Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean has rolled out another Cruise Planner sale, with up to 30% off pre-cruise purchases.

The Set Sail & Save Sale runs between March 6, 2020 - March 12, 2020 and applies to sailings from March 12, 2020 - December 15, 2020.

It includes:

BEVERAGE: Up to 40% off on select sailings.

• Classic Soda Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings & Spectrum)
• Dasani Water Cans: 30% off onboard prices. (Sailings 3/14/20 - 3/28/20, only on Vision)
• Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Spectrum)
• Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings & Spectrum)
• Refreshment Package: 30% off onboard prices: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Spectrum)
• Evian Water Packages - 12 & 24 bottles: 30% off onboard prices. Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Spectrum &Vision)

SHORE EXCURSIONS: Up to 25% off

• Shore Excursions: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Spectrum)

INTERNET: Up to 55% off

• The Key: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings, MJ & Spectrum)
• VOOM Surf & Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Devices(s): Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Spectrum)
• VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Devices. Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Spectrum)

DINING: Up to 55% off

• Unlimited Dining Package on 3N - 9N sailings. Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Majesty & Spectrum)

ACTIVITIES: 10% off

• All Access Ship Tour: 10% off onboard prices. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Odyssey & Spectrum)

GIFTS & GEAR: Up to 20% off

• Anniversary Decorations with Champagne: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Odyssey, Quantum , Spectrum & Voyager)
• Happy Anniversary Decorations: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Odyssey, Quantum , Spectrum & Voyager)
• Happy Birthday Decorations Bright Style: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Odyssey, Quantum , Spectrum & Voyager)
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Vanilla Cake and Strawberries: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Odyssey, Quantum , Spectrum & Voyager)
• Inky Travel Set: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Odyssey, Quantum , Spectrum & Voyager)
• Red Wine and Cheese: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Odyssey, Quantum , Spectrum & Voyager)
• Royal Caribbean Beach Towel: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Odyssey, Quantum , Spectrum & Voyager)
• White Wine and Cheese: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Odyssey, Quantum , Spectrum & Voyager)

PHOTO PACKAGES: Up to 40% off

• All Digital + Prints: Discount varies by ship. (Brilliance, Enchantment, Freedom, Rhapsody, Serenade)
• All Digital: Discount varies by ship. (Adventure, Allure, Anthem, Brilliance, Enchantment, Explorer, Freedom, Harmony, Independence, Liberty, Mariner, Navigator, Oasis, Ovation, Odyssey, Quantum, Radiance, Rhapsody, Serenade, Symphony, Voyager)
• All Prints: Discount varies by ship. (Brilliance, Enchantment, Freedom, Grandeur, Jewel, Majesty, Empress, Radiance, Rhapsody, Serenade, Vision)

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Royal Caribbean sent an update to travel partners that it will add mandatory temperature screenings to the cruise check-in process in order to better protect guests and crew against the spread of coronavirus COVID-19.

Beginning on March 6, 2020, all Royal Caribbean International ships will conduct mandatory temperature screenings for all guests and crewmembers on embarkation day.

If your temperature is above 100.4°F or 38° C, you and those in your party will undergo a secondary health screening. Temperatures will be taken with a digital, no-touch thermometer.

If you require a secondary screening, this is what you can expect:

• Your temperature will be checked again.
• You'll undergo a pulse oximetry reading. This means, a small device will be placed on your finger to measure your oxygen level.
  • If you happen to have a chronic lung illness, like asthma, please bring a letter from your medical practitioner that indicates your normal baseline oxygen saturation levels. This will help ensure you are not denied boarding if you are healthy otherwise.
• Then, a medical professional will check you for flu-like symptoms, respiratory illness, etc., and would make a final assessment to understand if you're fit to sail.

If it is decided that we must unfortunately deny you boarding, you'll receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit for your cruise fare paid, and any precruise Royal Caribbean International purchases and taxes and fees will be refunded to your original form of payment.

In addition to these protocols, Royal Caribbean is also taking additional steps to stem the spread of coronavirus on its ships, including:

• Thoroughly sanitizing the cruise ship terminal before and after every sailing

• Special sanitizing of high traffic areas onboard multiple times a day

• Adding extra medical staff on each sailing

• Providing complimentary consultations with medical experts for all guests & crew

• Plus, the Captain will make two daily announcements during your cruise reminding everyone of how to stay healthy onboard

Royal Caribbean has confirmed that its Vice Chairman Adam Goldstein has left the company.

A spokesman from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. confirmed that Mr. Goldstein has departed the company.

A statement to RoyalCaribbeanBlog thanked Adam Goldstein for his contributions:

Adam Goldstein has made countless contributions to our company since the day he came to RCL in 1988. Adam worked his way up through various roles at the company to eventually serve as president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, president and COO of RCL, and most recently as vice chairman.
 
Every step of the way, our company was growing, strengthening and becoming more successful – and the parallels between Adam’s achievements and the company’s are no accident. Adam will always be family to us and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Adam Goldstein served as President & CEO of Royal Caribbean International from 2007 to 2014. From 2014 to 2018, he served as President & COO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 

Credit to Seatrade Cruise News for first reporting the departure.

Royal Caribbean has updated its cabanas at Perfect Day at CocoCay to allow additional guests to be added beyond the cabana capacity for an added price.

The description of the private cabanas at Perfect Day at CocoCay now lists an added option to go beyond the maximum capacity for $50 per person, up to 2 additional people.

The new option shows up for Chill Island cabanas, Oasis Lagoon cabanas & South Beach cabanas on the Cruise Planner site.

Thanks to RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader CGTLH for alerting us to this change.

Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Episode 344 is available for downloading, and Matt is sharing helpful dining tips for anyone going on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

When it comes to dining, there is plenty of it on Royal Caribbean, and Matt has his top tips for making the most of your dining onboard.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 344. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Stitcher or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!

Among the many changes Royal Caribbean has made to Freedom of the Seas in the ship's $116 million amplification, is the addition of the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen.

Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is Royal Caribbean's new take on its Italian specialty restaurant. It features authentic Italian dishes with a contemporary flair, including made-to-order pizzas hand tossed front and center, and baked in the new, in-house pizza oven. 

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader (and avid Flowrider and roulette spinner) Nick Vitani spotted the menu for the new restaurant in Royal Caribbean's app.

Appetizers

Entrees

Pizza

Desserts

Kids Menu

The app lists dinner cover charge at $34.99 per guest.

Giovanni's Italian Kitchen will debut on Freedom of the Seas when she returns to service this month.  It will also be added to Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas during their upcoming amplifications later this year.

New Royal Caribbean cruises booked this week can qualify for 30% off every guest and Kids Sail Free offer.

The Seeker Sale applies to cruises booked between March 4 - 31, 2020 and applies to select sailings departing on or after April 4, 2020.

It includes:

• 30% off cruise fare for all guests in the stateroom
• Up to $300 onboard credit
  • Applies to new bookings made between March 4 - 8, 2020
  • Sailings 5 nights or less, $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $150 for Suites
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer, $75 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $100 for Balconies and $300 for Suites
• Kids Sail Free provides free cruise fare for 3rd guests and higher who are 12 years old or younger as of cruise departure date, booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests in a triple or quad-occupancy stateroom.
  • Kids Sail Free applies to select 4-night or longer Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, CaribNE, Coastal, Europe, Hawaii, Repositioning and all 2020 Serenade of the Seas sailings departing between April 18, 2020 – December 17, 2020 and January 8, 2021 – May 17, 2021.
  • Offer excludes 2020 Peak Summer (Sailings between May 15 – August 31, 2020), 2020 Thanksgiving sailings (Sailings between November 21 - 28, 2020), 2021 President’s Day Sailings (Sailings between February 12 – 15, 2021), and 2021 Spring Break and Easter sailings (Sailings between March 13 – April 4, 2021). Taxes, fees, and port expenses are additional and apply to all guests.

“30% Off Every Guest” and Kids Sail Free are combinable with each other as well as promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, instant savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Promo Code driven offers, Free Upgrades, Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. The Seeker Sale is combinable with 30% Off Every Guest and Kids Sail Free as well as with promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, Instant Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Promo Code driven offers, Free Upgrades, and Shareholder Benefits, but not combinable with Crown and Anchor discounts. Offer are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, and Net Rates. Promo Code driven offers are based on select ships and sail dates and must be applied at time of booking; limit one promo code per booking.      

Offer available to residents of United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and select countries in the Caribbean.

The year 2020 marks the start of a new decade, and with it, an opportunity to stop making the mistakes that are so 2010s.

I have a look at the top ten super common first-time cruiser mistakes I see people doing, and how to avoid them in our brand new video!

And if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel!

By the way, have you subscribed yet? Be sure to subscribe to our channel and never miss a single video!

So check out the video and then let us know: What is a rookie mistake you have made on Royal Caribbean?

Royal Caribbean's new joint venture, Holistica Destinations, announced today a $300 million investment in Freeport, Grand Bahama that will redevelop the Freeport cruise ship terminal to bring a new world-class destination with a one-of-a-kind hotel, convention center, water adventure park and more.

Grand Lucayan resort today

The new project will span two locations including the enhancement and expansion of the port terminal, to be called Harbour Village, and the Lucaya Property, which will be situated at the current Grand Lucayan resort. 

The first phase of the Lucaya Property will be a world-class beachfront destination with a 526-room hotel, shopping village, spa and wellness center, water-based family entertainment including a massive water and adventure theme park, a 40,000-square-foot convention center, adventure activities such as zip lines and off-roading, restaurants and bars, entertainment and lively nightlife. 

Freeport Harbor

Harbour Village will be nine miles west of the Lucaya Property, at the cruise terminal in Freeport Harbor. Here, visitors will be able to enjoy numerous spaces with multiple shopping and dining venues, beach areas, shore excursions and more. There will also be engaging activities for visitors to experience.

The new project is slated to be finished in winter 2022.

With the participation of Bahamian companies, development plans for Freeport also include a multi-modal transportation hub with infrastructure for water ferries and ground transportation including buses, vans and jeeps. Holistica Destinations will work closely with local business owners and entrepreneurs as partners with opportunities both at Harbour Village and the Lucaya Property as well as additional shore excursions in Grand Bahama.

"Holistica Destinations knows how to build destinations that bridge an area’s authentic culture for the enjoyment of cruise and land-based travelers in a way they long for, while simultaneously allowing destinations to stay true to themselves in an environmentally conscious way," said Robert Shamosh, CEO of Holistica Destinations. "Our overall vision for this new endeavor is a long-term relationship with the community and the government of The Bahamas; essentially a marriage where we will grow together in prosperity welcoming millions of visitors to the destination for years to come."

In March 2019, Royal Caribbean signed a letter of intent with the government of The Bahamas for the purchase of the Grand Lucayan resort and redevelopment of the Freeport Harbor.

The travel industry has been hit particularly hard by the Coronavirus outbreak, and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO Richard Fain appealed directly to the travel agent community to remain vigilant.

Mr. Fain sent a video to travel agents who sell cruises on Royal Caribbean, as well as her sister brands, and urged despite the tumultuous situation at hand with the Coronavirus, better times are still to come.

"This is a tough time - a really tough time - and all of us know it, because all of us are going through it together."

"After reading enough of the endless media reports about Coronavirus, it's really easy to think that the world is coming to an end. Well, I have a spoiler alert: it's not. We're all spending time worrying, and that's natural, because we're in a storm, and when you're in the middle of a storm, it certainly feels like it'll never end. But as with most storms, it gets worse before it gets better, but it's hard to remember that this too shall pass. And while the virus is something to be taken seriously, it's not a cause for panic - not in a personal sense, and not in a business sense either."

"As far as the business impact on our business, it ain't pretty. In fact, to use a technical term I learned in business school, it sucks."

"We've absolutely sailed through rough waters like this before, and we've weathered every storm side-by-side with you. We all vividly remember dealing with all the impacts of 9/11 had on revenue, and on our operations. And remember the last pandemic, the H1N1 flu pandemic of 2009? Or the Ebola scare? In each case, it felt to me at least, like the rough seas were never going to end. But in each case, they did."

"We are a strong and growing company in a strong and growing industry, and that's the walk we're walking. Because when this is finally behind us, and it will be behind us, we are going to be in a position to take advantage and to move forward at a fast pace."

"The bad news is that we're in a tough patch. The good news is that we're in it together, and together, we'll get to the better part sooner than you think."

While the video is directed to travel agents, I believe it is a good reminder to us all that, as Mr. Fain said, this too shall pass.