Earth, a much slower and more expensive method of connection. 

Read more: Is Royal Caribbean WiFi worth it?

Essentially, Royal Caribbean has to enter into contracts with satellite tech companies, and this comes at a huge yearly cost.

"I sign the invoices when they come in [and] every time I see them I'm like, oh my God." Mr. Bayley said he cringes whenever he sees the yearly bill. 

He couldn't remember the exact amount the cruise line pays each year but reiterated that "it's huge."

Starlink satellites have slightly reduced costs

Two years ago, Royal Caribbean began to contract with Elon Musk's SpaceX company to use Starlink satellites for Internet.

Starlink uses mid-level satellites to provide Internet coverage.

"Starlink is a much better technology," Michael Bayley said during the Q&A. "It gives you better coverage, it's much faster, and it is cheaper."

Starlink isn't a lot cheaper than other satellite networks, according to Mr. Bayley, but it is slightly cheaper, and certainly a lot faster.

The Starlink website currently lists a maritime business plan for larger vessels that starts at $1,000 a month. 

All Royal Caribbean cruise ships utilize Starlink internet service at this time.

Read more: I tried Elon Musk's Starlink internet on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship

Mr Bayley estimates another five or more years before Internet prices are reduced again, but cruisers cannot expect free Internet access onboard a Royal Caribbean ship.

How fast is the WiFi?

Given the cost of Internet onboard a Royal Caribbean ship, how well does it work?

The VOOM Internet is called the "faster Internet at sea," and is 6x faster than that on other cruise ships, according to Royal Caribbean's website.

However, factors like the number of guests online and the ship's location can influence the speed of the WiFi.

Freedom, Oasis, Quantum, and Icon Class ships with newer satellite technology tend to have faster speeds.

However, Starlink will slow down if many users are in the same region.

In general, the older ships in the fleet use older technology, so while the Internet still works, it could take some time to load.

Even crew members have to pay for WiFi

Michael Bayley stressed that the Internet fee isn't an unfair price, but rather a "reasonable operating cost." 

Even Royal Caribbean crew members have to pay for WiFi, he said.

The cruise line does subsidize the prices, using different costs for crew members, but the crew is still required to pay.

"We do our best to make it as accessible as we possibly can," Mr. Bayley said.

Crew members are allowed cheaper prices and free periods of the Internet.

Much like guests get access to the Royal Caribbean app, crew members also get access to WhatsApp for free, so they can still stay in touch with family and friends.