Royal Caribbean Blog

Sabor Modern Mexican specialty restaurant has become a popular dining choice for many Royal Caribbean guests because of the great tasting food, primarily the guacamole.  Since the restaurant opened in 2014, the guacamole has been the centerpiece of the terrific culinary choices available but in early 2017, word came down from other guests that Royal Caribbean was not making the guacamole table side anymore.  In the name of research, I decided to investigate if the rumors were true, and if the product has changed at all.

Navigator of the Seas is home to the very first Sabor location, and while the restaurant has spread to other ships in the fleet, it retains a special place in my heart for nostalgic reasons.  Great service, even better food and a quiet atmosphere combine to provide guests one of the best dining experiences on any Royal Caribbean ship. But would the change in guacamole preparation degrade the experience? 

We made a number of reservations over the course of a recent cruise to determine fully what the state of affairs is with Sabor Modern Mexican.

Atmosphere

When you hear of a Mexican restaurant, I am certain most people imagine a restaurant with lots of large woven hats strewn about, fake cacti, and a Mariachi band playing.  Royal Caribbean has none of that at Sabor Modern Mexican.  Their aim was to design a restaurant that retains favorite Mexican dishes, but also offers a more contemporary look and menu.

Located near the forward on deck 4 of Navigator of the Seas, Sabor Modern Mexican is across from the Schooner Bar and near the forward elevators. 

The restaurant is not that large, and has seating along the walls and interior.  There are no windows that look out to the ocean either. What you will notice are plenty of dark reds, bright yellows and deep blues. The only real hint that this is a Mexican restaurant is the use of dahlia flowers in much of the decorations.

Eats

The big question about the food at Sabor on this visit was about the state of the guacamole. I had read in the weeks leading up to the cruise that the table side guacamole is no more, and the guacamole is now prepared in the kitchen. I was concerned there would be this giant vat of guacamole created each day, and servers would scoop from it when serving, almost like how ice cream is served.  

As we were seated, our waiter asked us how we would like the guacamole prepared.  I asked if the guacamole was being made table side and he indicated it was not being done table side any longer.  Later in the cruise, I spoke with Navigator of the Seas' Food and Beverage manager, who indicated a new health regulation by the United States forced the cruise line's hand in how they operated.

We asked for the guacamole to be prepared in two ways, one spicy and one medium.  The waiter disappeared for a few minutes and returned with two bowls of fresh guacamole that tasted exactly like it has on all my previous trips.  While I prefer the spectacle of the guacamole to be prepared in front of us, I can assure the general public that Sabor's guacamole is still amazing.

Another wonderful aspect to any meal in Sabor are the various margaritas available.  The margaritas are not included in the restaurant's cover charge, but are included if you have an unlimited alcohol package. There are five kinds of margaritas:

• Sweet and Spice Margarita
• The Sabor Grand Margarita
• Simply Perfect Margarita
• Avocado Margarita
• Jalapeno-Cucumber Margarita

Avocado margarita

Sweet and Spice Margarita

Jalapeno-Cucumber Margarita

Sabor Grand Margarita

My favorite is the Avocado Margarita, but the Jalapeno-Cucumber Margarita comes in a close second.  If you prefer a more traditional margarita, the Sabor Grand Margarita is an excellent choice.

If you are looking for something a bit stronger, try one of the tequila flights.  There are two varieties, and they each offer exceptionally smooth tequila that offers a good sampling of the different types of tequila.

Horizontal tequila flight

The Sabor menu is broken up into a few basic categories. Guests may order as many items as they like from any section.  The Platos Chiquitos are essentially the restaurant's appetizers.  The most popular choices are the queso fundido and the chicken-stuffed jalapenos.

Ceviche

Tortilla soup

The fundido is warm, melted cheese and it is less like traditional cheese dip, and more like a serving of cheese sticks, minus the breading or stick shape. There is a lot of cheese in this dish, so come hungry.

Queso fundido

The jalapenos are a crowd favorite because they are wrapped in bacon and have a little kick to them.  This is a great choice for sharing (assuming you actually want to let any out of your sight).

The main part of the menu is comprised of tortilla-based favorites and platos fuertes.

Tacos, quesadillas and burritos make up the tortilla section.  You will find your traditional Mexican items, like beef tacos, cheese quesadillas and burritos of many kinds.  There is also the tuna crudo tacos and the barbacoa tacos, which offer tremendous flavor.  We also like the Portobello mushroom quesadillas for something different.

Tuna crudo tacos

Portobello mushroom quesadilla

The platos fuertes offer Mexican dishes that may not be eaten with your hands.  They also tend to be a bit less traditional.  The Jalapeno-Garlic Tiger Shrimp are great for shrimp lovers.

When you talk about Sabor with friends (or random people on the internet), inevitably the guacamole and tacos dominate the conversation.  However, dessert is Sabor's secret weapon. In short, save room for dessert because it is definitely worth it.

Dessert sampler

Each table will receive a tray of desserts that are comprised of flan, chocolate-banana empanadas, churros and more.  My favorite desserts at Sabor are the chocolate crepe filled with cayenne chocolate & marscapone sauce, chocolate & banana empanadas, cafe con leche. You would not be wrong for loving any of the others, because they are all outstanding.

Overall

Having dined at Sabor Modern Mexican on three different occasions while on Navigator of the Seas, I feel confident in declaring the guacamole still as terrific as ever, and Sabor in general, an absolute favorite dining choice. When readers ask me for a recommendation of what to see or do on Navigator of the Seas, I will continue to recommend Sabor with flying colors.

Sabor's menu has barely changed since its debut and that is a testament to how good the food and experience is inside. 

The cost for dinner is $30 per guest, and lunch comes in at $20 per guest.  Prior to our cruise, Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner listed it for just $15 per person, making it an absolute steal at that price.  Even if you prefer to wait to make reservations onboard, be on the lookout for discounts.  We saw discounts being offered by restaurant staff throughout the sailing at various events and venues.

Sabor Modern Mexican is open for lunch on sea days between noon - 1:30 p.m. and dinner every night between 5:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. for dinner. We reviewed Sabor Modern Mexican aboard Navigator of the Seas.

Cost: The price for Sabor Modern Mexican on Navigator of the Seas for lunch is $20 per guest and dinner is $30 per guest.

Deck plans for Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas are now available, which show off a ship very similar to sister vessel, Harmony of the Seas.

The deck plans are posted for travel agent reference, and list many of the ship's onboard restaurants, bars, lounges and entertainment.  These deck plans are likely to change as the ship nears the end of its construction.

Royal Caribbean has not officially announced the name of this ship yet, although it is widely believed to be called Symphony of the Seas.

You can view the full deck plans here.

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

Episode 187 is available for downloading featuring a LIVE review from onboard Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas of the ABC islands.

Our latest group cruise has just wrapped up and we recorded this week's episode onboard Navigator of the Seas, sharing our stories and tips for anyone visiting the ABC islands.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 187. 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!

Royal Caribbean is making fleet wide updates to stateroom names and deck plan codes in an effort to simplify finding the right stateroom for all guests.

The new categorization structure will introduce:

• New Category Codes
• Intuitive Category Names
• Stateroom category shifts based on attributes, size, location, and occupancy

You can view the entire fleet wide recategorization grid here

The new category terms will flow as

• Category Class (Suite, Balcony, Ocean View, Interior)
  • Category Type (View, Size of Stateroom, Size of Balcony, Name)
    • Category Code (Occupancy limit, location, deck)

The changes will impact the forth-coming 2018/2019 itineraries. 

• Adventure of the Seas: May 5, 2018
• Allure of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Anthem of the Seas: April 28, 2018
• Brilliance of the Seas: April 5, 2018
• Empress of the Seas: TBD
• Enchantment of the Seas: May 4, 2018
• Explorer of the Seas: May 14, 2018
• Freedom of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Grandeur of the Seas: May 5, 2018
• Harmony of the Seas: May 5, 2018
• Independence of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Jewel of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Liberty of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Majesty of the Seas: May 4, 2018
• Mariner of the Seas: March 28, 2018
• Navigator of the Seas: April 22, 2018
• Oasis of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Ovation of the Seas: April 26, 2018
• Radiance of the Seas: May 13, 2018
• Rhapsody of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Serenade of the Seas: April 20, 2018
• Vision of the Seas: April 16, 2018
• Voyager of the Seas: April 30, 2018

With the exception of Quantum of the Seas, all ships and ship classes are affected equally.

Royal Suite Class recategorization

Royal Caribbean has changed a handful of suite categories and which category they now fit into the Royal Suite Class.

The AquaTheater suites (A1 and A2) will remain in Star Class.

Other notable changes: 

• Staterooms with an obstructed view are not grouped into a specific category; however, to assist in identifying, a square symbol remains in the deck plans to signify such.
• Family staterooms have been renamed, primarily because high occupancy staterooms are not only appealing to family travelers, but also other groups of individuals that may be misled by the “family” label. As not to polarize or mislead, the term “family” has been removed from such categories and has been replaced with descriptors such as “spacious” and “ultra spacious”.
  
• Central Park & Boardwalk View Rooms moved from Outside to Interior.
• Ocean View panoramic rooms moved to Suites with no balcony.
• UPDATE: AquaTheater Suites (A1 and A2) will remain in Star Class as they were before.

Royal Caribbean has been using its current categories since the 1990s, and with the changes to the fleet over the years, there have been "band-aids" to keep things consistent.  This new re-categorization will be concise, logical, named clearly and, best of all, consistent across the entire fleet!

Royal Caribbean's Spring to Summer Sale is offering 30% off all guests, plus bonus savings for a limited time.

Royal Caribbean cruises booked March 1 through 31, 2017 on sailings departing on or after April 1, 2017 (excluding China departures) are eligible.  Qualifying sailings will receive

• 30% off the standard cruise fare for all guests in a stateroom
• Dollars off per stateroom (valid on sailings booked March 1-6)
  • Sailings 5 nights or less
    • Interior and oceanview rooms: $25 off per stateroom
    • Balcony and suites: $50 off per stateroom
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer
    • Interior and oceanview rooms: $50 off per stateroom
    • Balcony: $100 off per stateroom
    • Suites: $150 off per stateroom
• Bonus savings for Anthem of the Seas sailings departing on or after April 2, 2017
  • Sailings 5 nights or less
    • Interior and oceanview rooms: $25 off per stateroom
    • Balcony: $50 off per stateroom
    • Suites: $75 off per suite
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer
    • Interior and oceanview rooms: $50 off per stateroom
    • Balcony: $75 off per stateroom
    • Suites: $100 off per stateroom

30% Savings is combinable with adjoining Anthem Dollars Off, Crown & Anchor discounts and NextCruise offers. Anthem Dollars Off is not combinable with Crown & Anchor discounts. 30% Savings and Anthem Dollars Off are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including but not limited to, restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, and Military), Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, Net Rates, and Shareholder Benefits.

Offer available to residents of United States and Canada.

One of the most common struggles cruise ship passengers go through on any sailing is the decision to find a shore excursion that is perfect for them.  Royal Caribbean offers a wide array of shore excursion options, and there are many more third-party shore excursions available to use.  And yet, some guests may find they are compromising on what the tour offers, its length or pace.

Royal Caribbean decided to offer a third choice that would include the best benefits of booking through Royal Caribbean directly, and the diversity of choices that can be found when booking on your own. Private Journeys is a relatively new option by Royal Caribbean for guests to completely customize every aspect of what they want to do during a port stop, and make it the kind of experience that curtails to their family or group's needs.

On a recent Caribbean cruise, we decided to try out Private Journeys during a planned port stop to see what the whole experience was like, and share how well it worked for us.

What is Private Journeys?

It is probably best to describe what Private Journeys is exactly before talking about the actual experience.  Private Journeys is a shore excursion option offered directly by Royal Caribbean, where guests can create a completely customized shore excursion in any port your ship visits.  You provide Private Journeys with an idea or basis of what you want to do, and then they work with local tour guides to come up with an excursion.

Guests contact Private Journeys by email or phone and work out the details, including how long the excursion will be, which stops will be included and other options (like having a meal included). 

The concept behind Private Journeys is group tours often move at a very slow pace, and sometimes there is not the exact excursion a guest might want to do. Private Journeys provides a means for guests to do exactly what they want, at their pace. Moreover, it allows guests to enjoy a completely customized tour that is not available through Royal Caribbean, but with the peace of mind that comes with booking a Royal Caribbean shore excursion.

Private Journeys promises

• Guaranteed First Off The Ship: Guests booked on our tours always depart the ship first.
• Guaranteed Return To The Ship: If your tour is running late – the ship will wait for you.
• Most Convenient Access To The Tour Vehicles
• Peace of Mind Booking Directly With Us: Our tours are led by reputable and insured tour operators who are at all times in direct contact with the ship's personnel.
• Customized tour content based on your any whish with a private vehicle and personal tour guide that speaks your own language.

It is essentially a tour perfect for guests that value their own time, and want to have a tour that caters specifically to their needs and wants, instead of that of a group. These tours retain the promise that if the tour runs late, the Royal Caribbean ship will wait for them, which is a big detractor from doing tours on your own.

Booking Private Journeys

I made the arrangements for my Private Journey a few months before my cruise by contacting them with an idea of what I wanted to do.  We provided essentially a bulleted list of spots in Curacao that we wanted to visit. Shortly thereafter, I received an email that they would reach out to a local tour guide to get a price quote.

I traded a number of emails before we came up with a plan that I was satisfied with. Royal Caribbean asked for the ages and number of travelers in the group, and quoted me the departure time, cost, duration and a detailed tour description. The tour included specific details such as a private van would be provided, an English speaking guide would accompany us and the tour price would include transportation, guidance and entrance fees to all venues we agreed upon.

The whole process took about a month before I submitted payment. I paid the entire sum of the excursion via a phone call by the Private Journeys agent.  Private Journeys are non refundable within 30 days of the ships sailing.

Once I paid for the excursion, it appeared in my Cruise Planner just like any Royal Caribbean excursion would, and even onboard, it showed up in all my printed and digital plans.

Taking the tour

We received tickets for our Private Journey in our stateroom, and the entire experience onboard was no different than any regular Royal Caribbean shore excursion.  I was concerned the crew members might not know about this option, and I would be digging for information about where to meet, but everything was spelled out very easily.

The shore excursion ticket had a time and place to meet, and when we walked off the ship, the shore excursions coordinator on the dock knew exactly who I was and had our family wait in a covered area until the driver was ready.

My other concern about the tour was the knowledge of the guide.  We had picked a tour of the historical Jewish landmarks of Curacao, and I was worried I was paying for a tour guide that was going to read off a sheet of paper. The reality was, our driver was the exact opposite.  She was a sweet older lady, that really knew her facts and I never once saw her read off anything.

We were escorted to her vehicle, which was a large SUV that was relatively new.  She provided the oral explanations of everything we would see and her colleague did the driving.  

The tour was booked for 4 hours and included just a tour of the Jewish landmarks in Willemstad, but when we met our guide, she indicated she would also include a tour of the countryside of Curacao at no additional cost.  

We made our way around the island, taking a tour of the western part of the island prior to seeing any of the Jewish sites. We stopped at beaches, historical landmarks, plantation homes and even saw a flock of flamingos. At each stop, it was up to us how much time we wanted. Some stops were fine to just pull over to the side of the road and hear about the history, while at other spots we got out and walked around.  Moreover, the guide had brought along a local delicacy of pumpkin pancakes that had prepared earlier that day for us to enjoy at one of the beach stops. There were bottles of water also available throughout the tour.

Eventually, we headed to Willemstad and began the tour of the Jewish landmarks. Any concerns I had about our guide's knowledge were quickly extinguished because she took us from site to site and explained the history and significance of the area. I was particularly impressed when we visited the oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere and she was quoting biblical facts and local customs without any visual aids. 

Because Private Journeys is designed to curtail to our needs, it worked out well for our young children who were on the tour with us.  At one point in the late morning, they were beginning to get hungry and while a lunch stop was not included in the tour, our guide did not hesitate to allow us to grab something for the kids to eat to keep them going. At another point in the tour, we took some extra time to stop at the synagogue's gift shop to peruse souvenirs. In all cases, we were never pestered to keep moving or reminded about time.

At the end of the tour, we had actually spent a good five and a half hours(4 hours were allocated for the trip) and were brought back to the port area. Royal Caribbean mentioned that the guide's gratuities are not included and should be paid at my discretion.  I offered gratuity for the trip, and our guide initially refused the money until I insisted.

Why use Private Journeys

After taking our tour, it is clear Private Journeys is aimed at Royal Caribbean guests who fall into one of these categories when it comes to planning a stop at any port

• They want a shore excursion that moves at their pace and offers activities they want to see/do.
• There is no existing shore excursion offered by Royal Caribbean that fits what they want to see/do.
• They are unwilling/unable to book a third-party shore excursion.

Based on our experience, you may pay more than similar group tours and/or private tours. At $600 for the four of us for 4 hours, the rate was a bit more than we usually pay for shore excursions, but not egregiously more expensive. The fact we ended up getting another hour or so of bonus time and a tour of the western part of the island also added to the value. 

We booked Private Journeys primarily because our young children do not do well with the slow pace of group tours and we feel at ease with Royal Caribbean shore excursions because of the guaranteed return to the ship. Essentially, Private Journeys offered us the customization of a third-party excursion, but with the benefits of a Royal Caribbean sponsored excursion. 

Would you consider a Private Journeys shore excursion? What questions do you have about the experience? Let us know in the comments below.

Adventurous activities abound on Harmony of the Seas and guests can also put their minds to the test while getting some thrills at the same time at Escape the Rubicon, the ship’s Puzzle Break escape room. Competitors work together to find hidden clues and solve a series of high-tech riddles to unravel the mystery of the Rubicon. With only 60 minutes on the clock, the excitement builds with each tick as it counts down!

We are suckers for fun souvenir cups, and we spotted one that was new and cool!

We saw these Viking Crown Lounge + Funnel souvenir drunk cup on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas, on the last day of the cruise when many cups were available to be purchased.  The cost was $3.95.

The cup is meant to look like the iconic Viking Crown Lounge that tops many Royal Caribbean ships, and you can fill it with your favorite beverage and then suck it down via the straw that comes from the ship's stack.  Very cool!

Do you want to buy one of these cups? Do they look like a cool idea? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Royal Caribbean will add lifeguards to all of its cruise ships in an effort to improve onboard water safety.

Cruise Critic reported the change, which will see Royal Caribbean add licensed lifeguards that are trained through a partner company, StarGuard Elite. At least one lifeguard will be stationed at every pool (including the Solarium) during all open hours, and will be noticeably visible in bright red and white uniforms. All have been hired specifically as lifeguards and will not serve in any other role onboard.

In addition, Royal Caribbean will present a 15-minute water safety presentation during the Adventure Ocean open house session on embarkation day. 

The lifeguards and water safety program will be deployed to all of Royal Caribbean's cruise ships over the next four months. The program debuted on Oasis of the Seas this week, and will be added to 14 ships by mid-April.  All remaining cruise shops will have lifeguards added by June 15.

• Oasis of the Seas: February 26-March 5
• Harmony of the Seas: March 7-11
• Independence of the Seas: March 11-16
• Anthem of the Seas: March 11-14
• Liberty of the Seas: March 12-19
• Freedom of the Seas: March 22-29
• Allure of the Seas: March 23-26
• Brilliance of the Seas: March 24-30
• Quantum of the Seas: March 26-31
• Ovation of the Seas: March 29-April 3
• Navigator of the Seas: March 31-April 5
• Serenade of the Seas: March 31-April 7
• Jewel of the Seas: March 31-April 4
• Rhapsody of the Seas: April 5-8
• Majesty of the Seas: April 21-24
• Empress of the Seas: April 24-29
• Adventure of the Seas: April 26-29
• Enchantment of the Seas: May 8-12
• Grandeur of the Seas: May 13-18
• Explorer of the Seas: May 15-26
• Mariner of the Seas: May 26-June 4
• Radiance of the Seas: May 28-June 6
• Voyager of the Seas: June 5-12
• Vision of the Seas: June 15-27

Royal Caribbean began offering guests the option to use life jackets for children to use in the pool in late 2015, but adding lifeguards and water safety programs is a big step forward.

On Harmony of the Seas, incredible feats are performed by soaring aerialists, tight-rope walkers and agile divers during spectacular shows in the AquaTheater. But behind the scenes there is an entire team of specialists that make it all run seamlessly. From rigging specialists to certified Scuba divers and intricate equipment like hydraulic lifts and underwater trap doors, what happens behind the scenes is as fascinating as what’s on stage.