Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) released its fourth-quarter 2016 financial results today, with US GAAP and adjusted earnings for 2016 of $5.93 and $6.08 per share, respectively, resulting in more than a 25% increase in both US GAAP and adjusted earnings over 2015.

The company reported fourth-quarter earnigs if $261.1 million. On a per-share basis, it had net income of $1.21. Earnings, adjusted for restructuring costs and non-recurring costs, came to $1.23 per share.

For the year, the company reported profit of $1.28 billion, or $5.93 per share. Revenue was reported as $8.5 billion.

The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.22 per share.

Looking to 2017, the company sees favorable conditions with foreign exchange and fuel prices creating headwinds. The company's booked position for 2017 is better than last year's record high, and at higher rates. Strength from North American consumers is driving exceptionally positive trends for North American and European products. These trends, along with a positive outlook for Australia and a solid booked position in China for the first half of the year, are positioning the company for robust growth in 2017.

A common question first time cruisers ask is if a Royal Caribbean cruise is all-inclusive, and that usually leads to a conversation about the modularity of a cruise vacation and how you can pick and choose which experiences appeal to you, and not pay for others that do not.  Thinking about the question some more, it lead to our own question, "how close could a guest get to an all-inclusive Royal Caribbean cruise?"

What is all-inclusive?

Depending on your definition of "all-inclusive", the answer to that question can vary.  For our purposes, we referenced the Sandals Resorts definition and looked up what is not included in their vacations. After all, Sandals has made a name for themselves as a leader in all-inclusive land vacations. Here is what is not included

• Spa treatments
• Optional tours
• Golf caddies
• Medical assistance
• Gift shop items
• Transportation
• Phone calls
• Scuba certification or refresher courses

Using this list as our frame of reference for what we can leave out of the all-inclusive categories, it stands to reason these Royal Caribbean options could also be omitted.

• Vitality Spa treatments
• Medical attention
• Souvenirs from any onboard shops
• Transportation to/from airport
• Phone calls onboard

Otherwise, we would need to include everything else in our all-inclusive Royal Caribbean experience.  Moreover, the idea would be a guest could go on a Royal Caribbean cruise and never pay a dime on their SeaPass account, unless they selected to do one of the experiences listed above.

What is included in your Royal Caribbean cruise

All too often, guests get hung up on what is not included, but the reality is your cruise fare includes quite a bit. The value offered by a cruise is unparalleled, and here is a good breakdown of what activities, dining venues, entertainment options and experiences are included with your Royal Caribbean cruise fare.

• Entertainment & Nightlife
  • Broadway shows
  • Live music and comedy shows
  • Aqua shows and ice-skating shows
  • Parades and parties on the Royal Promenade
  • Comedy and live jazz club
  • Nightclubs, karaoke and sing-along piano bars
  • Lounge games and contests, such as trivia, Puzzle Break, Battle of the Sexes and more
• Signature Activities
  • FlowRider® surf simulator
  • Rock Climbing Wall
  • Quantum Class
    • RipCord® by iFLY® skydiving simulator
    • North Star observation capsule
    • SeaPlex play space with bumper cars, roller skating, trapeze school, video games and more
  • Oasis Class
    • Zip Line
  • Multi-level waterslides and slides on select ships
• Meals, beverages & room service
  • Main dining room
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in various venues throughout each ship
  • Windjammer casual buffet on every ship, open for every meal
  • Variety of juices, teas, coffees, soft drinks and water throughout the ship and with meals
• Kids & Teens
  • Adventure Ocean Youth Program
  • DreamWorks Experience
  • Fuel teen club
  • Teen lounge area with movies, games and live DJ
• Fitness Center & Sports Activities
  • State-of-the-art fitness center
  • Table tennis
  • Full-size basketball and sports court
  • Group fitness classes, such as sunrise stretch, fab abs, dancing, meditation and more
  • Seminars on topics like weight loss, reflexology, stargazing and more
  • Deck Games — Volleyball, pool games, tug of war and other active challenges
  • Running / jogging track
• Pools & Outdoor amenities
  • Outdoor poolside movies
  • Adults-only Solarium
  • Multiple whirlpools
  • Traditional swimming pools plus beach ambience areas and sports zones
  • H2O Zone and Splashaway Bay for kids

How to get to an all-inclusive Royal Caribbean cruise

Over the last few years, Royal Caribbean has added more choices for guests to make optional experiences onboard simpler to consume and understand. The advent of pre-purchased packages have largely been a win-win for cruise line and guest a like.  Guests enjoy the convenience of having a variety of package options that offer seemingly limitless choices, while the cruise line has seen a resounding increase in onboard spending.

Here are the various means to have an all-inclusive Royal Caribbean cruise. All of these options can be (and should be) purchased prior to your cruise via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner, or via your travel agent.

Pre-pay gratuities

Every guest on a Royal Caribbean cruise will be charged a daily gratuity, which goes towards rewarding the services of the wait staff and stateroom attendants.  Normally, this daily gratuity is charged to a guest's SeaPass account automatically with the final charges being paid at the conclusion of the cruise.

Instead, guests can have their travel agent pre-pay the gratuities. This provides two advantages. First, it breaks up the total cost of the cruise, because the gratuities will be paid earlier than the cruise fare. Second, if the recommended gratuity amount changes after pre-paying gratuities, Royal Caribbean has traditionally grandfathered in guests who had already paid their gratuities upfront.

Cost: Junior Suite, Balcony, Ocean View, and Interior staterooms: $14.50 per guest, per day. Suite guests (Grand Suite & Above): $17.50 per guest, per day.

Photo packages

Royal Caribbean photographers will be looking to capture memories throughout your cruise vacation, from the dining rooms to the pool area and even on the dock at each port.  These photo opportunities are complimentary to engage in, and then you can decide later if you want to purchase those photos. A standard 8x10 photo onboard the ship commonly costs about $20 per print.

Guests who want to be able to take as many photos as possible and take them home later, can take advantage of a photo package at www.ourcruisephotos.com.

The cost will vary, but it is generally cheaper to pre-purchase the photos on the site before your cruise, instead of buying a package on the ship.  A common choice is to have all photos digitally saved to a USB drive, which can then be printed when you get home or just shared to social media. 

Cost: $249.99 for all photos on a USB Drive.

Internet

Royal Caribbean offers high speed internet in the form of its branded service, Voom.  Voom internet offers substantially higher speed connections than other cruise lines, and is available fleet-wide anywhere onboard.

Regardless of if you look to make your cruise all-inclusive or not, it is a good idea to pre-pay for your Voom internet service because Royal Caribbean offers a significant discount compared to purchasing it onboard. There are a variety of plans available that provide unlimited Voom internet throughout the cruise.  There are plans that support one through five devices, with the average cost per device dropping with the more devices that are added to the plan. And yes, you can sign out of one device and log in with another device without requiring a 2-device plan.

Cost: Prices vary depending on ship and sail date. One device plans start between $11.99-$15.99 per day for one device at a time.

Unlimited beverage packages

Perhaps the most popular packages of all are any of the unlimited drink packages. There are a variety of drink packages that offer unlimited alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages that can fit the needs of any guest.  Of course, any unlimited drink package is best served for guests that will drink enough each day of their cruise to make the purchase worthwhile.  If your goal is to have an all-inclusive cruise experience, then these packages are a must.

It should be noted that the drink packages offer a very wide range of drinks, but there are certain beverages exempted from being included in any drink package.

For adults, the Deluxe Beverage Package will include most alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments, while the Refreshment Package includes most non-alcoholic beverages for children and adults. Any of the drink packages should be pre-purchased online via the Cruise Planner, especially since Royal Caribbean regularly offers a discount on the Deluxe Beverage Package when purchased prior to the cruise.

Cost: Depends on sailing. Deluxe Beverage Package will range between $41-55 per guest, per day. Refreshment package costs $26 per guest, per day. 

Specialty Dining Package

Perhaps no experience onboard has become as popular and prevalent as specialty dining on a Royal Caribbean cruise.  More and more specialty restaurants have been added to Royal Caribbean ships, which offer guests cuisines and experiences previously unavailable onboard for an additional cost. To encourage guests to try more specialty dining while offering a discount, Royal Caribbean has begun offering dining packages.

The dining packages are simple: guests experience 2, 3, 4 or 5 specialty restaurants on their Royal Caribbean cruise with up to 40% off the price if they were purchased individually. By purchasing a dining package, guests can be assured of enjoying plenty of specialty dining during their cruise.

Like the other packages, dining packages can be purchased via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner prior to a cruise.

Cost: 2 Night Dining Package costs $30 per adult, 3 Night Dining Package costs $75 per adult, 4 Night Dining Package costs $90 per adult, and 5 Night Dining Package costs $105 per adult.

Shore excursions

Royal Caribbean does not usually offer shore excursion packages (although they have experimented in the past), however, guests can pre-purchase all of their shore excursions prior to the cruise on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner. 

Just like the packages listed earlier in this post, pre-purchasing ensures no additional costs once on the cruise. 

Cost: Varies depending on excursion.

Or just stay in a suite

It is worth noting that Royal Caribbean's suite offerings do include quite a bit of these services and packages already, provided you opt for their elite Star Class accommodations.

Royal Caribbean's Royal Suite Class combines amazing service with first-class amenities. The Royal Suite Class is only available on Oasis and Quantum class ships, but offers the very best in what Royal Caribbean can offer.  Moreover, nearly all of the options listed above are included with the Star Class, including some options above and beyond what a guest in a non-suite room could even purchase.

As you might imagine, Star Class suites are not inexpensive.  Then again, suites are not about providing a value proposition to guests, but rather, an indulgent vacation that rewards oneself.

If you want the closest thing to an all-inclusive Royal Caribbean cruise experience with the greatest simplicity (and money is no object), then go straight to booking a Star Class stateroom and consider this an easy win.

Your thoughts

Does the idea of having an all-inclusive Royal Caribbean cruise vacation sound appealing? Did we miss anything that should have been included in this post? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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

Episode 182 is available for downloading, where we share a recent cruiser's experience with being sick while on her cruise.

No one wants to get sick on a cruise, but sometimes it just happens, and this week, we share what Halee's experience was like being sick onboard, and discuss lessons learned from her ordeal.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 182. 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's eagerly awaited deployment opening schedule appears to be available for its world wide cruise itineraries.

A new Royal Caribbean document points to when Royal Caribbean will post the deployments for regions around the world.

UPDATED March 6:

• Week of March 6, 2017
  • Europe (Phase I) & Bahamas
• Week of March 13, 2017
  • Alaska, Cruisetours, Year-Round Caribbean & Bahamas
• Week of March 20, 2017 
  • Europe (Phase II)
• Week of March 27, 2017
  • Northeast & Seasonal Caribbean
• Week of April 3, 2017
  • Australia & Singapore
• Week of April 24, 2017
  • China

All itineraries and openings are subject to change without notice. 

Deployment schedules gives consumers an idea of when to expect particular cruise schedules to become available to start looking at future cruises.

From horticulture to high diving, Royal Caribbean International’s crew members bring their many passions on board the ships they work on. While their job titles run the gamut, what they have in common is that they live the adventure they create for their guests. With the opportunity to meet new people every day and step foot in a new country nearly as often, it’s no surprise Royal Caribbean has a crew that's passionate and committed to bringing incredible vacations to life.

Today is the final day of my 3 consecutive cruises, it’s been a great vacation but I thought to myself it’s not over yet I have one more day.

Today I woke up around 7:30am to the Captain making an announcement that we would not be going to their private island of Coco Cay. Due to the storm front moving down from Florida, we would spend the day at sea. I was sad we couldn’t go to over to the island because I love it so much, but I was okay with a sea day too. 

Morning on board 

First I started off my morning in the dining room and it was busy. Many of the guests were just taking the morning slow since it’s a sea day. I discovered my love for their toasted raisin bread.

Of course, when you ask for some they bring you the whole plate to enjoy. I went with my standard morning omelet and bacon and off I went. 

After breakfast I just wanted to explore the ship to see what all was going on.

First, I saw they were doing trivia in the Schooner Bar, so I joined in on that action for a while. I’m not going to lie, these questions were pretty hard, I think the best score was 9 out of 20 right and it wasn’t me!

They also had some line dancing going on in the Centrum hosted by the assistant cruise director, Moe. He works so hard, every event on that ship he’s either hosting or involved in.

I don’t think I went more than two hours a day without seeing him. He’s become a real friend of mine over the years from Enchantment and now on Majesty. 

Afternoon on board 

This afternoon I had planned to enjoy the pool deck but the wind was so high it was almost not enjoyable to be outside.

I walked the outside decks to take some pictures and talk about windy, I was holding on to everything I had on me. At this point the captain made his second announcement of bad news, that we were headed back to Florida tonight. I suppose it’s not really bad news because we could still enjoy the ship that evening docked.

A few hours later they issues another update that we would be arriving sooner than planned. With that being said, all the stores, casino, photo shop would be closing at 9pm. 

Evening on board 

Tonight we went to the show at 7:30pm and it was their first time performing the show. The name of the show just can’t come to me, but it’s the main show from the Enchantment they have brought over to Majesty. It was a good show; I’ve seen it many times and last for around an hour. 

My final meal tonight was back in the main dining room and I ordered the lasagna and tiger shrimp. I asked for my lasagna to be made with their red sauce to change it up, since I’ve had it three times this week.

The service was outstanding and I couldn’t have asked for better dining service. 

Everyone on board kept talking about this amazing piano player in the schooner bar, so I had to go check it out. And I’m glad I did, he was one of the best I’ve ever seen. The bar was very busy since all the shops/casino was closed. This was very different than past players, he had the crowd up dancing all over the bar and singing. In fact, at one point he left the piano and walked around signing with guest around the bar.

My best comparison of this experience is an evening in dazzles, very loud music and everyone dancing. It was the perfect way to end my vacation, and I’m so excited he will be on board through May so I can see him again. 

Recap of the Majesty 

The Majesty of the Seas is not the newest ship in the fleet, it’s not the largest ship in the fleet, but she’s the friendliest ship in the fleet. Often you will hear the hotel director saying that, but it’s true. The crew on Majesty is what makes her different than any other ship I’ve been on. Yes, we have all had great service across the fleet, but on Majesty the crew is almost like family. I can’t tell you how many hugs I gave this last day and thanks for everything. I’ll give you an example; their loyalty ambassador on board Shane has won officer of the year two years in a row. I was surprised the same person won two years in a row, but now I understand it. Last night, I saw him in the Diamond area, the show, the schooner bar and again this morning at 7am; he came to the diamond holding area to wish everyone a safe trip home. I’ve never seen this type of exposure from officers on any cruise I’ve taken before. 

I’m sad my journey has come to an end, but I’m happy it happen, and made memories from this cruise for a life time. Thank you so much for following along with me these 10 days! Until next time, I’ll see you at sea…

Royal Caribbean announced today it is the only cruise line in the world with onboard PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) Five Star Dive Centers, which allows guests to become certified scuba divers as part of their vacation.

Royal Caribbean’s partnership with PADI offers plenty of options for guests, regardless of experience. Whether a newbie or experienced diver, Royal Caribbean offers a range of programs from a 30-minute Try Dive program, for those just wanting to get their feet wet, to PADI’s Reactivate™ Program for certified divers wanting a refresher; prices starting at $29 and $59 per person, respectively.

Those seeking the ultimate scuba dive vacation can enroll in PADI’s Open Water Diver course to earn their complete scuba diving certification, starting at $599 per person. The premiere scuba course begins at home with the online course using either the PADI Touch™ app for mobile devices or PADI eLearning® online for desktop and laptop computers, leaving more time for the fun of scuba diving while on vacation.

Once on the high seas, divers will test the waters in the ship’s pool before heading out to complete the four mandatory, open-water training dives in some of the world’s most spectacular underwater surroundings. The training dives will be split among two different ports of call, allowing for maximum sightseeing in the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean or South Pacific. Upon returning home, guests will be certified scuba divers able to plan and execute dives on their own and have the stories to share about the aquatic world they’ve recently discovered. 

Guests looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of the ocean and wonder of marine life can book their PADI course before boarding through the Cruise Planner, or while on board at one of the Royal Caribbean-exclusive PADI Five Star Dive Centers found on 10 ships across the fleet, including Oasis-, Freedom- and Voyager-class ships, as well as Quantum-class’ Anthem of the Seas.

"For the past 16 years Royal Caribbean has worked closely with PADI to develop our onboard dive program," said Roberta Jacoby, managing director, Global Tour Operations at Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. "No other cruise line offers the opportunity for guests to become PADI certified scuba divers as part of the cruise, making it an ultimate dive trip as well. When guests sign up for the PADI Open Water Diver Course, they receive first-rate training and diver certification, performing their own scuba dives amidst the beautiful and serene waters of multiple Caribbean destinations and the South Pacific."

Today we are in Nassau, Bahamas from noon until midnight. I woke up early (7:30am) and I hope you are sitting down when you read this…I went to the gym. They only have 5 treadmills, so I waited 10 minutes until one of them opened up. Not a big deal, but I did hear the staff ask someone to get off because she was over their 30 minutes limit. After the gym I showered up and headed down for breakfast in the main dining room. I kept telling myself I was going to skip breakfast this morning, but since I was skipping lunch off I went. I was sitting next to a couple we had met and he informed me to order a fresh made to order omelet with un-opened eggs. Wow this really made a difference from the omelets I’ve been eating previously. 

At 10:45am they had the Crown and Anchor welcome back party. Let’s just say I’m getting this party down since it’s my third time, but they do hand out free drinks.

This was the first time I have officially heard Royal Caribbean say the name of Oasis IV, Symphony of the Seas. This is the 4th Oasis Class ship launching in Spring 2018. They talked about when she comes out she will start sailing in Europe and then to her homeport in Florida. 

Around 12:30pm I left the ship for my afternoon in Nassau. We had a small group of 4 from the ship that decided to explore the island.

First up we headed to the Queen’s Staircase.

My last time here was on my live blog on Enchantment of the Seas in October. I wanted to go back to see how the area looked post hurricane damage. If you have never been here the walk is about 15 minutes and it is completely free to explore. The staircase is directly behind the Nassau hospital by the pier. After we left the staircase we headed over to the Greycliff Hotel.

This is a very old hotel and they let you just walk through it to explore. They offer day passes here also around $100, however it does not come with any food/beverages. Many famous people come to stay here because of how luxury it is. When you walk through their hotel you end up at the chocolate factory. They always have a free sample, so you have some chocolate to taste.

After exploring the hotel we headed back to the pier area to explore. We noticed they had a live band going on the sidewalk and just seemed like there was so much going on. Of course, I had to stop into my favorite pub again to grab a beer and use their free Wi-Fi. 

Evening on board

Tonight we went up to the Diamond event and I was able to take some great photos as the sun was setting. I know, you must be thinking well by day 9 how many more pictures can you take! But sometimes these just never get old.

They also had some snacks up in the lounge but I passed to safe room for dinner. 

For dinner tonight I was lucky enough to get invited to the Captain's Table again.

We met in the Schooner bar at 8pm for happy hour and then walked down to the dining room.

The experience at this table is hard to describe, but it is unlike any service I have ever had before.

The Hotel Director talked about the upgrades coming to the Majesty of the Seas during her next dry dock in January 2018. This leads me to believe, The Majesty of the Seas is not leaving the fleet anytime soon. The meal lasted a little over two hours and just great conversation all around. 

Well that is it for my full day in Nassau, Bahamas. Tomorrow we are headed to Coco Cay!

Each week we summarize all of this week's Royal Caribbean news in one post, just in case you missed any of it. Lots of things happen in your life during the week, so this is your opportunity to catch up on everything Royal Caribbean.

The big news this week came from the rumor mill, with some compelling indications of what Royal Caribbean's next cruise ship will named.

First, a blog post from the FlowRider company specifically referred to Oasis IV as Symphony of the Seas.  Then a few days later, a construction photo shows the same name being prepared on the ship's hull.

Royal Caribbean has made no official announcement regarding what its fourth Oasis class ship will be named, but many believe she will be named Symphony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean News

• Here is how to get a discount on a Royal Caribbean drink package.
• Five things to love about Navigator of the Seas.
• All this week, we have been LIVE blogging from Majesty of the Seas.
• New photos of Ovation of the Seas in Sydney are quite beautiful.
• Want to do something besides sit at the beach in Labadee? Here are six ideas for fun activities.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 181st  episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, which provides an overview of what Labadee offers.

Royal Caribbean's private destination of Labadee is a highlight for any cruise, and on this episode, Matt looks at what there is to do in Labadee, what to expect on shore, and tips for a fun day.

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.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Penn State University has a look at two Royal Caribbean crew members who graduated from Penn State.

Cruise Dudes Podcast interviewed a listener who recently sailed on Allure of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean shares how its cruise ships save energy.

Everyone loves a good beach day, but sometimes you want to branch out and, to borrow a phrase from a past Royal Caribbean marketing campaign, get out there. Royal Caribbean's private destination of Labadee is well-known for its amazing beaches and serenity, but for those that want a little more active fun, here are some suggestions for what to do on your next visit there.

Ride the longest zip line over water

As soon as you step foot onto Labadee, you will likely notice the zip line cables extending down from the top of a nearby mountain, which seems to draw many guests who want to experience it for themselves.

The Dragon's Breath zip line takes you 500 feet above the beach as you reach speeds of 40-50 miles per hour. The zip line is 2,600 feet long and begins atop lookout mountain, and will take you above the ocean and land.

Arawak Aqua Park

If your idea of a good time is jumping, falling and canon-balling into the ocean off giant inflatable objects, then Arawak Aqua Park is perfect for you.  While there is plenty of time spent in the water, unlike a day at the beach, this aqua park is all about expending a ton of energy in this fun marine playground.

Floating trampolines, pyramids and water slides await you as you jump, climb and splash to your heart's content. It is fun for kids and adults who want to keep cool while having a lot of fun while enjoying picture-perfect views of the turquoise sea around you.

Parasail

To get a full appreciation of Labadee's natural beauty, one needs to go about 400 feet in the air on an exciting parasailing adventure.

Going up in a parasail provides one of the best views of Labadee, your Royal Caribbean ship, and the surrounding area. Guests take a scenic journey to the parasailing area, where they fly in tandem high above Labadee.  Without a doubt, you will not find another view like this one.

Jet Ski

Anytime I think of jet skiing in Labadee, I am reminding of this classic Royal Caribbean television commercial.

Regardless of your nostalgia, a jet ski ride is the perfect way for anyone that wants to take a high-speed adventure through the waters of Labadee.  This is great for anyone that wants to indulge their sense of adventure and enjoy Labadee's natural beauty with the wind in their hair.

Deep sea fishing

Did you know you can go fishing while in Labadee? Royal Caribbean provides a 3-hour fishing voyage off the coast of Labadee, where your Captain takes you in search of saltwater fish to catch.

Guests embark on a 25.5 foot boat for an opportunity to try to find and reel in various large fish, such as marlin, tuna, wahoo and mahi mahi. 

Alpine Coaster

Located 680 feet up on Santa Maria’s lookout mountain, you will find the Dragon's Tail roller coaster, which is an alpine coaster.  You may have seen these sort of rides at some ski resorts during the summer months. 

Essentially it is a single car vehicle that races down a track at 30 miles per hour and features 360-degree turns as well as dips, waves and curves, you can catch glimpses of the ocean.