Royal Caribbean has expanded its new app to include support for Ovation of the Seas.
Ovation now appears in the list of supported ships that can be found from within the app.
The new app is being actively developed, which means not all features area available on the app yet. Moreover, the cruise line is slowly rolling out support for more ships.
The app is available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.
Welcome to this week's edition of Friday Photos, where we showcase our readers favorite Royal Caribbean photos. If we all cannot be on a Royal Caribbean cruise at the moment, then the next best thing is to look at photos of a cruise longingly as a means of getting a "cruise fix."
Our first photo is from Brett Howe, and it is an Instagram-worthy shot of Anthem of the Seas in Bar Habor, Maine.
Next up is a photo of Radiance of the Seas "posing" with an eagle statue in Ketchikan, Alaska. Photo by Michael Kho.
Here is a photo of Brilliance of the Seas in Queensferry, Scotland, taken by Jennifer Potter.
Daryl Daley sent in this photo of Freedom of the Seas in Antigua.
Mariano Jimenez stopped to take this photo of Navigator of the Seas at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Here is a photo of Allure of the Seas in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Photo by Brent Cohen.
Our final photo this week is by Jason Peterson and it is of Mariner of the Seas' helipad.
That wraps up this week's edition of Friday Photos. If you want your Royal Caribbean photo featured here, use this form to send them in!
Royal Caribbean's unlimited drink packages offer a tremendous value and budget-friendly option for guests to enjoy all the beverages they care for while on their cruise vacation.
If you are on the fence about whether or not to get a drink package, here are some helpful do’s and don’ts.
Here are a few more helpful resources on everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean's drink packages.
Royal Caribbean is offering up to 30% off certain Cruise Planner purchases during its Fall Into Savings sale.
The offer runs between September 18 - September 25, 2019 and is valid on sailings from September 27, 2019 - April 15, 2020. It is valid on all ships, except for Spectrum of the Seas.
BEVERAGE: Up to 30% off on select sailings.
SHORE EXCURSIONS: Up to 25% off on select sailings.
INTERNET: Up to 60% off on select sailings.
DINING: Up to 50% off on select sailings.
ACTIVITIES: Up to 10% off on select sailings.
GIFTS & GEAR: Up to 20% off on select sailings
PHOTO PACKAGES: Up to 25% off on select sailings.
The Cruise Planner sale promises savings on certain shore excursions and drink package purchases. Guests can check which discounts, if any, are available for their upcoming sailing by visiting the Cruise Planner site. 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.
Update: Royal Caribbean has extended the neighborhood perks to all guests who booked prior to this decision to end the benefits.
Royal Caribbean announced it will discontinue the extra benefits it offered to guests who booked Boardwalk Balcony and Central Park Balcony staterooms on Oasis Class ships.
Known as DINE • DRINK • DISCOVER program, Royal Caribbean will remove the program on all sailings departing on and after January 1, 2020.
Guests booked prior to September 18, 2019 in neighborhood balconies sailing from January 1, 2020 through April 2021 will receive a $50 non-refundable Onboard Credit per stateroom, as a consolation for the policy change. Anyone booked on sailings from January 1, 2020 and after, following the announcement, will not qualify.
If you are wondering why Royal Caribbean made the decision to remove the perks, here is what they said, "Royal Caribbean is always looking for new ways to exceed your clients’ expectations. We’ve been conducting extensive research to better anticipate what matters most to them and will continue to offer countless ways for your clients to make unforgettable memories onboard. We are excited to share some game-changing updates to our inventory and amenity offerings in the coming months."
The neighborhood balcony room benefits began in November 2016.
Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise!
Episode 320 is available for downloading, where Matt shares the various considerations to help decide on the right cruise for you.
If you are looking to find that perfect first cruise for you, here are the things to think about to help find the perfect first cruise.
Here’s the podcast page for Episode 320. 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!
As you might imagine, we get asked a lot of questions about Royal Caribbean cruises and today we decided to share answers to the most common ones!
Is The Key worth it? Will a drink package save money? Are negative reviews of the ship I'm going on cause for concern? These are just some of the questions we get asked on a nearly daily basis.
To help everyone, we assembled a list of the most common questions and share our advice to provide simle answers to these really common questions. Our newest video aims to give you answers to your most burning Royal Caribbean questions!
And if you love this video, we have lots of other great cruise videos to watch 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 episode!
So check out the video and then let us know: What exciting new tip did you learn about your Royal Caribbean cruise?
After a few Royal Caribbean cruises, everyone seems to have their own "traditions" that we do on each and every sailing. These cruise habits are part of what keep us coming back again and again.
Here are a few must-do things that you just have to try on your next cruise too!
It's not a cruise unless we get to the port a little before noon and get onboard so I can have my first meal in the legendary Windjammer buffet.
Every since my first cruise, I have always had the first meal onboard the ship at the Windjammer, and I think having my first meal here that cements that feeling inside of "I'm really on a Royal Caribbean cruise again". For me, it is that moment when I sit down with my plate full of food and a big smile comes across my face.
And oh yea, there is lots of good food to be enjoyed here as well!
Anyone can swim during the day but on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but I love to put on my bathing suit late after the sun goes down and hop in the pool.
Night swims are a great experience and with the new giant movie screens near the pools on most Royal Caribbean ships, it's fun to take in a classic film while being in the water. It is a great family activity and the perfect way to end a fun day.
This may be just something silly I do but I really love to watch the shore excursion channel in my stateroom when we're laying around. There's something about the super market jazz music playing in the background or the monotone voice over descriptions that I just like watching it.
This guilty pleasure is centered around the idea of watching this channel to get an idea of what to expect in the ports of call we are going to visit but I find the channel strangely memorizing and I'm not afraid to admit it!
Of all the live entertainment on a Royal Caribbean ship, my favorite evening activity is to sing along to my favorite bar hits in the Pub onboard.
Pubs are available on most ships (Radiance Class and larger), and I love the type of music played. The tunes in the pub will range from oldies, to '90s, and to decades inbetween. Basically, these are songs you likely know all the words to and likely have heard in many bars before.
While many cruisers equally enjoy the live music in the Schooner Bar at night, the acoustic guitar melodies of the pub are my personal favorite.
Picture this: a sunny day with maybe just a few clouds passing by, sitting in a lounge chair at the pool deck with an optional drink of the day in your hand and the band playing "Red Red Wine" as you take a sip and close your eyes. That is the perfect moment on a Royal Caribbean cruise for me.
The live music on a Royal Caribbean cruise is among the best hidden secrets. Royal Caribbean's dedication to live music has become something I always look forward to and enjoying the live band at the pool is just the icing on an incredible cake.
When we get back to the stateroom after a great dinner, the first thing I look for is the next day's Cruise Compass newsletter waiting for me on the bed.
Each evening your stateroom attendant will leave the Cruise Compass on your bed (with perhaps a towel animal surprise too) for you to read and I love reading everything inside. To me, this is the New York Times of cruising and it's just one of those cruising traditions that I love to do. Sure, I get a sense of what activities are coming up the next day (Michael Jackson line dancing classes anyone?) but it's also fun to just immerse myself in everything going on around the ship.
If I am on a Royal Caribbean ship with an escape room that I have not tried yet, then it becomes a must-do activity.
Escape rooms challenge your brain and teamwork skills by attempting to solve the clues and escape before time on the clock runs out.
Whether you are already a fan of the escape room trend or just eager to try this challenge for the first time, I think you will enjoy the thrill of trying to beat the escape room on select Royal Caribbean ships.
There is nothing wrong with a little humble brag, and I try to take time on every cruise to take a family selfie and share it with my family who could not join us on the sailing.
Showing folks at home all the fun we are having is a two-pronged strategy. First, it shows off all the fun we are having and offers a chance to gloat just a little. More importantly, my hope is those same people seeing the photo will be inclined to join us on our next cruise!
Did any of my favorite must-do's make your list? Share with us your favorite Royal Caribbean traditions in the comments below!
Thank you for joining us for this a look at all the Royal Caribbean news from this week. We had plenty to share, so let us jump right in!
Royal Caribbean released the first set of sailings for Odyssey of the Seas this week, which will begin in November 2020.
Odyssey of the Seas will sail from Port Everglades, Florida upon her arrival in North America. Odyssey of the Seas will then offer 8- and 6-night Caribbean cruises, which include visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay. Odyssey of the Seas will be the first Quantum Ultra Class ship to call on Aruba and Curacao as part of its 8-night itineraries.
In summer 2021, she will head over to Europe.
The 319th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt quantifies what exactly being on a cruise means and the feelings that being on a cruise evokes.
Coming back from a Royal Caribbean cruise, the transition back to "civilian life" isn't easy, and often we think back about how much we enjoy being back on the cruise.
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.
Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — What to know before booking the cheapest room on a cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.
One of the best ways to learn about what sort of events a cruise ship offers is to consult a past Royal Caribbean Cruise Compass. Here is a look at recent Cruise Compasses we have added.
Medium interviewed Royal Caribbean's SVP of Digital about Royal Caribbean's digital transformation.
Cruise Fever shared when cruises are the cheapest by cruise line.
B&T Magazine reported Royal Caribbean Australia has picked a new strategic PR firm.
There are lots of considerations for booking a cruise vacation, but we have five things you should not pay too much attention to when picking the ship for you.
Out of all the important things to know about a ship before you book, I have picked five things you may read or hear about that should not be a reason to book (or not book) a cruise ship.
And if you love this video, we have lots of other great cruise videos to watch 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 episode!
What are some things you think should be ignored when booking a specific ship? Share your experience in the comments!