Royal Caribbean Blog

Merry Christmas! The holidays are here, and so is our weekly round up of this week's Royal Caribbean news.

What kind of cabin can you get for $2,400 on Wonder of the Seas?

Matt stayed in an oceanview balcony room on Wonder of the Seas for seven nights, paying a total of $2,409.94. 

While Matt has stayed in balcony rooms on Royal Caribbean ships before, the cruise line continues to improve. 

This cabin included ample power outlets, and large closet, and the 50 square foot balcony. 

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean news: New cruise ship construction milestone, deployment schedule updated & more
• Freedom of the Seas vs Liberty of the Seas
• Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean comparison
• The guide to Royal Caribbean status match
• 10 habits of successful cruisers
• Travelers want cruise deals — here's where to find them
• I spent $3,214 on a 10-night Royal Caribbean cruise. Here's what everything cost, from my $1,273 flight to $230 catamaran tour
• Beyond the Buffet: Exploring Royal Caribbean's unique onboard cuisine

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 521st episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, with answers to all of your cruise questions.

This week is all about you as Matt responds to more listener emails! From prepaid gratuities to saving money with travel agencies, check out this episode to hear all your questions answered. 

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.

Video: 5 Royal Caribbean ships nobody talks about

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — 5 Royal Caribbean ships nobody talks about — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Why the internet is obsessed with the world cruise

On TikTok, the #UltimateWorldCruise tag has more than 54.8 million views with a lot of social media attention to Royal Caribbean's first world cruise.

Many of the posts on TikTok are speculating on the prospect of drama between people living on a cruise ship for almost an entire year.

There's videos of passengers showing off their cabin, and how they're making it feel more like home.

First look at The Pearl on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas

Icon of the Seas will be putting a new twist on the essential Royal Promenade on most Royal Caribbean ships. With the introduction of the Pearl, you can expect something completely new and unique.

The Royal Promenade onboard Icon will be 362 feet long, longer than the length of a football field.

If the Royal Promenade is the heart of Icon of the Seas, the Pearl will be her heartbeat.

Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer for Royal Caribbean International called the Pearl “a bit art, a bit sculpture, a bit experience, a bit WOW." 

Bored of typical shore excursions? Try a day pass to a resort

Are you struggling to find a shore excursion that excites you?

Getting a day pass to a resort is your opportunity to try a new side of a location you may have already visited, such as the more popular Caribbean islands.

A day pass to a resort can give you a luxurious stop, with access to pools, restaurants, bars, and other amenities. Many resorts are all-inclusive.

And booking your pass is easy: there are several websites where you can find resort day passes, especially for cruise ship passengers staying in a port for 8 hours or less.

What it's like to sail Royal Caribbean's smallest ship

Royal Caribbean’s oldest and smallest cruise ship is still sailing strong, and you might be curious what it's like to go on a ship of this size and age.

Angie recently sailed on Grandeur out of Tampa, Florida, and she was surprised at how well-maintained the ship is! Grandeur is still in quality condition, despite being almost 30 years old.

While the ship may not have the same attractions as newer Royal Caribbean ships, she offers a more intimate atmosphere. 

Is it worth booking an inside cabin for a Mediterranean cruise?

How important is your cabin choice when it comes to a unique Mediterranean itinerary?

Given that a Mediterranean cruise is such an exciting experience to take full advantage of, you want to be sure to choose the right cabin.

You may wonder if it’s worth saving money to book a cheaper, windowless inside cabin. Or should you splurge for a balcony cabin instead?

To make your decision, you can weigh several categories—such as port stops and ideal sleeping conditions—and consider the pros and cons of each.

It's no secret that Royal Caribbean has had its first world cruise planned for over a year, but social media took notice when the sailing began this week.

Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas departed Miami to begin a 9-month Ultimate World Cruise on December 10, and TikTok has seen a flurry of interest for this kind of a cruise.

The world cruise will take 274-nights and visit every continent in the world, including Antarctica.

So far, there's been over 54.8 million views on the #UltimateWorldCruise tag on TikTok and it's caught the attention of a lot of people.

The interest began with passengers onboard sharing what it's like to live on a cruise ship for almost an entire year.

There's videos of passengers showing off their cabin, and how they're making it feel more like a home given how long they'll stay there.

People watching on TikTok seem quite intrigued by the idea of spending that long on a cruise ship, and it almost seemed like a reality show to viewers.

What is the world cruise?

The Ultimate World Cruise will take 274 nights on Serenade of the Seas that will visit more than 150 destinations in 65 countries and 11 great wonders of the world.

Serenade of the Seas will sail roundtrip from Miami on Dec. 10, 2023 and through Sept. 10, 2024.

Royal Caribbean first announced the Ultimate World Cruise on Serenade of the Seas in late 2021, and it opened for bookings in early 2022. 

Guests had the option to book the entire 274 night voyage, or hop on for smaller segments.

Because the entire voyage did not sell out, the cruise line opened up smaller segments. This includes seventeen individual itineraries ranging from nine to twenty nine nights.

These itineraries visit everywhere from Antarctica to Australia, Norway, and South Korea.

Why is this world cruise all over TikTok?

World cruises aren't new, but this is the first one that Royal Caribbean has done and being a mainstream cruise line, the attention it's generating may be related to the fact it's more approachable than on smaller lines.

The combination of a new kind of cruise of a well-known cruise line and TikTok's tenacity for generating drama seems to have resonated with viewers.

In viewing all the TikToks posted, creators have seemingly created a real-time view of the cruise and given they'll be on the ship for 9 months, TikTok has become obsessed with what they're calling "a reality show".

“I made an Ultimate World Cruise Bingo card for anyone else who is buckling in for this nine months TikTok reality show,” user @whimsysoul posted right at the start of the cruise.

As is the case with so many things on social media, the spectacle for viewers is more interesting than the subject matter and a lot of comments have speculated on what might happen during the voyage.

So far we've seen a couple videos with people being unaware of the benefits top tier Royal Caribbean cruisers get on any sailing, but nothing substantial.

The buzz generated by the world cruise at its launch points to a lot of excitement surrounding the cruise, as well as a lot of people naive about how cruise ships operate wrapping their minds around going on a cruise for quite that long.  Even as a seasoned cruiser, taking a cruise quite that long is hard to fathom.

Who are the TikTokers on the world cruise ship?

We've found a number of TikTokers posting videos so far, and it varies depending on how often you want updates.

Here's a few of the more regular posters since the world cruise began:

• @aa.kenney
• @iambrandeelake
• @angielinderman
• @brooklynschwetje
• @frugalvagabond
• @madisonschwetje
• @amike_oosthuizen
• @little_rat_brain
• @drjennytravels 
•  @spendingourkidsmoney

How much does the world cruise cost?

At the time Royal Caribbean put the world cruise on sale, the price varied depending on which sailing you chose.

If you wanted the full 274-night trip, prices were between $53,999 per person to $117,599 per person.

Some itineraries were as low as $931 per person and others around $1,881 per person before taxes and fees in an interior room.

The majority of the smaller segment itineraries are priced around $1,200 per person. With taxes and fees added, this brings the average cost to around $3,173 total for two guests in an interior room. With many itineraries between 11-16 nights, the price per day makes the segments a great value.

Where does the world cruise go?

Here's a look at the four main segments of the cruise and where it visits.

Ultimate Americas Cruise 

• 64 nights from Dec. 10, 2023, to Feb. 11, 2024
• 36 destinations, including Cozumel, Mexico; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Los Angeles, California
• 4 Wonders, including Iguazú Falls and Machu Picchu

Ultimate Asia Pacific Cruise 

• 87 nights from Feb. 11, 2024, to May 9, 2024
• 40 destinations, including Kailua-Kona, Hawaii; Manila, Philippines; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• 3 Wonders, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Taj Mahal

Ultimate Middle East and Med Pacific Cruise 

• 63 nights from May 9, 2024, to July 10, 2024
• 44 destinations, including Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Alexandria, Egypt; Rhodes, Greece; Barcelona, Spain; and Provence, France
• 4 Wonders, including the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Temple of Artemis

Ultimate Europe and Beyond Cruise 

• 63 nights from July 10, 2024, to Sept. 10, 2024
• 40 destinations, including Casablanca, Morocco; Paris, France; Bruges, Belgium; and Nuuk, Greenland
• No Wonders

Just like how food at a baseball game is more than hot dogs or cracker jack, the food choices on a Royal Caribbean cruise go beyond eating at the buffet.

According to an internal Royal Caribbean study, the top two reasons people choose to go on a cruise are for the destinations and food. With that in mind, a cruise ship has to offer more than just a salad bar.

AAA conducted a survey that showed 52% of U.S. adults are likely to consider a cruise vacation in 2023, and that number is likely to grow.

In fact, you might be surprised at the variety of dining choices found on cruise ships today. On the brand new Icon of the Seas, you'll find more than 40 ways to eat and drink, with 20 new and signature ways to eat onboard the ship.

All of those choices are meant to cater to every taste palate, while ensuring adventurous eaters have something to satisfy their needs as well.

If you're new to cruising, here's why the food on Royal Caribbean may very well impress you.

Culinary Delights

Depending on which ship you choose, there could be a great variety of restaurants to choose from, some that are included and others that cost extra.

The complimentary dining usually caters to the widest possible audience, with dishes of varying cuisines. You'll find Italian, French, American, Indian and more in the ship's Main Dining Room.

The Main Dining Room has a themed menu each evening, which was revamped in January 2023.

Specialty restaurant overview

When you think of gourmet dining on Royal Caribbean, inevitably your focus will shift to the specialty restaurants onboard. This is where the line puts its greatest effort in delivering a culinary experience.

Royal Caribbean’s specialty restaurants offer a wide range of cuisines, from Italian to Japanese and barbecue.

Each cruise ship has its own set of restaurants. The list of specialty dining venues includes:

• Chef's Table
• Cafe Latte-tudes
• Samba Grill
• Izumi
• Giovanni's Italian Kitchen
• Portside BBQ
• Johnny Rockets
• Wonderland
• Fish & Ships
• Sabor
• Chops Grille
• Teppanyaki
• Jamie's Italian
• Room Service
• Cupcake Cupboard
• Hooked Seafood
• Sugar Beach
• Sabor
• Starbucks
• Sichuan Red
• Giovanni's Table
• 150 Central Park
• The Mason Jar
• Desserted
• Pier 7
• Empire Supper Club
• Celebration Table
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade

Each restaurant has its own cuisine and style to it, which gives guests the choice to dine there.  There's plenty of food included in the cruise fare, but the idea is to give passengers the option of enhancing their cruise with additional variety.

Signature Dishes

At each specialty restaurant, you'll find tantalizing choices, but which meals truly stand out as a must-try?

I hand picked a few notable dishes that stand out as the best choice at the top restaurants.

Giovanni's Italian Kitchen

Seven cheese pizza does indeed have seven kinds of cheeses, and the blend is impressive.

Hooked Seafood

The Messy Fish Sandwich is a fried five-ounce piece of cod on a brioche bun, dressed with lots of tasty coleslaw and pickles. Ask for extra napkins.

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade

Campfire cookie is a freshly baked cookie and covered with roasted marshmallows served piping hot, with a side of ice cream.

150 Central Park

Beef tenderloin for two is sliced tableside with a duo of sauces to try.

Chops Grille

Crispy Goat Cheese Salad might not be one of the steaks on the menu, but it might be the perfect salad combination.

International flavors at sea

Royal Caribbean prides itself by offering global cuisine on its cruise ships, and it's apparent in the menu choices.

The Main Dining Room alone will have food on each night that is inspired by India, Italy, France, and Southeast Asia. With a different theme every night in the Main Dining Room and Windjammer buffet, you'll find a great deal of food from around the world.

If you want to go beyond those choices, the specialty restaurants cater to specific global cuisines. There are two different Italian restaurants on Royal Caribbean ships, with Giovanni's focusing on traditional Italian food and Jamie's Italian leveraging celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's modern view of the food.

Izumi sushi is the creation of Master Chef Travis Kamiyama, whose 30 years of experience brings both traditional and signature sushi that caters to the international market.

The Mason Jar has comfort foods that include buttermilk biscuits and jalapeno cornbread served with Cajun and whipped honey butter, lobster n’ crawfish gumbo, crab beignets, fried green tomatoes, charred watermelon salad, shrimp n’ grits, blacked Cajun catfish and beef brisket.

Unique dining experiences

Individual dishes are great, but what about meals that stand out as an event on its own.

Royal Caribbean has offered for years the Chef's Table on all of its ships. It's a limited capacity meal led by the ship's Chef de Cuisine.

You'll sit at a white tablecloth dinner with five exquisite courses, and each is paired with the perfect wine to bring out the flavor on the menu.

Coming to Icon of the Seas is an even more elevated experience, with the Empire Supper Club.

This is where you'll go for an eight-course menu of premium American cuisine, accompanied by live music played during your meal. Each musical number and every cocktail is carefully curated and perfectly paired to complement each course.

Tony Abou-Ganim has worked with James Beard Award-winning chefs, Bellagio and more to come up with the meals and cocktails.

Wonderland is another original Royal Caribbean creation that is loosely based on the magical world of Alice and Wonderland.

The menu is broken down into and inspired by five different natural elements: sun, ice, fire, earth, and sea. Nothing is what it seems, but the result is an array of dishes that might surprise you with how it tastes versus how it looks.

Culinary classes

In addition to sit down meals, there's an opportunity to learn how to make these foods at home.

Some ships offer cooking classes, where you get a hands-on tutorial on how the chef's on a ship make the food you eat in a restaurant.

This includes:

• Sushi making class
• Guacamole making class
• Cupcake decorating class

Behind-the-scenes kitchen tours

It's difficult to explain how much work goes into preparing meals for the thousands of guests and crew members every day on a cruise ship.

The ship's kitchens are a 24/7 operation, and you can get a peek at how it works with an all access tour.

Royal Caribbean offers two types of tours that will take you to the ship's galley, which is where the food is prepared and served.

The "Sip. Tour. Brunch." event is an extra cost experience where guests are taken backstage to the ship's galley, followed by enjoying brunch in the Main Dining Room.

If you want to see more, go for the "All Access Ship Tour" that includes not only a visit to the galley, but also the ship's bridge, engine control room, laundry facilities, and waste management area. It's a tour hour look at how cruise ships work.

Catering to dietary preferences

Whether you prefer to eat a certain way or have special needs, Royal Caribbean offers many choices.

Vegetarian and vegan options

You'll find many dining choices for vegetarian and vegan guests.

The Windjammer buffet has plenty of vegetarian and vegan option for each of its meals. Whether pasta with marinara, a salad, fresh fruit, oatmeal, soup, or avocado toast, you’ll certainly be able to find something to eat.

Indian food is a popular vegetarian alternative, and there is a vegetarian option served at each meal. Plant-based milks are also available on request for cereal and coffee.

In the Main Dining Room, there's even more options there. Each day will have a vegan choice listed.

Read more: Vegetarian and Vegan Guide to Royal Caribbean

Allergies and special requests

Royal Caribbean can cater to dietary needs, such as food allergies, gluten-free, kosher, low-fat, and low-sodium.

Lactose-free/soy milk, ensure, and kosher meals are available at no extra charge. Just notify Royal Caribbean at least 45 days prior to sailing (90 days for European/South American Itineraries).

You may also send an e-mail request to [email protected]; please include in the e-mail the guests' names, booking number, ship name and sail date. E-mails will receive an automated response. We kindly ask that guests do not call Royal Caribbean International suppliers with specific questions.

Beverage experiences

The variety of choices on Royal Caribbean is not limited to food, as there's lots of cocktails, beers, and wines to enjoy.

Certainly the stereotypical "I'm on a vacation" drinks are available, but the cruise line aims to go well beyond those beverages.

Signature cruise ship cocktails

Royal Caribbean's drink menu has come a long way from pina coladas, daiquiris, and mimosas. While you can certainly order those drinks, they've greatly expanded their offerings too.

Here's a few of the top choices you can order to wet your whistle on a cruise.

Mason Jar

PB&J Old Fashioned is made with Skrewball peanut butter whiskey, Kentucky bourbon, strawberry jelly and walnut bitters and served with a mini crustless PB&J as a garnish.

150 Central Park

The Cucumber Martini is made tableside and is a mix of cucumber, basil,Monin lemon grass syrup, sweet and sour mix and Grey Goose Vodka.

Sabor

Grand Sabor Margarita is a real crowd pleaser because it's big on flavor and delivers the exact Mexican cocktail you envision when you order it.

Bamboo Room

The Royal Zombie matches up with the Polynesian-themed bar quite well. It's served in a tall tiki glass, topped with crushed ice, fresh mint and a cherry.

Pool bar

Goombay Smash is inspired by the islands Royal Caribbean's ships have visited for decades as a way of honoring The Bahamas.

Read more: Top 10 cocktails to try on your next Royal Caribbean cruise

Bars and lounges with unique drink menus

Royal Caribbean has stepped up their beverage game over the last few years, with certain bars having different drink menus.

There's a common menu used across the fleet, but select bars and lounges have a special menu to order from.

Wonderland

On Oasis Class ships, Wonderland spans two decks, with its own bar and drinks you can only order at this restaurant. Bartenders use innovative flavors and artisanal ingredients to create whimsical cocktails that are as pretty as they are tasty.

Mason Jar

The bar side of The Mason Jar is designed like a sprawling southern porch, and the drink menu has a focus on bourbon and fresh flavors. 

Schooner Bar

Royal Caribbean updated the Schooner Bar menu in 2023 with new options. The featured drinks have all been updated with suggestions for fun drinks to try.

Planning tips for food enthusiasts

If you're ready to tackle Royal Caribbean's dining scene, you'll want to arm yourself with a few important tips.

Make reservations in advance at specialty restaurants

You're not alone in wanting to get a seat at the hibachi table or Empire Supper Club, so advanced reservations are not just a suggestion, they're a necessity.

Book reservations before your cruise via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site.  Don't wait until you get onboard because it's quite common for restaurants to sell out in the months leading up to the cruise.

You can always cancel with no penalty a dining reservation if you change your mind before the cruise, so there's little risk. 

Take advantage of a dining package

If you think you'll eat at more than two meals at a specialty restaurant, you should buy a specialty dining package.

Royal Caribbean offers a few types, including an unlimited option.  No matter which you choose, you'll need to purchase it before the cruise.

With a dining package, you'll need to wait to make reservations until you get on the ship.  As long as your dining times are flexible, the dining package should work out well.

Keep in mind some restaurants are not included with the dining packages, such as Chef's Table or Empire Supper Club. You can still get a discount with a package, but it's not covered in its entirety by the package purchase.

Read more: Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package

You can order more than one appetizer or entree

Whether you are dining in the Main Dining Room, Giovanni's, Mason Jar, don't settle for just one entree or one appetizer.  

Royal Caribbean allows passengers to order as much as you want in most cases, which means you are free to try dishes and sample what you want.  Most often passengers act like they do in a land restaurant and only order what they wish to pay for but on a cruise, order as much as you want!

Whether you're a seasoned cruiser or anticipating setting foot on a ship for the first time, there is a lot to be learned from each experience. Even as someone who has cruised over a dozen times, I still find myself making mistakes and thinking that I should have known better! 

When I took my first Mediterranean cruise, for instance, I waited until the week before to begin researching my ports of call and booking excursions. Similarly, I have forgotten my online check-in date more than once and gotten stuck with a later arrival appointment. 

From reserving My Time Dining reservations in advance to arriving the day before your cruise is scheduled to depart, here are 10 habits that you should make part of your cruise routine. 

Book your cruise early and reprice often

Royal Caribbean releases itineraries as far as two years in advance. Between sales, dynamic pricing, and other promotions, it can be difficult to know when the best time to book your cruise is; however, the further you book in advance, the more time you have to reprice if you notice a price decrease leading up to final payment. 

Often, the cheapest rates can be found as soon as Royal Caribbean releases new itineraries. If there's a specific ship or itinerary that you have your heart set on, the safest bet is to place a deposit as early as possible. As the ship fills up, prices are raised. 

Even if the price of your sailing doesn't decrease, you can rest assured knowing that you booked it when prices were the lowest. 

Read more: The biggest cruise hack you're not doing that has saved me thousands of dollars

Don't wait until you are onboard to reserve cruise add-ons

After you have placed your deposit, you will gain access to Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner website. This is where you'll be able to make reservations for shore excursions and specialty restaurants, as well as book drink and Wi-Fi packages, spa treatments, and more. 

While you technically can wait until you are onboard to worry about your add-ons, it is smarter to deal with that in advance. Not only will you be able to soak up every moment of your time onboard without thinking about planning, but you'll usually save money, too. 

The actual discounts will vary; however, it is not uncommon to find sales where you can receive 10% to 40% off the onboard prices of specialty restaurants, drink packages, shore excursions, and Wi-Fi. 

Over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I was able to take advantage of the Cruise Planner sale and score a great deal on an excursion in Naples, Italy. Rather than paying $285 for two people for the "Taste of Sorrento and Pompeii" excursion, my partner and I were able to pay about half, or $300 total. 

Read more: 45 easy ways how to save money on a cruise (2024)

Arrive the day before your cruise is scheduled to depart

Booking your flight on embarkation morning might seem like a smart way to save money since you won't have to take another day off of work and worry about a pre-cruise hotel. If, however, you fall victim to the unpredictability of the airline industry, you could find yourself missing your cruise, as the embarkation window on the first day of the cruise is limited. 

Even if you think that your arrival time leaves a lot of room to spare, you need to factor in how long it will take for you to deplane, collect your luggage, and travel to the terminal. 

Read more: The costly cruising mistake newbies make planning their first cruise

Book with a travel agent 

To some, booking with a travel agent might feel like you're giving up agency over your vacation. From my experience, however, it has been the exact opposite. A good travel agent will only be as involved as you want them to be. 

One of the primary advantages of booking with a travel agent is their expertise; however, they also have access to exclusive group rates, so they can sometimes get you a lower rate on your cruise fare than is advertised on the cruise line's website! 

New cruisers will benefit from their knowledge, though, as they can help them select the best itinerary, stateroom, shore excursions, specialty dining meals, and more. 

Always bring a non-surge power strip

The older your cruise ship, the fewer power outlets your stateroom will have. When I cruised on Navigator of the Seas, for instance, I was shocked to find just two American outlets and a single European one. 

Even if you are sharing a stateroom with just one other person, you'll likely bicker over who gets to charge what device and when. Today, most people travel with multiple devices, such as mobile phones, AirPods, cameras, smart watches, iPads, etc. 

Royal Caribbean prohibits extension cords onboard their ships since they see them as a fire hazard. That, however, doesn't mean that they aren't solutions! Rather than bringing the random extension cord you have lying around in your kitchen drawer, head to Amazon to look for a non-surge power strip that's cruise-compliant.

This will ensure that even if you're cruising on one of the oldest vessels in the fleet, you will have plenty of outlets to keep all of your devices charged. 

Understand the Deluxe Beverage Package rule

Typically, if one person in a cabin wants a Deluxe Beverage Package. Royal Caribbean requires all other guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom to purchase it, too. This is to prevent guests from sharing it. 

There is a workaround, though. If you're sharing a cabin with an adult who doesn't drink, or does not drink much, you can call Royal Caribbean and ask that they get the Royal Refreshment Package instead. 

This will save you a lot of money compared to if you were to purchase two Deluxe Beverage Packages, as the alcoholic package is more expensive than the non-alcoholic one. 

Note, however, that if you get caught sharing a drink package, Royal Caribbean has the right to revoke it without issuing a refund. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean drink package rules overview

Check-in for your cruise as soon as possible

45 days before your cruise, Royal Caribbean's online check-in portal will open. You can either complete it via the app or on your web browser, such as Google Chrome or Safari. 

During this process, you will input your identification documentation, set up your onboard expense account, and select a check-in time, which is when you'll be able to enter the terminal on embarkation day. 

The earliest time varies based on your itinerary; however, the earliest tends to be somewhere around 10:30am, with the latest being somewhere in the mid-afternoon. 

While your travel plans might not allow you to select the earliest time available, there are many advantages to finishing your check-in as soon as possible. 

For instance, you won't have to worry about it as your sailing approaches, and you can focus your pre-cruise planning efforts on packing and getting everything in order before you leave. 

Read more: 11 reasons to get as early a check-in time as possible for your cruise

Pre-pay for your gratuities 

At the time of booking, you'll have the option to pre-pay for your gratuities. If you choose to do so, you will be able to pay them off with the rest of your cruise fare, as the total for the gratuities will be added to the amount to be settled by final payment. 

Additionally, pre-paying for your gratuities means that you will lock in the current rate. Every so often, Royal Caribbean revises their gratuity rates for their crew members. 

This just happened in November 2023, as Royal Caribbean announced that the automatic gratuity rate would be increasing from $16.00 USD for those in standard staterooms (Junior Suites and below) to $18.00 USD per day. Suite guests also saw an increase from $18.50 to $20.50. 

If you decide to book My Time Dining, make sure that you make reservations in advance

Royal Caribbean offers guests two different types of main dining experiences: traditional and flexible. If you choose the latter, known as My Time Dining, you'll be responsible for making your own dining reservations each evening, whereas those who opt for traditional dining will eat at the same time each evening with the same wait staff. 

My Time Dining is great for those who do not want to eat at the same time each night of their cruise.

You can choose what time works best for you and your travel companions, meaning that you can easily schedule dinner around the rest of your plans, whether that's a longer excursion in port or a much-needed afternoon nap after lounging by the pool. 

While you don't have to make reservations, it is recommended. Otherwise, you'll have to wait for an available table. 

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

Don't save must-do onboard activities for the last day

If there are any activities that you really want to do, make sure you do them early on during your sailing.

Unpredictable weather could deem it too unsafe to operate the FlowRider or have the AquaTheater cast perform tricks. Waiting until the last minute could mean that you're out of luck, as there won't be any other opportunities on the current sailing. 

Of course, you shouldn't try and pack everything into the first day. With all the embarkation and sail away excitement, you do not want to tire yourself out too quickly. 

Read more: 30 cruise ship embarkation day do’s and don’ts

This past fall I decided to sail on Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's oldest cruise ship. While our sailing was quick, it was the perfect amount of time to explore this “well-seasoned” cruise ship. 

Before boarding Grandeur of the Seas, I anticipated the ship was going to be in rough shape. I was imagining rust in every corner, worn-out furniture, and retro decor. After all, Grandeur was rated the worst Royal Caribbean ship in the fleet, according to U.S. News and World Report.

However, once I stepped foot on the ship, I was pleasantly surprised at how well-maintained Grandeur was!

Overview of Grandeur of the Seas

Lady G, as many cruisers call Grandeur of the Seas, debuted in December 1996. In fact, she is older than me!

With a length of 916 feet, guest capacity of 2,440, and gross tonnage of 73,817, Grandeur of the Seas is the smallest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Originally, she was not the first Vision Class ship (Splendor of the Seas and Legend of the Seas were built first and then sold to Marella Cruises), but now she is considered the oldest Vision Class ship.

In 2012, Grandeur of the Seas underwent a $48 million revitalization where many new venues were added, such as Giovanni’s, Chops, Izumi, and loyalty lounges, as well as new furniture/carpet and technology upgrades like ship-wide Wi-Fi.

In October 2019, it was announced that Grandeur of the Seas was going to be leaving Royal Caribbean. However, the pandemic and financial struggles of Pullmantur Cruises stopped these plans in August 2020. Since then, Grandeur has continued offering sailings primarily around the Caribbean.

Embarkation and disembarkation in Tampa

For this sailing, my sister Allie and I cruised in and out of Tampa, Florida. The day before our cruise, we flew into town and stayed at the hotel that connects to the airport: Tampa Airport Marriott. It was convenient to stay here because we arrived late in the evening and didn't have to travel far to our hotel from the airport.

On the day of the cruise, I ordered an Uber ride for us to the port. The 10-mile ride to Port Tampa Bay only took 20 minutes, and we were dropped off right by the port entrance. 

I hadn't cruised out of Port Tampa Bay since January 2020, so I forgot what the embarkation process was like. Also at that time, my parents and I drove to the port, so that was a whole different embarkation experience.

Allie and I arrived at the port at noon for our check-in time. Since we only packed carry-on suitcases, we did not have to worry about dropping off our luggage with the porters. 

Port Tampa Bay is a small port compared to others I have been to (like Port Everglades and Port Miami), though I felt like the check-in process was the same amount of time as a larger port. However, it was nice that it wasn't super busy or crowded. 

Something abnormal happened when we tried to scan our SetSail passes: My sister was dinged for not checking in ahead of time. When this happened, we had to go to one of the counters and get a credit card added to her account before we could get on the ship. This set us back about 15 minutes. This is a good reminder for everyone - do not forget to complete the check-in process ahead of arriving at the terminal!

Read more: Guide to cruises from Tampa

Interior guarantee cabin

Once we were onboard Grandeur of the Seas, we made our way to our cabin to drop off our belongings. 

During our four-night sailing, we stayed in an interior guarantee cabin. Because it’s a guarantee cabin, we were not able to select the location of the cabin. We were assigned a cabin on deck three at the very front of the ship.

I am not a fan of staying in cabins that are in the very front of the ship because they tend to have more movement than cabins in the middle of the ship. Luckily, we had smooth sailings and I rarely felt movement while in the cabin!

Cabin 3505, which was 142 square feet, was much bigger than I was expecting. Everything appeared to be in good condition, including the couch, vanity, and carpet. I was afraid the bed wouldn't be comfortable because of its age, but I actually slept well every night, especially when we separated the beds.

There was more than enough storage in the cabin. I really liked the large drawers under the TV - I find that drawers on other Royal Caribbean ships are half the size. Another thing to note was that our cabin did not have a mini cooler for drinks or snacks.

My least favorite part of this cabin was the shower. While the rest of the bathroom was fine, the small shower was uncomfortable. I could hardly move because of the odd shape of the shower, and the clingy curtain didn't help! This was a first for me on a Royal Caribbean cruise because normally there are sliding doors rather than curtains.

Other than that, the cabin was perfectly fine for our quick cruise. We didn't spend much time in the cabin anyway.

Read more: I booked the smallest and cheapest room on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas. It was only 142 square feet, but I’d stay in it again

Dining options

Grandeur of the Seas has a few options to grab something to eat or enjoy a meal with friends and family, including:

• The Great Gatsby Main Dining Room
• Cafe Latte-tudes
• Windjammer Marketplace
• Park Cafe
• Specialty restaurants Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi, and Chef’s Table

On the first night of our cruise, my sister and I splurged on dinner at Giovanni’s Table, the specialty Italian restaurant onboard. We love Italian food, and we wanted to take advantage of our BOGO Diamond Plus offer. Our meal was excellent! I loved the tagliatelle carbonara, chicken piccata, and tiramisu.  

On the remaining nights, we dined in the Main Dining Room. Honestly, I enjoyed the food each night in the dining room. The themed meals we had were for A Taste of the Caribbean, A Taste of Italy, and A Taste of Mexico. The service was quick and our waiters were on top of it!

One morning, we had breakfast in the Main Dining Room. We wanted to sit at a table for two, but instead, we were sat at a large table with other people since tables of two were full. This was fine of course, but I found that the food took longer because we had to wait for everyone’s food to come at the same time.

I was shocked when I stumbled upon Park Cafe in the Solarium; I didn’t expect to see it on this ship! I was happy to see there was another quick-casual, complimentary place to eat. I got pizza here some days and I thought it was quite tasty! Also, I went to Cafe Latte-tudes every day to get Starbucks drinks. This venue had free snack options throughout the day, too.

Read more: I’ve sailed on all of Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships. Here’s why I don't mind sailing on these small ships

Entertainment and activities

Grandeur of the Seas does not have all the attractions of other Royal Caribbean ships, like a Flowrider, waterslides, ice skating, and bumper cars. Rather, she offers theatre productions, trivia, and other activities. The most thrilling feature of Grandeur of the Seas is the rock climbing wall at the back of the ship. There's also a main pool and hot tubs.

During our sailing, we saw three shows in the Palladium Theatre, including a comedian, an impressionist, and a production show, Broadway Rhythm and Rhyme. This production show was also on Voyager of the Seas when I sailed in September. I thought every ship had a unique show but I guess that is not the case! 

All of these shows were very entertaining and fun to watch. I always like to see the entertainment on cruises, no matter what the act is. We never had trouble finding seats in the theatre. 

There were many classic Royal Caribbean activities offered during the cruise, like the sexiest man competition, Love and Marriage, belly flop contest, karaoke, headphone disco, and several game shows. 

Something that I noticed about many of these activities, even the more adult-themed events, was that young children would participate in them sometimes. I believe this was the case because of the lack of onboard thrills offered on this ship for younger passengers.

On the sea days (and even while we were docked in Cozumel), we chose to relax in the Solarium, Centrum, or loyalty lounge. As you can see, the general theme of this cruise was about relaxing! It was a nice change of pace to not feel pressured to go to every single event offered onboard. It was lovely to relax and enjoy a drink among our fellow cruisers.

My overall thoughts on Grandeur of the Seas

While Grandeur of Seas lacks some modern amenities, she makes up for it with the more intimate atmosphere she offers guests. 

The staff onboard Grandeur of the Seas are wonderful. Even with My Time Dining in the Main Dining Room, we were able to, by request, sit in the same section every night to have the same waitstaff. We really enjoyed their service! A larger ship would probably not be as willing to accommodate us. 

Even though Grandeur is almost 30 years old, I think she is in great condition - truly much better than I expected. 

I believe a cruise on Grandeur of the Seas would be fun during a port-intensive itinerary that visits unique destinations. This is definitely a benefit of sailing on a small ship: You will be able to visit more exotic places.

My advice is to not avoid this ship solely because of some negative reviews online. Go and experience the cruise ship for yourself before you make a judgment. 

Before booking a cruise on Grandeur of the Seas (or any Vision Class ship for that matter), it’s important to understand that while there are fewer thrills, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy your vacation. You will also not have to worry about dealing with large crowds or getting lost trying to maneuver the ship.

Demand for cruises hasn't been this hot since 2019, and one side effect has been higher cruise fares.

This trend isn't slowing down in 2024, as Royal Caribbean Group told investors at their last earnings call demand for cruises has only gotten higher.

The company reported bookings for 2024 significantly and consistently outpacing 2019 levels. They're seeing ships getting booked up sooner and at higher prices, with their customers booking earlier.

That's great news if you're a shareholder, but for cruisers on a budget or deal seekers, it's tough to find a good deal.

"The demand for booking cruises is as strong as ever!, "Beci Mahnken, president and CEO of MEI-Travel, says. "As travel advisors, we're thrilled to see a steady and growing demand for cruise adventures."

The good news is there are still ways to get a cruise deal, but it will take more effort to uncover them.

Top picks for cruise deals

It's impossible to keep a running list of deals due to the fact prices can change by the minute, but if you're in the market for a deal, here's where I would look.

Alaska

Book a cruise before June 10 or after August 15.

Caribbean

Look for the sailing immediately after the cruise that has New Years Eve/Day, with the exception of a short cruise over Martin Luther King Day.

A cruise between Labor Day and Halloween is another good idea. This is especially true if you're willing to wing it and wait for a last-minute deal.

Europe

Try a cruise in September, October, or November for the lowest prices. If you can book a European cruise on a Vision Class ship after August, you'll almost certainly get a great price.

Another option for Europe is a repositioning cruise between the Caribbean and Europe. Royal Caribbean offers this twice a year in the spring and fall.

Repositioning cruises are cheap because they have few port days and lots of sea days, which makes them less appealing.

Last minute deals

Booking a cruise with less than two months to go is not for everyone, but your best bet is to check Royal Caribbean's Going, Going, Gone sheet every week.

It's not available every week, but posted every Tuesday and if you act quickly, you might find a cheap cruise.

Offseason cruising

The best prices for a cruise are still during months when there's far less demand.

Cruises have peak and off-peak seasons, and the months of January, September, October, and early November are usually safe bets for a lower price.

These months all have one thing in common: school is back in session and the weather isn't as desirable.

As a family cruise line, Royal Caribbean's trends tend to mirror that of the school calendar as families have a major impact on bookings.

In the Caribbean, hurricane season really kicks into effect by the end of August. It's also the peak of the wet season, and that means rain every day.

Read more: Cruising in hurricane season: What you need to know

If you're taking an Alaska cruise, September and October are at the tail end of the cruise season.  Not only is it colder out, but it tends to be rainier as well.

Europe is quite similar, with the peak demand for the region in summer.  By the time August ends, demand starts to dip.

If you can book a cruise during these months, you might find a really lucrative deal, even at the last-minute.  As an example, one of our writers booked a 7-Night Mediterranean cruise, starting in Athens, Greece for just $1471 for a November Mediterranean cruise.

Choose an older ship

While new cruise ships like Icon of the Seas get all the attention, there's absolutely nothing wrong with an older cruise ship.

As ships age, their prices tend to drop. Think of it like the price for a used car as they get older.

You'll find an excellent value on Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class ships, which offer lots to do at a good value.

The Radiance Class and Vision Class ships are smaller, but often have the lowest prices you'll find. What the ships lack in features, they make up for in value.

Book early

If you can't make a fall cruise work, the best tried-and-true strategy is to book a cruise as early as you can.

Generally speaking, the earlier you book, the better the price will be. This is because Royal Caribbean will set the lowest price when a new sailing becomes available, and raise prices as cabins get sold.

Ideally, you can get the lowest price when a new sailing opens for sale.  This occurs twice per year: around November and December and then again in February through April.

The downside to this strategy is you need to make plans up to two years in advance, which is quite difficult for many people.

Not only will you get the lowest price, but you will be able to pick the perfect cabin that you want. Suites and other highly desirable cruise ship cabins sell out quickly.

Read more: The rare cruise ship cabins that everyone wants to book immediately

Keep in mind that if you change your mind, there could be a penalty for cancelling or changing if you book a non-refundable cruise fare.  Royal Caribbean charges $100 per person for changes made with a NRD cabin, but that fee could be cheaper than the refundable cruise fare rate difference. Double check with your travel agent before booking to ensure you understand the deposit rules.

Book with a travel agent

I can't count how many times I thought I found the lowest price for a cruise only to be surprised my travel agent had a better price because of an offer I was unaware of.

Travel agents are more than a glorified booking engine. They work on your behalf to make everything easier for you, including booking a cruise.

One way travel agents can save you more money is because they have access to group rates and consortia rates.  These are specially negotiated prices that aren't publicly advertised, but can booked by anyone that works with an agent.

Travel agencies gobble up cabins and lock in the price. While cabins outside the group climb in price, the group rates remain locked and you could net a much lower price.

"It's heartening to witness so many people embracing the joy of exploring the world by sea, seeking those unforgettable experiences that only cruising can offer," says Mahnken.

I work with MEI Travel to book all of my cruises (disclosure, MEI Travel is a sponsor of this site), and quite often I'll either get a better price or maybe some extra onboard credit. I certainly never pay more than what I can find on the Royal Caribbean website.  Better yet, I get excellent service too.

Construction of the second Icon Class ship is underway! On December 15, the keel laying ceremony for Star of the Seas took place at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. 

"Star of the Seas is very important for both the shipyard and the partner network: the 13,000 man-years spent on building the ship create employment and business in Varsinais-Suomi and, with the supply chains, significantly wider as well," said CEO Tim Meyer.

"Once the ship is complete, it will strengthen a completely new kind of cruise experience with the standards set by its sister ship Icon." 

When a ship's kneel is placed into the dry dock during construction, coins are placed beneath it as a symbol of good fortune. 

Just like Icon, Star of the Seas, too, had coins left underneath the steel block of the ship's hull by the ship's customer and builder's representatives. 

The steel block was lowered by a crane to the bottom of the construction pool, which signified the start of the hull's construction. 

Despite this milestone, Star of the Seas won't be ready to sail the seas until August 2025. When she enters service, she'll sail from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. 

Thankfully, bookings are open. However, Royal Caribbean has not announced any details of how Star of the Seas will be different from Icon. 

There's some more Royal Caribbean news that you should be aware of, especially if you're looking forward to the 2025-2026 deployments or have a holiday cruise booked onboard Oasis of the Seas in December 2023. 

2025-2026 deployments changed

Royal Caribbean updated some of their 2025 and 2026 deployment schedules.

While cruises to the Northeast taking place between April 2025 and April 2026 will still be released for booking the week of February 12, 2024, the deployment of short Caribbean cruises and those departing from Los Angeles have been delayed. Short cruises are those that are 3, 4, and 5 nights long. 

Rather than being released at the same time as Northeast cruises, these sailings will now come out the week of February 19, 2024. 

There is some good news, though. Long Caribbean cruises (i.e., those over 7 nights) will be released one week earlier than planned, or the week of February 12, 2024. 

The deployment schedule for the remainder of cruises departing April 2025 through October 2026 has yet to be announced. 

While booking a cruise in March 2026 may seem like a long way away, by booking this far in advance, you can take advantage of the lowest rates, which are typically found as soon as cruises are opened for booking. 

Plus, you'll be able to frequently reprice your cruise through the final payment date. 

Guests sailing onboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas this holiday season will be able to visit the cruise line's first-ever holiday pop-up market

Found on Deck 8, the Oasis Holiday Marketplace, which was inspired by Europe's popular holiday markets, will run through January 7 and offer a selection of different Christmas ornaments, holiday appeal, and home décor. 

It's a great place to visit before dinner at Chops Grille or after enjoying a cocktail at the Trellis Bars. 

Plus, Santa Claus himself flew in straight from the North Pole for this special occasion! He'll be available to take photos with children, as well as encourage them to write letters to him at the North Pole. 

This special pop-up is in addition to the holiday décor found throughout the ship. 

“The Oasis Holiday Marketplace is a terrific example of Starboard's passion for ‘retailtainment’, offering families onboard engaging shopping experiences during magical holiday sailings,” says Claudia King-McWilliams, VP General Manager of Royal Caribbean.  

Oasis of the Seas' holiday sailings

Oasis of the Seas, the namesake ship of the record-breaking Oasis Class, is one of the largest cruise ships at sea.

Measuring over 226,000 gross registered tons and 1,187 feet long, there are tons of family-friendly activities onboard, making a holiday cruise on Oasis of the Seas the perfect way to celebrate and spend some quality time with loved ones. 

On December 22, Oasis of the Seas will depart from Miami, Florida on a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise to Falmouth, Jamaica; Labadee, Haiti; Nassau, Bahamas; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

The Christmas cruise will be followed by a 9-night New Year's cruise to the Southern Caribbean, with stops at CocoCay; Willemstad, Curaçao; Oranjestad, Aruba; and Falmouth, Jamaica. 

Read more: How Royal Caribbean celebrates Christmas and New Years holidays on its cruise ships

What's Starboard Cruise Services?

Starboard Cruise Services is the world's leading luxury vacation retailer at sea that has been in operation for 65 years.

In addition to "first at sea" brands, they're also responsible for customized cruise line merchandise and destination-inspired goods. They partner with several other mainstream cruise lines, too, including Virgin Voyages, Holland American Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Cruise Line. 

For instance, they have a line of "Texas-inspired" merchandise onboard Carnival Jubilee, Carnival's newest Excel Class ship sailing out of Galveston, Texas. The three different collections include Carnival Saloon, Inaugural Americana, and the Heroes Collection.

The first, Carnival Saloon, will feature denim and Western-inspired fashion (i.e., cowboy boots, fringed t-shirts, and more). 

Starboard Cruise Services employs a team of over 300 shoreside and 1,800 shipboard employees, with over 62 different nationalities represented. 

What is The Pearl on Icon of the Seas? Expect something completely different.

Ever since the Royal Promenade debuted on Voyager of the Seas, it has become a staple onboard many Royal Caribbean ships, and Icon of the Seas is no exception. 

For the first time, Royal Caribbean focused on connecting guests to the light and water through expansive windows. To be successful, however, they needed to build a super-structure that would allow them to replace all of the steel with glass. 

"The Pearl is a fundamental piece of the ship's structure," said Jay Rosser, Manager of Product Development for Royal Caribbean International.

"It is supporting all of the staterooms above it [and] Central Park, which is on Deck 8. That 16-meter diameter sphere of steel is taller than the Hollywood Sign in California." 

The Pearl is an experiential installation that serves more than one purpose

The heart of Icon of the Seas is the Royal Promenade, with the heartbeat coming from The Pearl.

This moody architectural marvel will bring the ship to life, offering different experiences throughout the voyage depending on whether it is the daytime, nighttime, a sea day, or even when docked at Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

"The Pearl has a lot of different purposes. It's hard to put into context," said Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer for Royal Caribbean International.

"It's a bit art, a bit sculpture, a bit experience, a bit WOW." 

It took over two years to design The Pearl

At first, The Pearl wasn't called "The Pearl." In fact, it was simply a round globe-like structure, and they were not quite sure what they were going to put inside of it.

Royal Caribbean reached out to Breakfast, a studio located in Brooklyn, New York that's known for their digitally controlled kinetic sculptures, to assist in designing the interior tiles. 

"When Royal Caribbean first contacted us, we were very excited, and we kind of thought they were a little nuts to be honest," said Mattias Gunneras, Co-Founder of Breakfast.

"They came and asked us to design something that was something a lot more ambitious than anything we've done in the past."

It was important to see mock-ups to select the right finishes, including the gloss level, base color, and shimmer level. There were a lot of prototypes that were tested in order to complete the final product. 

Not all of the pieces, however, were constructed in the United States. While the interior tiles were designed in the U.S., the rest was built overseas, beginning at the shipyard in Turku, Finland. 

Once a certain amount was complete, it was barged to another facility, which actually had to remove a door for The Pearl to fit inside! It was then transported back to Meyer Tukru. 

"Everybody's going to interact and experience The Pearl in their own way," remarked Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO.

"It's beautiful; it's artistic; it's incredibly creative; it's spatially so large that once you experience it, you can't quite get your head around it."

The Royal Promenade onboard Icon of the Seas will be filled with entertainment, areas to relax, delicious dining options, and more

At 362 feet long, the Royal Promenade onboard Icon of the Seas will be longer than a football field! It will be filled with brand-new experiences, such as the 4100 Lobby Bar, Dueling Pianos, and largest ice rink at sea. 

Plus, specialty restaurants, including Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, will be found here, rather than in quiet locations like Central Park. 

Youth programming can be accessed from the Royal Promenade, too. Teens will love the brand-new Social 020, which will offer state-of-the-art video game systems and a movie room. 

"The Royal Promenade is a classic with Royal Caribbean and has evolved significantly. It's an amazing hub for the entire community onboard the ship," said Bayley. 

"...it always has been this place where people meet and have fun together, and that is certainly true for Icon." 

Read more: The Royal Promenade on Icon of the Seas will be a leap forward with new innovations

Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class cruise ships are an excellent balance of fun things to do onboard and value. They're big enough to include lots of activities, but they don't come with the price tag of newer cruise ships.

Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas are two ships within this category of Royal Caribbean cruise ship that appeal to families looking to get a good value for their vacation dollar.

Read more: What I liked (and disliked) about my Liberty of the Seas cruise

I often get questions on how to choose between the two ships, and what you should know about the similarities and differences each has. They're quite similar, but there's just enough variations to make one a better choice over the other depending on your preferences.

It's important to note that Freedom of the Seas received a major upgrade in 2020, while Liberty of the Seas' scheduled upgrade in 2021 was postponed and has yet to happen.  This is going to be a recurring theme in comparing these two ships.

Liberty of the Seas received some updates in 2016, which gave her an edge versus Freedom until its 2020 refurbishment.

Here's a look at Liberty of the Seas vs Freedom of the Seas so you can understand what stands out about each.

Ship size

Technically, Liberty of the Seas is one foot longer than Freedom of the Seas, but you really shouldn't factor that in at all.

Freedom Class cruise ships are 1,111 feet long and they were both the largest cruise ships in the world at the time of their debut.  They've since been eclipsed by larger ships, but they still offer that "big ship" experience many cruisers look for in any vessel.

Here's a look at Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas statistics:

Both cruise ships have just under 4,000 passengers, but Freedom of the Seas has a higher guest count because of her upgrades in 2020.

The ship layout is exactly the same, with a Royal Promenade in the middle of the ship, ice skating rink, surf simulator, and water slides. Both ships are 15 decks high.

Dining

The choices in dining venues diverge a bit between the two cruise ships, as you'll find certain restaurants on each ship.

Here's a breakdown of the complimentary dining venues on both Freedom and Liberty of the Seas.

The primary difference is that Freedom of the Seas has El Loco Fresh, which is a casual Mexican restaurant on the pool deck.

You'll find nachos, burritos, quesadillas, and chips along with a toppings bar at El Loco Fresh.

Freedom of the Seas has another advantage with its specialty dining offerings, as it has newer venues.

In my opinion, the specialty restaurant choices on Freedom of the Seas are superior because it has a greater variety of popular restaurants.

Both ships have an Italian restaurant, but Giovanni's Italian Kitchen is the updated version with a newer menu and more choices, including pizza.

Izumi hibachi is one of the most popular restaurants on any Royal Caribbean ship, as its teppanyaki tables often sells out every voyage.

Playmakers is super popular with cruisers because it offers a true sports bar experience, along with excellent bar food to go with it.

Bars

Because Freedom of the Seas got amplified in 2020, she has a few more bar choices.

At the pool, there's the Lime and Coconut. This is a vibrant multi-deck venue that has a wider selection of drinks and seating choices than you'll find at the pool bars on Liberty of the Seas.

Freedom of the Seas also has Playmakers Sports Bar, which is conveniently located on deck four between the atrium and casino. It replaced what is the photo gallery on Liberty of the Seas.

Playmakers is a fun spot to catch your favorite sporting event, with dozens of big screen televisions and lots of seating. It also has a great a la carte priced menu you can order from, so you have bar food for the game.

If you're on Liberty of the Seas and want to watch sporting events, they have the On Air club.  It doubles as a karaoke bar and de-facto sports bar because it has a few televisions that can show sporting events.  But it's not nearly as expansive as Playmakers, nor does it have food.

The rest of the bar choices is largely similar between the two ships.

Cabins and suites

You will find plenty of the core four cruise ship room categories on both Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, such as inside, oceanview, balcony, and suite cabins.

There are Promenade View cabins on both ships, which have a bay window that looks into the Royal Promenade rather than outside.  While there's no natural light with these rooms, it's great for people watching and offers a bit more space than a conventional interior room.

There are two very popular types of cabins that quickly sell out on most sailings.

A balcony located on the ship's "hump" can be found on either ship.  This refers to the rooms that are located on the outwards part of the ship deck plan, right around the middle.

The reason why these rooms are desirable is because their balcony space tends to be larger than other balcony cabins without a higher price.

Speaking of balconies, the other room type worth looking at is an aft balcony.

Located on the back of the ship, these balcony rooms face the ship's wake and their balcony space can be enormous.

Aft balcony rooms on the lower decks have the most balcony square footage, and it's like having a suite balcony.

Both ships also have family oceanview cabins at the front of the ship, which have bunk beds and an extra bathroom. They may not have a balcony, but they're great choices for families on a budget.

The suite offerings on Freedom and Liberty are more or less the same, but there is one important distinction.  

The cabins are similar, but the suite sun deck choices are different. Freedom of the Seas received the Lime & Coconut bar, which took up the space that used to be reserved for suite guests. Liberty of the Seas still has reserved chairs right in the middle of the pool deck for suite guests only.

The suite lounge has a newer look on Freedom of the Seas.

Entertainment

Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas have the same entertainment venues, but the show line-ups are different.

Liberty of the Seas has a full Broadway show onboard, while Freedom of the Seas does not.  Guests can enjoy Saturday Night Fever, which is shown in its entirety as you would see it in a theater on land.  The show is complimentary.

In the theater on Freedom of the Seas, you'll find musical acts and dance production shows, but nothing with as much plot and familiar music as what Liberty has.

Both ships have an ice skating rink, where you can see ice skating shows at no additional cost.

At the bars and lounges on both ships, there is live music each day. The pool deck has a live band as well as a DJ.  In the evening, the Schooner Bar has a piano player and the English pub has a guitarist.  There are other live musical acts at Boleros and other venues.

Pools & slides

Liberty of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas both have multiple pools and whirlpool hot tubs to enjoy, but the aesthetics of both differ along with the top-deck attractions.

Both ships have a common set of activities onboard:

• Main pool
• Solarium adults-only pool
• Splashaway Bay kids aqua park
• Rock climbing wall
• Flowrider surf simulator
• Mini-golf course

Freedom of the Seas' pool deck has a Caribbean vibe to it, while Liberty has the traditional Royal Caribbean pool deck look.

More importantly are the water slides. Both ships have a pair of Perfect Storm racer waterslides, but Liberty of the Seas has a big difference.

In addition to the duo of water slides, Liberty has "Tidal Wave", which is a boomerang style slide where two guests ride in a raft that goes up a near vertical wall to provide a moment of weightlessness before sliding back down.

Read more: The best cruise itineraries for every type of traveler

Bottom line

Is Freedom of the Seas or Liberty of the Seas better for you? It really depends on which features are the most important, as well as the itinerary.

The biggest difference between the ships are the dining choices and pool deck experiences. The newer restaurants on Freedom of the Seas represent some of the best concepts the line has come up with in recent years.  That isn't to say the specialty dining on Liberty of the Seas is sub-par by any means.

The itineraries offered might be the most compelling factor to select one over the other.

Freedom of the Seas sails from South Florida year-round and offers cruises to Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. In summer 2024, Freedom will start offering longer Caribbean cruises.

Liberty of the Seas mixes up her itineraries, and moves between Florida cruises in the winter, and the Northeast United States in the summer.  Liberty visits Canada, New England, and Bermuda, along with longer sailings to the Bahamas.

The two sister ships are quite similar, and you really have to dig into the details to find a good reason to select one over the other.

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line can often be seen competing for first place when it comes to which is the better cruise line. These two cruise lines have some of the largest fleets in the world and market themselves as the premier provider for the ultimate cruise vacation. So which is the best and how do they compare?

I have had the privilege of cruising with both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines several times this year. Much of my cruising experience has been sailing onboard Norwegian Cruise Line, but I have also had some great experiences onboard Royal Caribbean ships.

As always, these thoughts and opinions are only my own. I recognize that everyone has their favorites when it comes to cruising, and that everyone’s desires for their vacation will be very different from others, or my own. These are just some of my personal observations and opinions when it comes to comparing these two cruise companies and their great ships!

My Experiences

I have had the privilege and pleasure of so far sailing onboard six different Norwegian Cruise Line ships and two different Royal Caribbean ships.

This may seem like a lot, or for the avid cruiser it might seem limited. From these experiences I have been able to compare and contrast Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line and see some of what each of these major cruise lines have to offer their guests and prospective passengers.

So far I have sailed onboard the Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Star, and Norwegian Viva vessels. For Royal Caribbean I have cruised with the Mariner of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas.

I appreciated getting to sail and experience ships such as Mariner of the Seas and the Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Star. As all three of these vessels were built around the same time, and give me a good look and comparison between ships of this age from Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line. Mariner of the Seas was built in 2003 and the Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Star were built in 2001 and 2002.

I personally believe that every cruise experience is exactly what you make it. Everyone can have a great cruise vacation on any ship with the right mindset and expectations. I personally believe that cruising can be fun for anyone!

Fleet Size

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines are two of the largest cruise lines in the world. These two cruise brands have very large fleets. With Royal Caribbean sailing 28 ships (including the newest vessels Utopia of the Seas and Icon of the Seas). While Norwegian Cruise Line currently has 19 ships, including the newest addition to the fleet, the Norwegian Viva ship which debuted this past August in 2023.

Royal Caribbean is famous for having the biggest cruise ships in the world. With vessels that can accommodate more than 7,000 guests. While many of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships are also very large, with guest capacities exceeding 4,000 guests. Currently Royal Caribbean’s fleet size is much larger, with 28 vessels to Norwegian Cruise Line’s 19.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes guide

Recently both these cruise lines announced new ships that will be debuted in the years to come. Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are set to release many more ships into the future, signaling a continued success for both these brands.

When it comes to ship production, both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line show no signs of slowing down. This means more innovations are sure to come to the cruise line industry with each new ship that hits the high seas.

Style and aesthetics

(Pool deck onboard Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, Norwegian Viva)

When it comes to style and aesthetics, Norwegian Cruise Line tends to be more understated and modern, while Royal Caribbean thrives off of bright colors and eye catching designs. Both of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newer vessels, the Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, display examples of sophisticated and relaxing Scandinavian design. While Royal Caribbean’s newer vessels focus on displaying an atmosphere of fun and excitement to its guests.

These two cruise lines are much different when it comes to their branding. In recent years Norwegian Cruise Line has drifted towards more modern and sleek design, ushering in an atmosphere of relaxed sophistication. Royal Caribbean’s newer ships are all about fun and excitement, and are stocked full to the brim with new and exclusive onboard activities and amenities for guests to explore.

With each new ship Royal Caribbean is setting themselves apart by offering more and more for guests to do and see onboard. Royal Caribbean as a brand markets themselves as capable of providing an excellent cruise vacation for the whole family.

In recent years, with the addition of the Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Cruise Line has pivoted in their style and offerings. While still a family friendly cruise line, it seems that there is more to do onboard for adults rather than kids aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships.

Bright colors and an atmosphere of overall fun is the common theme onboard Royal Caribbean. While Norwegian Cruise Line users in relaxation alongside notes of sophistication. Both these brands’ styles are great and offer a wide variety for prospective passengers to choose from.

Activities

When it comes to onboard activities it could be almost impossible to choose which of these two cruise lines is better than the other. As always, it can simply be up to individual taste, style, and preferences of each cruise traveler.

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for debuting industry firsts onboard its newer vessels. For example, the Norwegian Speedway is a never before seen onboard activity that is exclusive to Norwegian Cruise Line. Onboard ships such as the Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Prima, and the Norwegian Viva, guests can satisfy their need for speed in a real life go-kart experience.

While Norwegian Cruise Line might be interested in coming out with new onboard activities, Royal Caribbean can often be seen expanding and enhancing its proven-popular onboard activities. With more than enough activities to explore and see, Royal Caribbean often creates ships that need to be visited multiple times in order to see and do everything onboard. From ship areas such as Central Park to great activities such as Escape Rooms, there is often so much onboard Royal Caribbean ships that it could be impossible to see everything in just one sailing. These ships are designed to be visited again and again.

For both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean guests will be able to find a wider breadth of activities onboard newer ships. This is due to the innovation and technology that continues to be developed and improved with each new vessel. For those guests looking to experience and do a lot onboard, I would recommend considering a newer ship for your upcoming cruise vacation onboard either Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean.

For both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line ships from the same classes can be very similar. However, not all ships are the same or have the same offerings onboard. For this reason I always recommend thoroughly researching different ships from each class before booking your cruise.

Entertainment

When it comes to entertainment it can be almost impossible to choose between Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line. Once again, it all comes down to travelers’ personal preferences.

If you are looking for brand new, awe inspiring entertainment, then Royal Caribbean may be your choice.

Royal Caribbean is well known for their innovation and commitment to bringing new and thrilling features to their ships. One of the most unique forms of entertainment offered on some of Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, their Oasis Class vessels, are the Aqua Shows. These impressive water shows are offered at the Aqua Theater onboard, and feature awe inspiring entertainment that truly rivals cirque du soleil. “The AquaTheater - only on our Oasis Class - is the deepest pool at sea, flanked by two 30-foot diving platforms that set the scene for mesmerizing dive spectaculars”, states Royal Caribbean about this Royal Caribbean cruise line-specific entertainment.

In addition to water shows, several Royal Caribbean ships feature ice shows. I have had the privilege of seeing a couple of these ice shows in person, and each time I was really impressed. The talent displayed at these shows is exceptional, and I highly recommend checking out at least one ice show performance while onboard if you have the opportunity with Royal Caribbean. In addition to the ice shows, guests are able to experience ice skating themselves while at sea! During specific times during cruise sailings, guests are able to tryout ice skating on the ice rink on Royal Caribbean ships that offer this amenity.

Norwegian Cruise Line features some full length Broadway stage performances that I have greatly enjoyed. If you are someone looking to take in a great theater show, then Norwegian Cruise Line might catch your eye.

Norwegian Cruise Line has some of my most favorite Broadway-style shows at sea that I have seen so far! Some of my personal favorite Broadway inspired shows are ‘Six’ and ‘Jersey Boys’, both of which are available to be seen onboard the Norwegian Bliss ship. As well as ‘The Choir of Man’ which is performed onboard the Norwegian Encore ship. All these shows feature truly impressive acting, singing, and dancing. Some of these shows, such as ‘Six’ have actually been performed on Broadway, and for very good reason. All of these shows have a great story and plot, and are sure to hold audiences’ attention while thoroughly entertaining them.

Recently I was able to see the brand new rendition of ‘Beetlejuice’ onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Norwegian Viva. This 90 minute show is truly impressive, with just the right amount of laughs, thrills, and awesome singing, dancing, and acting talent.

It is important to note that for both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, guests will find the most, as well as latest and greatest onboard entertainment onboard the newer cruise ships from both these cruise lines. To experience the very best and greatest that a cruise line has to offer, the newest ships are typically the best choice. For example, to find the best onboard entertainment I would consider either an Oasis Class ship with Royal Caribbean or a Prima Class vessel with Norwegian Cruise Line.

Pools and Outdoor Fun

With the introduction of Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, guests will be truly blown away when it comes to not only the innovative pool features, but also the number of pools onboard. When Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas debuts in 2024, it will have 5 pools. While Icon of the Seas will have an impressive 7 pools. 

Norwegian Cruise Line is set to make headlines with its brand new, never before seen, waterslide coaster set to debut on the new Norwegian Aqua ship in 2025.

Norwegian Cruise Line also does a great job of providing not only pools and hot tubs onboard, but fun and thrilling waterslides as well! One of my favorite waterslides at sea is the Ocean Loops slide that is available on some Norwegian Cruise Line ships, such as Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Bliss. The Ocean Loops slide features a multi-story free fall drop and two inversion loops for guess to experience. I will say, this slide is very thrilling and may not be for everyone. However, if you are someone who loves a good adrenaline rush, I recommend making the Ocean Loops waterslide a must do while onboard!

Onboard many of Royal Caribbean’s ships, even some of the oldest vessels, guests can find the fun and complimentary water activity, the FlowRider. The FlowRider is an awesome opportunity for guests to try out wave surfing at sea, and as a bonus is completely complimentary to participate in. The FlowRider is a Royal Caribbean classic, and can be found onboard many Royal Caribbean ships.

(Concept art of Icon of the Seas water park)

Every Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean ship features at least one pool onboard. Similarly to entertainment and other onboard amenities, the most advanced top deck fun tends to be on the newer ships in the fleet. Make sure to research any potential cruise ship to see if it has some features you would like to check out and enjoy.

Kids zones

Both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line take pride in their ability to provide excellent cruise vacations for every member of the family. Nearly every Norwegian Cruise Line ship and Royal Caribbean vessel has a designated area just for the younger members of the family.

These kids zones and children’s clubs are usually divided by age, meaning that children can meet other passengers their own age and engage in age appropriate activities under the safe supervision of trained crew members.

Many of the kids clubs offer activities and events for children nearly every hour of the day, for the duration of a cruise sailing. There are often kids clubs onboard for nearly all ages, from small toddlers all the way up to teenagers in high school.

In addition to kids clubs, there are often splash zones and kids pools onboard many of Norwegian Cruise Line ships and Royal Caribbean ships. In my personal experience, it does appear that there are usually more kids zones and areas onboard Royal Caribbean ships. While Norwegian Cruise Line seems to pay special attention to adult only areas onboard.

Every cruise ship is different, and this means that not all the kids zones are the same. If you are someone traveling with children, I recommend researching the specific children’s areas onboard.

Read more: 7 Best Royal Caribbean cruise ships for kids 

Adults-only areas

When it comes to adult only areas there are some great venues onboard many Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean ships.

Royal Caribbean shines when it comes to adult only pool areas, as they are featured onboard almost all of their ships. This adult only area onboard Royal Caribbean ships is often referred to as the ‘Solarium’. This area features comfortable lounge chairs, a small pool, usually at least one hot tub, and often times a bar area.

I have personally been able to experience the Solariums onboard the Liberty of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. Both these venues offer plenty of relaxation for those guests onboard who are 18 years and older. These areas can get quite busy during sea days, so make sure to visit early to find a spot to sit back and relax.

Onboard Norwegian Cruise Line guests can often find the adult only area called ‘Spice H2O’. The Spice H2O is one of my favorite adult only areas that I have seen on large scale cruise ships. During the day it is a place of relaxation, and during the night it often turns into a dance club. During the course of a cruise the Spice H2O is often where guests can find themed dance parties, such as the Norwegian Cruise Line iconic GLOW night!

Food and Dining

Arguably one of the best things about cruising is the food!

For those looking to explore some great dining, passengers do not need to look far when it comes to Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean. On both these cruise lines, guests will find no shortage of great food and dining experiences onboard.

Every Norwegian Cruise Line ship has at least two main dining restaurants for guests to choose from. These complimentary dining venues have become some of my favorite cruise dining in my personal experiences. Every Norwegian Cruise Line ship also has at least several specialty dining options in addition to complimentary offerings.

Norwegian Cruise Line in my personal opinion has some of the best food I have been able to sample on larger scale cruise ships. For example the new Indulge Food Hall onboard the Norwegian Viva is a revolutionary dining venue that has some of the best Indian cuisine I’ve ever tried, at sea or on land.

I also greatly have enjoyed much of the food onboard the two Royal Caribbean ships I’ve had the privilege of sailing on. I appreciate that Royal Caribbean is always striving to improve on their fan favorites and offer their returning guests great consistency.

The complimentary restaurants, ‘Taste’ and ‘Savor’ found onboard many of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships are a great dining option. These two restaurants offer a more intimate restaurant dining experience, rather than the large traditional main dining room found on many cruise lines. I prefer this method of dining when it comes to dinner on a cruise ship, and definitely recommend checking out these restaurants if they are available on your next Norwegian Cruise Line sailing.

I have had the privilege of sailing with Royal Caribbean a couple times now, and have always found something appetizing and delicious onboard! Something I will say that I have noticed when it comes to food when comparing Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, is that Norwegian appears to offer more complimentary dining options than Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean tends to offer just one or two main dining restaurants onboard, in addition to the buffet.

If I had to make a choice between the two cruise lines when it came to food, I would say Norwegian Cruise Line has the best options onboard their newer ships. Such as the Breakaway Class, Breakaway Plus Class, and Prima Class. While Royal Caribbean is very consistent across the cruise line, and has some great food offerings onboard their older vessels as well as their new ships.

Bars, Lounges, and Nightlife

Both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have much to offer when it comes to nightlife and exciting bars and lounges for guests to explore!

Both these cruise lines do a great job of offering nighttime entertainment such as comedians and live music. I appreciate that Norwegian Cruise Line provides venues specifically for these kinds of nighttime entertainment in addition to bars and lounges. Onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Norwegian Viva, the comedy lounge called ‘Improv’ and bars such as ‘Syd Norman’s  Pour House’ for live music.

For those looking for live music onboard Royal Caribbean, they do not need to look far. Royal Caribbean’s classic bars such as Playmakers Sports Bar and Schooner Bar are always filled with a good time for guests.

On Mariner of the Seas my favorite bar and lounge is The Bamboo Room. This unique and tropical themed bar is a great place to visit with friends during a night out onboard.

One of my all time favorite bars and lounges onboard Norwegian Cruise Line ships is the Skyy Vodka Ice Bar. This incredibly unique bar is an actual ice bar that is very cool (literally). This bar is an indoor venue featuring real structures made from ice. There is a cover charge of $24 per guest which includes two vodka cocktails. This fun bar can be found onboard the Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Epic ships. I recommend dressing warmly when planning on visiting this bar, as it is quite cold!

Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have great themed parties onboard many of their ships. I have been able to experience quite a few of these themed parties onboard Norwegian Cruise Line ships, they are quite fun and I definitely recommend checking out at least one during a cruise sailing. From 80s to the iconic GLOW party, Norwegian Cruise Line has a themed party nearly every night of a cruise for guests to dance the night away at.

I appreciate that both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean offer a wide breadth of variety when it comes to nightlife activities and entertainment. This means that there is something for everyone to enjoy during the evening and nighttime onboard. From lively dance parties, comedy performances, to relaxed live music, there is guaranteed to be something onboard that every guest enjoys during the nighttime.

Itinerary choices

For myself and many others one of the most important, if not the most important part of cruising is the itineraries, and the unique ease of travel that cruising offers.

There is nothing quite like cruising. The ability to unpack in one spot while being transported to great destinations around the world is quite alluring, and keeps frequent cruisers coming back again and again. Not to mention that now days cruise ships are now great destinations in of themselves and offer so much for guests to do, see, and explore.

Because the itinerary can be the most important part of cruising for many guests, I always recommend perusing and browsing the itineraries offered by cruise lines before picking the ship. Unless of course prospective guests are the most interested in the ship most of all.

Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean both offer incredible itineraries all over the world. Whether it is sailing to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Middle East, or South America, guests can find itineraries to all these awesome destinations on both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean.

If you are looking to visit truly unique destinations, I would recommend checking out Norwegian Cruise Line specifically. Guests looking to visit interesting and engaging locations such as Africa, parts of the Middle East, and more should consider a cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line.

Royal Caribbean lives up to its namesake and has some really great itineraries in the Caribbean and Bahamas. As well as itineraries that sail all over Europe, including beautiful destinations such as the Greek Isles and Spain.

It is common among both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line that these two brands will often utilize their older ships to sail some of the most unique itineraries. For this reason I always say, never rule out sailing on an older cruise ship. Because these older vessels may have some of the best itineraries at affordable prices.

For example, best friend and fellow Cruise Blog writer Allie and I sailed on a 10 day itinerary onboard the Norwegian Star this fall to the British Isles. The Norwegian Star is an older ship, built in 2001 and is one of the only ships in the fleet that offers this type of itinerary. We were also able to find a great cruise to Spain and Lisbon earlier this year onboard the Norwegian Sun, also an older ship built in 2001.

I highly recommend choosing a cruise vacation off the itinerary. Doing this will help to ensure that no matter what guests will have a great trip. Cruising is first and foremost about travel, and I firmly believe it is one of the very best forms and ways to travel and see the world!

Private Islands

Before embarking on my first cruises with Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line last year, I had no idea that some cruise lines own they very own private islands. Since initially finding out about these unique Caribbean destinations, I have been able to visit all three of the private islands owned and operated by Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean.

Currently Norwegian Cruise Line owns two private island destinations, one located in the Bahamas called Great Stirrup Cay. With the second one located just off the coast of Belize called Harvest Caye. While Royal Caribbean currently has one private island destination called Perfect Day At Coco Cay also located in the Bahamas. In fact, Great Stirrup Cay and Coco Cay are right next to each other in the Bahamas and guests to these islands can see the other island just across the waves from each other!

I have been able to visit Norwegian Cruise Line's Great Stirrup Cay twice now, and I can confidently say this is a beautiful island. While Great Stirrup Cay may have much less to do onshore when compared to its neighbor, Perfect Day at CocoCay, it is still a great Bahamian destination. 

Great Stirrup Cay is a great place to relax and enjoy an afternoon at the beach. This island does not have the plethora of activities that CocoCay does, however if you are someone looking forward to a beautiful beach day on your cruise vacation, Great Stirrup Cay is the perfect place. There are plenty of complimentary lounge chairs and spots to get your feet into the sand. Additionally guests can try out zip lining for an additional cost, or rent some floating chairs and other beach gear should they so choose. 

Similarly to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Great Stirrup Cay does offer complimentary lunch fare to guests onshore. This is a great feature to passengers of both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean over at CocoCay. This is different from Norwegian Cruise Line's Harvest Caye, in which guests will need to pay for their lunch should they choose to eat at this destination. 

I have had the pleasure of visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay just once so far in my cruising adventures. I can easily say that this destination requires at least a couple visits to see and do everything onshore. CocoCay is filled with activities for members of the whole family, and guests will never be bored when visiting CocoCay. From a waterpark to adult only exclusive beaches, there is truly something for everyone on this private island. 

Overall, if you are someone looking for a lot to see and do during a visit to a private island, I would recommend Perfect Day at CocoCay. If you are someone content with a beach day in some beautiful and relaxing scenery, then I would absolutely recommend Great Stirrup Cay or Harvest Caye. 

Harvest Caye is a bit different from Norwegian Cruise Line's Great Stirrup Cay because it is in part owned by the Belizean government. This means that Belize has more say in the functionings of the island. Because of this, this great destination has a unique and authentic Belizean feel to it that I enjoyed during my visit. This island has unique activities such as a complimentary wildlife trail that must be seen during a visit! 

Staterooms and Cabin Offerings

Because Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are some of the biggest cruise lines in the world, it means they are able to provide the most variety to their guests.

(Some staterooms onboard Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean feature bunk bed systems to accommodate more than two people in a cabin)

For this reason, there is a plethora of stateroom and cabin categories and types to choose from for prospective guests. Whether it is a more affordable inside cabin or a luxurious suite, there are so many different types of staterooms for guests to choose from on both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean ships.

Read more: Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin and suite guide

For those guests looking for an added measure of luxury and exclusivity to their cruise, Norwegian Cruise Line’s ‘The Haven’ can be a great option. The Haven is Norwegian Cruise Line’s luxury ‘ship-within-a-ship’ concept. The Haven is not just a series of beautiful suites, but also exclusive areas designated just for guests staying in a Haven category room. Including a lounge, bar, pool area, and restaurant.

Staying in this exclusive Haven area of the ship is often quite expensive but comes with perks that can not be experienced any other way onboard Norwegian Cruise Line. It is important to note that The Haven is not available onboard every Norwegian Cruise Line ship. If you are someone interested in staying in The Haven, I recommend filtering which ships have these stateroom categories onboard before booking a cruise with Norwegian.

Guests looking at sailing on Royal Caribbean, who want to experience an exclusive stateroom category, but also are looking at keeping to a budget should consider a Promenade View Room or a Central Park View Room.

These Promenade View Rooms rooms are often times quite affordable, but offer a unique cruise experience to guests. Similar to an ocean view stateroom, these rooms feature a window. But instead of the window looking outward towards the ocean, the window is interior and gives guests a look out onto either the Promenade or Central Park, depending which is featured onboard the Royal Caribbean ship. These rooms are typically cheaper than an ocean view room, but are fun in that they offer an interesting stateroom experience that is rather unique to Royal Caribbean.

(Most affordable stateroom onboard Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, Norwegian Viva)

For both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, prospective guests will find no shortage of stateroom options to choose from. Whether it is a large family looking to travel on a budget, or a couple looking to plan a celebratory cruise, both these cruise lines have a stateroom category to sure to suit every traveler’s needs and desires.

Cruise Loyalty Programs

When it comes to cruising with both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, both these cruise lines want to help ensure that their passengers have such a good time that they’ll consider cruising with them again and again.

Because of this, both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line offer loyalty programs to all their guests. The more that a guest cruises with one or both of these cruise lines, the more points they earn. The more points guests earn the more exclusive benefits they can enjoy on future cruises.

Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program is called the ‘Crown & Anchor Society’, while Norwegian Cruise Line’s loyalty program is called ‘Latitudes Rewards’.

On both these cruise lines guests earn points towards their loyalty program with every cruise they take. For example, with Norwegian Cruise Line guest earn 1 point for every night they spend on a cruise. The amount of points guests earn can also be increased to 2 points or more per night depending on special stateroom categories such as suites or studio staterooms.

Occasionally Norwegian Cruise Line will run promotional deals that can allow guests to earn more points per night of their cruise. For example, when I stayed in a Studio Stateroom for the first time this year I earned 4 points per night onboard the Norwegian Encore.

Some of the benefits of various reward categories with Norwegian Cruise Line include discounts on drink packages, discount on shore excursions, priority check-in, exclusive cocktail parties, discounts at the duty-free shops onboard, discounts on photos, discounts on the internet or wifi packages onboard, and much more during a cruise such as chocolate covered strawberries and a free specialty dining meal for two.

Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society rewards program is very similar to that of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Latitudes Rewards. The more guests cruise the more rewards and perks they have access to for future sailings. This is just one of the ways that these two cruise lines encourage guests to continue cruising with them over and over again. Similarly to Norwegian Cruise Line, certain stateroom categories such as suites can earn guests more than one point per night of their cruise sailing onboard Royal Caribbean.

One of the features that could set Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society apart from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Latitudes Rewards, is the complimentary drinks perk. The higher status travelers earn on Royal Caribbean, they can earn free drinks for future cruising. For example, at certain tiers guests can enjoy 5+ free drinks a day, this can be a significant cost saving.

Once a passenger cruises with Norwegian Cruise Line and/or Royal Caribbean for the first time they are automatically a member of that cruise line’s loyalty program. For every subsequent cruise thereafter guests will earn points and work their way toward the next loyalty tier to achieve even more rewards for their next cruise vacation.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Overall the choice for Royal Caribbean versus Norwegian Cruise Line come down to personal presences. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines have so much to offer their cruise guests, and there is no shortage of things for passengers to explore about these two cruise lines.

Both these large scale cruise lines specialize in offering something for everyone onboard their ships, and are great about being cruise lines that caters to the whole family. Because of this, both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean can be great options for multi-generational vacations.

Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have many similarities, but they also have some key differences as well. I recommend exploring these two cruise lines in-depth, as well as specific ships before booking a cruise vacation. This will help ensure that guests are booking the best cruise sailing for them.

No matter which of these two cruise lines guests choose, they are sure to have a fun, memorable, and exciting cruise vacation! We hope that this article was helpful, and that it introduced you to some of the differences and similarities between these two cruise lines.