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Royal Caribbean News Round-Up: August 27, 2023

In:

27 Aug 2023

By:

Matt Hochberg

Welcome to this week's edition of the Royal Caribbean post round-up, where we summarize all of the Royal Caribbean news and information from this week into one handy-dandy post! There is plenty of great content to enjoy, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's round-up!

What's it like when there's passengers on a cruise ship?

Sometimes cruise ships move between new home ports without any passengers onboard, and in the case of Oasis of the Seas, the crew got to enjoy the ship to themselves for a few days.

One crew member shared what it's like to sail on an empty cruise ship with no passengers.

Royal Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 509th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, sharing what you should know before you pick a cruise.

Before you book any cruise, Matt shares the important things to know and do (especially if you're new to cruising).

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: 4 things I think Royal Caribbean should change IMMEDIATELY!

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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: 4 things I think Royal Caribbean should change.

Why you should avoid cruises with lots of sea days

Should you pick a cruise with a lot of sea days? Maybe not.

Sea days can feel monotonous because some people prefer to explore the ports of call rather than lounging around the ship. Then again, a lot of veteran cruisers love sea days.

We thought of 6 reasons not to book a cruise with a lot of sea days, just in case you wanted to think about which sailing is right for you.

Weirdest things our readers have seen other people do on a cruise ship

The more you cruise, the more often you see something completely unexpected.

People-watching is something everyone enjoys no matter where you are, and you can sometimes see something unexpected while on your cruise.

Our readers shared the oddest things they witnessed on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

After 100 nights at sea, here are my biggest cruise regrets

Jenna has sailed on cruise ships for 106 nights (so far) and still has a few things she wish she could do over again.

If you have an upcoming cruise, it’s helpful to know what to avoid during the entire process so that you can avoid stress and hassle later on.

Whether booking one itinerary over another, packing more efficiently, or booking a risky flight schedule, there are a few things she wishes she did differently.

Allure of the Seas is the last Oasis Class ship with some classic features

Because Allure of the Seas did not get a Royal Amplification yet, she remains the last Oasis Class ship with amenities and venues that have since been removed on other ships.

In the meantime, guests can enjoy a few classic features you either can’t find on the others or are slowly being phased out.

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Royal Caribbean ships by age — Newest to Oldest

In:

Ships

26 Aug 2023

By:

Jenna DeLaurentis

With 28 cruise ships currently sailing and one more to launch in 2025, Royal Caribbean’s fleet is filled with exciting, record-breaking vessels.

The oldest Royal Caribbean ship is 28 years old whereas the newest launched this year. Despite being part of the same cruise line, older ships offer a vastly different experience than the newest ships in the fleet.

If you’re planning a Royal Caribbean cruise, it’s helpful to have an idea of which ships belong to Royal Caribbean’s fleet. It can be difficult to keep track of each ship, its age, and amenities, so we’re putting everything you should know into one place.

Here’s our list of Royal Caribbean ships from newest to oldest.

List of Royal Caribbean cruise ships by age

This listing has every Royal Caribbean cruise ship from newest to oldest, as well as which ship class and important details about each.

Star of the Seas (coming in 2025)

Inaugural sailing: August 31, 2025
Passenger capacity (double occupancy): around 7,600
Gross tonnage: around 250,800

Star of the Seas will be the second Icon Class cruise ship, and is slated to debut in August 2025.

It's unknown exactly how big she will be, but Royal Caribbean typically builds its new ships slightly larger than the previous one so that it can call it the "biggest cruise ship in the world" when marketing its launch.

The ship is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

Utopia of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: July 19, 2024
Passenger capacity (double occupancy): 5,668
Gross tonnage: 236,860

Utopia of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, launching in July 2024. She is the sixth ship in the cruise line’s Oasis Class, known for its open-air design and features like an AquaTheater and Central Park.

Utopia of the Seas offers 3 and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida, visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas.

Icon of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: January 27, 2024
Maximum passenger capacity: 7,600
Gross tonnage: 250,800

Icon of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship. As the first ship in Royal Caribbean’s new Icon Class, Icon of the Seas offers an impressive array of activities and amenities onboard.

Guests will love the new AquaDome neighborhood, the Category 6 Waterpark, and family-friendly Surfside neighborhood.

Icon of the Seas offers 7-night Caribbean itineraries from Miami, Florida.

Wonder of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: March 4, 2022
Maximum passenger capacity: 6,988
Gross tonnage: 236,857

Wonder of the Seas launched in March 2022. She is the fifth Oasis Class ship, yet has slightly different design elements than her sister ships, which include The Vue bar, The Mason Jar southern restaurant, and a suites-only neighborhood.

Wonder of the Seas sails 7-night Caribbean itineraries visiting destinations in the Eastern and Western Caribbean along with stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Odyssey of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: July 31, 2021
Maximum passenger capacity: 5,510
Gross tonnage: 167,704

Odyssey of the Seas is the fifth and final ship in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class. Quantum Class ships are known for their technology-driven designs and activities.

Highlights of a cruise on Odyssey of the Seas include RipCord by iFLY, an indoor skydiving simulator, and the SeaPlex, an indoor sports arena with activities like bumper cars and rollerskating. Adults will enjoy the enclosed, climate-controlled Solarium as well as a tropical-themed pool deck with The Lime & Coconut bar.

Odyssey of the Seas sails to the Caribbean in the winter months and spends the summer season in Europe, offering Greek Isles and Holy Land cruises from Rome.

Spectrum of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: April 18, 2019
Maximum passenger capacity: 5,622
Gross tonnage: 169,379

Spectrum of the Seas, the fourth Quantum Class ship, is based in Asia year round—the ship was designed for the China cruise market.

Onboard you’ll find extra casino space, a suites-only Solarium, and a specialty restaurant with Sichuan cuisine.

Spectrum of the Seas currently sails from Singapore, but she will begin offering cruises from Shanghai in April 2024. These cruises will visit destinations in Japan, China, and Vietnam.

Symphony of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: April 7, 2018
Maximum passenger capacity: 6,680
Gross tonnage: 228,081

Symphony of the Seas is the fourth Oasis Class ship and is perfect for passengers who love having an abundance of options when it comes to entertainment, dining, cabin choices, and activities.

Symphony of the Seas offers Western Mediterranean cruises and Caribbean cruises.

Harmony of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: May 29, 2016
Maximum passenger capacity: 6,687
Gross tonnage: 226,963

Harmony of the Seas, the third Oasis Class cruise ship, offers Caribbean cruises year round. She currently sails from Galveston, Texas.

Unlike Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas includes updated Oasis Class features like the Ultimate Abyss dry slide and Perfect Storm waterslides. This makes her an even greater option for a fun-filled getaway to the Western Caribbean.

Ovation of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: April 14, 2016
Maximum passenger capacity: 4,905
Gross tonnage: 168,666

Ovation of the Seas is the third ship in the Quantum Class. Like other Quantum Class ships, she was built to sail in all weather conditions, from chilly Alaska to the tropical South Pacific.

Throughout the ship you’ll find several indoor spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows, such as the Two70 lounge, which allow you to enjoy views of your destination rain or shine.

In the summer season, Ovation of the Seas offers 7-night Alaska cruises departing Seattle. As the Alaska season comes to an end, she repositions to Sydney, Australia to offer South Pacific and New Zealand cruises.

Related: All about Quantum Class ships

Anthem of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: April 22, 2015
Maximum passenger capacity: 4,905
Gross tonnage: 168,666

Anthem of the Seas, the second Quantum Class ship, has sailed to a wider variety of destinations than her sister ships in the class.

During the summer, Anthem of the Seas has typically offered European cruises from Southampton, England, visiting destinations in Norway, the Mediterranean, and the Canary Islands. In the winter, Anthem of the Seas has offered Caribbean cruises from Cape Liberty, New Jersey.

In October 2024, however, Anthem of the Seas will reposition to Singapore and offer cruises in Asia for the first time.

Quantum of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: November 2, 2014
Maximum passenger capacity: 4,905
Gross tonnage: 168,666

Quantum of the Seas is the first ship in the Quantum Class, the second newest class of ships after the Icon Class.

Quantum of the Seas sails a wide range of itineraries. She offers Alaska cruises from Seattle during the summer and Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific itineraries from Brisbane during the Australia cruise season.

Allure of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: December 1, 2010
Maximum passenger capacity: 6,780
Gross tonnage: 225,282

Allure of the Seas is the second Oasis Class cruise ship, and she is the only ship in the class not to feature amenities like waterslides and updated dining venues. She was due to receive an upgrade in 2020, but her amplification has been indefinitely postponed as a result of the pandemic.

Nonetheless, Allure of the Seas still offers the classic features cruisers love in the Oasis Class, which include an AquaTheater, ice-skating rink, Central Park, and Boardwalk neighborhood.

Allure of the Seas offers 3 and 4-night Caribbean cruises.

Oasis of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: December 5, 2009
Maximum passenger capacity: 6,780
Gross tonnage: 226,838

There was no other ship like Oasis of the Seas when she launched in 2009. As the first ship in the Oasis Class, Oasis of the Seas was unlike any vessel to ever set sail.

Fourteen years later, the Oasis Class is still the most popular class of ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Guests have come to love the large, activity-filled ships in the Oasis Class, as there is no shortage of things to do and see onboard.

After her 2019 amplification, Oasis of the Seas had new dining venues, waterslides, a revamped pool deck, and new cabins added to the ship.

Independence of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: May 2, 2008
Maximum passenger capacity: 4,375
Gross tonnage: 155,889

Independence of the Seas is the last of the Freedom Class ships. She received an amplification in 2018 that added waterslides, an escape room, and a kids aqua park to the ship.

The ship makes an excellent option for a short cruise, as she offers 3, 4, and 5-night cruises visiting destinations in the Caribbean.

Liberty of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: May 19, 2007
Maximum passenger capacity: 4,960
Gross tonnage: 155,889

Liberty of the Seas is the second Freedom Class ship, and like her sister ships, she offers short cruises from Florida.

She currently sails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offering 3 and 4-night cruises visiting both Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas.

Freedom of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: June 4, 2006
Maximum passenger capacity: 4,515
Gross tonnage: 156,271

Freedom of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s best ships for a short weekend getaway. After a 2020 amplification, Freedom of the Seas received upgrades including a tropical-themed pool deck, waterslides, and updated dining venues and bars.

She currently offers 6, 7, and 8-night Caribbean cruises.

Jewel of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: May 8, 2004
Maximum passenger capacity: 2,502
Gross tonnage: 90,090

Jewel of the Seas is the last ship in the Radiance Class, and the last Royal Caribbean ship to be built with a multi-story atrium as opposed to a Royal Promenade thoroughfare.

She offers longer itineraries than most newer Royal Caribbean ships, which include 12-night Arctic Circle cruises and 11-night Southern Caribbean cruises. She spends the summer season in Europe and repositions to the Caribbean during the winter months.

Mariner of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: November 16, 2003
Maximum passenger capacity: 3,807
Gross tonnage: 139,863

Mariner of the Seas, the fifth Voyager Class ship, is a favorite ship among cruise fans, and many argue she offers the best value in a cruise vacation that Royal Caribbean has to offer.

Amplified in 2018, Mariner of the Seas features many of the same activities and dining venues as the fleet’s newer cruise ships, yet cruise fares are often much lower than ships like Symphony and Wonder of the Seas.

Mariner of the Seas sails in the Caribbean year round, offering cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Serenade of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: August 1, 2003
Maximum passenger capacity: 2,476
Gross tonnage: 90,090

Serenade of the Seas, a Radiance Class ship, is Royal Caribbean’s most well-traveled ship. In December 2023, she set sail on the cruise line’s Ultimate World Cruise, a 274-night journey to all 7 continents.

As a Radiance Class ship, she is well-designed for such a colossal journey, and offers indoor spaces like a climate-controlled adults-only Solarium and indoor movie theater.

Navigator of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: December 14, 2002
Maximum passenger capacity: 4,000
Gross tonnage: 139,999

West Coast cruisers will love sailing on Navigator of the Seas, a Voyager Class ship that sails from Los Angeles, California.

Navigator of the Seas features amenities like record-breaking waterslides, a tropical-themed pool deck, a tiki bar, and Hooked Seafood restaurant, all of which were added to the ship during her 2019 amplification.

Cruisers can visit destinations along the Mexican Riviera on Navigator of the Seas such as Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta.

Brilliance of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: July 19, 2002
Maximum passenger capacity: 2,543
Gross tonnage: 90,090

Brilliance of the Seas may be a small cruise ship by Royal Caribbean standards, but she makes up for her size with exciting itineraries in the Pacific.

During the summer she sails from Vancouver, Canada, offering 7-night Alaska cruises. In the Australia season, she offers unique itineraries in the region.

Adventure of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: November 18, 2001
Maximum passenger capacity: 3,807
Gross tonnage: 138,193

Adventure of the Seas, the third Voyager Class ship, sails from Florida and offers 6 and 8-night cruises to the Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean.

Unlike sister ships Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas did not receive an amplification. While she still has Voyager Class features like an ice-skating rink and outdoor Solarium, she does not have the cruise line’s most updated dining venues, lounges, and entertainment.

Radiance of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: April 7, 2001
Maximum passenger capacity: 2,466
Gross tonnage: 90,090

Radiance of the Seas is the first ship in the Radiance Class, which was designed to offer comfort while sailing through a variety of climates and landscapes.

Splitting her time between Alaska and the Caribbean, she does just that, and guests will appreciate the comfortable indoor spaces on either type of itinerary.

She differs from other ships sailing to Alaska in that she offers one-way Alaska cruise itineraries. These itineraries start in Vancouver and end in Seward, Alaska (and vice versa), allowing guests to combine a 7-night cruise with a land vacation in the state’s interior.

Explorer of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: October 28, 2000
Maximum passenger capacity: 3,840
Gross tonnage: 138,194

Explorer of the Seas is a Voyager Class ship splitting her time between the Caribbean and Europe. During the summer, she offers itineraries to the Greek Isles and Adriatic, and in the winter months she sails to the Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean.

Waterslides were added to the ship in February 2023, making the vessel more equal to her sister ships.

Voyager of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: November 21, 1999
Maximum passenger capacity: 3,840
Gross tonnage: 138,194

Voyager of the Seas turned heads when she launched in 1999—she featured the cruise industry’s first-ever Royal Promenade, an indoor thoroughfare running down the center of the ship.

The Promenade has been a staple of Royal Caribbean ships since, and it’s where guests will find retail stores, bars, lounges, and other venues like Guest Services and Next Cruise.

Voyager of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral, Florida, and European destinations such as Ravenna, Barcelona, Rome, and Athens.

Vision of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: May 2, 1998
Maximum passenger capacity: 2,514
Gross tonnage: 78,717

Vision of the Seas is the namesake for Royal Caribbean’s Vision Class. Vision Class ships are, when compared to other Royal Caribbean ships, relatively small.

Despite having a capacity of over 2,000 guests, they lack features like a sports court, waterslides, and other amenities found on the fleet’s newer ships.

Nonetheless, their small size enables them to fit into a wider variety of ports. Vision of the Seas is the only Royal Caribbean ship sailing from Baltimore, Maryland, where she offers cruises to the Caribbean, southeast coast, and Bermuda.

Enchantment of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: July 13, 1997
Maximum passenger capacity: 2,730
Gross tonnage: 82,910

Enchantment of the Seas is the only Royal Caribbean ship to have been stretched, during which she was split into two sections and new cabins were added in between both ends.

After being stretched, she is still among the fleet’s smallest vessels, but is longer and heavier than her sister ships in the Vision Class.

Enchantment of the Seas is currently offering Western Caribbean cruises from Tampa.

Rhapsody of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: May 19, 1997
Maximum passenger capacity: 2,416
Gross tonnage: 78,878

Rhapsody of the Seas is the second Vision Class cruise ship, and she offers some of Royal Caribbean’s most intriguing itineraries.

The ship is currently sailing to the Southern Caribbean from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Grandeur of the Seas

Inaugural sailing: December 14, 1996
Maximum passenger capacity: 2,440
Gross tonnage: 73,817

The oldest Royal Caribbean ship is Grandeur of the Seas at 28 years old.

Small but mighty, Grandeur of the Seas offers a traditional cruise experience and sails Caribbean cruises from Florida (Tampa and Fort Lauderdale).

Should I sail on an old or new Royal Caribbean ship?

Most passengers prefer cruising on newer ships, as these offer the most variety when it comes to activities, cabin categories, dining options, and entertainment.

Oasis, Quantum, and Icon Class ships can all be considered “newer” ships whereas Vision and Radiance Class ships are considered older.

Even though the Radiance Class technically launched after the Voyager Class, Voyager Class ships feel newer with activities like waterslides and design elements like a Royal Promenade and ice-skating rink.

When you put Royal Caribbean’s newest and oldest ships side by side, you’ll find similarities and differences. The classic Royal Caribbean experience is still the same, as you can enjoy meals in the Main Dining Room, attend nightly entertainment shows, and grab your favorite signature drinks from the bar.

Where the experience differs, though, is in the amount of programming and activities available. While you might have just a few restaurants to choose from on a Vision Class ship, for example, you could choose from 8 or 9 on an Oasis Class ship.

One advantage of old ships, of course, are the variety of itineraries available. You won’t find the fleet’s newest ships traveling to destinations like Greenland and Costa Rica—many new ships are located in either the Caribbean or Europe.

Before booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, take the time to research the fleet’s ships to ensure you book a ship that fits your travel style. Some cruisers may prefer sailing on older, smaller vessels whereas others enjoy the variety of amenities on Royal Caribbean’s newest, biggest ships.

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10 of the biggest misconceptions people have about a cruise before sailing

In:

First Time Cruisers

26 Aug 2023

By:

Matt Hochberg

Going on a cruise ship can be confusing for a first-timer who has never sailed before.

You don't have to go very far to run into one of the often repeated myths that exist about what a cruise is all about. Many of these are rooted in experiences from decades ago, and quite a lot has changed in the cruise industry.

Cruise ships have gotten larger and more sophisticated. Moreover, they've evolved past the generation of ships that people may remember. Part of the issue is in many cases, pop culture continues to portray cruise ships as if it's still the 1990s. Stereotypes are hard to break, and it perpetuates a certain expectation many people who have never cruised think about when they imagine a cruise vacation.

It's been my experience that so many tropes about a cruise are outdated and misinformed preconceived notions that are quickly dispelled once you look into what the reality is truly like.

Woman standing in front of pool deck on Symphony of the Seas

People who have cruised many times would be the first to tell you that a cruise vacation can vary greatly depending on the line you choose, the cruise ship you pick, the time of year, and a variety of other factors. It's no different than if you were to take a trip to New York City: not every vacation there is the same kind of experience.

Before you write off a cruise vacation, here are the top ten commonly cited myths about a cruise and why they are plain wrong.

"I'll get seasick"

We will begin with a misconception that actually has some truth to it, in that while it is possible you could get seasick on a cruise, it's unlikely and easily preventable.

I've taken over 70 cruises and I have on a few occasions gotten seasick. It's not ideal, but when it happens, there are easy ways to combat it.

First, you could prevent seasickness from ever occurring. You can take over-the-counter medication, such as Dramamine or Bonine once a day to ensure the symptoms never begin. When I started cruising, I always followed this regiment and it always worked. These days, I don't take it preemptively, but if I do get queasy during the cruise, I'll pop one of the pills and very quickly start feeling normal again.

Another option is to ask your doctor for a patch that goes behind your ear that you'll wear throughout your cruise. It's another easy way to ensure you never get seasick.

There are a variety of homeopathic strategies too, such as ginger pills, eating green apples, peppermint, and even wristbands.

The reality is while you could get seasick on a cruise, the chances are quite low, especially if sea conditions aren't terrible. A cruise ship is far more stable than a fishing boat that you may have been on, and it takes a lot to get a ship swaying.

If you talk to people that cruise a lot, they'll tell you in most cases, you cannot notice the ship moving at all and that instances of motion sickness are pretty low overall.

"Only old people take cruises"

There's an old saying that people who go on cruises are "the nearly dead and the newlywed," and it's a stereotype that comes from cruising in the 1970s or 1980s.

Cruise ships evolved from ocean liners, and in those days, the only people who could really afford to cruise were older people. It was expensive and took a great deal of time, which is something families didn't have a lot of.

Fast forward to the 1990s, and the cruise industry begins its pivot towards the family cruise market. Cruise ships become bigger and offer more to do than ever before. With more ships comes more inventory and that helps lower prices (more on high prices later).

Family cruise travel really took off in the 2000s, and you'll find a great mix of ages on the mainstream cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean.

On an average Royal Caribbean cruise, you'll find guests of all ages. Toddlers, school-aged kids, teens, adults, seniors, and probably a guy named Big Dawg Ron. You get a good mix of people so it never feels like one demographic dominates the ship.

In fact, Royal Caribbean designs its cruise ships to have something for millennials, baby boomers, gen-Xers, and gen Z. It's meant to provide a little of everything, and you get to decide what appeals to you.

Royal Caribbean's ships have kids clubs and areas of the ship designed specifically for kids and teens in mind. Their new Icon of the Seas cruise ship has an entire area of the ship reserved just for young families.

Will there be retirees onboard? Absolutely. But you will also find lots of other ages too, and probably way more young people than you thought would be there.

"I'll feel claustrophobic onboard"

In my experience, the top two reasons people have resisted going on a cruise are fear of getting seasick (see above) and the feeling they'll be trapped onboard.

It's difficult to convey in a blog post, but cruise ships are much bigger than you think. It's one thing to see a photo or even a video of a ship, but when you see them in person, you realize just how massive these ships are.

There are public decks and spaces you can go to, and I think you'll find the ship more like a city than a cramped space.

From shows, to restaurants, to the pools, it's more likely you will not feel stuck.

If you're worried that you'll feel claustrophobic on a ship, you should understand there are so many things to do onboard and many places to go. Moreover, your ship will visit plenty of ports along the way, giving you an opportunity to disembark the ship and explore these countries.

With plenty of open deck space, it's easy to avoid that closed-in feeling.

"Cruises are too expensive"

Whether based in the old days of cruising or an assumption from seeing the glitzy new ships, the idea that taking a cruise is expensive is truly incorrect.

A cruise vacation remains one of the best values in travel when compared to taking a land vacation.

Just like a land trip, prices will vary depending on a variety of factors, but when you consider a cruise includes not just a hotel room, but food, entertainment, and a means of which to get you to different ports, that's a lot for one price.

No matter your budget, there's a cruise you can afford. There are cheap inside rooms on short weekend cruises, lavish suites, and plenty in the middle too.

Throughout the year there are different cruises you can take and in general, a Royal Caribbean cruise is affordable. While there are pricey cruises (especially over holidays), bargain values still exist on many ships. The beauty of having 28 ships in the fleet is that there's likely something for everyone, and with a little research and flexibility, I'm certain you can find something in your price range.

Like all mass-market cruise lines, Royal Caribbean offers a module cruise experience. Your cruise fare gets you onboard with a certain set of amenities included, and it's up to you if you want to spend more to get a drink package, shore excursion, wifi, or some other extra.

Similar to a land vacation, you can take a cruise on the cheap or splurge with an over-the-top vacation. It's just important to remember a cruise is not inherently expensive.

"I'll be bored"

Similar to the concern of feeling trapped on a cruise, many people worry there isn't enough to do and they'll be bored.

I think this myth comes from all the imagery of people sitting by the pool and enjoying a sunny day. Sure, that looks great, but what else is there to do besides sleep, eat, and hang out at the pool?

The answer is much more than you ever thought possible.

Cruise ships offer a myriad of activities and onboard entertainment. There are water slides, rock climbing, zip lines, ice skating, trivia, shopping, cooking demonstrations, dance parties, shows, and so much more.

Browse a past schedule of activities from any Royal Caribbean cruise ship and you'll see an example of just how much there is to do in the morning, afternoon, and evening. One thing Royal Caribbean does better than many other lines is keep the fun going well into the evening.

Royal Caribbean also has full Broadway shows on some of its ships. This includes Mamma Mia, Cats, Saturday Night Fever and more. Other ships feature Broadway-style musical revues and dance performances. All the shows on any Royal Caribbean ship are included in your cruise fare.

There are movies shown throughout the day and evening by the pool deck, karaoke to sing to, gambling in the casino, silent discos, DJs, live bands, and guitarists.

Royal Caribbean likes to compare itself to Las Vegas in terms of entertainment, and you'll find quite a lot of entertainment to keep you busy.

Most people who take a cruise will tell you there's simply more to do than they possibly can handle in just one sailing. It's why so many people cruise over and over again.

"I have to get dressed up"

Another myth rooted in the old days of cruising is concern about a dress code.

While dress codes do exist on Royal Caribbean cruise ships, they are minimal and barely enforced. Think of them as suggestions rather than hard and fast rules.

There's no dress code for what to wear around the ship, other than shoes and a cover-up for a restaurant.

It's really the dining venues that have rules about what you can wear and in practice, these are less stringent than you might think. The Main Dining Room has a daily dress code, and specialty restaurants have their own dress code. Regardless, you won't have to wear the same clothes you might wear to a prom.

Royal Caribbean's dress codes act more as guidelines than rules, and you will see most passengers wearing fairly casual clothing to meals. For breakfast and lunch, there's really nothing more expected than not a bathing suit. At dinner, there's a different expectation, but some passengers wear shorts while others get more dressed up. Most guys will wear jeans or slacks with a collared shirt. Ladies are usually seen in a cocktail dress, blouse and jeans, or something else casual.

If you prefer to skip a sit-down meal altogether, there's a buffet and other casual restaurants you can go to and grab something quick to eat too.

At the very least, you will not have to get dressed up if you don't want to. There are lots of options for meals, and outside of restaurants, there are no dress codes to adhere to on Royal Caribbean.

"Bad things always happen on cruise ships"

If you watch the news, you'd think there's always someone "falling" off a ship, power outage, fire, or some other calamity. Unfortunately, the reality of the safety of cruise travel is completely misconstrued by the mainstream media in so many examples.

Let's be clear: statistically, cruising is a very safe vacation.

No one falls off a cruise ship unless they are doing something they're not supposed to or are somewhere they are not supposed to be (such as getting on top of a railing).

Cruise ships are regularly inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard (and other maritime agencies of other countries). Plus, every cruise ship has its own team of engineers and mechanics to keep the ships working properly.

Crew members drill on every sailing to ensure they know what to do in case of an emergency. When you go on a cruise, you'll see this in action likely while your ship is docked in port. Ships have fire doors, water-tight sections, sprinklers, smoke alarms, and firefighters to deal with any issue.

Have there been incidents on cruise ships? Of course, just like there have been airplanes or buses that have crashed. They're the exceptions, not the norm.

"I have to eat with strangers"

I don't blame you if you are not interested in having meals with strangers. It's your vacation, and the last thing you want is an awkward meal with random people.

Today's big ships have lots of flexibility so you do not have to eat with strangers if you don't want to.

If you choose to eat at any specialty restaurant or casual dining venue, you will only eat with your own party (with the exception of the Hibachi specialty dining, and to be fair, it's like that on land too).

Royal Caribbean also offers My Time Dining, where you can eat in the Main Dining Room on your schedule and be seated with just your group. Cruisers who choose this format can head to dinner any time within set hours to get a table by themselves (or with a group if they like).

The traditional dining option in the Main Dining Room could seat you with someone else you don't know. This is the option where you have dinner every night at the same time with the same table and wait staff.

You can request a table to yourselves for traditional dining by requesting it before the cruise.

If you are booked in traditional dining, you should contact Royal Caribbean prior to your cruise to make the request. Send an email to [email protected] about 2-3 weeks prior to your sailing with your request. This strategy usually works for most people.

"I can't eat healthy"

Eating healthy on a Royal Caribbean cruise is far from an oxymoron. Rather, it is a state of mind that is definitely achievable with the right kind of planning, and a little motivation.

Being on vacation is an excuse for some people to indulge more than they would at home, and you'll find no shortage of sweet and savory foods.

Ultimately, it's up to you how healthy you eat on a cruise, because there are plenty of healthy choices and ways to control portion size. While cruises are well-known for their amazing indulgences, there are just as many good-for-you choices too (but no one really writes articles about those).

mdr-dining-food-vegetable-greek-moussaka

Every menu has healthier choices you can order, in addition to salad bars, made-to-order cooking stations, and vegan and vegetarian options.

Just like any restaurant you go to near your home, there are healthy and not-so-healthy choices you can order. But if you want to avoid gaining weight and eat smart, you will find those options too.

"Cruising isn’t real travel"

The myth that cruising doesn't provide an immersive or compelling experience like land travel does is simply a case of snobbish opinions within the travel industry.

You will find authentic experiences in the places your ship visits that don't visit the typical tourist spots. The cruise line will provide as many shore excursions as possible that cover a variety of things to do, including the tacky and adventurous.

Plus, you don't have to take a cruise line excursion at all. You could get off the ship and explore on your own and discover your own off-the-beaten-path spot.

Some cruises offer overnight visits, but most have enough time to get a taste of what the city or town you visit has to offer.

A cruise is what you make of it, and the same is true of the places you can visit on land. You could choose to see the top tourist spot in town, or hop on a bus and visit a local market. It's an open-ended choice and offers as much cultural immersion as you'd like.

10 biggest misconceptions people have about a cruise before sailing and why they are wrong

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I've spent over 100 nights on cruise ships, and these are my biggest cruising regrets to avoid making

In:

Planning

25 Aug 2023

By:

Jenna DeLaurentis

No one likes making mistakes, but it’s bound to happen while traveling, especially over the course of twenty cruises.

In the past two years, I’ve spent 106 nights on cruise ships, sailing everywhere from the sunny Mediterranean to the tropical Caribbean and chilly Alaska. Even though cruising so often has taught me to avoid plenty of rookie cruising mistakes, I still have a few regrets from my time onboard.

Whether booking one itinerary over another, wishing I packed more efficiently, or booking a risky flight schedule, there are a few things I wish I did differently.

If you have an upcoming cruise, it’s helpful to know what to avoid during the entire process so that you can avoid stress and hassle later on.

After spending over 100 nights on cruise ships, these are my 8 biggest cruising regrets you should avoid making.

Booking too many Western Caribbean itineraries

Latin America is my favorite region of the world, and I make it a point to visit the region as often as I can. Not only do I love practicing my Spanish skills, but the friendliness, diverse landscapes, and relatively low costs of the region keep me coming back time and time again.

Because of this, I tend to book Western Caribbean cruises far more often than cruises to other regions in the Caribbean. Not only do I get to visit some of my favorite ports on a Western Caribbean cruise, but these itineraries have fewer sea days than Eastern Caribbean sailings, and I’ll always take an additional port day over another day on the ship.

Yet on my most recent Western Caribbean cruise, I found myself getting bored with visiting the same ports over and over. While I enjoy visiting destinations like Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Roatan, I’ve already been to the ports several times.

I knew exactly what to expect in each of these ports, and I didn’t feel I was growing from the travel experience anymore like I would have if I were visiting new destinations.

I regret not booking more diverse itineraries in the Caribbean throughout the past few years. While I have been to Cozumel four times, for example, I’ve never seen the white sand beaches of Aruba, ridden the scenic train in St. Kitts, or hiked to a waterfall in Dominica.

I wish I chose my itineraries more wisely so I had the chance to visit a greater number of destinations.

Not making My Time Dining reservations

On a recent Quantum of the Seas cruise, I decided to try My Time Dining for the first time. Unlike Traditional Dining, in which guests dine at the same time each day, My Time Dining allows guests to dine at a different time each evening, and I was curious to see how the two compared.

Yet as my cruise approached, I completely forgot to make My Time Dining reservations on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website. As soon as I boarded the ship on embarkation day, I headed to the Main Dining Room to figure out how to make reservations, but I found that availability was more limited than I expected.

Ultimately we were able to get a time sorted, but it caused unnecessary stress, and I certainly did not want to wait in the long “No Reservations” line each evening.

If I ever do My Time Dining again on a Royal Caribbean cruise, I’ll make sure I make reservations in advance.

Waiting too long to purchase compression packing cubes

I am a big advocate of using packing cubes when traveling. Packing my clothes into packing cubes allows me to fit far more clothing items in a small suitcase. As another plus, it also keeps my belongings organized while traveling.

For years I had been using a random pair of packing cubes I purchased on Amazon. There was nothing special or fancy about the cubes; they condensed my clothes slightly, allowing me to pack more easily.

A few months ago, however, my packing cubes needed to be replaced. I ordered a pair of “compression” packing cubes. To be honest, I didn’t really understand what these were, and I just purchased the first cubes I saw online from the reputable company Thule.

When I received them in the mail and tested them out, I was in shock with how many clothes I could fit into a single cube. There are two zippers on each cube, one for closing the pack initially and the other for compressing the items in the cube even further.

With compression packing cubes, I can easily fit around double the amount of clothes in my carry-on suitcase. I can’t believe I waited so long to try compression packing cubes! Now, I will never travel without them.

You can purchase the packing cubes here.

Not taking a scuba diving course on a cruise ship

Select Royal Caribbean ships offer the chance to become PADI Open Water scuba certified onboard, which is an internationally accepted scuba diving certification. For those interested in scuba diving, doing the course onboard is a convenient way to become certified.

In the course, you first do a few training sessions in your cruise ship’s pools. Once in port, you complete your open water dives in the ocean to become certified.

Ever since my first cruise, I had been meaning to book the course and become a certified scuba diver, but I kept putting it off for one reason or another. Even after booking a “Discover Scuba” shore excursion in St. Thomas—one of my favorite shore excursions to date—I still kept putting off taking the course.

An upcoming trip, however, has me regretting not becoming certified on a Royal Caribbean cruise. I’m headed to Australia this fall and didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef.

Because I’m not scuba certified, I had to book a course in my city in order to be ready to dive once I get to Australia. Now, instead of learning to dive in warm, coral-filled waters, I’ll be taking the course in the frigid waters of a high alpine lake.

If I could go back in time, I would have completed my scuba diving certification on one of my cruises. Not only would I have been able to dive in some spectacular locations in the Caribbean, but I wouldn’t have had to book a last-minute course at home.

Not booking a land-based cruise tour after my one-way Alaska itinerary

Last summer I booked the cheapest Alaska cruise I could find, a one-way itinerary departing from Vancouver, British Columbia and ending in Seward, Alaska.

Unlike other ports on an Alaska cruise, Seward is not located in the state’s famous Inside Passage. Instead, the port is in Southcentral Alaska, just two and a half hours from Anchorage.

Visiting the port is only available on one-way Alaska itineraries, and many passengers take advantage of the itinerary by planning extra days in Alaska before or after the sailing. Most of these visitors plan a trip to Denali National Park & Preserve, home to the highest peak in North America.

Some passengers plan this extra time on their own, renting a car and sightseeing without a guided tour. Others, though, opt to reserve one of Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Tours, which are multi-day sightseeing tours on land.

After an eight day trip I thought I would be ready to go home, so I didn’t bother planning extra days in Alaska’s interior. Although visiting Denali has always been on my travel bucket list, I figured I could come back another day.

Upon arriving in Anchorage, though, I immediately regretted not planning extra time in Alaska’s interior. On the day of my visit to Anchorage, there was a clear view of Denali’s peak, and I was awestruck by the mountain’s beauty even from so far away.

At this point I realized it was silly to try and rush home. I should have taken the opportunity to visit more of Alaska instead of waiting for a future trip that may or may not happen.

While I can’t go back in time, I wish I had planned extra time in Alaska after my one-way cruise.

Booking a flight with a short layover

When booking flights for my Symphony of the Seas cruise earlier this year, I made a decision I swear I’ll never do again—I booked a layover of just one hour.

If there’s anything that traveling across the country several times per year has taught me, it’s to always schedule more time than you think you need for a layover. As a general rule of thumb, I prefer booking layovers that are around two or three hours.

Even though a longer layover means more time waiting around in the airport, it’s worth it for the peace of mind. Layovers under an hour can be extremely tight, especially if you’re traveling through a busy airport or if your first flight is delayed! I would much rather hang out in an airport lounge for an extra hour than risk missing my flight.

Yet when I booked my flight to Miami earlier this year, I neglected to follow my own advice. I booked a flight with just a one hour layover in Salt Lake City—the itinerary would save me five hours of travel time, so I figured it was worth the risk.

When it came time to fly, my first flight was over thirty minutes delayed. Panicking, I soon realized I would only have around five minutes to catch my next flight before the doors closed.

Once in Salt Lake City, I sprinted faster than I ever have before to make my connection. Luckily I made the flight with about a minute to spare, but the shorter travel time was absolutely not worth the stress.

Since then, I will never book a layover under an hour in any circumstance, but especially when heading to a cruise port.

Packing too many clothes for an Alaska cruise

Speaking of packing lightly, one of my biggest cruising regrets was packing way too many clothes for my first Alaska cruise.

Although I have now been on five Alaska cruises, I was totally overwhelmed with what to pack for my first sailing to the Last Frontier. I ended up doing something I never do while flying—check a bag—and I basically put my entire wardrobe into the suitcase.

Once in Alaska, I realized just how big of a mistake it was to overpack. Unlike the hot, humid Caribbean, I found that being in Alaska meant my clothes stayed cleaner longer. I spent most port days in the same outfit: a pair of leggings, a sweater, and my rain jacket.

There was no need to pack six sweaters, two sweatshirts, five long-sleeve shirts, a down jacket, a rain jacket, three pairs of jeans, and five pairs of leggings. In fact, I probably only wore about half of what I packed.

While overpacking meant I could have a wide selection of outfits to choose from each day, it ultimately created more hassle than it was worth. From paying for a bag fee to navigating Seattle’s public transit and walking around the city with a huge suitcase, I swore I would never pack so much for a cruise again.

Since my first Alaska cruise, I’ve only ever packed for cruises with a carry-on suitcase and a personal item. For more information on how I pack so lightly for these cruises, check out this article on everything I packed for my most recent Alaska cruise.

Sailing from the same embarkation ports

My last major cruising regret is sailing from the same embarkation ports all the time.

I do not live within driving distance of a cruise port, so that means I frequently fly to ports around the world. Although I could have used this opportunity to visit cities I had never been to before, such as Houston, Amsterdam, and Quebec City, I found myself booking cruises from the same ports over and over.

I’ve sailed from Fort Lauderdale and Miami more times than I can count, but I’ve never booked a cruise from New York, Baltimore, or Rome.

Because I always arrive a day before my cruise begins, I spend the first day of my trip sightseeing in the embarkation port. I wish I would have been more adventurous with my embarkation ports so I could have spent time sightseeing in a wider variety of destinations.

Do you have any cruising regrets? Let us know your biggest mishaps in the comments below!

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Goal! Royal Caribbean takes the helm as official vacation sponsor for Miami's premier soccer club

In:

Partnerships

25 Aug 2023

By:

Matt Hochberg

A new partnership has been formed between Miami's leading cruise line and soccer club.

Royal Caribbean becomes vacation sponsor of Inter Miami CF

On Friday, Royal Caribbean announced, "an unprecedented, multiyear partnership" with Inter Miami CF. The soccer club was established in 2018 and is in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer.

Royal Caribbean will be the soccer club's main partner and Official Vacation Partner.

The new partnership builds on the cruise line welcoming international star Lionel Messi, who joined the team for the 2023 season.

Royal Caribbean is no stranger to sponsorship deals, as the company has been a corporate sponsor of different teams in the past. It provides them with a new way to advertise their vacations to the public.

With the impending launch of Icon of the Seas in January, the cruise line is clearly getting ready to turn up the advertising of the new ship to get the public's attention.

Icon of the Seas is built with far more family-focused activities than other cruise ships, and it's a brand new type of cruise ship.

Scheduled to begin sailing in January 2024 and already available to book, will feature a water park, kids club, entire portion of the ship for young families, and more dining and entertainment than on any other ship since.

Icon of the Seas will have more cabins to cater to families with higher capacities, thanks in large part to new room designs.

Adults aren't being left out either. While the kids are busy with all of their activities, there's a jazz club, elevated supper club, adults-only pool and bar, dueling piano bar, and lots more.

World’s Largest Cruise Line is Set to Become the Club’s Main Partner and Official Vacation Partner

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty spoke on the new deal, "Royal Caribbean started in Miami more than 50 years ago, and we have always had heart and passion for our community. It's been exciting to see Inter Miami’s success, including their recent Leagues Cup title, energize South Florida. As the Club’s Main Partner, we are thrilled to build on that momentum together and deliver memorable moments to fans around the world."

Royal Caribbean's SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Kara Wallace, also heralds the new relationship, "Royal Caribbean and Inter Miami have won the hearts and minds of fans from around the world. Together as partners, the possibilities to reach more dreamers and adventurers are exponential from ship to pitch, especially as we look forward to the arrival of Icon of the Seas."

What the partnership will bring

The sponsorship deal means a lot of cross brand promotion.

You can expect to see stadium LED, in-game content, fan zone activations, the Club’s digital and social platforms and more starting with the next home game at DRV PNK Stadium.

In addition, both partners will share community service initiatives in South Florida.

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Weirdest things our readers have seen other people do on a cruise ship

In:

Just for fun

24 Aug 2023

By:

Calista Kiper

Have you ever witnessed a stranger doing something weird, even unexplainable?

People-watching is popular because it can be so rewarding: folks do the strangest things in public! Witnessing these moments reminds us of the unique unpredictability of human beings—and often leaves us feeling a little superior.

Cruising is no different; cruisers often feel that a cruise brings out the most bizarre human behavior. And on a cruise, you’ll have the most downtime and proximity to observe all the activities around you.

We asked our readers on the Royal Caribbean Blog forum the weirdest thing they’ve seen another cruiser do. Based on the responses we received, they’ve witnessed it all— from family feuds to a ship captain turned biker.

Get ready for a good laugh as we introduce the top 10 weirdest things readers saw other cruisers do.

bauth-live-footage-parade-wonder-of-the-seas

“Strangest thing I've seen on a Royal ship was a college-aged adult wearing a wild and elaborate Halloween costume walking around the ship normally but completely outside of the Halloween season. Must have lost a bet with his buddies. It was a double-take moment. Did I just see that?”

- Twangster

Royal Caribbean does not have a strict dress code, other than prohibiting bare feet in venues and tank tops from the main dining room or specialty dining venues. It’s always possible that you’ll see some strange costumes or attire!

If you do want to wear a costume without sticking out, Royal Caribbean holds various Halloween events on cruises that sail over the October 31st date, including Halloween decorations, photo opportunities, and a large costume parade. You can expect costumes to be worn everywhere on Halloween Day.

“There was a couple on board with us a few years ago that danced in the Centrum every night. She was always in sparkly/sequined boots, either bunny or cat ears, and hot pants/short shorts with fish nets. He was always in cargo shorts or Demin shorts with a Hawaiian shirt, sometimes the sleeves were missing. Didn't matter the song, they were dancing and had some signature moves."

"They were definitely the stars of the show, whether they knew it or not."

"As we were waiting for our departure group to be called, two ladies were sitting behind us talking about "Sparkly Boots" and wondering if they had participated in 70's night. I turned around and said yes, they did. The lady asked me how I knew who she was talking about and I said the whole ship knew…”

- Kadmgs

If you’re wondering where you can see dancing stars like this fun couple, the Centrum is the large, open area spanning several decks that replaces the Royal Promenade or Esplanade on both Vision Class and Radiance Class ships.

In addition to being the center of special events, the Centrum includes a main elevator, with bars, dining venues, and lounges overlooking its edge.

“Another strange occurrence is seeing your cruise ship Captain riding a Harley around Labadee. Captain Johnny keeps his personal Harley on board the ship. I was on this sailing when he tweeted this. Saw him riding it around.”

- Twangster

Captain Johnny Faevelen is a well-known character to many Royal Caribbean cruisers, but did you know he brings his personal Harley-Davidson motorcycle on board? For those who witness him riding it, this is definitely an unusual sight.

For more about Captain Johnny, check out his book, The Captain, which details how he went from a fisherman to captain of one of the world’s largest cruise ships.

“If you were on an Alaskan cruise back in May 2016, and saw a tall, skinny teenage boy eat three plates heaped full of donuts for breakfast in the Windjammer (27 by his count)....yes, we did teach him to eat a decent meal. And no, we weren't eating with him. He finally fessed up long after the cruise.”

- barbeyg

Was this young man acting greedy, or just making the most of his paid fare? The Windjammer Cafe is the all-you-can-eat buffet included with your base fare, the complimentary dining venue with the widest variety of options.

Your base fare also includes access to the main dining room, a grab-and-go coffee shop, and several quick food venues by the pool.

You will also have access to complimentary food at various venues on Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.

“A guest busted for shoplifting. Security searched the cabin, recovered the goods, and put them off at the next port to find their own way home.”

- Twangster

Shoplifting is certainly included on the list of things that can get you kicked off a cruise ship immediately. And considering the ship is a confined space with security on board, it’s best to keep the law for at least the length of your vacation.

Suite Sun Deck render on Icon of the Seas

“We were sitting in the hot tub around sundown and a gentleman proceeded to get in with a full plate of Windjammer food. Mostly I remember him trying to eat what I think was chicken wings and watching pieces of the food falling into the water around him. Needless to say, it was a clear sign that it was time for us to exit and go get ready for dinner. (I can promise you him eating in the hot tub did not trigger a hunger response!)”

- CruizIan

In addition to hot tubs onboard, Royal Caribbean ships also have a main pool and an adults-only, indoor Solarium pool. There are also several kid pools, splash pads, waterslides, and a 40-foot-long surf simulator, the FlowRider.

The pools are open most of the day, with many activities nearby, including live music!

“We had this one gentleman [who would] always wear different color pastel suits with a top hat EVERYDAY. We were doing a Med cruise and it was hot, yet I would see him in France with a baby pink suit and a matching top hat.”

- ClockingOut

You’re never required to dress up, especially in pastel-colored suits. Royal Caribbean’s dress code is mainly casual beach style, smart casual, and formal wear. You can wear beach or casual clothes for most of the day, and switch to a smarter casual in the evening.

One formal (or dress your best) night will also be on the schedule during your vacation. On this night, you can expect for everyone to dress their best in elegant dresses and collared shirts and dress pants.

“An entire family had too many wines & decided to start fighting each other. Punches were thrown & security broke it up & sent them packing. The Chef felt so bad for the remaining few people that he sent servers to give us 3 free rounds of drinks. This was an epic chefs table experience.”

- Tonyfsu21

The Chef’s Table is an exclusive, private dining experience offered on Royal Caribbean ships to a limited number of guests, usually around 12.

This experience includes a 5-course meal and wine tasting, with a personal waiter and chef decided to your table. Each serving of food also comes with a carefully selected wine pairing.

The Chef’s Table is an excellent and private experience, so remember not to start any fights if you try it out.

“It was a Christmas cruise and there was a couple in their late 30's to early 40's who wore Christmas pajama onesies all cruise long, day and night. They also had their own "custom" metal "Yeti" style cups and straws that they drank from. Rarely did we go to/through the Centrum and not see them there in their pajamas and drinking from their Yeti's. Needless to say, the Centrum was THE place to people-watch that cruise.”

- Kadmgs

We always recommend bringing a reusable water bottle for your time on board. In addition to a YETI cup, here are some other things worth bringing on a cruise: liquid soap, laundry hamper, luggage tag holders, shampoo and body wash, aspirin, chapstick, AirTags, noise-canceling headphones, air freshener, magnetic hooks, an e-reader, and a nightlight.

It’s important to remember to bring the essentials because anything you purchase onboard will come at a much steeper price.

“We were on a Christmas and New Years cruise a few years ago out of Baltimore.....and on boarding day it was snowing.... This was the Grandeur of the Seas.”

- Rob&Ana

Yes, it does snow on cruise ships! While a strange sight, it wouldn’t be impossible to see snow onboard if you’re sailing through a cold, wintery area.

Royal Caribbean ships that sail from the Northeast of the United States, such as in Bayonne, New Jeresy and Baltimore, Maryland, may see snow as they board or disembark at these ports. But this sight is unlikely, and the snow will melt soon as the ship moves quickly south.

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Crew member shows what it's like to sail on an empty cruise ship with no passengers

In:

Crew Members

23 Aug 2023

By:

Elizabeth Wright

Have you ever wondered what it's like for crew members to sail onboard an empty ship with no passengers?

It is not uncommon for ships to change home ports to offer a wider variety of itineraries. This is why you will see ships make transatlantic and transpacific voyages throughout the year, so that they are able to offer voyages in different regions of the world, including Alaska, the South Pacific, and Europe.

Oasis of the Seas recently sailed from Miami, Florida to Cape Liberty, New Jersey, where she will remain until November 2023. She'll return to Florida for a couple of months before crossing the Atlantic Ocean in April 2024 to start her summer season in Europe.

When Oasis of the Seas repositioned from Miami to Cape Liberty, the ship operated without any guests, meaning that the crew had the entire Oasis Class vessel to themselves for a few days.

Lera, a crew member onboard the ship who has been working with the company for five years, recently posted a YouTube video shedding some light into what these passenger-less days were like.

Three days without guests

While Oasis of the Seas sailed from Miami to Cape Liberty, crew members got to enjoy the ship's amenities without any guests onboard. Synchro said that it felt like a mini-vacation.

The first day started with a crew sail away party in the Royal Promenade, but before festivities on the second day could begin, they had to complete a crew drill.

Once that was over, though, they were treated to a street food festival on the Boardwalk! This event was organized by the HR team, and crew members from different countries prepared their national food for everyone to try.

According to Synchro, her favorite dishes were those from South Africa, Mexico, and Romania! Some other featured countries were Jamaica, India, and the Philippines.

Plus, they didn't have to wear their crew uniforms. From what she documented, it looked like a fun event for guests.

They were also able to enjoy the arcade games on the Boardwalk and in the ship's arcade on Deck 15, as well as partake in a game of bingo in the main theater.

"It's just [those] little that you don't feel that you're on a ship." Synchro said these moments are the most priceless, especially after spending nine months onboard as a crew member.

Passenger cabin auction

While she did not participate in this, there was an auction for crew members to potentially win a stay in guest cabins.

When the pandemic was ongoing, Synchro said that she spent a lot of time in passenger cabins, so she did not feel like she had to spend money to experience this! She was, however, happy for those that got the opportunity.

She visited some friends who were staying in cabin 9260, which is a Grand Suite, and were having a mini dance party!

After showing viewers around the stateroom, which she considered to be pretty luxurious considering it had a dual sink and bathtub, she stepped out onto the balcony to take in the beautiful sunset and hang out with her friends.

If you are interested in seeing more crew member content, check out Synchro's YouTube channel. She currently has a little over 7,000 followers and posts a wide variety of videos, including those showcasing her crew accommodations, day in the life vlogs, and more.

In the past, she has posted other videos of what it's like for crew to be alone onboard a Royal Caribbean ship. In 2021, she gave a tour of Harmony of the Seas when it was empty.

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Royal Caribbean raises prices at some of its specialty restaurants

In:

Specialty Restaurants

23 Aug 2023

By:

Matt Hochberg

The price to eat at a few of Royal Caribbean's extra cost restaurants appears to have gone up recently.

Specialty restaurants are an optional add-on passengers can indulge in that is not included with a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Depending on the restaurant, there could be a cover charge to dine there that includes all the food, or a la carte pricing.

Read more: Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise

It seems some of the restaurants have had price increases this summer that point to a trend in the change.

Across at least 4 restaurants, we've spotted new prices to dine there.

It's not clear exactly when the prices went up because Royal Caribbean does not announce these sort of changes. At the very least, it seems prices were raised at some point over the summer.

Of course, the cost of food in general has been going up around the world, and is not just a cruise ship issue. Last year, U.S. consumers saw the largest annual increase in food prices since the 1980s.

Due to global disruptions to the food supply chain and inflation, food prices have gone up overall, so it's likely these fiscal pressures had an effect on what Royal Caribbean had to charge.

The U.S. Labor Department reported earlier this year restaurant prices outpaced grocery prices on a 12-month basis.

Walt Disney World increased prices across-the-board on countless food & beverage items in late 2022.

During Royal Caribbean Group's first quarter earnings call with investors, Royal Caribbean Group Chief Financial Officer Naftali Holtz said inflation was impacting the cost of food, "We continue to actively manage persistent inflation across categories, including food and beverage, airfare, and shoreside human capital."

He added the company was taking measures to find ways to mitigate inflation, and that work was mentioned by Chief Executive Officer Jason Liberty in the second quarter earnings call, "the actions that we took to position ourselves to really kind of outperform and to grow our margins. A lot of all that work really helped absorb the vast majority of -- a pretty significant inflation that we saw across a lot of the items that impact our product."

Here's a look at the recent price increases we've noticed when comparing menus on Wonder and Oasis of the Seas to older copies of the menu we could find elsewhere.

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade

In comparing prices of food at Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade on Wonder of the Seas, it's clear prices have gone up.

Food is served a la carte, and its known for offering bar food that you can enjoy while watching one of the many television screens to catch a game.

All the entrees went up from $9.00 to $11.99.

The wings went up too:

12 wings: $10 to $13.99
24 wings: $14 to $19.99
50 wings: $25 to $29.99

Appetizer prices were increased:

Pile on nachos: $6 to $8.99
Poke nachos: $8 to $12.99
Chicken tenders: $4 to $6.99
Fries: $3 to $5.99
Pigskin sliders: $7 to $10.99
Onion ring tower: $6 to $7.99
Buffalo chicken crunch roll: $5 to $7.99
Jalapeno poppers: $5 to $7.99

Old menu

New menu

It is important to note that Playmaker's menu prices hadn't changed since at least 2019.

Portside BBQ

There's only one Portside BBQ, and it is on Oasis of the Seas, and it also had a price jump.

bayportkat on the Cruise Critic message boards posted a photo of the new dinner menu, which indicates the prices changed in the past sailing.

Here's a look at changes for the Portside BBQ dinner menu.

The Signature combo went from 2 cuts for $12.49 and 3 cuts for $15.39 to $16.99 and $21.99, respectively.

The Pitmaster Special price was changed from $9.99 to $14.99.

Single cuts: $3.89 to $5.99
Sides: $2.99 to $3.99
Pitmaster Faves: $6.49 to $9.49
Desserts: $2.79 to 3.99

Old menu

New menu

Just like Playmakers, the menu prices at Portside BBQ had not changed since the restaurant opened in 2019.

Mason Jar Brunch

Whereas the other restaurants are priced a la carte, it looks as though the cost for brunch at the Mason Jar on Wonder of the Seas has also gone up.

Last month, Royal Caribbean Blog message board user OCSC Mike reported the normal price had gone up from $24.99 to $34.99.

This is the onboard price for brunch, and Royal Caribbean usually provides a discount if pre-purchased before the cruise on the Cruise Planner website.

Izumi sushi

In comparing prices on Wonder of the Seas, our team also noticed a price change for sushi at Izumi for its sushi offerings.

All the appetizers have gone up one dollar in cost when comparing today's menu to a menu from earlier this year.

Vegetable fried rice: $9 to $10
Shrimp and pork wonton soup: $7 to $8
Seaweed wakame salad: $7 to $8
Pork gyoza dumpling: $8 to $9
Tofu-ginger salad: $7 to $8
Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna: $13 to $14
Crispy Chicken Kara-Age: $8 to $9
Shrimp firecracker spring roll: $9 to $10
Shrimp & vegetable tempura: $11 to $12

All the signature rolls are now $15, whereas some had been $13 or $14 previously.

Chef's Signature Rolls are now $18. Previously they had been priced between $15 and $17.

Chef's Sushi Selection went from $16 to $17 and the assorted sashimi went from $21 to $22.

Bowls & More

Beef or Chicken Teriyaki: $17 to $19
Yaki Udon: $19 to $20
Tonkotsu Ramen: $13 to $14
Spicy Miso Ramen: $13 to 14
Poke Bowl: $17 to $18
Hibachi Vegetables: $13 to $14

Desert prices at Izumi have not changed.

Old menu

New menu

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6 compelling reasons to avoid booking cruises with lots of sea days

In:

Planning

22 Aug 2023

By:

Elizabeth Wright

When you begin thinking about what kind of cruise you want to take, you have to decide if you want one that is port intensive or one with more sea days in between stops.

Depending on what type of traveler you are, you may find sea days to be boring, especially if you have two or three in a row. Some people would rather spend their vacation time in a new place each day than lounging on the pool deck with a cocktail in hand.

That is one of the best conveniences of cruising-- you only have to unpack once to visit numerous different places! Why not take advantage of that on a port intensive itinerary?

Here are 6 reasons to not book a cruise with a lot sea days.

Fewer days at sea means more time to explore different destinations

If you are someone who values the ports over the ship as a destination, you'll want to choose an itinerary with fewer sea days.

Plus, visiting multiple places on a cruise is more convenient than doing so during a land-based vacation. You will not have to worry about unpacking and repacking your suitcase or lugging it through multiple train stations and airports.

It's amazing that on a 7-night cruise, you can visit places like Athens, Rhodes, and Mykonos, Greece; Palermo, Italy; and Valencia and Barcelona, Spain.

If you want, you can even find busy itineraries in the Caribbean, too. If this interests you, look at sailings from San Juan, Puerto Rico. On a 7-night cruise, you'll visit more exotic destinations than you would on a cruise from Florida, such as Barbados, St. Lucia, and St. Maarten.

Of course, one of the major drawbacks is that you cannot fully immerse yourself in a new culture in a single day.

You should think of port intensive cruises as a way to get a sample of what each destination has to offer. That way, you can plan an extended trip back in the future and know what to expect!

I recently took my first European cruise, and while I was a bit disappointed to only have a few hours in cities like Rome and Aix-en-Provence, I learned which places I would be willing to return to and which places I'd skip!

Fewer days at sea means fewer opportunities to feel seasick

No matter your itinerary, no sailing is guaranteed to avoid all rough seas.

If you are someone who is worried about feeling seasick during your cruise, booking a port intensive itinerary gives you fewer opportunities to be subject to harsh sailing conditions, especially if you are only cruising overnight!

During the day, you will be ashore exploring new and exciting destinations, and at night, you'll only be awake for a little bit since you will want to get a good night's rest to prepare for another long day.

Other tips to help you beat seasickness include bringing the right motion sickness mediation (i.e., Dramamine or Bonine), selecting a stateroom in the middle of the ship on a lower deck, and staying hydrated.

In short, you should not be afraid of booking a cruise because you are worried about getting seasick. Booking a port intensive itinerary kills two birds with one stone, meaning that you will have less time onboard and you will be able to cross off more places from your bucket list during a single trip!

Less time onboard means that you can save money on a cheaper cabin category

Once you have selected the ship and itinerary you want, you have to decide which Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin is best. On a cruise with a lot of sea days, you might feel the need to splurge on a larger cabin with more outdoor space.

Cruises with more days in port, however, mean that you won't be in your stateroom as much! Rather than spending more money for a balcony or suite, you can allocate it towards fun shore excursions in port.

All cabins on a Royal Caribbean cruise come with the same basic amenities, including a bed, ensuite bathroom, safe, television, vanity area, and closet. They are all meant to be a comfortable home away from home.

Even if you book an interior to save a little bit of money, it's not like you will not be able to take in the passing scenery. You can always find a place to hang out on the top deck while watching the ship pull in and out of port.

Revisit destinations you've already been to

You do not have to stay onboard the ship if you have already been to one port of call on your itinerary.

On port intensive cruises, especially in places like the Caribbean, you are likely to revisit somewhere you have already been. That is not a bad thing, though! On your last visit, it is very unlikely that you got to experience everything that port has to offer.

This time, you can do something different. If, for instance, you went to Maho Beach on your last cruise to St. Maarten, consider doing something a little bit more active, like zip lining from Pelican Peak or doing an ATV tour.

You don't have to worry about sailing on the newest ship

If you book a cruise on Icon of the Seas or Utopia of the Seas, chances are that you see the ship as a destination, rather than the ports of call.

Most of the time, the more unique itineraries are offered on smaller ships anyway, simply because not all ports can handle ships as large as Oasis or Symphony of the Seas!

On a port intensive cruise, you are most likely choosing the itinerary over the ship. You will not need all the onboard thrills, as you will most likely just want to enjoy a nice dinner and perhaps a show before heading to bed.

When I took my first port intensive European cruise, I found myself to be pretty exhausted by the third day. I didn't want to spend too much time waiting for the evening entertainment. Thankfully, I found a great pianist and was able to relax while listening to live music for a little bit.

That, however, doesn't mean you can't do both! Royal Caribbean sends an Oasis Class ship to Europe each summer, meaning that you can cruise the Western Mediterranean on one of the largest ships in the world.

If you are a seasoned cruiser who has visited the ports before, you can take advantage of fewer crowds onboard

On sea days, the pool is the place to be, especially on warmer itineraries to places like the Western Mediterranean and Caribbean.

When the ship is docked, however, all the onboard amenities tend to be less crowded, as the majority of passengers have either booked shore excursions or are off exploring on their own.

Let's say you want to cruise onboard Oasis of the Seas and don't want to worry about lines for the Perfect Storm water slides, zip line, or FlowRider. If you stay onboard -- at least for a little while during the hours of operation -- you are more likely to be able to go again and again!

Plus, if you want a prime pool lounger, you won't have to worry about chair hogs! Similarly, the buffet lines at lunch will be minimal.

On sea days, you are almost guaranteed to have a relatively lengthy wait for either of these, unless you are one of the first in line. This is especially true if there are very few sea days during your sailing, as most passengers will use this time to check those items off of their list.

You do not have to stay onboard the entire day, either. Book an early morning tour that will get you back hours before sail away. You'll be able to take advantage of both exploring a new place and a relatively empty ship.

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I sailed in an interior cabin on Carnival and a balcony room on Royal Caribbean. Here's the one I'd pick next time.

In:

Staterooms

22 Aug 2023

By:

Allie Hubers

Within the last year, I sailed on two of the most popular cruise lines in the world: Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line. While Royal Caribbean is known for its innovative and resort-style mega ships, Carnival Cruise Line is best known for having affordable cruise fares to sail on the cruise line's FUN ships.

(Left: Royal Caribbean balcony guarantee stateroom on Jewel of the Seas. Right: Standard inside cabin on Carnival Cruise Line's new Carnival Celebration).

To appeal to a wide demographic, both cruise lines offer a variety of cruise ship cabins to choose from when booking a cruise vacation. Everything from budget-friendly inside cabins to spacious, luxurious suites are available on each cruise line.

Last fall, I sailed on Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship, Carnival Celebration, during one of its inaugural sailings in the Caribbean. This modern cruise ship debuted some of the cruise line’s chicest, most stylish accommodations to date. During my week onboard, I sailed in the cruise line’s standard inside cabin with my sister.

Similarly, I just returned from sailing on one of Royal Caribbean’s older cruise ships, Jewel of the Seas. During this 12-night European cruise, we opted to upgrade to a balcony guarantee stateroom so we could enjoy the scenery while sailing around Iceland. This vacation was taken with my husband, who prefers to have a balcony if it’s within our budget.

When comparing these two cabins, there is one stateroom category that I’d choose again in a heartbeat while the other one left a little to be desired.

As an avid-cruiser for most of my life, I have stayed in all different types of cabins on a variety of cruise ships. Some of these cabins were fantastic, while others left me disappointed and frustrated. Everything from the cabin’s storage to the bathroom size and cabin’s location can play key roles in determining whether a stateroom is one that I would choose again.

Most of the time, you can find me sailing in an inside cabin because I prefer to spend my money on excursions, specialty dining, internet packages and more. Also, choosing a cheaper cabin option usually saves me thousands of dollars compared to other staterooms categories, which means I can cruise more frequently.

However, sometimes I do splurge on a higher-end stateroom. This is usually when I plan to cruise somewhere very scenic, like Iceland, Norway or Alaska. I find there to be great value in booking a balcony so I can marvel at the scenery without needing to leave my room.

One of the most obvious differences was the price between Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line's accommodations.

My balcony guarantee cabin on Royal Caribbean was more expensive in comparison to the inside cabin on Carnival Celebration.

To start, newer ships tend to be more expensive when the vessel first debuts because the ship is in high demand. With Carnival Celebration just entering its inaugural season, the price was likely inflated compared to a typical 7-night sailing onboard Carnival Celebration.

(Standard inside cabin on Carnival Celebration)

My inside cabin on Carnival Celebration was $1,300 for the 7-night Caribbean sailing. This was the second sailing for the brand-new cruise ship, which should be noted. However, it was the absolute cheapest cabin available onboard. This adds up to be about $92.85 per person for each day of the Carnival cruise.

On the flip side, my balcony guarantee staterooms was right around $3,000 for the 12-night cruise to Iceland. Jewel of the Seas is one of the older vessels in Royal Caribbean’s fleet; however, Iceland is an expensive destination and the cruise was a longer itinerary, which can drive down the price sometimes. At a daily cost, this was $125 per person per day to sail with Royal Caribbean.

A guaranteed balcony means that you select the category of stateroom you desire, but you do not get to choose your balcony’s location. Once the cruise departure approaches, you are typically assigned a cabin number at random.

(Balcony on Royal Caribbean)

Had we booked an inside cabin on Jewel of the Seas (which we originally did before upgrading to the balcony), this would have cost $2,700. This adds up to be around $112.50 each day for an inside cabin onboard the same cruise.

I’d also like to note that these prices do not include gratuities, which are automatically applied each day of your cruise unless you choose to prepay.

Regardless, it was more expensive to sail with Royal Caribbean even if I had stayed in a comparable inside cabin. This is not surprising, as Carnival Cruise Line is the most affordable cruise line in the industry while Royal Caribbean is almost always more expensive.

The ship’s age was a key factor in comparing these two staterooms, as Carnival Celebration was brand-new while Jewel of the Seas was worn and tired looking.

It is pretty hard not to be wowed by a brand-new cruise ship. Even as someone who typically sails with Royal Caribbean, staying in a new cabin onboard Carnival Celebration was quite impressive. I was surprised by how thoughtfully designed the inside cabin was, even though it was the cheapest category available onboard.

First, Carnival Celebration, being the newest ship for the cruise line, featured very stylish and functional staterooms. The cabin was modern with light wood and blue accents. Of course, the carpet, furniture and beds had only been used by a few people before us. Everything felt spick-and-span, as it should!

(Inside Cabin on Carnival Celebration)

We appreciated the little details in our inside cabin with Carnival too, like having a USB plug at our bedside and numerous outlets to use on the vanity.

On the other hand, our balcony cabin on Jewel of the Seas was nearly 20 years old with little updates made in the last decade. While the decor was certainly dated, there were other aspects of the balcony guarantee cabin that we did not particularly like either.

(Worn table on Royal Caribbean)

The furniture was certainly worn down in our cabin, as was our balcony. Additionally, the carpet was far past its expiration date, with a few obvious stains throughout. Finally, our balcony itself had very dry wood that looked poorly maintained - I was almost worried about getting splinters!

(Balcony view on Royal Caribbean)

It was pretty clear that Royal Caribbean had not updated these staterooms on Jewel of the Seas in many years - and refurbishment was long overdue. But, we anticipated our cabin to look outdated because of the ship's age and we planned to spend most of our time exploring Iceland.

Along with price, another obvious difference between Royal Caribbean’s balcony cabin and Carnival’s inside cabin was the size.

It should come as no surprise that our balcony guarantee with Royal Caribbean was more spacious than the inside cabin with Carnival Cruise Line.

The balcony guarantee on Jewel of the Seas was 180 square feet. This is about 10 square feet bigger than an inside cabin on the same ship. Our balcony was an additional 27 square feet, which is a little larger than a standard balcony onboard due to the location of our cabin as well. Overall, it was pretty spacious and we comfortably moved into the cabin for our 12-night adventure!

Read more: 8 reasons to book a balcony cabin

When comparing to Carnival’s inside cabin, this cozy stateroom was only 162 square feet. The stateroom was noticeably smaller than Royal Caribbean's especially when we noticed there was no place to sit other than our beds. In comparison, our balcony cabin with Royal Caribbean featured a loveseat and a small coffee table. Having this extra place to sit, along with chairs on the balcony, made the cabin feel much more spacious.

(Inside cabin on Carnival Celebration)

Finally, Carnival’s inside cabin had exposed bunk beds. Even though it was just me and my sister sailing together, this cabin could technically accommodate four people. The unused bunk beds made the space above our beds feel more cramped, as the beds could not be tucked into the ceiling like I’ve seen on other cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean’s bathroom design was one our least favorite parts of the cabin, while Carnival Cruise Line’s spacious shower was a highlight.

Let me first set the record straight that a cruise cabin bathroom absolutely does not make or break my overall experience! However, when comparing these two cabins, the bathroom discrepancies really emphasized areas of improvement for Royal Caribbean.

As we had expected, our bathroom on Royal Caribbean was equally as outdated as our stateroom. This meant that we had the dreaded capsule-style showers. My husband is 6’4 and I am 5’11, so these tiny showers are not well suited for taller-than-average cruisers.

(Left: Shower on Royal Caribbean. Right: Shower on Carnival Celebration)

Much to the contrary, our budget-friendly cabin on Carnival featured an unusually large shower for such a tiny cabin. I would guess that our shower in this inside cabin was double to triple the size of our shower with Royal Caribbean.

(Shower on Carnival Celebration)

The bathroom overall felt more spacious and well-designed on Carnival compared to our balcony cabin with Royal Caribbean. Perhaps this is an industry shift towards more comfortable stateroom bathrooms, but the improved shower situation was a welcomed change for this unusually tall cruise writer.

The deal breaker for us was the undesirable cabin location onboard Royal Caribbean, which is a huge disadvantage to booking a guaranteed stateroom.

Anytime you book a guaranteed cabin, you take a huge gamble. In all honesty, I started to sail in guarantee cabins more frequently in the early post-pandemic cruising and I think this gave a false perception.

(Balcony stateroom on Royal Caribbean)

Much to my delight, I never had much of an issue with a bad stateroom location when cruises first restarted after the pandemic; however, I have realized this is no longer the case. People are booking cruises far in advance - thanks to built-up cruise credits - and choosing the best cabin locations.

With ships filling up to capacity for most itineraries these days, guaranteed cabins are pretty much guaranteed to be terribly located onboard. Within the last year, I’ve had some pretty horrible cabin locations when booking guaranteed cabins.

Back in March, I booked an inside cabin guarantee on Celebrity Silhouette and ended up right next to a Crew Service door. Each morning at 4am, I was woken up by the crew members starting their day and shuffling around the decks. I slept so terribly that I ended up getting sick and rundown by the last night because I was not able to get quality sleep each night.

(Celebrity Silhouette inside cabin directly next to crew service door)

After this experience, I seriously contemplated whether I wanted to move forward with our upcoming balcony guarantee selection on Jewel of the Seas. However, it was an additional $1,000 to choose a balcony location on our sailing. Unfortunately, most of the cabins were in undesirable locations because the sailing date was approaching, so we opted to take the risk.

(Room service on Royal Caribbean balcony)

As you can probably guess, we ended up with a horrible balcony location on our Royal Caribbean cruise. Our balcony was obstructed, although it was not categorized as such. This did not bother us, as we had only spent $300 to upgrade. But, we were located directly above one of the music lounges onboard, which greatly impacted our sleep.

Each evening, our stateroom would thump and shake to the music playing from the live band and singers down below. We had to start planning our evenings around when the music would start and stop at the Safari Club. Some evenings, music played well past midnight and we couldn’t sleep with the loud bass that echoed throughout our cabin.

(Watching the midnight sun in Iceland off our balcony on Royal Caribbean)

With our inside cabin on Carnival, the mid-ship location was perfect. We were surrounded by staterooms, so there was no source of unwanted noise. I slept perfectly in this pitch-black cabin.

Gambling with a guarantee stateroom is not in my future cruise plans, especially during highly-anticipated vacations or long cruise itineraries.

When comparing these cabin experiences on Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, there is an obvious winner in my book. I’d pick the inside cabin on Carnival in a heartbeat, but another guaranteed stateroom with Royal Caribbean is not in my future.

(Carnival Celebration inside cabin)

Being able to comfortably sleep is a top priority for me when I am on vacation. Getting rundown and aggravated (at the consequences of my own prior decisions, I know) is not how I want to spend vacation. If anything, I need to sleep more than normal because we typically spend our days in port exploring new places.

(Beds and nightstands in Carnival's inside cabin)

I am no longer comfortable risking a bad cabin location to save extra money on a cruise vacation, especially on a longer itinerary. My husband and I both agreed that we would spend the extra money to ensure we could choose our cabin location in the future. In fact, we upgraded our cabin for next summer already because we did not want another terrible guarantee location.

Even though our cabin on Carnival Celebration was tiny, it had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. We weren’t kept up late with loud music from the bars or lounges. Most importantly, I was able to get restful sleep each evening onboard thanks to our cabin’s prime mid-ship location. Rest and rejuvenation are crucial for a fantastic vacation - and guaranteed cabins simply cannot guarantee any of that.

More on picking a cruise cabin

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Odyssey of the Seas

Spectrum of the Seas

Symphony of the Seas

Harmony of the Seas

Ovation of the Seas

Anthem of the Seas

Quantum of the Seas

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Independence of the Seas

Liberty of the Seas

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Jewel of the Seas

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Voyager of the Seas

Vision of the Seas

Enchantment of the Seas

Rhapsody of the Seas

Grandeur of the Seas

Should I sail on an old or new Royal Caribbean ship?

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"I'll get seasick"

"Only old people take cruises"

"I'll feel claustrophobic onboard"

"Cruises are too expensive"

"I'll be bored"

"I have to get dressed up"

"Bad things always happen on cruise ships"

"I have to eat with strangers"

"I can't eat healthy"

"Cruising isn’t real travel"

Booking too many Western Caribbean itineraries

Not making My Time Dining reservations

Waiting too long to purchase compression packing cubes

Not taking a scuba diving course on a cruise ship

Not booking a land-based cruise tour after my one-way Alaska itinerary

Booking a flight with a short layover

Packing too many clothes for an Alaska cruise

Sailing from the same embarkation ports

Do you have any cruising regrets? Let us know your biggest mishaps in the comments below!

What the partnership will bring

Three days without guests

Passenger cabin auction

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade

Portside BBQ

Mason Jar Brunch

Izumi sushi

Fewer days at sea means more time to explore different destinations

Fewer days at sea means fewer opportunities to feel seasick

Less time onboard means that you can save money on a cheaper cabin category

Revisit destinations you've already been to

You don't have to worry about sailing on the newest ship

If you are a seasoned cruiser who has visited the ports before, you can take advantage of fewer crowds onboard

When comparing these two cabins, there is one stateroom category that I’d choose again in a heartbeat while the other one left a little to be desired.

One of the most obvious differences was the price between Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line's accommodations.

The ship’s age was a key factor in comparing these two staterooms, as Carnival Celebration was brand-new while Jewel of the Seas was worn and tired looking.

Along with price, another obvious difference between Royal Caribbean’s balcony cabin and Carnival’s inside cabin was the size.

Royal Caribbean’s bathroom design was one our least favorite parts of the cabin, while Carnival Cruise Line’s spacious shower was a highlight.

The deal breaker for us was the undesirable cabin location onboard Royal Caribbean, which is a huge disadvantage to booking a guaranteed stateroom.

Gambling with a guarantee stateroom is not in my future cruise plans, especially during highly-anticipated vacations or long cruise itineraries.

More on picking a cruise cabin

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