Royal Caribbean Blog

What does booking a suite get you that is not included with a balcony, and what makes one a balcony a better choice over a suite? 

These sort of questions can stymie new cruisers who want to know if moving up to a suite from a balcony is worth it, and what the differences are between these types of staterooms.

If you want to know what makes a balcony different from a suite, here is a good breakdown between these popular categories of cruise ship rooms.

Price

Off the bat, you may notice a difference in price between a balcony and a suite.  Depending on the type of suite, this price difference can be substantial.

While a balcony stateroom price is widely regarded as "affordable" for most vacation budgets, suite prices can really run the gamut from "reasonable" to "outrageous".

Royal Caribbean has a wider variety of suite categories to choose from than balcony rooms.

Many repeat cruisers will compare the price of both types of rooms, before deciding if the extra cost is worth it.

What's included

Of course, what you pay for these rooms has to factor in what you get with the stateroom.

Balcony staterooms are like other standard cabin accommodations, where essentially it is larger cabin than smaller stateroom options, with the primary benefit being you have a private verandah to enjoy anytime you want.

A suite is an even larger balcony room that comes with a variety of additional benefits meant to justify the higher cost.

The exact benefits you can expect with a suite can vary, but here are the most common amenities included:

• Priority embarkation/disembarkation
• Complimentary Pressing on First Formal Night
• Concierge Service
• Priority Dining Reservations
• Bridge, Galley & Backstage Tours
• Suite Lounge/Concierge Club Access (Hors d’oeuvres and Cocktails Each Evening)
• Priority Tendering (Where Applicable)
• Welcome Fruit Amenity
• Welcome Evian Water
• Main Dining Menu Available for In Suite Dining (During Operating Hours)
• Complimentary 24-Hour Room Service
• In Room Mr. Coffee/Tea Service (kettle)
• Reserved Section in Theater - Main, Studio B, AquaTheater, Two70

You should be aware that Junior Suites do not include the full set of suite benefits that other suites do. Despite its name, Junior Suites are more like "extra large balcony rooms".

Living space

A big difference between a balcony and a suite is the amount of room you get with each cabin.

Balcony rooms are fairly large spaces that can accommodate between 2-4 guests (depending on the type of balcony room).  

As an example, on Allure of the Seas, a Superior Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony comes in at 182 square feet, plus a 53 square foot balcony.

Suites start out being a bit larger than a balcony room, and some of the biggest suites can span the size of multiple smaller cabins.

Suites range in size from 350 to almost 1,400 square feet, and the biggest ones feel like a luxury apartment, rather than a cruise ship cabin.

Not only do suites provide more living space, it also means these are the kind of rooms you would need to book if you want to have more than 4 people in one room.

Families traveling with 5, 6 or even more passengers can find larger suites that can accommodate them. Family suites on some of Royal Caribbean's newer ships have multiple bedrooms and are designed for multi-generational cruisers.

Loyalty points

Another key difference between a balcony and a suite is how many Crown and Anchor points you earn by staying in either cabin.

A balcony cabin will get you 1 point for every night of the cruise (2 points per night if you are solo in that room).

A suite will earn 2 points for every night of the cruise (3 points per night if you are solo in the suite).

Staying in a suite is one of the best ways to move up the ranks of the Crown and Anchor Society (the name of Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program) because those double points add up quickly.

Should you book a balcony or suite?

Ultimately, the decision to book a suite or balcony cabin is going to be a personal decision based on price, what's included and other subjective considerations.

If there was an equation for deciding, the variables change from sailing to sailing, and ship to ship.

While some people will stick to one category over the other on principle, many more weigh the options and prices before picking.

There is not a right or wrong decision, just a question of what you have budgeted and what you are looking for in an onboard experience.

A cruise is appealing to guests of all ages, and while Royal Caribbean is a family-friendly cruise line, there are certain things to do that are perfect for just the adults.

Whether you are taking a break from the kids after dropping them off in Adventure Ocean, or cruising without kids, there are a few good spots and activities to look for where children will be far from view.

As a parent, it is nice to have time now and then away from the kids to relax, and here are the top five things you can do on a Royal Caribbean cruise without kids!

Solarium

The top spot for any adult looking to spend time without children around is to head to the Solarium pool area.

The Solarium is an adults only pool on all Royal Caribbean ships where children under 16 years old are prohibited from lounging.

This adult only retreat is a very popular choice for its relaxing lounge chairs and poolscape, along with whirlpools and nearby bar staff.

Adults only excursions

You can find in the myriad of Royal Caribbean shore excursions a few that cater only to adults.

Usually these tours are offered to resorts or beaches that do not allow children in, either due to the inclusion of alcohol or other prohibitions.

If you want to enjoy some time on shore without kids, look for excursions that do not allow kids to be booked.

Spa

The Vitality spa and fitness center is another kids-free enclave on Royal Caribbean, where you can go for relaxation or a great workout.

The spa area offers massages, facials, a salon and many more services to enjoy.  The Vitality Spa presents as relaxing an atmosphere as possible, and the fact it is kid-free is an added bonus.

If you want to get your workout in, the various weights, machines and fitness classes are another spot to not have to contend with children.

Night club

Each evening, there is at least one late-night party happening onboard and Royal Caribbean enforces a strict age policy to prevent kids from getting in.

While there are family-friendly parties and shows put on earlier in the evening, once the night club scene pops up, the cruise line security team will check ages of anyone who tries to get into the club.

Casino

Perhaps no other area is as synonymous with adults only as Casino Royale, where gambling laws prohibit kids from being around.

Keep in mind that the bar area and nearby seating in the casino are open to any adults, even if you are not gambling.  Moreover, the casino bar tends to be the first bar to open in the day and the last to close, so it is a safe bet for when you want to get away.

Of course, the casino offers slots and table games to try your luck at, if you want to combine your kids-free time with (hopefully) winning money.

The global shutdown of Royal Caribbean's cruise ships means all of its vessels have been idle since March, and the crew is just as anxious as the public to get back to cruising.

Harmony of the Seas Captain Johnny Faevelen took to Twitter to share a quick message while scooting around Central Park to tell folks he and the crew are ready to welcome guests back, once the current global health crisis subsides.

Captain Johnny shared a video of him driving around the signature Oasis Class neighborhood on his scooter.

⁦We onboard our beautiful #Harmonyoftheseas at @RoyalCaribbean⁩ are ready to welcome guests back to #CentralPark as soon as the #Corona is over and life return back to normal. #backinbusiness ⁦@RCGCareers⁩ ⁦⁦⁦@theRCLblog⁩ pic.twitter.com/MfP2nrBcen

— Johnny Faevelen (@HarleyCaptain) August 22, 2020

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.

Harmony of the Seas is currently in the Southern Caribbean near Barbados, where she has been primarily since the shutdown began. Barbados has left its borders open to cruise ships for resupply, as well as crew repatriation efforts.

Thanks for joining us for another weekly look at all of the Royal Caribbean news from this week.  The late-summer heat is still on, and we have plenty of Royal Caribbean news to share from this week.

Anthem of the Seas sailed back to Southampton, England, following a short drydock refurbishment.

Along with Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas was spotted off the South Coast of England.

A few Royal Caribbean ships have been positioned off the southern coast of England, and make periodic stops in Southampton for resupply.

Royal Caribbean News

• MSC Cruises new health policy refused a family on its ship that broke the rules.
• St. Kitts has allowed two Royal Caribbean ships to harbor there, although their arrival has been delayed.
• Royal Caribbean looking to restructure Freeport port deal.
• Wall Street thinks Royal Caribbean will not return to pre-Covid levels until 2024-2026.
• Why you shouldn't cancel your upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise.
• What does it mean when a cruise ship goes into cold lay-up?
• What is the worst Royal Caribbean ship?
• Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise?
• Where can I eat on the first day of my Royal Caribbean cruise?
• The things Matt hasn't done yet on Royal Caribbean.
• What's the difference between cruise lines?

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 368th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt shares an overview of the Cruise with Confidence program.

Something so many of us are now dealing with are future cruise credits, and how to deal with getting them, redeeming them, and of course waiting for them.  This week’s podcast will talk about FCCs and what to expect when you’re expecting. 

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.

Despite rumors online, Royal Caribbean hasn't sold Empress of the Seas

There was a lot of speculation on the internet this week that Empress of the Seas had been sold, but the cruise line insists that is not true.

Rumors began swirling again this week following an unnamed source claiming Empress was sold. 

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson confirmed that Empress has not been sold. Rather, she is in Greek waters for an extended "stay for a few months".

Royal Caribbean offers guests the choice of prepaying gratuities for select crew members on its ships.

The option to prepay gratuities means locking in the current gratuity rate, along with spreading out the overall cost of the cruise by integrating it into the cost of the cruise.

How does gratuity work on Royal Caribbean?

Part of the overall cost of a Royal Caribbean cruise is a service gratuity for recognizing the hard work of crew members.

A daily automatic gratuity rate of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, is applied to each guest’s SeaPass account on a daily basis. It is applicable to all guests, regardless of age.

These daily gratuities go towards your dining room staff, as well as your stateroom attendant.

If you do not opt to prepay gratuities, a daily charge will appear on your SeaPass account every day of the cruise for the daily gratuity rate per guest.

The daily gratuities is in addition to the 18% gratuity automatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases.

Why should I prepay gratuities?

There are two good reasons to prepay gratuities before your cruise.

Prepaying gratuities before your cruise means you pay off that balance early, instead of accruing a higher balance that is owed at the end of the cruise.  For guests that like to budget their vacations and spread out the total cost of the cruise, this is a popular choice.

In addition, prepaying gratuities locks in the current gratuity rate, even if the rate were to go up later.

Every so often, Royal Caribbean adjusts the gratuity rate, but if you have opted to prepay, you will be grandfathered into the old rate.

The two common rationales for not prepaying are if you have a substantial amount of onboard credit that could offset your SeaPass account charges, or if you prefer to give crew members their automatic gratuity rate in cash.

Gratuities on Royal Caribbean are obligatory, so it is a matter of when you prefer to pay them.

How to prepay gratuities

You can opt into prepaying gratuities at any time, up to 48 hours prior to your sail date.

If you booked your Royal Caribbean cruise with a travel agent, you just need to contact them and ask for gratuities to be added to your reservation.

If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean, you can either call Royal Caribbean or log onto their website and access your account to prepay gratuities.

Many first time cruisers are eager to learn about the best Royal Caribbean ship to sail on, so a common question asked is which cruise ships should be avoided.

The notion of a "worst Royal Caribbean ship" may make sense in a way, because so many other aspects of life we gauged by best versus worst.  However, when it comes to Royal Caribbean ships, the answer is not so straight forward.

If you are trying to determine the ships to avoid, it has less to do with an inherit flaw or problem with the ship, and more to do with what you want in a cruise ship.

Finding the best cruise ship for you

The simple answer is there is no single worst Royal Caribbean cruise ship in the fleet, because each cruise ship offers a different experience that caters to specific styles of cruising.

Just like a vacation to the Grand Canyon or Chicago may appeal to certain people as an amazing trip while others cringe at the idea, cruise ships come in different sizes and with different amenities to carry a certain appeal.

When you pick the right Royal Caribbean cruise ship to sail on, it is a question of what do you want the ship to have onboard, and is the ship you are considering have that.

A very common mistake first time cruisers make is not understanding the features and amenities each ship offers guests, and booking a ship primarily based on price because they assume the ships are all the same.

So the question really is, "what is the worst Royal Caribbean ship for you?".

What the ship offers and doesn't offer

The key to finding the right ship for you is to do a little research into what makes each ship unique, and if that ship has the features, activities, and signature entertainment you want in a ship.

With about 26 ships in the fleet, Royal Caribbean has customized each vessel to make it stand out just a bit from the rest. Water slides, production shows, public spaces and dining choices are just some of the ways a cruise ship can differentiate itself.

While first time cruisers may not know exactly what they want in a ship before stepping foot onboard, there are certain expectations guests come with based on commercial advertising, as well as stories from friends and family.

Before booking a cruise vacation, you will want to check out the special features available on that vessel, as well as what it lacks.

Here is a guide for the major considerations most cruiser seem to care the most about:

• Which pool deck activities does it offer? (water slides, pools, outdoor features)
• Which specialty restaurants are available onboard?
• Does the ship have the newest thrill attractions?
• Does the ship have a nursery for children under 36 months old?
• Which things to do for families and kids are available?

These are starting points, but are a good example of the subjective concerns you may have when choosing the right ship.

How to learn what a ship offers

Through the power of the internet, it is pretty easy to get a good idea of what is available to do on any Royal Caribbean ship.

The top starting points for learning about any Royal Caribbean ship is past Cruise Compasses, YouTube videos, and a good travel agent.

Royal Caribbean distributes on its ships a daily guide to activities and things to do in something called a Cruise Compass. Reading a past Cruise Compass provides a ballpark idea of expectations since sailings on a particular ship do not change that much from week to week in terms of the activities or entertainment offered. There will be some discrepancies, like perhaps the movie selection or comedian, but you will get a general idea of what to expect.

Watching a YouTube video allows anyone to visualize the flow of a cruise ship, and get a good understanding of what is onboard. There are tons of videos that feature walkthroughs, reviews, and good breakdowns of ships. YouTube blends entertainment, information, and day dreaming together seamlessly and it is so easy to browse and learn about Royal Caribbean ships, port stops, and nearly everything onboard.

If you are still a little unsure which ship might be best, leveraging a good travel agent is a tried-and-true strategy. A good travel agent that specializes in cruising can really help make your first Royal Caribbean cruise a big success.  They will help navigate you throughout the whole booking process and be your guide to what makes the most sense for your family. They can answer most questions, and help get you the best price.

Should I go on a small cruise ship?

Often I get questions from someone that has only sailed on Royal Caribbean's newest and biggest ships, and wants to know if going on a small ship will be a bad experience.

Every size of cruise ship offers a little different kind of experience, and smaller ships definitely rely more on the "classic cruise experience", which means focusing on spending time relaxing by the pool, in your cabin, or in public areas.

Unlike big ships that pack tons of activities and things to do, smaller ships are about just being onboard and enjoying the weather, or perhaps spending more time on shore.

In fact, a good reason to choose a smaller ship is for the boutique itineraries you can't always get with Royal Caribbean.

The areas you will notice quickly a difference in moving to a smaller ship is less top deck signature activities, less specialty restaurants, and less wide-open spaces.

My best advice is to try out a small ship after you get a few "big ships" under your belt, and try to pick an itinerary where you will spend a lot of time in port to reduce the need to rely on what's offered onboard.

Tips for picking a great ship

The right ship for you will depend on what you like and don't like, but I want to provide some basic tips to remember when choosing.

• The newest and recently refurbished cruise ships are always safe choices for most families. Royal Caribbean has put its latest and greatest innovations and offerings on these ships, and are generally good starting points for new cruisers.
• Don't book a cruise purely based on price. You can find a deal on just about any Royal Caribbean ship, so avoid the temptation to book whatever is the cheapest ship sailing.
• Size is not everything when it comes to ships. Bigger ships offer more space for whizz-bang amenities, but smaller ships offer a more intimate and classic cruising experience.  
• Where your ship sails to is an important factor, so be sure to weigh what each port of call offers and the appeal of different itineraries.

While Royal Caribbean cruisers are waiting to see what new health policies the cruise line will come up with, we are getting a preview of what might be an example of one new policy with MSC Cruises.

MSC Cruises resumed cruising in Italy on the MSC Grandiosa, and a family was denied reboarding after they deviated from their cruise line approved shore excursion in Naples, Italy.

The unnamed family was not allowed to re-board after breaking their “social bubble" and leaving the shore excursion.

MSC Cruises laid out a series of new rules and protocols aimed to keep guests safe onboard the ships, as well as prevent the spread of COVID-19.

During this initial phase of operations MSC requires guests only go ashore as part of an organized MSC Cruises’ excursion.

A spokesperson for MSC said the family was not allowed back onboard the cruise ship because they had separated from the organized group trip to go exploring on their own, therefore posing a possible risk to others on the ocean liner amid the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19.

"In line with our health and safety protocol, developed to ensure health and wellbeing of our guests, crew and the communities we visit, we had to deny re-embarkation to a family who broke from their shore excursion yesterday while visiting Naples, Italy," the MSC Cruises spokesperson said on Wednesday. "This family broke from the 'social bubble' created for them and all other guests, and therefore could not be permitted to re-board the ship."

The MSC Grandiosa departed Genoa on Sunday night for a seven-night cruise of the western Mediterranean, with port calls in Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo and Valetta, Malta.

The Grandiosa's current sailing is the first cruise in the Mediterranean by a major cruise line and vessel since the cruise industry shut down earlier this year.

Royal Caribbean has not yet announced its health protocols

Royal Caribbean has not announced its new health policies and protocols yet, but the cruise line did promise to deliver them by the end of this month.

Royal Caribbean Group teamed up with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings to form a panel of health experts who are actively working on generating a set of recommendations that both cruise lines can use to keep guests safe.

Ultimately, the panel will work through all the options and practices considered, and come up with the best course of action for the cruise lines.

If you still have a Royal Caribbean cruise booked for the end of 2020 or sometime in 2021, your best bet is to not cancel the cruise on your own.

There is plenty of concern among cruisers about if their upcoming cruise will actually sail, as well as if they even want to go on a cruise during the current global health crisis. While preemptively cancelling a cruise may seem like a good decision now, you might still want to hang on, even if you know you do not want to cruise.

This article is about why you should wait for at least Royal Caribbean to cancel the cruise before you pull the trigger on cancelling it.

You might regret it later

There are two reasons why you might regret cancelling a cruise down the line.

Financially, you are better off waiting for Royal Caribbean to cancel your cruise than for you to cancel your cruise.

From the beginning of the cruise shutdown, Royal Caribbean has offered far more favorable terms to guests who have their sailing cancelled by the cruise line, than if they opt to cancel.

The classic example is anyone who cancelled before the cruise line and had to settle for just a future cruise credit, instead of the option to get a full refund. 

Moreover, if Royal Caribbean cancels on you, you can qualify for 125% future cruise credit, which is a bonus not otherwise available.

The other reason why you might regret cancelling a cruise later is if you cancel and many months down the line you want to rebook.

Things are changing every day in terms of the cruise line's plans, as well as approaches and treatments for COVID. While things might look not-so-great today, perhaps in Spring 2021 the situation will be very different.

While you might be able to change your mind later and rebook the same sailing, there is a good chance someone else will have booked the cabin you had booked, which means finding a new room available.

You have non-refundable cruise fare

A common reason for cancelling a cruise is to get a cash refund, but if you booked non-refundable cruise fare you can qualify for a cash refund minus the change fee penalty.

If you take advantage of the Cruise with Confidence program and cancel your cruise in exchange for a future cruise credit, you will not be able to get a cash refund at all.

However, if Royal Caribbean cancels your sailing later on, you can choose to get a 100% cash refund, even if you have a non-refundable cruise fare.

You can cancel up to 48 hours before your cruise begins

There is little risk in waiting to cancel. Even if Royal Caribbean were to resume cruises and you decide you prefer not to sail, the Cruise with Confidence program.

This means you can wait and see what happens, and decide at anytime until 2 days before your cruise begins to actually cancel for a 100% future cruise credit.

This kind of flexibility means you do not have to make a decision now, and take advantage of the best information available closer to your sail date.

What if Royal Caribbean goes bankrupt?

I have heard from some cruise fans they are worried Royal Caribbean will not be able to survive the extended cruise shutdown, but there is quite a bit of time before a bankruptcy scenario could occur.

In Royal Caribbean's second quarter earnings report, as of June 30, 2020, the Company had liquidity of approximately $4.1 billion all in the form of cash and cash equivalents. A few weeks later, Royal Caribbean announced it has secured a new $700 million term loan facility.

Most Wall Street analysts believe Royal Caribbean Group has enough cash on hand in order to survive until at least the end of 2021 with no income.

All of that points to the likelihood of a bankruptcy forfeiting your balance with the cruise line to not be a consideration anytime soon.

Over the last few weeks, many cruisers have heard cruise lines say their ships may enter cold lay-up, but what does that mean?

With cruise lines entering a prolonged suspension with no cruises resuming anytime soon, one option available is to move ships from a warm lay-up into a cold lay-up.

In order to get a better sense of what cold lay-up is and what it means, I turned to Commander Don Goldstein, Retired United States Coast Guard, who has over 32 years of experience.

What is cold lay-up?

When a cruise ship goes into cold lay-up, it is essentially shutting down as much of the ship as possible in order to cut costs.

Royal Caribbean's fleet is currently in a state of warm lay-up, which means they can bring the ship back to service very quickly since the machinery, lifesaving equipment and navigational equipment are all well-kept and up to date.

In a cold lay-up, the opposite is true. Most of the mechanical systems are taken offline, with just the bare essentials left online to preserve the ship. 

Depending on how long the company intends to lay-up the ship, different approaches can be taken to preserving the interiors of the ship. For a lay up of three to nine months, the air conditioning will continue running to keep the humidity down.  But a more prolonged lay up would result in the rooms being hermetically sealed.

In terms of crew, the amount of workers onboard is drastically reduced.

In a hot lay-up, the engine department and the deck department are pretty close to fully manned, but in a cold lay-up there would be a bare minimum skeleton crew that could step in the case of an emergency to get the ship moving (such as a hurricane).

Why do a cold lay-up?

If you are wondering why a cruise line would consider putting its ships into cold lay-up, it is all about saving money.

The benefit of putting a cruise ship into cold lay-up is added savings compared to a hot lay-up.

"People are the big expense in a lay-up, and you've got a whole lot less people involved in a cold lay-up than you do in a hot lay-up."

Hurdles to get ships back into service

After a ship enters a state of cold lay-up, getting them back into service is no simple task.

In a cold lay-up, you basically have to re-certify the ship, depending on how long it has been in cold lay-up.

"There are a myriad of certificates that have to be redone if it's been longer than six months," Command Goldstein described, and he outlined four entities that go into a ship recertification:

• Ship owner
• Port State (where the ship is located)
• The flag state (Bahamas, for all Royal Caribbean ships)
• Classification Society

All four of those entities have to be involved in putting the ship into cold lay-up, and they all have to be involved in taking the ship out of cold lay-up.

How long to get a ship back into service after cold lay-up

Another question is how quickly Royal Caribbean could get a ship back into service after a ship goes into cold-lay up.

In a best case scenario, Commander Goldstein said if the ship has only been in cold lay-up for three months, the ship could probably get back into service in two to three weeks.

The bigger issue is there are only a limited amount of inspectors available to re-certify a ship, and with other cruise lines trying to do the same thing, that could become an issue if there are not enough inspectors available to get on a ship.

If the cold lay-up extends beyond three months, and goes to six months or more, then Commander Goldstein indicated it could take a month or more to get a ship back out of cold lay-up.

Once the ships return to the United States, the ship would be inspected by the Coast Guard.  These inspections could take just a few days to verify the certificates that had been previously issued when the ship came out of cold storage, as well as verifying crew training and testing.

Just days after the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis announced two Royal Caribbean ships would be allowed to harbour, the arrival of the first ship has been delayed as health experts consider additional information.

ZIZ reports the scheduled arrival of Rhapsody of the Seas on Wednesday, August 19, was delayed. Vision of the Seas is scheduled to arrive on August 24.

Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris told concerned locals, "much was considered and deliberated on over a two-week period before the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines was given the greenlight for safe harbour for two of its vessels".

The Prime Minister added that his experts have advised the risk is low with granting safe harbouring of both ships, as crew members on both ships are required to have a negative COVID-19 test results before boarding from their home countries.

The crew members will all be retested at the end of 14 days and only released from quarantine if they all test negative. It is only after the return of a negative RT-PCR test on day one and day 14 will they be allowed to disembark the vessels.

Moreover, the Prime Minister added the health risks to the citizens of the island are low, "but in the medium term we will benefit."