Royal Caribbean Blog

Over the weekend, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas reached an important milestone when she was floated out at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard.

Photos by @josselinchevessier

Josselin Chevessier took the opportunity to send up his drone to grab some great photos of the next world's largest cruise ship right before she transfered to the outfitting dock in  Saint-Nazaire, France.

The term "floated out" refers to the transition a cruise ship under construction makes when she starts off being built in a dry area, and then is transitioned to the ocean for the first time.

Using tug boats, Wonder of the Seas was moved into position from one area of the shipyard to another.

Now that Wonder of the Seas is floated out, much of the work to be done will focus on the ship's interior spaces.

Wonder of the Seas will not join Royal Caribbean's fleet until sometime in 2022 and will sail from Shanghai and offer sailings around Asia.

Royal Caribbean has not released itineraries for Wonder of the Seas to book, nor indicated when exactly in 2022 Wonder will start sailing yet.

Happy weekend! It has been a busy week of Royal Caribbean news and events, and we have a look back at everything that happened this week.

It was nice to have a change of pace this week when Wonder of the Seas was floated out at her shipyard.

Royal Caribbean's next Oasis Class cruise ship was successfully floated out at 7am on Saturday morning in just about one hour.

Wonder of the Seas is under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. The fifth Oasis Class ship will debut in 2022.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean will not release its new health protocols until at least the end of September.
• Australia extended its ban on cruise ships until December.
• The Port of Galveston says Royal Caribbean is still committed to begin construction of a new terminal in April 2021.
• Some Adventure of the Seas sailings in 2021 have been shortened due to Galveston pier construction delays.
• A new Odyssey of the Seas construction photo was released this week.
• You can still save money on pre-cruise add-ons with the latest Cruise Planner sale.
• Royal Caribbean stock was up again this week, thanks to positive cruise industry news.
• Why you shouldn't book the cheapest cruise you can find.
• What food or drinks you're allowed to bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
• Our readers shared the best piece of cruise advice they have ever received.
• Top 10 best ways to spend $100 on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
• How to contact Royal Caribbean for help with a cruise cancellation or refund.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 370th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Jeff reviews two Grandeur of the Seas cruises.

This week's cruise story is a "two-fer", where Jeff contrasts his first Grandeur of the Seas cruise to his latest one.

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.

8 cruise ship tips from a former employee

Royal Caribbean crew members live on their ships for months at a time, and they see guests doing a lot of things during this time, including mistakes.

Former crew member Pippa Madden worked on cruise ships for 8 years and shared helpful do's and don'ts based on what she saw onboard.

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

Wonder of the Seas was succesfully floated out at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard.

Photo by Pascal Collin Photography

At 7am on Saturday morning, Wonder of the Seas was moved from Basin B to Basin C, with the help of 7 tugs.

What will be the world's largest cruise ship completed the 500 meter-long maneuver in just about one hour time.

Wonder of the Seas is still under construction and does not yet have its engines operational, so she requires the tugs to move her around.

This is the third Oasis Class ship built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Naizaire, France (Harmony and Symphony of the Seas).

Première sortie du plus grand paquebot du monde ! pic.twitter.com/8IewevvnaN

— Matthieu Marin (@matmarin) September 5, 2020

Now that the floating out process is complete, Wonder of the Seas will remain in Basin C until her delivery to Royal Caribbean.

Wonder of the Seas was initially scheduled for completion in Spring 2021, but due to the global health crisis, that has been postponed until 2022. When she sails, she will set sail from Shanghai, China.

It was another positive week for Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL) stockholders, as shares of the stock finished the week 4% higher.

Photo by Volnei M.

Royal Caribbean's stock closed at $71.95 at the conclusion of trading on Friday, and followed other cruise line stocks upward trend for the week.

Optimism about cruises restarting

The primary reason why Royal Caribbean, and other cruise line, stocks went up this week was based mostly in Carnival's announcement that two of its brands would restart cruises in Europe soon.

Costa and its Carnival Corporation sibling AIDA Cruises plan to resume sailing in phases – Costa starting Sept. 6 and the German AIDA Cruises on Nov. 1.

Both lines will implement a number of new health policies to get going, following the success of other cruise lines in Europe, including MSC.

Carnival Corporation's announcement on Thursday sent all cruise line stocks higher on optimism that the cruise industry might be on its way to recovery after months of zero cruises at all.

The cruise industry has been decimated by the industry-wide shutdown caused by the current health crisis that have resulted in billions of dollars in losses for Royal Caribbean.

The success of any cruise line restarting operations has a wide impact on the industry, as it will open the doors for others to resume cruises.

Royal Caribbean International has not announced any plans of its own to resume operations in Europe (or anywhere), but Royal Caribbean Group partial-subsidary TUI Cruises has been sailing for a few weeks in Germany.

A lot of people want to know what you are allowed to bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise, especially food or drinks.

Royal Caribbean includes a wide variety of complimentary dining options on your cruise, which means there is plenty to eat and drink. Yet, some guests want to bring their own food for a variety of reasons.

You'll find plenty of drinks and snacks included with your Royal Caribbean cruise fare, but sometimes you want a specific brand or type of snack/beverage. 

Bringing your own snacks and drinks can save money versus purchasing them onboard or on shore.

Moreover, it can be quite helpful to have these items in your cabin, especially if you have kids.

The good news is you are allowed to bring some food and drink on your cruise, but there is a limit on how much and what sort you can bring.

Food you can bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Royal Caribbean allows guests to bring non-perishable prepackaged food in limited quantities on their ships. So bringing your kids' favorite snacks and treats are allowed.

This includes foods such as cookies, crackers, chips, energy bars, etc. Pre-packed baby food is also allowed.

You do not need to declare that you have food, and it is generally fine to pack your prepackaged food in either your carry-on or your checked luggage.

There is no exact limit on how much of these foods you can bring, so feel free to bring as much as you deem necessary.

Be sure not to bring any perishable food or meat products, as those are prohibited items.

Beverages you can bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Royal Caribbean also allows a limited amount of non-alcoholic beverages with them on embarkation day.

Specifically, you can bring up to 12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles, or cartons per stateroom of your favorite non-alcoholic beverage (soda, bottled water, etc).

In addition, baby food and formula are allowed to be brought onboard.

If you are bringing milk and distilled water brought on for infant, medical, or dietary use, there are no restrictions or limitations related to these items. If you need to bring special beverages, please complete a Special Needs form. Royal Caribbean requests you send this form at least 30 days before your sail date and they will inform you via e-mail of their decision.

While alcoholic beverages are not allowed to be brought on a Royal Caribbean cruise, there is an exception for up to one 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne per adult in each cabin, per sailing. This policy changed in March 2023.

There is no cost to enjoy wine in your room, but a corkage fee will be charged if you bring the bottle to a restaurant or bar.

You should pack any beverages you bring onboard in your carry-on luggage. Do not put it in your checked luggage for two reasons:

• It may break as your luggage is tossed around in transit.
• Royal Caribbean's X-ray machine will see a bottle/can and not be able to tell if it is alcohol or not. They will then hold the bag and delay its arrival to your stateroom later.

If you buy alcohol in a port your ship visits, you can bring it onboard, although Royal Caribbean will confiscate it until the last night of the cruise, when it will be returned to you.

Can you bring water on a Royal Caribbean cruise?

You are allowed to bring some bottled water on your cruise, but not an unlimited amount.

Royal Caribbean allows its passengers to bring no more than 12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles, or cartons per stateroom.

Water brought onboard needs to be put in your carry-on luggage, not your checked luggage.

It doesn't matter how many people are in your room, the limit is per stateroom and per sailing.

Can you bring alcohol on a Royal Caribbean cruise?

Some alcohol is allowed to be brought onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, but no beer, seltzer, or hard liquor.

Royal Caribbean will let passengers bring up to one sealed bottle of wine or champagne per adult per stateroom. Boxed wine and other contains are prohibited.

The wine needs to be in your carry-on luggage to avoid your luggage being held by security for inspection later.

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

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

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

Thanks to Kimberly Coker for providing this screenshot

Guests on affected sailings should be contacted via email.

Royal Caribbean has offered these guests three options:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Be kind to the crew

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

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

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

Tipping is important

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

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

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

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

Avoid getting sunburned

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

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

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

Fill out the post-cruise survey

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

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

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

Guest etiquette

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't lie to Adventure Ocean staff

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

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

You can tip the casino dealer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by PO-ND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cruise Terminal 3 updates

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

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

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