Photo by Scarlet Marzuca

Steven Barry Krumholz was arrested on Royal Caribbea's Allure of the Seas in February under suspicion of selling drugs and plead guilty in a U.S. Virgin Islands court to dealing drugs on board a cruise ship.

Krumholz admitted to selling ecstasy, methamphetamine and ketamine on his ship.  He could face up to 20 years in jail and fines of $1 million.

Krumholz was arrested in St. Thomas after U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents searched his stateroom cabin and found 142 ecstasy pills, nearly 3 grams of methamphetamine, a small quantity of ketamine and about $51,000 in cash.  Officials were tipped off to Krumholz after they found drugs on another passenger who got the drugs from him.

Royal Caribbean says it has a zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs at sea and it cooperated fully with authorities.

Photo by Jessica Gomez

Photo by April Dash

We've heard a report that speciality restaurant Rita's Cantina aboard Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas has gone from a $7.95 service charge to a $3.00 service charge and all food is now priced a la carte.

The move is similar to how the Seafood Shack specialty restaurant aboard Oasis of the Seas is handled.  

The change is effective as of the cruise that left Port Everglades yesterday.

The change of pricing isn't unprecedented.  Royal Caribbean changed the price structure aboard Radiance of the Seas back on June 10.

Royal Caribbean launched a new promotion today for its cruises to the western Caribbean, departing between July 16, 2011 and May 27, 2012. Guests who make reservations on Wednesday (06/22), will receive $100 onboard credit per stateroom on all cruises aboard Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas of seven nights, and $50 for itineraries of five or six nights on sailings between November 12, 2011, and April 19, 2012 on the Liberty of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas or Navigator of the Seas.

The offer applies only to new bookings, and cabins must belong to the categories or suites with a balcony outside. The credit can be used to pay expenses of board and spa treatments, shopping in stores or in the casino.

Parenting.com recognized Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas as one of the "Best Cruise Ships for Families".  In a survey of their top picks for best cruise ships to bring a family on, Allure was picked for among other reasons, the Dreamworks film connection.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a Royal Caribbean ship that doesn’t indulge pint-sized passengers, but Allure and Oasis are the latest and greatest in the 22-ship fleet.

Parents of infants will appreciate Royal Caribbean’s Babies 2 Go program, which allows you to order organic baby food, and Huggies diapers, wipes, and creams for delivery to your stateroom. Don’t worry about packing toys either. The cruise line’s Fisher-Price Toy Lending Program lets you borrow them like library books.

Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas played host to a special luncheon gathering of Royal Caribbean staff and Jamaican officials on April 27th to honor Jamaica's Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry and to celebrate the partnership between Royal Caribbean and the Port Authority of Jamaica.

During the ceremony, Allure of the Seas' Captain, Hernam Zini, presented Mr. Henry with a plaque while Mr. Henry returned the favor and gave Captain Zini a plaque of his own.  There was also special commemorative gifts presented to Royal Caribbean by local members of Trelawny and Falmouth.

Both organizations had worked together to revamp and open Falmouth, Jamaica as a premiere cruise port.  Joining the group were members of Jamaica's government officials, members of the diplomatic corps and the business sector.

Henry was pleased with how the partnership was going, "I am calling on the Falmouth community for an integration of the local residents and visitors in affording them the opportunity of having the greatest experience in Jamaica, as this is crucial to the sustainability of the Jamaica's visitors' market".