Royal Caribbean Blog

When you sail on your next Royal Caribbean ship, there is a good chance you will find Coca-Cola's amazing self-serve beverage dispensers known as the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine.

The Freestyle machine offers guests 100+ flavors of various Coca-Cola products that you can mix together to create the perfect drink for you.  Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line to offer Freestyle machines.

In order to use the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, guests must purchase an all-inclusive beverage package or the Royal refreshment package and use their complimentary Coca-Cola souvenir cup. The Coca-Cola souvenir cup has a special chip in it which activates the machine.

The following Royal Caribbean ships have Coca-Cola Freestyle Machines

• Adventure of the Seas 
• Allure of the Seas 
• Anthem of the Seas 
• Enchantment of the Seas 
• Explorer of the Seas 
• Freedom of the Seas 
• Grandeur of the Seas 
• Harmony of the Seas 
• Independence of the Seas 
• Jewel of the Seas 
• Mariner of the Seas 
• Navigator of the Seas 
• Oasis of the Seas 
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas 
• Ovation of the Seas 
• Rhapsody of the Seas 
• Symphony of the Seas 
• Wonder of the Seas

It seems that Freestyle machines are only available in the United States, Canada and limited availability in the UK and Europe and Royal Caribbean has added the machines to ships based mostly in the United States.

Using the Freestyle machines is pretty simple too, you pick a base flavor (like Coke or Fanta) and you can customize the drink with fruit flavors (Orange Coke or Orange Fanta, Lime Fanta, etc).  You can also stop a drink mid-pour by just releasing the dispense button and select another drink to mix two together. So if you want to mix Orange Fanta with Mello Yello Grape you can!

Some of the base flavors available to choose from are Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Caffeine-Free Diet Coke, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Fanta, Fanta Zero, Minute Maid Lemonade, Minute Maid Light, Dasani, Dasani Sensations, Powerade, Powerade Zero, Hi-C, Barq's, Diet Barq's and Seagram's Lemon Lime Seltzer. and more.

The special souvenir Coca-Cola cups that Royal Caribbean sells also has a time restriction, which prevents guests from getting refills until 10-15 minutes have passed since their last pour.  This time restriction is to prevent abuse of the Freestyle machine privileges.

Use of the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines is available with a few unlimited drink packages:

• Royal Refreshment package
  • $8.00 per day, per guest
• Royal Replenish package
  • $22.42 per person, per day (includes service charge)
• All of the Royal Caribbean unlimited alcohol packages
  • Unlimited alcohol packages begin at $42 per person, per day

Have you tried the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines on your Royal Caribbean cruise? Thinking about using them on your next cruise? Tell us about it in the comments!

You have decided on the right Royal Caribbean cruise for you, made a deposit on your sailing, and have your stateroom reserved just for you. What should you do next?

Planning a Royal Caribbean cruise can be a fun exercise in planning, as you discover there is a lot to do before you ever set foot on your ship.

Once you have your cruise booked, here are five things you should look into as your next step and really jump into the pre-cruise excitement!

1. Select your dining preference

Dinner on a Royal Caribbean cruise has a few options to choose from, and you will want to make sure you pick the option you want. There are a few choices: Traditional (early or late seating) and My Time Dining.

Traditional dining is where you have a set time each night of your cruise, where you will be seated at the same table in the main dining room and have the same wait staff and table mates. This is the most common choice available and is also the most widely available option. There are two times, early and late seating.

My Time Dining takes place in the Main Dining Room as well, but instead of a fixed time and table, you reserve times during the evening or show up and get the first available table. My Time Dining allows for more flexibility in when you eat, but requires more planning to ensure you have a spot each night to dine at.

To enroll in any of these options for your cruise, contact your travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly and request the one you want. There can be times when the choice you want is full, but you can request to be put on a waitlist. In our experience, wait list requests usually are fulfilled.

2. Register your cruise on the Cruise Planner

In order to gain access to all of Royal Caribbean's pre-cruise planning options online, you will want to register yourself on Royal Caribbean's website and tie your reservation to your account.

If you have not done so already, create an account on Royal Caribbean's website. It's free and should take just a few minutes to complete.

Log into your account and then add an existing reservation to your account.

Now, you will have access to every detail of your sailing on the Cruise Planner, including shore excursions, beverage packages, entertainment, dining reservations, and more.

Read more: The Ultimate Guide to the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner site

3. Research your pre-cruise transportation

We recommend arriving at your cruise embarkation port at least one day early, to avoid transportation delays that can potentially cause you to miss your cruise.

For those who are flying on an airplane to your cruise, booking airfare in advance is a good idea. It is also a good idea to research a hotel to stay at and lock in a price now before others do the same.

Depending on the port you are leaving from, there can be lots of hotels and resorts to choose from. Use consumer review websites to find which hotel will offer you the amenities you want for the price you can afford.  

It is easy to overlook your pre-cruise transportation and lodging and then have to pay more than you should later.

4. Review your travel documents

Before you can get onboard your Royal Caribbean cruise, you will need to provide local authorities the proper documentation to prove who you are, and you definitely do not want to arrive at the pier missing something important.

Research what proof of identification you may need for everyone in your party, such as birth certificates, driver's licenses and/or passports. If you are traveling to another country for your cruise, look into if you will need to apply for a visa.

Processing times for documents like visas and passports can take weeks, if not months, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get any necessary documents ready for your sail date.

Read more: Guide to cruising with a birth certificate

5. Research if you should purchase travel insurance

Insurance is one of the things that you do not think of until you need it and then it is worth every penny. The thing is, not everyone needs travel insurance but you should look into what travel insurance offers and if you are at an elevated risk and would benefit from it.

Royal Caribbean offers travel insurance, as well as many third-party companies. Read exactly what the insurance covers and the scenarios in which you can make a claim. It is important to be aware that travel insurance does not cover every scenario, but issues such as personal illness, death of a family member, airline delays, lost baggage and more are common times when insurance will be of great benefit.

There is no easy way to determine who does and who does not need travel insurance, but you should at least consider the option now to safeguard yourself in the future.

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Enjoying a refreshing drink on your Royal Caribbean cruise is something many folks look forward to, but just because you are not on a cruise right now does not mean you cannot enjoy the same drinks at home!

Blog reader Paul Westbrook sent us recipes for the drink of the day for each day of his Freedom of the Seas cruise.

Each day of a cruise, Royal Caribbean selects one tasty cocktail to be the drink of the day, where the price of the drink is reduced a bit and featured all over the ship.

So get those blenders ready and enjoy these great drinks!

Tropical Sunset

Ingredients

• .75 oz Smirnoff vodka
• .75 oz peach scnapps
• .75 oz Chambord black raspberry liqueur
• 1.5 oz cranberry juice
• 1.5 oz pineapple juice

Instructions

Shake and mix well.

Blue Caribbean

Ingredients

• 1.25 oz Bacardi superior rum
• .75 oz blue curacao
• 3 oz pineapple juice

Instructions

Served on the rocks with a splash of sprite

Paradise Punch

Ingredients

• .75 oz Bacardi rum
• .75 oz cocounut rum
• .5 oz peach snapps
• 1.5 oz pineapple and cranberry juices

Instructions

Shake and serve on the rocks.

Strawberry Hill Mojito

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Bacardi superior rum
• 1 oz mojito mix
• 1 oz Island Oasis Strawberry

Instructions

Top with soda water

Tropical Lemondae

Ingredients

• 1.25 oz Smirnoff vodka
• .75 oz blue curacao

Instructions

Serve on the rocks

Mayan Mango Margarita

Ingredients

• 1.25 oz Jose Cuervo gold tequila
• 1.5 oz Island Oasis mango
• .75 oz triple sec
• Sweet & Sour mix

Instructions

Shake tequila and mago juice together and then add triple sec and sweet & sour mix.

Caribbean Tea

Ingredients

• .5 oz Smirnoff vodka
• .5 oz Bacardi superior rum
• .5 oz gin
• .5 oz sweet blue curacao
• 2 oz sweet & sour mix

Instructions

Top with Sprite and serve on the rocks.

Many Royal Caribbean cruise ships offer guests the opportunity to dine at Johnny Rockets, a retro-inspired restaurant where you’ll feel like you stepped back in time to an era of sock hops, soda fountains and drive-in theaters.  

Johnny Rockets has been working with Royal Caribbean since 1999, when the first Johnny Rockets debuted on Voyager of the Seas. Since then, Johnny Rockets has spread to over a dozen cruise ships.

Atmosphere

When you step inside a Johnny Rockets, you will find a recreation of an American diner from the 1950's.  

Johnny Rockets on Freedom of the Seas

Walking into the diner, you will find booths with red vinyl seats opposite a long counter of white tile with chrome trim.  You will hear music from the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's that play continuously. 

The crew members working at Johnny Rockets look the part as well, with their paper hats and long white aprons.  

In fact, the crew members will stop what they are doing and jump into a line dance for certain songs.

Johnny Rockets on Quantum of the Seas

On the Quantum class ships, the set up is more open.  Instead of an enclosed restaurant, you will find an open air restaurant on the pool deck where you place your order at the counter and then wait for your food to be prepared and can eat it in the restaurant or take it elsewhere on the ship.

Cost

On most ships, Johnny Rockets comes with a cover charge of $6.95 per person that includes most food on the menu  You will be able to eat as much as you care to order.  Milk shakes and other beverages come with an extra cost.  

On the Quantum class cruise ships, Johnny Rockets does not have a cover charge and instead has an a la carte menu, where each item on the menu has an individual cost.

Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society members will often get a coupon to dine at Johnny Rockets, which is usually a free cover charge.

The basics

On ships that offer Johnny Rockets, when the restaurant is open, guests can go dine there at any time and will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.

There is seating in booths, at the counter and also outside the restaurant (weather permitting). 

As you are seated, you will be handed a menu by your waiter and have a choice between hamburgers, melts, hot dogs, sandwiches, fries, onion rings and more.

Each table is given a side of onion rings and french fries to start with, before your main courses arrive.

Breakfast too

On Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, Johnny Rockets is open for breakfast and it's complimentary.

For breakfast, Johnny Rockets serves up fried or scrambled eggs, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, french toast, omelettes and more.

Juice, milk, coffee, tea and hot chocolate are included in the meal as well.

Ships with Johnny Rockets

• Voyager of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Majesty of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas

Have you eaten at Johnny Rockets on a Royal Caribbean ship? Let us know in the comments!

Royal Caribbean has a flexible dinner option called My Time Dining that is perfect for someone that wants to be able to have dinner at different times of the evening.

It's a simple program where you get to eat in the main dining room on your own schedule.  All of the mainstream cruise lines offer something like this, but Royal Caribbean has its own twist.

Here's what you need to know about My Time Dining.

What is My Time Dining?

Essentially, My Time Dining is a program where for dinner in the main dining room, you can select times to eat between the hours of 6:00 and 9:30 p.m.

It differs from traditional dinner, where you have the same time, table, and waiters every night of your cruise.

With My Time Dining, you can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. You can pre-book a time or show up and wait for an available table.

For example, you could have dinner at 8:30pm on the first night of the cruise and then have dinner at 6pm on the second night. Just like traditional dining times, you can skip the main dining room all together and eat at a specialty restaurant or the buffet.

There is a maximum of 10 guests per reservation.

Are the menus the same for My Time Dining as they are for traditional dinner?

Yes, it's exactly the same menu for both traditional and My Time Dining.

How to opt-in for My Time Dining

Booking My Time Dining is simple, you can select it as your dining option when making your cruise reservation or at any time prior to your cruise by contacting Royal Caribbean or your travel agent.

When selecting My Time Dining, you must pre-pay all gratuities in advance.

How to book a reservation

It is recommended that you make reservations in advance of your sailing if you prefer to dine at the most popular times, between 6:30pm and 8pm.

You can make reservations onboard your ship, although there will be less reservations available by that time and typically the crew members will try to steer you to keeping the same time each night.

In general, the larger the group, the less flexibility you have to modify your dining time.

If you don’t get the time you prefer initially, keep checking back to see if you can change your dining time.  Even during the cruise, time slots open up.

Read more: How to book My Time Dining on Royal Caribbean

Onboard your cruise

On your Royal Caribbean ship, there is one deck of the main dining room dedicated to My Time Dining.  

You arrive at the main dining room at your reserved time to be seated.  You can optionally arrive without reservations, but you should be prepared to wait for a table. Often, this wait can be up to an hour.

If you are more than 5 minutes late, your table may be given away to a stand by group

Who is My Time Dining good for?

Generally speaking, My Time Dining is great for those that think dinner before 6pm is too early and 8pm as too late. Additionally, My Time Dining is good for those that may want to change their time for dinner depending on their plans for the day.

The evening shows aboard the ship are more structured for those in early and late traditional seating.

The challenge is to try and book way ahead to get the limited number of slots available between 6:30pm and say 7:45pm.

Does My Time Dining "favor" small groups or large groups?

Smaller groups provide the greatest flexibility. There is usually just a few tables for 6 or more when you’re asking for a table for just your group.

As an example, on a cruise on Independence of the Seas last year, there was only one table for 10 guests, so there was not much wiggle room for changing times.

How important are reservations? 

Without reservations, how important reservations are depend on your table size.

If you are up to two guests, you may not have much of a wait to get a table.  Groups of 4 or more and you have to wait 30-60 minutes until a table is ready.

The crew members will give you a pager to let you know when your table is ready but going to dinner without My Time Reservations is a gamble in terms of how long you will be seated, especially if you are trying to eat during the prime hours of 6pm to 8pm.

Is it possible to get the same waiters every night with My Time Dining?

If you make reservations for the same time every night, it is more likely you will have the same wait staff.

You may request a certain waiter each night, although it may increase your wait time, even if you have a reserved time.

Altering your dinner time will increase the change substantially of getting a different pair of waiters in our experience.

Can I request a table for two people?

Yes! That does not mean you will get a table for two, but the crew members will try their best to accommodate your request.

Just like at a restaurant at home, you may need to wait for a table for two to open up. 

Your best bet is to make reservations in advance, as those with a reservation already seem to get preferred treatment over people that show up and ask for a specific table.

If you want to have a table for two every night of your cruise, my advice is to ask the head waiter to assist.

Can I change to early or late dinner during my cruise if I don't like My Time Dining?

Possibly, but it all depends on availability. 

You could certainly book the same time every night of your cruise and effectively re-create the traditional dinner experience.  The "catch" is My Time Dinner starts later than early seating, so you would not be able to replicate quite as early a time window.

If you're not liking My Time Dining, the first thing to do is speak to the head waiter and address the problem.  In many cases, there could be a simpler solution that changing you to another type of dining.

A big thank you to Ken Slusser for assisting in writing this blog post!

I don't know about you, but when I go on a Royal Caribbean cruise, enjoying the food and drinks are a big part of the cruise vacation experience for me. I love trying out new foods, savoring my favorite drinks, and taking a gastronomic tour of what's available to me on the ship.

However, I'm not independently wealthy and if I can save some money here or there, I try to find any way I can to do so. 

Here are my top five tips for saving money on food and drinks on your Royal Caribbean cruise.

1. BYOW (Bring Your Own Wine)

If you enjoy having wine on your cruise, this is by far the best tip I can offer. 

Royal Caribbean allows passengers to bring one 750ml bottle of wine per guest of drinking age on embarkation day.

If you are flying to your cruise port, I suggest buying wine somewhere in the area before boarding rather than risking your wine breaking in transit.

2. Use multi-specialty restaurant discounts

Often, Royal Caribbean will offer a discount if you reserve a spot at multiple specialty restaurants before your cruise begins. 

Using the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's website, you can get up to 30% onboard credit when you make three or more reservations at any specialty restaurant. You will get the onboard credit on day one of your cruise, and that's more money to spend onboard!

If you were already planning on dining at a specialty restaurant or two, adding an extra restaurant will net you some money back that can end up paying off perhaps one of those meals or allowing you to save money elsewhere on the ship.

3. Make reservations in advance

This tip will not save you any money off the total price of dining, but it can make paying it off a heck of a lot easier.

Instead of reserving your specialty restaurants onboard or just showing up to eat and adding more costs to your SeaPass account, book as many reservations as you can online before your cruise. Royal Caribbean will charge you at the time of your reservation, thus breaking up the total cruise bill.  

When you get home from your cruise vacation, there will be less of a monster bill waiting for you.

4.  Buy drink packages after you do the math

Royal Caribbean offers a number of beverage packages to choose from these days and whether or not you take a package can save you money.

The drink packages, for alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks, can be money savers if you drink enough every day of your cruise. By the same token, opting not to purchase a package may end up saving you money if you would not have consumed enough to make the packages worth it.

My advice is to figure out how many drinks on average you would need to consume to "break even" on the drink packages, and consider port days when you will not be on the ship much. If you think the drink package will save you money, then go for it but otherwise hold back and pay for your drinks a la carte.

5. Use your Crown and Anchor coupons

 

Crown and Anchor coupons on #jeweloftheseas are now attached to SeaPass card. List of offers on welcome letter

A photo posted by Royal Caribbean Blog.com (@royalcaribbeanblog) on Sep 21, 2013 at 10:56am PDT

For members of Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program, Crown and Anchor Society, there are exclusive discounts given to you at the start of your cruise, including coupons to save you money on drinks and food.

You can find discounts on bottles of wine, complimentary cover charges to Johnny Rockets, and an array of other coupons. The exact coupon you receive will depend on your ship and Crown and Anchor Society status, but remember to take advantage of those discounts to save you some money!

Your tips

Whether you are on a tight budget or are letting the money flow like a faucet, using these tips can help you keep a little extra cash in your pocket.  How do you save money on dining and drinks on your Royal Caribbean cruise? Share your advice with us in the comments below!

For many families, they have to pick the right cruise for their vacation and there's no doubt two of the titans of the family cruise market are Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line.  We get so many questions about this topic that we wanted to look at how they compare to each other.

It should be noted right away that picking a cruise line over another is quite subjective and there's always going to be differing opinions on this, but we try to remain as objective as possible.

What Royal Caribbean does well

Royal Caribbean has a few "core competencies" where it generally exceeds at and these are areas that if important to you, could sway your opinion

Latest and greatest

If you want to cruise on the newest cruise ships with the latest uber-cool cruise ship innovations, then Royal Caribbean is the line for you.  They build new ships quite regularly, with another four cruise ships on order as of this blog post.

Besides bragging rights, these new ships offer the latest in cruise ship trends as well as the very best in accommodations, dining, technology and entertainment.  We love older ships but there's no beating a brand new ship for what it offers.

World wide itineraries

From the Far East, to Australia to the Middle East, Europe and Alaska, there's lots of Royal Caribbean ships sailing these waters throughout the year.   Its ships sail to every continent except Antarctica on cruises ranging from three nights to 18 nights.

Because Royal Caribbean has a substantially larger fleet than Disney, Royal Caribbean has been focusing on serving the international markets to expand its market share and that's resulted in a lot of itinerary variety to choose from.  Often, there's a Royal Caribbean ship in one of these major regions in addition to the well-represented North American cruise corridor.

When you're looking for something more than another cruise to the Bahamas, it's hard to beat what Royal Caribbean offers.

Unlimited alcohol packages

Simply put, you can get reasonably priced unlimited alcohol packages on Royal Caribbean ships that give you a fixed price for your onboard consumption.  

Adults will be able to know in advance how much this cost will be and even pre-pay it to help break up the cost of the trip.  While we personally find the unlimited drink packages to be more than what we need, many adults enjoy the convenience of the packages.

LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST EPISODE COMPARING ROYAL CARIBBEAN TO DISNEY CRUISE LINE

What Disney Cruise Line does well

If you're wondering what Disney Cruise Line does better than most, here's a quick rundown of our experience.

Overall dining experience

Excluding specialty restaurants, we think Disney Cruise Line's complimentary restaurants are quite well planned. Guests get to try a different restaurant each night with the same wait staff "following" them around between restaurants.

In addition, the restaurants on Disney Cruise Line are not just rooms with food.  Each restaurant has a unique look and feel to it and they stand out in terms of their atmosphere.

For sailing of 4-nights or more there are different themed menus. So, even though you eat in the same dining room again you'd have a different dinner. At times they are themed to the region for example Mediterranean or Taste of Alaska.

Free soda

If soft drinks are your thing, there's no beating the complimentary soda available on Disney Cruise Line.  

Royal Caribbean charges per soda or offers beverage packages that cover them, but on Disney Cruise Line offers unlimited fountain soda, regular coffee, tea and water.  

For kids and those that just love a good Coke, it's a big cost savings when you consider how much Royal Caribbean would charge to drink the same amount onboard their ships.

Stateroom size and offerings

Since it's inception, Disney Cruise Line has offered more space and options in its staterooms than anyone else in the cruise industry,

While Royal Caribbean has narrowed the gap in recent years with its newer ships, Disney Cruise Line offers more square footage and bathtubs in the majority of staterooms.

Inside staterooms on the Disney Dream (one of Disney Cruise Line's newest ships) have square footage of 169 square feet, whereas on Oasis of the Seas inside staterooms begin at 150 square feet).

Blurred Lines: How the two compare in other areas

Both cruise lines do a lot of things well and it's harder to pick a winner among the two without getting into some real personal opinions.

Entertainment

Disney came into the cruise space with its well known ability to create compelling shows.  Disney puts on a lot of stage shows that garner rave reviews and they also offer character meets with Mickey, Minine and many other characters and princesses.

Disney Cruise Line also offers fireworks at sea, whereas Royal Caribbean does not.

Royal Caribbean has really upped its game in recent years.  Many Royal Caribbean ships feature Broadway shows such as Cats, Mamma Mia, Chicago and more.  Royal Caribbean has also partnered with DreamWorks Animation to offer just as many character meets, film showings and general character interactions as Disney.

For adults, Royal Caribbean's entertainment may be a stronger choice given their shows gravitate to them more so than children and there's also a greater variety of shows to choose from.  In addition, Broadway shows are of a higher caliber display than Disney's shorter shows based on their films.

Activities

You will find plenty of onboard activities for both cruise lines.  Bingo games, dance lessons, demonstrations, tours and more can be found on both cruise lines.  Both lines also offer swimming pools, sports courts, spas, gyms, shows, bars and entertainment lounges.

Royal Caribbean offers ice-skating rinks, rock climbing walls, surf simulators, mini-golf, movie theaters and a lot more.  Oh and did we mention there are no casinos on Disney Cruise Line?

Disney Cruise Line offers a water coaster, water play areas for kids, and slides in their pools.  There's also scavenger hunts, trivia, tasting classes, and more on Disney Cruise Line.

Child Care

Both cruise lines offer child care included in the price of the cruise.  

Both lines offer kids clubs for children, young teens and teens.  In general, Royal Caribbean's clubs are more structured in terms of their daily routine but Disney Cruise Line has a more "open" policy to their child care programs, that encourage the children to explore and try what they find interesting.

Both lines do have nursery options that have a per-hour cost.  

Private islands

Both cruise lines have private islands the cruise line operates that offer a very well-maintained and beautiful destination.  With good weather, it's hard to really which is more beautiful than the other (beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?).

Disney Cruise Line has Castaway Cay in the Bahamas that is widely regarded as a beautiful island with lots to do for adults and children.  We also find the beach sand to be softer and less rocky than Royal Caribbean's.  

On Castaway Cay you will find 5k races, great snorkeling, and a private beaches for adults.

Royal Caribbean has two private islands, Labadee in Haiti and CocoCay in the Bahamas.  Both islands are gorgeous and a great place for a beach day.  Given their respective locations, western and eastern Caribbean itineraries usually include a stop at one.

Labadee also offers an aqua park, zip line and roller coaster for an additional cost.  CocoCay is more basic in its offerings and also requires tendering to get to the island.

The crew

Both crews do an admirable job at keeping their guests happy.  From customer service, to wait staff to the people that turn down your bed, both cruise lines work hard to keep guests smiling.

Disney has built a reputation over many decades for a hard working staff that is always looking to improve.  From its theme park origins, the Disney Cruise Line crew members want to make your cruise better and offer tremendous service.

Royal Caribbean's crew is just as good, with their service always looking to "WOW" its guests.  For the crew, wow is more than a marketing slogan, it's the group mantra.  You will find smiling faces and a can-do attitude onboard Royal Caribbean that is always asking how can they make your cruise better. 

The X-Factor: Cost

There is a big difference between Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean that is hard to ignore and that is the cruise fare price.

Royal Caribbean is usually considerably cheaper in cruise fare compared to Disney Cruise Line.  In a study by the Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean's prices were on average 60-70% less than Disney for very similar cruise experiences.

To put this in perspective, seven-night eastern Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral in the second half of 2015 were over $7200 for an inside cabin (depending on date) compared to Royal Caribbean's prices of about $2200 - $3000.  That's a lot of money.

We are the first to admit the onboard experience of a Disney Cruise and a Royal Caribbean cruise are very similar, so it's hard to justify the prices Disney Cruise Line charges for their product.

Summary

After reading all of this, you have to start deciding which aspects of your cruise vacation are more important to you to pick the right choice.

Given the fact this blog is centered around Royal Caribbean cruising, it's obvious where our allegiance lays but it's important to recognize what the competition does well too.  Royal Caribbean is far from perfect and when you look at the right cruise for you, it's always important to have as much information as possible.

In a nutshell, Disney Cruise Line offers a wonderful product with lots of entertainment and plenty for the kids.  Royal Caribbean counters with phenomenal ships, lots of options to choose from at a great value.

I also wanted to give a big thanks to Scott from Disney Cruise Line Blog for making sure I was fair to Disney Cruise Line in this post.  Check out his blog for some really good coverage of all things DCL.

It wont be long before you start seeing souvenir Coca-Cola cups on your Royal Caribbean cruise and it seems like they are everywhere!  The cup comes in bright colors in a stylized design that is the perfect way to get refills of your favorite soda anytime you want. Here are six things that you will want to know if you are thinking about buying one.

You can purchase it from many places onboard the ship

If you want to get the souvenir cup, you can purchase the non-alcoholic drink package that is right for you.  Especially on embarkation day, you will find stations around the ship offering to sell you the package and the fun cup!

Simply pick between the Royal Refreshment Package and the Royal Replenish Package and you will get a complimentary Coca-Cola souvenir cup with each package purchased.

Often you will find the packages for sale outside the Windjammer and on the Royal Promenade.

The cups work with the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines

Of course you can have bartenders fill the cup up and there are automated machines near the pool, but the best way to use your Coca-Cola souvenir cup is with the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines!

Located on select ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet, you can use these amazing machines exclusively with the souvenir cups and choose from over 100 flavor combinations!

In order to use the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines guests must purchase an all-inclusive beverage package or the Royal refreshment package and use their complimentary Coca-Cola souvenir cup. The Coca-Cola souvenir cup has a special chip in it which activates the machine.

You can only refill the cup once every 15 minutes

As mentioned earlier, the Coca-Cola souvenir cup has a special chip that prevents people without the cup from using the self-service refill stations.  

The machines do "lock down" your cup for about 15 minutes after you refill your cup to ensure the cup isn't shared with people that do not have the drink package.

You get a free cup with any unlimited alcohol package purchase

Of course you can get the souvenir Coca-Cola cups with the non-alcoholic packages, but if you prefer to go with the unlimited alcohol packages, you get the souvenir Coca-Cola cup too!

Each of the unlimited alcohol packges (select, premium, ultimate) come with a complimentary souvenir cup that you can use to get unlimited soft drinks during your cruise when you're looking to get something with a little less punch.

The cup is accepted almost everywhere

The souvenir cup can be refilled nearly everywhere onboard the ship. Bars, self-service stations, restaurants and lounges will all gladly refill the cups for you.

However, the souvenir Coca-Cola cups do not work with room service or the drinks in your mini-fridge.  Keep that in mind before you order something that will cost you extra!

You can pre-purchase the mug online before your cruise

You don't have to wait to get on your cruise in order to purchase your souvenir Coca-Cola cup.  In fact, you can pre-purchase online at royalcaribbean.com and have your cup waiting for you.

After you purchase the package online, the souvenir cup should be waiting for you inside your stateroom once you get in there.  That way, there's no waiting in line for you and you can start taking advantage of the benefit immediately!

Have you bought the Coca-Cola souvenir cups before?  Do you think they are worth it?  And will you buy one on your next Royal Caribbean cruise? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

If you're going on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, there's a lot to see and do.

We found our list of the best hidden secrets that can be easily overlooked on Quantum of the Seas.

1. Roast beef sandwich from Cafe @ Two70

I love eating on a Royal Caribbean cruise and I'd be remiss if I did not mention a Royal Caribbean classic food, the roast beef sandwich.

The roast beef sandwich originated in Park Cafe on Oasis of the Seas and has spread to other ships too. On Quantum of the Seas, you can get a Roast Beef sandwich from Cafe @ Two70 and it's well worth your time. And it's free!

2. Swing in Two70

Anyone can sit in a chair or bench in the amazing new Two70 but swings are where it's at!

Off on the side of Two70, you can find these special little swings where you can sit, rock, and enjoy the view or a show. After you find the swing, no other form of sitting will suffice!

3. Wing viewing area

Quantum of the Seas features a lot of access to seeing the ocean from all over the ship, but by far the best place to see the ocean and the outside of Quantum of the Seas is found just outside the Solarium.

If you walk into the Solarium and then proceed all the way forward, you will find doors on opposite sides of the ship that offer small wings for guests to go outside and get unobstructed views of the ocean and even the ship herself. Great photo opportunities here!

4. "Glass" floor

Sometimes it's easy to forget Quantum of the Seas is a pretty tall ship in addition to being large in other respects. If you want a good reminder, check out the "glass floor" view.

Okay, it's not really made of glass (it's plastic) but this small panel allows you to look down about 10 decks to the Royal Esplanade. Bring your camera with you!

5. Elevator and stairway artwork

I'm no art critic but it's my understanding art is meant to evoke a reaction to the person looking at it and on Quantum of the Seas, there's a lot of art onboard. I really found the art in the stairways and elevators to really be interesting to see.

It's not to say the art is amazing or the best I've seen, but every time I found a new one, I would look at it to get the idea. Some are pretty, some have a message and some are just funny (don't miss the money with lipstick).

6. Fresh-baked cookies from the Windjammer

It's probably not surprising to find another food-related entry in this list, but if you tried one of the freshly baked cookies from the Windjammer, you'd know why it makes this list.

I'm probably not breaking any new ground by telling you freshly baked cookies taste really, really good. But I can't ever recall finding freshly baked cookies available on a Royal Caribbean ship. Until now!

In the breads section of the Windjammer, you will find crew members putting out their latest creations but you really need to ask them for some fresh cookies because they are absolutely amazing. Like beat your own grandmother to get one amazing. 

7. Art drawing art

At one point in my cruise, my friends asked, "Hey, did you see the muppets drawing stuff?" and I had no idea what they were talking about.  

Located on Deck 5 near the Schooner Bar, are three screens that have characters that do bear a resemblance to Muppets and will draw things on the screen you're looking at, erase it, and then draw something else. It's pretty neat to watch even if I have no idea what the message is behind them.

8. Kids' Wave pool

Royal Caribbean says this is the first wave pool at sea and for kids (heck, I'm going in once the weather warms up) there's a fun time waiting for them up on the pool deck.

The wave pool is just another really cool aspect of this ship that you have to see. I know my daughter will never want to leave!

9. The guy driving the car

The first two times I walked by this display I didn't really pay much attention but when I saw people watching it and laughing, I stopped to check it out and I'm glad I did.

You'll find a large plastic yellow car on the wall with the driver's window and an LCD screen that shows a guy just driving around. What makes it amusing is what you will see as this guy drives. Elephants, dinosaurs, fish, chickens, sideways driving and more. There's always something happening in the background and it's worth a minute or two to catch it all.

10. Solarium chairs in the pool

If you're looking for the best place to relax on Quantum of the Seas, how about these chairs in the Solarium that are in the pool?

You know how it's great at the ocean to drag your chair to the edge of the ocean surf so you can stay cooled down but remain sitting? Royal Caribbean has done that with the pool and I can only imagine how tough it will be to grab one of these chairs on a regular cruise when the weather is warmer. I cannot think of a better place to sit back, have a drink, and enjoy the experience.

What is a WOWband?

Worn on the wrist, WOWbands are bracelets that come in a variety of colors that allows passengers to connect with a number of Royal Caribbean experiences.

You can use your WOWband to enter your stateroom, purchase beverages, merchandise and anything else Royal Caribbean sells.  They can also access the Suite Lounge or Crown and Anchor Diamond Lounge.

Because you can wear your WOWband on your wrist, you do not have to bring your SeaPass card along anymore and this frees you up from trying to find the SeaPass card when you need it.  Just like the SeaPass card, you will not need cash or other credit cards because all charges go right to your SeaPass account.

What does a WOWband look like?

WOWbands are silicone bracelets that come in a variety of colors: white, yellow, black and blue.

How does it work?

WOWbands use Radio Frequency (RF) technology that can be read by Royal Caribbean's readers that are found at kiosks, tablets and mobile scanners that Royal Caribbean crew operate.

Your WOWband is linked to your SeaPass account and holds all of your information related to your cruise vacation such as your stateroom information, dining reservations and more.  

Who can use a WOWband?

Any Royal Caribbean cruise passenger can use a WOWband, but they are optional.  You can still use SeaPass cards in conjunction with or in lieu of, WOWbands.

How do I get a WOWband?

WOWbands may be purchased onboard your ship for $4.95 each. They can be purchased at anytime from Guest Relations, although on embarkation day there may be a specified distribution point.

Guests staying in a suite will find a WOWband for everyone in that stateroom. They are already activated and ready for use as soon as you get it.

How much do WOWbands cost?

Royal Caribbean charges $4.99 for each WOWband.

Guests in Grand Suites and above (Golden Suites & Royal Premiere for Spectrum of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas) will continue to receive the WOW Bands in their staterooms at no charge.

What if I don't want to use a WOWband?

WOWbands are optional and you may keep your SeaPass card instead to use.  Even if you get the WOWband, you can use both.

Royal Caribbean is encouraging all guests to use WOWbands but they are not required.

What ships offer WOWbands?

Currently Spectrum of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas offers WOWbands. 

Royal Caribbean does have plans to roll out WOWbands to all ships across the fleet, but that will take several years before it's all ready.