Royal Caribbean Blog

Certain foods on a Royal Caribbean ship are well-known favorites that cruisers come back to time and time again, but what about the unsung heroes?

Royal Caribbean cruisers that have been sailing with the line for a few years know there are certain foods that always hit the spot, but it's usually a surprise to new cruisers.

The Main Dining Room serves lobster on the second formal night, but nearly everyone looks for lobster on the menu.  Beyond the usual favorites, there are a handful of foods I think are fantastic choices most people are unaware of.

Maybe on your next cruise you can check out one of these underrated finds and add it to your list.

Toppings bar at El Loco Fresh

One of the best, yet largely unheralded, improvements Royal Caribbean has made to its pool deck was the addition of El Loco Fresh.

I don't think you'll confuse the tacos, burritos, and quesadillas served here, but the beauty of it is how you can customize your food.

After you get your food from the buffet line, there's a toppings bar where you can load it up exactly the way you want it.

There's pico de gallo, guacamole, jalapenos, and a pretty good variety of hot sauces.

I can't tell you how many times I've gone here for a quick bite, even when I've stayed in Star Class.

Filet and lobster at Coco Beach Club

In coming up with this list, there's a few foods at Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas, starting with the Coco Beach Club.

The Coco Beach Club is an extra cost area within Perfect Day at CocoCay that usually costs over $100 per person for a day pass.  That's a high price, but the food might make up for it.

Within the club's sit down restaurant is arguably the best steak and lobster you'll find.

You'll find very large portions that are exactly the kind of lobster or steak you'd imagine when thinking of a great dish.

It's essentially the best surf and turf you'll find across Royal Caribbean.

Secret sandwich

In keeping with our CocoCay faves, since Perfect Day opened, there's been a menu item you have to know to ask for in order to order.

At any of the Snack Shack locations, you can walk up and ask for "the secret sandwich". Given it's name, it has to make this list.

A lot of cruisers know about it now, but it's still something that will turn a few heads when you order it.

It's essentially an amalgamation of two regular menu items: the chicken sandwich and mozzarella sticks, with marinara sauce added on top.

The result is a chicken parmigiana sandwich, and it's really good.  Some people prefer no pickles (because the pickles come with the chicken sandwich), but I kind of like it for the twist on the flavor.

Campfire cookie

If you're looking for an indulgent food that you might overlook, it's by far the dessert at Playmakers Sports Bar.

Imagine a hot skillet that offers spoonful's of marshmallow, ice cream, and cookie together. It's a mess, but probably one of the best desserts Royal Caribbean has ever conjured up.

When you have a chocolate chip cookie with marshmallows on top, it's a great combination.

Because Playmakers is priced a la carte, you can drop in to order just the cookie and only spend $6.  

Mozzarella sticks

One more amazing food on CocoCay has to be the mozzarella sticks.

It's become a meme within our team when someone goes to Perfect Day at CocoCay, to brag about the mozzarella sticks.

While you can get mozzarella sticks on the ship, the ones served at the Snack Shack are a different recipe and they're so darn good.

I think it's the breading that makes it stand out, but we'll order mozzarella sticks with our secret sandwich, every time.

Asian stir fry cooking station

When I walk into the Windjammer, the first place I look are the cooking stations.

I think most cruisers overlook them because they're fixated on the traditional buffet areas. While the food around the buffet is indeed quite good, nothing compares to a freshly prepared dish.

There are a few varieties, but my favorite is the Asian stir fry option. I'll probably forgo food elsewhere in the Windjammer just for this when it's available.

You get to select the vegetables and meat of your choice to be stir fried together with noodles and soy sauce. 

Crepes at Aquadome Market

Royal Caribbean knew it had a hit on its hands when they created their first food hall concept on Icon of the Seas, and the crepe station is by far the runaway winner.

Aquadome Market offers a few types of cuisines to choose from, but the one with the longest line is always the crepe station.

You tell the crew member what you want in the crepe, and they make it on the spot for you.

The result is a delicate and delicious decadent dessert/breakfast/snack. 

Plus it's free!

Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas has reported a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on its current sailing with nearly 100 sick guests onboard.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Radiance of the Seas reported 89 ill guests onboard its current voyage. Additionally, two crew members are reportedly ill with gastrointestinal symptoms onboard. 

The outbreak was reported to the CDC on February 4, 2025, with 4.1% passengers and 0.2% crew members reporting symptoms of the illness. There are currently 2,164 guests onboard and 910 crew members on the vessel. 

Radiance of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s smallest vessels, accommodating around 2,500 passengers at maximum capacity and measuring 90,090 gross tons.

Most guests on Radiance of the Seas are showing symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting - two of the predominant symptoms for gastrointestinal illness. Other common symptoms include muscle aches, headaches, abdominal cramps, or fever.

Radiance of the Seas is currently sailing on a 7-night itinerary to the Western Caribbean. The ship departed from Tampa, Florida on Saturday, February 1, 2025. The itinerary includes stops in Cozumel (Mexico), Roatan (Honduras), Belize City (Belize), and Costa Maya (Mexico). Radiance of the Seas is scheduled to return to Tampa, Florida on February 8, 2025.

Along with these details, the CDC included multiple steps taken by crew members aboard Radiance of the Seas in response to the outbreak. First, the cruise line increased cleaning and disinfection on the ship, based on Royal Caribbean’s outbreak prevention and response protocol.

In addition, the cruise line has collected stool specimens from the gastrointestinal illness cases to be used for testing. This can help identify the cause of the outbreak, which could be norovirus. Ill passengers and crew members have also been isolated to reduce potential illness spread.

Royal Caribbean is consulting with VSP to address the outbreak, which is the Vessel Sanitation Program run by the CDC. Based on the report, VSP is monitoring the situation and reviewing Radiance of the Seas’ sanitation procedures and outbreak response.

Is this an outbreak of norovirus?

At this time, it’s unclear if the gastrointestinal illness outbreak is caused by norovirus. The CDC does not list a causative agent for the outbreak, which is defined as the specific organism responsible for the development of the disease.

However, the CDC states, “Norovirus is often a cause of gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships, but we don't always know the cause of the outbreak when we begin an investigation.”

“Finding the agent that caused an outbreak (causative agent) can take time. When an outbreak occurs, people whose symptoms met the case definition are asked to provide stool or vomitus samples. These samples are tested to determine the causative agent. In this outbreak, samples are pending confirmatory testing,” continues the CDC.

Cruise ships are required to report cases of gastrointestinal illnesses to the CDC. The government agency states, “Reporting gastrointestinal illness is important. When passengers and crew tell the medical center onboard about their symptoms, it helps GI illness outbreaks get detected quickly. This allows steps to be taken to limit the spread of illness.”

Outbreaks of norovirus are on the rise across the U.S.

Norovirus cases have been surging over the recent weeks in the United States based on CDC data. The total number of outbreaks reported in the 2024–2025 season exceeds the range recorded during the same period in the 2012–2020 and 2021–2024 seasons.

The CDC reported 91 suspected or confirmed norovirus outbreaks in the United States for the first week of December 2024. This is the highest number recorded for that week since 2012. Outbreaks of norovirus are most common from November to April with millions of people getting sick each year.

No one knows for sure why norovirus cases are surging this season. YaleMedicine states the current strain was once uncommon in the United States, meaning many people lack immunity to the specific strain circulating. Cases normally surge in the winter months when people tend to congregate inside, particularly around the holiday season.

(Number of Suspected or Confirmed Norovirus Outbreaks Reported by NoroSTAT-Participating States Per Week, 2012–2025)

Norovirus is not respiratory, meaning it does not spread by sneezing or coughing. Instead, norovirus spreads by contaminated food, water or surfaces, making it highly contagious. Because of this, proper handwashing with soap and water is the best way to prevent the spread. Most hand sanitizers don’t work well against the virus.

Radiance of the Seas is the sixth vessel to report an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness, according to data provided by the CDC. The following ships have reported outbreaks in 2025, along with the identified causation agent. 

• Royal Caribbean International: Radiance of the Seas (2/1–2/8/2025) – Unknown

• Princess Cruises: Coral Princess (1/20–2/5/2025) – Norovirus

• Viking Ocean Cruises: Viking Mars (1/10–1/24/2025) – Unknown

• Holland America Line: Volendam (1/4–1/25/2025) – Norovirus

• Silversea Cruises: Silver Ray (1/4–1/20/2025) – E. coli

• Sea Cloud Cruises: Sea Cloud Spirit (1/4–1/10/2025) – Presumed Ciguatera

In contrast, 18 outbreaks on cruise ships were reported to the CDC in 2024. Although norovirus is often called the “cruise ship disease,” only 1% of reported outbreaks are associated with cruise ships. Outbreaks are more common on college campuses, hospitals, and nursing homes where people are living in close quarters.

What is Royal Caribbean’s protocol?

All cruise lines are required to have robust protocols to address illness outbreaks. Royal Caribbean’s health protocols are enacted once a certain percentage of guests report symptoms.

In a statement to USA Today, Royal Caribbean stated, “Enhanced measures have been implemented onboard in an abundance of caution to protect the health and comfort of all our guests and crew.”

These protocols include the following:

1. Stopping self-service in buffets if the onboard rate exceeds 1.5%
2. Enhanced acute GI training for onboard medical teams
3. Switching to PDI SaniCloth Prime hospital-grade disinfectant wipes
4. Enhanced crew training on what to do when experiencing acute GI symptoms and how to avoid cross-contamination in food and beverage service areas

Royal Caribbean could be adding a new California homeport to its plans. 

Test loads for the upcoming West Coast deployment schedule to be released around February 17 reveal that Serenade of the Seas won't offer cruises out of Los Angeles. Instead, the 90,090 gross registered ton (GRT) ship will sail from San Diego, California. 

Royal Caribbean prepares for a new deployment with test loads, where they upload a few select sailings to their website. They aren't bookable, but they give passengers a preview of what to expect. 

Screenshots shared by Southern Dan on Royal Caribbean Blog's discussion board show Serenade offering a 7-night Mexican Riveria cruise on March 28, 2027, from San Diego. 

The test itinerary also reveals that Serenade will call at Laz Paz, Mexico, which is known for beautiful beaches teeming with marine life and a vibrant downtown with a 3-mile-long waterfront promenade.  

Cruises from San Diego aren't necessarily new. Royal Caribbean sometimes begins or ends Panama Canal voyages from the Southern California port. However, Royal doesn't offer regular sailings from San Diego. 

It's more commonly used by lines like Disney, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian.

Other West Coast changes

Voyager of the Seas will supposedly replace Navigator as the year-round ship based in Los Angeles, though Royal Caribbean hasn't made an official announcement yet. 

The Ports America Los Angeles website schedule shows Voyager of the Seas arriving in California on October 5, 2026. 

Test loads seem to confirm Voyager's takeover with an 8-night cruise scheduled on Nov. 5, 2026, including an overnight stay in Cabo. 

Navigator of the Seas is on the schedule through Nov. 5, 2026. After that, the Voyager Class ship disappears from the manifest, whereas Voyager has departures listed through at least December 2026, along with Ovation of the Seas. 

Royal Caribbean already announced they're bringing Quantum Class ships to Los Angeles, with Ovation of the Seas offering regular voyages starting in June 2025. Quantum will join Ovation in October 2025. 

These cruise ships are larger than Voyager Class vessels and offer more modern amenities, including an enclosed SeaPlex, North Star observation capsule, and sky diving simulator. Plus, they're designed to operate in warm and cool climates. 

Effective October 2026, however, it appears Royal Caribbean will reduce to just one Quantum Class ship in Los Angeles, phasing out Quantum of the Seas.

Another test itinerary shows Ovation making a short 3-night cruise to Ensenada on October 16, 2026. 

Growing cruise market

After a decade-long hiatus from Los Angeles, Royal Caribbean's re-entry into the California market has proved to be worthwhile, with executives confirming that Navigator has performed "exceptionally well."

The itineraries to popular destinations in the Mexican Riveria have resonated with seasoned cruisers and newcomers who might not be interested in another typical Caribbean or Bahamian voyage. 

Plus, adding newer ships, like Ovation and Quantum of the Seas, will further strengthen Royal Caribbean’s position in the market. 

Upcoming deployments

There's a lot of exciting stuff forthcoming with Royal Caribbean's new deployments in the next few weeks. Already, they've announced their 2026 Alaska cruises, some of their 2026 European voyages, and Summer & Yearlong Caribbean Northeast cruises. 

Here's an updated list of the upcoming deployment schedule:

• Week of February 10: Europe 2.0
• Week of February 17: West Coast
• Week of February 24: Short Caribbean
• Week of March 3: Seasonal Caribbean
• Week of March 10: China
• Week of March 17: Singapore
• Week of June 2: Australia 

It looks like Royal Caribbean is doing something different and adding a new casino to one of its cruise ships in an unusual place.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas went in for its regularly scheduled maintenance work in January. The ship, built in 2006, arrived in at a shipyard in Cadiz, Spain for a three-week drydock.

Routine drydocks usually just consist of maintenance work, but it looks like a new idea is coming to Freedom.

Updated deck plans within the Royal Caribbean show the ship's wine bar, Vintages, is being replaced.

In place of Vintages is "Casino Royale Non-Smoking".

Royal Caribbean hasn't formally announced a change.

Vintages was the ship's wine bar, where you could find the widest selection of wines.  All restaurants and bars offer wine, but Vintages had the most types and was a bar best known for its comfortable furniture.

The location of the casino is just one deck above the main casino, with a staircase nearby for convenient trips between the two.

The new non-smoking casino won't be nearly as large as the main casino.  Vintages was a smaller location, and from the deck plans, it's clear that it's roughly the size of two shops.

Adding a non-smoking casino to Freedom of the Seas would follow a trend the line first began implementing on the Oasis Class ships.

In 2023, Royal Caribbean began converting the jazz club to a non-smoking casino.  Wonder of the Seas was the first ship to debut this feature, and the conversion process began on the other Oasis Class ships.

The 3,926-passenger ship is getting ready to resume cruises from Fort Lauderdale in February.

Addressing a problem that's plagued the casino for years

Adding a non-smoking casino has been a strategy to offer a gambling location for those that don't want to deal with second-hand smoke.

Royal Caribbean allows smoking in its casinos. Technically, the rule is for active players, but the casino has ended up being a glorified indoor smoking venue in practice. 

The debate over allowing smoking in the casino has been contentious over the years, with many cruise ship passengers voicing their opinions on the matter and it's left Royal Caribbean in the middle.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley spoke on the subject at an event in 2022, admitting, "smoking in the casinos is a bit of a conundrum."

"The dilemma is that there are many people who do want to smoke in the casino. I know that's not a popular response, but it's it's the truth."

"I'm not judging anyone or anything, but there's a large group of people who do want to smoke in the casino."

While there's a non-smoking side to the casino, the odor of the smoke still travels.

The cruise line has not gone as far as banning smoking in the casino outright, providing a non-smoking alternative venue seems to be their new strategy.

By offering a non-smoking casino on the Royal Promenade, it's likely the company wants to attract gamblers who don't want to be around smoking, back to the casino.

More casino space is good business

Offering more casino space means more opportunities to drive up revenue on a cruise ship.

Gambling in the casino is one of Royal Caribbean's top revenue generating businesses.  It's big business, and more popular than ever.

Royal Caribbean Group lumps casino revenues in with other extra cost items, such as drink packages, shore excursions, wifi, and anything else not included with your cruise fare.

In the second quarter, Royal Caribbean Group reported "onboard and other" revenue was $183,000,000 across all brands. That's $14 million more than the same quarter in 2023.

Anecdotally, many cruise fans have taken notice of the special offers made by the onboard casino in order to take advantage of discounted and complimentary sailings.

Freedom of the Seas returns to service this month

With Freedom finishing up its 3-week dry dock, the ship is ready to start cruising again on February 16.

The drydock work included general maintenance for the ship's propulsion, as well as replacement of carpets, and more.

The ship will begin sailing with a 7-night voyage that visits Nassau, St. Thomas and St. John’s, Antigua.

In May, Freedom of the Seas repositions to Miami,

Royal Caribbean has made it easier than ever to prove your casino losses to the IRS, but it's also a sobering reminder for some cruisers.

Casinos on cruise ships are required to report significant winnings to the IRS, which has an impact on income taxes.

In practical terms, that means a situation when you get a slot machine jackpot or a video poker machine payout worth $1,200 or more. When that happens, the casino staff pays you cash on the spot for your winnings and you fill out a form that goes back to the IRS, assuming you're an American citizen.

Of course, you're supposed to technically report all casino winnings to the government, and deduct all loses. In practice, most people don't track their losses in such a manner until they run into a jackpot.

There's a catch: if you can prove you lost more money than you won in the casino, it can help offset those gains on your taxes.

To make that easier, Royal Caribbean made a change this year to get those gambling records much faster.

Royal Caribbean tracks your play when you use your SeaPass card, which offers possibly significant rewards if you gamble enough.

The tracking they do also allows them to provide casino players with year-end win/loss statements.

As of January 31, 2025, Royal Caribbean guests can download win/loss statements from 2020 to 2024.

You can view your own win/loss statement by going to the Casino Royale website.

Royal Caribbean warns, "Please note that this is not an official tax form."

Cruisers surprised by the numbers

Almost immediately after the 2024 reports became available, people started sharing their results, with a combination of both shock and awe.

For many, it was a surprise in how much or little they lost.  Many cruisers were in disbelief at the number provided versus their expectations.

Reddit user btm24 shared a copy of their report, indicating they lost $14,673.22 over the course of the year in the casino.

According to this person, Royal Caribbean's report was "within 20% from my figures."

For that loss, they were able to get 11 "comped" cruises (48 total nights) for the year.  That means btm24 received offers from Royal Caribbean to sail for free on select cruises 11 times.  All they had to pay was taxes and fees.

According to btm24, depending on the exact offer from the casino, what's included differs.  They claim most of the time the offers were for ocean view balcony’s for two people at no cost.

The free sailings are one of the most lucrative benefits of gambling on a Royal Caribbean ship. 

As an example, btm24 reached the Prime level within Casino Royale's loyalty program.

"Every time we sail it’s like cutting off the head of [the] hydra, we get two sailing offers on top of our monthly offers, hear offers etc. It’s inane how decent the comp system is."

In their opinion, the rewards make up for the losses, "100% this is loss not win for me. But I enjoyed it and came in under budget so it all works out."

How much you have to gamble to start getting comp cruise offers?

If you're reading this and ready to start earning "free" cruises from the casino, there's a bit of a learning curve to understanding exactly how it all works.

The simplest strategy is to gamble enough on one sailing to earn enough points to qualify for instant certificates that you can redeem for a sailing.

Basically, you get 1 point for every $5 you wager (not win or lose, just wager) and if you get 400, 600, 1200, 2500, et al points, you can get turn around and book a cruise offer based on the list of sailings at each point threshold.

So yes, to earn 600 points, you'd have to roughly wager $3,000 in one sailing.

You can view the list of cruise tiers online with a clever hack, or wait until you get on the ship and then see the list at the casino host's desk.

While this strategy is easy to accomplish, it requires you to spend enough to get enough points to qualify for a sailing.

What most people want to know is how to get offered a free sailing from Royal Caribbean's casino simply for having gambled on past sailings.

It's important to note no one knows exactly how the truly free comp offers are given out.

At the very least, you need to have gambled some in a casino on a Royal Caribbean ship at some point in the past.

No one really knows exactly how many points and even if you gamble a lot, the rhyme or reason as to why one person gets a casino cruise comp offer and not someone else is elusive.

AB3reddit posted, "Low roller here. I have never made Prime and don’t think I’ve ever made more than 500 points in a single year, but for some reason they do offer me a wealth of the “monthly” free and BOGO cruise offers (mostly just Inside and Inside Guaranty cabins)."

Safety is the top priority on cruise ships, but one protocol might be a little surprising on Royal Caribbean's newest ship.

Utopia of the Seas has been sailing since summer 2024, and she's brought many innovations with her. Among them is this ship uses a more environmentally friendly fuel type, Liquified Natural Gas, or LNG.

The ship has a new dual-fuel engine, but Icon of the Seas was the first Royal Caribbean ship to begin using LNG.

On a recent sailing, passengers were informed of a refueling function that was to take place, and it meant all passengers had to comply with a strange request.

Refueling while at CocoCay

Cruise ships are kind of like airplanes in the sense they can be refueled just about anywhere.

On a recent sailing, Utopia of the Seas was set to be refueled while docked at Royal Caribbean's private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

This might seem odd to be refueled at a private island instead of the ship's homeport, but there's a logic to it.

Evidently refueling LNG takes many hours, and the cruise line does it at CocoCay because there's less impact on the ship's timeline.

The 236,473-gross-ton ship visits Perfect Day at CocoCay twice a week, because the ship only operates 3- and 4-night short Bahamas cruises.

Utopia is docked at CocoCay for more hours than in Port Canaveral, and that gives them more time to get it done. If they waited until the ship was back in Port Canaveral, there could be a delay in departing on time.

As part of the refueling process, passengers are informed they have to adhere to a few strict rules while it takes place.

First, there's no smoking at all allowed on any open deck. No outdoor smoking areas are open during refueling operations, and signs are posted to remind guests.

Second, all balconies and infinity verandas are closed and off limits during the refueling process.

That's a more impactful change considering passengers woudn't be able to use their balcony for much of the day.  However, there's a certain logic to it.

By electing refuel in CocoCay, Royal Caribbean is betting most passengers are off the ship anyway enjoying the beaches and pools of their island.  So it's less likely a passenger would want to or need to use their balcony.

The open decks of the ship, including the pools, are still open and functional.

A similar experience should be expected for Icon of the Seas when it gets refueled. And just like Utopia, Icon has received her supply of LNG while at CocoCay.

There was no change to Utopia's schedule, merely a functional need that coincided with the port day, similar to crew safety drills or other functions while in port.

LNG is a step towards the future

Cruise ships leveraging LNG is a move in the right direction, but it's not the ultimate solution for fuel needs.

LNG can reduce carbon emissions by about 30%, sulfur emissions to almost nothing, and nitrogen oxide emissions by about 85%.

Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, spoke last year on the work his cruise line is doing to be more environmentally friendly.

He explained Royal Caribbean's commitment and mindset regarding the environment, "Everything that we do is put through that lens of trying to be as sensible as we can buy new ships, for example; Icon, Utopia, Star."

When Royal Caribbean was working on plans for ships like Utopia or Icon, LNG was the best option at the time.

Cruise ships can be built in 18-12 months, but they take years to come to fruition. Icon of the Seas, for example, was conceived before 2016 and finally launched in 2024.

"When decisions are made on building ships, they're made with the information that's available at the time. And of course, the information at the time when we signed contracts to build ships is different from how it looks today," Mr. Bayley said. 

"In five years, how we do this is going to look different as well," Mr. Bayley continued.

To that point, he was blunt in admitting the fuel of the future isn't known yet.

"There is no magical fuel," Mr. Bayley said, and he believes "that's the formula for success in the future."

"Five to ten years ago, LNG was viewed as the solution to creating a more sustainable fuel. But now it's not considered the best option."

A better fuel isn't just a cruise ship problem, it's something the entire marine industry is investigating. 

"We are working diligently, not only as a company but [also] within the industry and within the larger sector of the maritime industry, which is vast."

Mr. Bayley indicated Royal Caribbean is committed to figuring out a sustainable answer, "I can assure you we're committed to that."

Happy weekend! We hope you are in the midst of a wonderful weekend full of things to do to pass the time between cruises.  We have a summary of all of this week's Royal Caribbean news in case you missed any of it!

Is it as bad as you might think to go on one of Royal Caribbean's oldest and smallest cruise ships?

Matt was reluctant to try Enchantment of the Seas because it lacked so many things to do found on newer and bigger ships, but he went on a 4-night sailing to give it a try.

With the right mindset, he found Enchantment was better than he expected and it's a good reminder about the value of these ships.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean moves up inaugural sailing for Star of the Seas and adds two new sailings
• Much loved Royal Caribbean cruise ship Captain retires with surprise party
• Celebrity Cruises will start offering river cruises in 2027
• One-of-a-kind ex-Royal Caribbean cruise ship is heading to the scrapyard
• 10 New river cruise ships ordered for Celebrity Cruises – what we know so far
• I went on the cruise ship that gets lots of hate
• Photo tour of spacious balcony cabin on Enchantment of the Seas
• Behind Royal Caribbean's Next Big Bet: Private Islands and Beach Clubs
• I sailed on an older Royal Caribbean ship and a newer one. The big changes show how much focus there is on food
• I went to the beach club in Cozumel, Mexico all the locals always rave about
• Golden Retriever has been living on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship for a year

Video: I put Royal Caribbean's cheap, oldest cruise ship to the test

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 — I put Royal Caribbean's cheap, oldest cruise ship to the test — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean delays new deployments again

The deployment schedule for new sailings has been changed, resulting in needing to wait a few more weeks.

The change affects three region's 2026-2027 cruise deployments: short Caribbean, seasonal Caribbean, and Australia.

An updated schedule is now available, with the first set coming out later this week.

10 commandments of a great cruise vacation

While some travel advice may be specific to a situation, there are certain things everyone should do for a great cruise vacation.

You don't have to plan out every minute of the trip, but it does behoove you to adhere to a core set of important advice to avoid mistakes later.

In thinking about the breadth of cruise advice I can provide, I came up with the 10 most important cruise tips possible that apply to just about everyone. 

13 things Royal Caribbean has learned about Icon of the Seas in its first year

In the one year Icon of the Seas has been cruising, Royal Caribbean has studied every aspect of it to learn what's worked well.

Royal Caribbean's Product Development team has analyzed guest feedback, and conducted research on the ship to determine the important lessons learned.

These results are being incorporated into future ships, as well as being helpful to someone going on Icon soon.

Royal Caribbean cruise prices are rising—why you should book now

Royal Caribbean reported its fourth quarter earnings to Wall Street this week, and it illustrated why you want to book a cruise now instead of waiting.

Not only did Royal Caribbean experience fantastic growth in the last quarter, but they anticipate demand going up again in 2025 along with prices.

If you're someone that considered waiting to see where prices go, it's quite likely the cost of a cruise will only go up this year.

I used a casino instant rewards certificate to book a 4-night cruise on to Mexico aboard Enchantment of the Seas, a 2,730-guest ship that joined Royal Caribbean's fleet in 1997.

I was surprised that a balcony cabin reward was available through the casino for two reasons: Enchantment has few balcony cabins, and my play wasn't very high when I got the certificate. Nonetheless, I was pleased.

One downside to this was I had to take a guarantee cabin assignment, which means the cruise line chose my room.

It took a month or two, but I finally got my cabin assigned. I was never worried the cruise would be overbooked, but it probably took longer than I expected.

I was assigned cabin 7036, which was on the ship's port side (left) and directly off the forward elevator bank. I didn't hear any noise the entire time, not even from neighboring guests that I shared a connecting door with.

My SeaPass card was waiting for me outside my cabin once staterooms were ready for passengers to get to their cabins at 1pm on embarkation day. 

I have no idea why there was a birthday magnet on my door when I arrived, but I decided to leave it to make it easier to find my room. 

When I opened the door, I was impressed by how big the room felt.

As you walk in, there is a giant closet on your left.  There are many hangers you can use, along with ledges places to put your bulky items.

I opted to use the closet as my dirty laundry area, which was helped by bringing a laundry hamper.  It's one of my favorite cabin hacks for keeping the room cleaner and more manageable.

The main area of the room had a king-size bed that can be split into two, if you prefer.  I kept it together because I was cruising solo and liked having the big bed to myself.

I was impressed by how comfortable the bed was, and how well I slept every night. 

There were two small nightstands on each side of the bed, but no power outlets nearby.  Enchantment is an old Royal Caribbean ship, and convenient power outlets really didn't become popular on cruise ships until just a few years ago.

A TV is mounted across from the bed and has a small adjustable arm to angle it.

I could watch live satellite television, movies, TV series, or the Bridge Cam, which shows a view of the front of the ship. I rarely watch television on a cruise, but I'll sometimes turn it on before I go to sleep.

My room also had a sitting area with a full couch that had a pull out sofa and an oval-shaped coffee table.

According to the cruise line, this room can accommodate up to 3 guests, and the sofa bed is how that works. I never opened it up during my cruise, but I had a passing thought to sleep there one night just to mix things up.

I believe there was supposed to be a piece of art on the wall above the sofa because there were mounting positions, but it was missing. Not a problem, just an observation.

There was a vanity, a mirror, and a cushioned chair across from the couch.

The vanity has the only power outlets in this particular room, and it's where I would do my daily work for this site from.  I brought a USB hub so I could keep my various devices charged. (Contains affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use)

One thing you won't find in a cabin on Enchantment of the Seas is a mini-fridge. It's just not an option on Vision Class ships.

Instead, there are lots of drawers on each side of the vanity.  There's also additional storage space up above.

This is where you'll find the room safe.  The safe was clearly used and abused, as the face plate was half off, but it worked just fine.

I thought there was much more storage space than I expected, and between the drawers and closet, I think three people could easily keep all their belongings organized and out of suitcases for a sailing.

The covered balcony measured 39 square feet and had plenty of room for two people.

It wasn't the largest balcony by any means, but I really enjoyed being able to come out here and take in the view or ocean breeze.

Since it was January, it wasn't particularly hot out. That's good because it was comfortable, but some mornings it was chilly with the ocean breeze.

The bathroom was bigger than I expected for a ship of this age.

It looked like the bathroom I'd expect to find on a slightly newer ship, such as Voyager of the Seas or Freedom of the Seas.

It wasn't until I visited my friend's cabin and saw how small his bathroom was, that I realized mine was a substantial upgrade. He was in an inside room, and their bathroom was tiny.

Regardless of which cabin you're in on Enchantment, the one problem I have with the bathroom are the shower curtains.

Certain Royal Caribbean ships have shower curtains instead of a glass or plastic shower divider, and these curtains are notoriously problematic because they cling to you as you shower.

The shower area is a confined space to begin with, and I don't like the idea of the curtain touching me as I'm trying to clean myself.

Alas, it's not something that would ruin my cruise, but a known issue on older, smaller ships.

I posted a video of this on social media, and some cruisers recommended leaving the curtain open while I shower to avoid the problem.  According to them, there is a drain in the bathroom floor and the water would drain there instead.

When you're booked in a standard cabin category (i.e. not a suite), you have the choice of getting your cabin cleaned once a day, either in the morning or evening.

I almost always choose the evening service so I can sleep in or just be not disturbed when I'm working in the morning.

One day I forgot to remove my "do not disturb" magnet from my door after taking an afternoon nap, and as a result, my room wasn't cleaned that day.

To my surprise, my stateroom attendant went out of his way to clean it the next morning after I departed the room.

I tried to leave my cabin as much as I could to not feel confined in the room. Enchantment may not have the most activities, but there was a lot going on, and I enjoyed the fun things this ship had.

Despite the shower curtain issue, the stateroom had impressive storage, a fantastic bed, and a lovely private balcony.

I think this kind of a cabin is a room I'd love to stay in again, especially given how much space there was.

I loved having the outdoor space, especially considering how comfortable the weather was during the peak of winter in the Caribbean.

A piece of Royal Caribbean's early history is headed to the scrapyard. 

Royal Caribbean's former Song of America, which was once one of the largest cruise ships in the world, was retired in 2023 by Celestyal Cruises.

Song of America entered service for Royal Caribbean in 1982 as the cruise line's fourth ship. She was preceded by Sun Viking, Nordic Prince, and Song of Norway. 

The cruise ship initially offered Caribbean itineraries from Miami to Nassau, San Juan, and St. Thomas; however, she later added sailings from New York to Bermuda to expand the ship's appeal to a broader audience.

Read more: What happened to Royal Caribbean's first cruise ships?

Celestyal Cruises acquired the cruise ship in 2014, though she departed Royal Caribbean's fleet in 1999 after being sold to Sun Cruises. After a five-year stint as the MS Sunbird, she was once again sold in 2004 to Louis Cruises, operating under the name MS Thomson for eight years. 

In 2012, she was renamed Louis Olympia and began offering cruises out of Piraeus (Athens), Greece, before Louis Cruise Lines re-branded to become Celestyal Cruises in 2014.

Celestyal Olympia sailed for Celestyal Cruises for about a decade before Celestyal sold her to a flag of convenience company which renamed her Bella Fortuna. Celestyal replaced the 40+-year-old ship with the former AIDAaura.

Bella Fortuna's name was eventually shortened to Fortu. On January 22, she departed the United Arab Emirates with her status listed as "to be broken up," according to The Maritime Executive. 

She's en route to Alang, India, home to the world's largest shipbreaking yard.

Read more: Photos show dismantled cruises in a cruise ship graveyard

When Song of America launched, she was the third-largest passenger vessel at sea

She also featured many firsts for the cruise line, including Royal Caribbean's iconic Viking Crown Lounge which provided 360-degree views around the ship. 

It was also the first time Royal Caribbean had put staterooms toward the front of the ship and public spaces near the aft so that the cabins were further from the ship's noisy engines. 

Plus, Song of America had two swimming pools, which had never been done before on any Royal Caribbean ship! That seems unheard of today with vessels like Icon of the Seas that feature upward of seven pools for guests to enjoy. 

Song of America catapulted Royal Caribbean into a modern era of cruising

“Every innovative maritime feature, every one of ‘tomorrow’s’ cruise concepts, will be part of Song of America today" is what the first preview brochure for Song of America said. 

Following Song of America, Royal Caribbean's committee overseeing the construction of a new ship argued for building a vessel that would push the boundaries even further in terms of size. 

Thus, Sovereign of the Seas was born. With a passenger capacity of over 2,600 guests, she could handle more than double what Song of America could accommodate. 

And as we all know, Royal Caribbean ships have continued to become larger and more innovative. I suppose we should expect nothing less from an industry leader who had big dreams in the 1980s, starting with Song of America. 

Read more: 8 ways Royal Caribbean changed the cruise industry

The differences between a brand new cruise ship and one that was built almost 30 years ago is quite stark.

In the past few months, I sailed on an old Royal Caribbean cruise ship and two ships that launched in the past year. You can't help but compare them, even though their approach to cruising is quite different.

Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas began cruising in 1997 just before the era of mega ships began. 

The cruise industry was about to undergo a massive shift in focus, as the launch of Voyager of the Seas in 1999 and Oasis of the Seas in 2010 redefined what the public expected from a cruise ship.  Then in 2024, Icon of the Seas raised the bar yet again, and for some people, it's difficult to go back to the older ships.

I recently sailed on Enchantment after spending my summer on both Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas.  Each of these ships entered service in 2024, and both of them offer an overwhelming amount of places onboard to relax, eat, explore, and watch. 

Big, new ships are quintessentially what cruising is about today, with so much of the focus of what you can do onboard.  Royal Caribbean is very much in tune with what consumers are looking for in a vacation, and they've built ships to rival land resorts.

Meanwhile, aging ships like Enchantment of the Seas are still sailing and while they don't have nearly as much to do onboard, they're fun ships for a relaxing trip away from work.

Activities were much more varied on Icon of the Seas

One thing you'll quickly notice on a new cruise ship is just how much there is to do onboard.

Icon of the Seas is split up into different areas, with different venues in each one.  It's practically impossible to feel bored, as the line packs every day with activities and events. There are game shows, live music, dance parties, and of course the top deck attractions that capture everyone's attention.

Icon of the Seas is a popular choice for families because of how much Royal Caribbean targets for children and their parents. Naturally, that means there will be lots of kids onboard.

The Surfside neighborhood alone is a great example of this, as the whole section gravitates towards younger children. There's a carousel, buffet serving kid-friendly food, splash park, pool, and more. It's really no surprised there were a lot of families onboard.

Up on the pool deck, there are multiple pools, an entire water park, surf simulator, mini-golf course, and an adrenaline experience that is kind of like a ropes course.

You won't find most of these things on a ship like Enchantment, but it has the basics.  It has a main pool, adults-only pool, and lots of loungers.

Offering all these flashy activities on Icon is going to naturally attract families in the same way a theme park would capture the attention of families more than a national park might. It's hard to resist the glitz of everything on Icon.

Enchantment has a relaxing pool deck with much more space to spread out

One thing I really liked about Enchantment of the Seas was how inviting and spread out their pool deck felt.

It has one main pool, and a lot of deck space around it.  This means you can easily find chairs on either deck of the pool decks, and it felt more sedate compared to Icon's pool deck.

Chair hogs are present on all cruise ships, regardless of size, but I think the fact Enchantment's pool deck was a bit more serene, it helps a bit with that.

Plus, I really think the pool bar scene is superior on Enchantment.  Between the enormous pool bar located in the shade, and the Oasis Bar that faces the ocean, they're great spots to enjoy a cocktail or beer while at sea.

The difference in prices are eye opening

Probably the biggest difference between Enchantment and Icon will be the price to go on each.

Cruise prices are on the rise thanks to record demand, and there is premium pricing to go on a ship like Icon of the Seas.

As an example, if you wanted to go on Icon for spring break in 2026, an oceanview balcony cabin would cost $2,247.80 per person for a week-long cruise on Icon.  

An oceanview balcony on Enchantment would cost just $997.60 per person for a 5-night cruise.

No matter which week you compare prices, you're going to see a stark price difference between these ships.  Families on a tight budget will get more bang for their buck on an older ship, even if there's compromise on what you can do onboard.

Many more dining choices on Icon, including extra cost restaurants

If there was an area of Enchantment of the Seas I was disappointed with, it was their dining variety.

Enchantment has just one specialty restaurant and a small Windjammer buffet.  It was sufficient, and I didn't go hungry.  But I missed having more choices.

Meanwhile, Icon of the Seas has 27 places to eat, including 12 extra cost restaurants. 

Some might question the need of extra cost restaurants, but there are so many on new ships because clearly cruisers are buying it up. 

It's debatable what's necessary, but I think having more choice is always a good thing.  Some cruises I'm quite content eating in the buffet or enjoying my favorite dishes in the Main Dining Room.  But I like to step out and have sushi, or grab nachos and a burger at the sports bar.

Icon even has a food hall that's included in your cruise fare and it's one of my favorite places to eat on any cruise ship.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Empire Supper Club, which is about as fancy a dinner experience you'll find on a cruise ship with jazz music, fine dining, and exquisite service.

While dining upcharges will add to your vacation budget, it's a factor a lot of people look for in a cruise ship.

You'll find fun bars on both ships

What would a cruise ship be without drinks?

There are bars throughout both ships, and I don't think you can be disappointed in the drinking opportunities on either ship.

Enchantment has a great pool bar with Oasis Bar, but I like its Schooner Bar even better. It's massive and actually has a nautical theme, unlike the one on Icon.

The Viking Crown Lounge bar on Enchantment has a stunning view of the top deck and ocean around you.

Icon has better bars that include entertainment, such as the English Pub or Dueling Pianos.

I'm also a sucker for the Swim & Tonic pool because it has a swim-up bar.

Both ships have enticing drink packages you can purchase, but be sure to buy them before the cruise begins to save a lot of money.

The shows on Icon are incredible

Another area where there's simply no comparison is the onboard entertainment.

Icon has three different theaters, with each one a full production show that will take your breath away.

The Wizard of Oz is the probably the top show to see on Icon, and it's a wonderful production true to the 1939 film. It has all the songs you know, a beautiful production, and talented cast.

The aquashow in the indoor Aquatheater is the kind of thing you'll take a lot of video to show friends at home because it's such high energy and you have to remind yourself a few times "I'm watching this on a cruise ship!".

Then you have the ice skating show that features skaters who have competed on the world stage.  

Enchantment has a production show in its theater, but it feels like a high school medley compared to what Icon has.

But both ships had better-than-expected cabins

I'll always prefer a cabin on a new ship for the aesthetics, but I was pleasantly surprised how nice my balcony cabin was on Enchantment too.

No matter which ship you sail on, the stateroom experience is more similar than not, especially in standard rooms.

In terms of amenities, they are very close. So it's really the look and feel of the room that stands out between an old ship and a new ship.

You will find many more electric outlets on Icon, along with USB plugs too.  A ship like Enchantment that was built in the '90s just wouldn't have had those options.

My favorite feature of any cabin on Icon is the fact there is a seat in the shower, something that bucks the decades long trend of having just a tube for a shower.

How much you value activities and your budget make each an obvious choice

I like both cruise ships for different reasons, and I think you'll gravitate towards one or the other depending on what your needs are.

Enchantment lacks the exciting family activities, variety of dining, and excellent shows, but it makes up for it in a great price.  Plus, it's the kind of cruise you can go on to chill.

Icon of the Seas is my favorite cruise ship right now because of how much it packs in, and I greatly value variety. I can't get over how much this ship has changed what I expect from a cruise ship, and it's the place I'd easily go back again and again with my family.

For many people, the price is what drives them in one direction or another.  It's hard to overlook the price gap between a new and old ship.

If you don't have kids and want to save money, Enchantment will win every time.  Even if you have kids, I think you'd find more value in taking them on a smaller ship because there's just enough to keep them occupied.

But if you can afford Icon, it's an incredible vacation that is sure to make a lot of memories along the way.

I've done both, and I'll continue to sail on both in the future.  But each has its strengths that will probably pull you in one direction.